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Texas Recruiting Notes 2021

Reese Bennett

By Reese Bennett
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(Bobby Burton) Wednesday: Before the ink was dry

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On my first signing day with IT, Gerry and Eric both suggested I mention some of my favorite tales from the recruiting trail back when I was covering recruiting exclusively. So here are a few on a couple of Longhorn players...

By the middle of his senior year at Houston Madison, Vince Young had become the nation’s consensus no. 1 prospect. Texas, because of Tim Brewster, had positioned itself as one of the leaders for Young’s signature. But there comes a time in the recruiting process when the area recruiter (Brew was responsible for parts of Houston) introduces the offensive or defensive coordinator, and the bigger, more philosophical questions must be answered. For the first meeting with Vince and his mom, Brewster and Greg Davis were ready to be asked, “some people say your offense doesn’t fit my son, so how would this work?”

Brewster and Davis had refined their pitch prior to the in-home visit, and Davis assured Vince’s mom of a couple of things. First, they thought it was smart for VY to redshirt to get acclimated to the college game at the QB position. That was actually a sidebar discussion that had already taken place with Brewster and VY but mom wanted a clear answer. Second, Davis assured her that he would try to create and build an offense around VY that suited VY. Davis said something to the effect of, “that’s what coaches are supposed to do, put their best players in a position to win games.” Vince’s mom liked the answers. And Texas was given the green light.

***

While that conversation provides insight into the recruiting process, it also shows just how prepared and aware of all of the nuances the best recruiters are. And Brewster was definitely that. It helps even more to be quick-witted. In that same conversation and prior to the tougher questions, VY’s mom told the Texas coaches that she wanted Vince to play for a God-fearing man. I’m told that without a pause in the conversation, Brewster put his arm around Davis and said, “this man right here is the most God-fearing man I know.” And then Brewster took a deep breath before saying, “and Ms. Young, let’s just say I’m trying.”

In some ways, you have to know Brewster and his delivery to really get a feel for that response, but it was well-received and got a chuckle from all around, putting the room at ease.

***

I could write a bucketful of VY recruitment stories. But another of my favorites is actually Leonard Davis. Randy Rodgers, the recruiting coordinator at Texas, told me this story the day that Davis signed with Texas. Davis had committed to Texas but Texas A&M was trying to get him to flip. And Leonard was thinking about it. But Leonard’s mom wanted none of it. So she asked Rodgers what she could do to keep her son on the straight and narrow and headed to Texas.

In an age before cell phones, Rodgers had the perfect answer. He told Mrs. Davis to take the phone in her kitchen off the hook and put the receiver in one of the kitchen drawers. That way, the A&M coaches couldn’t get Big Leonard on the phone the night before. The Aggies had spent hours the Sunday before signing day with him on the phone. Mrs. Davis told Randy she would put the phone off the hook.

Of course, this also meant that Rodgers, nor any of the Texas coaching staff, could reach the Davis household that night either. Rodgers thought the plan was ingenious (and it was) but he still had his doubts. He told me he called Leonard’s number just about every hour the night before signing day, and each time he called he got a fast-busy sound, the kind you used to get when a phone was off the hook.

Rodgers’ plan worked. Davis was a Longhorn, a real coup for Texas; the Horns inked a future All-American that certainly fit the profile of A&M better at the time.

**

I also remember the recruitment of Ahmad Brooks, long before he was a color commentator for ESPN college football. It was Brooks who first keyed me in to just how good a recruiter Mack Brown really was. Brooks had been in the stands for Texas’ 66-3 loss to UCLA earlier that year. He committed to Colorado and Rick Neuheisel in December. But after Brown took the reins in Austin, the Horns reached out to Brooks and he decided to take a visit.

Prior to the trip, Brooks told me there was no way he would change his mind from Colorado. He said he just wanted to go to Austin to have some fun. I chalked the visit as likely a lost cause for the Horns, but told him I’d call him on Sunday when he got back to check in. So I called that Sunday night and I knew immediately he had changed his mind. Instead of answering “hello” or some other greeting, Ahmad simply answered with “Hook’em Horns!” Brooks ended his career at Texas as a starting safety on the nation’s no. 1 ranked defense.

**

Those are a couple of my favorites. With all of these anecdotes, I always think there’s probably a book in there somewhere. Maybe someday there will be.

**

One last thing before I finish this column. Joe Ossai has played his last game as a Longhorn. He was a driving force for the Texas defense the past two years. He had a will and commitment to being the best he could be that is often talked about by others but rarely matched when the time comes. Another thing about Ossai that we can all appreciate is that he showed up every Saturday. There is an old football bromide that there is a difference between pain and injury.

Football players can play through pain but not a true injury. Sometimes the difference between the two is almost indiscernible. Well, after watching Ossai clutch his shoulder after nearly every big play the past year or so, it’s clear that Ossai knew the difference between pain and injury. He always played on. Big No. 46 left it all out on the field. Thanks, Joe. I hope you have a wonderful career in the NFL.

 

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Mike Roach: Tales from signing day eve

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Signing day eve is always one of my favorite nights of the year. The lead up to it is insane, and this year was no exception. It starts over a week away from the actual date and includes late nights and pots of coffee. Usually, by this time, all the hay is in the barn and I settle down for a little bit of rest before a chaotic day. I don't know what this signing day eve holds, but each one always provides a little bit of drama. Sources start to chatter and wild rumors run.

It used to be more prevalent when there was only one signing period in February. One eve that sticks out to me was 2016. I often tell folks that the 2016 cycle was probably the most memorable for me during my time covering recruiting. That was a class that saw Texas clean up in December and January landing prospects like Lil'Jordan Humphrey, Jean Delance, Malcolm Roach and more. On signing day that year, Texas swept the majority of big targets landing Jeffery McCulloch, Brandon Jones, Erick Fowler, Jordan Elliott and Kyle Porter.

I had a great relationship with several commits in that class and was seeing regular screenshots from the commit group text giving us the heads up on whenever a new member was officially entered. Because of that, I was able to be prepared for those big signing day surprises. After preparing stories for all of those guys, I turned in around midnight for a few hours' sleep before getting up early the next day.

Just before dozing off, my phone started going crazy. Several commits told me not to be shocked if the Longhorns pulled off a massive flip of Texas A&M commit Justin Madubuike. The information was so overwhelming that I was forced to get up and start working on it. I called around as much as possible, but it was late and I wasn't getting anywhere. I ended up awake until nearly 3AM, but I could only find a few sources willing to express some sort of optimism there. When I woke up the next morning, it didn't take long for the news to become official that Madubuike had signed with the Aggies.

When I called around that day, most people I talked to downplayed it, but there was no way there was nothing to it considering how many commits were talking about it. I spoke to several other Texas reporters who also heard smoke and were tracking it down. I never got a full answer on where things came from , but that's just an example of the type of crazy rumors that pop up in the last hours. As of now, everything seems quiet. I plan on turning in soon with a long day on the books for tomorrow, but the phone will be on in case something comes around.

See you guys tomorrow for a full day of fun.

 

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Mike Roach: Longhorns add graduate transfer cornerback Darion Dunn

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The Texas staff is exercising its options in the NCAA transfer portal. Today, McNeese State graduate transfer cornerback Darion Dunn announced his commitment to Texas. Dunn originally made the decision to transfer to North Carolina State in November, but Texas was able to sway him. Listed at 6-foot-1, 192 pounds, Dunn originally hails from Oakdale, Louisiana and chose the Cowboys in the 2016 class.

Last season, Dunn recorded 42 tackles and 11 pass break ups. He also had five interceptions and earned first-team All-Southland honors. After redshirting in 2016, Dunn saw action in six games making two starts and recorded eight tackles. In 2019, Dunn really took off with 33 tackles, 2 interceptions, 2.5 tackles for loss and 1 sack. A speedster with legitimate track and field abilities, Dunn won the conference title in the 60-meter indoor hurdles. He’s flashed personal records of 7.89 in the 60-meter hurdles and a 7.56 in the 55-meter hurdles.

Dunn also competes in the long jump with a personal best of 24-feet, three inches. Dunn will be added to a roster with young talent at the cornerback position, and he should add some valued experience and athleticism to Jay Valai’s group. Dunn was already starting to earn acclaim in NFL Draft circles, and a move to the bigger stage should elevate the spotlight on him and increase his chances of being drafted higher.

The Longhorns are no strangers to the transfer portal for finding help. Under Tom Herman, the Texas staff has been able to augment the roster by adding instant contributors looking for a new home. Over Herman’s tenure, California graduate transfer running back Tre Watson, Rice graduate transfer Calvin Anderson and Georgia Tech graduate transfer offensive lineman Parker Braun are all guys who have been able to come in and make an impact immediately.

This season, the Longhorns leaned on the portal to add experience and talent to the wide receiver position with Brenden Schooler and Tarik Black. Dunn will have one year of eligibility remaining.

 

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