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

[Bevo 13,900]

24 minutes ago, Elmer_Fudd said:

Two OU picks for Hicks on Rivals.

I don't think Hicks is an edge guy in our system. The more interesting thing is that ou is quietly putting a nice class together. And for us, losing Hill does suck. But losing Gullette would make me lose faith in PK regardless of slight improvements this year on the field. Akana could alleviate that, but I think it would require a big dose of hope in finding a transfer like Mathis. This is all somewhat tongue in cheek because its not even August and some $9.95ers are still positive on Shelby and Gullete but I sure wouldn't like the trend. Nevermind, re-reading this - it is a terrible post. The lunchtime margaritas and nap were great though.

[LCHorn 2,751]

5 hours ago, closetojumping said:

If you have a good counter for $1.5million for one player and can pony up, let us know. Or anyone else. Otherwise, punt. They doubled what anyone was thinking and I’d heard from their end that they might. That’s crazy stupid shit. 

I guess that’s good then; not my money but I’d prefer our available funds be spread around rather than have so much risk exposure on a 17 year old.  Hopefully that’s $1.5m less they have available to distribute elsewhere.

[Hookem2147 22,038]

A&M having Hicks and Toviano no show is not ideal for them. I’ll allow it.

[Ghost of Shag 2,730]

Just curious. Do we have the worst $9.95 guys in the industry? Because they suck.

[Hookem2147 22,038]

Nvm

Edited July 30, 2022 by Hookem2147

[Tex-19 3,013]

Apparently Johntay tweeted this today and then deleted it. Might've been trolling but who knows

 

[Bevo 13,900]

I love what we are doing at DB this year.

[Nivek 17,415]

4 hours ago, satyanash said:

the people who spam "It's just one player!!1!" every time we miss out on a LB are often the same people who later on wonder why our LB corps is so mediocre during the regular season. When was our last inside LB who was actually good? It's been quite a while.

It's funny to see how the scales have fallen from people's eyes with regard to our OL recruiting over the past few years under Herman. But those same people don't (or won't) see that our LB corps is headed down the same road. LB, like OL, is a tough spot to develop and the simple reality is we are not adding the needed talent at the position. The same people who are content with takes like S'Maje Burrell and Trevell Johnson were the same people who were content with takes like Hookfin and Ghirmai under Herman.

Clearly the issue is that we just need to start kidnapping recruits that don't pick us.  

[Bevo 13,900]

12 minutes ago, Nivek said:

Clearly the issue is that we just need to start kidnapping recruits who don't pick us.  

Does that work? Is such a thing even possible?

[Hank_Hill 20,054]

41 minutes ago, Hookem2147 said:

A&M having Hicks and Toviano no show is not ideal for them. I’ll allow it.

Why? All they needed was Hill for a guaranteed AGGIE NATTY BABY

[Junior Bonner 6,589]

1 hour ago, Kormit The Frug said:

Its really looking like, this is going to be the "Hill" some of us die on........

[WinningIsHard 4,171]

2 hours ago, UDontKnow said:

It's because @BurntOrange&White wants to be @closetojumping's @SydneyCarton and that's impossible. @SydneyCarton is a one of kind right-hand henchman and @closetojumping is just not interested in @BurntOrange&White.

It’s not every day you find a capable baby giraffe. That’s some James Bond henchman shit my friend. 

[conVINCEd 21,477]

6 minutes ago, WinningIsHard said:

It’s not every day you find a capable baby giraffe. That’s some James Bond henchman shit my friend. 

[The Dog 44,861]

3 hours ago, Pato del Muerto said:

The expectation now is they all of your meme posts are tailored to your username. 

I gotta figure out how to change my handle…

[deech 2,395]

No Taviano and and No Hicks shows why they so desperately needed Hill.  I tend to think Gullete is going to Aggie as well if he made it in for the pool party.

Regardless, it's recruiting - there will be hits and misses and you now have a real chance to clean up some big misses in the portal.  Aggie is not going anywhere anytime soon and it's not like the rest of the SEC has ever had any issues with the bag game before.  

Would have loved to have Hill, but we are doing about 1,000 times better in recruiting this year than I would have expected at the end of last season for various reasons.  Hopefully, they can continue to close out well on the targets on the board and build some momentum during the school year.

Edited July 31, 2022 by deech

[Wulaw Horn 19,597]

If I’m being honest, and I typically try to, if we are going to spend 7 figured I don’t want it to be a high school LB I’d much prefer a rising junior edge  in a contract year looking to total 15 sacks or something crazy. 

[gmr548 16,702]

26 minutes ago, Wulaw Horn said:

I’d much prefer a rising junior edge  in a contract year looking to total 15 sacks or something crazy. 

[Wulaw Horn 19,597]

2 minutes ago, gmr548 said:

Seriously, if this thing goes like I think it’s going to this year and we win 9 or 10 and lay a good foundation for the future, we need a bookend pair of those cats next year. 

[NoName 17,154]

What a shitshow. It's going to be ok.

[mannewers 563]

Jeeezus... and yesterday I got negged to oblivion just because I HOPED the staff would push for more uncommitted targets to come to town.

I get that you have to got to get elite talent. That said we have had more than our fair share of guys who are supposedly elite just go lame once they get here over the last 12 years.

So, at this point, IDGAF how many stars these guys have. Just bring in guys that WANT TO put in the work to be BAMF'ers and put this program back at the top.

Time will tell if giving a guy out of high school over $1M before playing a college snap will be a wise investment or not. Or maybe said player will mail it in. I'd rather my bullets go to proven portal talent.

Have a good season, close out some of the remaining targets, find some late diamonds in the rough, keep the current guys in the boat... then on to big game hunting in the portal.

All the while, I will sit here and hope this bag game majestically blows up in Aggy face because there are going to be a lot of mouths to feed and expectations that are still unlikely to be met.

[Kormit The Frug 134]

6 minutes ago, mannewers said:

Jeeezus... and yesterday I got negged to oblivion just because I HOPED the staff would push for more uncommitted targets to come to town.

I get that you have to got to get elite talent. That said we have had more than our fair share of guys who are supposedly elite just go lame once they get here over the last 12 years.

So, at this point, IDGAF how many stars these guys have. Just bring in guys that WANT TO put in the work to be BAMF'ers and put this program back at the top.

Time will tell if giving a guy out of high school over $1M before playing a college snap will be a wise investment or not. Or maybe said player will mail it in. I'd rather my bullets go to proven portal talent.

Have a good season, close out some of the remaining targets, find some late diamonds in the rough, keep the current guys in the boat... then on to big game hunting in the portal.

All the while, I will sit here and hope this bag game majestically blows up in Aggy face because there are going to be a lot of mouths to feed and expectations that are still unlikely to be met.

Negged

[Vertigo 20,499]

2 hours ago, Ghost of Shag said:

Just curious. Do we have the worst $9.95 guys in the industry? Because they suck.

I will direct your attention to Texags + the indomitable Taylor Hamm sir. I will also direct you to that chucklefuck guy from Baylor a couple years back who puts in crystal balls every time someone visits.

[Hookem2147 22,038]

6 minutes ago, mannewers said:

Jeeezus... and yesterday I got negged to oblivion just because I HOPED the staff would push for more uncommitted targets to come to town.

You got negged into oblivion because you think it’s easy for this staff to just snap their fingers and get all 8 of our uncommitted targets on campus at the same time. 

Should the staff have just invited a bunch of uncommitted prospects they have no interest in to try to generate “momentum”? There are a select few spots left in this class. Thinking we didn’t push for these guys to come to campus is dumb. We pushed for all of Hill, Gullette, Toviano, etc to show up. They didn’t. That’s life. 

[MichaelDicksonFanClub 2,962]

3 hours ago, Tex-19 said:

For real. If you want to complain about our boosters having better stuff to spend their money on than $1.5mm for a high school athlete, I better see receipts that you're participating in every single NIL opportunity UT has. Tbh, what a terrible use of money even if you have it - go house some homeless people or something ffs.

The thing to complain about is that A&M boosters are such desperate weirdos that they're willing to do what they're doing.

 

[mannewers 563]

Just now, Hookem2147 said:

You got negged into oblivion because you think it’s easy for this staff to just snap their fingers and get all 8 of our uncommitted targets on campus at the same time. 

Should the staff have just invited a bunch of uncommitted prospects they have no interest in to try to generate “momentum”? There are a select few spots left in this class. Thinking we didn’t push for these guys to come to campus is dumb. We pushed for all of Hill, Gullette, Toviano, etc to show up. They didn’t. That’s life. 

Fair enough but I never went down this "woah the sky is falling" trail.

[Hookem2147 22,038]

6 minutes ago, mannewers said:

Fair enough but I never went down this "woah the sky is falling" trail.

All good.

This isn’t like previous cycles. We took care of our shit early this year and will have the class almost complete by the time the ball kicks off a month from now. We didn’t need gimmick pool parties to create momentum.

Edited July 31, 2022 by Hookem2147

[Bigbend1812 13,060]

[FunkSoulBrother 977]

1 hour ago, Wulaw Horn said:

If I’m being honest, and I typically try to, if we are going to spend 7 figured I don’t want it to be a high school LB I’d much prefer a rising junior edge  in a contract year looking to total 15 sacks or something crazy. 

We want the best incoming portal class

[Kormit The Frug 134]

Has anyone checked on @BurntOrange&White?

Or more importantly, his liver???

[ATXbronco 4,507]

Damn, we are recruiting WELL for having gone 5-7 last year.

Can you imagine how kick ass we'll be recruiting when we go 7-5 or better and a bowl game win next year.
Hook 'em

I used a purple border because A&M is #41 after Hill.

[Bevo 13,900]

Just now, FunkSoulBrother said:

We want the best incoming portal class

This is what everybody wants. Are we better positioned for these players than Alabama, tOSU, A&M, Florida, Miami, USC, Oregon, LSU, Georgia, Tennessee, Penn State, and Nebraska? Only time will tell. But, the bidding should go down similar to high school recruits other than portal guys are less likely to fall for bullshit and are more interested in choosing a school that will put them in the league.

[Vertigo 20,499]

1 hour ago, Wulaw Horn said:

If I’m being honest, and I typically try to, if we are going to spend 7 figured I don’t want it to be a high school LB I’d much prefer a rising junior edge  in a contract year looking to total 15 sacks or something crazy. 

You do bring up an interesting point. How dumb are some of these bagmen going to feel when they shelled out 6 or 7 figures for a guy, and then that guy doesn’t develop, transfers out, or otherwise flames out. Frankly, the huge upfront payments actually contribute to the miss chances. How hard did you feel like working in the days weeks or months after you got the largest paycheck of your life? Especially if said paycheck was multiple years salary. Handing an 18 year old kid who comes from a disadvantaged background a million dollars is a recipe for disaster.

Edited July 31, 2022 by Vertigo

[Wulaw Horn 19,597]

Just now, Vertigo said:

You do bring up an interesting point. How dumb are some of these bagmen going to feel when they shelled out 6 or 7 figures for a guy, and then that guy doesn’t develop, transfers out, or otherwise flames out. Frankly, the huge upfront payments actually contribute to the miss chances. How hard did you feel like working in the days weeks or months after you got the largest paycheck of your life? Especially if said paycheck was multiple years salary.

I mean the money they make now pales in comparison to what they make if they develop and go high in the draft to the league, but yeah- giving an 18 year old 7 figures could dim the fire for some 18 year olds. 

[mwaadeeb 1,366]

3 minutes ago, Vertigo said:

You do bring up an interesting point. How dumb are some of these bagmen going to feel when they shelled out 6 or 7 figures for a guy, and then that guy doesn’t develop, transfers out, or otherwise flames out. Frankly, the huge upfront payments actually contribute to the miss chances. How hard did you feel like working in the days weeks or months after you got the largest paycheck of your life? Especially if said paycheck was multiple years salary. Handing an 18 year old kid who comes from a disadvantaged background a million dollars is a recipe for disaster.

I thought these deals were doled out over seasons, so kids can't just take the money and transfer in year two. Is it really cash up front?

[Hank_Hill 20,054]

1 minute ago, mwaadeeb said:

I thought these deals were doled out over seasons, so kids can't just take the money and transfer in year two. Is it really cash up front?

I admittedly know next to nothing about the process, but you’d have to think it isn’t. I also don’t know how players protect themselves and get the money “guaranteed” over time either though. Contracts for illegal shit don’t mean anything.

[Schulz2.0 29,280]

4 hours ago, Bevo said:

I  was pissed about EDGE. I thought Collins and Brown were our targets and Vasek was a fallback. Yesterday we heard Collins at 6'4" 240 was not a target at EDGE and that Brown was much smaller than expected and would probably be an interior guy as well. Vasek despite being a Westlake guy didn't move the needle for me. Today, Brown committed somewhere else and Vasek is probably going to a Texas rival. Again, no big deal but it raises the question of what we are doing at EDGE with von Trapp and Finkley last year and this year with 1 undersized guy in Walton, 1 possible undersized and injured guy in Gullete, some chance of Akana and air.

I have laughed at our linebacker recruiting the past few years and put the blame on our linebacker coach. This year things seem to be moving in the right direction. So, I haven't commented on Hill. We can lose one key target. We just can't whiff on every key target. At EDGE, I couldn't even tell you what the fuck we are looking for based on last year's class and this year's targets.

Are you seriously complaining about us landing Tapp, Finkley, Burke, Brown, and Swanson at DE last cycle? You seem angry because you don't seem to have a good handle on what the fuck has and is going on.

[Bevo 13,900]

Just now, Schulz2.0 said:

Are you seriously complaining about us landing Tapp, Finkley, Burke, Brown, and Swanson at DE last cycle? You seem angry because you don't seem to have a good handle on what the fuck has and is going on.

I guess if I see a pass rush and us holding up at the edge, I'll change my opinion. Those are big ifs, though. We threw numbers at the problem last year and we can see if they pan out but there is a big gap between our crazy good o-line class and what we got at edge. With that said, I think we probably did as well as we could have considering our defense on the field performance and not much NIL money for edge in 2021. I think Mathis was a pretty big miss, though.

[Vertigo 20,499]

18 minutes ago, mwaadeeb said:

I thought these deals were doled out over seasons, so kids can't just take the money and transfer in year two. Is it really cash up front?

No doubt many of them are, but I could see aggy being desperate enough to have dropped a minimum of 375k at the pool party to him.

[The Deuce 1,094]

16 minutes ago, mwaadeeb said:

I thought these deals were doled out over seasons, so kids can't just take the money and transfer in year two. Is it really cash up front?

You’re most likely looking at a 4 year amount + commit/signing bonus.

Let’s just say the $1.5 mill is accurate. With the desperation aggy needed to land Hill, I’d imagine it’s structured something like this: 

1) $50k commitment 

2) $250k Signed NIL

3) $300k per scholly year 

$1.5 is the max deal, but player would have to play out 4 years to obtain the full amount. $300k “up front” incentivizes player to pull trigger, with $50k being the “good faith” delivery upon committing 

 

[Schulz2.0 29,280]

3 minutes ago, Bevo said:

I guess if I see a pass rush and us holding up at the edge, I'll change my opinion. Those are big ifs, though. We threw numbers at the problem last year and we can see if they pan out but there is a big gap between our crazy good o-line class and what we got at edge. With that said, I think we probably did as well as we could have considering our defense on the field performance and not much NIL money for edge in 2021. I think Mathis was a pretty big miss, though.

We beat LSU for Tapp. Finkley had a commitable offer from Bama. We flipped Burke from Michigan. We beat OU for Brown. It wasn't some collection of JAGs.

[MichaelDicksonFanClub 2,962]

Average recruit ranking under Sark using the 247 composite for incoming freshman and transfers at their assumed position (assuming everyone committed stays + Baxter, Hale, and Matthews who seem like silents)

QB: 0.9764 (Ewers, Manning, Muhammad)

RB: 0.935 (Baxter, Wisner, Blue)

WR: 0.9256 (Worthy, Cook, Niblett, Hale, Wilson, Red, Milton, Hall, Neyor, Thompson)

TE: 0.8912 (Billingsley, Randle, Shannon)

OL: 0.9143 (Campbell, Banks, Umeozulu, Agbo, Hutson, Williams, Robertson, Cojoe, Goosby, Stroh, Kirkland, Chatman)

DL: 0.91067 (Bledsoe, Ross, Swanson, Bryant, Mitchell, Spencer) 

Edge: 0.9152 (Tapp, Finkley, Brown, Burke, Walton)

LB: 0.8908 (Tucker-Dorsey, Johnson, Lefau, Burrell)

Safety: 0.9533 (Turner-Gooden, Jordan, Allen, Johnson, Williams)

Corner: 0.9308 (Matthews, Muhammad, Watts, Brice, Guilbeau, Brooks)

For whoever was saying look at every other position

[TommyGufano 6,023]

3 minutes ago, MichaelDicksonFanClub said:

Average recruit ranking under Sark using the 247 composite for incoming freshman and transfers at their assumed position (assuming everyone committed stays + Baxter, Hale, and Matthews who seem like silents)

QB: 0.9764 (Ewers, Manning, Muhammad)

RB: 0.935 (Baxter, Wisner, Blue)

WR: 0.9256 (Worthy, Cook, Niblett, Hale, Wilson, Red, Milton, Hall, Neyor, Thompson)

TE: 0.8912 (Billingsley, Randle, Shannon)

OL: 0.9143 (Campbell, Banks, Umeozulu, Agbo, Hutson, Williams, Robertson, Cojoe, Goosby, Stroh, Kirkland, Chatman)

DL: 0.91067 (Bledsoe, Ross, Swanson, Bryant, Mitchell, Spencer) 

Edge: 0.9152 (Tapp, Finkley, Brown, Burke, Walton)

LB: 0.8908 (Tucker-Dorsey, Johnson, Lefau, Burrell)

Safety: 0.9533 (Turner-Gooden, Jordan, Allen, Johnson, Williams)

Corner: 0.9308 (Matthews, Muhammad, Watts, Brice, Guilbeau, Brooks)

For whoever was saying look at every other position

 

[HtownHorn 15,235]

I agree with @Wulaw Horn. If we are going to spend real bags on players, give me a fucking AA LB from the portal and not a HS kid.

Edited July 31, 2022 by HtownHorn

[HtownHorn 15,235]

6 minutes ago, MichaelDicksonFanClub said:

Average recruit ranking under Sark using the 247 composite for incoming freshman and transfers at their assumed position (assuming everyone committed stays + Baxter, Hale, and Matthews who seem like silents)

QB: 0.9764 (Ewers, Manning, Muhammad)

RB: 0.935 (Baxter, Wisner, Blue)

WR: 0.9256 (Worthy, Cook, Niblett, Hale, Wilson, Red, Milton, Hall, Neyor, Thompson)

TE: 0.8912 (Billingsley, Randle, Shannon)

OL: 0.9143 (Campbell, Banks, Umeozulu, Agbo, Hutson, Williams, Robertson, Cojoe, Goosby, Stroh, Kirkland, Chatman)

DL: 0.91067 (Bledsoe, Ross, Swanson, Bryant, Mitchell, Spencer) 

Edge: 0.9152 (Tapp, Finkley, Brown, Burke, Walton)

LB: 0.8908 (Tucker-Dorsey, Johnson, Lefau, Burrell)

Safety: 0.9533 (Turner-Gooden, Jordan, Allen, Johnson, Williams)

Corner: 0.9308 (Matthews, Muhammad, Watts, Brice, Guilbeau, Brooks)

For whoever was saying look at every other position

Missing K. Robinson from RB

[MichaelDicksonFanClub 2,962]

3 minutes ago, HtownHorn said:

Missing K. Robinson from RB

Damnit, RB becomes 0.91625

Forgot Richardson and Oghoufo too who don't even have a transfer ranking

Their composite brings LB to a 0.8777

[TommyGufano 6,023]

3 minutes ago, MichaelDicksonFanClub said:

Damnit, RB becomes 0.91625

Forgot Richardson and Oghoufo too who don't even have a transfer ranking

Their composite brings LB to a 0.8777

or did you? You said list was for incoming freshmen and transfers. Those guys (and KRob) are neither. But then again neither is Worthy and he's listed. 

Edited July 31, 2022 by TommyGufano

[Fumbles 299]

For the people who keep saying the Thursday BBQ was "haphazardly thrown together" or that the coaches took a vacation instead of recruiting, what is it exactly that you wish the coaches would have done?  Hired Mossad to kidnap the recruits we want and bring them to campus?  Promised hookers and blow at the pool party?  

We've offered and have maintained contact with 5 Star Damon Wilson from Florida, 4 star Tausili Akana from Utah, 4 star Braylan Shelby, 4 star Derion Gullette, and 4 star Colton Vasek.

In Mack's time, we wouldn't have dreamed of recruiting anyone outside of the state of Texas.  Wilson?  Akana?  Never getting a phone call from us.  Mack was also incredibly careful with offers to keep his commit-to-offer ratio high, so he wouldn't have even offered any of these guys if he didn't know for sure they were going to commit first.  Shelby?  Gullette?  Probably don't even have offers right now in Mack's day.  

Charlie Strong would have peppered them all with offers and then the moment any of the recruitments seemed difficult, he would have committed all efforts to 3 stars from Florida that his awful staff couldn't develop.  Herman would have already forgotten their names.

Is this staff perfect?  No.  Obviously, they still have a lot to prove on the field.  But I can't believe I'm reading these shit takes about their effort on the recruiting trail.  We've got a top-5 recruiting class with 20 commits in July after a 5-7 season.  How are people unhappy with this?   

[The Earl of Texas 3,214]

1 hour ago, Fumbles said:

But I can't believe I'm reading these shit takes   

[MichaelDicksonFanClub 2,962]

1 hour ago, TommyGufano said:

or did you? You said list was for incoming freshmen and transfers. Those guys (and KRob) are neither. But then again neither is Worthy and he's listed. 

Ovie, Richardson, KRob, and Worthy were from the 21 page and Worthy is egregiosly more memorable than them. It's not that deep.

[Big Woodrows 4,217]