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Texas Recruiting Notes 2023: Strippers, Monkeys, and 5-Stars

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49 in Sept.  It sucks - went from jogging and a swimmer to tremors and shakes.  I'm scared to death of fixing a light bulb on a ladder.  I just pray it isn't MS.  Neither have a blood test, it takes t

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I know it feels like cool shit is happening, but Surly needs to gear all the fucking way up. Big big things coming. Let’s.Fucking.Go!

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jinx

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8 hours ago, Wulaw Horn said:

Compare those rating to 30 years ago is what I'm talking about. If you think College Basketball is in as good a shape in 2022 as it was in 1992 you are certifiably insane or 13 years old.  Last years Final- Kansas v UNC which is about as blue blood and amazing a matchup as you can get got 18.5 million viewers.  In the 80's, when the country was 60% of it's current size, the NCAA routinely got 30+ million. 

There is like 8 guys on 1 team that get paid any money in the G-League.  There will be 58 guys at UT (slight hyperbole but just barely) make more than the "highly" paid G-League players.  The money for college vs minor league sports is not even in the same stratosphere.  I don't know if you are being intentionally obtuse on this or arguing to be a pedant, but it's really silly and you should stop.  

My daughter's (no pics) boyfriend is in the Rangers minor league system because they offered him $750k. Sure he makes dirt as a salary, but if you think $750k at 18 isn’t good money I don’t  know what to tell you. And MLB will pay his full tuition for college up to a ridiculous amount. He is also fully covered by insurance with absolutely zero out of pocket cost. He had plenty of options to go to college. 

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Wulaw Horn

Wulaw Horn 19126

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11 minutes ago, jinx said:

My daughter's (no pics) boyfriend is in the Rangers minor league system because they offered him $750k. Sure he makes dirt as a salary, but if you think $750k at 18 isn’t good money I don’t  know what to tell you. And MLB will pay his full tuition for college up to a ridiculous amount. He is also fully covered by insurance with absolutely zero out of pocket cost. He had plenty of options to go to college. 

That’s not what I’m talking about. They aren’t paying him to play in the minor leagues. They are trying to lock down the future rights to him. It is not the same as what I’m talking about. They don’t care about him playing in the minor leagues. They care about his development and future ability to help in the majors. 

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Elmer_Fudd

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4 hours ago, satyanash said:

Our linebackers wouldn't even be in the picture.

giphy-downsized-large.gif

Jerrin Thompson gets the heat on this play but watch Foster.  Unblocked from the backside and just runs up and touches Williams.  Wtf is this flag football?  He could have made the stop behind the LOS.

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Shaggyhorn

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Jerrin Thompson gets the heat on this play but watch Foster.  Unblocked from the backside and just runs up and touches Williams.  Wtf is this flag football?  He could have made the stop behind the LOS.

It was just a little boost to help williams stay balanced and turn the corner.
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TankedBevo

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1 hour ago, Elmer_Fudd said:

Jerrin Thompson gets the heat on this play but watch Foster.  Unblocked from the backside and just runs up and touches Williams.  Wtf is this flag football?  He could have made the stop behind the LOS.

Yup, both Jerrin Thompson and BJ Foster had their opportunities for that to be a negative play or at least a play at the LOS. We also add the fact that instead of scraping to the right to fill in between the tackle and guard, Brock decides to shoot straight downhill into the same gap Overshown is and get blocked inside which creates the massive chasm that Williams gets to run cleanly through.

Goddammit Satya 

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closetohumping

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1 hour ago, TankedBevo said:

Yup, both Jerrin Thompson and BJ Foster had their opportunities for that to be a negative play or at least a play at the LOS. We also add the fact that instead of scraping to the right to fill in between the tackle and guard, Brock decides to shoot straight downhill into the same gap Overshown is and get blocked inside which creates the massive chasm that Williams gets to run cleanly through.

Goddammit Satya 

We probably score from there and make it 35-7.  Worst loss ever

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Had Enough

Had Enough 2083

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Yup, both Jerrin Thompson and BJ Foster had their opportunities for that to be a negative play or at least a play at the LOS. We also add the fact that instead of scraping to the right to fill in between the tackle and guard, Brock decides to shoot straight downhill into the same gap Overshown is and get blocked inside which creates the massive chasm that Williams gets to run cleanly through.
Goddammit Satya 

This is why many of you are such little bitches. The failure begins and ends with the safeties.

And then if you want to discuss the “chasm,” it is be cause Ojomo gets knocked off the ball. Granted double team. But in any event an unblocked safety had a shot in the hole and whiffed.
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TankedBevo

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5 minutes ago, Had Enough said:


This is why many of you are such little bitches. The failure begins and ends with the safeties.

And then if you want to discuss the “chasm,” it is be cause Ojomo gets knocked off the ball. Granted double team. But in any event an unblocked safety had a shot in the hole and whiffed.

You failed to read my very first sentence as well as the "add to the fact" at the beginning of the next sentence. Nothing you said is untrue, and neither is anything I said so calm your tits.

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Tex-19

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3 hours ago, Elmer_Fudd said:

Jerrin Thompson gets the heat on this play but watch Foster.  Unblocked from the backside and just runs up and touches Williams.  Wtf is this flag football?  He could have made the stop behind the LOS.

Wow I hadn’t noticed that before. Hilarious. Perfectly emblematic of his effort level all year. Adios for a reason. 

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Had Enough

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You failed to read my very first sentence as well as the "add to the fact" at the beginning of the next sentence. Nothing you said is untrue, and neither is anything I said so calm your tits.

Not true. I said Ojomo but think it was Sorrell actually. So I was wrong there. And you were wrong. Brock took on the inside shoulder of the tackle I do believe.

On 4th and 1, ILBs should attack upfield particularly with a nose and no other DTs.

You added to the fact to pass over the next biggest issue that Sorrell stood straight up to call out everybody’s favorite whipping boy, who at a minimum helped force him to a clean defender.
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closetojumping

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1 minute ago, Had Enough said:


Not true. I said Ojomo but think it was Sorrell actually. So I was wrong there. And you were wrong. Brock took on the inside shoulder of the tackle I do believe.

On 4th and 1, ILBs should attack upfield particularly with a nose and no other DTs.

You added to the fact to pass over the next biggest issue that Sorrell stood straight up to call out everybody’s favorite whipping boy, who at a minimum helped force him to a clean defender.

Can you and the other fucking imbeciles please shut the fuck up and get off of this motherfucking thread if that’s all you are good for? Thanks. 

Jesus Tittyfucking Christ. 

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Droopy

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5 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

Can you and the other fucking imbeciles please shut the fuck up and get off of this motherfucking thread if that’s all you are good for? Thanks. 

Jesus Tittyfucking Christ. 

Second. 
 

Motion has been seconded. Motion passes. 

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Bodacious Bevo

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I will continue to post orangebloods content until the thread is back on track 

Spoiler

11 Things to chew on as we get started...

1. In speaking with people around the program about the starting quarterback battle, it was interesting to see the amount of people that respect sophomore quarterback Hudson Card. While there is absolutely a general sense that transfer quarterback Quinn Ewers will be the starter when the season begins, no one quite wants to completely dismiss Card as competition.

"He works hard every day and I've never heard him complain. He might not be the starter, but we trust him. We know how talented he is. There's a completely different vibe with the quarterbacks this year and it's a good one," one source told me this week.

2. Senior Anthony Cook is a player that keeps getting mentioned over and over again as a team leader on defense and one of the best players on that side of the ball.

3. Asked about Diamonte Tucker-Dorsey this week and multiple sources told me that he'd adjusted very quickly since coming to Austin, "He's not a kid," one source said. "Just like Ovie (Oghoufo) last year, he doesn't have time to play games. It's now or go do something else with your life. he brings a seriousness to the linebackers. He's doing good."

4. If you were going to buy a low-cost stock on the defensive side of the ball, sophomore defensive end Barryn Sorrell is probably a good purchase. I won't go crazy with the hyperbole I posed this week. Hell, I'm not even going to share one of the quotes I got because I'm 100-percent sure that I'll get hammered with it until the end of time, but let's just say there's a noticeable buzz. Just something to file away.

5. Quote of the week from someone close to the program: "Jordan Whittington will be our best receiver this season if he plays all the games."

6. It's still full speed ahead for Orlando Edgewater running back Cedric Baxter. There seems to be 100-percent confidence in that recruitment and it's been like that for a number of weeks now. If you've had any concerns at all about that one, just full-on relax.

7. Who knows what will happen with fellow Orlando native and mammoth 2023 offensive tackle prospect Payton Kirkland beyond Saturday, but all of our sourcing on that situation continues to suggest Texas will sneak in for his commitment.

On another note with regards to Kirkland, here's what Rivals national analyst Adam Gorney said about Kirkland earlier in the spring after watching him at the Miami Rivals Camp: "Kirkland, currently a four-star offensive tackle, had an outstanding showing at the Miami Rivals camp. He continues to look like he's getting in better shape and it really showed during 1-on-1s. Kirkland was very quick to get into his set at the snap and used his great length and strong punch to make sure that defensive linemen weren't able to get to the quarterback. With his sheer size and wingspan it should be hard for nearly any defensive lineman to beat him on an inside path to the quarterback."

8. Source: "There are worse things we can do than take multiple national prospects from the Orlando area. That would be like Florida getting two kids from Dallas. You want that to help you in future years and if you look ahead to 2024, there will be players that we go after. There's more to like about taking his commitment than him being really big."

9. None of my sources are taking Denton Ryan linebacker Anthony Hill for granted, but everyone seems confident that the Longhorns wouldn't trade their positioning with any other school.

10. Just a random note to pass along. To give you an idea on how the offer-game works for both Texas and Texas A&M these days, the Rivals database reports 76 different in-state kids from the 2023 class that have offers from both schools.

11. Finally, I reached out to one of my best sources about the possibility of Texas leaving for the SEC before the 2025 season. "TBD. I think so, but lots of moving parts," the source texted me on Thursday.

*****

(From Anwar)

Let me start by sharing an observation that I discussed with Geoff Ketchum earlier this week.

This was the first time I attended SEC Media Days. My goal was to get a feel for an event that I will cover annually once Texas leaves the Big 12. Many college football observers believe that exit could occur in 2024. At worst, Texas will be forced to remain in this league in 2025. Regardless, this was a great opportunity to get acquainted with the coaches and officials in the SEC.

One of my biggest takeaways from the event in Atlanta was how often Texas was mentioned throughout the week. As I explored the College Football Hall of Fame, the site of SEC Media Days, it seemed like I heard a reference to the Longhorn every two or three minutes. When I wandered around media row, one broadcaster after another randomly mentioned Texas. I kept hearing references to Texas, speculation about when the Longhorns might join the SEC, and Steve Sarkisian.

In addition, I had several SEC and national reporters approach me about wanting to discuss Texas. I entered this event expecting to be a fly on the SEC wall. The last thing I expected was for Texas to be one of the hottest topics in another conference.

Texas and the Big 12 are currently in an awkward situation until they part ways. Nobody at Big 12 Media Days spoke glowingly of Texas. However, everyone associated with SEC Media Days had positive things to say about Texas, and it appeared they are eagerly anticipating the addition of the Longhorns.

Outside of the future Longhorn housewarming party, there was another aspect that caught my attention this week.

Sarkisian has a lot of respect among his peers.

Let us begin with Alabama coach Nick Saban.

It was Saban who resurrected Sarkisian’s career after USC fired its former head coach. Saban hired Sarkisian as an analyst for the 2016 season and allowed the coach the remain in football and eventually regain the trust of football programs. After receiving the "Saban approval," the Atlanta Falcons hired Sarkisian as an offensive coordinator.

However, here was what NFL.com reported after Sarkisian was fired after the 2018 season.

“Sarkisian was under fire from the moment he took over for Kyle Shanahan in 2017 and didn't immediately replicate the latter's success. Despite the consternation about the offense, the Falcons still finished sixth in the NFL in yards per game (389.1) and 10th in scoring (25.9 per game) in 2018.

“Sark can't be blamed for the plethora of fumbles in the red zone, which plagued the Falcons on a weekly basis, or the offensive line woes. His choppy, unbalanced play-calling and head-scratching red-zone calls, however, are questionable traits.”

Once again, Saban came to the rescue.

Saban hired Sarkisian as Alabama’s offensive coordinator in 2019. It was that lifeline that salvaged Sarkisian’s reputation as an offensive coordinator and eventually led to his hiring at Texas in 2021.

“Yeah, an unbelievable amount of respect for coach Saban and that program,” Sarkisian said at Big 12 Media Days. “Without Nick Saban, I wouldn't be sitting here today in front of y'all. I owe a great deal to him. I owe so much to him, and I will never, ever forget that he and Ms. Terry have been tremendous in my life and my wife's life, and what they've done for us on and off the field, I owe them a great deal. With that being said, I can't wait to play them because I know what he puts into it. I know the work ethic, I know the discipline that he has personally. I know what he instills into his organization, into that team.

“I think ultimately that's what you try to take when you leave Alabama because you can't try to be Nick Saban; there's only one. You have to be a Steve Sarkisian. But the discipline and commitment that he has personally to that program that then he instills into his team and into his own organization is something that you try to emulate.”

I asked Saban about Sarkisian’s praise and the mentor spoke highly of his protégé.

“Sark is one of the finest coaches we’ve ever had on our staff,” Saban said during SEC Media Days. “He did an outstanding job. He does a good job with player relations, very well organized. Very good play caller on game day. Just a fantastic job. Really excited for him and his family that he got the opportunity to go to Texas. I know they're going to have a really challenging team for us next year. It's going to be a very competitive game, which I'm sure their players are looking forward to, and our players are looking forward to, which is what makes college football great.

“But I have a really good relationship with Sark. Always very, very respectful of the head coach, our relationship, the principles and values of the organization that he sort of re-instilled in the players reinforced in a positive way. I can't say enough good things about Sark, and how he contributed [to] the program and the success I think he'll have in Texas.”

Saban was not the only coach who praised Sarkisian.

Ole Miss football coach Lane Kiffin and Sarkisian were on Sarkisian’s staff during the 2016 season. Kiffin was Alabama’s offensive coordinator and Sarkisian served as an analyst. After a successful season, Kiffin accepted the job as Florida Atlantic’s head coach. Kiffin intended to remain on the job throughout Alabama’s playoff run but was relieved of his duties by Saban before their team’s national championship game against Clemson.

As a result, Sarkisian was Alabama’s offensive coordinator during a 35-31 loss.

I asked Kiffin to discuss Sarkisian and their time together and was extremely respectful – after a playful jab.

“I joke with him, by the way. We were offensive coordinators the same year and I was undefeated [14-0] and he was 0-1," Kiffin said. "He’ll do a great job. I know the record isn’t what he wanted to see. But those are hard years to go through and sometimes they're the best because you got to come in, and when you don’t have success, you see who's really on board.

“A lot of kids ended up leaving. He’s redone a roster. They’re doing a great job recruiting. I think he'll do a great job.”

Sarkisian’s respect extends beyond coaches.

Before Alabama quarterback Bryce Young was a defending Heisman Trophy winner, he was a highly coveted recruit from Mater Dei. Young and Sarkisian developed a strong relationship during the recruiting process. Alabama eventually entered a head-to-head battle with USC.

Stop me if you heard this before.

Sarkisian eventually landed a 5-star quarterback.

Young was in Sarkisian’s quarterback room for one season before offensive coordinator was hired by Texas. However, Young still thinks highly of Texas.

“Coach Sark was really instrumental in me going to Alabama,” Young said when I asked about his relationship with Sarkisian. “He recruited me there and was the reason I started looking at Alabama. I have nothing but love for coach Sark. The year that I was there and being coached by him, I learned a lot. I was able to go and learn a lot underneath him.

“Right now, it’s about competing with ourselves week in and week out. We take everything week by week when the season starts. But with that being said, I definitely have a lot of love for Sark. I’m super excited.”

In addition, Alabama defensive end Will Anderson smiled when I asked him about Sarkisian this week.

“I have a ton of respect for coach Sark, coach [Kyle] Flood, and all those guys [at Texas] from Alabama,” Anderson said. “It's going to be an exciting matchup, I think. They have a really good team. They have really good staff. I’m just excited to play them.”

As a quick side note, everyone associated with Texas was shown a lot of respect.

I decided to ask South Carolina coach Shane Beamer about Texas and Oklahoma joining the SEC. Beamer was Oklahoma's assistant head coach under Lincoln Riley from 2018 until 2020. He seemed like the best person to ask about the future additions.

After stating my name and media affiliation, I asked Beamer about one of the hot topics this week. Beamer smiled and made it seem like we were long-lost friends.

"Yeah, great to see you. I see Kirk Bohls here. Guys that were in the Big 12 that I certainly followed for Big 12 news," Beamer said. "Welcome to SEC Media Days. Looking forward to working with you."

Heck, everyone associated with the Longhorns is looking forward to joining the SEC.

After multiple days in Atlanta, it is clear there is no shortage of coaches and players who remain excited about Sarkisian as a coach and person.

*****

(From Suchomel)

It’s turned out to be an interesting recruiting week for Texas, with a commitment from Malik Muhammad and the head-scratching developments with offensive lineman Payton Kirkland.

In case you missed the Kirkland stuff on Wednesday, a brief recap …

The Orlando Dr. Phillips standout recently released a top five of Alabama, Florida, Miami, Michigan State, and Oklahoma. Rivals.com actually had a video interview with him on Thursday discussing those five finalists.

Quietly, behind the scenes, Texas has made a late surge to put the Longhorns in contention to land the Rivals250 member. When word started to leak out on Thursday of Kirkland giving Texas a very hard look, Kirkland very strongly and publicly denied on social media having any interest in the Longhorns. He pointed out that he’s never even visited Texas, and he continues to maintain that he’ll pick from his group of five finalists.

Kirkland is set to announce his decision on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. CST and OB still feels very good about UT’s chances of adding the big offensive tackle, despite Kirkland’s public stance about Texas not being a factor.

******

It’s flown a bit under the radar, but linebacker Derion Gullette is expected to transfer from Marlin to Teague for his senior year. Gullette, who suffered a recent knee injury, won’t be able to play his senior season but it’s still a move worth monitoring.

At Marlin, Gullette is surrounded by coaches who had a terrific experience in the way the Longhorns recruited former Marlin standout and current freshman Jaray Bledsoe. That’s not to say the Marlin staff was going to push Gullette towards Austin, but it certainly doesn’t hurt having someone involved in a recruitment that has a good relationship with the UT staff.

Gullette will take an unofficial visit to Texas A&M next weekend so the Longhorns will need to withstand that trip, which I still expect to happen. Best case scenario for Texas is that Gullette comes out of that trip ready to make a decision later this summer, which I expect will be the case. As it stands today, I still continue to favor the Longhorns for an early commitment from the Rivals100 standout.

******

In case you missed it in the football recruiting thread this week, Arch Manning will be back in Austin next weekend for UT’s BBQ/pool party recruiting event. We’ve already seen what kind of recruiting impact Manning can have, and he’ll get his first chance to be an in-person recruiter as a Texas commitment. A good number of the Longhorns’ current 2023 recruits have confirmed they’ll be in attendance, as will a handful of uncommitted players in the 2023 group and likely a large number of 2024 prospects.

Manning has had a significant impact on UT’s 2023 fortunes, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it carry over to the 2024 group as well.

******

2024 wide receiver Freddie Dubose will be one of those players who will be at UT’s recruiting event next weekend. Now at Smithson Valley, Dubose has been a regular visitor to the UT campus over the last year and he said he’s looking forward to having another chance to connect with Texas team mebers and other recruits.

“I just want to meet more of the UT players, just get to know them more. The recruits and the players, whoever shows up to build bonds,” Dubose said. “That way, say if I commit, I already have that family atmosphere.”

As a wide receiver, Dubose admits that having Arch Manning heading to UT in the class in front of him is an appealing draw, but he says he’s not going to base his decision solely on Manning’s presence in Austin.

“I like that Arch committed, don’t get me wrong. I do like that he committed. But overall, I feel like people are committing just because it’s Arch Manning. It put an effect on me, was cool to see him commit, that’s my number one choice. But I don’t think Arch Manning plays a part for me. I’m looking at the way bigger picture,” Dubose said.

The Rivals250 member says his plan is to commit somewhere late spring of next year or possibly next summer after he has a chance to take some official visits. He lists a top three, in order, of Texas, Texas A&M and Tennessee. Smithson Valley teammate and A&M commit Colton Thomasson has been working him hard on the Aggies’ behalf.

“We talk about it 24/7. He’s always trying to recruit me, telling me all these great things about Texas A&M. What he says is really good, I really like it. He’s going to end up taking me on a visit when I go up for the pool party on the 31st,” Dubose said.

******

Several of you have asked about linebacker Tausili Akana this week so I checked around and was able to get a quick update.

I don’t get the impression, after talking to one source, that Texas is any sort of runaway leader for the Lehi (UT) Skyridge High standout, but I get the impression there is some confidence on the Texas side that the Longhorns will be a factor in his recruitment as Akana continues to work through the process.

Schools like Oklahoma are heavily involved but one source told me there are “definitely some things drawing him (to Texas).” One of those, of course, is Akana’s sister, who recently transferred from Nebraska to Texas to play volleyball.

Akana doesn’t talk much so it’s hard to get a clear read on what he’s thinking but I’d suspect Texas will need to get the Rivals100 member back on campus in the fall for an official visit to have a realistic shot. We’ll keep an eye on that situation to see if anything more develops.

******

Per a source, Alabama has picked up its interest in defensive lineman Hunter Osborne, which was always a bit of a wildcard factor for the Trussville (AL) product. Texas did a good job with Osborne on his official visit in June, but the thinking was that if Alabama ever really pushed for a commitment, the Crimson Tide might be tough to beat. Look for this one to fall the way of either Alabama or Clemson in the coming weeks.

******

(From Cole)
 


Jerrick Gibson is the No. 1 running back in the 2024 recruiting cycle and is a priority target for Texas. Gibson was on the Texas campus in June. He recently told Ryan Wright of Rivals that he was impressed by the facilities and the environment on the 40 Acres.

Tashard Choice has built a bond with Gibson, which has the Longhorns squarely in the mix for the potential five-star.

“We are just chopping it up,” Gibson told Rivals. “We just talk about life. He calls me on a regular to see how I am doing, and I call him to see how he is doing. We just talk about life outside of football; that’s a big thing for me.”

I recently talked with someone about Gibson, and there is belief that Texas is in the driver’s seat in the Florida rusher’s recruitment. There is still a while to go in his recruitment, but Texas is in strong position right now for the Rivals100 prospect.

***

 


Malik Muhammad announced his pledge to Texas on Wednesday evening. The commitment comes after a strong push from the Longhorns, where Texas made a surge in his recruitment that began late in the spring. Texas got Muhammad on campus for an unofficial visit in early May before hosting the highly rated DB for an official visit in June.

For my money, Muhammad is the top defensive back in the state. His combination of length, athletic ability, and playmaking stands out on tape and when watching him in person. Muhammad is a prospect that should have an opportunity to play as a freshman in Austin. This is a massive win for Sarkisian and staff.

***

The Arch Manning Effect is still rolling. Muhammad is the latest prospect to commit to Texas since Manning announced for the Longhorns. He is the third Rivals100 recruit to jump into the class since that happened, joining the likes of Johntay Cook and Derek Williams.

We knew there would be momentum when Manning committed, but it has been fascinating to watch how things have played out over the last month for Sarkisian and the Longhorns.

***

Texas already has two commitments in the 2024 class: Rivals100 athletes Jaden Allen and Aeryn Hampton. Allen will likely play in the secondary, while Hampton has a chance to be an offensive weapon. The two in-state four-stars give the Longhorns an excellent early foundation for next year’s cycle.

There looks to be a ton of talent around the state for Texas to add to the class over the next year. Duncanville safety Ka’Davion Dotson and Lewisville defensive back Jaydan Hardy are a pair of big-time defenders that are high on Texas. Former Brewer DB Jordon Johnson-Rubell is now at IMG Academy, but he was on campus in June and is also high on Texas.

Colin Simmons is currently the No. 1 player in the nation for the 2024 cycle. The Duncanville defender was arguably the better edge on a stacked Duncanville defense that featured Ohio State signee Omari Abor. Texas is in the mix, but Alabama, LSU, and others are also serious factors.

Micah Hudson is a top-10 player in the nation for 2024. The Lake Belton wide receiver is a game-changing talent out wide with his pass catching skills and after-the-catch playmaking. Hudson was on the 40 Acres in June, where the Longhorns left an impression. Ohio State, Oregon, and Tennessee are other early contenders.

Zina Umeozulu is the younger brother of 2022 Rivals100 OL and Texas signee Neto Umeozulu. It stands reason to believe Texas is in good position for the four-star defensive end, but the Allen standout is also high on Oklahoma and Texas A&M. Still, I believe this is a battle that Texas could -- and probably should -- win.

 

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Mr. Mojo Risin'

Mr. Mojo Risin' 2205

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22 minutes ago, Bodacious Bevo said:

I will continue to post orangebloods content until the thread is back on track 

  Reveal hidden contents

11 Things to chew on as we get started...

1. In speaking with people around the program about the starting quarterback battle, it was interesting to see the amount of people that respect sophomore quarterback Hudson Card. While there is absolutely a general sense that transfer quarterback Quinn Ewers will be the starter when the season begins, no one quite wants to completely dismiss Card as competition.

"He works hard every day and I've never heard him complain. He might not be the starter, but we trust him. We know how talented he is. There's a completely different vibe with the quarterbacks this year and it's a good one," one source told me this week.

2. Senior Anthony Cook is a player that keeps getting mentioned over and over again as a team leader on defense and one of the best players on that side of the ball.

3. Asked about Diamonte Tucker-Dorsey this week and multiple sources told me that he'd adjusted very quickly since coming to Austin, "He's not a kid," one source said. "Just like Ovie (Oghoufo) last year, he doesn't have time to play games. It's now or go do something else with your life. he brings a seriousness to the linebackers. He's doing good."

4. If you were going to buy a low-cost stock on the defensive side of the ball, sophomore defensive end Barryn Sorrell is probably a good purchase. I won't go crazy with the hyperbole I posed this week. Hell, I'm not even going to share one of the quotes I got because I'm 100-percent sure that I'll get hammered with it until the end of time, but let's just say there's a noticeable buzz. Just something to file away.

5. Quote of the week from someone close to the program: "Jordan Whittington will be our best receiver this season if he plays all the games."

6. It's still full speed ahead for Orlando Edgewater running back Cedric Baxter. There seems to be 100-percent confidence in that recruitment and it's been like that for a number of weeks now. If you've had any concerns at all about that one, just full-on relax.

7. Who knows what will happen with fellow Orlando native and mammoth 2023 offensive tackle prospect Payton Kirkland beyond Saturday, but all of our sourcing on that situation continues to suggest Texas will sneak in for his commitment.

On another note with regards to Kirkland, here's what Rivals national analyst Adam Gorney said about Kirkland earlier in the spring after watching him at the Miami Rivals Camp: "Kirkland, currently a four-star offensive tackle, had an outstanding showing at the Miami Rivals camp. He continues to look like he's getting in better shape and it really showed during 1-on-1s. Kirkland was very quick to get into his set at the snap and used his great length and strong punch to make sure that defensive linemen weren't able to get to the quarterback. With his sheer size and wingspan it should be hard for nearly any defensive lineman to beat him on an inside path to the quarterback."

8. Source: "There are worse things we can do than take multiple national prospects from the Orlando area. That would be like Florida getting two kids from Dallas. You want that to help you in future years and if you look ahead to 2024, there will be players that we go after. There's more to like about taking his commitment than him being really big."

9. None of my sources are taking Denton Ryan linebacker Anthony Hill for granted, but everyone seems confident that the Longhorns wouldn't trade their positioning with any other school.

10. Just a random note to pass along. To give you an idea on how the offer-game works for both Texas and Texas A&M these days, the Rivals database reports 76 different in-state kids from the 2023 class that have offers from both schools.

11. Finally, I reached out to one of my best sources about the possibility of Texas leaving for the SEC before the 2025 season. "TBD. I think so, but lots of moving parts," the source texted me on Thursday.

*****

(From Anwar)

Let me start by sharing an observation that I discussed with Geoff Ketchum earlier this week.

This was the first time I attended SEC Media Days. My goal was to get a feel for an event that I will cover annually once Texas leaves the Big 12. Many college football observers believe that exit could occur in 2024. At worst, Texas will be forced to remain in this league in 2025. Regardless, this was a great opportunity to get acquainted with the coaches and officials in the SEC.

One of my biggest takeaways from the event in Atlanta was how often Texas was mentioned throughout the week. As I explored the College Football Hall of Fame, the site of SEC Media Days, it seemed like I heard a reference to the Longhorn every two or three minutes. When I wandered around media row, one broadcaster after another randomly mentioned Texas. I kept hearing references to Texas, speculation about when the Longhorns might join the SEC, and Steve Sarkisian.

In addition, I had several SEC and national reporters approach me about wanting to discuss Texas. I entered this event expecting to be a fly on the SEC wall. The last thing I expected was for Texas to be one of the hottest topics in another conference.

Texas and the Big 12 are currently in an awkward situation until they part ways. Nobody at Big 12 Media Days spoke glowingly of Texas. However, everyone associated with SEC Media Days had positive things to say about Texas, and it appeared they are eagerly anticipating the addition of the Longhorns.

Outside of the future Longhorn housewarming party, there was another aspect that caught my attention this week.

Sarkisian has a lot of respect among his peers.

Let us begin with Alabama coach Nick Saban.

It was Saban who resurrected Sarkisian’s career after USC fired its former head coach. Saban hired Sarkisian as an analyst for the 2016 season and allowed the coach the remain in football and eventually regain the trust of football programs. After receiving the "Saban approval," the Atlanta Falcons hired Sarkisian as an offensive coordinator.

However, here was what NFL.com reported after Sarkisian was fired after the 2018 season.

“Sarkisian was under fire from the moment he took over for Kyle Shanahan in 2017 and didn't immediately replicate the latter's success. Despite the consternation about the offense, the Falcons still finished sixth in the NFL in yards per game (389.1) and 10th in scoring (25.9 per game) in 2018.

“Sark can't be blamed for the plethora of fumbles in the red zone, which plagued the Falcons on a weekly basis, or the offensive line woes. His choppy, unbalanced play-calling and head-scratching red-zone calls, however, are questionable traits.”

Once again, Saban came to the rescue.

Saban hired Sarkisian as Alabama’s offensive coordinator in 2019. It was that lifeline that salvaged Sarkisian’s reputation as an offensive coordinator and eventually led to his hiring at Texas in 2021.

“Yeah, an unbelievable amount of respect for coach Saban and that program,” Sarkisian said at Big 12 Media Days. “Without Nick Saban, I wouldn't be sitting here today in front of y'all. I owe a great deal to him. I owe so much to him, and I will never, ever forget that he and Ms. Terry have been tremendous in my life and my wife's life, and what they've done for us on and off the field, I owe them a great deal. With that being said, I can't wait to play them because I know what he puts into it. I know the work ethic, I know the discipline that he has personally. I know what he instills into his organization, into that team.

“I think ultimately that's what you try to take when you leave Alabama because you can't try to be Nick Saban; there's only one. You have to be a Steve Sarkisian. But the discipline and commitment that he has personally to that program that then he instills into his team and into his own organization is something that you try to emulate.”

I asked Saban about Sarkisian’s praise and the mentor spoke highly of his protégé.

“Sark is one of the finest coaches we’ve ever had on our staff,” Saban said during SEC Media Days. “He did an outstanding job. He does a good job with player relations, very well organized. Very good play caller on game day. Just a fantastic job. Really excited for him and his family that he got the opportunity to go to Texas. I know they're going to have a really challenging team for us next year. It's going to be a very competitive game, which I'm sure their players are looking forward to, and our players are looking forward to, which is what makes college football great.

“But I have a really good relationship with Sark. Always very, very respectful of the head coach, our relationship, the principles and values of the organization that he sort of re-instilled in the players reinforced in a positive way. I can't say enough good things about Sark, and how he contributed [to] the program and the success I think he'll have in Texas.”

Saban was not the only coach who praised Sarkisian.

Ole Miss football coach Lane Kiffin and Sarkisian were on Sarkisian’s staff during the 2016 season. Kiffin was Alabama’s offensive coordinator and Sarkisian served as an analyst. After a successful season, Kiffin accepted the job as Florida Atlantic’s head coach. Kiffin intended to remain on the job throughout Alabama’s playoff run but was relieved of his duties by Saban before their team’s national championship game against Clemson.

As a result, Sarkisian was Alabama’s offensive coordinator during a 35-31 loss.

I asked Kiffin to discuss Sarkisian and their time together and was extremely respectful – after a playful jab.

“I joke with him, by the way. We were offensive coordinators the same year and I was undefeated [14-0] and he was 0-1," Kiffin said. "He’ll do a great job. I know the record isn’t what he wanted to see. But those are hard years to go through and sometimes they're the best because you got to come in, and when you don’t have success, you see who's really on board.

“A lot of kids ended up leaving. He’s redone a roster. They’re doing a great job recruiting. I think he'll do a great job.”

Sarkisian’s respect extends beyond coaches.

Before Alabama quarterback Bryce Young was a defending Heisman Trophy winner, he was a highly coveted recruit from Mater Dei. Young and Sarkisian developed a strong relationship during the recruiting process. Alabama eventually entered a head-to-head battle with USC.

Stop me if you heard this before.

Sarkisian eventually landed a 5-star quarterback.

Young was in Sarkisian’s quarterback room for one season before offensive coordinator was hired by Texas. However, Young still thinks highly of Texas.

“Coach Sark was really instrumental in me going to Alabama,” Young said when I asked about his relationship with Sarkisian. “He recruited me there and was the reason I started looking at Alabama. I have nothing but love for coach Sark. The year that I was there and being coached by him, I learned a lot. I was able to go and learn a lot underneath him.

“Right now, it’s about competing with ourselves week in and week out. We take everything week by week when the season starts. But with that being said, I definitely have a lot of love for Sark. I’m super excited.”

In addition, Alabama defensive end Will Anderson smiled when I asked him about Sarkisian this week.

“I have a ton of respect for coach Sark, coach [Kyle] Flood, and all those guys [at Texas] from Alabama,” Anderson said. “It's going to be an exciting matchup, I think. They have a really good team. They have really good staff. I’m just excited to play them.”

As a quick side note, everyone associated with Texas was shown a lot of respect.

I decided to ask South Carolina coach Shane Beamer about Texas and Oklahoma joining the SEC. Beamer was Oklahoma's assistant head coach under Lincoln Riley from 2018 until 2020. He seemed like the best person to ask about the future additions.

After stating my name and media affiliation, I asked Beamer about one of the hot topics this week. Beamer smiled and made it seem like we were long-lost friends.

"Yeah, great to see you. I see Kirk Bohls here. Guys that were in the Big 12 that I certainly followed for Big 12 news," Beamer said. "Welcome to SEC Media Days. Looking forward to working with you."

Heck, everyone associated with the Longhorns is looking forward to joining the SEC.

After multiple days in Atlanta, it is clear there is no shortage of coaches and players who remain excited about Sarkisian as a coach and person.

*****

(From Suchomel)

It’s turned out to be an interesting recruiting week for Texas, with a commitment from Malik Muhammad and the head-scratching developments with offensive lineman Payton Kirkland.

In case you missed the Kirkland stuff on Wednesday, a brief recap …

The Orlando Dr. Phillips standout recently released a top five of Alabama, Florida, Miami, Michigan State, and Oklahoma. Rivals.com actually had a video interview with him on Thursday discussing those five finalists.

Quietly, behind the scenes, Texas has made a late surge to put the Longhorns in contention to land the Rivals250 member. When word started to leak out on Thursday of Kirkland giving Texas a very hard look, Kirkland very strongly and publicly denied on social media having any interest in the Longhorns. He pointed out that he’s never even visited Texas, and he continues to maintain that he’ll pick from his group of five finalists.

Kirkland is set to announce his decision on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. CST and OB still feels very good about UT’s chances of adding the big offensive tackle, despite Kirkland’s public stance about Texas not being a factor.

******

It’s flown a bit under the radar, but linebacker Derion Gullette is expected to transfer from Marlin to Teague for his senior year. Gullette, who suffered a recent knee injury, won’t be able to play his senior season but it’s still a move worth monitoring.

At Marlin, Gullette is surrounded by coaches who had a terrific experience in the way the Longhorns recruited former Marlin standout and current freshman Jaray Bledsoe. That’s not to say the Marlin staff was going to push Gullette towards Austin, but it certainly doesn’t hurt having someone involved in a recruitment that has a good relationship with the UT staff.

Gullette will take an unofficial visit to Texas A&M next weekend so the Longhorns will need to withstand that trip, which I still expect to happen. Best case scenario for Texas is that Gullette comes out of that trip ready to make a decision later this summer, which I expect will be the case. As it stands today, I still continue to favor the Longhorns for an early commitment from the Rivals100 standout.

******

In case you missed it in the football recruiting thread this week, Arch Manning will be back in Austin next weekend for UT’s BBQ/pool party recruiting event. We’ve already seen what kind of recruiting impact Manning can have, and he’ll get his first chance to be an in-person recruiter as a Texas commitment. A good number of the Longhorns’ current 2023 recruits have confirmed they’ll be in attendance, as will a handful of uncommitted players in the 2023 group and likely a large number of 2024 prospects.

Manning has had a significant impact on UT’s 2023 fortunes, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it carry over to the 2024 group as well.

******

2024 wide receiver Freddie Dubose will be one of those players who will be at UT’s recruiting event next weekend. Now at Smithson Valley, Dubose has been a regular visitor to the UT campus over the last year and he said he’s looking forward to having another chance to connect with Texas team mebers and other recruits.

“I just want to meet more of the UT players, just get to know them more. The recruits and the players, whoever shows up to build bonds,” Dubose said. “That way, say if I commit, I already have that family atmosphere.”

As a wide receiver, Dubose admits that having Arch Manning heading to UT in the class in front of him is an appealing draw, but he says he’s not going to base his decision solely on Manning’s presence in Austin.

“I like that Arch committed, don’t get me wrong. I do like that he committed. But overall, I feel like people are committing just because it’s Arch Manning. It put an effect on me, was cool to see him commit, that’s my number one choice. But I don’t think Arch Manning plays a part for me. I’m looking at the way bigger picture,” Dubose said.

The Rivals250 member says his plan is to commit somewhere late spring of next year or possibly next summer after he has a chance to take some official visits. He lists a top three, in order, of Texas, Texas A&M and Tennessee. Smithson Valley teammate and A&M commit Colton Thomasson has been working him hard on the Aggies’ behalf.

“We talk about it 24/7. He’s always trying to recruit me, telling me all these great things about Texas A&M. What he says is really good, I really like it. He’s going to end up taking me on a visit when I go up for the pool party on the 31st,” Dubose said.

******

Several of you have asked about linebacker Tausili Akana this week so I checked around and was able to get a quick update.

I don’t get the impression, after talking to one source, that Texas is any sort of runaway leader for the Lehi (UT) Skyridge High standout, but I get the impression there is some confidence on the Texas side that the Longhorns will be a factor in his recruitment as Akana continues to work through the process.

Schools like Oklahoma are heavily involved but one source told me there are “definitely some things drawing him (to Texas).” One of those, of course, is Akana’s sister, who recently transferred from Nebraska to Texas to play volleyball.

Akana doesn’t talk much so it’s hard to get a clear read on what he’s thinking but I’d suspect Texas will need to get the Rivals100 member back on campus in the fall for an official visit to have a realistic shot. We’ll keep an eye on that situation to see if anything more develops.

******

Per a source, Alabama has picked up its interest in defensive lineman Hunter Osborne, which was always a bit of a wildcard factor for the Trussville (AL) product. Texas did a good job with Osborne on his official visit in June, but the thinking was that if Alabama ever really pushed for a commitment, the Crimson Tide might be tough to beat. Look for this one to fall the way of either Alabama or Clemson in the coming weeks.

******

(From Cole)
 


Jerrick Gibson is the No. 1 running back in the 2024 recruiting cycle and is a priority target for Texas. Gibson was on the Texas campus in June. He recently told Ryan Wright of Rivals that he was impressed by the facilities and the environment on the 40 Acres.

Tashard Choice has built a bond with Gibson, which has the Longhorns squarely in the mix for the potential five-star.

“We are just chopping it up,” Gibson told Rivals. “We just talk about life. He calls me on a regular to see how I am doing, and I call him to see how he is doing. We just talk about life outside of football; that’s a big thing for me.”

I recently talked with someone about Gibson, and there is belief that Texas is in the driver’s seat in the Florida rusher’s recruitment. There is still a while to go in his recruitment, but Texas is in strong position right now for the Rivals100 prospect.

***

 


Malik Muhammad announced his pledge to Texas on Wednesday evening. The commitment comes after a strong push from the Longhorns, where Texas made a surge in his recruitment that began late in the spring. Texas got Muhammad on campus for an unofficial visit in early May before hosting the highly rated DB for an official visit in June.

For my money, Muhammad is the top defensive back in the state. His combination of length, athletic ability, and playmaking stands out on tape and when watching him in person. Muhammad is a prospect that should have an opportunity to play as a freshman in Austin. This is a massive win for Sarkisian and staff.

***

The Arch Manning Effect is still rolling. Muhammad is the latest prospect to commit to Texas since Manning announced for the Longhorns. He is the third Rivals100 recruit to jump into the class since that happened, joining the likes of Johntay Cook and Derek Williams.

We knew there would be momentum when Manning committed, but it has been fascinating to watch how things have played out over the last month for Sarkisian and the Longhorns.

***

Texas already has two commitments in the 2024 class: Rivals100 athletes Jaden Allen and Aeryn Hampton. Allen will likely play in the secondary, while Hampton has a chance to be an offensive weapon. The two in-state four-stars give the Longhorns an excellent early foundation for next year’s cycle.

There looks to be a ton of talent around the state for Texas to add to the class over the next year. Duncanville safety Ka’Davion Dotson and Lewisville defensive back Jaydan Hardy are a pair of big-time defenders that are high on Texas. Former Brewer DB Jordon Johnson-Rubell is now at IMG Academy, but he was on campus in June and is also high on Texas.

Colin Simmons is currently the No. 1 player in the nation for the 2024 cycle. The Duncanville defender was arguably the better edge on a stacked Duncanville defense that featured Ohio State signee Omari Abor. Texas is in the mix, but Alabama, LSU, and others are also serious factors.

Micah Hudson is a top-10 player in the nation for 2024. The Lake Belton wide receiver is a game-changing talent out wide with his pass catching skills and after-the-catch playmaking. Hudson was on the 40 Acres in June, where the Longhorns left an impression. Ohio State, Oregon, and Tennessee are other early contenders.

Zina Umeozulu is the younger brother of 2022 Rivals100 OL and Texas signee Neto Umeozulu. It stands reason to believe Texas is in good position for the four-star defensive end, but the Allen standout is also high on Oklahoma and Texas A&M. Still, I believe this is a battle that Texas could -- and probably should -- win.

 

Define: the thread is back on track

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