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Machinator

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Posts posted by Machinator

  1. IT

    ONE TO WATCH: Tyrese Hardeman, Elysian Fields, CB - 2020

    One of the best prospects in East Texas is starting to get noticed. When you're a 6'2-6'3, 175-pound corner with ball skills, that'll happen. The highly athletic prospect from Elysian Fields recently tripped to Austin.

    “Texas was big,” said Hardeman. “It was a mind-blowing experience being from a small town but I loved everything about it! I could see myself making plays on the big stage like that. I'm a lockdown corner and WR. A lot of people sleep on me right now but I'm coming up.”

    He's definitely coming out like Diana Ross after nabbing District 9-3A-II Defensive Newcomer of the Year as a sophomore. He added 17 pass-breakups and four INTs to his resume in 2017. Arkansas, Oklahoma State, and SMU are on him early. That'll change for the Yellowjacket. 

    “The atmosphere at Texas was incredible," Hardeman said. "It’s different, the speed is faster and coming from EF everything is bigger. Haha.”

    Take a look at the highlights. 
  2. IT

     

    From: Eric Nahlin

    TEMPLE TE JARED WILEY
     

    Texas wants two in the class and Wiley already holds an offer. He's interesting in that he'll play quarterback his senior year but projects best to tight end in college.

    On the visit:
    "It was a lot of fun. Me and my family went there and did the photo shoot and watched practice. We had a good time."

    Takeaways from practice:
    "A lot of high intensity. They practiced just how you play in a real game; all four quarters."

    What he liked about tight end usage (this is the main reason I called him):
    "They were getting the ball in the tight end's hands, whether a deeper route or in the flat. I like that they trust him with the all in his hands. They moved him around a lot too: slot, H-back, on the line."

    Beck looked good, huh?
    "Oh yeah, Andrew Beck looked like he was ready for the season."

    The 6-foot-5, 220-pounder only has a U of H visit on April 7th in the works. He says he's in no hurry to make a decision. As I wrote last week, it will be interesting to see how this recruitment plays out.

    GARRETT WILSON QUOTE

    Inside Texas' #2 ranked player told my buddy at Irish Sports Daily the following:

    “I just love the hometown type of feel to it and I’d like to bring them back to how they were in the past. I grew up watching Texas be great, so it would be cool to be a part of bringing that program back.”

    Take it from there, Justin.

    From: Justin Wells

    .....GARRETT WILSON

    As we reported this weekend, '19 Lake Travis elite pass-catcher Garrett Wilson will be in Austin on Saturday, April 21st. Orange-White scrimmage night.

    “I’m taking my official visit for the spring game and I’m strictly going to be watching the passing game,” said Wilson. “Being a WR, I want to see if they're doing what they've been telling me they are; spreading the ball around and throwing down field.”

    He and his family enjoyed his Ohio State and Notre Dame trips. He loved the Fighting Irish traditional uniforms. He says the Buckeyes and Longhorns are the only official visits he's setup to this point. 

    If Texas displays a semblance of a consistent passing attack, I think Wilson gets close to shutting it down. He loves Sam Ehlinger and Roschon Johnson. He also loves the idea of bringing Texas back where it belongs; among the top tier football teams, year in and year out.

    He's talked about committing before his senior year begins. I'll stick with my mid-summer prediction. 

    For the Longhorns, they need to sling the pill all around DKR during the Orange-White scrimmage. I predict that'll happen. They might already know that. 

    BRANSON BRAGG

    The 6-foot-5, 305-pound “Big Intellectual” will be in Austin this weekend and dropped his Top 8 last night. Let’s discuss both.

    He’s anxious to build a relationship with new Texas OL coach Herb Hand. Derek Warehime was Bragg's first contact at UT, but with the o-line changes, it's Hand time.

    “Definitely ready,” said Bragg. “(Hand) came to my school but that was only about a minute-long meeting. Looking forward to sitting down with him and talking football.”

    He’s throwing the discuss this weekend at the Texas Relays and thinks he’s got the No. 1 mark in the state currently. Afterwards, he and his family will walk over to Moncrief for some 1-on-1 time with the staff. 

    Bragg gave me one/two words on each:

    Stanford: Intellectual Brutality
    Texas: Elite
    Texas A&M: Technical
    Arkansas: Promising
    LSU: Cajun/Fun
    Michigan State: Far
    Oklahoma: Prowess
    Oklahoma State: Small Town Feel/Home

    The Cardinal are UT’s top competition. Time for Hand to combat that.

    STACEY WILKINS

    Quick note on another OL target, Fairview (Camden, AR) OL Stacey Wilkins. At 6-foot-7, 280, UT hosted the big offensive tackle at Junior Day Weekend in late February. With 23 offers, it looks like Arkansas, Oklahoma, and UT are the early leaders. 

    “(Texas) keeps up with me every now and then,” said Wilkins. “I'm taking an official to UT. I don’t know the date yet. We’re trying to figure out when. I’m looking forward to it.”

    The UT staff is constantly evaluating offensive tackles. This program needs more. Wilkins loved his trip to the ATX last time, and even clicked with Recruiting Assistant Jake Langi. Getting him back on campus is the key here. Looks like that'll happen now. 

    Another example of laying the foundation without pressure and staying the course. 

    XAVIER ROSS

    The 6-foot-3, 285-pound defensive tackle from Cedar Hill made a trip to watch UT's spring practice on Saturday. In potentially a 5-DL class for 2019, you look at all options.

    “The Texas visit was great,” said Ross. “I learned a lot about the campus and how they are gone use me, if they decide to offer me. It was a very friendly environment.”

    Oklahoma State, Purdue, and Florida International are his early offers, with Baylor and Louisiana-Lafayette also in contact. That list will likely grow. UT and DL coach Oscar Giles sees firs for Ross on the 40 Acres. 

    “(Texas) likes me as a 3-and 5-technique but also I will be in the middle to stop runs on 3rd and short situations," Ross said. 

    This being his first trip to the University of Texas, it was the business-like atmosphere that really caught his attention. 

    “(Texas) was all business which I like, but it also stood out how they know when to be about business and to get to know their players.”

    Ross hopes to make it back for a game this fall. With his size and upside, more and more schools will take notice.

    From: Joe Cook

    Several of the region’s top 7-on-7 programs sent teams to Houston this past weekend to participate in EndZone 7-on-7’s tournament. Most of these teams come from a major metropolitan area like Houston or Dallas, or represent entire states like Arkansas, Mississippi, or Louisiana.

    A new team on the circuit is based out of Austin, Juice Football. Several Texas targets are on this team, including Garrett Wilson and Elijah Higgins. Those two were not in Houston this weekend, but a prospect Texas is familiar with, 2019 Round Rock Cedar Ridge WR and Baylor commit Jaylen Ellis, was there making plays.

    There were not many, if any, Austin based 7-on-7 teams prior to Juice starting out and so players from the state’s capital normally had to join Houston or DFW based teams. With this new program, players like Ellis have been able to form relationships with some of the talent from other Austin area schools.

    “You get a lot of exposure from this,” Ellis said. “Not only things on twitter with 247 guys and Rivals guys posting about you, but you meet a lot of guys that eventually turn into your close friends.”

    Those close friends include Wilson and Higgins, who Ellis tripped to Texas with last month for the Longhorns’ junior day.

    “They really want us three Austin guys to stick together; me, Garrett, and Elijah,” Ellis said. “It’s cool that we’re all friends and we’re close to each other. We all get along, and they’d like for us three to stay together in Austin.”

    Ellis has not received a Texas offer yet but when he was on campus he had several coaches talking to him.

    “Mehringer was the main one,” Ellis said. “Mehringer, Washington, Coach Beck, and Coach Warehime.”

    Right now, Texas has a major need for a slot wide receiver. Joshua Moore is set to enroll in the summer, but as it stands the only scholarship players practicing there are Jordan Pouncey and Jerrod Heard, with Lil’Jordan Humphrey also likely to get looks inside.

    Although there is a need there, the coaches left the choice of position up to him.

    “They said what would I prefer,” Ellis said. “I looked at my size at the college level. I’m about 5’11”, 6’ so I feel like I’m versatile so you can put me on the outside, but you can put me on the inside. I’m fine with whatever. I’m not scared to go in the middle and catch a ball. It’s actually up to them.”

    Ellis mentioned he plans to get back to Texas “a lot” during the spring, including seeing Longhorn spring practices. He has no set official visit schedule, but said he prefers to take most of them in the fall closer to when he will actually be signing his NLI.

    • Like 2
  3. 1 minute ago, Biscuits And Groovy said:

    Yeah, There are a few things to look forward to but I wouldn't bet on a massive improvement. I'd be happy if we hit 8 wins. D will take a step back and don't see much reason to think the O will be more than slightly improved. Hand might bring a little help but the RBs need to be better and our WRs are still coached by the same guy who had them rounding off every route and jogging out of their cuts. Losing Dickson will be the biggest blow of all IMO. Pinning the other team back so consistently probably won us at least 3 games last season.  Gained experience should help a fair bit but I don't see more than 8 wins on our schedule. 

    Well, kind of. Meekins is coaching the WRs along with Mehringer now, and based on reports on the portions of the practice open to the media, he seems to be the guy in charge of the WRs who should be the starters (in theory, anyway).

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