Texas Recruiting Notes 2022 - Idiotic Slapfights Unrelated To 2022 Recruiting

[LTtxfan 49170]

So who are some Lsu recruits that we might be able to gain some momentum with on this news...

 

[BornAndRaised 12281]

Well, assuming the past 2 losses have no impact. It cements things with Tapp probably, and likely helps with Shazz Preston? I think there was one more lineman that was keeping an eye on LSU. Also I think Will Campbell has his out to finally decommit?

[BornAndRaised 12281]

Also, since this pissing contest in this thread seems to have blown over. I will finally say that I don't think its "unreasonable" for people to have run out of their borrowed optimism. Now it's on the coaching staff to prove they can rise to the occasion, either that or we'll be doing the same old song and dance in 2 years. Much of this shit show has caused a lot of the fan base to develop apathy, people bought in to Sark, leading to the borrowed optimism. Now the honeymoon is over and we need to see if they can pull out wins.

[Atticus 3973]

35 minutes ago, BornAndRaised said:

Also, since this pissing contest in this thread seems to have blown over. I will finally say that I don't think its "unreasonable" for people to have run out of their borrowed optimism. Now it's on the coaching staff to prove they can rise to the occasion, either that or we'll be doing the same old song and dance in 2 years. Much of this shit show has caused a lot of the fan base to develop apathy, people bought in to Sark, leading to the borrowed optimism. Now the honeymoon is over and we need to see if they can pull out wins.

This year only matters for recruiting purposes and development of players for next year. Hopefully the product on the field won't keep the players we need from coming.

[WinningIsHard 4029]

1 hour ago, BornAndRaised said:

Also, since this pissing contest in this thread seems to have blown over. I will finally say that I don't think its "unreasonable" for people to have run out of their borrowed optimism. Now it's on the coaching staff to prove they can rise to the occasion, either that or we'll be doing the same old song and dance in 2 years. Much of this shit show has caused a lot of the fan base to develop apathy, people bought in to Sark, leading to the borrowed optimism. Now the honeymoon is over and we need to see if they can pull out wins.

I’m pretty confused by this post. We jumped out to big leads but lost. Would it be better if we got our shit stomped? If we played back and forth like herman loved to do? Or did we need to win these games? Honest question here…if herman didn’t have Sam those 4 years playing hero ball would we even expect to get 6 wins a year? I think we are more delusional because Sam kept us in a lot of games we had no business being in. Other than Duv, who did we have that you would take right now? 

[Mo Horn 8832]

8 minutes ago, WinningIsHard said:

I’m pretty confused by this post. We jumped out to big leads but lost. Would it be better if we got our shit stomped? If we played back and forth like herman loved to do? Or did we need to win these games? Honest question here…if herman didn’t have Sam those 4 years playing hero ball would we even expect to get 6 wins a year? I think we are more delusional because Sam kept us in a lot of games we had no business being in. Other than Duv, who did we have that you would take right now? 

Colin Johnson to name just one

[bad_teammate 13194]

9 minutes ago, WinningIsHard said:

We jumped out to big leads but lost. Would it be better if we got our shit stomped?

This is something people need to grapple with, there is no better type of loss than this. LOSING SUCKS

If we jump out to a big lead, well at least we can fucking get a lead at some point. There is no type of 3-loss starting half to the season where we think, "Oh hell yeah those were awesome losses!"

They all suck. This sucks.

What is making some people freak the fuck out is how they felt in their personal emotions as the losses played out. If OU gets an early 40-point lead and we claw back to within 10 points is that actually better than what happened? Hell no.

[closetohumping 17438]

8 minutes ago, Mo Horn said:

Colin Johnson to name just one

Colin would start on this team for sure.  Duv obviously.  Connor Williams, Cosmi, etc.  Herm had some talent.  But I also believe that if Herm wasn't an asshat he would've gotten another year.

[TommyGufano 6021]

15 minutes ago, WinningIsHard said:

I’m pretty confused by this post. We jumped out to big leads but lost. Would it be better if we got our shit stomped? If we played back and forth like herman loved to do? Or did we need to win these games? Honest question here…if herman didn’t have Sam those 4 years playing hero ball would we even expect to get 6 wins a year? I think we are more delusional because Sam kept us in a lot of games we had no business being in. Other than Duv, who did we have that you would take right now? 

Off top of my head: B Jones, D Elliott, Hill, Boyd, Gary Johnson, Malik, Omenihu, Poona, Mal Roach, Ossai, Cosmi, Calvin Anderson, LJH, Collin Johnson. Maybe I misunderstood the question? Admittedly parachuted into the thread

[Atticus 3973]

2 minutes ago, TommyGufano said:

Off top of my head: B Jones, D Elliott, Hill, Boyd, Gary Johnson, Malik, Omenihu, Poona, Mal Roach, Ossai, Cosmi, Calvin Anderson, LJH, Collin Johnson. Maybe I misunderstood the question? Admittedly parachuted into the thread

Chris Nelson, TaQuan Graham, Anthony Wheeler, even Jeff McCulloch

[SarkAfterDark 1688]

28 minutes ago, WinningIsHard said:

I’m pretty confused by this post. We jumped out to big leads but lost. Would it be better if we got our shit stomped? If we played back and forth like herman loved to do? Or did we need to win these games? Honest question here…if herman didn’t have Sam those 4 years playing hero ball would we even expect to get 6 wins a year? I think we are more delusional because Sam kept us in a lot of games we had no business being in. Other than Duv, who did we have that you would take right now? 

Adding just Ossai and Cosmi back on this team and we are likely 6-1 right now, 5-2 at worst. Both would be anchors on their respective lines resulting in better line play on both sides.

[WinningIsHard 4029]

12 minutes ago, TommyGufano said:

Off top of my head: B Jones, D Elliott, Hill, Boyd, Gary Johnson, Malik, Omenihu, Poona, Mal Roach, Ossai, Cosmi, Calvin Anderson, LJH, Collin Johnson. Maybe I misunderstood the question? Admittedly parachuted into the thread

 

9 minutes ago, Atticus said:

Chris Nelson, TaQuan Graham, Anthony Wheeler, even Jeff McCulloch

 

1 minute ago, SarkAfterDark said:

Adding just Ossai and Cosmi back on this team and we are likely 6-1 right now, 5-2 at worst. Both would be anchors on their respective lines resulting in better line play on both sides.

What was our best record with all those guys y’all just mentioned? Why would we want any of them if they were on perennial 8-5 teams and couldn’t win any big 12 titles? Duv is the only guy that had nationally elite stats. An actual playmaker who helped us change games. If we need all those guys over what we have currently  then how the fuck is any of this shit sark or PK’s fault? That’s my point. 20 players y’all named haha. Our roster fucking sucks. Period. 

[BornOrange 1441]

2 hours ago, LTtxfan said:

So who are some Lsu recruits that we might be able to gain some momentum with on this news...

 

The better question to ask is which of our recruits will be leaning to LSU if they hire a good coach.

[Duane Moore 5237]

Another loss, another week in which this thread can be summed up in this clip, with Bad Teammate as the Dude, and CTJ as Mr. Lebowski:

 

[SarkAfterDark 1688]

16 minutes ago, WinningIsHard said:

 

 

What was our best record with all those guys y’all just mentioned? Why would we want any of them if they were on perennial 8-5 teams and couldn’t win any big 12 titles? Duv is the only guy that had nationally elite stats. An actual playmaker who helped us change games. If we need all those guys over what we have currently  then how the fuck is any of this shit sark or PK’s fault? That’s my point. 20 players y’all named haha. Our roster fucking sucks. Period. 

 Adding Cosmi back into the equation gives you a bookend LT, and allows a reshift on the OL that makes them better as an overall unit. Adding Ossai gives us the pass rusher we so desperately need, and when you can get pressure on the QB that improves the entire defensive unit. These are two crucial components the current team is missing, so it doesn't really matter what their record was on previous teams, they would immensely improve this one. 

[WinningIsHard 4029]

1 minute ago, SarkAfterDark said:

 Adding Cosmi back into the equation gives you a bookend LT, and allows a reshift on the OL that makes them better as an overall unit. Adding Ossai gives us the pass rusher we so desperately need, and when you can get pressure on the QB that improves the entire defensive unit. These are two crucial components the current team is missing, so it doesn't really matter what their record was on previous teams, they would immensely improve this one. 

What I’m saying is if you give sark and staff more talent or give them a chance to find their players then we are 6-1 or 5-2 right now. Herman had 20 players that we believe were better than what we have now. We never went up 3 possessions on anybody. Let’s hand out some Valium’s to the fan base, take a deep breathe and settle in for a long but fruitful journey. 

[Big Woodrows 4200]

4 hours ago, closetojumping said:

Regardless, the Arkansas offensive gameplan was as bad as OU 2004 and Notre Dame 2014. It was terrible and an imbecile could have conceived it.

We didn't play Notre Dame in 2014. You may be thinking of 2015. Just FYI.

[IDIOTsavant 8483]

6 minutes ago, WinningIsHard said:

What I’m saying is if you give sark and staff more talent or give them a chance to find their players then we are 6-1 or 5-2 right now. Herman had 20 players that we believe were better than what we have now. We never went up 3 possessions on anybody. Let’s hand out some Valium’s to the fan base, take a deep breathe and settle in for a long but fruitful journey. 

Can we selectively mix in a few cyanide pills?

[D3zii 3678]

Well well well, maybe Sark doing this on purpose 

[bad_teammate 13194]

Evan is a Drugrich Hector fan

all of my losses is lessons

[Longhornlove 4813]

4 minutes ago, D3zii said:

Well well well, maybe Sark doing this on purpose 

What in the ever living fuck does that mean?

[squeegeedegg 723]

1 minute ago, Longhornlove said:

What in the ever living fuck does that mean?

Not much because Florida lost too

[IDIOTsavant 8483]

1 minute ago, Longhornlove said:

What in the ever living fuck does that mean?

That you fit in fine on this board…because you’re old.

[Harvdog 2288]

13 minutes ago, Longhornlove said:

What in the ever living fuck does that mean?

It means they are close and are missing a few key players.  Evan Stewart is one of their players.  I think once he comes, we will see quite a few commits.  All those 2022 recruits spent the whole weekend together and don't think they all think that they could make a difference,  They choose who they like and are comfortable with.  Sark is that guy.

[futureman 22453]

2 minutes ago, Harvdog said:

It means they are close and are missing a few key players.  Evan Stewart is one of their players.  I think once he comes, we will see quite a few commits.  All those 2022 recruits spent the whole weekend together and don't think they all think that they could make a difference,  They choose who they like and are comfortable with.  Sark is that guy.

fuck. yes.

[Longhornlove 4813]

1 minute ago, Harvdog said:

It means they are close and are missing a few key players.  Evan Stewart is one of their players.  I think once he comes, we will see quite a few commits.  All those 2022 recruits spent the whole weekend together and don't think they all think that they could make a difference,  They choose who they like and are comfortable with.  Sark is that guy.

Awesome. I must be old because I don't get anything from that gobbledegook. Is 45 old? I guess so. Oh well.

[Cairn Horn88 8262]

3 hours ago, UTEE97 said:

We have recruited very well at DL over the past few cycles and they were supposed to be one of our strengths this year. Yet we rarely get to the QB. 

What is talent, really? Someone with all the physical tools or someone who shows up on game day? Some are saying we only have few players who would start for OU or OSU. Why is that? Is that because they lack the physical talent or they just don't play like they have the talent? We have recruited well enough to win these games. The fact that our elite players take plays off from time to time has to do with coaching, development, conditioning, etc. That's not going to be fixed by recruiting more talent.

Uh…..isn’t that why we have new coaches……to fix that which is broken?

[TommyGufano 6021]

55 minutes ago, WinningIsHard said:

What I’m saying is if you give sark and staff more talent or give them a chance to find their players then we are 6-1 or 5-2 right now. Herman had 20 players that we believe were better than what we have now. We never went up 3 possessions on anybody. Let’s hand out some Valium’s to the fan base, take a deep breathe and settle in for a long but fruitful journey. 

I can't help but quibble with the details of your post while mostly agreeing with the overall point. I am decidedly unfreaked out about the football program at this moment in time. 

But that was an idealized composite of 4 years worth of players. TH never had all of those guys at their best. Hell, the one player (Duv) you claim was actually worth a damn was outshined by 2 others at his position when he was a junior. Even TH probably woulda won big with all of his best players at their best.

How does 2021 roster compare to any of TH's individual teams? Current defense is considerably worse than 2017. 2018 better overall talent than 2021 . 2019/2020? idk

edit: also, not for nothing, I regret not including Dickson on my initial list of dudes I'd want

Edited October 18, 2021 by TommyGufano

[closetojumping 62604]

52 minutes ago, Big Woodrows said:

We didn't play Notre Dame in 2014. You may be thinking of 2015. Just FYI.

We all know when we played them. If I mistyped, we still know. Look man, don’t follow me around with neg votes and then passive aggressively do weak shit like this. Have a fucking spine and come at me with substance or fuck off.

 

 

[Harvdog 2288]

8 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

We all know when we played them. If I mistyped, we still know. Look man, don’t follow me around with neg votes and then passive aggressively do weak shit like this. Have a fucking spine and come at me with substance or fuck off.

 

 

 

[futureman 22453]

12 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

We all know when we played them. If I mistyped, we still know. Look man, don’t follow me around with neg votes and then passive aggressively do weak shit like this. Have a fucking spine and come at me with substance or fuck off.

I came at you with substance. called you out for being wrong, which you are more often than not, and you cried like a bitch and then put me on ignore. you’re a fake insider and a coward. 

[Gil Bang 25944]

6 hours ago, closetojumping said:

I’ve got UT sports and the Astros for my entertainment interests, and that’s been the case since birth. I can’t turn it off now. I’ll do what we all do and find ways to cope and hope for daylight where I can find it. It’s never bothered me that when that daylight surprises us, a bunch of clowns on the board climb over themselves to declare us “back” and tell me and a few others how wrong we were. 

So, half you interest is in cheating motherfuckers, and you're hoping the other half jumps on the cheating cocksucker wagon. 

[Treefidy 1463]

11 hours ago, stork642 said:

This is the correct answer.  If it weren’t for Sark we would have never led in the last two games so I guess that would be better for some fans to deal with.  Don’t get me wrong I’m not happy and my wife thinks I’m having a stroke watching this shit but it is what it is.  Our talent is awful.  Our best receiver is a true freshman from the portal. Oline is horrible and Brock is our starting LB.   Not picking on Brock because he a great team player but he should never start for Texas.  Sark can only do so much with what he has and most of that was here before he got here.  If you need evidence of what Sark will bring in just look at X.  

That the thing, we really don’t know this.   X was looking at Bama and sark built a relationship, and Sark was a hot name playing with Sabans toys.   The further he gets away from the Saban train and the more our offense looks like the past 2 second half’s….

We can hope sark ends up being a great recruiter because we need talent at several positions.   He’s  going to get the chance to prove himself; 3-4 years barring a collapse on or off the field.  

[D3zii 3678]

2 hours ago, D3zii said:

Well well well, maybe Sark doing this on purpose 

#TankForStewart 

[Funk Doctor Spock 12190]

1 hour ago, closetojumping said:

We all know when we played them. If I mistyped, we still know. Look man, don’t follow me around with neg votes and then passive aggressively do weak shit like this. Have a fucking spine and come at me with substance or fuck off.

 

 

All you do is cry and put people on ignore when you're called out. You're a message board pussy 

[Stunns38 3460]

That 20 player list was over 4 years, Herman blew out Tech and Rice some of the times we played them (the only two teams Sark has blown out), and Herman literally blew out the last two P5 teams he played before we fired him (and this was with guys like Cosmi sitting out and Ehlinger getting hurt).  
Herman also went 7-3 last year, and we fucking fired him.  So, 4-3 with this roster is pretty obviously not the standard we were expecting, notwithstanding revisionist history about how bare the cupboard is to the contrary. 
Herman was not the guy, and an embarrassing asshat to boot.  But if anything, I expect we would have been a little more competitive with him this year.  I truly don’t think we would have laid down for that fucking mediocre Arkansas squad and let them run out to a 40-14 lead doing basic shit under Herman.  We probably wouldn’t have lit up OU for 48 points, either, but we didn’t take Charlie Strong type beatdowns with him at least.  
We may have actually  found a guy who turtles worse than Herman.  Herman couldn’t go for the kill, but he didn’t just go catatonic when adversity struck, either.   If Sark takes a counter punch - whether it’s on game day or in recruiting (see all the dudes who supposedly were committing in March and now going elsewhere) - it’s like there is no response and he just shuts down.  He has a great plan to start out and can throw some haymakers, but the Mike Tyson quote about everyone having a plan until they get punched in the mouth seems especially on point here.   I forgot the exact stat everyone quotes, but it’s essentially that he has no 2nd half comebacks - ever - and he’s been the coach at Washington, USC and Texas?  How is that even possible?

One thing that Herman did right when we got stagnant was to go up tempo, and the team never seemed to give up. They always fought to the end. We know it’s year 1 but this team has tapped out during our losses. Plus the lack of game management(timeouts) and roster management by Sark (getting #7 and Roschon more touches) are concerning. I hope he can manage the entire program from top to bottom and picked something up from Saban. All we can hope is that Sark and Staff can recruit their asses off and work the portal. 7-5 is realistic and 8-4 would be a bonus with this squad.

[UTEE97 3518]

1 hour ago, Stunns38 said:

One thing that Herman did right when we got stagnant was to go up tempo, and the team never seemed to give up. They always fought to the end. We know it’s year 1 but this team has tapped out during our losses. Plus the lack of game management(timeouts) and roster management by Sark (getting #7 and Roschon more touches) are concerning. I hope he can manage the entire program from top to bottom and picked something up from Saban. All we can hope is that Sark and Staff can recruit their asses off and work the portal. 7-5 is realistic and 8-4 would be a bonus with this squad.

Keilan can be this team's Duvernay. I am surprised he is buried at #3 in the RB depth chart instead of getting a shot at the slot position. With Jwhitt out, he should have been the go to slot guy. Give him the ball in space and let him run it to the house! 

[Coelenterate Fuccboi 13091]

3 minutes ago, UTEE97 said:

Keilan can be this team's Duvernay. I am surprised he is buried at #3 in the RB depth chart instead of getting a shot at the slot position. With Jwhitt out, he should have been the go to slot guy. Give him the ball in space and let him run it to the house! 

This has been discussed but message board posters always know best. I’m pretty sure it’s been said that he left Bama because they were trying to make him a slot receiver.

[HateYouAndMyself 828]

5 minutes ago, Coelenterate Fuccboi said:

This has been discussed but message board posters always know best. I’m pretty sure it’s been said that he left Bama because they were trying to make him a slot receiver.

It is true that he would probably react poorly to a proposed permanent move to the slot but the current situation is vastly different from what he faced at Bama. They wanted to move him permanently to WR, on a team loaded at the position with elite talent, and he was unlikely to ever get any carries out of the backfield there again. We can offer him a return to RB in the Spring and a continuance of the same handful of touches from the backfield he is getting now in the interim. 

Shouldn't be hard to convince a kid with NFL aspirations the value of playing ~20 snaps a game for the rest of the season in the role he will almost certainly be playing in the next level. All that said..    he might just fucking suck at running routes. Might not be able to catch a damn thing if its contested. There are plenty of reasons why moving Moore inside and going with Washington, whose a great run blocker, on the outside could be the better move. I would hope we see more creativity and experimentation after the bye week with personnel packages. 

[Sgt. Slaughter 2841]

6 hours ago, Longhornlove said:

What in the ever living fuck does that mean?

I think he means the team becomes closer in the face of adversity. Nothing to do with proximity to success.

[Codaxx 5731]

6 hours ago, Coelenterate Fuccboi said:

This has been discussed but message board posters always know best. I’m pretty sure it’s been said that he left Bama because they were trying to make him a slot receiver.

That seems to be a consistent issue at Texas. Players knowing better than coaches. Texas has Rojo, but not many others willing to make the sacrifices to win more games. (Overshown, but that took at least a year too long). 

[Coelenterate Fuccboi 13091]

25 minutes ago, Codaxx said:

That seems to be a consistent issue at Texas. Players knowing better than coaches. Texas has Rojo, but not many others willing to make the sacrifices to win more games. (Overshown, but that took at least a year too long). 

Would you say players are a bit coddled? Maybe the culture draws a certain personality type?

In general, of course. There are always exceptions.

Edited October 18, 2021 by Coelenterate Fuccboi

[Codaxx 5731]

5 minutes ago, Coelenterate Fuccboi said:

Would you say players are a bit coddled? Maybe the culture draws a certain personality type?

In general, of course. There are always exceptions.

Listened to some of Sark's comments. I get the impression he is surprised at at how soft and fragile the team is. I was a little surprised he actually said the word fragile. This seems like something every new coach at Texas comes in and says. I remember it from Herman and Strong also. 

[MuellerHorn 4229]

247 Recruiting Stampede:

Surprisingly, a lot of good news.

Spoiler

The Stampede: Tons of recruiting notes from big visit weekend

By Mike Roach

We’ve talked about it quite a bit, but losses typically don’t ruin a visit experience in the way you think they might. Oh sure, had it been a 30 point loss where Texas never looked like they were in it, we’d probably be getting different feedback but kids just don’t react the same way others do. For them, the product on the field is only part of the equation sometimes. Most of the time, kids see themselves as the answer, and if they trust the coaches recruiting them to develop that skill, they will pick them regardless of what is happening on the field.

After the game, the staff was quick to bring all of those targets in to have meetings with the coaches. From those recruits and families we spoke with both on and off the record, there didn’t seem to be anyone turned off or upset by the trip. As a wise man once told me, “Single-game losses only matter if the coach is on the hot seat.”

While the Texas program isn’t getting quite the leniency it once got, recruits have been vocal that they understand this is a first-year staff. I’ve said it many times, but the negative part of not winning is that it puts your recruiting effort more in neutral than anything. With Texas in a bye week, I’d expect them to hit the trail hard this week and make sure their faces are seen.

In this edition of The Stampede, Horns247's weekly gathering of recruiting intel, we discuss the visit weekend and the Texas recruiting effort following Saturday's disappointing result.

Malik Agbo

The four-star offensive lineman from Federal Way (Wash.) Todd Beamer said the visit exceeded every expectation he had for the trip. Texas showed him a great time, and he was blown away by the size and in-game experience of DKR. Agbo also really liked the football culture in the state of Texas and how important it is. Agbo was hosted by Tope Imade and Jake Majors on Saturday and spent some time with the team after dinner.

Texas seems to have made a big move with Agbo who sees opportunity for early playing time and connected quickly with Kyle Flood and Steve Sarkisian. Agbo has two visits left to SEC programs Florida and Auburn. Agbo has a huge personality and loves the recruiting experience, so it’s possible that those two programs could also blow him away, but I get the feeling Texas put itself into strong standing with the big offensive lineman and his mother.

Larry Turner-Gooden

Turner-Gooden got to town on Friday and was able to get some one-on-one time with the staff before most of the other visitors arrived. The big California safety is still recovering from season-ending shoulder surgery. Texas impressed him during the summer, and he liked the position pitch as a safety or “Star” in PK’s defense. Turner-Gooden was hosted by Chris Adimora on the trip, and he connected with Steve Sarkisian and Blake Gideon. Penn State set the bar on his visit a month ago, and it sounds like Texas met that if not exceeded according to the folks I spoke with near him. Arizona State is still worth watching as the Sun Devils originally held his commitment and will get a late visit.

Earnest Greene

If you’re worried about how hard this program is recruiting offensive linemen, I was told that the majority of focus this weekend was on Greene and Agbo. Greene and his family came in on a red-eye that arrived in Austin just a few hours before kickoff. Because of that, his visit extended longer, and the family will leave this morning.

Texas is up against heavy competition as Georgia has been able to make an impact while Ohio State still waits in the wings for an official visit. The pitch for Texas will likely be two-fold. The first is going to be the opportunity for early playing time which will likely be available more at Texas than anywhere else.

The second pitch could be distance from home. Austin is 1,000 miles closer to Los Angeles and could make it easier for his parents to come see him.

Kyle Flood and Steve Sarkisian did the heavy lifting, but Andre Coleman also got involved. Coleman played professionally with Greene’s father and has a personal relationship there. Texas is going to have to wait out the Ohio State visit, but the Longhorns threw everything they could at the four-star offensive tackle.

Quency Wiggins

The prospect I heard the least amount was the big defensive lineman from Baton Rouge. Wiggins is a quiet kid who doesn’t give a lot away, and that’s probably a big reason I didn’t. Wiggins liked his time in Austin when he was there in the summer which prompted him to make this return trip. He wants to play on the edge from what I know and Texas is at least giving lip service to that chance at the college level.  Wiggins also talked with former Baton Rouge defensive lineman and New Orleans Saints defensive lineman Malcolm Roach who was in attendance on Saturday. LSU, Alabama and Florida are all involved, so it will be tough for Texas to win that race.

Jacoby Mathews

Mathews actually came in midway through Saturday’s game after some flight issues, but he said all the right things in his recap with Steve Wiltfong. There have been times in this recruitment where Texas has felt like they are at the front of the pack, and their pitch for immediate playing time in a hybrid role within the defense stands out. A source close to Mathews indicated to me that while Texas has done a good job staying on him, they still see him ending up at LSU depending on who the Tigers hire. Mathews has several big visits remaining and the staff will have to hope they made a big enough impression.

Evan Stewart

Stewart spent the weekend at Texas coming in on Friday and leaving on Sunday. The five-star wide receiver told Horns247 that he always has a great time in Austin, and he had a good time connecting with the coaching staff and spending time in downtown Austin. Coming into the weekend, Texas had some good momentum for him, and despite losing on the field, I don’t think that changed too much. Stewart told Horns247 that he plans to visit Texas A&M this week.

The Aggies have always been a school on the periphery of his recruitment, but they’ve never been able to jump into the main group. Florida held the summer momentum, and while the Gators are still very much in the picture, I get the feeling there is less confidence he ends up there. Alabama remains a school that could be a factor, but Stewart barely speaks of the Crimson Tide anymore. I’m not sure if that’s an indicator that they aren’t in the recruitment or something else. Texas has been able to show him the flashes of passing ability and offensive fit along with the opportunity to play early. His bond with Joshua Moore and Xavier Worthy is strong, and I believe the Longhorns remain in the thick of the hunt for the elite pass-catcher.

Jaleel Skinner

Skinner and his father made their way to Austin where the big tight end told Horns247 that the bond he felt to this coaching staff was worth following through on his plans to make the visit even though he was committed. Texas did well enough on the trip as Skinner’s father told Horns247 that Jeff Banks and company have always done a great job making them feel valued and loved. Is it enough to pull the four-star prospect away from his Alabama commitment? That remains to be seen. Texas pitched Skinner on the need for a dynamic receiving threat at the tight end position like himself, but I’m not sure I get the sense he’s wavering on his commitment. If something happens with Alabama, I could see him landing in Austin. As of today, I think he signs with the Crimson Tide.

Jaydon Blue

After Saturday’s game, there were some rumors that Jaydon Blue was unhappy and pondering a decommitment from Texas. The four-star running back has been one of the longest-tenured and strongest commits in the class, and this news represented a pretty quick about face for him. I called around this weekend, and I haven’t been able to get anything solid the validity of this information yet. On the Texas side, the Longhorns have been very supportive of Blue and his decision to opt out this season to the point of taking some bullets for it within the high school community. The staff is aware of the rumors and are working to address them with Blue and his family, but with Jamarion Miller committed and a board full of other guys they are evaluating, the Longhorns would waste no time if they were to lose him. We’ll continue digging on this end.

Devin Brown

Brown wasn’t on the trip this weekend but a report emerged stating the four-star quarterback from Draper (Utah) Corner Canyon intends to take an official visit to Texas when the Longhorns host Kansas on November 13. I reported in The Stampede a few weeks ago, that the plan was to take another quarterback and Brown was the odds-on favorite at the high school level. Texas has been working behind the scenes to take advantage of the coaching instability at USC and land the Utah gunslinger who wowed onlookers at the Elite 11 finals. Ole Miss recently got a visit from Brown and Ohio State is in the mix as well. A source familiar with Brown told Horns247 that they feel he’d be a good fit stylistically and philosophically with Steve Sarkisian and Texas. I’ve yet to reach Brown for comment but we will continue to work on that today.

-2023-

Arch Manning

This was the biggest visitor of the weekend, and even though many were fretting over a loss in front of the five-star quarterback, I was told it really didn’t matter to him. Despite what you might think, Manning and his family don’t really look at football on the macro level of individual wins and losses. For them, the idea is more about fit within the culture of the city and school, and the offense as a whole. Manning loves Austin, and Texas reenforced that this weekend. He spent some time with current players and recruits out on Lake Austin when he arrived Friday, and he also spent time with a few former Isidore Newman students who now attend Texas.

On Saturday, Manning was able to talk with Evan Stewart and Johntay Cook along with several other targets in attendance to get a feel for the types of players that the Longhorns were recruiting who could end up as weapons should they all choose to go there. After the game, Manning and his close friend Will Randle spent time with a few players and commits hanging around Austin and seeing more of the city. Texas checks a ton of boxes for Manning, and there’s a feeling leaving the weekend that the Longhorns remain in very strong standing along with Georgia. One source I spoke with said that while it’s too early to say Manning has a defined list of leaders, those two programs seem to be emerging. For Texas, I think they’ve shown Manning everything he needs to see, and the football side is in good hands because of his relationship with Steve Sarkisian and AJ Milwee. Manning is a football junkie who loves discussing schemes, offensive principles and new innovative ways to play, and that is in line mentally with Sark and Milwee. The trust seems to be there from the family in that coaching staff and Manning isn’t really that focused on what this year’s team looks like as an individual performer. As I’ve preached from the beginning, patience is needed here. Texas came into this weekend a front runner in this recruitment, and some people he and his family interacted with believe that they solidified themselves as the top dog.

Will Randle

While Randle and Manning are close, they likely won’t make decisions that affect one another. Randle was taken by the city, the stadium and facilities, and the educational opportunities afforded to him at Texas. The Longhorns took a strong step in the right direction with the 2023 Isidore Newman tight end, and they should be a strong contender for his services. Keep an eye on whoever LSU hires to replace Ed Orgeron. Randle really likes the Tigers, but lack of stability prevented them from taking hold of a lead. Texas is at the front of the pack for Randle coming out of the weekend as the Longhorns continue to push for him.

Johntay Cook

Cook made another trip to Texas, and the Longhorns remain one of the top schools in the running for him. The four-star DeSoto wide receiver really would like the opportunity to play with Manning at the next level, and the two common schools they are considering are Texas and Alabama. Cook’s relationship with the coaching staff and the comfort that the Texas program provides are both huge traits in favor of landing one of the state’s best route runners. Like Manning, Cook is lessed focused on the individual results of this season. Immediately following the game, Cook met with the coaches who told him that they need more playmakers like him in this offense to really make it go. I don’t believe Texas lost any ground coming out of the weekend and I expect them to remain a power player in this one.

Jaden Greathouse

Nick discussed the Austin Westlake wide receiver last night, and in checking with sources of my own, it sounds like Texas has been able to quietly grab the lead for the big wide receiver.  AJ Milwee has been on him since arriving, and Greathouse has been at every home game except for the performance against Rice.  Oklahoma seemed to be the other school emerging for the services of Greathouse, but I was told that recent visits to Norman didn’t meet his expectations. Like many Westlake kids, Greathouse could stay close to home and enjoy a school culture and education he wants at Texas. The Longhorns haven’t really discussed position fit with him, and while most see him as a tweener, he could be a versatile weapon in a few different roles. Greathouse is another player who has grown close with Manning and I’m told the two often talk. If Texas really pushes for him, I think they could win out pretty decisively.

Connor Stroh

The newest Texas offensive line offer is a mountain of a man, but the 2023 prospect is still “football young.” At 6-foot-7, 345 pounds, Stroh feels he’s just finding his feet as a prospect after missing his entire sophomore season with injury. His varsity experience totals just 7 games, but Stroh had a strong spring and summer on the camp circuit and is playing well so far this season. He moves well for his size, and despite being so large, he doesn’t look to be out of shape.

Kyle Flood identified Stroh early and brough him in for a few games this season while evaluating his tape.  Texas was the first school to offer the mammoth offensive tackle and blew him away with the visit experience and hospitality.  Stroh said the performance on the field only spoke to the importance of recruiting the right guys for the roster.  I don’t get the sense that Stroh is in any hurry to commit, but Texas getting in early will establish them as a leader for his services.

 

Edited October 18, 2021 by MuellerHorn

[Gut Wagon 8065]

17 minutes ago, Coelenterate Fuccboi said:

Would you say players are a bit coddled? Maybe the culture draws a certain personality type?

In general, of course. There are always exceptions.

I haven't seen what I considered a mentally strong Texas football team for at least a decade now. So it transcends the coaching staff or any specific player. Yet we've had mentally strong teams and individual athletes in a number of other sports.

I'm not sure what to make of this, other than the fact Longhorn football players seem to have deity status in the eyes of so many fans. If makes me wonder if the sheer celebrity of the program tends to attracts guys who (perhaps subconsciously) want to bask instead of work. Common sense says that shouldn't be the case, because it isn't at most other bluebloods. Yet I struggle to find another obvious answer. "Cursed" is weak sauce. 

[ImissWallyPryor 9046]

19 hours ago, Lonestar88 said:

Jean Delance got shit on when he was here, but he left and became a solid starter for Florida. 

Delance was here for one year. Was he really shat upon as a true Freshman, or was it just a few sour grapes comments about him being overrated after he transferred?

Edited October 18, 2021 by ImissWallyPryor

[LCHorn 2616]

Take it for what it’s worth but the word coming from a source on the team side is that the two nights of parties that Arch attended were a lot more material towards a successful visit on this with him than anything football related.  

Now for the bad news-Evans is out on Texas regardless of what the $9.95’s are saying.  

[Fug 540]

13 minutes ago, LCHorn said:

Take it for what it’s worth but the word coming from a source on the team side is that the two nights of parties that Arch attended were a lot more material towards a successful visit on this with him than anything football related.  

Now for the bad news-Evans is out on Texas regardless of what the $9.95’s are saying.  

So A&M or Florida?

[TommyGufano 6021]

16 minutes ago, LCHorn said:

Take it for what it’s worth but the word coming from a source on the team side is that the two nights of parties that Arch attended were a lot more material towards a successful visit on this with him than anything football related.  

Now for the bad news-Evans is out on Texas regardless of what the $9.95’s are saying.  

That said, the good news is we aren't recruiting anyone named Evans

[immamac 42839]

I know that Xavier worthy is making it a point to troll Twitter and flaunt in front of recruits. I think the staff is encouraging him to do it as well. There is going to be a culture change and it's going to be from young bloods who are going to bring it. Its not a thug movement like sumlin ran at TAMU, it's a bring your shit and play as a freshman if you think you are good. 

The rest of 2021 should be solely focused on recruiting and getting Bijan the Heisman.