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Teryor

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  1. 1 hour ago, satyanash said:

    Has OnTexasFootball pretty much killed this thread's traffic?

    Eric Nahlin: Sunday afternoon Texas recruiting intel after attending 7 on 7 and training session

    (Justin Wells) Recruiting Notebook: Detailed evaulation for Alvin (Texas) Shadow Creek WR Jacorey Watson

    Joe Cook: 2025 WR Andrew Marsh talks recruitment, relationship with Texas, timeline

     

    I personally just hate the bullshit fluff interview articles which it feels like 90% of the current January-present content has been and thus I don't post the 247 ones because I assume that's a majority opinion. We all know they mean nothing but if people want them it's pretty much no effort to copy/paste it for others so happy to do so.

    • Hook 'Em 2
  2. 5 minutes ago, BurntOrange&White said:

    I know it's not likely us but just out of general curiosity he could transfer to use and be immediately eligible since we're technically not SEC until July 1st?

    I can't find the source on it because it's way too hard to Google, but I know it's been discussed in this forum and have found anecdotal "the Oklahoma Rivals guy confirmed it" along with this SECRant thread that says Andy Staples confirmed they would not be immediately eligible

  3. Khan Jr: Houston Confidential: Who’s recruiting the city best? We asked high school football coaches

    Interesting to hear from Houston coaches given the heat map I think CJ Vogel made on Texas recruiting under Sark and how few Houston recruits we seem to land relatively

    Quote

    Last month, Houston was the center of the college football universe, hosting the final national championship game of the four-team College Football Playoff era.

    But no matter what time of year it is, Houston is a key city in the sport’s landscape. The greater Houston area produces as much college football talent as anywhere in the country. Of the 351 Texas prospects ranked in the 247Sports Composite in the 2024 class, 99 are from the Houston metro area. Fifty-six of those Houston prospects signed with Power 5 programs, and at least 94 earned scholarships to FBS schools.

    To get a sense of who recruits Houston the best and how the sport’s biggest changes are impacting the city’s recruiting dynamics, The Athletic spoke with eight high school coaches in every corner of the metro area, from Houston proper to the suburbs, on various topics. They were granted anonymity in exchange for their candor.

    Coach 1: A high school head coach
    Coach 2: A high school head coach
    Coach 3: A high school assistant coach
    Coach 4: A high school head coach
    Coach 5: A high school assistant coach
    Coach 6: A high school head coach
    Coach 7: A high school assistant coach
    Coach 8: A high school head coach

    Which programs in the state do the best job recruiting the Houston area?
    Coach 1: Texas A&M, Texas Tech and Texas. Texas A&M has done a pretty good job in the last few years of trying to lock Houston down.

    Coach 2: Texas A&M and Texas. They all get around: Baylor, Texas Tech, TCU, UTSA, Abilene Christian, they’re all over Houston.

    Coach 3: Texas Tech. Their coaches are always checking up (on recruits). They’re aggressive and going and getting ’em.

    Coach 4: Rice, Baylor and TCU.

    Coach 5: Coach (Willie) Fritz, as soon as he got to Houston, his guys were very visible all around the Houston area. It’s a difference, immediately, from what we’ve seen in the past. Rice is a lot more visible, too. Of course, Texas and Texas A&M are always going to be around, TCU, Texas Tech, Texas State, UTSA.

    Coach 6: Texas, Texas Tech, TCU, Houston all come by. Each school has a different coach that is a really good recruiter who does a good job of staying in contact, whether you have (their caliber) players or not.

    Coach 7: In the last cycle we’ve seen Texas, Texas A&M and Houston the most. Texas has gone above and beyond in the last 9-10 months to make sure the big guys in Houston stay in Texas.

    Coach 8: UTSA and North Texas have done a great job. Houston has done a pretty good job, both the previous staff and the new staff.

    Which programs would you like to see more of?
    Coach 1: SMU, I think they’ve tried to lock down Dallas more. Houston (also), but they’ve done a better job of late since Willie Fritz came in.

    Coach 2: Prairie View A&M and Texas Southern don’t come by as much.

    Coach 3: Before GJ Kinne took over it was Texas State. In five years (at my previous school), I saw them one time. But since Kinne got there, they’ve been coming by. A&M didn’t come by as much under Jimbo (Fisher). They mostly only called on the phone. I guess they had better things to do than go by every school and probably just concentrated on what they were doing.

    Coach 4: I’d like to see A&M more. I didn’t even know who the A&M recruiter was for my area (under Fisher), and I’ve had some A&M-worthy guys.

    Coach 5: The one we haven’t seen a bunch of is Sam Houston.

    Coach 6: When an A&M coach came through (recently), it was only the second time I’ve seen an A&M coach come through in four years. Georgia, Alabama, Oklahoma all come by here at least once a year, sometimes twice. Texas comes by here, and the rest of the state schools as well. So to have A&M an hour and a half away and not stop by was just ridiculous.

    Coach 8: I haven’t seen Texas Southern or Prairie View come through. I don’t know if they just gave it up or what. It makes no sense.

    How is the approach of Mike Elko and his staff different from Jimbo Fisher and his staff?
    Coach 1: (The new staff) has been out there. They’ve focused more on the state of Texas, whereas before with Jimbo, they trended to more national recruiting. It sounds like they’re going less (recruiting) stars and trying to focus more on getting kids who love ball, quality kids. That better fits Elko’s personality.

    Coach 2: I’ve seen Elko more than I saw Jimbo Fisher. I saw Elko a couple times (since December) whereas I met Jimbo Fisher one time in all the years that he was at A&M.

    Coach 3: They’ve gotten out. (Running backs coach) Trooper Taylor came by recently and watched our offseason workouts. They’re going into schools a lot more.

    Coach 5: It’s about the same from everything we’ve seen. Coach Elko came by in December to talk to us. It looks like the early returns are pretty good there.

    Coach 6: The new staff is so much more personable. The (assistant) coach from the previous staff that (was assigned) our area, I felt had a kind of a big-timer approach. I don’t think Jimbo ever connected with the high school coaches. Their recruiting approach did not follow the traditional path … it was more about finding the who’s who, signing big-named guys and not truly evaluating them. I think Elko has a little more blue-collar approach and will connect and resonate with the high school coaches. When they came by (recently), they had a great approach.

    Coach 8: The previous staff recruited us pretty hard. But I think the new staff probably has a better grasp on how to recruit the state of Texas and Houston than the previous staff did. I don’t think the previous staff, particularly the head coach, understood how it works here.

    Which of the Group of 5 programs in Texas do the best job?
    Coach 2: UTSA and Texas State do a great job. They’re really good about building relationships with kids and coaches. They’re active and always come by.

    Coach 3: UTSA. They’re all over it. They always visit, they call, they have a good social media presence, they even send the kids old-school mail.

    Coach 4: UTSA and Rice. Coach (Mike) Bloomgren and his staff do a tremendous job of building relationships. They stop by your school even if you don’t have anyone they’re interested in.

    Coach 5: UTSA. Rice has been around a lot in the last year. Texas State has done a pretty good job since Kinne took over. You see them a whole lot more than you did before that. And it’s not a huge sample size yet, but since (Scotty Walden) got there, UTEP has been all over the place.

    Coach 6: Rice and UTSA. I think Bloomgren does a tremendous job. (Jeff) Traylor’s staff, for a school at the G5 level, they’re working it. And they do it with a personable approach. Some schools, it’s more like they’re checking off the list and shaking hands because they have to and it’s not genuine. With UTSA, it feels genuine.

    Coach 7: UTSA has done the best job around here. Rice, with (linebackers coach) Jon Kay knowing everybody, has done well. He’s not one of those guys who’s like, “Hey, I know you, so I’m not going to come by.” He still comes by and spends an hour, two hours, talking to coaches, expressing what they need and are looking for. North Texas is doing a good job as well, (special teams coach) Drew Svoboda recently came by and spent a couple of hours.

    Coach 8: UTSA, North Texas and Rice.


    UTSA’s Jeff Traylor, an East Texas high school coaching legend, remains an influential player in Houston recruiting. New UH coach Willie Fritz (right) will now be battling him for local talent. (Matthew Hinton / USA Today)
    Which head coach in the state is the best recruiter?
    Coach 1: (Texas’ Steve Sarkisian). He gets it. He can talk (to players), he knows what he wants. He has that charisma and he’s relentless.

    Coach 2: Sarkisian does a good job. Joey McGuire does a good job. They try to be personable and get to know the kids and the coaching staffs.

    Coach 3: Jeff Traylor and Joey McGuire are good. Those guys have been around Texas for so long. Willie Fritz is on a roll. I see pictures all over the internet of Willie at this high school, Willie at that high school.

    Coach 4: Jeff Traylor. Personable, great all-around guy. Long term, I think it’ll end up being Willie Fritz. He’s a people person. I had heard nothing but great things about him and when I finally got to meet him, we sat and talked for about an hour and a half. He even offered me some advice as well.

    Coach 5: Sark’s doing a good job. How much of that is actual recruiting and how much of that is because we can offer a lot more collective money? But that’s kinda the deal nowadays. But he’s getting a lot of kids.

    Coach 6: I gotta say Joey (McGuire). Joey just makes you feel relaxed because he was one of us. He’s really genuine. Lots of energy.

    Coach 7: Jeff Traylor.

    Coach 8: Mike Bloomgren at Rice and Colby Carthel at Stephen F. Austin both do a great job. Bloomgren is the most visible to me. Also, I think Scotty Walden and the new staff at UTEP are going to do a great job.

    Which assistant coaches in Texas stand out to you in recruiting?
    Coach 1: (Texas special teams coach) Jeff Banks is the guy. From what I was told, they send Banks to see the top guys. (Texas safeties coach) Blake Gideon does a good job.

    Coach 2: Paul Gonzales at TCU and Joe Price at UTSA. Roger Hinshaw at Houston Christian is a legend. Clay Jennings at North Texas as well.

    Coach 3: Banks is so darn good at it. He was really good when he was at A&M and he’s really good at Texas. Joe Price, he’s really good about keeping tabs. Shawn Bell at Houston, who used to be at Baylor. He would stop by even if it wasn’t one of his (assigned) schools.

    Coach 4: Joe Price at UTSA and (director of recruiting) Justin Owens at North Texas. They both do a great job of staying in contact and following up on players. Alex Brown, (general manager) at SMU, is also definitely up there.

    Coach 5: Bradley Dale Peveto, who was at UTEP but is at Texas State now, he’s recruited the state well for years and years. Joe Price always does a pretty good job. Jon Kay at Rice is very visible and around.

    Coach 6: Paul Gonzales at TCU has always been solid. He does his due diligence, is very transparent about, “I don’t know if we’ll (offer) him,” or “Hey, we really like him.” … Matt Powledge, Baylor’s (defensive coordinator) is also open and honest about where they are with guys. (Texas Tech running backs coach Justin Johnson), he’s an energy guy, does a great job with the kids. He’s always been real. AJ Milwee, Texas’ quarterback coach, has been great. Every time he comes by here, he’s spending a minimum of two hours and we’re just talking. Blake Gideon recruits here as well and is very good.

    Coach 7: (Texas offensive line coach Kyle) Flood has done an amazing job. He’s been by here an ungodly amount of times, been on the (whiteboard). When (defensive line coach Bo Davis) was at Texas, he did a phenomenal job recruiting this area. (Baylor outside linebackers coach) Caleb Collins has done a fantastic job. He’s been by here religiously, the second-most behind Flood.

    Coach 8: Shawn Bell over at Houston. I like Drew Svoboda at North Texas. Joe Price at UTSA comes to my school a lot.


    Steve Sarkisian and his staff have helped Texas remain a major player in Houston. (Sara Diggins / American-Statesman / USA Today)
    Which out-of-state program does the best job in Houston?
    Coach 1: Utah. Morgan Scalley is the best out-of-state recruiter. He doesn’t wait. He offers guys who don’t have any offers who are ball players. If Scalley offers you on Friday, by Monday you have Baylor, TCU and a bunch of others coming back behind.

    Coach 2: Oklahoma is always around. Oregon comes by a lot and they’ve done that for a while. LSU is always around, too.

    Coach 3: Nebraska. Matt Rhule’s got them all over here. He hired Garret McGuire and (former UIL executive director) Susan Elza, all those Texas people.

    Coach 4: Oklahoma and LSU are probably the top two. Arizona State does a good job in Houston as well.

    Coach 5: You can’t knock what Georgia’s done. They’ve come in here and grabbed a couple of five-stars recently. Ohio State has done a really good job here in Houston.

    Coach 6: Kansas. Jonathan Wallace, the running backs coach, is one of my favorite recruiters. Very honest, very personable, just has a good vibe to him. And the head coach (Lance Leipold) has been through, I really like him.

    Coach 7: Oklahoma has been down here the most. They brought Brent Venables through. … (The head coach has) only so many visits and places he can go and people he can see. So when he takes time out of his day to stop by, it sends a powerful message. (Arkansas coach) Sam Pittman came by and sat for an hour and a half and just talked. It’s a great way to build a bridge and show the kids how important they really are to them.

    Coach 8: Oklahoma brings it. I consider them Texas North. They send a lot of guys, they know where to go and they’ve always done a good job of getting Houston kids to go up there.

    Have you seen more of Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, Utah since they announced their move to the Big 12?
    Coach 1: Arizona State has been here a lot. It used to be just (cornerbacks coach) Bryan Carrington but now all their position coaches come through. Arizona has come by, but Arizona State has been by more. I haven’t seen the Colorado staff at all (during the winter contact period).

    Coach 2: Not really. Utah has always recruited here; (defensive coordinator) Morgan Scalley does a great job. Arizona State is here. But I haven’t seen a big increase (in those schools).

    Coach 3: The two Arizona schools, they’ve been by (more often).

    Coach 4: I love Deion (Sanders) and what he’s about, but I haven’t seen anyone from Colorado come to my school since he took over. I used to see coaches from Colorado come by before (Sanders), but not now. Arizona State, Carrington contacts me quite a bit. Utah, I’ve seen Scalley a whole bunch and also (cornerbacks coach Sharrieff) Shah.

    Coach 6: Arizona did a good job of coming out. (Former defensive backs coach) Chuck Cecil has always come by here and did a great job before he moved into an off-field role. Utah has always come through. Arizona State came through with (Ra’Shaad) Samples, before they knew they were coming to the Big 12.

    Coach 7: I have not seen Colorado at all. The DC from Utah (Scalley) has always recruited Houston well. I’ve seen Arizona a little bit. Bryan Carrington (from Arizona State) came by also.

    Coach 8: Yes, especially Arizona State. I’ve seen them at my school every year I’ve been here. Utah has always recruited Houston; I’ve known Morgan Scalley for years. I haven’t seen Arizona much. I haven’t seen Colorado at all in the last year.

    go-deeper
    GO DEEPER

    Recruiting confidential: High school football stars dish on NIL deals, arrogant coaches and more

    How much will Texas’ move to the SEC affect the dynamics of recruiting in Houston?
    Coach 1: I think it’s going to hurt A&M a lot because that was their one-up on Texas.

    Coach 2: I don’t think it’ll affect it at all. The Texas and Texas A&M brands are so big. The top kids want to go there anyway.

    Coach 5: With Houston’s proximity to the Southeast, I don’t think it’s going to change that much. SEC schools have always come down to Houston to try to get the top targets.

    Coach 6: Those three letters, S-E-C, are a big deal. When you talk about a school that is where they are money-wise, brand power and you add the SEC to that recipe, I think it’s going to bode well for Texas. I think you’re going to see an uptick in Houston kids going to the SEC, even to the out-of-state schools, too. They can say, “Hey, we’re truly coming to Texas” (to play Texas and Texas A&M). So I could see some of those out-of-state SEC schools more than just dip their toe in Houston.

    Coach 7: It’s gonna be hard for the University of Houston to get the big guys from the city of Houston. It’ll make it harder for them to survive in the Big 12. They used to get one or two or three developmental-type guys, like (former UH and current Houston Texans tackle) Josh Jones, a lot of those guys are gonna get eaten up by SEC schools.

    How much has NIL changed your role in the recruiting process?
    (Although NIL is often discussed during a recruitment, Texas state law prohibits high school athletes from monetizing their name, image and likeness, meaning they must wait until they are enrolled at their chosen college before cashing in.)

    Coach 1: You have to discuss it with the kid and their parents. You have to be aware. It’s so unregulated, and every school is different, so it’s hard to compare. But you have to talk about it. We try to educate about financial literacy, taxes, stuff like that. If you don’t do it, somebody else will.

    Coach 2: Not at all. College coaches don’t talk to me about NIL, they talk to the kids and the families. I have not had one conversation with a college coach about any kind of NIL offer.

    Coach 3: We’ve had to deal with it here. We had a kid who was committed and started shopping himself around and got a lot more money. We have to talk these guys through the process. It’s a game-changer.

    Coach 4: I talk to our kids about it. It’s a motivator for them to keep their grades up if they’re going to be the type of player to get an NIL deal. If the ability to make money (in college) doesn’t motivate you to do even better academically, then nothing else will.

    Coach 6: My only communication with my kids is: I know it seems like a lot of money, but you’re going to be able to make that up tenfold at the next level on Sundays, so don’t make your decision based on that. Make the decision based on where you want to be. Don’t choose a school just because all of a sudden someone offered you more. Take all the money out and ask yourself, “Where would I want to be?” and let your heart guide you a little bit.

    Coach 7: It’s made us talk more sincerely to our players about their reputation, their Twitter profile, that they’re putting on there, what kind of name they’re making for themselves and what kind of image they’re projecting. Before, it was like, “Hey, when you go to college, you want to make sure you keep your reputation clean, because eventually someone’s going to want to draft you.” Now, we’ve sped the whole thing up. Talking to people who have paid out NIL money, there were a lot of questions asked about who they’re paying. They want to make smart investments.

    Coach 8: That’s for the kid and their parents to decide. I want to stay neutral as much as I can because that’s not my money.

     

    • Hook 'Em 5
  4. 15 minutes ago, CashMcCoy said:

    Raja Bell’s son. Burned in my memory from the Spurs-Suns rivalry of the mid 2000s.

    It's been pretty funny hearing him talk about Dia on Bill Simmons' pod from like 5 years ago and how the kid seemed like he was leaning towards football and now he's ended up as this level of recruit. 

    Side note: Basically all of those visit days are on weekdays. I get he might have a week off for Spring Break but especially when you add in travel that's a lot of school to miss. 

    • Hook 'Em 1
  5. Stampede: Recruiting outlook for UT's regional rivals

    Quote

    This morning we're taking a look around the regional landscape as it pertains to Texas' rivals and how their 2025 classes are currently constructed. We'll dive into the outlooks for Texas A&M, which currently ranks No. 25 in the 247Sports Composite Team Recruiting Rankings, and Oklahoma (with the help of our friend Collin Kennedy), which currently sits at the No. 5 spot as things stand. 

    Of course we'll do the same temperature check for Texas, which currently ranks No. 14 in the nation, with just five commitments. 

    What we're doing is taking a look at the current commitment makeup of each rival program and the latest on those recruitments, each Crystal Ball that's already been logged in favor of each program, as well as three recruits each school is currently trending for but not yet according to the Crystal Ball. 

    Keep in mind, this isn't a recruiting board or top targets list for each school. It's simply where things stand (in a brief snapshot) for the Longhorns' two biggest rival programs. 

    Let's get started! 

    Not a VIP member of Horns247? Sign up today and get your first month for just $1! 

    TEXAS A&M OUTLOOK
    Kelvion Riggins
    Texas A&M commit Kelvion Riggins. (Photo: Andrew Hattersley , 247Sports)
    Commits:

    Katy Paetow four-star cornerback Deyjhon Pettaway

    Forney three-star linebacker Kelvion Riggins

    Houston LSSS three-star interior offensive lineman Joshua Moses


    The skinny:

    — For over a year prior to announcing his commitment to the Aggies, one of the worst kept secrets across the Houston recruiting scene was that Deyjhon Pettaway was going to end up at either Oklahoma or Texas A&M. With Pettaway being half brothers with 2023 Texas A&M linebacker signee Daymion Sanford and cousins with 2023 Oklahoma wide receiver signee Jaquaize Pettaway, his recruitment was completely run by the Sooners and the Aggies as soon as both schools offered. As soon as the Mike Elko staff took office in College Station, the Aggies immediately retained all momentum that had been left over from the Jimbo Fisher staff and landed a commitment from the Top247 prospect rather quickly on Jan. 27. While the Longhorns were among plenty of programs that initially liked Pettaway due to his sub 10.8 track speed, he ultimately doesn’t fit what Texas tends to recruit at cornerback from a size perspective and because of that Texas never offered Pettaway. 

    — Like plenty of other programs from across the nation, Texas was early to offer Kelvion Riggins in the summer going into his sophomore season. However as the cycle continued other linebacker targets like Riley Pettijohn, Elijah Barnes, and Anthony “Deuce” Williams began to emerge higher on Texas’ board and ultimately both sides had gone their separate ways by the time Riggins announced his commitment to Texas A&M on Jan. 26. Riggins’ last time at Texas was during the January Junior Day in 2023. 

    — Texas never expressed any interest in Joshua Moses which is somewhat interesting due to Moses fitting what Kyle Flood typically covets in offensive linemen as the three-star prospect has massive size at 6-foot-3, 315 pounds. While I’ve personally never spoken with Moses, I remember a source telling me Texas A&M was Moses’ dream school growing up and that the Aggies effectively sealed the deal when they were one of the first schools to offer Moses. 


    Andrew Marsh. (Photo: Collin Kennedy, 247Sports)
    Crystal balls:

    N/A

    Trending for:

    Katy Jordan four-star wide receiver Andrew Marsh

    Bellville four-star defensive lineman DJ Sanders

    DeSoto four-star running back Deondrae Riden

    The skinny: 

    — Andrew Marsh grew up rooting for the Aggies but for the majority of the last year Texas A&M has been behind the curve in the recruitment due to the Jimbo Fisher staff being late to offer among other things. Mike Elko’s best move since arriving in College Station was poaching Holmon Wiggins from Alabama, and the move has immediately paid off as the Aggies are the leader in the recruitment according to a longtime Houston source. Wiggins and Elko have prioritized Marsh as WR1 in the class and ultimately the Aggies have the most variables going in their favor as well. I don’t see a decision coming anytime soon and expect Marsh to announce a commitment later on in the cycle. While I wouldn’t be surprised to see Marsh’s recruitment eventually turn into a rollercoaster, I do think the Aggies are set up the best down the stretch out of any programs currently in the hunt. 

    — Bellville’s DJ Sanders has had one of the more quiet recruitments out of the top prospects in the state this cycle as the nation’s No. 146 overall prospect has consistently kept a low profile on social media and hasn’t taken very many visits either. Sources have long thought it would be a classic in-state battle between the Longhorns and the Aggies, but as time has gone on more and more sources have begun to lean towards Texas A&M. Visits in the future and timing of the decision could certainly effect how this holds, but at least for now this one appears to be trending towards College Station. 


    Deondrae Riden. (Photo: Jordan Scruggs, 247Sports)
     

    — It feels like momentum has shifted rather quickly in the recruitment of Deondrae Riden, and largely in part due to the coaching staff change in College Station. The Aggies are recruiting Riden harder than any other school currently is, and on the same end of the stick he’s A&M’s highest priority at running back. Buzz between the Aggies and Riden started up when he took his first visit to College Station under the new staff, and since then there hasn’t been much talk of other programs. Of the schools in the recruitment, the Aggies have the biggest need at the position. It’s also important to note that because of how Jimbo Fisher’s tenure in College Station ended, the Elko staff has a smaller pool of prospects to recruit than other programs due to plenty of recruits essentially already shutting the door on the Aggies before Fisher was even fired. Because of that, the margin for error is much smaller and the necessity to land Riden is amplified due to other options at the position not being nearly as talented of a prospect. Like Marsh and Sanders, Riden could easily fall into the “can’t miss” category for the Aggies. -- Scruggs 

    OKLAHOMA OUTLOOK
    Commits:

    Millwood four-star wide receiver Jaden Nickens

    Checotah four-star wide receiver Elijah Thomas

    Carl Albert three-star athlete Trynae Washington

    Bridgeland three-star offensive tackle Ryan Fodje

    Carl Albert three-star athlete Marcus James

    Carl Albert three-star quarterback Kevin Sperry

    Lee’s Summit North three-star defensive lineman Ka'Mori Moore

    Ennis three-star wide receiver Gracen Harris

    Melissa three-star interior lineman Owen Hollenbeck

    Wagoner three-star edge Alexander Shieldnight

    The skinny: 

    — Oklahoma got its class going in the cycle with a pledge from Kevin Sperry. A signal caller in the 2025 class who committed to the Sooners when OU didn’t have a ‘25 or even a 2024 commit, Sperry has been the leader of the cycle.

    — Oklahoma prioritized an early push for the 2025 cycle and that paid off in the form of its wide receiver commits. Two in-state wideouts in Jaden Nickens and Elijah Thomas are the lone four-stars of OU’s current class. Nickens is a 6-foot-4 true outside receiver type while Thomas is an athletic playmaker who can provide some versatility. Rounding out the group is Gracen Harris, likely a slot player at the next level, and Trynae Washington who’s set to be a flex tight end type at Oklahoma.

    Oklahoma commit Ryan Fodje. (Photo: Collin Kennedy, 247Sports)
     

    — Oklahoma has two offensive line commits at this time. Owen Hollenbeck is a guard at Melissa who’s the center take in the class. Ryan Fodje out of Bridgeland is the teammate of Texas target Jonte Newman, another promising front line talent out of the program.

    — Oklahoma has been pushing to overhaul its defensive line since the new staff took over. The two front liners currently committed are a pair of three-stars in in-state Alexander Shieldnight and Ka’Mori Moore in the state of Missouri.

    — The last commit to mention for Oklahoma is Marcus James. Listed as an athlete in the 247Sports database, he’ll play inside linebacker at the next level. Many feel James can add plenty of weight to the frame while maintaining an athletic profile that should translate well to the position. 

    Crystal balls:

    Galveston Ball four-star linebacker Jonah Williams

    Carl Albert four-star cornerback Trystan Haynes

    Shadow Creek four-star cornerback Cobey Sellers

    Fort Bend Christian Academy edge Max Granville

    Atascocita four-star running back Tory Blaylock

    Bauxite three-star safety Marcus Wimberly

    The skinny: 

    — There was every reason, coming out of Jonah Williams’ most recent visit to Oklahoma, for a pick to be put in. But there’s a reason I didn’t. The forgotten concept at times in recruiting is the counter punch. There’s strong belief behind the scenes that high level programs are going to be fighting to regain momentum, certainly something to monitor.

    —Trystan Haynes is essentially the last Power Five caliber recruit at Carl Albert not committed to Oklahoma. The Sooners brought in Xavier Robinson in 2024 and currently hold commitments from Kevin Sperry, Trynae Washington and Marcus James. Haynes is a talenter corner who has several connections to the program, he’s a must get for the Sooners.


    Cobey Sellers. (Photo: Jordan Scruggs, 247Sports)
     

    — Cobey Sellers has long had a strong connection with OU’s staff. His most recent visit really seemed to push things over the edge. Sellers likely won’t wind things down soon, but OU appears to be in prime position.

    — Max Granville went into his last Oklahoma trip with plenty of questions about the program. The Sooners’ staff was able to answer them while providing much more during a visit in Norman. This is a recruitment that’s likely far from over as blue blood programs ramp up pursuit, but Granville is one of the top priorities for OU across the cycle.

    — Tory Blaylock wasn’t necessarily seen as someone who OU was towards the top for going into his last visit in Norman. Out of that trip, though, the immediate feedback indicated a lead built for the Sooners’ staff.

    — Marcus Wimberly has picked up a number of predictions that favor OU, but this is another that I’ve held off a pick for a reason. There are a number of other safety targets still on the board for Oklahoma, and at a time where scholarships may be limited, OU has to be careful with its timing. 

    Trending for:

    Denton Ryan four-star offensive tackle Ty Haywood

    Weatherford four-star edge CJ Nickson

    Frisco Emerson three-star cornerback Maliek Hawkins

    The skinny: 

    — The 2025 cycle is one that Oklahoma has to land a quality offensive line haul, especially when you consider the amount of talent at the position in the region. Ty Haywood feels like the most likely land at this time among the top tackles in the area and latest hearings indicate momentum in OU’s favor.

    — A top-50 prospect nationally at a premium position who resides in-state, CJ Nickson is another recruit who feels like one Oklahoma has to close on. A highly regarded basketball prospect as well, the Sooners hosted the four-star for a visit that kept up the idea that this might ultimately be the landing spot.

    — The son of former Oklahoma safety Mike Hawkins and the younger brother of current OU quarterback Michael Hawkins, there are several programs that recognize the one program that might be able to pull the youngest Hawkins away from Oklahoma is Texas, but even then it still feels like an unlikely scenario. -- Sooners Illustrated's Collin Kennedy 

    TEXAS OUTLOOK

    Texas QB commit KJ Lacey. (Photo: Jason Caldwell, 247Sports)
    Commits:

    Calhoun (GA) four-star tight end Emaree Winston

    Texarkana (TX) Pleasant Grove four-star defensive lineman Lance Jackson

    Saraland (AL) four-star quarterback KJ Lacey

    Melbourne (FL) Eau Gallie three-star defensive lineman Brandon Brown

    Pearland Shadow Creek three-star linebacker Anthony "Deuce" Williams

    The skinny:

    — Tight end is a big need in the class of 2025 for Texas, so it’s no surprise that the Longhorns went out and added Winston early in the cycle. Texas turned up the heat in the Georgia native’s recruitment in the fall before hosting him during the Red River Shootout followed by a trip to Austin for the Kansas State game. He and his family were immediately sold. Once UT special teams and tight ends coach Jeff Banks locked in on Winston being one of his top guys it was all but written as to where he would end up committing.

    — Lance Jackson was a prospect we forecasted to end up with Texas from the jump. The only surprise was how early the Pleasant Grove standout announced when he popped the Sunday after Junior Day last month. And one of the big reasons Texas was able to bring this one home, despite not having a D-line coach in place at the time — was Jackson’s relationship with UT defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski. The Texas assistant had recruited Jackson’s older brother, Landon, when he was at Washington, which forged a bond early dating back to Lance being in middle school. That and the trajectory of Texas under Steve Sarkisian were the two big selling points for the East Texas DL.

    — Another big position of need for Texas in 2025 is quarterback. We haven’t said that in a while with the depth amassed under center in Austin, but if you factor in the all-but-certain idea that Quinn Ewers will be entering the 2025 NFL Draft, that leaves the Longhorns with Arch Manning and Trey Owens as the two scholarship quarterbacks on the roster. The Longhorns wasted no time in recruiting Lacey and landing a commitment from the talented Top100 signal caller last summer. And for a while, the Saraland standout was the only UT commitment on the list for the class of 2025. That was until the late fall surge, that has Texas now in the Top 20 of the recruiting rankings. Lacey was a player Sark compared to Bryce Young in his evaluation note, and you can see traces of the No. 1 draft pick in the young UT commit’s game. It was a major recruiting win for the staff, beating out the likes of Alabama, Auburn, and others. Lacey is still taking visits elsewhere, but maintains he’s solid with the Longhorns.

    — Sound like a skipping record here, but defensive line is probably always going to be a “need” for Texas to be on top of the SEC (and remain there). Texas only signed two high school prospects in 2024 (three if you count D’antre Robinson) and brought in Arizona transfer Tia Savea. Brown was one of the more productive defensive linemen in the Southeast as a junior and caught former D-line coach Bo Davis’ eye. The 6-foot-1.5, 286-pounder committed to the Longhorns sight unseen. With Davis gone the big question is will Brown stay committed. So far he has, but he is looking at all of his options. Brown is a Florida legacy and you can bet the regional schools will try and keep him home. He’s scheduled to take his first visit to the Forty Acres sometime this spring.

    — After only signing one linebacker from the prep ranks in 2024, the Longhorns got a jump on the efforts in ’25, landing Anthony “Deuce” Williams from Shadow Creek. A Baylor legacy, Williams impressed the Texas staff as a sophomore and then again at Elite Camp last June on the way to earning an offer at the invite-only Texas Bash event in late July. The Longhorns were the childhood favorite for the athletic ‘backer, so it was a question of when and not if Williams would be committing to Texas. He joined the fold on Jan. 1 and is locked in with UT entering the spring. 


    Rickey Stewart. (Photo: Jordan Scruggs, 247Sports)
    Crystal balls:

    McKinney four-star linebacker Riley Pettijohn

    Tyler Chapel Hill three-star running back Rickey Stewart

    Port Neches-Groves three-star interior offensive lineman Jackson Christian

    DeSoto three-star offensive tackle Byron Washington

    Cy-Fair four-star defensive lineman Landon Rink

    Mater Dei (CA) four-star running back Jordon Davison

    Dickinson three-star interior offensive lineman Tyler Thomas

    Fort Bend Marshall three-star cornerback Caleb Chester

    The skinny:

    —Pettijohn recently put out a top six, but if you ask me, Texas has set the bar in this recruitment and that’s even considering the change at linebackers coach with Johnny Nansen coming in to replace Jeff Choate this offseason. Florida State and Texas A&M are likely the top competition for the elite in-state ‘backer. Texas landed a big recruit from McKinney in Xavier Filsaime in the class of 2024.

    — Stewart received an offer from Texas at Junior Day last month while committed to SMU. He’s no longer committed to the Mustangs if that tells you anything. The in-state back will take his time on his next decision, but Texas is in pole position as we sit here in February.

    — Texas jumped on Christian early, offering the in-state OL after his camp performance last June where he impressed in front of Kyle Flood and Steve Sarkisian. The Longhorns’ timeliness in this one will likely help their cause in the long run.

    — Washington’s sheer size is something to behold. The 6-foot-7.5, 380-pounder went viral back in the fall for making a 6A varsity pass rusher look like a Pop Warner player. Texas is trending in the right direction, up against the likes of TCU and Oregon. 

    — Anytime a legacy recruit is a top target, you have to like that school’s chances. Rink is no exception. Although he has maintained that he won’t pick Texas just because his dad picked Texas. But the Longhorns have gone above and beyond here in building a bond and showing him their vision. Rink has already connected with new defensive line coach Kenny Baker and UT still appears in good position here, with programs like Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Ohio State, and Notre Dame in contention.

    — Texas has arguably done the best job of recruiting Davison to date, and that’s a credit to Tashard Choice. The four-star back has made about a half dozen trips to the Forty Acres from California, most recently being joined by his family for Junior Day. Davison is still national profile-type recruit and has heavy interest from Alabama, Colorado and many others. Texas is our projected pick at this point, though.

    — Thomas earned his offer at Elite Camp last June and even said Texas was the team to beat in his recruitment. He’s still taking his time and using his visits. Texas A&M is another school heavily in play.

    — Assuming Texas presses here, the Longhorns will be a hard out at a source near Chester’s recruitment has stated it’s likely he’ll stay in-state for college, making Texas A&M the other program to watch. 


    Elijah Bo Barnes. (Photo: Jordan Scruggs, 247Sports)
     

    Trending for:

    South Oak Cliff four-star edge rusher Kamauryn Morgan

    Spring three-star defensive lineman Floyd Guidry III

    Dallas Skyline four-star linebacker Elijah Bo Barnes

    The skinny:

    — Morgan loaded up on offers after his sophomore season, Texas included. He recently transferred to South Oak Cliff from Red Oak for his senior season. He was back on campus for Junior Day and is likely to get back for an official visit at some point in the summer. Horns247 has been told that those in Morgan’s inner circle would prefer he stay in the state of Texas when it comes time to make a decision. The five schools most heavily in the mix are: Georgia, Oregon, Texas, Texas A&M, and SMU

    — Guidry was one of former D-line coach Bo Davis’ last offers before leaving for LSU. No Davis, no problem, though, as Guidry came away from his Jan. 20 Junior Day visit all smiles when talking about the Longhorns. UT holds an edge over the in-state schools and the Bayou Bengals as we sit here in February. A decision is expected in late March or early April.

    — Barnes has already hit it off with new co-DC and linebackers coach Johnny Nansen. The four-star in-state linebacker returned to the Forty Acres for Junior Day last month and will more than likely be back a handful of times throughout the calendar year. He also visited for the Kansas game last fall. Barnes is going to put out a top 10 on March 1. It would be a shock if Texas wasn’t on that. And we believes the Longhorns are closer to the top spot than they are 10. Other schools of note include: Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Oregon, USC, LSU and Nebraska. -- South 

     

    • Hook 'Em 7
    • Like 1
  6. Rotating pairs for a Final that is supposed to be individuals is always awful. You'd imagine they would have learned from I think it was one of the USA seasons but nah production continues to suck ass. 

    Colleen and Berna proving they had absolutely no business being anything but fodder for the Jay alliance. 

    Corey turning on Jay was hilarious. You knew Corey was a snake the way he handled the Melissa/Big T situation early on, you kept him in the game, you earned that L. 

  7. QB offering day I guess

    Quote

    San Marcos (Calif.) Mission Hills sophomore quarterback Troy Huhn picked up a huge scholarship offer earlier today from Texas. 


    Obviously all scholarship offers are a big deal but some are harder to come by than others. Texas isn’t one of those programs that just throws offers out there, especially at the quarterback position. 


    Up to this point, the only ’26 quarterback Texas has offered is Jared Curtis, currently rated the No. 1 overall player in the class in the Top247. You can now add Huhn to that short list as well.


    “Coach Sark (Steve Sarkisian) is the one who offered and I’m very excited about it,” Huhn said. “Coach Sark told me I had a great season. He told me I’m going to have a lot of other offers and they don’t just throw them out but he loved my film and offered me.


    “I like coach Sark a lot. He’s really easy to relate to since he grew up out here in California and played quarterback. I have a good relationship with coach Milwee as well and looking forward to continuing to build that relationship with them and the rest of the staff. 


    Huhn said the offer from the Longhorns was definitely a big deal for him. 


    “I’m very exited and feel blessed to have an offer from Texas,” Huhn said. “This one is special since I know Texas doesn’t offer many players and I’m just the second quarterback in my class to get one. 


    “I love Texas, it’s a great place and I love the culture there. I visited during the summer and also for a game. The summer visit was cool, I was able to drive around the city and get a feel for the place but game day is totally different. The city comes alive and they pack out the Stadium. I love the area too, I like the South and have been there a lot as a kid.”


    It’s obviously early in Huhn’s recruitment but Texas will be a factor moving forward.


    “Texas is very high on my list,” Huhn said. “Even before they offered, I liked them a lot and was building a strong connection with coach Milwee and that plays a role in my decision.


    “I’m going to visit Texas again during the Spring, possibly for the Spring Game. I want to try and visit over the summer as well and like I said, just want to keep building that connection there."

    Huhn is a big, strong quarterback with a cannon for an arm. He’s all of 6-4, 200 pounds and had a strong sophomore season throwing for 1,623 yards and 16 touchdowns, while completing 60% of his passes.

    https://247sports.com/Player/troy-huhn-46139834/

    • Like 2
  8. 53 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

    Boy, those guys think we care a lot more about Micah Hudson than any of us do. That guy said he could write a book about that recruitment, and I think he just did. Geez. I stopped reading that section in order to avoid nap time. Otherwise, there were some interesting snippets. I'll add some more color to a few of the names:

    -Texas would have had their pick of any QB in the 2024 cycle had they not landed Manning in the 2023 cycle. I think it worked out better for Texas. Manning is a better prospect than any of the guys in the 2024 cycle and Owens is a damned good recruit for this cycle and the QB room.

    Eh I think you're downplaying how much angst there was around the Hudson recruitment at the time (and I don't browse the 247 forums but I imagine it was even worse there). And now they're outright saying that it wasn't about the legacy aspect at all, really burning that bridge entirely down. Plus didn't he lie to Gerry (maybe more 9.95ers as well) which caused a whole flip on how they reported the recruitment? 

    Agree on the QB situation, if Ewers had entered the draft this year we would have been talking ourselves into Cam Ward, Will Howard, or a true freshman best case. Always take the guy in an earlier class if it's remotely close. 

     

  9. 18 minutes ago, CAHorn said:

    So let see if I have this correct. 

    1. Saban signs Julian Sayin. Number 2 QB in the class of 2024.

    2. Saban retires.

    3. Alabama hires  Kalen DeBoer from UW.

    4. DeBoer brings his OFC.QB coach Ryan Grubb with him.

    5. They decide Sayin isn't their type of QB and essentially run him off to Ohio State in about two weeks.

    6. Grubb decides to go back to Seattle and become the Seahawks' OFC.

    7. Alabama doesn't have a five star QB they did a month ago, doesn't have an OFC, doesn't have a QB coach.

    8. Good job on the transition Kalen. 

    They basically traded Sayin for Austin Mack who they brought with them and apparently love. Not saying it's the right move but it's not like it was a pure loss.

  10. 3 hours ago, Tex Pete said:

    Of course UCLA was a disaster when Chip got there, and they had improved a good bit by the end of his tenure. A&M was much better when Jimbo got there than they were when he left. 

    They literally signed 10 players this class, Chip was beyond checked out

    • Hook 'Em 1
  11. Weakest group of finalists ever, guessing that we'll lose 2 people per final stage probably?

    More than half of them literally were just potatoes the whole time and just happened to glomp on to Jay/Michelle's side and rode their coattails this far

    Berna being the focus of an episode sucked ass, I didn't give a shit about any of her politics or machinations, but not trying to get Corey/Emanuel/Jay into the elimination was incredibly dumb

    Rooting for Nurys but not expecting her to win. I'm fine with Jay winning since he actually played the game

  12. 18 hours ago, closetojumping said:

    Remind me tomorrow and I will address that article, but quickly, there is a lot of bullshit in there. Also, there are apparently multiple programs absolutely violating NIL rules that haven’t changed from day 1. Wow. 

    We are ready for the teardown

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