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

[texifornia 56,519]

 

 

[OB3 3,608]

Yall are gonna hate Nahlin even more now that he can’t spell

[Bevo 13,527]

11 minutes ago, OB3 said:

Yall are gonna hate Nahlin even more now that he can’t spell

Imagine how much higher he could jump if his hair wasn't clipping the bar.

[Elmer_Fudd 22,109]

11 hours ago, BurntOrange&White said:

Gerry Offensive Line Board:

 

The Texas Longhorns will host the majority of the top offensive line targets on the board March 26. The strategy is pretty obvious. Get all the top offensive line targets in Austin the weekend of March 26 to spend time with No. 1 overall Arch Manning.

The 2022 cycle saw Kyle Flood sign the nations top offensive line haul headlined by On3 Consensus 5-stars Devon Campbell and Kelvin Banks. The 2023 target board includes four prospects in the latest update of the On300, with the opportunity to sign back-to-back strong groups to ensure the future of the position.

Six in state top targets

IOL Harris Sewell, Odessa (Texas) Permian

The On3 Consensus 4-star and No. 5 ranked IOL in the cycle is a maybe for March 26. Texas has been working from behind on this recruitment for months. The Longhorns have quietly become more confident in recent weeks of being in the thick of the race. Notre Dame, Alabama, Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Clemson are the programs mentioned most as contenders.

OT/IOL Jaydon Chatman, Killeen (Texas) Harker Heights

Inside Texas broke the news last week that the On3 Consensus 4-star will be on campus in Austin March 26 and April 2. That is certainly very positive news for Steve Sarkisian and staff. Texas offensive line coach Kyle Flood was the first to offer the 6-foot-4, 287-pounder, and has built a very solid relationship. Chatman is fresh off a junior day visit to LSU. He spent the majority of the time with LSU offensive line coach Brad Davis, but did not have a one-on-one conversation with Brian Kelly. Spring and early summer visits to Oklahoma, Alabama and potentially Texas A&M are likely.

IOL TJ Shanahan, Austin (Texas) Westlake

The Orlando move-in last summer to Austin is a difficult prospect to get a read on, and that includes for college coaches. Texas is one of those that doesn’t have a great feel for where they are at, or if the On3 Consensus 4-star will make the short drive March 26. Miami is one schools that has been quietly ascending since the hire of Mario Cristobal. Should Alabama or Georgia make a real push, they are the favorites by a pair of people familiar with the recruitment. Texas A&M has also gained traction since attending junior day in late January. The Aggies lead the RPM for the 6-foot-4, 330-pounder.

IOL/OT Ian Reed, Austin (Texas) Vandegrift

The No. 292 ranked prospect in the On300 will be on campus March 26 weekend. The visit schedule for the athletic prospect revolves around his rugby season schedule. Reed made a visit to N.C. State earlier in the month having been in the Charlotte area for a rugby tournament. He has been to junior days at Texas and TCU. Trips to USC and California are likely late in the spring or early in the summer. Texas A&M stands a good chance to get him on campus. The Longhorns are all in on Reed as a prospect with offensive line coach Kyle Flood leading the way.

IOL Andre Cojoe, Mansfield (Texas) Timberview

The On3 Consensus 3-star would currently fall into the category of “most likely” to commit to Texas first among the six top in state targets. Cojoe has been a top target for Kyle Flood since being offered February 18 of 2021. Texas was the first school to offer the 6-foot-6, 334-pounder. TCU, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State are currently considered the main competition for the Longhorns. Cojoe will be on campus in Austin the weekend of March 26.

IOL Connor Stroh, Frisco (Texas) Wakeland

Stroh will be back on campus in Austin March 26. The Longhorns are part of a very busy spring visit schedule that includes Auburn this week, Florida and Florida State in early April, and Arkansas and Texas A&M also in April. The April 9 visit to Texas A&M will be key for those recruiting Stroh. The Aggies haven’t offered. If they do, they will shoot straight up the schools list. Both of Stroh’s parents attended Texas A&M. Connor told On3 Sunday at the Under Armour Camp in Dallas that an offer from Texas A&M doesn’t mean he will instantly commit. He has built a solid relationship with Texas offensive line coach Kyle Flood.

Defensive linemen that project to OL

DL/OT Zalance Heard, Monroe (La.) Neville

The No. 15 ranked prospects in the On300 is working to schedule visits, that includes a return trip to Texas. Texas defensive line coach Bo Davis has built a solid relationship with the 6-foot-5.5, 295-pounder. Oklahoma State is making a strong push, but the SEC schools are expected to rule the day. An offer from Alabama or LSU would be the main threat to the competition. Heard continues to prefer defensive first, but is becoming more open to playing offensive tackle long term.

DL/IOL Markis Deal, Garland (Texas) Naaman Forest

The On3 Consensus 4-star’s recruitment will play out a while. After making a visit to Texas in late January, he made a trip to Norman March 5. The visit list for the spring and early June includes Alabama, Florida State, USC, Oregon, Stanford and California. Trips to Texas A&M and LSU are also possibilities. The Longhorns are working to get the 6-foot-4, 285-pounder back on campus March 26 or April 2.

DL/OT Jaren Woods, La Grange (Texas) High

The No. 227 ranked prospect in the On3 Consensus is scheduled to be in Austin April 2. Baylor, TCU, Texas Tech and Houston are other in state programs working to make a push.

Long shots out of state 

On3 Consensus 5-star No. 9 overall OT/IOL Francis Mauigoa, Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy

On3 Consensus No. 393 overall IOL Knijeah Harris, Fort Pierce (Fla.) IMG Academy

On3 Consensus No. 104 overall OT Chase Bisontis, Ramsey (N.J.) Don Bosco Prep

On3 Consensus No. 218 overall OT Olaus Alinen, Windsor (Conn.) The Loomis Chaffee School

So is Isaiah Robinson no longer a target?  Or did IT forget him?

[texifornia 56,519]

 

https://247sports.com/player/anthony-white-46114800/

[texifornia 56,519]

https://247sports.com/player/caleb-otlewski-46128141/

[BurntOrange&White 39,655]

 

[canadianhorn21 926]

 

[futureman 22,415]

Arch!

[Jabberwocky 1,666]

https://247sports.com/player/ian-reed-46127899/

[SimkinsMan 4,349]

On 3/15/2022 at 6:18 PM, texifornia said:

Three high schools in three years is obviously a red flag, but plenty of good offers and seems talented.

Per Nahlin, who claims to have looked into the matter, the three HS in three years should not be looked upon as a red flag.

[futureman 22,415]

so when is arch going to commit? tuesday?

[Vertigo 20,267]

18 minutes ago, futureman said:

so when is arch going to commit? tuesday?

Arch Tuesday, Owens Wednesday, Cook Thursday. 

[Hornbeliever 708]

12 minutes ago, Vertigo said:

Arch Tuesday, Owens Wednesday, Cook Thursday. 

Let me know venmo so I can send the $9.95

[Bevo 13,527]

17 minutes ago, Vertigo said:

Arch Tuesday, Owens Wednesday, Cook Thursday. 

 

7 minutes ago, Hornbeliever said:

Let me know venmo so I can send the $9.95

Venmo? I'm so excited I think I'm going to hump everything I see.

[Big Woodrows 4,195]

Humidor - team news

Spoiler

Congrats to you fans who made it through the first grueling portion of offseason — the winter bloc. By now, you’ve no doubt mentally recovered from a disappointing season, re-centered yourself around passion for the game, and hit the weights and conditioning hard in anticipation of a demanding spring cleaning season. We’re about to leave it all out there on the grass, aren’t we men? The players may have Bevo, but we have Toro. 

*DeMarvion Overshown had himself a good winter bloc of strength and conditioning. The group he led won the offseason competition that was centered around accountability, plus he’s added a lot of good muscle. His team featured Jordan Whittington as second in command, Isaiah Neyor, Jaylan Ford, Ryan Watts, Jamier Johnson, and a handful of others. What did they win? As a source put it, “They won some gear which they already have a lot of. That was more about pride and the players taking offseason seriously, which they did.”

*Though Overshown is listed on the roster at 221 pounds, he’s nearing 230 per sources. This doesn’t mean he’ll play linebacker with the pop of Junior Seau, but he’s giving himself a better chance at the point of attack. The bulk he’s added means a move to safety is not happening (sorry, Ian, you’ll have to move someone else), however he will get a look at Sam linebacker in the base defense.

*Inside Texas asked a source who he thought would be the best linebacker by the end of spring and heard, “Jaylan Ford. Smart dude, knows football, and is physical.” IT then asked about David Gbenda and heard, “He’s faster and stronger, he’ll be one to watch to see if that translates to being improved this spring.”

*Jett Bush is more likely to figure in at Buck than Mike or Will. This makes sense given he was undersized for Jack, but might not move well enough for off-ball linebacker. Sources would contend on that bit about him not moving well enough for traditional linebacker, by the way. He’s known as a good athlete and one of the stronger pound-for-pound players with a power clean in the 350-pound range. Bush will be needed competition with Ovie Oghoufo and IT believes this is his best position.

*The secondary has a lot of competition but sourcing believes things are fairly cut and dried with D’Shawn Jamison and Ryan Watts likely corner starters, Jahdae Barron likely to win STAR/nickel, Jerrin Thompson most likely at field safety, and Anthony Cook the boundary safety. That doesn’t mean you won’t hear about other players rotating in with the ones. Some of these competitions could take some time to play out.

*IT asked if Cook can hold up at boundary safety. “Yes he can because he’s physical and plays with heart.” The secondary should be strong in coverage, but fans would be justified to be skeptical about run support.

*With Barron expected at nickel and Kitan Crawford moving to safety, CB3 will be quite the battle. Jamier Johnson, Terrance Brooks, and Jaylon Guilbeau will all be working towards that coveted rotational spot. Johnson has good length and plays with physical intent (still needs to get bigger and stronger) but is most comfortable in man coverage. He’s still refining technique. Brooks and Guilbeau are both about to get their first taste of college ball. One or both could get a look at nickel as well.

*A source was asked which guys added the most strength. “That’s where the linebackers and linemen shine. Junior Angilau has the best bench I think. He got stronger. Devin Richardson is strong. A lot of the younger guys made big jumps. Justice Finkley is strong. Barryn Sorrell looks like he’s wearing shoulder pads. Byron Murphy looks great. One guy who has the ability to get big and powerful is Jaray Bledsoe. He’s naturally explosive in the weight room. Like Finkley, he didn’t lift with the freshman for long.”

*With spring break coming to a close, players will report back on Sunday for a team meeting. The first day of practice is next Tuesday.

Recruiting

Spoiler

These percentages represent a combination of educated guess, intuition, and inside information. We are different people, so we process information differently, but since we share much of what we hear, we’re typically in the same ballpark. 

Arch Manning, QB, New Orleans (La.) Isidore Newman. 

Eric: For any new readers, here’s my Arch Manning prediction.

Gerry: 55%

Justin: 70% 

Rueben Owens, RB, El Campo (Texas)

Eric: 65%

Gerry: 51%

Justin: 70%

Cedric Baxter Jr., RB, Orlando (Fla.)

Eric: 20%

Gerry: 20%

Justin: 10% 

Jalen Brown, WR, Miami (FL) Gulliver Prep

Eric: 15%

Gerry: 5%

Justin: 5% 

Johntay Cook, WR, Desoto (Texas)

Eric: 70%

Gerry: 51%

Justin: 70% 

Jaden Greathouse, WR/ATH, Austin (Texas) Westlake

Eric: 60%

Gerry: 60%

Justin: 70% 

Braylon James, WR, Del Valle (Texas)

Eric: 50% (just don’t know if they’ll push as hard as other schools)

Gerry: 55%

Justin: 45% 

Jalen Hale, WR, Longview (Texas)

Eric: 20%

Gerry: 15%

Justin: 20% 

Jaquaize Pettaway, WR, Houston (Texas) Langham Creek

Eric: 45%

Gerry: 40%

Justin: 35% 

Kyle Parker, WR, Lucas (Texas) Lovejoy

Eric: 60% (numbers)

Gerry: 55%

Justin: 65% 

Will Randle, TE, New Orleans (La.) Isidore Newman

Eric: 70%

Gerry: 55%

Justin: 70% 

Lafayette Kaiuway, TE, Arlington (Texas) Sam Houston

Eric: 50%

Gerry: 50%

Justin: 48% 

Ian Reed, OL, Austin (Texas) Vandegrift

Eric: 50%

Gerry: 40%

Justin: 50% 

Jaydon Chatman, OL, Harker Heights (Texas)

Eric: 60%

Gerry: 55%

Justin: 65%

Connor Stroh, OL, Frisco (Texas) Wakeland

Eric: 50%

Gerry: 50%

Justin: 40% 

Andre Cojoe, OL, Mansfield (Texas) Timberview

Eric: 85%

Gerry: 95%

Justin: 75% 

Harris Sewell, OL, Odessa (Texas) Permian 

Eric: 50%

Gerry: 40%

Justin: 45% 

Markis Deal, OL/DL, Garland (Texas) Naaman Forest 

Eric: 30%

Gerry: 30%

Justin: 25% 

Avion Carter, DL, Amarillo (Texas) Tascosa

Eric: 40% (numbers concern)

Gerry: 40%

Justin: 45% 

DJ Hicks, DL, Allen (Texas)

Eric: 5%

Gerry: 5%

Justin: 15% 

Samu Taumanupepe, DL, Humble (Texas) Atascocita 

Eric: 60%

Gerry: 60%

Justin: 60% 

Jayden Wayne, Tacoma (WA) Lincoln 

Eric: 10%

Gerry: 20%

Justin: 15% 

Derion Gullette, EDGE, Marlin (Texas)

Eric: 33%

Gerry: 33%

Justin: 33% 

Anthony Hill, LB, Denton (Texas) Ryan

Eric: 40%

Gerry: 35%

Justin: 45% 

S’Maje Burrell, LB, Fort Worth (Texas) North Crowley

Eric: 55%

Gerry: 45%

Justin: 50% 

Jamaal Shaw, DB, Orange (Texas) West Orange-Stark

Eric: 60% (numbers)

Gerry: 75%

Justin: 60% 

Javien Toviano, DB, Arlington (Texas) Martin

Eric: 55%

Gerry: 51%

Justin: 53% 

Jordan Matthews, DB, Baton Rouge (La.) Woodlawn 

Eric: 55%

Gerry: 33%

Justin: 55% 

Malik Muhammad, DB, Dallas (Texas) South Oak Cliff

Eric: 20%

Gerry: 25%

Justin: 20% 

Jayvon Thomas, DB, Dallas (Texas) South Oak Cliff 

Eric: 15%

Gerry: 30%

Justin: 20% 

Dalton Brooks, S, Shiner (Texas) 

Eric: 50%

Gerry: 40%

Justin: 40%

Mikal Harrison-Pilot, S/ATH, Temple (Texas)

Eric: 55%

Gerry: 45%

Justin: 60%

 

[Vertigo 20,267]

19 minutes ago, Big Woodrows said:

Humidor - team news

  Hide contents

Congrats to you fans who made it through the first grueling portion of offseason — the winter bloc. By now, you’ve no doubt mentally recovered from a disappointing season, re-centered yourself around passion for the game, and hit the weights and conditioning hard in anticipation of a demanding spring cleaning season. We’re about to leave it all out there on the grass, aren’t we men? The players may have Bevo, but we have Toro. 

*DeMarvion Overshown had himself a good winter bloc of strength and conditioning. The group he led won the offseason competition that was centered around accountability, plus he’s added a lot of good muscle. His team featured Jordan Whittington as second in command, Isaiah Neyor, Jaylan Ford, Ryan Watts, Jamier Johnson, and a handful of others. What did they win? As a source put it, “They won some gear which they already have a lot of. That was more about pride and the players taking offseason seriously, which they did.”

*Though Overshown is listed on the roster at 221 pounds, he’s nearing 230 per sources. This doesn’t mean he’ll play linebacker with the pop of Junior Seau, but he’s giving himself a better chance at the point of attack. The bulk he’s added means a move to safety is not happening (sorry, Ian, you’ll have to move someone else), however he will get a look at Sam linebacker in the base defense.

*Inside Texas asked a source who he thought would be the best linebacker by the end of spring and heard, “Jaylan Ford. Smart dude, knows football, and is physical.” IT then asked about David Gbenda and heard, “He’s faster and stronger, he’ll be one to watch to see if that translates to being improved this spring.”

*Jett Bush is more likely to figure in at Buck than Mike or Will. This makes sense given he was undersized for Jack, but might not move well enough for off-ball linebacker. Sources would contend on that bit about him not moving well enough for traditional linebacker, by the way. He’s known as a good athlete and one of the stronger pound-for-pound players with a power clean in the 350-pound range. Bush will be needed competition with Ovie Oghoufo and IT believes this is his best position.

*The secondary has a lot of competition but sourcing believes things are fairly cut and dried with D’Shawn Jamison and Ryan Watts likely corner starters, Jahdae Barron likely to win STAR/nickel, Jerrin Thompson most likely at field safety, and Anthony Cook the boundary safety. That doesn’t mean you won’t hear about other players rotating in with the ones. Some of these competitions could take some time to play out.

*IT asked if Cook can hold up at boundary safety. “Yes he can because he’s physical and plays with heart.” The secondary should be strong in coverage, but fans would be justified to be skeptical about run support.

*With Barron expected at nickel and Kitan Crawford moving to safety, CB3 will be quite the battle. Jamier Johnson, Terrance Brooks, and Jaylon Guilbeau will all be working towards that coveted rotational spot. Johnson has good length and plays with physical intent (still needs to get bigger and stronger) but is most comfortable in man coverage. He’s still refining technique. Brooks and Guilbeau are both about to get their first taste of college ball. One or both could get a look at nickel as well.

*A source was asked which guys added the most strength. “That’s where the linebackers and linemen shine. Junior Angilau has the best bench I think. He got stronger. Devin Richardson is strong. A lot of the younger guys made big jumps. Justice Finkley is strong. Barryn Sorrell looks like he’s wearing shoulder pads. Byron Murphy looks great. One guy who has the ability to get big and powerful is Jaray Bledsoe. He’s naturally explosive in the weight room. Like Finkley, he didn’t lift with the freshman for long.”

*With spring break coming to a close, players will report back on Sunday for a team meeting. The first day of practice is next Tuesday.

Recruiting

  Reveal hidden contents

These percentages represent a combination of educated guess, intuition, and inside information. We are different people, so we process information differently, but since we share much of what we hear, we’re typically in the same ballpark. 

Arch Manning, QB, New Orleans (La.) Isidore Newman. 

Eric: For any new readers, here’s my Arch Manning prediction.

Gerry: 55%

Justin: 70% 

Rueben Owens, RB, El Campo (Texas)

Eric: 65%

Gerry: 51%

Justin: 70%

Cedric Baxter Jr., RB, Orlando (Fla.)

Eric: 20%

Gerry: 20%

Justin: 10% 

Jalen Brown, WR, Miami (FL) Gulliver Prep

Eric: 15%

Gerry: 5%

Justin: 5% 

Johntay Cook, WR, Desoto (Texas)

Eric: 70%

Gerry: 51%

Justin: 70% 

Jaden Greathouse, WR/ATH, Austin (Texas) Westlake

Eric: 60%

Gerry: 60%

Justin: 70% 

Braylon James, WR, Del Valle (Texas)

Eric: 50% (just don’t know if they’ll push as hard as other schools)

Gerry: 55%

Justin: 45% 

Jalen Hale, WR, Longview (Texas)

Eric: 20%

Gerry: 15%

Justin: 20% 

Jaquaize Pettaway, WR, Houston (Texas) Langham Creek

Eric: 45%

Gerry: 40%

Justin: 35% 

Kyle Parker, WR, Lucas (Texas) Lovejoy

Eric: 60% (numbers)

Gerry: 55%

Justin: 65% 

Will Randle, TE, New Orleans (La.) Isidore Newman

Eric: 70%

Gerry: 55%

Justin: 70% 

Lafayette Kaiuway, TE, Arlington (Texas) Sam Houston

Eric: 50%

Gerry: 50%

Justin: 48% 

Ian Reed, OL, Austin (Texas) Vandegrift

Eric: 50%

Gerry: 40%

Justin: 50% 

Jaydon Chatman, OL, Harker Heights (Texas)

Eric: 60%

Gerry: 55%

Justin: 65%

Connor Stroh, OL, Frisco (Texas) Wakeland

Eric: 50%

Gerry: 50%

Justin: 40% 

Andre Cojoe, OL, Mansfield (Texas) Timberview

Eric: 85%

Gerry: 95%

Justin: 75% 

Harris Sewell, OL, Odessa (Texas) Permian 

Eric: 50%

Gerry: 40%

Justin: 45% 

Markis Deal, OL/DL, Garland (Texas) Naaman Forest 

Eric: 30%

Gerry: 30%

Justin: 25% 

Avion Carter, DL, Amarillo (Texas) Tascosa

Eric: 40% (numbers concern)

Gerry: 40%

Justin: 45% 

DJ Hicks, DL, Allen (Texas)

Eric: 5%

Gerry: 5%

Justin: 15% 

Samu Taumanupepe, DL, Humble (Texas) Atascocita 

Eric: 60%

Gerry: 60%

Justin: 60% 

Jayden Wayne, Tacoma (WA) Lincoln 

Eric: 10%

Gerry: 20%

Justin: 15% 

Derion Gullette, EDGE, Marlin (Texas)

Eric: 33%

Gerry: 33%

Justin: 33% 

Anthony Hill, LB, Denton (Texas) Ryan

Eric: 40%

Gerry: 35%

Justin: 45% 

S’Maje Burrell, LB, Fort Worth (Texas) North Crowley

Eric: 55%

Gerry: 45%

Justin: 50% 

Jamaal Shaw, DB, Orange (Texas) West Orange-Stark

Eric: 60% (numbers)

Gerry: 75%

Justin: 60% 

Javien Toviano, DB, Arlington (Texas) Martin

Eric: 55%

Gerry: 51%

Justin: 53% 

Jordan Matthews, DB, Baton Rouge (La.) Woodlawn 

Eric: 55%

Gerry: 33%

Justin: 55% 

Malik Muhammad, DB, Dallas (Texas) South Oak Cliff

Eric: 20%

Gerry: 25%

Justin: 20% 

Jayvon Thomas, DB, Dallas (Texas) South Oak Cliff 

Eric: 15%

Gerry: 30%

Justin: 20% 

Dalton Brooks, S, Shiner (Texas) 

Eric: 50%

Gerry: 40%

Justin: 40%

Mikal Harrison-Pilot, S/ATH, Temple (Texas)

Eric: 55%

Gerry: 45%

Justin: 60%

 

Oh wow.. Ian Boyd was wrong about moving Whittington and Overshow to safety? Huh.. 

[bejezuz 329]

24 minutes ago, Vertigo said:

Oh wow.. Ian Boyd was wrong about moving Whittington and Overshow to safety? Huh.. 

Whittington has actually said on his Youtube show that he'd gladly play safety if asked.  

[utexas8 1,433]

Humidor - team news
Spoiler

Congrats to you fans who made it through the first grueling portion of offseason — the winter bloc. By now, you’ve no doubt mentally recovered from a disappointing season, re-centered yourself around passion for the game, and hit the weights and conditioning hard in anticipation of a demanding spring cleaning season. We’re about to leave it all out there on the grass, aren’t we men? The players may have Bevo, but we have Toro. 
*DeMarvion Overshown had himself a good winter bloc of strength and conditioning. The group he led won the offseason competition that was centered around accountability, plus he’s added a lot of good muscle. His team featured Jordan Whittington as second in command, Isaiah Neyor, Jaylan Ford, Ryan Watts, Jamier Johnson, and a handful of others. What did they win? As a source put it, “They won some gear which they already have a lot of. That was more about pride and the players taking offseason seriously, which they did.”
*Though Overshown is listed on the roster at 221 pounds, he’s nearing 230 per sources. This doesn’t mean he’ll play linebacker with the pop of Junior Seau, but he’s giving himself a better chance at the point of attack. The bulk he’s added means a move to safety is not happening (sorry, Ian, you’ll have to move someone else), however he will get a look at Sam linebacker in the base defense.
*Inside Texas asked a source who he thought would be the best linebacker by the end of spring and heard, “Jaylan Ford. Smart dude, knows football, and is physical.” IT then asked about David Gbenda and heard, “He’s faster and stronger, he’ll be one to watch to see if that translates to being improved this spring.”
*Jett Bush is more likely to figure in at Buck than Mike or Will. This makes sense given he was undersized for Jack, but might not move well enough for off-ball linebacker. Sources would contend on that bit about him not moving well enough for traditional linebacker, by the way. He’s known as a good athlete and one of the stronger pound-for-pound players with a power clean in the 350-pound range. Bush will be needed competition with Ovie Oghoufo and IT believes this is his best position.
*The secondary has a lot of competition but sourcing believes things are fairly cut and dried with D’Shawn Jamison and Ryan Watts likely corner starters, Jahdae Barron likely to win STAR/nickel, Jerrin Thompson most likely at field safety, and Anthony Cook the boundary safety. That doesn’t mean you won’t hear about other players rotating in with the ones. Some of these competitions could take some time to play out.
*IT asked if Cook can hold up at boundary safety. “Yes he can because he’s physical and plays with heart.” The secondary should be strong in coverage, but fans would be justified to be skeptical about run support.
*With Barron expected at nickel and Kitan Crawford moving to safety, CB3 will be quite the battle. Jamier Johnson, Terrance Brooks, and Jaylon Guilbeau will all be working towards that coveted rotational spot. Johnson has good length and plays with physical intent (still needs to get bigger and stronger) but is most comfortable in man coverage. He’s still refining technique. Brooks and Guilbeau are both about to get their first taste of college ball. One or both could get a look at nickel as well.
*A source was asked which guys added the most strength. “That’s where the linebackers and linemen shine. Junior Angilau has the best bench I think. He got stronger. Devin Richardson is strong. A lot of the younger guys made big jumps. Justice Finkley is strong. Barryn Sorrell looks like he’s wearing shoulder pads. Byron Murphy looks great. One guy who has the ability to get big and powerful is Jaray Bledsoe. He’s naturally explosive in the weight room. Like Finkley, he didn’t lift with the freshman for long.”
*With spring break coming to a close, players will report back on Sunday for a team meeting. The first day of practice is next Tuesday.

Recruiting
Spoiler

These percentages represent a combination of educated guess, intuition, and inside information. We are different people, so we process information differently, but since we share much of what we hear, we’re typically in the same ballpark. 
Arch Manning, QB, New Orleans (La.) Isidore Newman. 
Eric: For any new readers, here’s my Arch Manning prediction.
Gerry: 55%
Justin: 70% 
Rueben Owens, RB, El Campo (Texas)
Eric: 65%
Gerry: 51%
Justin: 70%
Cedric Baxter Jr., RB, Orlando (Fla.)
Eric: 20%
Gerry: 20%
Justin: 10% 
Jalen Brown, WR, Miami (FL) Gulliver Prep
Eric: 15%
Gerry: 5%
Justin: 5% 
Johntay Cook, WR, Desoto (Texas)
Eric: 70%
Gerry: 51%
Justin: 70% 
Jaden Greathouse, WR/ATH, Austin (Texas) Westlake
Eric: 60%
Gerry: 60%
Justin: 70% 
Braylon James, WR, Del Valle (Texas)
Eric: 50% (just don’t know if they’ll push as hard as other schools)
Gerry: 55%
Justin: 45% 
Jalen Hale, WR, Longview (Texas)
Eric: 20%
Gerry: 15%
Justin: 20% 
Jaquaize Pettaway, WR, Houston (Texas) Langham Creek
Eric: 45%
Gerry: 40%
Justin: 35% 
Kyle Parker, WR, Lucas (Texas) Lovejoy
Eric: 60% (numbers)
Gerry: 55%
Justin: 65% 
Will Randle, TE, New Orleans (La.) Isidore Newman
Eric: 70%
Gerry: 55%
Justin: 70% 
Lafayette Kaiuway, TE, Arlington (Texas) Sam Houston
Eric: 50%
Gerry: 50%
Justin: 48% 
Ian Reed, OL, Austin (Texas) Vandegrift
Eric: 50%
Gerry: 40%
Justin: 50% 
Jaydon Chatman, OL, Harker Heights (Texas)
Eric: 60%
Gerry: 55%
Justin: 65%
Connor Stroh, OL, Frisco (Texas) Wakeland
Eric: 50%
Gerry: 50%
Justin: 40% 
Andre Cojoe, OL, Mansfield (Texas) Timberview
Eric: 85%
Gerry: 95%
Justin: 75% 
Harris Sewell, OL, Odessa (Texas) Permian 
Eric: 50%
Gerry: 40%
Justin: 45% 
Markis Deal, OL/DL, Garland (Texas) Naaman Forest 
Eric: 30%
Gerry: 30%
Justin: 25% 
Avion Carter, DL, Amarillo (Texas) Tascosa
Eric: 40% (numbers concern)
Gerry: 40%
Justin: 45% 
DJ Hicks, DL, Allen (Texas)
Eric: 5%
Gerry: 5%
Justin: 15% 
Samu Taumanupepe, DL, Humble (Texas) Atascocita 
Eric: 60%
Gerry: 60%
Justin: 60% 
Jayden Wayne, Tacoma (WA) Lincoln 
Eric: 10%
Gerry: 20%
Justin: 15% 
Derion Gullette, EDGE, Marlin (Texas)
Eric: 33%
Gerry: 33%
Justin: 33% 
Anthony Hill, LB, Denton (Texas) Ryan
Eric: 40%
Gerry: 35%
Justin: 45% 
S’Maje Burrell, LB, Fort Worth (Texas) North Crowley
Eric: 55%
Gerry: 45%
Justin: 50% 
Jamaal Shaw, DB, Orange (Texas) West Orange-Stark
Eric: 60% (numbers)
Gerry: 75%
Justin: 60% 
Javien Toviano, DB, Arlington (Texas) Martin
Eric: 55%
Gerry: 51%
Justin: 53% 
Jordan Matthews, DB, Baton Rouge (La.) Woodlawn 
Eric: 55%
Gerry: 33%
Justin: 55% 
Malik Muhammad, DB, Dallas (Texas) South Oak Cliff
Eric: 20%
Gerry: 25%
Justin: 20% 
Jayvon Thomas, DB, Dallas (Texas) South Oak Cliff 
Eric: 15%
Gerry: 30%
Justin: 20% 
Dalton Brooks, S, Shiner (Texas) 
Eric: 50%
Gerry: 40%
Justin: 40%
Mikal Harrison-Pilot, S/ATH, Temple (Texas)
Eric: 55%
Gerry: 45%
Justin: 60%

 

Nahlin didn’t put a percentage for manning?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Bevo 13,527]

36 minutes ago, bejezuz said:

Whittington has actually said on his Youtube show that he'd gladly play safety if asked.  

If he can't last a series at WR, how the hell would he remain injury free as a fucking safety?

[westexhorn 2,006]

16 minutes ago, utexas8 said:

Nahlin didn’t put a percentage for manning?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

he has an article for his %... its like 70%

[Codaxx 5,602]

1 hour ago, Vertigo said:

Oh wow.. Ian Boyd was wrong about moving Whittington and Overshow to safety? Huh.. 

I am just a bit worried about safety. I keep hearing about Cook, Thompson, and Crawford out there with Thompson playing the field or FS. Why is the worst athlete playing in the position, which requires the most range?

[Vertigo 20,267]

4 minutes ago, Codaxx said:

I am just a bit worried about safety. I keep hearing about Cook, Thompson, and Crawford out there with Thompson playing the field or FS. Why is the worst athlete playing in the position, which requires the most range?

Not to put too much expectation on a freshman, but if Bryan Allen Jr is as advertised he could very well lock down one of the spots by the first game. There are also rumblings of a potential needle mover who could hit the portal, speculation is that it is a safety. Normally you don't hear that kind of thing unless the process is all but over. 

[Codaxx 5,602]

Just now, Vertigo said:

Not to put too much expectation on a freshman, but if Bryan Allen Jr is as advertised he could very well lock down one of the spots by the first game. There are also rumblings of a potential needle mover who could hit the portal, speculation is that it is a safety. Normally you don't hear that kind of thing unless the process is all but over. 

Thought Allen was more of a SS than FS also. I wouldnt mind getting back to the Daune  Akina 5 CB secondary. 

[closetojumping 62,245]

Honestly, that team update reminds me how bad our defense was and is going to be. Just grim. Here’s hoping freshmen and transfers can save the day. 

[Bevo 13,527]

Just now, closetojumping said:

Honestly, that team update reminds me how bad our defense was and is going to be. Just grim. Here’s hoping freshmen and transfers can save the day. 

You are assuming that it is a talent issue. That's partially true, but Mathis, a linebacker, and a safety are only going to help so much.

[futureman 22,415]

22 minutes ago, Vertigo said:

There are also rumblings of a potential needle mover who could hit the portal, speculation is that it is a safety.

it’s crawford and it’s not ideal. 

[westexhorn 2,006]

12 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

Honestly, that team update reminds me how bad our defense was and is going to be. Just grim. Here’s hoping freshmen and transfers can save the day. 

Choate is going to have to earn his money this season.  If he can't develop the LBs, then what use does he have?

[crash_davis 23,084]

9 minutes ago, Bevo said:

You are assuming that it is a talent issue. That's partially true, but Mathis, a linebacker, and a safety are only going to help so much.

i read an article which said that Patterson liked the defensive schemes and agreed it was a personnel issue. maybe bullshit, maybe not. i'm hoping CDC and Sark didn't bring in Patterson just to fuck with everyone's mind's by showing instagram pics of Patterson throwing the hookem horns. 

[SuperSport 1,333]

Despite the obvious caveat that over half the '22 Class and Mathis (presumably) have yet to hit campus, the fact we're still debating Ovie vs. Jett Bush does not give me hope for the season.

[OB3 3,608]

If we have so much depth inside. Why don’t we push Ojomo to jack and have Mathis at other edge?

[Hookem2147 20,932]

1 minute ago, OB3 said:

If we have so much depth inside. Why don’t we push Ojomo to jack and have Mathis at other edge?

I think we might see some of that considering it looks like Ojomo dropped some weight. We could also play some 3-down lineman looks with Mathis and Ojomo at the end spots. 

[Hookem2147 20,932]

10 minutes ago, SuperSport said:

Despite the obvious caveat that over half the '22 Class and Mathis (presumably) have yet to hit campus, the fact we're still debating Ovie vs. Jett Bush does not give me hope for the season.

Certainly not idea, but Buck is definitely a cleaner fit for Bush than Jack. A lot of Ovie’s issues were against the run and that’s actually where Bush might be passable. You just don’t want him rushing the passer against athletic OT’s who can put their hands on him.

Edited March 18, 2022 by Hookem2147

[Codaxx 5,602]

7 minutes ago, OB3 said:

If we have so much depth inside. Why don’t we push Ojomo to jack and have Mathis at other edge?

JMO, but if Ojomo starts that likely means the defense is mediocre. Really need Collins and Sweat to find a motor and start producing consistently.. Granted Ojomo is actually 12 years old, so perhaps this is the season he breaks out. 

Edited March 18, 2022 by Codaxx

[irishtexan 11,445]

55 minutes ago, crash_davis said:

i read an article which said that Patterson liked the defensive schemes and agreed it was a personnel issue. maybe bullshit, maybe not.

probably bullshit. I have zero faith in offseason sunshine pumping of any sort. show me on the field. 

[Codaxx 5,602]

2 minutes ago, irishtexan said:

probably bullshit. I have zero faith in offseason sunshine pumping of any sort. show me on the field. 

That isnt sunshine pumping. Sunshine pumping would be it was scheme and it just needs some tweaks. Saying it was the players is the worst possible thing. Easier to get a new scheme than 11 new players. 

[crash_davis 23,084]

i have no faith in any recruiting, off-season, or spring ball news. only news i'll take to heart is if there is bad news because the media is prone to hype the shit out of everything in the offseason. if it's bad news, then the shit is REALLY bad.  

[TexasEx 1,667]

1 hour ago, westexhorn said:

he has an article for his %... its like 70%

75% now; was 80% before the shit sandwich season, for whatever it's worth. 

[Atticus 3,922]

6 hours ago, Bevo said:

You are assuming that it is a talent issue. That's partially true, but Mathis, a linebacker, and a safety are only going to help so much.

Better edge play is going to make this defense much cleaner. It’s hard to express just how poor the edge play was last year. People found consistent success when attacking our edges. Then you consider Luke brock and bj foster. Others had their issues too, but those four spots were the most consistent offenders. 

[totallynotabuttpirate 5,342]

1 hour ago, Atticus said:

Better edge play is going to make this defense much cleaner. It’s hard to express just how poor the edge play was last year. People found consistent success when attacking our edges. Then you consider Luke brock and bj foster. Others had their issues too, but those four spots were the most consistent offenders. 

Yea, if we just go from flat out retarded to just decent a few positions, our defense will improve tremendously. 

[Jabberwocky 1,666]

https://247sports.com/player/liona-lefau-46112081/

[Wulaw Horn 18,980]

22 hours ago, closetojumping said:

Honestly, that team update reminds me how bad our defense was and is going to be. Just grim. Here’s hoping freshmen and transfers can save the day. 

When I posted last off-season on the football board about grim long term prospects for the defense because we didn’t have any special talent in the underclasses I was roundly mocked and ridiculed.  I’m very bullish on the offensive side- both this year and going forward but I see nothing positive on the defense.  The one guy I thought might have a chance to be special on the defensive line couldn’t even crack the starting rotation and did nothing, so that didn’t even play out in real time.  It’s a big fucking problem.  I think if we are special on offense (which we have a chance to be if Ewers is good) we can win a lot of games against this schedule and hopefully recruiting follows, but yeah- this is a real problem on defense.

Edited March 19, 2022 by Wulaw Horn

[tokamak 6,352]

19 minutes ago, Wulaw Horn said:

When I posted last off-season on the football board about grim long term prospects for the defense because we didn’t have any special talent in the underclasses I was roundly mocked and ridiculed.  I’m very bullish on the offensive side- both this year and going forward but I see nothing positive on the defense.  The one guy I thought might have a chance to be special on the defensive line couldn’t even crack the starting rotation and did nothing, so that didn’t even play out in real time.  It’s a big fucking problem.  I think if we are special on offense (which we have a chance to be if Ewers is good) we can win a lot of games against this schedule and hopefully recruiting follows, but yeah- this is a real problem on defense.

I think after we get violated by Bama (ain’t no way Saban is taking his foot off the gas in that one), K will be shown the door and replaced with Patterson. Talent is still a problem but Fat Gare has a lot of experience building credible defenses out of players that we never gave the time of day as recruits. 
 

This is what qualifies as “hope” regarding our football program over the last decade or whatever. 

[crash_davis 23,084]

18 minutes ago, tokamak said:

I think after we get violated by Bama (ain’t no way Saban is taking his foot off the gas in that one), K will be shown the door and replaced with Patterson. Talent is still a problem but Fat Gare has a lot of experience building credible defenses out of players that we never gave the time of day as recruits. 
 

This is what qualifies as “hope” regarding our football program over the last decade or whatever. 

This is my hope. Patterson hire should pay dividends, with keeping the D staff and Sark in check. My fear is that he gets hired on as a head coach before the year is finished. Let's hope he makes impactful changes to the program.

[HenryJames 65,890]

Finkley can set the edge.

[Hookem2147 20,932]

There’s a domino effect that not setting the edge has that we saw last year. Jones, who was the only guy who could set the edge, goes down against OU. That forces us to play Collins out of position so we can try to hold up at the point of attack. Playing Collins out of position meant he wasn’t playing inside, which meant more snaps for guys like Broughton who shouldn’t have been on the field. Teams didn’t even bother trying to run between the tackles against us because they knew we couldn’t hold the edge. That forced our unathletic safeties (Foster) and a hurt/physically limited Brockermeyer to have to play more sideline to sideline.

Thats why getting Mathis and getting valuable snaps from Sorrell/Finkley/Dorbah/DJ Harris is so big. If we can simply be average at the edge spots, it forces teams to play more between the tackles where we are actually okay with Coburn, Collins, Sweat and Ojomo inside. This allows safeties to play more downhill and we can also play more single high coverage with Cook coming down into the box.

Also, if we are just waiting til after Bama wins by 28 to panic and make changes then go ahead and just ax the top man because that’s beyond idiotic. We chose the route we chose. Losing to a #1 ranked team with 2 guys who could win the Heisman shouldn’t shock anyone inside a program who just gave up 57 points to Kansas.

TLDR; I could argue landing Mathis is a bigger get than Ewers

Edited March 19, 2022 by Hookem2147

[Tex-19 2,869]

1 minute ago, Hookem2147 said:

There’s a domino effect that not setting the edge has that we saw last year. Jones, who was the only guy who could set the edge, goes down against OU. That forces us to play Collins out of position so we can try to hold up at the point of attack. Playing Collins out of position meant he wasn’t playing inside, which meant more snaps for guys like Broughton who shouldn’t have been on the field. Teams didn’t even bother trying to run between the tackles against us because they knew we couldn’t hold the edge. That forced our unathletic safeties (Foster) and a hurt/physically limited Brockermeyer to have to play more sideline to sideline.

Thats why getting Mathis and getting valuable snaps from Sorrell/Finkley/Dorbah/DJ Harris is so big. If we can simply be average at the edge spots, it forces teams to play more between the tackles where we are actually okay with Coburn, Collins, Sweat and Ojomo inside. This allows safeties to play more downhill and we can also play more single high coverage with Cook coming down into the box.

TLDR; I could argue landing Mathis is a bigger get than Ewers

Idk about bigger than Ewers (assuming Ewers plays well), but agree with the rest and that he’d be the second biggest transfer. Wish we got two transfer edges. 

[Hookem2147 20,932]

5 minutes ago, Tex-19 said:

Wish we got two transfer edges.

If the option is 1) two edge guys or 2) one edge guy and one ILB/run stopping safety, give me option 2

Edited March 19, 2022 by Hookem2147

[Red Five 40,663]

If we thought we could get an OT who could give us Kerstetter/Calvin Anderson level of play, I would be interested in that. 

[BurntOrange&White 39,655]

3 hours ago, tokamak said:

I think after we get violated by Bama (ain’t no way Saban is taking his foot off the gas in that one), K will be shown the door and replaced with Patterson. Talent is still a problem but Fat Gare has a lot of experience building credible defenses out of players that we never gave the time of day as recruits. 
 

This is what qualifies as “hope” regarding our football program over the last decade or whatever. 

If that is the case then that is pure failure on Sark for not canning PK this offseason.