Texas Recruiting Notes 2021

[JesusSweatDuck 17814]

2 hours ago, futureman said:

chitown raped him.  he left in shame. 

[Burt Macklin 19053]

2 minutes ago, Lonestar88 said:

It’s only his third class here, his track record here isn’t long enough or amazing enough imo to give him the benefit of the doubt and ignore the gaffes happening now. 

Or you know, you could take his entire body of work into account, good and bad, instead of acting like the 1 out of 3 classes he's struggled with is the status quo.

I haven't seen anyone saying he's an amazing recruiter. Everyone's in wait and see mode on how he'll do, but he had a history of being a good recruiter before he got to Austin and did well his first two years here (and was looking good for 2021 before we had a bad season), so refusing to take those factors into account seems pretty illogical, but you do you. 

[Lonestar88 4702]

1 minute ago, Burt Macklin said:

Or you know, you could take his entire body of work into account, good and bad, instead of acting like the 1 out of 3 classes he's struggled with is the status quo.

I haven't seen anyone saying he's an amazing recruiter. Everyone's in wait and see mode on how he'll do, but he had a history of being a good recruiter before he got to Austin and did well his first two years here (and was looking good for 2021 before we had a bad season), so refusing to take those factors into account seems pretty illogical, but you do you. 

Go ahead and take his entire body of work, 4 teams in 7 years, and none of the previous teams gave a shit about him leaving.

Whats illogical is how far up his ass you are.

[LTtxfan 49378]

19 minutes ago, Lonestar88 said:

It’s only his third class here, his track record here isn’t long enough or amazing enough imo to give him the benefit of the doubt and ignore the gaffes happening now. 

 

Surly is not giving Coach Hand the benefit of a doubt.  Yeah the 2021 OL Class needs work, but Hand had a good year recruiting for the 2020 class.

It's a little too soon to give up on Hand -- the 2019 Beck/Herman game plans really hurt the OL last year.

Edited August 9, 2020 by LTtxfan
messed up

[Hank_Hill 18900]

11 minutes ago, Lonestar88 said:

It’s only his third class here, his track record here isn’t long enough or amazing enough imo to give him the benefit of the doubt and ignore the gaffes happening now. 

This logic works in reverse though yea? His track record of 1 bad recruiting class out of 3 also isn't long enough not to give him the benefit of the doubt. We'll see how it trends but given how this line looked just 2 years ago I'll take what he's done so far. 

[Lonestar88 4702]

1 minute ago, Hank_Hill said:

This logic works in reverse though yea? His track record of 1 bad recruiting class out of 3 also isn't long enough not to give him the benefit of the doubt. We'll see how it trends but given how this line looked just 2 years ago I'll take what he's done so far. 

Yeah man, I’m not saying he’s doomed as a failure forever. All I said is I don’t trust him as a recruiter right now.

Other members of this staff have signed good classes before, better than Hands two classes, which were decent, but that doesn’t make them immune to criticism. As soon as I say something about Hand, Burt blows a gasket, and that I find confusing.

But what you say is more than fair.

[Burt Macklin 19053]

2 minutes ago, Lonestar88 said:

Go ahead and take his entire body of work, 4 teams in 7 years, and none of the previous teams gave a shit about him leaving.

Whats illogical is how far up his ass you are.

Whose posts have you been reading? I've literally said he's a question mark, and all I said was he seem to be a pretty good recruiter and that we'll have to see how he performs this year with a more competent OC to reach a final conclusion on his coaching and recruiting abilities. I didn't give him some ringing endorsement. His performance here is an open question.

Your 4 teams in 7 years line is also bullshit. One of those teams was Vanderbilt with Franklin, who brought Hand with him to PSU, so Franklin obviously approved of Hand's work from 2010 - 2013.  Trying to spin that as a negative of Hand is asinine.  He did have some falling out with Franklin, but was then hired by an above-average P5 school.  I didn't hear a single report of Hand potentially getting fired from Auburn. In fact, this what Malzahn said about him shortly before he left for UT: “Herb will be back with us,” Malzahn said at the Peach Bowl on-campus news conference on Dec. 13. “Herb is one of the best offensive line coaches in college football. You saw what our line did. He’s one of the best.”

He took a promotion from Auburn to come to Texas as co-OC/OL coach in 2018, so again, I don't see how that's a negative even though you're trying to paint it that way. You're probably relying on memories of what Auburn message board posters said, which is asinine.  It seems like you've got an irrational grudge against Hand, and people characterizing his track record evenly really bothers you. 

[Hank_Hill 18900]

2 minutes ago, Burt Macklin said:

Whose posts have you been reading? I've literally said he's a question mark, and all I said was he seem to be a pretty good recruiter and that we'll have to see how he performs this year with a more competent OC to reach a final conclusion on his coaching and recruiting abilities. I didn't give him some ringing endorsement. His performance here is an open question.

Your 4 teams in 7 years line is also bullshit. One of those teams was Vanderbilt with Franklin, who brought Hand with him to PSU, so Franklin obviously approved of Hand's work from 2010 - 2013.  Trying to spin that as a negative of Hand is asinine.  He did have some falling out with Franklin, but was then hired by an above-average P5 school.  I didn't hear a single report of Hand potentially getting fired from Auburn. In fact, this what Malzahn said about him shortly before he left for UT: “Herb will be back with us,” Malzahn said at the Peach Bowl on-campus news conference on Dec. 13. “Herb is one of the best offensive line coaches in college football. You saw what our line did. He’s one of the best.”

He took a promotion from Auburn to come to Texas as co-OC/OL coach in 2018, so again, I don't see how that's a negative even though you're trying to paint it that way. You're probably relying on memories of what Auburn message board posters said, which is asinine.  It seems like you've got an irrational grudge against Hand, and people characterizing his track record evenly really bothers you. 

Didn't Auburn also allow roughly 582 sacks the year after Hand left?

[Burt Macklin 19053]

1 minute ago, Hank_Hill said:

Didn't Auburn also allow roughly 582 sacks the year after Hand left?

Yeah, but they also allowed a lot his last year (though both starting tackles were out and they had some other OL injuries). He’s generally had above average-elite run blocking and average-ish pass blocking. 

[Lonestar88 4702]

4 minutes ago, Burt Macklin said:

 It seems like you've got an irrational grudge against Hand, and people characterizing his track record evenly really bothers you. 

I said the man was probably a decent coach, my only grudge is the current state of OL recruiting. And if he pulls a rabbit out of his ass, id be thrilled.

[Tex Pete 20537]

One thing different about this next class is I think there will be significantly fewer developed players, especially OL. This class has missed an entire spring and many will not have done much in the way of summer workouts. If the HS season is shortened much, there will be a lot more reaching and guessing for everyone to fill out their classes.

Evaluations are important, but there are going to be quite a few players who won’t have much to evaluate them on. We’ll see more projects being taken, and it will be interesting to see how staffs deal with that. Not the best year to have missed on most of our top picks. Then again, what if Tommy Brock isn’t properly healed? Lots of unknowns. 

[HenryJames 66189]

[hornfromdallas 334]

6 hours ago, TommyGufano said:

 

Thothub? Is this you, Carl?

believe it or not i visited that site religiously for the ebony & ivory thots

so many sexy college aged thots  were on there

fook this opp bytch for shutting it down she was average at best we were there for the big booty thots

now its back to shesfreaky & lewdweb 

[HenryJames 66189]

3 minutes ago, hornfromdallas said:

now its back to shesfreaky & lewdweb 

[Burt Macklin 19053]

4 minutes ago, hornfromdallas said:

believe it or not i visited that site religiously for the ebony & ivory thots

so many sexy college aged thots  were on there

fook this opp bytch for shutting it down she was average at best we were there for the big booty thots

now its back to shesfreaky & lewdweb 

I think we all believe it, Carl. 

[hornfromdallas 334]

i dont blame hand he has been getting negative recruited  by everyone 

carrington is still on drayon helping with lj & wheaton 

you can start pancaking when carrington gets involved with ol recruiting & isnt able to turn it around but his history proves he should be the answer to the woes 

[LTtxfan 49378]

35 minutes ago, HenryJames said:

 

Where's Drayton??

[satyanash 14641]

2 hours ago, Hank_Hill said:

Didn't Auburn also allow roughly 582 sacks the year after Hand left?

shit, I think we hit that number in the blOU game alone last year.

[HtownHorn 14792]

I think the frustration with Hand is with the lack of apparent strong effort with the Arizona OL. He should have been all over them instead of chasing the Brocks. 3rd generation legacies that don't commit on the spot are never coming to your school. As soon as Texas offered James and the Brocks didn't commit on the spot it should have dawned on the coaching staff it wasn't going to happen. Not saying Hand would have won the Arizona kids, but I get the feeling Texas never really tried there.

[KYHorn 17206]

43 minutes ago, hornfromdallas said:

you can start pancaking when carrington gets involved with ol recruiting & isnt able to turn it around but his history proves he should be the answer to the woes 

I was hoping Hand's players would be doing the pancaking.

[texifornia 57177]

6 minutes ago, HtownHorn said:

I think the frustration with Hand is with the lack of apparent strong effort with the Arizona OL. He should have been all over them instead of chasing the Brocks. 3rd generation legacies that don't commit on the spot are never coming to your school. As soon as Texas offered James and the Brocks didn't commit on the spot it should have dawned on the coaching staff it wasn't going to happen. Not saying Hand would have won the Arizona kids, but I get the feeling Texas never really tried there.

This part is not smart. Alfred Collins is a Longhorn legacy who took his recruitment to NSD and that worked out pretty decent.

Edited August 10, 2020 by texifornia

[closetohumping 17482]

10 minutes ago, HtownHorn said:

I think the frustration with Hand is with the lack of apparent strong effort with the Arizona OL. He should have been all over them instead of chasing the Brocks. 3rd generation legacies that don't commit on the spot are never coming to your school. As soon as Texas offered James and the Brocks didn't commit on the spot it should have dawned on the coaching staff it wasn't going to happen. Not saying Hand would have won the Arizona kids, but I get the feeling Texas never really tried there.

Can anyone confirm the amount of time between James and Tommy's offer? 

[conVINCEd 21472]

5 minutes ago, closetohumping said:

Can anyone confirm the amount of time between James and Tommy's offer? 

Tommy was probably offered by Mack.

[El Compadre 767]

1 hour ago, LTtxfan said:

 

Where's Drayton??

2 blocks away

[closetohumping 17482]

24 minutes ago, conVINCEd said:

Tommy was probably offered by Mack.

8 year olds dude

[HtownHorn 14792]

49 minutes ago, texifornia said:

This part is not smart. Alfred Collins is a Longhorn legacy who took his recruitment to NSD and that worked out pretty decent.

I'm not saying stop recruiting them, I am saying you need to start working on everyone else. If they were coming to Texas, they would have been committed as soon as James got his offer. You can make room for them at the end if they want in, but not seriously recruiting other good OL because it might have hurt their feelings was not a sound strategy.

[texifornia 57177]

1 minute ago, HtownHorn said:

I'm not saying stop recruiting them, I am saying you need to start working on everyone else. If they were coming to Texas, they would have been committed as soon as James got his offer. You can make room for them at the end if they want in, but not seriously recruiting other good OL because it might have hurt their feelings was not a sound strategy.

I agree with this, but it's also not what you said in the part I bolded.

[HtownHorn 14792]

56 minutes ago, texifornia said:

This part is not smart. Alfred Collins is a Longhorn legacy who took his recruitment to NSD and that worked out pretty decent.

And Collins was the 5th DL commit Texas got that cycle.

[rvm96 1643]

29 minutes ago, HtownHorn said:

And Collins was the 5th DL commit Texas got that cycle.

UT signed 4 DL that cycle 

[HenryJames 66189]

One guy decommitted.

[rvm96 1643]

5 minutes ago, HenryJames said:

One guy decommitted.

2

[LTtxfan 49378]

 

[satyanash 14641]

(Mike Roach) The Stampede: What is the ideal finish for the 2021 Texas class?

Quote

The Texas class currently sits at 17 commitments. The Longhorns are ahead of schedule heading into an uncertain fall. With the season still up in the air, the Longhorns have managed to put together the No. 13 class in the country without putting a product on the field from a new coaching staff. With the current scholarship numbers on the roster and another talented class on deck in 2022, it’s tough to imagine the staff would be able to go far above 25 without some significant attrition on the horizon. After stumbling through some ups and downs in the early part of the cycle, some parts of the Texas recruiting effort are rounding into form.

With eight spots ostensibly left in the 2021 class, there is a path for an ideal and realistic finish for the Longhorns. What would that finish be and how attainable is it? In this week’s edition of The Stampede, Horns247’s weekly gathering of recruiting intel, we break down how Texas can finish the class if everything goes right and the likelihood of that finish panning out.

Running Back – Camar Wheaton OR LJ Johnson

Sources near Wheaton indicate he could be closing in on a decision sooner than originally thought. At last check, it sounds like Texas is dead even with Oklahoma for the five-star back and they could have the slight edge depending on who you talk to. I had hoped to have some more clarity on the situation coming out of this weekend, but a key source in Wheaton’s recruitment wouldn’t sign off on a Texas Crystal Ball endorsement yet. As I’ve always said, Wheaton is a wildcard and a bit of a mystery so any Crystal Ball at this point would be an educated guess.

As we updated last week with Cy-Fair’s LJ Johnson, Texas is pushing harder for the four-star back than any other school. Texas A&M seems to still have the edge for Johnson, but the gap isn’t as great as once thought. Texas is coming on strong for Johnson heading into the fall with an assist from Bijan Robinson who is helping to recruit Johnson to Texas. Texas already holds a commitment from Jonathon Brooks, but the staff would undoubtedly make room for both guys if they could get them. There seems to be growing optimism in Austin that Texas will land one of these prospects with the help of Stan Drayton.

Outlook: Good

Wide Receiver – Ketron Jackson OR JJ Henry

As we’ve reported, Texas is making a rapid ascent with Jackson, and Andre Coleman is really heating up on the recruiting trail. Jackson seems to be accelerating his timeline and Texas has all of the momentum at this point in time. Jackson would fit as another big bodied outside receiver to combine with Casey Cain and the inside/outside game of new commit Jaden Alexis. That’s where things could start to get interesting.

Sources tell Horns247 that Texas is right at the top for Henry, but Jackson’s commitment could close shop on the receiver group. While Henry can play inside and outside, it will be interesting to see if Texas backs off once the staff gets to three receivers, or if they keep pushing to add a talented player like Henry to the mix. Other players like Antonio Harmon or Dekel Crowdus could be factors as well, but I believe the staff will hold a spot for a guy like JoJo Earle if they can change his mind and sway him from his LSU decision. Outside of that, I expect Texas to move on at three.

Outlook: Great

Offensive Line – Bryce Foster and Savion Byrd OR ???

Just about every position has picked it up, but the offensive line recruiting has been an incredible struggle. If Herb Hand could defy odds and land a pair of elite prospects in Foster and Byrd, it would be a huge effort to salvage this effort. That said, sources near both prospects don’t seem to indicate any sort of strong optimism with Texas for either. The staff seems to know this as they made a quick play for Jesuit OL Ryan Lengyel only to see him pick Baylor.

At this point, there seems to be no clear secondary plans at offensive tackle. Corpus Christi Calallen’s Ty Buchanan could be an option as he’s starting to pick up steam, but the options aren’t great right now. The staff will need to find some answers whether it be in-state, out of state, in the JUCO ranks or the graduate transfer market. Short of Texas flipping a committed prospect, I don’t see a clear way out for this position group.

Outlook: Poor

Defensive Line – Shemar Turner and Albert Regis and David Abiara OR Arden Walker and Ikechukwu Iwunnah

Shemar Turner is definitely one of the top prospects on the Texas board, and he will be a priority down the stretch. Turner maintains that everyone remains even in his recruitment, but it sounds like it’s becoming a heated battle between Texas and Texas A&M with growing confidence that Turner will likely choose to stay close to home.

Two key sources in Turner’s recruitment indicates that right now Texas and Texas A&M seem to be at the top of the recruitment, and both are constantly jockeying for position. As the stakes get higher, so do the pitches. Recently, Turner worked out at the same facility where Von Miller puts in his offseason work and the two were able to work out together. That’s pushed A&M up a bit, but Texas is all out for him.

The Longhorns are also going all out for Regis from recent intel, and no school is pushing harder for the intriguing La Porte defensive tackle than the Longhorns. Abiara is still a wildcard in the picture with Oklahoma seemingly fading from contention and the Texas business school working in favor of the Longhorns. The Longhorns could also push for prospects like Arden Walker and Ike Iwunnah depending on how things play out up front.

Outlook: Good

Linebacker – Terrence Cooks

Barring more offers going out at the position, Texas looks to be all in on uber-athletic Shadow Creek linebacker Terrence Cooks. Cooks recently cut his schools down and the Longhorns made the final grouping. Sources tell Horns247 that Texas remains at the top for Cooks and at this point, the Longhorns should be considered a pretty heavy favorite. I believe Texas wants to take one more at the position and two if they could find another candidate.

Outlook: Great

Defensive back – Andrew Mukuba

Like at linebacker, the focus at safety is singular. Mukuba is the prize to cap off a strong defensive back group for the Longhorns, and the staff will likely shut it down regardless of if they land him or not. Sources near Mukuba say Clemson and LSU pose the biggest threat to Texas, but Texas could become the favorite if visits are not allowed. Texas commits Ishmael Ibraheem and JD Coffey who play with Mukuba in 7v7 for Texas Flex have been working on him, and Mukuba has been teasing a commitment lately.

Multiple sources close to Mukuba have said at times that he’s seemed close to a commitment, but they don’t know for sure where his head is at right now. I asked a key source near Mukuba recently if he was planning to make a move and was told, “You never know with him.” Mukuba certainly enjoys playing the game, but Texas remains locked on.

Outlook: Good

 

[Ricky's one-hitter 9140]

It's happening

 

 

[Burt Macklin 19053]

Just now, Ricky's one-hitter said:

It's happening

 

 

So Nebraska and Iowa to the Big 12 for a year? That could work. 

[tokamak 6443]

womp womp

[deech 2297]

It's important to remember that the cowards in Nebraska ran scared to the Big Ten because big old Texas was getting too much power in its conference.  It sucks to see them get railroaded into doing things they don't want by the other schools and revealing how little power they truly have in their new conference.

[Scholz 11970]

Gotta admit, I miss that automatic W when Corn was around.

[texifornia 57177]

aaand we're back

 

[RGBIII 22840]

2 minutes ago, texifornia said:

aaand we're back

 

[golfclap 6903]

You have to admit, it's pretty telling that these guys see the young guys coming in and their first thought is "fuck this I'll never play with these guys coming in, I'm out." 

 

[Scholz 11970]

[Ricky's one-hitter 9140]

 

 

[texifornia 57177]

2 minutes ago, Ricky's one-hitter said:

 

 

*important note: If you read the article, the B1G commissioner is in favor of making this a postponement to the spring, not a full cancellation.

[Ricky's one-hitter 9140]

Scoop

Quote

The latest on college football in 2020, a practice report, details on running back recruiting, and talking to new Texas pledges Jaden Alexis and Michael Myslinkski in the Scoop.

From: @Eric Nahlin

Yesterday was one of those fun days that makes you stop, take a deep breath, and read between the lines of what’s being reported to find the truth.

It quickly became pretty obvious to me the Big 10 was using media (stooges) to help create momentum for delaying the start of the football season further. I immediately contacted one of my best sources on these sorts of high level matters and shared my thoughts. He responded, “Best guess I can muster is the Big 10 has some presidents who want to play and some who don’t. And they want us all to just push the season back.”

Previously this source has told me many times he thinks the season will be moved to 2021. Recently, and based on what he was hearing from the Texas side, he felt confident Texas would at least start the season in September.

He also said, before it became pretty clear, the Big 12 would align with whatever the SEC and ACC decide.

Given the public pressure climate we live in, yesterday’s ploy by the Big 10 had a decent chance of working. While the Big 12, SEC, and ACC have been steadfast in its intent to play, they have also been contemplating alternatives. It could get to a point where it would only take a nudge to delay the season. The Big 10 was banking on that.

Just as the season *felt* like it was in peril, the players came to the rescue.

I’ve been mentioning the Texas players want to play, and I suspected they were not alone. Last night, as #wewanttoplay was trending on Twitter, it became obvious to all. Trevor Lawrence really got the ball rolling and countless others followed suit.

One issue often brought up as a potential deal breaker for the season is liability, but I’ve heard that’s not the hang-up public perception would have you believe. Provided players can opt out without penalty, i.e., they’re not playing simply to preserve their scholarship status, the schools aren’t overly concerned about liability.

Simply put, as long as universities feel safe enough to host students on campus, there is no good excuse to not play football, especially if the players and their parents want them to play and feel safer with them as part of the team.

If a player doesn’t want to play, he can opt out. Maybe those players have misjudged the dangers Covid poses to their demographic, but I know skydiving is safe and I have no interest in doing that. To each his own.

As of now, I’ve heard nothing regarding the Big 12 delaying the season further and the team continues to prepare as if they’ll open the season on September 12th.

An aside, even if the season is pushed to January, Texas should take as long as possible to decide that to allow the team to continue to practice and make up for missing the spring.

If the season is delayed, this practice report should not be forgotten. Just treat it like it was written in April.

TEAM

We’ll start with players opting out. While most do want to play this year, another player in addition to Daniel Young has elected to opt out of the season. His reasoning isn’t Covid, necessarily. I’ve heard he’s electing to use the pandemic to regain his lost redshirt.

Tom Herman is working to keep his team focused and working toward the season regardless of external noise. He’s urging the team to keep doing what it’s doing to prepare. The players are listening intently and want to play. From what I’ve gathered, they’ll be extremely upset if the season is canceled or pushed back. There is a very strong sense behind the season that “this is the year.” You might want to create a drinking game for that phrase.

Herman has mentioned “this is the year” they’ve been pointing to for years, that when they won the Sugar Bowl they overachieved but this year they’re ready to compete for the National Championship.

A lot of that starts with the quarterback, but the infusion of new coaches and what appears to be a deep and talented defense also adds to the sentiment.

QB

Ehlinger looks big, confident, and has full command of the offense. I didn’t expect to hear anything else.

I asked about Hudson Card, who has been receiving rave reviews. I trust my source over everyone so I had to ask to see what’s real. “He looks real good. He escapes the pocket, keeps his eyes down field, he looks comfortable. He still needs to adjust to the speed of the defense but he’s good with the speed of the offense. He’s not like Sam looking people off yet, he can stare down his receiver at times. All young quarterbacks do that. But he gets through his progressions for the most part.”

(“Speed of the offense” = tempo, lots of it)

RB

“All three look good. All three are getting reps with the ones. All belong with the ones.”

We’ll cover the running backs in more depth at a later date. I wanted to talk OL.

OL

The left side and center seem to be ironed out: Sam Cosmi-Junior Angilau-Derek Kerstetter. But the right side has a long way to go.

“They’re moving guys all over. Everyone is getting a chance so there aren’t any excuses if they don’t start or play. Everyone is getting a chance to put stuff on film. They’re throwing guys into the fire to see who knows their assignments.”

Don’t be surprised when you hear different players getting reps with the ones, as Willie Tyler and Isaiah Hookfin did this week at right guard. In no way does that mean they’ll start, they’re just being given a chance to prove what they can do. Herb Hand is also hunting for depth.

I have heard Willie Tyler is moving well after slimming down. Hookfin moves very well for guard and is a tireless worker. These guys have potentially bright futures but my source thinks Denzel Okafor will win right guard.

At right tackle, the same source still projects Christian Jones. Reese Moore has also received snaps there, and he shows some promise. He’s athletic and has restored the weight he lost when he hurt his knee.

I asked about Tyler Johnson but he had a very quiet week.

TE

We’ve wondered if Jay Boulware will bring OU elements to the position and sure enough, that’s what it sounds like at this early point in camp.

OU’s TE room consists of flex tight ends and hybrids/h-backs/fullbacks/whatever.

As of now it looks like Cade Brewer and Brayden Liebrock are used more often from the slot while Malcolm Epps and Jared Wiley are being moved around. Malcolm Epps? Yeah, my thoughts too.

It’s early in camp. We’ll learn much more as practice wears on. Tight ends tell you a lot about an offense’s intent so we’ll hammer down on info here.

WR

Most of you guys could probably write this section as I haven’t heard too much new.

Brennan Eagles, Tarik Black, Marcus Washington, and Josh Moore (sometimes) are the most likely outside receivers. Moore has been moved around quite a bit, but also plays the slot when they go to 10 personnel.

Black and Washington have played both boundary and field.

Eagles and Jake Smith appear to be the only players who are stagnant in one position. Boundary for Eagles and slot for Smith. I think that will evolve.

Until Jordan Whittington gets healthy, the position is a little thin, but they have other guys who could step up, both old and new.

DL

Not too much new here.

“When Alfred and Broughton put their foot in the ground to run and pursue, they really stick their foot in the ground and haul ass.” In addition to their size and raw ability, these two are praised for their effort level.

LB

Juwan Mitchell has a firm lock on first team Mike. Behind him, Dele Adeoye and Cort Jaquess are splitting second team reps. You might have seen the picture of Mitchell looking a lot leaner. Word is he’s as fast as he looks.

At Will, DeMarvion Overshown and David Gbenda are splitting reps. Overshown is going to make more plays and probably win the job, but Gbenda is fast and much more comfortable mentally. Gbenda can play this year, “Overshown just looks like the freaks on National Championship winning teams.”

The popular sentiment behind the scenes: this position will surprise this year.

DB

Josh Thompson and D’Shawn Jamison are with the ones. “Thompson and Jamison are just so explosive. The two fastest players on the team are both starting corners. That’s not a coincidence.”

I asked about Jalen Green. “Green has more length but he doesn’t play the under routes as explosively. Thompson and Jamison are on those routes before you can blink.”

At safety, Caden Sterns and Chris Brown are with the ones. Tyler Owens and BJ Foster are with the twos. I’ve also heard good things about Montrell Estell. If there’s an injury at safety he may get a chance. He can run and get his hands on the ball which is a huge emphasis right now.

Chris Adimora has a firm grip at Spur. Xavion Alford shows promise. Anthony Cook is back with the team but behind on the playbook.

Jack OLB

I saved this for last because Justin and I are combining on the info. We’ll go into more depth tomorrow but we’ve heard walk-on Jett Bush was looking too good at linebacker to be stuck behind Mitchell and Overshown so they moved him to Jack to back-up Joseph Ossai. He’s running with the twos. People in the program are very high on Bush. He brings a lot to the table and isn’t your typical walk-on. When he accepted a PWO roster spot we couldn’t figure out why he didn’t have 20 offers.

From: @Gerry Hamilton

RUNNING BACK RECRUTIING

The Longhorns running back room is already looking “great” per a source after watching early practices over the weekend.

With Jonathon Brooks already in the fold in the 2021 cycle to add to the quickly developing room, the staff is looking to hit a four-bagger to close up shop at the position in the class. That four-bagger would come in the form of Camar Wheaton or L.J. Johnson.

While Texas has been surging for Johnson, the Longhorns have also been making a move with the speedster Wheaton due to Stan Drayton. When I visited Lakeview Centennial High last season in early October, I asked one person very close to Wheaton what would be most important in his recruitment? The answer was the running back coach. Much moreso than any head coach. The work of Stan Drayton has given the Longhorns a very good shot here against Oklahoma, and others to the point of one source saying late last week they feel like “Drayton has done the best job of building a relationship with Wheaton of any running back coach.”

This also aligns with some innuendo that DeMarco Murray’s inexperience as running backs coach hurts Oklahoma.

While Quinn Ewers is the name to know at quarterback in 2022 until he makes his decision, at least one out of state prospect has garnered the attention of members of the Texas staff should Ewers head north. The state of Arizona has been key for Texas since Herman’s arrival, and the 2022 cycle out west features one of the nations top signal callers in Nicco Marchiol. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound left-hander transferred to Hamilton High in Chandler, Az. from the state of Colorado in March after a standout sophomore campaign. Marchiol already has offers from the likes of USC, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Michigan, Utah, TCU, Nebraska and others, so timing of the Ewers recruitment and potentially jumping into the mix of the Marchiol recruitment is something to keep an eye on. The son of former NFL LB Ken Marichol is very familiar with universities in the state of Texas with linebacker Santino Marichol being a one-time Texas A&M signee.

Staying in the class of 2022, Texas is off to a very good start at wide receiver with a commitment from stick-um hands Phaizon Wilson out of Lancaster. The D/FW area has become a focus of new OC Mike Yurcich and WR coach Andre Coleman with some key prior relationships of Jay Valai playing an introductory role and hand-off. We mentioned last week that Texas had been quietly surging with Evan Stewart, and the elite prospect is talking to the Longhorns the most. A third 2022 receiver that Texas is focused in on from the area is Armani Winfield. While Texas has been quietly making up ground in this recruitment, there is still work to be done.

Winfield provided IT an update on his recruitment over the weekend. The 6-foot-2, 180-pounder from Lewisville listed Texas, Arizona State, Ohio State and Oklahoma as the schools he’s in contact with the most with the Buckeyes being the childhood favorite. Winfield says he plans to visit each of the four schools “after everything clears up.” The Longhorns have ample ground to make up in the relationship development part of this recruitment with Oklahoma’s Dennis Simmons having a long standing relationship with Winfield, and those in his circle.

“It’s just a different vibe I get with him," said Winfield, about his relationship with Simmons.

From: @Justin Wells

Texas nabbed two prospects from Florida in the last week, Jaden Alexis and Mike Myslinski. We caught up with both, post-commitment.

ALEXIS

The 5-foot-11, 180-pounder speedster from Pompano Beach, FL chose the Horns over Miami, Penn State, and Georgia over the weekend. It had been a pledge three months in the making.

IT: What was it about Texas that made you make the call the Austin?

JA: It was a combination of things. Andre Coleman believing in me and working hard to build a relationship with me. Mike Yurcich's intensity and opportunity to play in this offense. Coach Herman was so fired up about me and that meant a lot. And the quarterback situation: Jalen Milroe and Hudson Card. Those guys can throw the ball around the future is bright with those two.

IT: What do your parents think of you leaving Florida?

JA: They are 100% supportive. My parents are dedicated to football and know it'll help my future. They can't wait to see me play. They know I'll grow in a place like Texas.

IT: You're a business major, Mr. Class President. How'd that help UT?

JA: The McCombs Business School is the best. I'm thrilled for the chance to attend and build my future. My education post-football is the most important factor for me.

IT: When do you graduate?

JA: I'll get my diploma early and enroll at UT in January. I want to take advantage of getting in early and learning the offense.

IT: Will you get to play your senior year?

JA: Good question. We start practice on August 24th, but hearing they might push it back a month.

IT: Nobody really knows unh?

JA: Exactly.

MYSLINSKI

Texas grabbed the 6-foot-2.5, 285-pound 2021 offensive lineman and Jacksonville, FL native last week after strong pushes from Iowa, Michigan State, and Maryland. It was the first OL pledge for the Horns in over a year.

IT: You woke everyone up with a pledge to Texas last week. How'd it go down?

MM: Well, I was attending our school's Media Day and I knew I would be asked about it a lot. I knew it was Texas, so I decided to get it out of the way. (laughs)

IT: What was it about the Longhorns that helped you make the decision?

MM: Coach Hand was big. He's a great o-line coach, great man, and great cook. I love the program in general. I told my coach in 9th grade that I wanted to play football at UT. He called me that day to remind me. He was really excited too. When I took that 'unofficial' unofficial visit in June, I was blown away. The city loves the school and it's apparent around every corner.

IT: With a family of footballers, what did you learn?

MM: Work everyday. Every single day. My grandfather played at Maryland, my father at Tennessee, and my brother at the Air Force Academy. My sister also works with the Jacksonville Jaguars. I've been around it my entire life.

IT: What will you bring to the football program?

MM: Hard worker, good run and pass blocker, getting better and stronger at techniques, and I grew up playing basketball, which really helped my footwork. People worried about size? I think the ability to play football is overlooked. I play football.

His high school, Bishop Kenny, is also scheduled to begin practice on August 24th, but he says that's probably to be determined.

Of note: I caught up with 2022 Timber Creek (Sicklerville, NJ) DE/OLB Jihaad Campbell over the weekend. The newest Texas offer speaks highly of the Horns and is eager to visit. At 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, he's an uber-athletic prospect that plays on both sides of the ball. Clemson, Michigan, and Florida have also offered the rising talent from Jimbo's favorite state. More on him this week.

 

[texifornia 57177]

Quote

I saved this for last because Justin and I are combining on the info. We’ll go into more depth tomorrow but we’ve heard walk-on Jett Bush was looking too good at linebacker to be stuck behind Mitchell and Overshown so they moved him to Jack to back-up Joseph Ossai. He’s running with the twos. People in the program are very high on Bush. He brings a lot to the table and isn’t your typical walk-on. When he accepted a PWO roster spot we couldn’t figure out why he didn’t have 20 offers.

That's a big ouch for Byron Vaughns

[Fud 9559]

Here's what I've got right now for early enrollees, if anyone was wondering 

Jalen Milroe

Hayden Conner

Derrick Harris Jr

Jaden Alexis

Terrence Cooks

Ketron Jackson

[Ricky's one-hitter 9140]

12 minutes ago, Ricky's one-hitter said:

We’ll start with players opting out. While most do want to play this year, another player in addition to Daniel Young has elected to opt out of the season. His reasoning isn’t Covid, necessarily. I’ve heard he’s electing to use the pandemic to regain his lost redshirt.

Curious who this is. Roschon would make sense, but he doesn't strike me as someone who would want to take a year off. 

[Elmer_Fudd 22330]

2 minutes ago, Ricky's one-hitter said:

Curious who this is. Roschon would make sense, but he doesn't strike me as someone who would want to take a year off. 

Yeah I don't think it's him since they said something about "All 3 RB's rotating in with the 1's'"

Trying to think of anybody who wasn't mentioned in the practice reports.

Edited August 10, 2020 by Elmer_Fudd

[Elmer_Fudd 22330]

9 minutes ago, Ricky's one-hitter said:

Curious who this is. Roschon would make sense, but he doesn't strike me as someone who would want to take a year off. 

Jacoby Jones and Bimage are guys who still have a RS available.

Edited August 10, 2020 by Elmer_Fudd