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Texas Recruiting Notes 2021

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golfclap

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Clayton Smith non-update update on how he feels about his top schools from dirt burglar 247::

 

Texarkana (Texas) Texas High Top247 2021 linebacker Clayton Smith committed to play in the All-American Bowl on Friday morning, annually played in San Antonio and broadcasted nationally for the masses on NBC.

Where the blue-chip, second-level defender will play his college football is still up in the air. The 6-foot-4, 215-pound Smith tells 247Sports he’s looking at “LSU, Oklahoma, Texas, Oregon, Baylor and Florida State,” adding that’s in no particular order.

Pegged by the Top247 as the nation’s No. 5 outside linebacker and No. 61 prospect overall, Smith gave the highlights regarding each program beginning with Baylor who he just visited.

“I loved the coaching staff at Baylor,” Smith said. “I’ve been familiar with Coach (Dave) Aranda and Coach (James) Blanchard already but meeting the rest of the staff was the biggest highlight. Those guys are fun to be around and it’s truly a family environment.”

There seems to be similarities for Smith regarding LSU and Oklahoma.

“I love the energy around LSU right now,” he said. “And not just because they won the Natty, they have a very fun and exciting program. Not to mention how cool their coaching staff is.

“Oklahoma is the same way. I talk to Coach (Lincoln) Riley and Coach (Brian) Odom the most but it’s like a close-knit family up there and once all this Corona stuff ends they’re gonna be one of my first visits.”

Texas has been with Smith from the beginning.

“Texas was one of the first ones to begin recruiting me and from the jump they’ve always been one of my top choices,” Smith said. “Love Coach (Tom) Herman and the rest of the staff and I love the city of Austin.”

Florida State and Oregon are looking to lure Smith out of his region of the country for school.

“I never heard from Florida State until (Mike) Norvell got there but he told me when he was at Memphis that he wanted to coach me and if he could offer me 10 scholarships he would,” Smith said. “We have a great relationship and there will also be a visit to Florida State.

“I actually have a friend that went to Oregon, LaMichael James, he’s a Texarkana native so Oregon came in and began recruiting me the hardest. I plan on taking my first official to Oregon. Love Coach (Andy) Avalos and Coach (Mario) Cristobal. Can’t wait to see the place in person.”

 

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Dijon Robinson

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19 minutes ago, golfclap said:

4* WR Agiye Hall (IMG via Armwood Seffner) this comes on the heels of his recent Texas visit - I doubt it's Texas, but interesting for sure  ::

 

 

Take it as you will, but I've seen several Sooner fans claim that he gave a silent to OU and that OU later backed off because he's a character risk. 

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RabidM

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9 minutes ago, ChampionshipLevelPiss said:

Take it as you will, but I've seen several Sooner fans claim that he gave a silent to OU and that OU later backed off because he's a character risk. 

Easy to fix... he just needs to beat up his girlfriend... problem solved. 

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texifornia

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17 minutes ago, bigup2dahorns said:


Weren’t you the one who posted it’s apples and oranges? It was only a matter of time.

Wasn't me, but yeah I'm not surprised or mad or anything. It's just the feeling when a disappointment you knew was coming finally arrives.

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Hornsfan91

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IT Friday’s Humidor 

 

Uncertainty plagues America and brings her to a screeching halt. The precariousness of our shared situation doesn't look like it will change in the immediate. The effects are felt everywhere, even at the school and within the programs you love and that we cover.

We'll get through it of course. Hopefully we'll all gain renewed respect for what matters most, our health and livelihoods, while our appreciation for the entertainment value sports provides us comes into painful resolution. March with real-life madness is not nearly as enjoyable as the other kind.

Sporting events and seasons are being cancelled across the country. The NCAA canceled both the college basketball and baseball tournaments. Spring football is currently up in the air. The hope remains it will still take place. If it does, that's great news for the bigger, more important picture.

Chris Del Conte met with the team earlier this morning and explained the school was shutting down effective immediately. That gave the players a reprieve from maxing out on squats and sent them on their prolonged spring break a few hours early. Originally the team was to return on the 22nd and then start practice on the 24th. Now the earliest practice could start is the 29th but I have my doubts that will take place. The players have been told to stay close to their phones as the situation is still evolving.

Spring ball was always going to start late as Tom Herman thought it wise to give his players as long of a runway as possible to learn the new schemes and coaches before practice began. I thought it was a brilliant move, but best-laid plans and all.

Despite the current dynamic, we were able to glean some useful information. I used Scipio's recent piece as a bit of a template. Some of this read's like kool-aid, but hell, everyone pretty much needs that right now. It's the honest assessment from sources within the program so we'll share.
 

From Scipio: When this coaching staff talks this spring and summer, I'll be interested to see how much they talk about teaching and fundamentals beyond the platitudes. Because if it's all just attitude and toughness redux, I'm not sure the guy who just had to fire 70% of his last staff did the necessary introspection. 
Also from Scip in the comments: Unfortunately, we all made the mistake of focusing on S&C and culture, simply assuming that basic football teaching was happening. It wasn't. We found out some of the position coaches were frauds, others were either ill-suited or constrained by a DC who would rather script than teach improv. 


Addressing the second comment first: Yes, we did. We made necessary critiques throughout the season but we didn't foresee the issues, beyond Orlando's scheme, being a potential defining problem before the season. We even put more blame on the players in some cases, e.g., corners tracking the ball than maybe we should have.

We won't make that mistake again, though sometimes we're beholden to sources who might not know exactly where to place blame.

I asked about teaching quality and heard back, "The new coaches are really energetic and have done a good job of earning the player's trust early on. The coaches are detail oriented and want perfection. They're good at telling the players not only that they did something wrong, but also right, and why it was right or wrong. They're not treating the guys like robots. It helps that the offense isn't changing too much and that the defense is simple, but the player's understanding of the game seems to be improving."
 

Scipio: If the coaches can create a conceptual understanding of the larger system now, there's that much more time to devote in the spring practices to teaching players football and developing their skill level. Everyone will be writing and talking about the system install. That's fine. I'll be tuned in to teaching at the position level. A system is only as good as the player's ability to understand and execute it with the tools God and his position coach gave him.


Based on talking to our sources, I think this has happened and we'll likely hear about it more after spring practice, assuming it takes place.

Typical of Scipio, he'll try to direct any conversation towards young men working out. Don't believe me, try the history major. Mention the Austro-Hungarian empire to him. Within minutes you'll be talking about Pumping Iron.
 

Scipio: Winter and summer conditioning are when players get bigger, stronger, faster, quicker. Texas played its last game on December 31st. That's 116 days until the start of Spring practice. From the end of Spring practice until early August Fall Camp reporting is, conveniently, another 116 days. Beyond the lovely symmetry, once you factor in rests, you have about 100 days of pure developmental workouts on either end of the Spring game. Exactly the time period you'd love to periodize lifting and running, have an active rest interlude (i.e. practicing football) and then start the process all over before Fall camp. S&C coaches have to manufacture those natural de-loading breaks with an early Spring game. The symmetry on either end of the late April game makes for easy planning and goal setting. 


As posted above, squat max testing was canceled, but they already did power cleans and bench. I asked a source about improved strength and he replied, "To put it in perspective, Kobe Boyce power cleaned 300 pounds. We know he weighs, what, 175 pounds? It'd be easier to mention who didn't clean in the 300's. I heard Ossai got 380 and Cosmi 405! On bench, most impressive I heard was Ta'Quon Graham at 435, Cosmi at 415, and Roschon Johnson at 370. That's a big number for Roschon. I'm pretty sure Junior Angilau was in the 400s as well. Everybody's numbers are going up."

What about speed? "As far as I know they didn't test for it beyond 10-yard splits earlier in the spring. I know guys are dropping bad weight and getting stronger so I imagine they're moving better. A lot of the recent conditioning has been football related; individual drill work, pursuit drills, that sort of stuff. I've told you they want the fastest team in America. They might have the guys for it."

Latest takeaways on personnel. I asked our guy to offer current thoughts and anything else he's hearing.

-- Thinks Brennan Eagles will be the breakout player on offense. He says he's not seeing much stiffness and he's still explosive at 235 pounds. That may seem like a lot of weight but Eagles came in with a build that was going to get big. Same with freshman Troy Omeire. There's no stopping these guys once they're in a regimented lifting and eating program.

-- The source thinks Kenyatta Watson may have the most upside of all the corners. I don't want that to sound like 'the best quarterback is always the backup' but there's a lot of excitement around the redshirt freshman. It is a tad bit surprising given how big he is (around 205 pounds already) and the new staff's emphasis on coverage ability. The previous staff emphasized ability in run support more than this one.

-- To that end, if Chris Adimora holds off Anthony Cook at nickel (assuming practice is held) it's possible Cook sees time at safety. They're looking to get their best group on the field.

-- Tom Herman loves D'Shawn Jamison and so do the new coaches. He seems a lock to start at corner. They just have to get him more consistent. He's going to remain at KR/PR too.

-- Jalen Green's shoulder still hasn't healed 100%. That's going to be something to monitor. They're going to try Josh Thompson at corner early on but safety might be his best fit. They love his athleticism. Same old story, tons of defensive backs.

-- There's some hype over the the duo of Juwan Mitchell and DeMarvion Overshown. Obviously Overshown needs to prove durable and needs refinement but they think he can be an amazing blitzer while also offering range. I'm urging caution here.

-- T'Vondre Sweat is coming on to the point our guy is predicting he'll start next to Coburn, which would keep Graham at defensive end. "Graham isn't the most explosive edge guy but this group up front would really help the young linebackers."

-- Still no clue what happens between H and Z at wide receiver. "I just don't see how you can't have both Smith and Whittington on the field together. Whittington might be the best player on the team, not kidding. Moore might be as fast as Smith, but isn't the playmaker and I don't think he'll be as reliable." Sounds like a soft prediction of Smith to Z.

Part II tomorrow will cover recruiting and probably a little bit more.

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Burt Macklin

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2 hours ago, Hornsfan91 said:

IT Friday’s Humidor 

 

Uncertainty plagues America and brings her to a screeching halt. The precariousness of our shared situation doesn't look like it will change in the immediate. The effects are felt everywhere, even at the school and within the programs you love and that we cover.

We'll get through it of course. Hopefully we'll all gain renewed respect for what matters most, our health and livelihoods, while our appreciation for the entertainment value sports provides us comes into painful resolution. March with real-life madness is not nearly as enjoyable as the other kind.

Sporting events and seasons are being cancelled across the country. The NCAA canceled both the college basketball and baseball tournaments. Spring football is currently up in the air. The hope remains it will still take place. If it does, that's great news for the bigger, more important picture.

Chris Del Conte met with the team earlier this morning and explained the school was shutting down effective immediately. That gave the players a reprieve from maxing out on squats and sent them on their prolonged spring break a few hours early. Originally the team was to return on the 22nd and then start practice on the 24th. Now the earliest practice could start is the 29th but I have my doubts that will take place. The players have been told to stay close to their phones as the situation is still evolving.

Spring ball was always going to start late as Tom Herman thought it wise to give his players as long of a runway as possible to learn the new schemes and coaches before practice began. I thought it was a brilliant move, but best-laid plans and all.

Despite the current dynamic, we were able to glean some useful information. I used Scipio's recent piece as a bit of a template. Some of this read's like kool-aid, but hell, everyone pretty much needs that right now. It's the honest assessment from sources within the program so we'll share.
 

From Scipio: When this coaching staff talks this spring and summer, I'll be interested to see how much they talk about teaching and fundamentals beyond the platitudes. Because if it's all just attitude and toughness redux, I'm not sure the guy who just had to fire 70% of his last staff did the necessary introspection. 
 
Also from Scip in the comments: Unfortunately, we all made the mistake of focusing on S&C and culture, simply assuming that basic football teaching was happening. It wasn't. We found out some of the position coaches were frauds, others were either ill-suited or constrained by a DC who would rather script than teach improv. 


Addressing the second comment first: Yes, we did. We made necessary critiques throughout the season but we didn't foresee the issues, beyond Orlando's scheme, being a potential defining problem before the season. We even put more blame on the players in some cases, e.g., corners tracking the ball than maybe we should have.

We won't make that mistake again, though sometimes we're beholden to sources who might not know exactly where to place blame.

I asked about teaching quality and heard back, "The new coaches are really energetic and have done a good job of earning the player's trust early on. The coaches are detail oriented and want perfection. They're good at telling the players not only that they did something wrong, but also right, and why it was right or wrong. They're not treating the guys like robots. It helps that the offense isn't changing too much and that the defense is simple, but the player's understanding of the game seems to be improving."
 

Scipio: If the coaches can create a conceptual understanding of the larger system now, there's that much more time to devote in the spring practices to teaching players football and developing their skill level. Everyone will be writing and talking about the system install. That's fine. I'll be tuned in to teaching at the position level. A system is only as good as the player's ability to understand and execute it with the tools God and his position coach gave him.


Based on talking to our sources, I think this has happened and we'll likely hear about it more after spring practice, assuming it takes place.

Typical of Scipio, he'll try to direct any conversation towards young men working out. Don't believe me, try the history major. Mention the Austro-Hungarian empire to him. Within minutes you'll be talking about Pumping Iron.
 

Scipio: Winter and summer conditioning are when players get bigger, stronger, faster, quicker. Texas played its last game on December 31st. That's 116 days until the start of Spring practice. From the end of Spring practice until early August Fall Camp reporting is, conveniently, another 116 days. Beyond the lovely symmetry, once you factor in rests, you have about 100 days of pure developmental workouts on either end of the Spring game. Exactly the time period you'd love to periodize lifting and running, have an active rest interlude (i.e. practicing football) and then start the process all over before Fall camp. S&C coaches have to manufacture those natural de-loading breaks with an early Spring game. The symmetry on either end of the late April game makes for easy planning and goal setting. 


As posted above, squat max testing was canceled, but they already did power cleans and bench. I asked a source about improved strength and he replied, "To put it in perspective, Kobe Boyce power cleaned 300 pounds. We know he weighs, what, 175 pounds? It'd be easier to mention who didn't clean in the 300's. I heard Ossai got 380 and Cosmi 405! On bench, most impressive I heard was Ta'Quon Graham at 435, Cosmi at 415, and Roschon Johnson at 370. That's a big number for Roschon. I'm pretty sure Junior Angilau was in the 400s as well. Everybody's numbers are going up."

What about speed? "As far as I know they didn't test for it beyond 10-yard splits earlier in the spring. I know guys are dropping bad weight and getting stronger so I imagine they're moving better. A lot of the recent conditioning has been football related; individual drill work, pursuit drills, that sort of stuff. I've told you they want the fastest team in America. They might have the guys for it."

Latest takeaways on personnel. I asked our guy to offer current thoughts and anything else he's hearing.

-- Thinks Brennan Eagles will be the breakout player on offense. He says he's not seeing much stiffness and he's still explosive at 235 pounds. That may seem like a lot of weight but Eagles came in with a build that was going to get big. Same with freshman Troy Omeire. There's no stopping these guys once they're in a regimented lifting and eating program.

-- The source thinks Kenyatta Watson may have the most upside of all the corners. I don't want that to sound like 'the best quarterback is always the backup' but there's a lot of excitement around the redshirt freshman. It is a tad bit surprising given how big he is (around 205 pounds already) and the new staff's emphasis on coverage ability. The previous staff emphasized ability in run support more than this one.

-- To that end, if Chris Adimora holds off Anthony Cook at nickel (assuming practice is held) it's possible Cook sees time at safety. They're looking to get their best group on the field.

-- Tom Herman loves D'Shawn Jamison and so do the new coaches. He seems a lock to start at corner. They just have to get him more consistent. He's going to remain at KR/PR too.

-- Jalen Green's shoulder still hasn't healed 100%. That's going to be something to monitor. They're going to try Josh Thompson at corner early on but safety might be his best fit. They love his athleticism. Same old story, tons of defensive backs.

-- There's some hype over the the duo of Juwan Mitchell and DeMarvion Overshown. Obviously Overshown needs to prove durable and needs refinement but they think he can be an amazing blitzer while also offering range. I'm urging caution here.

-- T'Vondre Sweat is coming on to the point our guy is predicting he'll start next to Coburn, which would keep Graham at defensive end. "Graham isn't the most explosive edge guy but this group up front would really help the young linebackers."

-- Still no clue what happens between H and Z at wide receiver. "I just don't see how you can't have both Smith and Whittington on the field together. Whittington might be the best player on the team, not kidding. Moore might be as fast as Smith, but isn't the playmaker and I don't think he'll be as reliable." Sounds like a soft prediction of Smith to Z.

Part II tomorrow will cover recruiting and probably a little bit more.

Wow. Taquon Graham is losing his starting spot already. That’s crazy! Who ever could have guessed that he’s not one of our two best DTs??

Hopefully we see something similar about Bimage or Jacoby Jones besting him out later in the spring. Our pass rush will really suffer if he’s a starting DE. 

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Newy25

Newy25 7894

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14 hours ago, Burt Macklin said:

Wow. Taquon Graham is losing his starting spot already. That’s crazy! Who ever could have guessed that he’s not one of our two best DTs??

Hopefully we see something similar about Bimage or Jacoby Jones besting him out later in the spring. Our pass rush will really suffer if he’s a starting DE. 

Not that I disagree with you but the Humidor is completely made up. None of that came from a coach or actual source in the program. 

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stork642

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20 hours ago, golfclap said:

Clayton Smith non-update update on how he feels about his top schools from dirt burglar 247::

 

 

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Texarkana (Texas) Texas High Top247 2021 linebacker Clayton Smith committed to play in the All-American Bowl on Friday morning, annually played in San Antonio and broadcasted nationally for the masses on NBC.

Where the blue-chip, second-level defender will play his college football is still up in the air. The 6-foot-4, 215-pound Smith tells 247Sports he’s looking at “LSU, Oklahoma, Texas, Oregon, Baylor and Florida State,” adding that’s in no particular order.

Pegged by the Top247 as the nation’s No. 5 outside linebacker and No. 61 prospect overall, Smith gave the highlights regarding each program beginning with Baylor who he just visited.

“I loved the coaching staff at Baylor,” Smith said. “I’ve been familiar with Coach (Dave) Aranda and Coach (James) Blanchard already but meeting the rest of the staff was the biggest highlight. Those guys are fun to be around and it’s truly a family environment.”

There seems to be similarities for Smith regarding LSU and Oklahoma.

“I love the energy around LSU right now,” he said. “And not just because they won the Natty, they have a very fun and exciting program. Not to mention how cool their coaching staff is.

“Oklahoma is the same way. I talk to Coach (Lincoln) Riley and Coach (Brian) Odom the most but it’s like a close-knit family up there and once all this Corona stuff ends they’re gonna be one of my first visits.”

Texas has been with Smith from the beginning.

“Texas was one of the first ones to begin recruiting me and from the jump they’ve always been one of my top choices,” Smith said. “Love Coach (Tom) Herman and the rest of the staff and I love the city of Austin.”

Florida State and Oregon are looking to lure Smith out of his region of the country for school.

“I never heard from Florida State until (Mike) Norvell got there but he told me when he was at Memphis that he wanted to coach me and if he could offer me 10 scholarships he would,” Smith said. “We have a great relationship and there will also be a visit to Florida State.

“I actually have a friend that went to Oregon, LaMichael James, he’s a Texarkana native so Oregon came in and began recruiting me the hardest. I plan on taking my first official to Oregon. Love Coach (Andy) Avalos and Coach (Mario) Cristobal. Can’t wait to see the place in person.”

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He uses the word Natty.  Do not want!

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Burt Macklin

Burt Macklin 19212

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5 hours ago, Newy25 said:

Not that I disagree with you but the Humidor is completely made up. None of that came from a coach or actual source in the program. 

I know. I criticized them last time for making it up, which is why I’m making fun of them this week for back tracking already when nothing of substance has even happened. 

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ShowMeALoss

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On 3/12/2020 at 8:19 PM, LTtxfan said:

 

Long Live TARS...

giphy.gif

Machinator dissapeared just before the Red River shootout last year. I suspect he caught something bumping into an OU fan that is far deadlier than Ebola and Covid-19. This is why you stay away from anything OU.

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Hornsfan91

Hornsfan91 181

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IT Humidor Part II

 

 

By: Justin Wells and Eric Nahlin

The virus dominating your airwaves and decision making just didn’t affect the sporting schedule, but also recruiting.

My initial takeaway on that is it’s a bigger problem for Texas than other schools, but not so much that it will change class outcomes. Texas has a whole lot of new faces, meaning many relationships are a bit behind the curve. This class of recruits have been recruited by other schools going back some time.

Currently the NCAA has disallowed on or off campus visits until April 15th. If it ends there, Texas can swiftly overcome the lack of contact resume firming up relationships while recruits make it to campus. Because most of UT’s out-of-state targets have yet to visit, particularly at wide receiver and defensive back, those recruitments are yet to truly kick off anyway. Those recruitments will maintain the status quo with communication remaining heavy over social media and FaceTime. That’s how all the recruitments will go for the time being.

Staffs that have maintained continuity will have a bit of an advantage, but those schools (OU, Ohio State, Clemson, Bama, Georgia) held the advantage anyway because of on-field success.

Speaking of recruiting battles, let’s look at a handful of important ones as we enter the Holding Pattern. We’ll mention the biggest competition and remind the dear reader of where each recruitment currently sits.

OL Tommy and James Brockermeyer (Fort Worth All Saints):
Biggest competition: Alabama. Nick Saban offers a bunch in Texas every year, gets them to visit Tuscaloosa and take pictures in front of that wretched painting, and then selects the ones he actually wants. If Texas is going to land the Brothers Brockermeyer, they’ll have to beat Little Nicky. Good news, however, is the Brockermeyers have a bit of a mercenary attitude if the school isn’t going to be Texas. They won’t be as susceptible to Saban’s leverage games. The Brocks hold as much leverage as any other party involved and know it. If Texas comes out of the gates fast in September, this one could be “over” in October.

RB Camar Wheaton (Lakeview Centennial)
Biggest competition: Oklahoma with SMU trying to play spoiler. The state’s top rated tailback by most accounts is one of the quietest recruitments in the cycle. The growing sentiment is that he’ll stay close to home. He’s also a kid that has said he wants to wait. But every cycle has a few, out-of-nowhere, surprise commitments. We’ve heard multiple times he could drop out of nowhere, even dating back to when Texas led last spring. Wheaton does have a pretty unique and growing relationship with SMU quarterback commit Preston Stone, which is why we can’t entirely discount SMU. Not the most natural runner, he’s very explosive and would add a dynamic the offense hasn’t had in quite some time.

DE Jordon Thomas (Port Arthur Memorial)
Biggest competition: Texas A&M with LSU somewhat in the mix. The 6-foot-3, 245-pound four-star from the Golden Triangle has double-digit offers, but it’s basically a UT-A&M, Giles-Price, wings-steak matchup. Thomas values family tremendously, so staying close to home gives the in-state schools an advantage over everyone else. Texas loves his long-term projection and sees some possibility to grow into a spin-down d-tackle. As a prospect, we’re still not sure what his ceiling is. He missed his junior year, but we’ve heard some very encouraging things about his upside. If UT can land him, he’s one you celebrate. His timeline could be affected some by the recent developments but we still think a late spring or early summer decision is most likely.

LB Terrence Cooks, Shadow Creek (Alvin, TX)
Biggest competition: A&M and OU. UT is the greatest competition for each school to land Cooks, meaning I have UT in the lead. There’s a strong sentiment behind the scenes he likes Texas more than he’ll let on publicly. I agree with that sentiment. He has Texas kid written all over him.

OLB/DE Clayton Smith, Texas High (Texarkana, TX)
Biggest competition: LSU. Texas has always been near the top of the ETX four-star’s list, even before he received his offer. The contact has increased of late and he’s set to visit Austin for the spring game (if it’s played). Texas sees another versatile player that could be molded into a DE. He’s your twitchy edge bender and with the possibility Thomas grows into a defensive tackle there’s certainly room for him. It would be unfortunate if UT let’s him slip through the cracks to Baton Rouge, especially since Texas holds the relationship advantage here. A positive of Dave Aranda heading to Baylor is LSU has to start from scratch. Previously LSU had the best sell in the country for Smith.

OLB/DE Landon Jackson, Pleasant Grove (Texarkana, TX)
Biggest competition: Texas A&M. An old-fashioned Horns/Ags contest. Jackson, the A&M legacy, is set to take his first official visit in April to College Station, and his last to Austin in June. Playing opposite Texas pledge Ja’Tavion Sanders (Denton Ryan) might be one of Herman’s best selling points.

CB Ishmael Ibraheem (Dallas Kimball)
Biggest competition: The field. Top in-state corner on the big board, the four-star is said to be wide open in his recruitment today. It’s also known Texas is making up ground, inch by inch. This is where Jay Valai should thrive. Getting Ibraheem to campus earlier in the spring was big, especially given the precarious nature of visits going forward. Valai needs as much in-person exposure as possible. It’s going to be Texas or the field which is the type of top notch info you guys pay for! The field includes Georgia, LSU, Auburn, Michigan, with Mississippi State hanging around the hoop too thanks to Jason Washington.

OL Bryce Foster (Katy Taylor)
Biggest competition: A&M, but also OU and Oregon. We’ve gone over this one a lot recently. If throwing is truly important to Foster then Texas will be difficult to overcome. It’s not ideal the Texas track and field season was cut short, nor is it ideal the Texas Relays were canceled. Those aren’t major issues, but they don’t help. Foster won’t be able to see UT’s throwers excel, and he wont’ be able to participate himself in Austin. A&M does have advantages other’s can’t compete with, namely his mother and brother being Aggie legacies, but I don’t think that’s a game changer. Oregon is a real darkhorse and might be the perfect school for him, but distance doesn’t help them. Foster will take his official visit to Texas in June with his good friends Hayden Conner and Jalen Milroe.

Overall Texas looks good in these key battles but there’s plenty of work left to be done.

Like everyone else, the coaches are going to get a lot of family time in the coming days, but they’ll be staying in touch with recruits and players.
 

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satyanash

satyanash 15358

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Mike Roach: Examining the recruiting ramifications of COVID-19 shutdown

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News started to come down over the last few days that recruiting would be put on hold nationwide in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision by the NCAA to enact an impromptu dead period following the public suspensions of other sporting events and leagues will change the 2021 recruiting cycle dramatically. Currently, the NCAA’s dead period is in place until April 15. Spring football already started on several campuses, and the remaining programs were due to begin in the next few weeks. Many prospects were set to begin taking official visits at the beginning of April.

The Texas staff was originally set to host Los Angeles Loyola cornerback Ceyair Wright for an unofficial visit. Wright was available to visit because his school was set for spring break, but now he will not make the trip. While this may seem like a small detail, coaching staffs work tirelessly to get out-of-state prospects in for unofficial visits in order to determine if they are serious about the program. The Longhorns will now have to work to get Wright in again during the summer.

With spring ball previously set to start on March 24, Texas was gearing up for a huge visit weekend. Not only would the team begin spring practices, but Texas Relays was set to take place during that weekend. The relays always serve as a huge recruiting weekend with an event unique to Texas, and the football staff can combine the experience with spring practices to show off several exciting aspects of the athletic programs.

We’ve yet to see how far these restrictions will reach. The staff was set to host five-star Hopewell (Va.) running back TreVeyon Henderson on April 24. While that date falls outside of the NCAA mandate, it’s likely the period could extend depending on the development of the Coronavirus pandemic. The staff could have one unintended positive result from the impromptu dead period. The mostly-new Texas staff is having to recruit without the benefit of showing results on the field. This was always going to be a cycle where the longer prospects held off deciding, the better it was for Texas.

If this alteration changes the recruiting calendar in a way that will push decisions into the season, the staff could see a positive reaction if Texas gets off to a fast start when the 2020 season begins. Nobody knows what the next month will hold, and we are assuredly in uncharted waters. Still, we often say recruiting never sleeps, and we will see how it develops during this time of uncertainty.

A content note from the Horns247 Staff

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With the continued concern over Coronavirus, we are in a new normal that we're all adjusting to, especially without the traditional spring sports calendar. We wanted to pass along a note to our members after our Horns247 staff had a conference call Sunday to put together a detailed content plan during these uncertain times. We will be churning out a lot of engaging content — both looking back and looking ahead — on Texas football, recruiting and all University of Texas sports. More than anything, we want to reiterate to our valued members that this time of uncertainty will not result in a lack of Texas information to consume. In fact, we will be working overtime to ensure we are producing even more relevant and engaging content — including podcasts — and not less.

It's our goal to always ensure we are providing our Horns247 family with the best intel available, and that will continue to be our goal whether we have active sports going on or not. We hope that all of our Horns247 members are taking the necessary precautions to keep yourself and your family as healthy and safe as possible during this pandemic, and thank you all for being such an important part of our Horns247 community!

 

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Burt Macklin

Burt Macklin 19212

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34 minutes ago, Elmer_Fudd said:

Wiltfong has 3 high rated RB's crystal balled to tOSU.

Henderson’s pretty much the best of the best, so I’d be surprised if there’s a scenario where tOSU doesn’t have a spot for him regardless. Maybe Drayton can miraculously work his magic on a single recruit every cycle. That seems to be the best we can hope for with him at this point. 

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texifornia

texifornia 58789

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19 minutes ago, satyanash said:

on the bright side, our molpath lab finally has a coronavirus assay ready to launch.

on the not so bright side:

 

Seriously? I like New York's "for the love of God please drink at home" approach a lot better

 

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satyanash

satyanash 15358

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The Stampede: Resetting the 2021 offensive board

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The phrase, “May you live in interesting times,” has never been as real as it is now. With the concern over the coronavirus spreading nationwide, sports have been put on hold for the foreseeable future. This also means that recruiting is put on hold, and the delay on the calendar could change recruiting dramatically. While new information will be difficult to come by, we will try to bring you as much as possible. In the meantime, we have a good opportunity to reset the board and tell you where things stand in the 2021 class when the ban on recruiting effort inevitably lifts.

In this week’s edition of The Stampede, Horns247’s weekly gathering of recruiting intel, we will take a look at the offensive targets on the Texas board and examine where the Longhorns currently stand with those targets.

Quarterbacks

Garrett Nussmeier, Flower Mound Marcus: Nussmeier (pictured) was one of the targets Mike Yurcich identified when he wanted to look for a second passer in the class. Texas was already operating at a bit of a deficit as LSU had a longer-established relationship with Nussmeier and the Tigers were able to get Nussmeier in for a visit before the recruiting shutdown. Nussmeier wanted to make his commitment in mid-April, but he also made it clear that he would adjust that timeline to make sure he took the visits he intended to. I haven’t confirmed that alteration yet, but I’d bet we see him push things back.

Sawyer Robertson, Lubbock Coronado: Robertson was the first quarterback offered by Yurcich when he made his way to Austin, but Mississippi State and Mike Leach have a lot of momentum in this recruitment. I’m told that USC is also recruiting Robertson hard, but I’ve heard that the Texas offer was one that grabbed his attention. I’d expect him to make a visit at some point, but he’s also busy with baseball where he’s a strong prospect as a centerfielder. Texas may hold some power in his heart, but it sounds like Leach’s Lubbock influence is playing big.

Running Backs

Camar Wheaton, Garland Lakeview Centennial: Wheaton (pictured) visited Texas last week before campus shut down and the Longhorns appear to be in a three-way battle with Oklahoma and SMU. Nobody, not even those closest to Wheaton, seem to have a good read on where the four-star prospect is leaning. Wheaton currently has no plans to narrow things down and no timeline for commitment. Sources in Austin feel fairly confident about where they stand with Wheaton and it seems that the longer it plays out, the more it benefits Texas.

TreVeyon Henderson, Hopewell (Va.): Henderson was all set to make an official visit to Texas on April 24 and his relationship with Jay Boulware and Stan Drayton had Texas in the race. Recently, Henderson said that he would move on without visiting schools if he needed to, and the Longhorns might miss their window of opportunity. While the scheduled visit date falls outside of the current dead period, it’s likely that the window will be extended. Texas probably only had a small chance in this race, but Henderson missing his visit could turn the lights out on the Longhorns chances in this one.

LJ Johnson, Cy-Fair: Johnson (pictured) came away from the Texas junior day high on the Longhorns, but it sounds like LSU and Oklahoma are also heavily involved in the race. LSU, in particular, seems to be the school generating the most buzz early on in this recruitment. Still, there’s likely a long way to go as Johnson doesn’t seem like he’s in a rush. Johnson is also close with several Texas commits including Jalen Milroe and Hayden Conner.

Jonathon Brooks, Hallettsville: Texas was the first school to offer Brooks and the Longhorns are recruiting him hard right now as they look to add multiple running backs to this class. Brooks doesn’t have a stated timeline for his recruitment, but he said he’d likely do it when he felt ready. Texas Tech is also in the picture, but Texas appears to be the lead dog right now.

Wide Receivers

JoJo Earle, Aledo: Texas is back in the picture for Earle after hosting him for a visit last weekend. Earle told Horns247 that Texas fit into his top schools alongside TCU, Georgia and Oklahoma. Texas got itself back in the hunt, but the coaches need to keep pushing to regain their previous stature when they were the perceived leaders for Earle back in the fall.

Quaydarius Davis, Dallas Skyline: I’ve talked at length about how fluid this recruitment is. A month ago, it seemed that Davis (pictured) was close to being back in the class, but some outside factors came into play and things seemed to be on hold. This is actually a case where the recruiting shutdown could play in favor of the Longhorns, but we’ll see where Davis’s head is at once he’s allowed to take visits again.
(Photo: 247Sports)

Troy Stellato, Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Cardinal Gibbons: A source in Austin repeatedly indicated confidence in Stellato wanting to visit Texas, but it appears he’s decided to cut down to a Top 2 of Ohio State and Clemson after visiting the Tigers last week. For now, Texas is on the outside looking in.

Theodore Knox, The Woodlands: Texas is in the top few schools for Knox and it could be argued that the Longhorns are currently at the top of his list. The Texas staff has been all over Knox since he moved to The Woodlands, Texas from Baton Rouge, La. and he’s been to campus a handful of times. I’d expect to see Knox back on the Forty Acres once the recruiting ban is lifted and I think the Longhorns are in a good position to add his electric speed to their class.

Hal Presley, Mansfield Summit: Presley (pictured) was happy to receive an offer from Texas, but he hasn’t been able to figure out a time to visit yet. Texas evaluated Presley for quite a while and the Longhorns have been in heavy contact since the time they offered. If Texas pushes, it should be able to put the Longhorns in prime position to land one of the more intriguing wide receiver prospects within the state.

Ketron Jackson, Royse City: Jackson was offered by Texas last week when the staff decided to look at some new in-state targets. Arkansas, Auburn, Baylor and TCU are all schools at the top of Jackson’s list, but he’s still fairly wide open. Jackson told Horns247 he grew up watching Texas and I’d expect to see him in Austin once the dead period is lifted.

Tight Ends

Elijah Arroyo, Frisco Independence: Arroyo (pictured) is quickly developing into one of the top tight end prospects in the country. Arroyo hasn’t given a lot away when talking, but it sounds like Texas A&M may have an early edge for him. Texas hosted Arroyo in January, and the staff would love to get him back once they can host visitors again.

Landen King, Humble Atascocita: King was offered by Texas after visiting in January, and the Longhorns are pushing hard for the growing tight end prospect. King is listening to several other schools, but sources indicate Texas holds the lead here. King plans to decide before his senior season, and right now, I’d be shocked if he didn’t pick Texas.

Offensive Linemen

Tommy Brockermeyer, Fort Worth All Saints Episcopal School: Brockermeyer (pictured) is one of the top players on the Texas board, and the five-star prospect has the Longhorns in his final group. Alabama seems to hold the lead right now, but things have been pretty fluid in this recruitment. The recruiting dead period will likely push back Brockermeyer’s official visits, and this will help the Longhorns as they hope to get back in the race for the legacy.

Savion Byrd, Duncanville: When Ja'Quinden Jackson committed to Texas, I was told by sources at Texas that it wouldn’t surprise them to see Savion Byrd go soon after. Since that time, Byrd has engaged heavily with SMU, and sources tell us that the ponies are opening a big lead in this recruitment. Texas will need to get Byrd back on campus to have a chance, but there isn’t a lot of confidence in Austin when it comes to landing the four-star offensive tackle.

Bram Walden, Scottsdale (Ariz.) Saguaro: The Longhorns love recruiting in Arizona and they went back to that well with Walden (pictured). Oregon currently holds the 247Sports Crystal Ball lead, but Walden made it clear that he intends to check out Texas. It will be fascinating to see what the Longhorns do with the wealth of in-state talent at their disposal, but Walden seems like he could be had provided they push for his commitment.

Jonah Miller, Tucson (Ariz.) Salpointe Catholic: Miller visited Austin last year with his teammate Bijan Robinson and loved the experience. Though Oregon also holds the 247Sports Crystal Ball lead for him, Miller said he’d like to get back to Austin to make an official visit. We’ve heard positive whispers around the Longhorns' chances with Miller, but like Walden, it will depend on how hard they push.

Reuben Fatheree, Richmond Foster: Fatheree was the first 2021 prospect the Longhorns offered, and they’ve been in the picture for the massive prospect ever since. Despite that, it seems like they’ve never quite held a lead. Oklahoma, Baylor and Texas A&M are the schools generating the most buzz, but Texas is right in that top group with its regional recruiting rivals. Fatheree doesn’t seem to be in any sort of hurry to get things done, and Texas will likely receive an official visit.
(Photo: Brian Perroni, 247Sports)

Matthew Wykoff, Magnolia: Texas offered Wykoff in January and despite him visiting Texas for junior day, there’s a vibe that Wykoff may be looking to head out of state. Arizona State, Auburn and Penn State are all out-of-state programs high on Wykoff’s list. It sounds like Arizona State might be the school with the slightest of edges, but Wykoff should spend an official visit at Texas.

Bryce Foster, Katy Taylor: Sources felt confident in Foster (pictured) picking Texas shortly after Jalen Milroe and Hayden Conner committed, but Foster indicated he has no plans to speed anything up. Oklahoma and Texas A&M will probably provide the biggest opposition for Foster, but he has a great relationship with Herb Hand and Texas is in a good spot here.

James Brockermeyer, Fort Worth All Saints Episcopal School: Like his brother Tommy Brockermeyer, James was readying himself for a few official visits before the NCAA shut down recruiting. Texas would love to see this recruitment stretch out while the new coaches re-tool their new-look offense.

 

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