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

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in 🤫$9.95🤫

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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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14 hours ago, ATXhorn17 said:

Insider scoop:

Saw Cam Williams, DJ Campbell, and Kelvin Banks at Cabo Bobs earlier. Truly gigantic humans. They were getting burritos. But I couldn’t make out whether the tortillas were buttermilk, Smokey cheddar or ancho chili. 

That’ll be $9.95.

All the players have an app called mucho and they get $15 a day at select restaurants including cabo bobs and chilis. These fuckers get a free burrito or triple dipper every single day 

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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.

Wow, athletic department people use the same cliches as $9.95ers, what are the odds?

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Bodacious Bevo

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16 minutes ago, Mr. Mojo Risin' said:

Define: the thread is back on track

I'll take "doesn't make me want to permanently quit sports in the midst of what should be a fun time and incredible offseason." Information and discussion related to the 2023 texas football recruiting class is a plus. 

 

10 minutes ago, Vermin said:

image.gif.def67a08fd448b1e45c36492a3a7fa7e.gif

motherfucker

Alex Dunlap: Rivals is More Right About TJ Shanahan than 247 Sports and On3

Spoiler

Westlake OL TJ Shanahan was the first player in a long while that overtook my complete attention when I was set out to write about another player.

It has happened with NFL prospects before, where you're supposed to be watching one guy but your eyes just can't come off another. A recent example would be the Ohio State receivers in the 2022 NFL draft class: Garrett Wilson (now a first-round pick of the New York Jets) and Chris Olave (now a first-round pick of the New Orleans Saints). For the record, Chris Olave was my No.1 ranked receiver in the entire 2022 class overall and Wilson was my No.2.

(Isn't it crazy that, at one point, my No.3 in the class, Jameson Williams from Alabama, was also at Ohio State alongside these two before transferring? Brian Hartline is doing something really darn special with those receivers in Columbus).

Anyway, even given the fact that I absolutely loved Olave and Wilson (for different reasons, of course), my eyes kept drifting to No.11, the "other" receiver in the Buckeyes offense. As someone who covers Texas as closely as I do, spending upwards of 20-25 hours a week breaking down each game and also running a fantasy football company, I can't keep track of every college roster or every big-name recruit that ended up going to another school and what they are up to. Of course, many of you do follow such things and know very well that the receiver I'm referencing here was Jaxon Smith-Njigba, a superstar sophomore who, barring unforeseen circumstances is sure to be the first receiver taken in the 2023 NFL draft, and a player who it can be argued is more talented than either Olave or Wilson.


And here, a discussion of this sort of side-scouting anecdote has begun to overtake my Shanahan column the same way that Shanahan overtook a column of mine meant to feature Jaydon Chatman.

You see, when looking for camp reps on YouTube for (then)-Texas target (and now commitment) Jaydon Chatman, I caught a glimpse of TJ Shanahan, and a few paragraphs later, the original topic of the article had been derailed:


"When I ventured over to the old YouTube to look for any camp reps or similar content on Chatman, I found the video above from Rivals camp Dallas and my immediate first thoughts were not about Chatman, but about Westlake 2023 OG TJ Shanahan, since he dominates the beginning of the video. Immediately I realized that I need to get over to my high school alma mater and get a closer look at this dude. I also wondered why I don't hear more buzz about Shanahan and Texas.

It seems like he might be more interested in other schools at this time, but he's one to at least try to keep on speed dial if you're Texas ... especially if the Horns have a great season that is rewarded with a surge in recruiting heading into NSD2. The plan for TJ Shanahan should be for Texas to play this one out like Texas did with some of the high-end OL targets it was able to wrangle in during the 2022 cycle as momentum built down the stretch. If Texas does indeed land the big dogs it has its eyes on (including Arch Manning), it's like Kevin Garnett says, anything is possible.

I know this column isn't about Shanahan, but he's got really good feet and is super-agile for an interior line prospect. I like how he keeps his hips upfield in a OL vs. DL 1v1s where young offensive linemen (who are set up to fail by the very design of this drill) can get their body weight way over the balls of their feet and get put in a blender. You really like it when guys simply look like their bodies are under complete control during these drills. I'm not sure I see a locked-in 5-star like Rivals has the young man ranked, but just based on a few camp reps, it's pretty obvious he has some really desirable traits."

Two things really strike me as I read that back: First, the Texas staff appears to be going along with the recruiting prescription I laid out in the piece. Whether it's been behind-the-scenes or in plain sight (it sure felt for a while there like Texas had a LOT of catching up to do), they've obviously been recruiting the guy. The proof is in the pudding. Texas is in Top 5 consideration alongside Georgia, A&M, USC and LSU. Second, Arch Manning has indeed since committed, and is indeed proving to be something of a pied piper based on early returns. Manning is not leading a recruiting revolution on social media, tweeting out peeping eyes emojis every time something big is set to happen or retweeting Texas-centric content, but clearly his presence alone if nothing else kick-started something in a big way. If the 2023 class can continue to snowball with high-end talent -- and Texas plays much better football in 2022 than whatever 2021 was -- players like Shanahan are the types you can absolutely reel in.


I can't stress enough how good Shanahan's feet are. You can see in the clip above why Rivals analysts probably fell so in love with Shanahan at their camp series. When you look at his absolute fire-plug base, coupled with his ability to move, stay balanced and in complete control of his engagement even in free space and you add that data point on with his filthy HUDL reel, he instantly becomes a player who you simply must take very seriously as a professional evaluator.


And Rivals is clearly taking him very seriously, indeed. In fact, Rivals recently made Shanahan its top offensive lineman in the nation, notching the No.10 spot on the national Rivals Top 250 list. I don't have the brain capacity to watch every offensive lineman in the nation to know whether or not this ranking is completely warranted, but I do know that Shanahan projects most likely as a guard (with possible versatility to play tackle no doubt) at the college level, and generally, one would assume that the more "pure" tackle prospects would get more love from recruiting services than the interior guys. Yet still, in the 2022 class, Texas freshman DJ Campbell was Rivals' top OL in the nation -- a player who, like Shanahan, can absolutely be considered to play tackle at the next level, but pretty clearly profiles most optimally as a guard.

The question I keep coming back to about Rivals' ranking of Shanahan at 10 overall compared to Campbell's of 14 overall is a pretty simple one: Can I say that I like TJ Shanahan better (or at least as much) as a prospect as I like/liked DJ Campbell at the same stage. I'm not so sure and I lean heavily toward "no." That is not to say I don't think Shanahan is terrific, which I clearly do.

In the 2021 class, Rivals had two projected college tackles on its Top 250 list before listing its first projected guard. In 2020, there were five tackles listed before the first guard. In 2019, four tackles were listed before the first guard. You have to go back to 2018 to find the last season before 2022 and 2023 where a guard was again considered by Rivals as the top lineman in the nation (Jamaree Salyer, a 2022 6th-round pick of the Chargers out of Georgia). Rivals ranking of Shanahan is a big endorsement, and one that could be panned, depending on your opinion of Shanahan, anywhere from bold to cockamamie. I see it as bold.

247Sports is too low on Shanahan ranking him as No.143 in their latest set of rankings, but the truly cockamamie business is On3's current ranking of Shanahan as No.277 on their overall national list, presumably pegging Shanahan as somewhere like a three-star. Absurd. They have Jaydon Chatman ranked over 120 spots higher than Shanahan. We can argue over who you like better between the two, but that large a discrepancy in the evaluations of these two players is simply embarrassing.

I'm far from certain that TJ Shanahan is the best OL in the nation as Rivals has him currently ranked. I am, however, absolutely certain that Rivals is more right in its ranking of Shanahan than 247 Sports and certainly On3.

This isn't even that bad. It goes against surly's impression of Shanahan but challenging your priors is a good thing. However, next up is a Ketch article on why we should never take 3 stars. And I'll post it non-spoilered, not in plain text, and with ads. 

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HtownHorn

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1 hour ago, Bodacious Bevo said:

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

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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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UncleSonny

UncleSonny 6570

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1 hour 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.

 

The “sources” fluffing of Card really seems like an effort to keep him engaged and out of the portal for the season so we have a viable backup. Probably a reasonable idea too.

Bad news for @closetohumping though. Even when the 9.95ers are carrying water for the guy they don’t really entertain the idea that he actually starts. 
 

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Bevo

Bevo 13565

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1 hour ago, Bodacious Bevo said:

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."

So I guess he won't be our best receiver.

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RomaVicta

RomaVicta 29902

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10 minutes ago, ClubWhatever said:

Camel violence porn?   That’s what we’ve sunk to?

It's the best post on this thread in days. 

Anybody getting giddy with laughter at this ceaseless river of witless shit should have their driver licenses revoked then suffer summary execution.

Never go full Texags.

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NoName

NoName 16351

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11 minutes ago, UncleSonny said:

The “sources” fluffing of Card really seems like an effort to keep him engaged and out of the portal for the season so we have a viable backup. Probably a reasonable idea too.

Bad news for @closetohumping though. Even when the 9.95ers are carrying water for the guy they don’t really entertain the idea that he actually starts. 
 

he isn't going into the portal until after he graduates. its been said a bunch of times, he wants the degree then he is out - anyway, it isn't like he is reading blurbs from OB anyway.

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closetojumping

closetojumping 62553

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1 hour 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.

 

The top 11 shit that Ketchum wrote was a combination of completely made up shit and completely grifted shit from other writers. I could live another 100 years and still take to my grave the complete fascination I have with his ability to stay in business. He contributes nothing positive to the UT galaxy and yet here tubby is, a 500 pound pulsar within that realm, just spewing out useless noise and getting paid.

Anwar's write-up about UT references at SEC Media Days was cringy and embarrassing. 

Suchomel had a useful tidbit. The 2024 stuff was also useful. Obviously Ketchum contributed none of that. 

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UDontKnow

UDontKnow 10439

Posted
Posted (edited)
6 minutes ago, Vito Andolini said:

Ok doctor, your professional opinion: Is the dude in blue now a paraplegic, quadriplegic or in a box? Or despite appearances, the luckiest asshole on earth because he still has an intact spine? 

Not certain, but my best guess is the guy survived with terrible headaches because the camel tossed him aside.

Don't be mistaken though. Camels can and have killed humans.

https://www.livescience.com/escaped-camel-kills-two-men

Edited by UDontKnow
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Saint Tacky

Saint Tacky 1614

Posted
Posted
7 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

He contributes nothing positive to the UT company galaxy and yet here tubby is, a 500 pound pulsar within that realm, just spewing out useless noise and getting paid.

I'm going to use this description for a co-worker. Where do I send residuals?

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Codaxx

Codaxx 5722

Posted
Posted
9 minutes ago, Dr. Teeth said:

The legend of a healthy Jordan Whittington might be greater than the actual Michael Jordan. 

He is actually good on the football field, he just isnt good at staying on the football field. The one that got me was the Cook nonsense. 

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closetojumping

closetojumping 62553

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Posted
1 minute ago, Getafix said:

 

So, just in case recruiting shit doesn't offend you all ...

 

 

Miami 247 mod, today:

image.thumb.png.0930c9cf2016550b00a537a43da02a56.png

 

Michigan State 247 mod, today:

image.thumb.png.1f180e0f0d7f9787775f487a16dd04fc.png

 

Roach, today:

 

 

 

The End.

A fun tidbit to come out of the Kirkland stuff is that Bedenbaugh is apparently not a hit with the non-whities in the trenches these days. I don't know if that's been a known thing for some guys like @golfclap or a few of the okie recruitniks that are on here and not completely worthless like @Pdawg88 and @kilroydos , but I hadn't heard it or read it before. And if the okies think it's bullshit, that would also be a good data point, even if it is less entertaining to consider. Either way, I heard it in passing while bullshitting with a buddy who would know, but I didn't ask for details or do any research.

Miami has no room for Kirkland, but they don't think he's a bad take. He's developmental and has the raw materials that Flood and Cristobal crave - overall size and strength. Cristobal needs guys that can contribute immediately and Flood needs guys that can play after 2-3 years on campus. 

Kirkland could legitimately commit to MSU tomorrow even if they don't expect that. Or he's committing to Texas in one of the most bizarre recruitments in my 30+ years of following recruiting religiously.

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kilroydos

kilroydos 267

Posted
Posted
5 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

A fun tidbit to come out of the Kirkland stuff is that Bedenbaugh is apparently not a hit with the non-whities in the trenches these days. I don't know if that's been a known thing for some guys like @golfclap or a few of the okie recruitniks that are on here and not completely worthless like @Pdawg88 and @kilroydos , but I hadn't heard it or read it before. And if the okies think it's bullshit, that would also be a good data point, even if it is less entertaining to consider. Either way, I heard it in passing while bullshitting with a buddy who would know, but I didn't ask for details or do any research.

Miami has no room for Kirkland, but they don't think he's a bad take. He's developmental and has the raw materials that Flood and Cristobal crave - overall size and strength. Cristobal needs guys that can contribute immediately and Flood needs guys that can play after 2-3 years on campus. 

Kirkland could legitimately commit to MSU tomorrow even if they don't expect that. Or he's committing to Texas in one of the most bizarre recruitments in my 30+ years of following recruiting religiously.

I don't think it's ever been an expressed sentiment, but it's something that the data points have been building around.  I'd be interested if this was an actual anecdote or the result of the last three years of results painting a picture.  Every year, he's getting maybe one or two higher-profile transfers or commits that fit that description, when we would expect that to be in the 3-4 range, based on the targets that have been made public.

Either way, I'm absolutely not plugged in enough to know the truth here, but it wouldn't shock me to have that confirmed.

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closetojumping

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Posted
Posted
4 minutes ago, kilroydos said:

I don't think it's ever been an expressed sentiment, but it's something that the data points have been building around.  I'd be interested if this was an actual anecdote or the result of the last three years of results painting a picture.  Every year, he's getting maybe one or two higher-profile transfers or commits that fit that description, when we would expect that to be in the 3-4 range, based on the targets that have been made public.

Either way, I'm absolutely not plugged in enough to know the truth here, but it wouldn't shock me to have that confirmed.

I'll see if I can get any kind of juicy story or two the next time around, but yeah, it was just thrown out in the middle of a broader discussion about the Kirkland recruitment and UT recruiting.

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RGBIII

RGBIII 22838

Posted
Posted
4 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

I'll see if I can get any kind of juicy story or two the next time around, but yeah, it was just thrown out in the middle of a broader discussion about the Kirkland recruitment and UT recruiting.

Wasnt Bedenbaugh the main reason why Campbell was considering OU?

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Not a Sock

Not a Sock 2311

Posted
Posted
29 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

A fun tidbit to come out of the Kirkland stuff is that Bedenbaugh is apparently not a hit with the non-whities in the trenches these days. I don't know if that's been a known thing for some guys like @golfclap or a few of the okie recruitniks that are on here and not completely worthless like @Pdawg88 and @kilroydos , but I hadn't heard it or read it before. And if the okies think it's bullshit, that would also be a good data point, even if it is less entertaining to consider. Either way, I heard it in passing while bullshitting with a buddy who would know, but I didn't ask for details or do any research.

Miami has no room for Kirkland, but they don't think he's a bad take. He's developmental and has the raw materials that Flood and Cristobal crave - overall size and strength. Cristobal needs guys that can contribute immediately and Flood needs guys that can play after 2-3 years on campus. 

Kirkland could legitimately commit to MSU tomorrow even if they don't expect that. Or he's committing to Texas in one of the most bizarre recruitments in my 30+ years of following recruiting religiously.

I hear it’s because he refers to the white linemen as his “Honky’s” and he is obsessive with the word to the point that he has a bootleg rap trac called Honky’s in Paris.

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UDontKnow

UDontKnow 10439

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Posted (edited)
11 minutes ago, Hookem2147 said:

Campbell made some comment a few months back in some interview/twitter spaces/don't remember what it was that he had a tough time relating to Bedenbaugh.

Well we know it's not because of this:

YARN | You know he white, right? | Hustle & Flow (2005) Crime | Video gifs by quotes | ab65d200 | 紗

 

6 minutes ago, Not a Sock said:

I hear it’s because he refers to the white linemen as his “Honky’s” and he is obsessive with the word to the point that he has a bootleg rap trac called Honky’s in Paris.

Maybe. But I would have a hard time relating to someone who looks like this:

Bill Bedenbaugh - Offensive Line - Football Coaches - University of Oklahoma

Edited by UDontKnow
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