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Texas Recruiting Notes 2021


Reese Bennett

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18 hours ago, texifornia said:

His WalMart concert in Kodiak was legit one of the best "brand activations" (barf) I've ever seen. 

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IIRC, this was a situation where Walmart held an online vote to see where he would go, the internet decided to send him to the furthest away Walmart and the guy actually went to ALASKA for it lol

https://mashable.com/2012/07/17/pitbull-is-going-to-alaska/

Quote

 

The Internet has spoken: Pitbull is going to Alaska.

As the result of an online prank, the rapper is heading to the most-remote Walmart in the country, which is in Kodiak, Alaska. In the video above, Pitbull accepts his mission without complaint. Pitbull acknowledged that it's "due to someone who thinks he was playing a prank" that he's heading north, but added, "You gotta understand that I will go anywhere in the world for my fans."

The rapper's journey came about after David Thorpe and Jon Hendren of Something Awful hijacked a Walmart-hosted campaign last month for Energy Sheets, the caffeine-infused approximate of Listerine strips. The campaign promised fans whose city got the most "Likes" that Pitbull would visit their local Walmart. Thanks largely to Thorpe and Hendren's efforts, the Kodiak Walmart's Page now has more than 60,000 Facebook Likes — nearly 10 times the population of the entire island, according to 2010 census figures.

As the video above shows, Walmart employees in Kodiak are pumped. Meanwhile, Pitbull invited the pranksters to join him on his trip, and Thorpe crowed about his great success with a tweet reading, "Ever have one of those days where you get called out by @Pitbull and it's not even noon?"

 

 

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52 minutes ago, Laga4 said:

I long for the days of geography posts.

 

What about Weather... Yah gotta hear this reporter's voice... the 2nd half of the video is even funnier 😁

Christobal headed for SEC...

 

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Humidor: Herman’s challenging offseason continues; potential recruiting contingencies emerge

TEAM

This won’t be an offseason Tom Herman will soon forget. After a disappointing season, the normal uphill slog of refocusing the team and regaining momentum on the recruiting trail was expected. Then a pandemic stole precious time to rebuild the team mentally, technically, schematically, and physically. It also stole a massive amount of recruiting opportunity. Just as light became visible at the end of the tunnel — most likely daylight but perhaps an oncoming train — the events in Minneapolis took place, stopping America in her tracks.

Race is the most difficult subject to broach in American discourse even when emotion isn’t turned to 11 but Tom Herman did the smartest thing someone in his position could do – he sat back and listened. On Monday, a team meeting was scheduled for 45 minutes. It organically went for one hour, then two, and finally three as players “poured out their heart.” Even incoming Michigan wide receiver transfer Tarik Black, who still isn’t on campus, spoke. Herman also relaxed his preferences regarding player usage of social media. This has led to Brennan Eagles publicly contemplating sitting out the season, however sources don’t think that will happen. “Brennan is like many, he’s frustrated and knows he has a platform and wants to do something. It’s not a team message, it’s his individual message.” (Eagles will live with Sam Ehlinger this upcoming season. This will very likely be a big development.)

Players understand their platform is tied to being a University of Texas athlete. Absent that, their voice loses decibels. Many put that understanding into action on Friday during a peaceful march on the Capitol. There, Texas players Chris Brown, Marqez Bimage, Caden Sterns, and Juwan Mitchell all spoke. I asked if this past week has helped Herman endear himself with the players? “I think it has helped greatly. He’s publicly showing that he’s there for them. That meeting went a long way. Having coaches [Stan Drayton, Jay Valai, et al.] speak freely helped too.”

Quite a few current and former football players have mentioned there’s nothing like a football locker room. Despite holding a variety of opinions on an array of topics, athletes speak openly and honestly. When things are the most heated is precisely when those talks must take place. It’s not healthy to keep emotions inside, especially when pressure is rising. You need a release valve that open discourse provides. Society could stand to benefit from emulating locker rooms much more often. If it did, disingenuous political discourse meant to divide, would give way to forthright discussions designed to unite.

A couple of details:

IT: What’s the latest with new arrivals? I saw Alfred Collins was in town already.
Source: He’s been in town all week staying with players and lifting with players off campus. Groups are going to come in in waves.

IT: What’s this week look like?
Source: Starting Monday they’ll have corona testing, physicals, screenings, and physical testing. Workouts will begin the following Monday. Then the next group will come in and have corona testing, physicals, and the rest. It’s just easier to manage the new protocols like this.

IT: Anything else going on with the team?
Source: Not really. I think everyone is itching to get back to normal.

STATE OF RECRUITING

We’ve been asked about potential contingencies at positions of need so we did some asking around.

- With Hallettsville's Jonathon Brooks on board, Texas still has a RB1 spot to occupy for 2021. LJ Johnson (Cy Fair) and Camar Wheaton (Lakeview Centennial) remain 1a and 1b on the big board. UT's standing between the two stellar tailbacks is decent at best. You might see other targets emerge later in the cycle. Five-star and Ohio State pledge TreVeyon Henderson (Hopewell, VA) is still a regular on Stan Drayton's speed dial. Mayde Creek's Julius Loughridge is another name to stash. The 6-foot, 210-pound former Katy Taylor tailback tallied almost 1,600 yards and 15 touchdowns last season, with Colorado State and Nevada his main programs of interest. Lufkin's Caleb Berry is raising eyes at 6-foot, 190 pounds, and the Lufkin native holds 19 offers, including Washington, Nebraska, Arkansas, and Washington State.

- With New Orleans native Casey Cain on deck, Texas still needs at least 2-3 more receivers. UT made Royce City's Ketron Jackson's Top 8, and even though there's still time, we're feeling the Fort Worth Frogs today. Three-star Floridian Jaden Alexis (Monarch - Pompano Beach, FL) still looks great, and the staff hasn't stopped pursuing Aledo's Jojo Earle and The Woodlands' Teddy Knox. A new name to follow is Kosciusko (MS) product Antonio Harmon. The 6-foot-4, 205-pound, four-star receiver has been in contact with the Texas staff for a few weeks now and the offer was heavily anticipated. Georgia, LSU, Mississippi State, Oregon, and Ole Miss have all thrown their hats in the ring. Harmon has slowly burst on the scene despite three seasons of varsity action and one hell of a career - 66 catches, 1278 yards, 16 total scores + 104 tackles, six forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries, four tackles for loss, and three picks.

- With just Katy Taylor's Hayden Conner currently in the kitchen, UT's offensive line recruiting in this class isn't optimal. Missing out on Bellaire Episcopal’s Donovan Jackson, Richmond Foster's Reuben Fatheree, and Magnolia's Matthew Wykoff hasn’t helped. Texas is hanging around the rim for Katy Taylor's Bryce Foster and not looking good for Duncanville's Savion Byrd. What should be an ‘up cycle’ has been a downer so far. The fact Texas still looks square with the Brockermeyer twins (Fort Worth All Saints) provides hope for the position in 2021. One name to watch is Lakeview Centennial's Ezra Oyetade. The 6-foot-3, 285-pound center/guard prospect holds 20+ offers including Arizona State, Washington State, Virginia, Vanderbilt, and a handful of Ivy League institutions. Oyetade is a wide body who moves very well. He’d ideally fit at center, but obviously that’s James Brockermeyer’s scholarship if he wants it. However, Oyetade could have some ‘squatty bowling ball of butcher knives‘ to his game a la Dallas Warmack and be a solid back-up plan to Foster at guard. Highland Park's Jack Leyer is another name worth mentioning. He’s an offensive tackle in college all the way. He’d need seasoning, but noted chef Herb Hand should know how much of that to add.

- With Everman's Juan Davis as the lone tight end in UT's Class of 2021, we’re curious if Texas goes after a second TE after having Lake Travis’ Lake McRee and Atascocita’s Landen King de-commit from the class. The in-state crop is down, but one name to recall is Spring DeKaney's Var'Keyes Gumms. The 6-foot-3, 230-pounder from Louisiana was in contact with the previous staff and I'm hearing his name again as a possibility. One thing is for certain; Dickinson's Donovan Green is the must-get in that spot for 2022, especially if Davis is the only one joining the crew. Just ask @WilliamsDavid.

- With Ja'Tavion Sanders (Denton Ryan), Jordon Thomas (Port Arthur Memorial), and Derrick Harris Jr (New Caney) in the saddle, UT wants another body for the weakside defense end/Jack linebacker spot. Mansfield Timberview's Terrell Tilmon is a guy to remember. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound Oregon commit remains a possibility depending on his college projection. Derrick Harris Jr assures the Horns won’t strike out here. The staff likes him and you might see some movement in this recruitment.

September should be wild, not just for recruiting, but also evaluation. Early season tape will be important for a number of prospects.

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25 minutes ago, satyanash said:

Humidor: Herman’s challenging offseason continues; potential recruiting contingencies emerge

 

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TEAM

This won’t be an offseason Tom Herman will soon forget. After a disappointing season, the normal uphill slog of refocusing the team and regaining momentum on the recruiting trail was expected. Then a pandemic stole precious time to rebuild the team mentally, technically, schematically, and physically. It also stole a massive amount of recruiting opportunity. Just as light became visible at the end of the tunnel — most likely daylight but perhaps an oncoming train — the events in Minneapolis took place, stopping America in her tracks.

Race is the most difficult subject to broach in American discourse even when emotion isn’t turned to 11 but Tom Herman did the smartest thing someone in his position could do – he sat back and listened. On Monday, a team meeting was scheduled for 45 minutes. It organically went for one hour, then two, and finally three as players “poured out their heart.” Even incoming Michigan wide receiver transfer Tarik Black, who still isn’t on campus, spoke. Herman also relaxed his preferences regarding player usage of social media. This has led to Brennan Eagles publicly contemplating sitting out the season, however sources don’t think that will happen. “Brennan is like many, he’s frustrated and knows he has a platform and wants to do something. It’s not a team message, it’s his individual message.” (Eagles will live with Sam Ehlinger this upcoming season. This will very likely be a big development.)

Players understand their platform is tied to being a University of Texas athlete. Absent that, their voice loses decibels. Many put that understanding into action on Friday during a peaceful march on the Capitol. There, Texas players Chris Brown, Marqez Bimage, Caden Sterns, and Juwan Mitchell all spoke. I asked if this past week has helped Herman endear himself with the players? “I think it has helped greatly. He’s publicly showing that he’s there for them. That meeting went a long way. Having coaches [Stan Drayton, Jay Valai, et al.] speak freely helped too.”

Quite a few current and former football players have mentioned there’s nothing like a football locker room. Despite holding a variety of opinions on an array of topics, athletes speak openly and honestly. When things are the most heated is precisely when those talks must take place. It’s not healthy to keep emotions inside, especially when pressure is rising. You need a release valve that open discourse provides. Society could stand to benefit from emulating locker rooms much more often. If it did, disingenuous political discourse meant to divide, would give way to forthright discussions designed to unite.

A couple of details:

IT: What’s the latest with new arrivals? I saw Alfred Collins was in town already.
Source: He’s been in town all week staying with players and lifting with players off campus. Groups are going to come in in waves.

IT: What’s this week look like?
Source: Starting Monday they’ll have corona testing, physicals, screenings, and physical testing. Workouts will begin the following Monday. Then the next group will come in and have corona testing, physicals, and the rest. It’s just easier to manage the new protocols like this.

IT: Anything else going on with the team?
Source: Not really. I think everyone is itching to get back to normal.

STATE OF RECRUITING

We’ve been asked about potential contingencies at positions of need so we did some asking around.

- With Hallettsville's Jonathon Brooks on board, Texas still has a RB1 spot to occupy for 2021. LJ Johnson (Cy Fair) and Camar Wheaton (Lakeview Centennial) remain 1a and 1b on the big board. UT's standing between the two stellar tailbacks is decent at best. You might see other targets emerge later in the cycle. Five-star and Ohio State pledge TreVeyon Henderson (Hopewell, VA) is still a regular on Stan Drayton's speed dial. Mayde Creek's Julius Loughridge is another name to stash. The 6-foot, 210-pound former Katy Taylor tailback tallied almost 1,600 yards and 15 touchdowns last season, with Colorado State and Nevada his main programs of interest. Lufkin's Caleb Berry is raising eyes at 6-foot, 190 pounds, and the Lufkin native holds 19 offers, including Washington, Nebraska, Arkansas, and Washington State.

- With New Orleans native Casey Cain on deck, Texas still needs at least 2-3 more receivers. UT made Royce City's Ketron Jackson's Top 8, and even though there's still time, we're feeling the Fort Worth Frogs today. Three-star Floridian Jaden Alexis (Monarch - Pompano Beach, FL) still looks great, and the staff hasn't stopped pursuing Aledo's Jojo Earle and The Woodlands' Teddy Knox. A new name to follow is Kosciusko (MS) product Antonio Harmon. The 6-foot-4, 205-pound, four-star receiver has been in contact with the Texas staff for a few weeks now and the offer was heavily anticipated. Georgia, LSU, Mississippi State, Oregon, and Ole Miss have all thrown their hats in the ring. Harmon has slowly burst on the scene despite three seasons of varsity action and one hell of a career - 66 catches, 1278 yards, 16 total scores + 104 tackles, six forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries, four tackles for loss, and three picks.

- With just Katy Taylor's Hayden Conner currently in the kitchen, UT's offensive line recruiting in this class isn't optimal. Missing out on Bellaire Episcopal’s Donovan Jackson, Richmond Foster's Reuben Fatheree, and Magnolia's Matthew Wykoff hasn’t helped. Texas is hanging around the rim for Katy Taylor's Bryce Foster and not looking good for Duncanville's Savion Byrd. What should be an ‘up cycle’ has been a downer so far. The fact Texas still looks square with the Brockermeyer twins (Fort Worth All Saints) provides hope for the position in 2021. One name to watch is Lakeview Centennial's Ezra Oyetade. The 6-foot-3, 285-pound center/guard prospect holds 20+ offers including Arizona State, Washington State, Virginia, Vanderbilt, and a handful of Ivy League institutions. Oyetade is a wide body who moves very well. He’d ideally fit at center, but obviously that’s James Brockermeyer’s scholarship if he wants it. However, Oyetade could have some ‘squatty bowling ball of butcher knives‘ to his game a la Dallas Warmack and be a solid back-up plan to Foster at guard. Highland Park's Jack Leyer is another name worth mentioning. He’s an offensive tackle in college all the way. He’d need seasoning, but noted chef Herb Hand should know how much of that to add.

- With Everman's Juan Davis as the lone tight end in UT's Class of 2021, we’re curious if Texas goes after a second TE after having Lake Travis’ Lake McRee and Atascocita’s Landen King de-commit from the class. The in-state crop is down, but one name to recall is Spring DeKaney's Var'Keyes Gumms. The 6-foot-3, 230-pounder from Louisiana was in contact with the previous staff and I'm hearing his name again as a possibility. One thing is for certain; Dickinson's Donovan Green is the must-get in that spot for 2022, especially if Davis is the only one joining the crew. Just ask @WilliamsDavid.

- With Ja'Tavion Sanders (Denton Ryan), Jordon Thomas (Port Arthur Memorial), and Derrick Harris Jr (New Caney) in the saddle, UT wants another body for the weakside defense end/Jack linebacker spot. Mansfield Timberview's Terrell Tilmon is a guy to remember. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound Oregon commit remains a possibility depending on his college projection. Derrick Harris Jr assures the Horns won’t strike out here. The staff likes him and you might see some movement in this recruitment.

September should be wild, not just for recruiting, but also evaluation. Early season tape will be important for a number of prospects.

 

I saw there is a Surly PAC on the CR being started. How do we start the "Pay for 5 star recruits" PAC now that players can benefit from their likenesses?

With all of the lawyers on here there should be a way to fund this get the $ out to key targets once they commit to Texas. Appearance fees, branded posts etc

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8 minutes ago, ChampionshipLevelPiss said:

So what's the story on what happened with Savion Byrd? Obviously our on-the-field product wasn't particularly attractive last year but I thought I remembered us being his leader as of last summer.

Samples left for SMU

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(Rivals) Fact or Fiction: Texas A&M is hotter than Texas on the recruiting trail

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Farrell’s take: FACT. I like what A&M is doing recently and some big commitments are on the way such as Romello Brinson and others from outside the local recruiting territory. Texas continues to face issues with Tom Herman being on a bit of a hot seat. The Longhorns will get theirs and might even finish higher than the Aggies in recruiting with a good season, but right now I hear more about A&M.

Gorney’s take: FICTION. It might seem that Texas A&M is gaining some steam on the recruiting trail, but the numbers just don’t prove it and Texas still is in better shape right now. The Longhorns are four spots ahead of A&M in the early 2021 team recruiting rankings and in two of the previous three classes, Texas was ranked higher. There are two issues: Texas has recruited well (top-four classes in 2019 and 2018) and yet don’t have much to show for it on the field; and there’s at least a decent chance out-of-state programs are going to raid the state of Texas for top talent this year. This includes five-star OL Tommy Brockermeyer, who is a Texas legacy but Alabama is pushing very hard. In terms of just recruiting, Texas A&M is doing an impressive job, but Texas is still slightly better.

 

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3 minutes ago, trythisathome said:

How hard is it to just not say the n-word? Jesus Christ. 

Hard. It's in every Tupac and Biggie song I grew up listening. Willie, Violent Femes, Marley, Tupac & Biggie. That was the rotation back in the day.

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4 minutes ago, Goodman said:

Hard. It's in every Tupac and Biggie song I grew up listening. Willie, Violent Femes, Marley, Tupac & Biggie. That was the rotation back in the day.

Country, College Rock/Punk, Reggae/Folk, and Rap. That about covers it.

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6 minutes ago, Bevo said:

Country, College Rock/Punk, Reggae/Folk, and Rap. That about covers it.

HS & College 101. RKelly & Pear Jam Black was also a fav of the ladies once they were in the web. They were replaced by Jack Johnson in the early 2000's.

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Horns 247 / Mike Roach / Mike at Night: Loads of nuggets on WR recruiting

 

Spoiler

Mike at Night: Loads of nuggets on WR recruiting

MikeRoach
 

—I saw McKinney North wide receiver JJ Henry in a training session today. The three-star wideout is in no hurry to end his recruitment. He understands that his attention is picking up and he will have some leverage going into the fall. With that in mind, he plans to wait out his visits and see his options before shutting things down. He did say that his relationship with Texas is going well. He feels that wide receivers coach Andre Coleman is genuine and he spoke of how honest he is with him. Tom Herman has also been involved in this recruitment along with Mike Yurcich, so Texas is getting a strong push. Texas sees Henry as a guy who can play inside or outside and Texas should get a serious look once visits are back in.

—I also saw 2022 Texas target Evan Stewart today. The Frisco speedster said that Jay Valai is the guy he primarily speaks with. Stewart is excited to see a Texas game once visits are back on, and he was supposed to contact Mike Yurcich tonight for a chat. It sounds like Oklahoma and TCU are the other schools Stewart hears from the most. There’s still quite a ways to go but Texas is positioning itself well.

—I spoke to a source close to Kosicusko (MS) wide receiver Antonio Harmon today. The new Texas offer is excited the Longhorns are in the race, and I’m told he and some other prospects are planning to visit Austin in July. Obviously, the dead period will still be in place at that time, so the only thing they can do is get around and see the city. Another source I spoke with said Harmon has strong ties to Ole Miss and the Rebels are the favorite, but Texas is now a real contender.

—I checked in today with a source near LSU commit JoJo Earle. I was told there is a belief Earle might be open to looking around and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him take his share of visits in the fall. As I mentioned a few weeks ago, Texas is still in sporadic contact with Earle. This may be a long game but Texas needs to just keep working on chipping away and maybe they can put themselves into position if he opens things up.

—I checked in on Alabama graduate transfer Tyrell Shavers. Texas reached out to some people close to the Lewisville native to do some preliminary investigating, but to my knowledge, Texas has yet to reach out to him at this point. That’s a situation we are monitoring closely. It’s likely going to be an issue of working out numbers to see if they can take him right away before they move on it.

 

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1 minute ago, JerryHubbard said:

Is there a statute of limitations on saying racially insensitive shit? How far back do we dig on folks?

Not using racial slurs to refer to recruits/players (especially not saying them to the recruit in question) seems like a pretty low bar to clear but what do I know

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20 minutes ago, JerryHubbard said:

I’m not really referring solely to the above story.

Just curious if a coach said something 30 yrs ago, would it be a career killer now?

A big part of this whole deal is that racist bullshit is reprehensible and has been far too often excused and covered up and your question is “well if it happened before these protests is it a possibility that we just excuse it or cover it up instead of thinking it’s bad?” Jesus christ

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9 minutes ago, The Earl of Texas said:

Hey instead of posting go fuck yourself you stupid shitheel

That was certainly a well thought out, intelligent response.

No one is condoning his use of a racial slur. My question was pretty basic - how far back do we dig on people? At what point do we forgive people for past transgressions who have not demonstrated a continual pattern?

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3 minutes ago, JerryHubbard said:

That was certainly a well thought out, intelligent response.

No one is condoning his use of a racial slur. My question was pretty basic - how far back do we dig on people? At what point do we forgive people for past transgressions who have not demonstrated a continual pattern?

How do you know for certain this is the only time Scalley has used that language?

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Just now, ChampionshipLevelPiss said:

How do you know for certain this is the only time Scalley has used that language?

Obviously we don’t. It looks like Utah has hired outside counsel to investigate him.

But either way, he is toast.

People say and do stupid shit during their lives. We all have. How accountable do we hold people for past sins? How far back do we look?

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18 minutes ago, The Earl of Texas said:

A big part of this whole deal is that racist bullshit is reprehensible and has been far too often excused and covered up and your question is “well if it happened before these protests is it a possibility that we just excuse it or cover it up instead of thinking it’s bad?” Jesus christ

I said nothing of the kind. 

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13 minutes ago, JerryHubbard said:

That was certainly a well thought out, intelligent response.

No one is condoning his use of a racial slur. My question was pretty basic - how far back do we dig on people? At what point do we forgive people for past transgressions who have not demonstrated a continual pattern?

In my view, it's entirely dependent on how old the person was at the time. A 16 year-old tweeting it out? Stupid, but that shouldn't ruin a career. But Scalley was a 34 year-old man when he said that. His views were fully formed and he should have had the basic awareness to know that's never acceptable, especially considering that 2013 wasn't exactly another era when it comes to the acceptability of saying the n-word. 

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