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Texas Recruiting Notes 2021

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1 in coaches were made aware late last nightĀ 

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NoName

NoName 17184

Posted
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10 minutes ago, TommyGufano said:

any word on which way he's leaning? I seem to recall him having a few fans around here

nothing specific in his likes or follows to point towards anything.

Isn't Randy Masters (their other WR decommit today) close with Drones?

In general, I wonder if QE leaving means they are flipping over to focus more on Drones - wasn't someone here a HUGE Drones fan?

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TommyGufano

TommyGufano 6027

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6 minutes ago, NoName said:

nothing specific in his likes or follows to point towards anything.

Isn't Randy Masters (their other WR decommit today) close with Drones?

In general, I wonder if QE leaving means they are flipping over to focus more on Drones - wasn't someone here a HUGE Drones fan?

I believe that was @golfclap .... and also Carl

Edited by TommyGufano
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Sgt Hulk

Sgt Hulk 14470

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19 minutes ago, RGBIII said:

From Gerry Hamilton

Jack Bech decided not to come to Austin this weekend. Staff not able to answer the tough Qā€™s asked.

Texas was the lone school that could beat LSU.

Wonder what the tough questions where? Ā Why do you guys get out coached? Ā Will you be here next week?

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Atticus

Atticus 4226

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49 minutes ago, Viper said:

So we're good now? Everyone jumping back in?

If we're lucky, Ewers and Burton aren't committed to fOSU by the end of the weekend

Maybe the D's performance also helps keep Sanders in the fold for a bit longer

Edited by Atticus
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Dbeasy

Dbeasy 15613

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People have consistently thought for ten years now that a simple coaching change is all thatā€™s required to return Texas to the elite tier of college football. However, OU is on the verge of creating a very significant talent disparity, and if Texas isnā€™t careful they will create a chasm that will be extremely difficult to successfully cross to catch back up.

Meyer can do it, but if Herman isnā€™t canned, or if Texas brings in one more failed coach, there is concern they never catch up. Tennessee, Michigan and a few other top programs are battling the same issue right now.

Once there a significant talent disparity, the best players wonā€™t come. Itā€™s why so many are headed to OSU right now. Texas needs to get their shit together ASAP. The one potential saving grace is the NCAA NIL, which helps Texas to some extent.

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satyanash

satyanash 15658

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(Mike Roach) The Stampede: Where is Texas as a program?

Quote

In the opening scene of the HBO series The Newsroom, the character Will McAvoy (played by Jeff Daniels) is asked why America is the greatest country in the world. He then launches into a rant about the shortcomings of the country but concludes by saying that while America isnā€™t the greatest country in the world anymore, it can be. Similarly, Texas isnā€™t quite ā€œTexasā€ anymore. When Charlie Strong was hired, he pledged to put the ā€œTā€ back in Texas. By the time he left three years later, he compared the program to a cake that was baked and just needed the icing added.

Over the last four years of Tom Hermanā€™s tenure, the mantra has often been ā€œThis is Texas.ā€ While the branding will always be world-famous and keep the program at blueblood status, the fact remains that Texas hasnā€™t been ā€œTexasā€ in quite a while. When Herman took over, he had work to do weeding out those who wouldnā€™t buy-in and installing his own talent.

Though heā€™s done great work adding more talent to the program than was previously there ā€” including rebuilding a decimated quarterback room ā€” the gulf that remains between the Longhorns and elite programs like Alabama, Clemson and Ohio State seems to get wider by the year.

Hermanā€™s recruited well by the numbers during his tenure at Texas, but the vaunted 2018 class hasnā€™t quite developed like anyone hoped it would. Worse still is the amount of talent that got away over the last few years. A spin around the dial on a college football Saturday will see players Texas lost out on like Jaylen Waddle (Alabama), Garrett Wilson (Ohio State), David Ugwoegbu (Oklahoma), Demarvin Leal (Texas A&M) and Jalen Catalon (Arkansas) making huge plays.
Smith-Njigba is a former elite recruit from the state of Texas now making plays at Ohio State. (Photo: Andrew Ivins, 247Sports)

Losses happen in recruiting, but the more frustrating battles are the ones never fought. Just this weekend, I tuned in at times to see players like Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Marvin Mims and Parker Washington making standout plays as true freshmen. For the record, that's two Dallas-area wide receivers who were rated as two of the best to ever play in Texas Class 6A football and another who lit up the talent-rich Fort Bend County in the Houston area, all of whom never received an offer from Texas.

This program has shown signs of life under Herman. At times, the Longhorns look like a team that can go toe-to-toe with anyone in the country and hangs in there with guts and guile. Despite a huge win on the road against a top 10 opponent on Saturday, recruiting is still sputtering. Is this the program that defeated Georgia in a Sugar Bowl and gave eventual national champion LSU all it could handle? Or is this the program that twice lost to Maryland and struggled out of the gate this season?

More than ever, that question is being asked on the recruiting trail. In the last week, Texas was reminded of its perceived new place in the world, losing 2022 commitments from five-star quarterback Quinn Ewers of Southlake Carroll and Lancaster four-star wide receiver Phaizon Wilson. They joined elite Denton Ryan athlete Billy Bowman who defected from the class a month ago and committed to Oklahoma last night.

In the first decade of this millennium, Mack Brown was leading Texas through one of its true golden ages of football. Not only did the Longhorns win at a high level including two trips to the national title game and cashing one of those in 2005, but they were also at the very top of the recruiting landscape nationally.

It used to be that the Longhorns could go head-to-head with anyone in the country and win their share of battles. Even in Hermanā€™s tenure, Texas won huge battles over the nationā€™s elite recruiters, but lately, the program has been losing steam. There were no two greater reminders of that than Oklahoma leaning on Bowman and flipping him and Ohio State leaning on Ewers to open his recruitment.

After gathering more intel on the Ewers situation, two factors I heard were concerns over the offense and player development, along with concern over being able to lure the top players in the country to join him on the Forty Acres. Though Texas used to be able to compete with the nation's elite programs, a head-to-head battle against any of them tends to result in a loss.

Whether it's Ewers, Bowman or Tommy and James Brockermeyer, the 2021 and 2022 cycles have been a constant reminder of the state of the program on the recruiting trail.
A forgettable month of October ended with the program's first road win over a top 10 team in more than a decade. Aside from the record against other bluebloods, the Longhorns have also had some struggles against perceived inferior programs. In this cycle, Texas lost battles for prospects to Mississippi State, Arkansas, Miami, Baylor, Missouri, Memphis, Arizona State, Minnesota and SMU. Matchups against schools like that were rarely ever in question.

Saturdayā€™s win was a big moment for this yearā€™s team and should have elicited more reactions from recruits in the 2021 and 2022 classes. In reality, it may have only served to stabilize some of the issues bubbling under the surface for this group of commits. The Longhorns control their own destiny in the Big 12 and itā€™s not out of the question that they win out and play for the conference championship.

Maybe Saturdayā€™s win was a galvanizing effort for this team that sees them turn everything around and end up where everyone thought they would be heading into this year.Ā  Hopefully, itā€™s a good turning point, because Texas isnā€™t ā€œTexasā€ anymore. But it can be.

Recruiting quick hits

ā€” Nick and I have been checking around to try and take the temperature of this current group of commits. Letā€™s start with the highest-rated prospect in this class. I checked in on Ja'Tavion Sanders, and it sounds like schools are leaning on him as well. Oklahoma is the key school in the equation, but I havenā€™t heard anything definite with him. Though a source at Denton Ryan told me he wouldnā€™t be surprised if Sanders was talking to anyone else, nobody has been able to confirm it. Furthermore, Nick spoke to a source who said Sanders has been at the heart of a group of commits in the group text preaching patience. Sanders, along with Charles Wright, Hayden Conner and Derrick Harris Jr., have been telling the others that they can be the ones to change things. We will keep digging on Sanders, but he hasnā€™t done anything at this point to make me suspicious. Jordon Thomas has also been a part of that from what Iā€™m told.

ā€” I havenā€™t heard much when it comes to the out-of-state recruits wavering. Gunnar Helm and Jaden Alexis have told folks behind the scenes that everything is solid there and Iā€™ve heard nothing to worry about with Jamier Johnson or Michael Myslinski. Casey Cain is the only guy Iā€™m keeping an eye on there, but Iā€™m told Texas seems to have smoothed things over.

ā€” Thereā€™s another group of prospects in the class like JD Coffey, Morice Blackwell and Ishmael Ibraheem who want to be at Texas, but are cautiously keeping some options open in case a new coaching staff is put in place. The win this weekend probably did the most for them to calm things down a bit and quiet the noise.

ā€” Iā€™ve heard that Texas running back commit Jonathon Brooks has been looking around a bit. Heā€™s reached out to several programs from what I was told, but Brooksā€™ options are limited right now. Texas State seems to be the only offer thatā€™s committable unless he has others he hasnā€™t reported. Weā€™ll continue to monitor this one closely.
Klubnik was the first 2022 quarterback to be offered after Ewers backed out of his commitment. (Photo: Mike Roach, 247Sports)

ā€” In the wake of Ewersā€™ decommitment, the Longhorns finally pulled the trigger and offered a 2022 quarterback over the weekend. Texas decided to move on Austin Westlake's Cade Klubnik. Iā€™ll have a story with Klubnik later today, but I think the offer resonated with him. Klubnik was enthusiastic and called the offer one he had been waiting for and I believe Texas will be in the mix for him. I spoke with (Houston) Cypress Bridgeland quarterback Conner Weigman on Friday and he hasnā€™t heard from Texas, so it appears that Klubnik is the key target at the moment.

ā€”Jaylon Guilbeau remains the lone commit in the 2022 class, and I think there's a decent chance he opens his recruitment in the next month or two.Ā  Guilbeau is saying the right things, but the buzz behind the scenes has him contemplating decommitment.

ā€” Iā€™d expect to see some more 2023 offers soon. Two players Iā€™m told the staff is high on are 2023 Dallas South Oak Cliff cornerback and 2022 Arlington Martin cornerback Javien Toviano. Both prospects have gotten off to big starts to their sophomore seasons and grabbed the attention of many coaching staffs, including Texas.

Ā 

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NoName

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33 minutes ago, satyanash said:

(Mike Roach) The Stampede: Where is Texas as a program?

Ā 

Quote

Iā€™ve heard that Texas running back commit Jonathon Brooks has been looking around a bit. Heā€™s reached out to several programs from what I was told, but Brooksā€™ options are limited right now. Texas State seems to be the only offer thatā€™s committable unless he has others he hasnā€™t reported. Weā€™ll continue to monitor this one closely.

this honestly really really really takes the air out of the Brooks commit.

Texas fucking State?!

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Red Five

Red Five 41787

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1 hour ago, satyanash said:

Iā€™ve heard that Texas running back commit Jonathon Brooks has been looking around a bit. Heā€™s reached out to several programs from what I was told, but Brooksā€™ options are limited right now. Texas State seems to be the only offer thatā€™s committable unless he has others he hasnā€™t reported.

HAHAHAHA

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Sir Ulrich

Sir Ulrich 5337

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1 hour ago, satyanash said:

ā€” In the wake of Ewersā€™ decommitment, the Longhorns finally pulled the trigger and offered a 2022 quarterback over the weekend. Texas decided to move on Austin Westlake's Cade Klubnik. Iā€™ll have a story with Klubnik later today, but I think the offer resonated with him. Klubnik was enthusiastic and called the offer one he had been waiting for and I believe Texas will be in the mix for him. I spoke with (Houston) Cypress Bridgeland quarterback Conner Weigman on Friday and he hasnā€™t heard from Texas, so it appears that Klubnik is the key target at the moment.

I understand the logic of offering the local kid first but considering his parents are aggies and him not being elite makes the Weigman non interest head scratching.Ā 

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golfclap

golfclap 6903

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18 minutes ago, Sir Ulrich said:

I understand the logic of offering the local kid first but considering his parents are aggies and him not being elite makes the Weigman non interest head scratching.Ā 

I'm super gunshy on all Lake Travis and Westlake kids because they are generally topped out but it's it's the right move. First, it puts pressure on aggy to decide if they are going to offer Klubnik or if they are going to hold off so that they can be a hat on the table when Simpson picks Clemson. It also puts pressure onĀ Klubnik to start looking at harder as his other options as the QB spot fills much faster than other positions.Ā It'sĀ absolutely moronicĀ for Jimbo to not having locked him up months ago. aggy hasĀ offered NINE QBs in 2022 and not offered Klubnik and there are only 2 of them I'd take before him, Ewers and Simpson. Putting more pressure on everyone involved is the right move.Ā 

Second, Weigman isn't going to commit on the spot and even if he did end up in the class, regardless of the HC,Ā Ā there's a chance that he never plays CFB - depending on a team or two falling in love with him during the MLB draft. He's not a lock but it's a possibility.

Ā 

FWIW - Klubnik can freaking play, the gap between he and Weigman is not tremendousĀ and scheme fit all but eliminates it. (again, depending on HC and OC). If he's not elite he's not far from it.Ā 

Ā 

first 5 games in 2020 HUDL ::

https://www.hudl.com/video/3/11576876/5f9f18663449120ba8707a26

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RGBIII

RGBIII 23020

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IT Scoop- Recruiting portion

Spoiler

he win over Oklahoma State didnā€™t add any significant recruiting bounce, but it wasnā€™t expected to. The staff is ultra-focused on winning/team preparation right now with literally everything on the line.

If Texas should beat West Virginia Saturday, sitting at 5-2 with a three-game win streak and back inside the top 20 in the polls, you will see the staff go extremely hard on the recruiting trail with some potential momentum.

Thatā€™s not to say the staff isnā€™t in communication with key targets, as they are. But the last few weeks have been tough in messaging. More questions than answers for top targets.

Letā€™s go through some top targets and see where the Longhorns stand.

Shemar Turner, DE/T, DeSoto

Texas has been in communication since the win over Oklahoma State. Turner is still responsive and positive toward the staff. Those recruiting and close to Turner feel like Texas A&M is in a very good spot and the Aggies continued winning with the defensive line's performance only helps.

L.J. Johnson, RB, Cy-Fair

Texas also continues to receive consistent and positive feedback from the difference-maker. Again, Texas A&M is trending here from those recruiting Johnson. Unlike Shemar Turnerā€™s recruitment in which those recruiting feel like Texas A&M is way out in front, Johnson is still more open.

Terrence Cooks, LB, Shadow Creek

This is a recruitment the Longhorns still feel pretty good about. The combination of education and football could win out over program adversity and questions. The current competition for Cooks isnā€™t lighting it up on the field, so that helps with Texas not having momentum on the trail.

Bryce Foster and Savion Byrd, OL

The duo remains in contact with Texas, but the Longhorns are not expected to win either battle currently.

Andrew Mukuba, S, Austin LBJ

Texas remains in contact with the Clemson commit, and that communication is being initiated both ways. Mukuba is not considered a potential flip candidate to Texas right now, but could be one to remember in December if key factors in his recruitment change.

The staff continues to evaluate cornerback prospects in the 2021 class. Lake Ridgeā€™s Marvin Covington has offers from Miami and Houston, and Jay Valai and Chris Ash are in serious evaluation mode here. Klein Forestā€™s Ahmonte Watkins prefers running back or offense at the next level, so recruiting him as a pure athlete with a chance at running back first could be a potential road block for Texas.


From: @Justin Wells

CADE KLUBNIK

Texas head coach Tom Herman was so happy after UTā€™s win over No. 6 Oklahoma State, he offered local Westlake signal-caller Cade Klubnik on the way home from Stillwater.

At 6-foot-3 and 180 pounds, the 2022 quarterback holds 20+ offers, including Notre Dame, Auburn, North Carolina, and Georgia. But getting that call from UT was big.

ā€œIā€™m looking for a great culture and people of the school," said Klubnik. "Somewhere I can grow as a person, the consistency of a football program of greatness, and a great education.ā€

After securing a 6A-DI state championship as a sophomore, he knows that expectations come with the success.

ā€œWe are 5-0 right now, and thatā€™s great,ā€ said Klubnik. ā€œWe're averaging 58 points a game. I'm really looking forward to Lake Travis last game of the season.ā€

Despite being only midway through his junior year, Klubnik already has a good idea of where heā€™s wanted.

ā€œI would say Auburn, Georgia, Texas, UNC, and Clemson,ā€ said Klubnik.

Growing up in a home full of Aggies, and having an uncle that played for UT, makes for some fun holiday events. After all that, he still sees himself open. If Texas A&M offered, I believe it would grab his attention. Texas definitely did.

ā€œI think (Texas) will be up there for me,ā€ Klubnik said. ā€œI like their football program a lot and am excited to see how Coach Yurcich does in the future.ā€

Playing for Texas-Ex Todd Dodge and watching Westlake product Sam Ehlinger lead the Longhorns, Westlake has been very good to Texas and that could continue here.

TREVELL JOHNSON

At Arlington Martin, the defense is loaded with college prospects.

Texas offered 2022 OLB Trevell Johnson yesterday. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound three-star has the eyes of a number of programs, including Arkansas, Baylor, Ole Miss, and Texas Tech. However, the UT offer might mean a little more to Johnson.

ā€œThis one means a lot to me and the family," said Johnson. "Itā€™s nothing but high regards for the coaches, (Texas) has been there, building this relationship since my sophomore year. Itā€™s going to be pretty strong.ā€

He's got a teammate currently committed to UT's Class of 2021, Morice Blackwell. He also already knows what he wants in his future program.

ā€œGood coaching, facilities, and just what itā€™s going to be like around campus," Johnson said. "I hear from Baylor and Texas Tech the most, and overall we have pretty good relationships.ā€

Johnson burst on the scene as a sophomore after tallying 99 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, one forced fumble and one safety in 2019. Now, a trip to the stateā€™s capitol is something Johnson plans to do.

ā€œI hope to get down (Austin) after this dead period ends,ā€ Johnson said. ā€œAnd finally get to see what itā€™s like in Austin.ā€

QUICK-HITTERS

- Billy Bowman Jr. to OU. Bad enough to lose him, but to play him for the next four years isnā€™t appealing either. Oklahoma is also pushing Denton Ryan teammate and UT pledge Ja'Tavion Sanders. There are some expecting his separation from the class, but he's still in the group.

- Jack Bech to LSU. Itā€™s a family thing for the Bechā€™s and nobody keeps in-state talent in-state like LSU in Louisiana. Bech had told me last week how much he wanted to see Texas, but this kid wasn't leaving home. (throws quotes in the trash)

-Johnathan Brooks, Texas commit from Hallettsville, has been looking around of late. It's hard to know who's interested, but I know he's reached out to Texas A&M.

-JD Coffey, Texas pledge out of Kennedale, is hearing from a few schools, notably Oregon. But I'm told he's still solid to the Horns today.

Ā 

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squeegeedegg

squeegeedegg 733

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There's gotta be communication with both guys though... Klubnik can play but Weigman has both better accuracy and velocity on his throws while having a better release, these are categories for a QB that look minor but make all the difference at the next level.Ā  If he goes MLB fine, but same words have been said about severalĀ top recruits in recent years and the appeal of football has won out often, a few come to mind like Murray and Ealy.Ā  Another pressing matter is nickel,Ā  Adimora hasn't looked good at all this year, but it seems there's no suitable replacement on the roster.

Glad too see the offer for Blackwells teammate, good shit.Ā  Will need to look at his vidsĀ 

High hopes for Dorbah, shots of him on the sideline vs OSU gives me hope for the Jack LB position, hopeĀ he can cover wheel routesĀ and shit like that.Ā  One of the best things about Jett Bush tbh, he's been nails when targeted through the air.Ā  Need a guy with Ossai's tenacity and Bush's coverage discipline.Ā  If the thought is that is supposed to be Derrick Harris then I'm not so sure...Ā  I need to focus my thoughts in a little bit, im all over the place today

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RGBIII

RGBIII 23020

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Bowman quote...fucking ouch

ā€œI feel like Oklahoma checked every single one of my bullet points,ā€ Bowman said. ā€œOne of them was being able to play on one of the biggest stages in college football. I also wanted to be closer to home,Ā be around coaches who know what they are doing,Ā and be around a championship program. I feel like I made the right decision for me, my family and my future.ā€

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satyanash

satyanash 15658

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7 minutes ago, RGBIII said:

Bowman quote...fucking ouch

ā€œI feel like Oklahoma checked every single one of my bullet points,ā€ Bowman said. ā€œOne of them was being able to play on one of the biggest stages in college football. I also wanted to be closer to home,Ā be around coaches who know what they are doing,Ā and be around a championship program. I feel like I made the right decision for me, my family and my future.ā€

oh man, that's going to get a lot of play in cfb media šŸ˜“

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WinningIsHard

WinningIsHard 4171

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Fuck my life, from bleeding orange to recruiting for blOwU. I hope herman has to join that piece of shit Briles in purgatory for being a program murdering fraud. All he had to do was keep the train on the tracks, but noooo. I still have some faith that an urban hire flips a few 2021 guys. Iā€™m regarded though.Ā 

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TexasMan

TexasMan 11464

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4 hours ago, RGBIII said:

Bowman quote...fucking ouch

ā€œI feel like Oklahoma checked every single one of my bullet points,ā€ Bowman said. ā€œOne of them was being able to play on one of the biggest stages in college football. I also wanted to be closer to home,Ā be around coaches who know what they are doing,Ā and be around a championship program. I feel like I made the right decision for me, my family and my future.ā€

Oof. Goddamn.Ā 

And the worst part is you can't blame this kid one bit.Ā 

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