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The Stampede: Recapping the big official visit weekend in Austin
MIKE ROACH

 

Spoiler

 

The Stampede: Recapping the big official visit weekend in Austin
MIKE ROACH

 

Texas hosted the biggest group of official visitors they’ve had this summer over the weekend.

Steve Sarkisian and his staff got to meet most of the commits in their class and a bunch of their top targets at each position. Texas also had their top recruiter on campus in Maalik Murphy who was at Texas for his official trip and to recruit others to join him.

After another action-packed weekend at Texas, the Horns247 staff got to work talking with visitors and other sources to see what shook out for the Horns. How did Texas do during the weekend and where do things stand with those visitors coming out of the trip?


In this week’s edition of The Stampede, Horns247’s weekly gathering of recruiting intel, we recap it all and see where Texas stands with those targets.

 

Evan Stewart
— Florida had the buzz over the last few weeks for elite wide receiver Evan Stewart, but the Longhorns made a pretty big stand this weekend for the former Texas commit. Stewart was hosted on the trip by Joshua Moore, and he said the relationship he formed with him during that time was the biggest highlight of the trip. He also spent a ton of time with Maalik Murphy who he described as a guy who is a lot like him. Stewart has aspirations of being a broadcaster once football is over, so he enjoyed seeing what the Longhorn Network had to offer.

Following Stewart’s decommitment in the spring, there were times where it sounded like he and Andre Coleman weren’t seeing eye-to-eye, but Stewart said the relationship with the Texas assistant has never been better, and the time he spent with Coleman in person helped to show him what type of guy Coleman is. Stewart did say he also thought the NIL presentation was great, but that isn’t as big of a factor for him as many people think it is. This race still has many miles to go, but I like where Texas stands if they just stay the course with him. Stewart will see LSU and Alabama on unofficial trips this week, and he has three trips to use in the fall. Stewart wants to see a few of his top schools during game weeks to get a feel for where things stand. In the end, it sounds like Texas did pretty well, and the Longhorns just need to stay on him and show something in the fall to reel him in.

 

C.J. Williams
— Four-star Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei WR C.J. Williams always held Texas in high regard, but this is the weekend where the Longhorns may have made a move to the top of the pack for him. Texas had a strong weekend as Williams came in with teammate and close friend Brady Sarkisian. The son of Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian spent a lot of time with Williams, and Williams spent a lot of time with player host Bijan Robinson. While Williams had never met him, he knew of him from being a guy who lived out west.

Williams also mentioned that Jake Langi hosted the family and was another big part of what left a big impression as he “set the tone” for the entire visit when they arrived. Williams also said that his film breakdown session with Andre Coleman showed off what kind of coach Coleman is and how well he could develop Williams for the future. The Longhorns also showed off what they could offer in the education department. Another big factor was the 4Ever Texas presentation which also includes the NIL plan titled LEVERAGE. Williams is currently at Stanford for a visit and will conclude the month on an official trip to Notre Dame. The Irish are going to be the biggest competition for Texas as the Longhorns hope their pitch can win out. Williams said that he would have trips left over for likely visits to Ohio State and Alabama during the season, but one source I spoke with felt he could shut it down before he gets to the fall. Texas took a good step this weekend, but they need to stay on Williams as they face off with Notre Dame for another west coast prospect.

 

Connor Robertson
— I’d say the trip for Austin Westlake offensive lineman Connor Robertson also went well. The Longhorns have been considered a favorite since offering, and Robertson will see Stanford next week before possibly making a decision. Robertson was hosted on his visit by Jake Majors who was just granted admission to the McCombs School of Business. That was big as Robertson also wants to attend McCombs, and he received great insight from Majors during the trip.

He also mentioned that his appreciation for Kyle Flood and seeing his dad, a Texas graduate, walk onto the field at DKR for the first time were huge highlights of the trip. Texas and Stanford have been the two most talked about programs, but Robertson visited Northwestern last week and is talking to a few other programs as well. In the end, it feels like Texas is still the safe pick for Robertson and I feel comfortable sticking with my Crystal Ball.

 

Kelvin Banks
— Early in the weekend we heard some strong buzz on Humble Summer Creek offensive tackle Kelvin Banks. Texas came into the visit a childhood favorite of Banks, and Kyle Flood has been doing a sensational job recruiting offensive linemen. I’m told that Steve Sarkisian has also been a big hit with the family as well. Banks was hosted by Christian Jones and the two clicked well during the trip. I mentioned over the weekend that Banks was becoming comfortable with the city of Austin as well.

We’ve been hearing some great chatter on Banks leading into the year, and I believe Texas did a lot on the visit to solidify the top position. Keeping in mind that Banks still has a pivotal visit to Texas A&M upcoming, I’m entering a Crystal Ball for Texas with a slightly lower confidence score than normal. That trip to College Station could change the picture for Banks, but right now, I like Texas to land him.

 

Bryan Allen Jr.
— While folks might have been worried about where things stand with Bryan Allen Jr. going into the summer, I think Texas has been able to quiet any concerns. Credit Blake Gideon for the relationship he’s been able to forge with Allen and his family, and the four-star safety described the visit as “amazing”. Add in the fact that Texas recently offered his little brother Jaden Allen, and I think the Longhorns have calmed the waters for him. It also stands to reason that Texas should be considered the front runner for Jaden who accompanied his brother on the trip. I’ve also entered my first 2024 Crystal Ball in favor of the Longhorns for Jaden Allen to eventually join his brother.

 

Maalik Murphy

— Texas quarterback commit Maalik Murphy didn’t talk a lot about his experience on the trip. Instead, he wanted to focus on recruiting others to join him. Murphy made sure he talked to everyone on the trip, but he said he spent significant time with Shazz Preston, Evan Stewart and Kelvin Banks. Murphy said a few other schools have continued to contact him, but he’s totally locked in with his commitment. When I asked if he would take any other visits as some committed prospects are doing, Murphy said he didn’t think it would be a good look for him to do so as a quarterback and leader. Murphy plans to come back in the fall if he can to be with other prospects if they take official visits so he can help the staff do some recruiting.


 

Denver Harris

— Texas took its shot at five-star North Shore cornerback Denver Harris this weekend, and by all accounts everything seemed to go well. The Longhorns have a few things working in their favor including Texas being a childhood favorite and the relationship he has with Jeff Banks and Terry Joseph. Alabama is going to pose some stiff competition, but Harris’s mother likes Texas quite a bit, and Austin is very close to home.

Another factor for Texas was the presence of D’Shawn Jamison who has known Harris for a long time. He has trips to Georgia and Alabama upcoming, but Texas continues to generate some positive momentum behind the scenes. This race should drag on for a while, and Texas will be tested in the fall as LSU and Alabama will likely put up some stiff competition. Texas A&M also remains in the race, but this trip seemed to go a long way to help Texas win over Denver’s family.

 

Terrance Brooks
— When I caught up with the father of Terrance Brooks following the visit, they were just getting home and preparing for an early wakeup call. The family will finish the month with two official visits this week. Ohio State will get a trip after recently offering and Alabama will finish it out. While Texas had what was described as a great visit centered on academic excellence and a path for development under Terry Joseph, Alabama should be considered a massive threat in this one, and it’s not advantageous for Texas that the Crimson Tide gets the last shot. Nick Saban has been personally invested in this recruitment, and I’m not sure if Texas did enough to overcome what Alabama will bring to the table.

 

Shazz Preston

— Four-star St. James (LA.) WR Shazz Preston felt the love in Austin and had a strong trip. While Texas has been able to hang around in this one, it’s just hard to see them overcoming LSU for the in-state star. The Tigers are considered the favorites for good reason, and it will take a lot for Texas to win him over. Preston did say he wants to return to Austin in the fall for an unofficial visit to take in a game weekend, but it would take a massive upset for Texas to win him over.

 

Brenen Thompson

— Brenen Thompson has a busy week ahead. After taking a two-day unofficial trip to Austin, he and his crew went to College Station to see Texas A&M. The Longhorns had a good spot in this recruitment before the visit, and we are told that the trip was great for the west Texas speedster and his mother. Thompson’s mother told Nick Harris that the coaching staff was accommodating and involved, and they loved the time they spent with Jeff Banks and Steve Sarkisian along with the coaches’ significant others. Thompson and his family also spent a lot of time with offensive analyst Mike Bimonte who hauled them all around the city. With everything wrapped up, it sounds like Texas is still a very strong contender for Thompson.

 

Ashton Porter

— 2023 Cy-Ranch DL Ashton Porter said he felt at home in Austin on his unofficial trip. He said he was “speechless” during the trip just taking everything in and getting to meet the coaches. Porter will return this week for a camp to work out for the staff. He spent time with Pete Kwiatkowski watching film and showing his fit. Porter said that he’s wide open at this point, but Texas has been able to make a big impact right away. He’s been on some big visits this summer and the Texas trip seemed to catch his attention.

 

 

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50 minutes ago, BurntOrange&White said:

Does Fong even CB anything to us early or is it generally last minute? I noticed he'll CB a player to A&M quick as shit as well as LSU.

No. Because he doesn't have any sources on the Texas end, so he only gets Texas info after other folks tell him. He has really good sources on coaching staffs at LSU and aTm. 

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13 hours ago, Bevo said:

Weird vibe. I thought this was going to be our big recruiting weekend.

 

13 hours ago, Creasy Bear said:

Yeah something seems off.

 

10 hours ago, SarkAfterDark said:

This might be by design but just seems like the energy was totally different this weekend.

... based on what? Y'all there? Cause this level of hand wringing is really not warranted from some $9.95 non-updates.

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23 minutes ago, gmr548 said:

 

 

... based on what? Y'all there? Cause this level of hand wringing is really not warranted from some $9.95 non-updates.

There is a distinctive lack of "knocking it out of the park" after "rolling out the red carpet," although absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. 

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3 minutes ago, Mitch Cumsteen said:

There is a distinctive lack of "knocking it out of the park" after "rolling out the red carpet," although absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. 

Normally this would concern me as well, and I can feel it coming on, we just have to remember the situation these kids are in after all of this Covid mess. This isn't a normal, run of the mill June.

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1 hour ago, BurntOrange&White said:

Looking at our class I noticed our long snapper commit as the #1 player at his position so I clicked on the position link and got this:

image.png.43c1bd49c740a70fb1d9b6a656bcf643.png

 

 

haha

Lyle Sendlein is pissed right now.

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(Super K) Evan Stewart | Post Official Visit

Spoiler

As you know, Texas hosted 2022 5-star WR, Evan Stewart this weekend for an official visit.

Evan was accompanied on the official visit by his mother and father. After the visit, I caught up with his mother and here are some of my initial takeaways.

***After the Texas visit, Evan canceled his USC visit which was scheduled for this week. I initially thought that made a major statement about how things went at Texas but his mother said Evan was just tired from all the travel and wasn’t ready to jump right on a plane the next day (today). Sounds like that will get rescheduled.

***The visit seems to have gone really well but it doesn’t sound like a decision is imminent and I think the family would prefer it that way. They seem content having Evan take his time this time to evaluate things.

***They are taking unofficial visits to Alabama and LSU later this week. She also mentioned that, since they’re easy drives, Evan may stop by TCU and OU this week, as well.

***Since the family still hasn’t taken a ton of visits, the biggest one being Florida, I asked for a comparison between Texas and Florida. He’s been to TAMU, as well, on an unofficial but I just don’t get the sense TAMU is much of a contender.

***The family is originally from Tennessee and both Evan’s mother and father went to school Tennessee (Knoxville) and apparently they both felt that Austin reminded them a lot of Knoxville. There was some kind of familiarity in the vibe that made them comfortable.

***Also, got the sense that while Florida has done a good job building relationships between Evan, the family and the position coach, Texas has really tried to recruit Evan as a staff. Meaning, on the visit they weren’t just talking to coach Coleman, they were talking to Coleman, Sark, other coaches, and various members of the support staff.

***Additionally, while Evan has known coach Coleman for a while, I still think there was a need for additional bonding and I get the sense that connection was made stronger this weekend. It also sounds like Evan really liked the plan Texas laid out for him as far as how he fits in the scheme.

***Sark’s offensive mind is respected by the family and the staff was selling the players on the idea that they are going to bring an air attack with a SEC style run game and physical brand of football.

***I think the new facilities also stood out to Evan and his family. His mother mentioned that while Florida has plans for new facilities, at Texas they actually got to put hard hats on and go in and see the construction and imagine what it’s going to look like. Sounds like it’s going to be spectacular. Shazz Preston’s father actually mentioned the same thing in the conversation we had.

***Again, I get the sense Texas put together a really good visit. It sounds like there was a good balance of comfort, information, fun and personal connection.

***But, this race is quite a ways from being over. Evan still wants to see how the seasons play out and what the game environments are like.

***I did ask if Evan or the family have any reservations about Texas at this point and it didn’t sound like there were any. Although, I will say that in the past, Evan has mentioned that he wants to see how Sark performs this season.

***Again, expect a few unofficial visits to finish out June and then some return visits in the fall before a decision.

 

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12 minutes ago, Machinator said:

(Super K) Evan Stewart | Post Official Visit

  Hide contents

As you know, Texas hosted 2022 5-star WR, Evan Stewart this weekend for an official visit.

Evan was accompanied on the official visit by his mother and father. After the visit, I caught up with his mother and here are some of my initial takeaways.

***After the Texas visit, Evan canceled his USC visit which was scheduled for this week. I initially thought that made a major statement about how things went at Texas but his mother said Evan was just tired from all the travel and wasn’t ready to jump right on a plane the next day (today). Sounds like that will get rescheduled.

***The visit seems to have gone really well but it doesn’t sound like a decision is imminent and I think the family would prefer it that way. They seem content having Evan take his time this time to evaluate things.

***They are taking unofficial visits to Alabama and LSU later this week. She also mentioned that, since they’re easy drives, Evan may stop by TCU and OU this week, as well.

***Since the family still hasn’t taken a ton of visits, the biggest one being Florida, I asked for a comparison between Texas and Florida. He’s been to TAMU, as well, on an unofficial but I just don’t get the sense TAMU is much of a contender.

***The family is originally from Tennessee and both Evan’s mother and father went to school Tennessee (Knoxville) and apparently they both felt that Austin reminded them a lot of Knoxville. There was some kind of familiarity in the vibe that made them comfortable.

***Also, got the sense that while Florida has done a good job building relationships between Evan, the family and the position coach, Texas has really tried to recruit Evan as a staff. Meaning, on the visit they weren’t just talking to coach Coleman, they were talking to Coleman, Sark, other coaches, and various members of the support staff.

***Additionally, while Evan has known coach Coleman for a while, I still think there was a need for additional bonding and I get the sense that connection was made stronger this weekend. It also sounds like Evan really liked the plan Texas laid out for him as far as how he fits in the scheme.

***Sark’s offensive mind is respected by the family and the staff was selling the players on the idea that they are going to bring an air attack with a SEC style run game and physical brand of football.

***I think the new facilities also stood out to Evan and his family. His mother mentioned that while Florida has plans for new facilities, at Texas they actually got to put hard hats on and go in and see the construction and imagine what it’s going to look like. Sounds like it’s going to be spectacular. Shazz Preston’s father actually mentioned the same thing in the conversation we had.

***Again, I get the sense Texas put together a really good visit. It sounds like there was a good balance of comfort, information, fun and personal connection.

***But, this race is quite a ways from being over. Evan still wants to see how the seasons play out and what the game environments are like.

***I did ask if Evan or the family have any reservations about Texas at this point and it didn’t sound like there were any. Although, I will say that in the past, Evan has mentioned that he wants to see how Sark performs this season.

***Again, expect a few unofficial visits to finish out June and then some return visits in the fall before a decision.

 

Coleman just really sucks at recruiting. 

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1 hour ago, gmr548 said:

 

 

... based on what? Y'all there? Cause this level of hand wringing is really not warranted from some $9.95 non-updates.

My reply wasn’t based on 9.95 updates. But if you didn’t notice there was a clear difference between this weekend and last weekend then you aren’t paying much attention. But again that could have been by design, I’m sure the staff knows what they are doing.

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Evans’s Texas visit social posts seem to be doing twice the numbers of his Aggy posts. Also they are also out performing his Florida posts even though they’ve been up for less than 24 hours. I wonder if that’s important for a kid like that with the NIL effect looming. 

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I saw one of his posts got like 23k likes on instagram, and with CTJ (I think) indicating that some of the higher tier players potentially earning 80cents per follower, it seems like a very quick payday for someone with his following. He has over 1m followers on TikTok too. I just don't see how it doesnt make sense to him to come to Texas based on brand recognition itself.

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13 minutes ago, CastHorn said:

Evans’s Texas visit social posts seem to be doing twice the numbers of his Aggy posts. Also they are also out performing his Florida posts even though they’ve been up for less than 24 hours. I wonder if that’s important for a kid like that with the NIL effect looming. 

I'll take any advantage we can get, but it's absurd that this is a potential metric in recruiting now. I'm off to yell at clouds....

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1 hour ago, Mitch Cumsteen said:

There is a distinctive lack of "knocking it out of the park" after "rolling out the red carpet," although absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. 

spacer.png

And was not single recruit blown away and given something to think about?'

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IT Scoop:

 

Quote

 

Eric Nahlin

 
By: Justin, Gerry, and Eric

WR Evan Stewart, Liberty (Frisco, TX) - 2022: “You don’t have a position.”

That was Steve Sarkisian to Stewart this weekend. It’s the ultimate compliment. Inside receiver, outside receiver, kick/punt returner, everywhere. Texas continues to view Stewart as the must-get at receiver.

“There wasn’t anything I didn’t like,” said Stewart.

From the facilities, family atmosphere, photo shoots, and just being around the Texas players, Stewart felt at home from the start.

Stewart doesn’t have a timeline for a decision, but he’d like to wait until later this fall, when he can see a few games and visit a few more schools. Stewart is soaking up the entire process.

NIL was big. Stewart might understand Name, Image, and Likeness more than actual college coaches. If you wanted a large selling point for the Horns beyond the offense, it’s NIL.

WR Armani Winfield, Lewisville (Lewisville, TX) - 2022: After taking an official visit to Michigan State recently, the four-star pass-catcher made it to Austin on Friday and knew he was home.

He loved the atmosphere, the family vibe, and it seems like he’s had his fix of the recruiting process to this point.

Winfield says he’s locked in to Texas, and is eager to start his senior year. The staff at Lewisville have raved about Winfield’s maturity and growth this off-season.

In the staff’s eyes, Winfield is a big commitment.

WR CJ Williams, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, CA) - 2022: Bijan Robinson hosting Williams was data point #1 illustrating how much the staff covets Willaims. Data point #2 was Steve Sarkisian bringing his son, Brady, in on the visit as well. Brady Sarkisian is Williams’ teammate at Mater Dei.

With Jordan Hudson leaning hard towards SMU, it makes a lot of sense to push for Williams.

We’ll get a better handle on UT’s position with Williams in the coming days but Notre Dame was feeling confident heading into the weekend.

WR Brenen Thompson, Spearman (Spearman, TX) - 2022:

“It was all good,” said Thompson, after his unofficial visit to Texas over the weekend.

Thompson is a priority and was treated as such during his two-day unofficial visit. Steve Sarkisian, Jeff Banks, and Andre Coleman are heading this pursuit and Thompson feels the love. He received plenty of attention from Sarkisian.

Thompson hopes to return this fall, preferably during an official visit so he can watch a game on Saturdays. He began his official visit to Texas A&M today, and is schedule to make an OV to Oregon this weekend.

OL Kelvin Banks, Summer Creek (Humble, TX) - 2022: He made it back.

The Banks family arrived late Friday evening, but only took minutes to get settled in and enjoy the trip.

This recruitment feels like UT has pushed all the right buttons. Family? Check. Atmosphere? Check. Education? Check. No pressure from the staff? Check.

Texas’ pitch to Banks is pretty simple: “(Texas) wants to make sure I do what’s best for me and to make sure I know that I have a home at Texas,” said Banks.

Banks told IT how much fun his family had and spoke to Steve Sarkisian and Kyle Flood at length over the weekend. Flood sees Banks at the quintessential offensive tackle, and Banks sees Texas as a major program on the rise.

He’ll be in College Station this weekend for his Texas A&M official. UT set the bar here, now the Aggies must attempt to match.

Inside Texas remains the same as we have since the new staff had the first few conversations with Banks, this is Texas’ to lose with a decision expected prior to his senior season.

OL Connor Robertson, Westlake (Austin, TX) - 2022: It’s a pretty cool Father’s Day when your son brings you along to his official visit, to the school he grew up idolizing.

Connor’s father is a Texas Longhorn, through and through. Connor could be next.

Robertson spoke about Jake Majors and Michael Taaffe, his hosts in Austin. He’s familiar with Majors, and close friends with Taaffe, the Westlake walk-on.

Robertson loved getting to see more of the campus, and with an eye on business school, McCombs caught his attention.

At the end of the day, Texas would take both Robertson and Cole Hutson (Frisco). IT believes both of these linemen understand and accept this scenario. Each player has center/guard ability.

Let’s hope Connor returns the favor with a commitment. He tells IT he’ll likely decide in July and then shutdown the process. A trip to Stanford is all that remains June 25-27.

LB Trevell Johnson, Martin (Arlington, TX) - 2022: The three-star linebacker and Texas pledge made his way to Austin over the weekend for his official visit.

Hanging out with David Gbenda and Morice Blackwell was a joy, and he had a lot of questions answered.

“The facilities, the players, the city and the vibe,” said Johnson, about his Texas OV. “It’s everything.”

Johnson will return in the fall for a game, but for now, he’s working on 2023 teammate and Texas target Javien Toviano. Have to keep it in the family.

DB Bryan Allen, Aledo (Aledo, TX) - 2022: “The city of Austin is different than any place I’ve been to,” said Allen. There’s nothing fake or phony about the Texas staff. I love it. It's a family environment where everyone has each other's back. They are building something special in Austin and I'm excited to be a part of it.”

The Aledo four-star safety and Texas pledge thoroughly enjoyed his UT official visit over the weekend. And his brother, 2024 corner Jaden Allen, is eager for his OV when he’s a junior.

DB Denver Harris, North Shore (Galena Park, TX) - 2022: Texas put its best foot forward and did a great job of getting those in the decision tree on board with the school, scheme, and player development. Harris was in town with his mother, his father, his mother’s significant other, and his three brothers.

The significant other is Tack Minor, a former Houston area basketball standout who played at LSU. While LSU did a great job on the visit, IT still has this battle between UT and Alabama.

Anything can happen on an Alabama visit, but as of now IT would pick UT to win out. Proximity remains a positive factor.

Harris may wait until September to make the final call so this ride isn’t quite over yet. That timeline might actually help Texas with Terrance Brooks, though.

DB Terrance Brooks, Little Elm (Little Elm, TX) - 2022: Brooks had all his in person questions answered by the defensive staff, and Sarkisian. The job Terry Joseph has done with this recruitment dating back to when he was at Notre Dame can’t be oversold. A source close to Brooks said Joseph has a perfect balance of relationship, answering all the football and development questions while not bombarding Brooks. Brooks will make a decision based off where he believes he can develop, while also having the opportunity to compete for playing time right away.

Brooks is on his way to Ohio State for an official visit, and will then head to Alabama this weekend. A decision will happen prior to his senior season barring a major change in thinking. Mid-July is a strong possiblity. This recruitment remains headed for a Texas vs. Alabama decision barring Ohio State shaking things up in the next two days.

DB Bryce Anderson, Beaumont West Brook (Beaumont, TX) - 2022: Anderson had a great visit to Alabama over the weekend, as expected. He got to see up close why Alabama is the best program in college football under Nick Saban. There is an overall expectation of excellence with an extremely detail oriented and disciplined approach to everything Saban and staff do. And that is all the way down to every support staff member who was part of the visit process for the prospects. Saban was very honest with Anderson in that he would give him a chance at cornerback if that’s what the 5-foot-11.5, 186-pounder wants to do, but he sees him as a safety and star in the scheme long term. Anderson was given the opportunity to commit, but Anderson told Saban that he was going to visit Texas and finish the process before making a decision. Saban was understanding of that, and respected his honesty.

At the end of the day, IT believes Anderson is going to stay in state and go to Texas A&M or Texas barring a last minute change of heart. The Saturday afternoon through Sunday evening visit to Texas will be huge in the decision making process for Anderson. This one will come down to Steve Sarkisian having the same laser focus on Anderson on the visit that Jimbo Fisher has had since the first in-person meeting June 4. The Aggies have left zero doubt how much they covet Anderson. Now it’s Texas’ turn to show Anderson the same.

IT has had Texas in the lead in this recruitment since Sarkisian’s staff began recruiting Anderson, and now it’s all about the close for the staff.

OG Devon Campbell, Arlington Bowie (Arlington, TX) - 2022: Campbell made his official visit to Oklahoma over the weekend, and according to a source the visit “surpassed expectations.” What Oklahoma has going for them in this recruitment is staff stability, which is a key for Campbell and family. Lincoln Riley and Bill Bedenbaugh’s relationship and continuity was extremely impressive over the weekend. There is a chance Campbell could make an unofficial visit to Texas this weekend, but in talking to a source it’s less than 50-50 as of today the visit happens. Campbell will make an official visit to Texas during the season, whether he shows up this weekend in Austin or not.

OLB Justice Finkley, Hewitt-Trussville (Trussville, AL) - 2022: The priority target will take his official visit to Texas this weekend and IT believes it has the potential to be a difference maker. Finkley and his family profile well to the school and he is a major target for Pete Kwiatkowski. Alabama is a bit of an unknown in the recruitment, but IT feels great about where UT sits at the moment.

 

 
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Just now, Machinator said:

 

Lotta competition to claim #3

 

I'll attempt names, please feel free to correct/fill in blanks

T Brooks, CJ Williams, C Robertson, smvoperator, J Blue, Denver Harris, ?

B Allen, Little Sark (?), T Johnson, Shazz Preston (?), Stewart, Winfield, B Thompson

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Just now, TommyGufano said:

Lotta competition to claim #3

 

I'll attempt names, please feel free to correct/fill in blanks

T Brooks, CJ Williams, C Robertson, smvoperator, J Blue, Denver Harris, ?

B Allen, Little Sark (?), T Johnson, Shazz Preston (?), Stewart, Winfield, B Thompson

All correct, I don't know top right either though

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The latest on Bryce Anderson ahead of his final visits

Brian Perroni

 

(Jimbo: "Can you hurry up and commit, before I go on vacation????")

 

Spoiler

The latest on Bryce Anderson ahead of his final visits

Brian Perroni
 

Bryce Anderson had told the 247 network last week that he might push back his July 4 commitment date and take his Texas official at the end of July. There is randomly one week then that is not dead.

But, I heard from someone close to the recruitment that the July 4 date is still likely on. They feel Anderson will know what he wants to do after the shortened Texas visit.

Anderson will be in College Station Friday and Saturday for the state 7-on-7 tournament. He will then head to Austin after that. Depending on when West Brook loses in Saturday’s single-elimination format, it could be as early as 8 a.m. or as late as around 5 p.m.

I’ve been told it still isn’t set on whether the Texas visit will be an official or unofficial. It will likely depend on what time he gets there Saturday. Either way, the dead period goes into effect Sunday night at midnight, so he can’t stay until Monday.

I don’t know about the rumor with the supposed Saban strong-arming him or whatever from this past weekend, but I think it’s an A&M-Texas battle anyway. Texas was very much the leader heading into his A&M official but Jimbo Fisher personally took the reins of his recruitment and has the Aggies very much in it. Anderson then returned a couple days later for an unofficial. He will also make his way to campus on Friday either before or after the afternoon pool play.

This is going to be a big one to watch heading into the July 4 announcement date. Adding to it is the fact that Fisher will be out of the country on vacation in July and tough to reach. He has planned ahead and hopes to have commitment decisions before he leaves from all the guys announcing during that time. Anderson is aware of that and, if it A&M, he would commit to Fisher prior to the vacation trip.

 

 

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I like the "team picture" with recruits idea, psychologically speaking. I don't recall having seen that much before, if ever.

Don't like Nahlin continuing to stir shit about Blue. The fact that Blue was even invited this weekend and talked about being an EE should, at a minimum, lead to a slightly more optimistic interpretation of what's going on behind the scenes.

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If I'm Evan Stewart, I say to each school "Here's my Paypal.  Start shoveling money into it and on NSD I'll let you know which school won."  Then I go to Texas, which I was planning to do all along,  and use the money to buy a badass house in Austin for cash.  Three years later, the house having doubled in value, I sell it and move on to the league. 

  • Hook 'Em 2
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  • closetojumping changed the title to Texas Recruiting Notes 2022 - Idiotic Slapfights Unrelated To 2022 Recruiting

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