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Texas recruiting notes 2019

bigup2dahorns

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closetojumping
closetojumping

There's more than just 2019 stuff in this update, but I'm not being paid to post, so I'm dumping it all here and you guys can do with it/disseminate it/ignore it as you like. Regarding the UA guy

Carl Winslow
Carl Winslow

word 😂 brooks not being a take clemson starting rb pistol whipped & robbed his own teammate he lead clemson to a national championship & 3 playoff appearances recruit to wi

RadiologyHorn
RadiologyHorn

Now Mpagi is better than Leal???!???    Guys tell me you’re trolling. Please tell me this isn’t real. I feel like I’m in a Seinfeld bizarro world episode. I can’t take this shit anymore. Whe

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closetojumping

closetojumping 65,454

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11 minutes ago, utexas8 said:

Has to be Caldwell. I think wells RT’d the photo of him in the Texas jersey awhile back, today.

No wai! It's got to be Oscar Giles working that fucking grind and bringing in Carter. The man is relentless.

 

Here's how Oscar spends his time during the dead period:

 giphy.gif

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satyanash

satyanash 15,632

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(E.J. Holland) The Opening Finals: 10 closing thoughts

1. Evaluating Floyd — As y’all know, I made a few trips to California this offseason. However, none of those trips resulted in an evaluation of Floyd due to rehab/scheduling conflicts. This weekend gave us a chance to evaluate Floyd for three days, and he certainly lived up to his billing. While he is up to 240 pounds, Floyd showed great sideline-to-sideline speed and excelled in pass coverage in 7v7. He still needs to polish up his technique and feet, Floyd has all the traits to not only play early at Texas but develop into a star at linebacker for Todd Orlando.

2. California recruiting — Floyd really opened the floodgates for Texas in the talent-rich state of California this cycle. The four-star prospect has been a vocal recruiter for the Longhorns out West and certainly has the attention of five-star athlete Bru McCoy, who joined Floyd on an unofficial visit this offseason. McCoy will be back for an official visit in September, and we feel like Texas is the biggest threat to USC at this time. Floyd spent a ton of time with McCoy at the event and also recruited five-star Mater Dei (Calif.) cornerback Elias Ricks, who notched a Texas offer earlier this week. Expect Texas to continue to recruit California hard under Tom Herman.

3. Here come trouble — In my mind, there is one linebacker on the board for Texas that is a must-land, and that is Rian Davis. It’s wild to me how much he flew under the radar when he was at Clear Lake in the Houston-area. As I mentioned, he was the most impressive defensive player I saw in pads this spring, and he backed that up with a great performance at The Opening in camp/7v7 settings. Davis has the versatility to play any linebacker position at Texas and simply put, the dude is a monster. Georgia is in the pole position at this time, but Texas is No. 2 and making things interesting.

4. The dynamic duo — Both of UT’s top running backs targets were in attendance at The Opening in Trey Sanders and Noah Cain. Let’s start with Sanders. He is a bigger, powerful back, so this wasn’t exactly the best setting to evaluate him in. Still, he showed off the freakish athleticism behind his five-star rating. As far as his recruitment goes, I like Texas as a dark horse. Alabama, where he was previously committed, seems to have the edge since NFL development is his biggest factor. But Stan Drayton’s resume really has his attention. Cain did not work out, but we did get to catch up with him. His recruitment has become a bit more open as of late and to be honest, not much is going to be decided here until late in the season.

5. No Elite 11 QB — For the second year in a row, Texas did not have a quarterback take part in Elite 11 after having Shane Buechele and Sam Ehlinger make it in back-to-back years. I thought Cameron Rising was good enough last cycle and was a bit surprised he didn’t earn a spot in Oregon. However, 2019 quarterback commit Roschon Johnson always had an uphill battle. He’s a dynamic playmaker with pads on, but he still has a ways to go as a passer. This just wasn’t his setting. If I have to give an early prediction for next cycle, I’d be comfortable betting on Hudson Card advancing to the grand finale.

6. No clarity — Four-star Austin Bowie wide receiver Elijah Higgins remains an enigma on the recruiting trail. Yes, Higgins is one of the recruits I’m closest to this cycle, but it’s just hard to get a read on him right now. I think the process has become a little stressful for him ahead of his planned August decision, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he pushes things back. The longer this goes, the better for Texas, which was considered the favorite early on in his recruitment. It doesn’t seem that Higgins is as high on Stanford as he was a couple of months ago, and I’m not completely sold he’ll end up at Florida. Texas still has a chance here.

7. Recruiting Saint Louis — We mentioned UT’s recruiting efforts in California, but it would be a mistake not to mention Missouri. The Longhorns had some success there last cycle as they reeled in Ayodele Adeoye and Daniel Carson. This cycle, Texas is going hard after Saint Louis wide receiver Marcus Washington and linebacker Shammond Cooper. Washington is leaning towards pushing back his decision and officially visiting Texas in September, while Cooper is also looking to make an OV to UT in the fall. And remember, Texas is a major player for their teammate and 2020 athlete Mookie Cooper. Expect things to heat up with Washington and Shammond Cooper over the next couple of months.

8. Comparing DBs — Texas A&M had a big weekend as it landed a pair of four-star defensive backs in Erick Young and Bobby Wolfe. Young had an eye-opening performance at The Opening, while Wolfe showed off the physicality and length that makes him a four-star prospect. While Texas offered both, the Longhorns didn’t exactly push. I see Young as more of a safety at the next level, and the Longhorns landed a damn good one in Chris Adimora this past weekend. I would take the latter if given the choice. While I have Wolfe ranked higher on my corner board, I feel like Marques Caldwell, who is a Texas lean, has more upside. If Texas is able to close with him soon, the Longhorns might get the better end of the deal here.

9. The underclassmen —One of the most impressive prospects at The Opening was five-star 2020 California linebacker Justin Flowe, who is an animal and should be an immediate contributor at the next level. Flowe likes Texas early on and is looking to visit soon. The aforementioned Ricks is a tall, long corner that showed why he is one of the best for next cycle. It’s not surprise Texas offered now. The other 2020 target in attendance was Jase McClellan — Zach Evans did not make it. I originally had McClellan as my top overall prospect in the state in 2020 before Evans really popped on the scene last year. I still love McClellan. He is a strong, powerful back with underrated athleticism, and he’s only 15. The biggest thing that concerns me — and probably Texas, too — is carries. McClellan already has more than 400, and comparisons are already being made to his cousin and ex-Texas running back Jonathan Gray. McClellan needs to find a way to conserve his legs. But the dude is a five-star for a reason. 

10. Other guys — This is a weird topic, so I’m not sure what to call it lol. But let’s start with one of the top guys at the event — Lake Travis wide receiver Garrett Wilson. If there is one guy this cycle that might haunt Texas — two if UT can’t flip DeMarvin Leal — it’s Wilson. There is no doubt in my mind that he’s the top prospect in the state this cycle as he balled against some of the best defensive backs in the country. Ohio State got a good one. IMG Academy (Fla.) offensive lineman Evan Neal doesn’t hold a Texas offer but visited this offseason. There seemed to be concerns about his weight, but he’s trimmed down 30 pounds and is worth a reevaluation, in my opinion. He was one of the best linemen at The Opening. One player I’m shocked Texas never offered was Oklahoma tight end commit Austin Stogner. He earned accolades at The Opening and was the most dominant player at his position. The good news for UT is it landed a monster of its own at the position in Brayden Liebrock.

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texifornia

texifornia 59,018

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5 minutes ago, Elmer_Fudd said:

DE Zach Williams just committed to Arky.

Yeah can't say I expected Giles to pull off an in-state legacy

Using the iconic pieces of the state outline as the dividers on the bottom is pretty neat gotta say

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satyanash

satyanash 15,632

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Eric Nahlin: Overcoming negative pitches through individual and team success

 

When it comes to recruiting, winning trumps all. Generally speaking, it's more important than academic and networking appeal. It transcends 'family atmosphere'. It precedes the importance of relationships and is more enduring. It is a panacea for what ails a program. With surface level axioms out of the way, let's dive a little deeper. When a program has been struggling for the better part of a decade, you're going to have negative pitches to overcome. Some of those pitches have merit, some of them are recruiters behaving in ethical gray areas; all of them need to be overcome.

Negative pitches often center around a school's recent negative history at a given position or positions. In UT's case, it's pretty much been the offensive side of the ball for years now. Working under the assumption Texas wins this year and is in contention for the conference title going into the final weekend, some negative pitches and histories will have been put to rest. A thought I've had since Tom Herman was hired was that his offense, while maybe not as sexy as typical wide open Big 12 offenses, can sell virtually every position on the field as being integral. The division of labor is pretty equal. Everyone has their share of non-glamorous assignments, everyone has their chance to be a difference maker.

If this season comes together, it will mean individual play across the board played to its talent. Positions that haven't consistently produced in years will be restored to prominence. The "we're going to win big" pitch expands to "we're going to win big and you're going to play a big part." Herman has shown us he's capable of putting a full-bodied offense together, but he hasn't shown us he's capable of this at Texas, at least yet (first season being injury filled caveat applies). He did provide the template, however. Let's look at how this season's success -- assuming 9 or more wins before the bowl game -- can be sold to recruits with a position by position breakdown.

I'll start with wide receiver.

"Yo, you're starting with wide receiver when you constantly say it's the most reliant on the rest of the offense?" Indeed, because if the wide receivers have a big year in this offense (as opposed to an Air Raid where they're plug and play), to me it means the offensive line is blocking, the quarterbacks are playing well, and the run game is producing. Oh, and there's probably some good coordination too.

XWR: You're wanting a big target receiver who can dominate a corner in 1 on 1 coverage. Elite speed is a plus, as it always is, but not a requirement. Collin Johnson should be ideal for the position. To understand his talent level, he had 54 receptions for 765 yards in what is considered a pretty disappointing sophomore campaign. At 6-foot-5, and with ball skills that are on par with the best in the NFL, only two touchdowns is very disappointing. Stats like that can reverse in a hurry, and if Johnson plays to his physical capability he should be in line for a breakout season.

The sell: Collin Johnson. An SC top 10 play or two this season won't hurt. He's one player they shouldn't shy away from throwing 50/50 balls.

A good season helps with: Dylan Wright, Elijah Higgins

Slot: Versatility and short area quickness are hallmarks. Toughness helps as well. Texas has loaded up here with Jake Smith and Jordan Whittington. Herman's offense uses the slot as both a primary and secondary weapon on jet sweeps. This position traditionally produces for Herman, so it's no wonder he has two electric talents already in the fold. Here's where things get interesting: at 6-foot-5, 220 pounds, Lil'Jordan Humphrey is entirely uncommon in that he has the fluidity to not just play the position but star in it. Because of how easy it will be to get him the ball, he'll likely be Sam Ehlinger's most targeted man.

The sell: Lil'Jordan Humphrey and his absurd combination of size and movement skills allows for a clear picture of how this position can be used.

A good season helps with: Higgins, who has uncommon fluidity for his body type, as well as strong ball skills. Like Humphrey, he can play X or slot which is pretty rare.

ZWR: You must be explosive and either good enough to command safety help over the top or win your share of deep opportunities in man coverage. This position was basically non-existent last year but the position was addressed with Al'vonte Woodard and Josh Moore in the 2018 class. More importantly for the upcoming season, Devin Duvernay had a big spring. This position will be the third most targeted receiving threat on the field but it could become the most feared from a big-play standpoint.

The sell: Duvernay is the sell if he has a big season as judged by yards per catch/touchdowns. If he doesn't produce then you resort to need/early playing time as your selling point.

A good season helps with: Marcus Washington. You could maybe throw Garrett Wilson in there as I don't think that door is entirely closed. Most importantly, though, is Texas must split aces with Ohio State on Washington and Wilson. Also, Dylan Wright is explosive enough to play Z, which adds to his priority level. Texas also has offers out to others, though we don't feel they're priorities as of now.

TE: Toughness and willingness to block plus enough athleticism to receive and line up out wide are hallmarks. We witnessed a staff that was very stubborn in its use of a depleted position last year. They effectively stated, "this is who we are and we're not changing." While Cotton might think that's a bold move, it gave us keen insight into how important the position is to Herman's preferred offense. Also giving us keen insight; Herman has been on the job less than two years but has already added six tight ends if you count commits Brayden Liebrock and Jared Wiley.

The sell: They literally use tight end like NFL.

A good season helps with: Every offensive skill player as the tight end is a chess piece in the run game and allows for more balanced and creative play-calling. Texas is booked for this class but any success should help with 2020 targets.

OL: The staff is looking for size and tackle-first players. Guards are likely to come from a pool of players who couldn't quite cut it at tackle but still have tackle size and are above average athletes for the interior. When Connor Williams was lost for most of last season, it didn't just hurt the on-field product. Finally Texas had not only a well-regarded offensive lineman, but a left tackle to promote. As we all know, Williams wasn't the only injury last season, and overall the offensive line played poorly. But there's always a silver lining and that's the hiring of Herb Hand. For this season, the o-line just needs to be average to allow for players with plus ability to do their thing. First and foremost, Texas needs to be able to reliably run inside zone. Baby steps.

The sell: Improvement, the chance to come in and play relatively early, needs across the board, and the chance to learn from the highly-regarded Hand. Calvin Anderson having an All Conference type season wouldn't hurt, either.

A good season helps with: Javonne Shepherd, Stacey Wilkins, and whoever else emerges as a priority

RB: Texas wants talented running backs, with room enough for all different types. You can be an inside/outside guy (Daniel Young), an outside/inside guy (Toneil Carter), or a do-it-all in Keonatay Ingram. They'll also take an explosive type who lines up all over the field, including running back. With the ephasis on inside zone, Young will be the primary ball carrier to start. Carter will get as many touches as he earns. He's the most dynamic player at the position. Along with the aforementioned Ingram, Texas also has grad transfer Tre Watson from Cal Burka-Lee, who is pretty versatile. One way to keep the grad transfer pipeline open is to ensure your grad transfers experience success. I expect Watson to get his touches.

The sell: Young is talented enough to illustrate usage and priority, but not so talented he'd scare away top recruits. Carter can underline how big play ability will be rewarded. Both ran well last year despite the poor offensive line. The Big 12 is known as a passing league but Herman is going to be very balanced. Running all over a league designed to stop the pass should be appealing. Then there's Stan Drayton's track record.

A good season helps with: Noah Cain (fantastic IZ runner), Trey Sanders, Deondrick Glass

QB: Herman will gladly take a pass-first quarterback with some athleticism, or a guy who's known better for his legs, and then adapt from there. You better be able to run competently if you're a good passer, and you better be able to pass competently if you're a good runner. Sam Ehlinger is a more consistent runner than he is a passer, though he has the ability to make the required throws. As we know with him, he's more an intangible guy who is a great leader and highly competitive. Those traits are musts for Herman as well. For this class Texas has Roschon Johnson committed. He projects as a more dangerous runner than passer, though he's capable of operating Herman's preferred offense with tailoring being geared towards strengths rather than away from weaknesses.

The sell: There are both college and NFL elements to this offense. It's balanced, it uses the entire scope of skill players, it's multi-formational, it can lean on defenses or hit the big play, and it's going to eat clock. It can easily be tailored to a player's strengths, and if recruiting continues to go well, a quarterback will have a parapet in front of him that allows time to use his weapons.

A good season helps with: Every single player Texas is recruiting because the position has the ability to elevate the team.

There are two primary selling points: early playing time or a history of success at a given position. When those two overlap you shouldn't have to move too far down your big board to sign players. 

Herman has done well to recruit off previous successes or needs and fits, but let's hope come November and December he's recruiting based on current ones.

Edited by satyanash
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closetojumping

closetojumping 65,454

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2 hours ago, texifornia said:

Yeah can't say I expected Giles to pull off an in-state legacy

Using the iconic pieces of the state outline as the dividers on the bottom is pretty neat gotta say

Giles is so fucking bad. I mean, he’s one of the laziest, most disconnected pieces of shit to work a phone for a college since Mac McWhorter. 

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George Clooney

George Clooney 378

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10 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

Giles is so fucking bad. I mean, he’s one of the laziest, most disconnected pieces of shit to work a phone for a college since Mac McWhorter. 

I don't remember well since I've only been following the team since 2004 or so, but when did McWhorter start phoning it in? I could be wrong, but I remember he was a good assistant coach early on under Mack.

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satyanash

satyanash 15,632

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44 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

Giles is so fucking bad. I mean, he’s one of the laziest, most disconnected pieces of shit to work a phone for a college since Mac McWhorter. 

If it makes you feel better, the TCU guys claim he showed up to camp there much smaller than his advertised height/weight.

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Newy25

Newy25 7,924

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40 minutes ago, George Clooney said:

Huh I didn't know that. I really didn't start following recruiting until about 2013, so I'm clueless about most things regarding recruiting before then.

I still remember when Ricky signed and McWhorter was the most worthless fucking recruiter we have had since I have  been following Texas football. 

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