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Texas Recruiting Notes 2020


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Did a quick check to see whether Satya or someone else posted this update on Bijan Robinson, from 247/Blair Angulo - doesn't look like it - SIAP, etc.

Depressing.  Four times Bijan qualifies his statements about being committed to Texas with "right now", or words to that effect.  And it looks like he's in regular conversation with coaches from tOSU, Lathan Ransom, and others ... so yeah, looks pretty shaky.  Unless we really turn things around over the remainder of the season.

247 / Blair Angulo: Latest on Texas commit Bijan Robinson

Spoiler

Bijan Robinson announced his commitment to Texas in early August but that hasn't stopped other programs from maintaining a steady dialogue with the big-time running back in the months since.

The 247Sports Composite five-star prospect from Tucson (Ariz.) Salpointe Catholic was presented with his jersey for the All-American Bowl during a ceremony at his school Wednesday afternoon and tells 247Sports that although his recruitment has slowed down dramatically, there are still several college coaches he keeps in contact with.

"Other than Texas, I hear a lot from Ohio State, LSU and USC," Robinson said. "Those are the main schools that have been pushing. Ohio State has been very consistent; I talk with coach Tony Alford and coach Ryan Day. They give me advice all the time, they tell me to keep working and hanging in there since this recruiting thing is a process. With USC, too, those coaches have been telling me the same thing. It's a friendly relationship that we're maintaining and I also talk to other running back coaches whenever they text me to ask how I'm doing.

"Coach Day just texted me on Tuesday and I hear from Lathan (Ransom) about Ohio State every day. He lets me know that Ohio State is where it's at. But at the same time, I know that with Texas, this season could just be a step back and a set up for the future. I do listen to Lathan and other coaches, but right now, it's Texas for me. We'll see, we'll see."

Robinson, the nation's No. 16 overall prospect, No. 2 among running backs and No. 2 in the state of Arizona for the 2020 class according to the industry-generated 247Sports Composite rankings, has taken official visits to Ohio State, Texas and USC, leaving two remaining slots available if he decided to hit the road again.

The 6-foot, 200-pound back is the top-rated commit for the Longhorns.

"I'm good with Texas right now," Robinson said. "I know there has been a lot of talk that I could flip or whatever but, right now, it's Texas. As the season goes, we'll see from there but at this moment it is Texas.

"I still might take a visit to LSU. I have to talk about it with my family and the coaches there. If I do, it would be towards Thanksgiving at the end of next month. The fifth visit, I don't know, I might not even take. I know I definitely want to get out to one game at Texas, depending on my own season and how things are going."

Robinson has been credited with 1,887 rushing yards and 35 touchdowns in eight games as a senior this season, averaging over 22 yards per carry. He has also committed to play in the 2020 Polynesian Bowl.

 

Edited by Getafix
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16 minutes ago, Getafix said:

Did a quick check to see whether Satya or someone else posted this update on Bijan Robinson, from 247/Blair Angulo - doesn't look like it - SIAP, etc.

Depressing.  Four times Bijan qualifies his statements about being committed to Texas with "right now", or words to that effect.  And it looks like he's in regular conversation with coaches from tOSU, Lathan Ransom, and others ... so yeah, looks pretty shaky.  Unless we really turn things around over the remainder of the season.

247 / Blair Angulo: Latest on Texas commit Bijan Robinson

  Reveal hidden contents

Bijan Robinson announced his commitment to Texas in early August but that hasn't stopped other programs from maintaining a steady dialogue with the big-time running back in the months since.

The 247Sports Composite five-star prospect from Tucson (Ariz.) Salpointe Catholic was presented with his jersey for the All-American Bowl during a ceremony at his school Wednesday afternoon and tells 247Sports that although his recruitment has slowed down dramatically, there are still several college coaches he keeps in contact with.

"Other than Texas, I hear a lot from Ohio State, LSU and USC," Robinson said. "Those are the main schools that have been pushing. Ohio State has been very consistent; I talk with coach Tony Alford and coach Ryan Day. They give me advice all the time, they tell me to keep working and hanging in there since this recruiting thing is a process. With USC, too, those coaches have been telling me the same thing. It's a friendly relationship that we're maintaining and I also talk to other running back coaches whenever they text me to ask how I'm doing.

"Coach Day just texted me on Tuesday and I hear from Lathan (Ransom) about Ohio State every day. He lets me know that Ohio State is where it's at. But at the same time, I know that with Texas, this season could just be a step back and a set up for the future. I do listen to Lathan and other coaches, but right now, it's Texas for me. We'll see, we'll see."

Robinson, the nation's No. 16 overall prospect, No. 2 among running backs and No. 2 in the state of Arizona for the 2020 class according to the industry-generated 247Sports Composite rankings, has taken official visits to Ohio State, Texas and USC, leaving two remaining slots available if he decided to hit the road again.

The 6-foot, 200-pound back is the top-rated commit for the Longhorns.

"I'm good with Texas right now," Robinson said. "I know there has been a lot of talk that I could flip or whatever but, right now, it's Texas. As the season goes, we'll see from there but at this moment it is Texas.

"I still might take a visit to LSU. I have to talk about it with my family and the coaches there. If I do, it would be towards Thanksgiving at the end of next month. The fifth visit, I don't know, I might not even take. I know I definitely want to get out to one game at Texas, depending on my own season and how things are going."

Robinson has been credited with 1,887 rushing yards and 35 touchdowns in eight games as a senior this season, averaging over 22 yards per carry. He has also committed to play in the 2020 Polynesian Bowl.

 

 

48 minutes ago, Getafix said:

SIAP - some chatter on 247 that Ja'Quinden Jackson's commitment is not firm.  Some other site supposedly suggested this, to which Roach responded with - "I’ve been working on talking with sources this week. Haven’t found much to it yet." Sheesh.  

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2 hours ago, Treefidy said:

Sure seems like bringing back Samples as a coach replacing (take your pick), and doing it as soon as possible would be a smart move to firm up recruiting.  

if herman’s stubborn ass doesn’t terminate mehringer with extreme prejudice this offseason and bring back samples I’m gonna lose it.  

and it sounds like bijan is gone.  we need to lock down kevontre bradford and start looking hard at grad transfer RB for 2020.

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Mehringer is a cancer.  Meekins and Warehime are worthless.  Fire all 3.

I also hope that Samples is brought back to  coach TEs and that Mensa brings in a quality WR Coach with NFL experience kinda like how LSU brought in Joe Brady.  

Samples would make sure that JQJ stays with Texas, and also help keep most of the 2021 commitments intact.

 

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6 minutes ago, Newy25 said:

I think until we stop looking like Charlie Strong coaches us in his spare time we might not see sunshine. 

Yeah, not time for updates. Specially after listening to Tom talk in circles at his PC. Hope those walls are padded. He continues to be a child about dumb shit, stop saying you don't know who we play in two weeks. If true, that's even dumber. He acted surprised when asked about his staff by Golden. Although I have to admit laughing when Bohls asked about getting their shit pushed in by TCU and KU.

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The Stampede: Can Texas stop the bleeding in the 2020 class?

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The Texas class appears to be taking on water in the wake of several recent decommitments. While decommitments always seem to project a scene of instability, these decommitments came with a few special circumstances.

There’s no doubt that the Texas recruiting vehicle Is stuck in neutral right now, but it isn’t quite in reverse yet as some would have you believe. The Longhorns are still pushing down the stretch for a number of targets, and their finish to the season could help to improve the recruiting haul should they turn things around on the field. Coaches were on the road this week to see several prospects and check in with many of their commits.

The Longhorns will have the chance to host some of their priority targets starting this week, and they are still in the hunt for several elite prospects. In this week’s edition of The Stampede, Horns247’s weekly gathering of recruiting intel, we examine those decommitments, take a look at the board as things stand now, bring you some intel from out west, and update the status of several commitments within the 2020 and 2021 classes.

When viewed together, the decommitments of Joshua Eaton, Princely Umanmielen, and Ethan Pouncey give the appearance of a ship taking on water. While they likely wouldn’t have happened if Texas had a better October, they were always on delicate ground to begin with. Eaton and Umanmielen both committed to Texas during the summer jumping on a red-hot recruiting train, and Eaton was known to be looking at other options in September.

Pouncey was always going to be tied to his brother when it came to the future. Once Jordan Pouncey made the decision to transfer, Ethan was going to be on the move with him. Texas would have also had to wait a year at the least to get contributions from Ethan on the field. His injury would have required surgery that he’s yet to have, and he would have been automatic to miss out on the first year.

Now, the Longhorns are in position to find another cornerback and possibly another defensive lineman. I’d expect to see a few options evaluated and offered in the next week, and I’d bet the JUCO ranks are likely where the Longhorns will go to find some options at the cornerback position. Any time there are decommitments, you start to worry about the structural integrity of the class overall. Horns247 has been continuing to check in with commits and sources around them to determine where things stand with the Texas class.

Bijan Robinson’s comments to 247Sports’ Blair Angulo probably didn’t give you the warm fuzzies as a Texas fan. Robinson noticed the Texas performance over the last few weeks and specifically their difficulties running the ball. USC has been in contact with Robinson for quite a while, and Robinson is returning the contact. Right now, I have no reason to believe that Robinson is on the verge of defecting, but there’s at least room in his mind where he’s considering other options. If USC hires Urban Meyer following the season, I believe that things will get very interesting. Texas really needs to do what they can to turn around their image on the field and lock down one of the most important targets in the class.

There have been a few rumors surrounding Duncanville ATH Ja’Quinden Jackson wavering. Oklahoma has been trying to make progress in the last few weeks, taking advantage of the weakened state of the Texas staff. I spoke with sources on both the Texas and Oklahoma sides, and it doesn’t sound like there’s much there right now. Oklahoma is pitching Jackson on an h-back role with a chance to compete at quarterback, while Texas is all in for now developing Jackson as a quarterback. Tom Herman’s visit to Duncanville couldn’t have come at a better time, and I’m not sure I’d put Jackson in the risk column right now.

I’ve heard a few rumors on West Mesquite RB Ty Jordan, but again, I wasn’t able to find much substance when checking in with sources near Jordan. This is one we will continue to monitor, but Jordan is dealing with a ton on and off the field right now. It sounds like the degree of worry for Draper (Utah) Corner Canyon defensive lineman Van Fillinger is starting to decrease a bit. While Fillinger is still listening to Utah and still likely to visit, I think Texas is doing a great job trying to stem any negative momentum flowing towards him.

There is still a degree of danger here for Texas, but I think as of now they are in a much better position to hold on to Fillinger than they were last week. Outside of those prospects, the majority of in-state guys we checked with seem firm and not worried at all. On top of that, the 2021 prospects we’ve spoken to don’t seem to be changed at all by the way the season is playing out. Texas is still walking a tight rope with recruits, but the outlook isn’t quite as bleak as it may seem.

I had the opportunity to see Kelee Ringo in action on Friday and talk to him afterwards. The five-star Scottsdale (Az.) Saguaro cornerback didn’t disappoint, and I can definitely say that he’s an easy five-star athlete. In speaking with Ringo and a few sources at Saguaro, I was told that the Texas staff did a great job recruiting Ringo over the last few years. Kelee himself said that the opportunity for early playing time and the comfort level he has with the Texas coaches is really what stands out about the Longhorns.

Ringo has a top-five of Texas, Georgia, Oregon, Alabama, and Ohio State. He’s only had one official visit this year (Oregon) and is still planning others. He said that he definitely plans to get to Texas sometime during December, but he didn’t have a date yet. Texas seems to be jostling with Georgia to gain position for the last visit. Ringo plans to announce his decision at the All-American Bowl in January, so he will need to finish his visits before January if he plans on sticking to that timeline.

Add in the fact that Saguaro will probably play for another state championship this year, and those weekends are going to be tough to navigate. Ringo maintains that every school in his top group is even, but it sounds like Texas, Georgia, and Oregon are really the schools in contention. The Longhorns were the early leader, while Georgia came on late. Oregon is the darkhorse no one is really talking about, but I’ve been told that the Ducks are actually a pretty dangerous threat for a number of reasons.

I think Texas is probably in second at best and maybe even third with Oregon’s emergence, but they will have their chance to impress Ringo when they host him for his official visit and maybe even win back some momentum. Even though Georgia is holding the perceived lead, I have no reason to believe anything has been decided at this point. I think they have the obvious advantage, but Ringo has a real interest in Texas and his relationship with cornerbacks coach Jason Washington is keeping Texas in it.

 

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(InsideTexas) Mondays in the Scoopidor: 11/4/19

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By: Justin and Eric

I got back in touch with the person who helped the board get a good understanding of who Chris Del Conte is before he was hired. So far that source has been right on the money with the Texas Athletic Director. I wanted to get a sense of how the next month or two might play out. Of course some of that may be contingent on the finish to the season. Is Herman as stubborn as people think? The source mentioned 'how will Tom respond?' as the main question, noting, "most fans are just full of angst. Tom being resistant to change is probably over-played." I'll second that.

On Del Conte's previous relationships: TCU football decision making wasn't necessarily run as a hierarchy because of the strong relationships between Chancellor Victor Boschini Jr., Del Conte, and Gary Patterson. It was more of a collaboration. "It was almost like a married couple but with three." One reason Patterson liked Del Conte so much was because Del Conte took the time to get to know the assistant coaches and always ensured they were taken care of, assuming performance of course.

This sentiment struck a chord when I saw Ra'Shaad Samples' recent tweet.

Samples wasn't even an assistant coach, just a staffer.

I can also vouch for this part because my buddy coaches at TCU and he and Del Conte would share the weight room before the sun was up. They got to know each other pretty well. That source says Del Conte has a pretty surprising Rolodex of coaching contacts. I asked my main source why that is and he responded, "Del Conte is a networker. He wants to know who you know. He's helped put deals together between schools regarding hospitals and research. He knows a lot of people."

And as we've mentioned, the relationships at Texas are nowhere close to his previous ones:
No the relationship isn't like it was with Patterson, those take time. Success helps too. But Herman is wired differently and it probably will never be like that. The source is pretty sure CDC and Herman are meeting weekly to discuss the state of the program. The term I've heard used that I think best fits is "transactional relationship."

What else is telling about Del Conte: He's a pleaser. He wants things running well. He wants everything to be happy, like Main St. at Disneyland. I thought that was an apropos comparison because of what Del Conte has done with Bevo Blvd.

If changes are made, speculate on how it will go down: It won't be until after the season when Del Conte can assess everything and talk with Herman. If it's deemed changes are necessary, Tom won't have full control. He'll have to make a case for the changes he wants to make and the ones he doesn't. He'll have to make the case for any potential new hires. I'm going to use Tom Herman's press conference to get questions for team sources. I should have another post in the a.m. if not late tonight. So consider this part I of II.

JAQWONDIS BURNS

Since Texas already has a Ja'Quinden for 2020, might as well grab a Jaqwondis too. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound linebacker from the IMG Academy via Terrell (TX) and Ole Miss commit will take his official visit to Austin this weekend for the Kansas State game. The long, rangy defender showed promise at the Under Armour regional camp at Arlington Martin in late February.

The three-star native Texan has seen his stock rise over the last year, and it helped garner 20+ offers including Tennessee, Arkansas, Arizona, Okie State, Colorado, and Utah. He's ready to get back closer to home on Friday. "I'm excited," said Burns. "I've been to UT quite a few times already. I've seen everything. Great university, great academics, great athletics. Not every program can say that."

He's still locked into his Ole Miss pledge, but the thought of staying closer to home is all too appealing. What is he looking for on this trip? "I'm really just trying to get the feel for the place, you know that home feeling," Burns says. Burns sees himself as a fit in all three spots; B-backer, Rover, and even Mike, a spot he's currently playing at IMG. Burns could join Prince Dorbah at linebacker. Dorbah was recently described by Lancaster's head coach, Chris Gilbert, as "crazy athletic." When a Lancaster coach says that, you know it's real.

REPLACING THE POUNCEYS

When WR Jordan Pouncey decided to transfer early last week, it had the expected trickle down effect on little bro and UT pledge, CB Ethan Pouncey. The four-star from Winter Park (FL) committed to Texas in large part because his brother was a Longhorn. Jordan was likely going to continue to struggle finding playing time in Austin. Pouncey was a good Longhorn and not one of those sulking transfers.

At wide receiver, Midland Lee's four-star Loic Fouonji is squarely on the radar. After his official visit last month, Fouonji came away impressed with the Texas program. After gathering his stats at Lee, I came away impressed; 107 catches, 2384 yards, and 34 scores in less than three seasons, including a monster senior year stat line so far of 44 catches, 1106 yards, and 17 touchdowns.

Credit to the Texas staff for predicting this breakout. We reported back when he was offered this was a long play. Despite the 12 offers - USC, Colorado, Texas A&M, Arkansas, and Baylor - this is a three-team race between UT, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma State. Fouonji isn't from Texas so the allure of burnt orange doesn't carry the same stroke as other natural born Texans.

He could fit at Z or X. I'd trade a Pouncey for a Fouonji everyday and twice on Sundays. This is a recruitment we'll continue to monitor. As for corner, that remains to be seen. I believe the staff will meet this week to decide their next move in adding a complementary corner opposite four-star pledge Kitan Crawford. Near the top of that list is Pflugerville Connally four-star Jahdae Barron. The 5-foot-11, 180-pound Baylor commit took an UOV to Texas three weeks ago and might OV in the next two month and some change. His 15 offers - TCU, Okie State, Tennessee, Iowa State, and Texas Tech - don't truly reflect his talent.

We haven't forgot about your favorite CB, Saguaro (AZ) Kelee Ringo. The five-star still very much wants to take an official to Austin before NSD1. Right now, Oregon and Georgia are the popular names, but his relationship with Jason Washington is a big factor here. Not to mention his high school corner coach is Bryant "I once almost killed a Notre Dame RB" Westbrook. Don't be surprised to see a few JUCO names surface soon.

ISHMAEL IBRAHEEM

One of my favorite prospects in the 2021 class, the 6-foot-1, 175-pounder was the attraction when Texas coaches' Tom Herman and Jason Washington went to see him on Thursday night. The four-star has loads of potential at the key position of cornerback. His offer list continues to build. Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Texas A&M, and Georgia Tech (s/o @DukeSilver) are among his 21 verbal invitations. He also excels on the track, running the 4x1, 4x2, 4x4, and long jump.

Ibraheem doesn't have a leader right now but Texas is in a good spot early in his pursuit. "Texas is full of talent," said Ibraheem. "I plan on visiting soon." He was fired up to see UT on the sidelines and knows even when Texas is hot or cold it's still Texas. I could see him catch a late game this year, but more likely in early January or UT's Junior Days next spring. Ibraheem can make a case for being one of the top corners in-state and the Longhorns are treating him as such.

With Texas being home the Horns will host visitors, including the aforementioned Jaqwondis Burns. We'll have a complete list later in the week.

 

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