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Longhornfrenzy

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  1. Geaux247
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    TexasHeatMizer
     
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      Glen WestSTAFF
      Posted on 61 mins, V I P, User Since 38 months ago, User Post 
      It's a lighter weekend in terms of official visitors with just one big piece of the 2025 class making his way to town and getting the full experience with the staff. 

      Wide receiver Dakorien Moore touched down in New Orleans and made the drive up to Baton Rouge to start his visit on Thursday. 

      The five-star prospect who decommitted from LSU a few weeks back, made the purple and gold his second stop as he also considers Ohio State, Texas and Oregon as his final four schools. Here's the latest on his visit as he enters a full day of activities on Friday.

       

       

      -We're told it's a family affair this weekend with not only Moore and his mother making it in but a total of six family members, including his little brother, aunt and uncle. That's a part of this visit that was extremely important as the purple and gold look to make up some ground after Moore's decision to back off his commitment. 

      -The first order of business for Moore was a marketing presentation on what the Tigers would be able to do in terms of building his brand off the field while a member of the program. That includes endorsement opportunities that have been popular for players like John Deere, Walk-Ons, Raising Canes and Gordon McKernan law firm. 

      -NIL is clearly going to play a big role in this recruitment and LSU is willing to play ball with these high school recruits. 

      -For this particular visit, it's also important for Moore to get some one-on-one time with head coach Brian Kelly. That happened on Thursday and it'll be interesting to see how the rest of the staff like Cortez Hankton, Frank Wilson and Joe Sloan handle Moore being on campus and how he could be a significant piece for this offense on the field. 

      -The feeling around the visit is that Moore, his mother and the entire family really seem engaged early in the process. That's far from the most popular endorsement but the Tigers will keep chipping away on this visit. There will be a lot at play with this recruitment and while it's hard to feel good about the position LSU is in, what intel comes out of the visit will be interesting in terms of how serious Moore is about the Tigers going forward. 

      -Moore will be in all day Friday before heading back Saturday so it's a pretty extended stay where LSU should be able to put its best foot forward.

      -In addition to Moore, LSU has already had Kaliq Lockett and Jaime Ffrench on campus and will have CJ Wiley and Naeshaun Montgomery in town next weekend and Derek Meadows on campus June 18. 

      -We'll have more on the Elite camp that took place on Thursday afternoon a little bit later this morning but one quick note on a 2026 prospect Deuce Geralds. He's put on 20 pounds since he was last on campus during the 2023 season. That's 273 pounds for him and the thought process going forward is that LSU will recruit him inside rather than as an edge rusher

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  2. Del Conte flaunts Texas' aura ahead of Southeastern Conference entrance

     
    By Olin Buchanan
    May 30, 2024
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    DESTIN, Fla. — A little more than a month remains until Texas is an official member of the Southeastern Conference.

    Yet, with a contingent here for SEC Spring Meetings this week, Texas was… Well, being Texas.

    Texas Athletic Director Chris Del Conte appeared with the SEC Network’s Paul Finebaum on Wednesday and immediately let it be known that the Longhorns are kind of a big deal.

    “Have you been to the Red River Rivalry? (Texas vs. Oklahoma game),” Del Conte asked Finebaum. “It’s ridiculous. It’s the greatest thing ever.

    “You may talk about the Cocktail Party (Florida vs. Georgia), the Iron Bowl (Alabama vs. Auburn). There’s nothing like this game.”

    The voice sounded like Del Conte's, but it might have been beer talking. At least that would explain claiming grandeur over bitter feuds between rivals that have won a combined 11 national championships since Texas last won one.

     

    It’s steers spreading bull. Inevitably, the Longhorns will brag that they let the SEC join them.

    Not that long ago, Texas and Oklahoma routinely dismissed the notion of SEC dominance. They said the SEC's power was really just Alabama, and everyone else was riding the Tide’s coattails.

    Remember when former Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said the SEC was overrated?

    Interestingly, five different SEC teams have won football national championships since the Sooners last won one.

    But now condemnations have given way to celebrations.

    Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian told reporters how the SEC logo is being added to the Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium playing field. He lauded the competitive spirit of the SEC.

    “Week in and week out, the challenges that (the SEC)  poses for you… ,” Sarkisian said. “Whether it’s playing on the road, whether it’s game planning against some of the best coaches in our sport or whether it’s competing against some of the best athletes in college football, there are great challenges.”

    Certainly, Texas will find more challenges in the SEC than in the Big 12. Those days in which they struggle to eke out victories over Houston, Kansas State and TCU more than likely become losses in the SEC.

    Sometimes, those become embarrassing losses.

    That’s just one jolt of reality to await the Longhorns. They won’t run the SEC. Alabama and perhaps Georgia do that. Greg Sankey won’t be a puppet commissioner like Dan Beebe was back in the day.

    “When you have programs like Texas and Texas A&M in the same state this close together, it’s going to be fantastic. We’re thrilled about it. We’re looking forward to the rivalry.”
    - A&M Athletic Director Trev Alberts

    Also, whining about “horns down” gestures won’t play well in the SEC. Texas used its influence in the Big 12 to make “horns down” a 15-yard penalty.

    That flag won’t fly in the SEC.

    When news broke at 2021 SEC Media Days that Texas and Oklahoma would join the SEC, a Missouri offensive lineman questioned whether it was a good move.

    “If you can’t handle a ‘horns down’ gesture, I figure it’ll probably be tough to play in this league,” Case Cook said.

    In the SEC, the competition is tougher. Fans are crazier. Stadiums are louder. Hatred runs deeper.

    Statements like what Del Conte made to Finebaum — even if it was made in jest — will only raise the ire of SEC fans and direct more hatred toward Texas.

    Or maybe not. Texas A&M Director of Athletics Trev Alberts looks forward to renewing the rivalry with Texas this season. He expects no ill will.

    “There will be no acrimony between the two of us,” Alberts said. “Obviously, we want to do well against each other. This is what makes college sports. It’s regional rivalries. It’s what builds the excitement.

    “When you have programs like Texas and Texas A&M in the same state this close together, it’s going to be fantastic. We’re thrilled about it. We’re looking forward to the rivalry.”

    It should be noted that this, too, will be Alberts’ first year in the SEC.

    He still has some learning to do

     
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  3. Gigem247
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    A few things (long post

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    • Carter Karels
      Posted on 11 hrs, V I P, User Since 70 months ago, User Post Count: 427

      I have been hesitant to weigh in on this whole ERob thing, because it is a weird situation and there is more that goes into it than you might think. But the uproar has been loud and there are some things that need to be addressed and clarified.

      Here is what I have gathered, with some context/backstory added at the beginning as a refresher (and stay tuned for some transfer portal updates at the bottom):

      The backstory

      After firing Jimbo Fisher last month, the Aggies promoted Robinson to interim head coach. The move made a lot of sense. The players love Robinson and quickly bought into the idea of him in that role. And at the time, the move helped stabilize the A&M team during chaotic circumstances.

      Beyond this season, though, the Aggies did not see Robinson as more than a defensive line coach. They never considered him when searching for their new head coach and ultimately hired Mike Elko on Nov. 26. Then, Elko passed on the idea of making Robinson his defensive coordinator.

      A&M obviously wanted to keep Robinson. There were talks about retaining him as DL coach and making him the highest-paid non-coordinator in college football. But the Aggies could not have predicted that Syracuse would hire Fran Brown as its head coach, which was announced on Nov. 28. Brown quickly looked to add Robinson as his defensive coordinator and did so.

      Even though Robinson would be making way, way, way less money with the Orange, the opportunity intrigued him. He is close friends with Brown. He is from the northeast. He had never been a DC. So Robinson took the job, which people learned on Dec. 3.

      How A&M responded

      Instead of immediately moving on from Robinson after he accepted the new job, the Aggies chose to keep him in his role through the bowl game. That decision has made the situation grow increasingly awkward over the last couple weeks.

      Now, Robinson is still performing his interim head coach duties. He was with the A&M team when they started bowl practice Tuesday. But Robinson has had one foot out the door and is focusing on some Syracuse-related things.

      Here is where it gets awkward

      Last Friday, Robinson attended a high school football game that featured Lafayette (La.) Acadiana’s Dominick McKinley, a five-star defensive lineman in the 2024 class who has been verbally committed to the Aggies since September. Robinson was seen on the sideline and was not wearing his A&M apparel from Adidas. He instead donned his new Syracuse apparel from Nike, which suggested that he was there to recruit McKinley to the Orange.

      Those suspicions were confirmed Monday, when Robinson took part in Syracuse’s in-home visit with McKinley. It is worth noting that before hiring Robinson, the Orange were not in the mix whatsoever for McKinley.

      Syracuse and Robinson are also pursuing A&M starting defensive end Fadil Diggs, who entered the NCAA Transfer Portal last Friday. He is still weighing his options but plans to take a visit to the Orange this weekend. Syracuse is considered a major player in his recruitment.

      One more thing: Syracuse flipped A&M receiver commit Jaylan Hornsby on Monday. That news might have only added to the bad optics surrounding this situation. However, it should not be considered a big deal. All I have been told is that Hornsby should have never been a take for the Aggies. They were fine with the Orange taking him.

      What all of this means

      For starters, it is common for a coach in similar situations to shift some of his focus toward his next move. Why wouldn’t they? They need to do what is best for them and make sure they start as well as they can at their next stop. This is not entirely uncommon during a transition period.

      At the same time, though, what Robinson has done is not the best look. He is not exactly hiding the fact that he is actively recruiting a current A&M pledge to his next program. And he is using his current platform to gain access to a five-star recruit that the Orange otherwise would not even sniff.

      In his TaxAct Texas Bowl press conference earlier this month, Robinson said he would not pursue any Aggie player unless they were in the portal. On the surface, that comment seemed noble. But doesn’t that comment give every A&M player who might want to follow Robinson a reason to enter the portal? Whether it was intentional or not, it was a subtle way of giving them a blueprint. We are seeing it play out with Diggs.

      I am not sure anyone can entirely fault Robinson for pursuing Diggs or kicking the tires on McKinley. He wants to do what is best for Syracuse. And it is not his fault that A&M wanted to keep him around. But this is the kind of stuff that can burn bridges.

      Why the Aggies can’t move on from Robinson … yet

      The Aggies could have moved on from Robinson when he accepted his new job. But they were not willing to make that change. They wanted to keep Robinson through the bowl game in hopes that it would continue to help stabilize their program during a time of uncertainty.

      Now, A&M has to live with that decision. People act like the Aggies can easily let Robinson go, because no one cares about the bowl game. They think that A&M could lose 63-0, and it would not matter. They are not wrong about the bowl game being irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. But it is not that simple. There is not an ideal way to cut him before the bowl game.

      The A&M players were promised a final game with Robinson and have bought into that idea. If the Aggies pulled that rug out from underneath them, it would not go unnoticed among the players. It could even be a little messy.

      Various A&M players remain undecided on if they want to stay in College Station or leave following this season. There are some players in particular – who I will not name – who are thought to be goners if Robinson was abruptly let go. I am telling you, they do not think it would be good.

      Think of it like this: What is more risky for the Aggies … keeping Robinson or cutting him? The prevailing perception is that cutting him would be more risky. So unless he does something that is considerably damaging, getting rid of him is not the answer right now.

      And that is why, even though Robinson has ruffled some feathers, it is safe to assume that his Syracuse-related activities are not as bad as they appear from a public perception standpoint. Which leads me to …

      Why this is not THAT big of a deal … at least so far

      The optics are a lot worse than the reality when it comes to this situation, at least so far. Here is why:

      1. Syracuse is not flipping McKinley. I know it is unwise to speak definitively when it comes to recruiting (or anything else in this crazy college football world). But this is not happening. Now, could McKinley go somewhere else? Absolutely. He is a major threat to flip elsewhere. But McKinley is not going to Syracuse.

      2. Yes, Diggs is in the transfer portal and plans to visit Syracuse this weekend. However, A&M still has a chance of bringing him back. In fact, the Aggies still have a decent chance of retaining most of the top talent on their roster (more on that later). Even if Diggs goes to Syracuse, I am not sure it would be the end of the world.

      3. Hornsby is not a player you need to worry about losing. I think everyone already understands that, though.

      The Texas Aggies United stuff

      You guys probably noticed that Texas Aggies United, the official NIL partner of A&M athletics, has been posting on X about players coming back for the 2024 season. Defensive back Bryce Anderson and offensive lineman Kam Dewberry were announced Monday and Wednesday, respectively.

      I received some texts from folks who thought those posts were over-the-top silly. Because, of course Anderson and Dewberry are coming back! They are not draft-eligible and never made it known that they were thinking about leaving the team.

      But you guys have to understand two things: 1. Without going into all of the details, retaining your roster and keeping everyone happy is an extremely fluid and ongoing process. Anything can change at any time. And 2. Building momentum with this stuff is never a bad thing.

      I expect there will be a lot more of these announcements in the coming days. Some of them might make you yawn. Some of them might make you excited. But it is all about building momentum like you see with high school commitments. Hopefully for the Aggies, it will lead to a domino effect of players opting to stay.

      Which leads me to …

      The transfer portal

      A&M has lost 13 scholarship players to the portal so far: quarterback Max Johnson, offensive linemen Chase Bisontis, Jordan Spasojevic-Moko and Remington Strickland, wide receiver Raymond Cottrell, tight ends Jake Johnson and Fernando Garza III, defensive tackle Walter Nolen, defensive ends LT Overton and Fadil Diggs, cornerbacks Tyreek Chappell and Deuce Harmon, and safety Jardin Gilbert.

      There are going to be some guys who the Aggies are fine with leaving. You can probably count the Johnson brothers, Spasojevic-Moko, Strickland, Cottrell, Garza, Overton and Chappell as gone. There will be more players who enter the portal as well.

      We will see about Harmon. I don’t see A&M going all out to bring him back. I am not sure Chappell will even be able to transfer anywhere or come back. He has academic issues. I bet he goes to the NFL Draft.

      Bisontis, Nolen, Diggs and Gilbert are worth monitoring. A&M wants them back for sure. I am also keeping an eye on defensive end Shemar Turner and a few other guys. I could see Turner going to the NFL Draft. We will see. Nolen is a total wild card. I really have no clue what he is going to do.

      Anyway, just because someone is in the portal and visiting other schools does not mean they are not coming back. Again, these are extremely fluid situations. And when it is all said and done, the Aggies could retain almost everyone they wanted to keep.

      I would be more worried about A&M’s 2024 recruiting class. Based on how things are going right now, I fear the Aggies are in a very precarious spot. Keep an eye on it as the three-day early signing period approaches

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