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Texas Recruiting Notes 2022 - Idiotic Slapfights Unrelated To 2022 Recruiting


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27 minutes ago, campcrunk said:

Ah, the old "undersized/under-recruited skill player with plenty of speed who goes Tech, TCU, OSU, etc.and then resents UT forever" thing. I can't imagine how this could ever wind up being trouble for us.  

http://www.hudl.com/v/2ENySv

At this point we just need to program a bot that sends out automatic offers to anyone under 5'10 who runs a sub 11 100m. 

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*** I mentioned it briefly on the OU side, but the size of Chris McClellan is simply absurd. He’s listed at 6’4″ and I have no doubt that he is. Texas and OU have yet to offer, and if they don’t soon, you may as well put a pin in this one. 

OU just offered along with LSU, Florida, UW,  USC and others.

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(Eric Nahlin) Scoop: Unofficial spring start, Texas pushing for Ross’ commitment, Shaka Smart

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TEAM

Monday can be considered the unofficial start of spring ball before the official start on Tuesday. Today, is just meetings, walk-throughs, team run, and preparation on practice structure since this is the first real practice bloc with the staff. Sarkisian told the players they'll go fast in everything — reps, hustle, and practice pace. Monday will be a primer on a Sark-run practice at UT.

The players appreciate how this staff treats them. They're treated like professionals who have a job to do. The coaches are there to prepare the players for the business of winning games. There's extra excitement this spring, especially given how important spring ball is on the heels of back-to-back significant staff overhauls and the team missing spring ball last year. With Herman, the spring session was similar to boot camp. While we’re sure Sark's squad will be structured, things won’t be nearly as rigid.

Mitchell returning for spring ball: Senior linebacker Juwan Mitchell is returning for spring ball after missing team activities to concentrate on academics. This is probably unrelated to De’Marvion Overshown’s recent surgery that will cost him three months of rehab. With Mitchell’s return, the young linebacker group will gain experience.

RECRUITING MATTERS

DT Kristopher Ross, North Shore - 2022: Tomorrow is the big day for the big man from Galena Park. As IT first reported late last week, Ross did not end up making a student visit to USC over the weekend. Texas remains the favorite to land the 6-foot-3, 279-pounders verbal. Both Oklahoma and USC continue to make pushes leading up to Ross’ March 23rd commitment date.

DB Bryce Anderson, Beaumont West Brook - 2022: Anderson remains a solid lean to Texas with a commitment still possible in early April. Anderson does plan to go through the official visit process even if he commits. Texas has informed multiple prospects that if they were to commit to Texas, the staff doesn’t have an issue with them going through the official visit process as long as they are truly solid commitments. Anderson has official visits scheduled to Texas A&M and USC the first two weeks of June.

OL Earnest Greene, St. John Bosco (Bellflower, CA) - 2022: At almost 6-foot-5, 330 pounds, the four-star offensive lineman from out west is another on the list of out-of-state priorities. Texas and coach Sarkisian love what he brings to the table. He's enjoying the process thus far and knows what he wants in his future college. "I would honestly say that my favorite part of recruiting so far is the fact that I know that my blessings, all my hard work and God given abilities, are starting to pay off and give me the opportunity to better my life," said Greene. "In a college program, I am looking for a program with a good entrepreneurship program because that is what I would like to major in. Also, I would like to look at a program that has a great history with player development with players in my position."

Texas has made a strong impression on Greene, who holds 24 offers including Alabama, Cal, Colorado, and UCLA. He's looking at an official visit this summer, if possible. "I honestly really like Texas," said Greene. "I like the staff and feel that I am building a great bond with them. Coach Coleman actually played with my dad in the NFL and I’ve built a pretty good relationship with Coach Flood and Coach Sark while they were at Alabama. I would say that we are building a pretty good relationship and I would love to visit out there."

DL Aaron Bryant, Southhaven (Southhaven, MS) - 2022: Another defensive line target has emerged for the Longhorns and he's definitely listening. Meet Aaron Bryant, the 6-foot-4, 300-pounder from SEC country. “I hear from Texas quite a bit,:" said Bryant. "They're one of the schools that I’m seriously interested in.” Bryant holds 24 offers including Alabama, Auburn, and Georgia, with Ole Miss appearing as a silent leader.

But Bryant has no problem leaving the state and would like to visit Austin and get to know the staff better. Bryant tallied 68 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, and six sacks in 2020. He has an explosive first step and is strong at the point of attack. He'd be a 1-tech in UT’s scheme. Expect his .87 composite rating to change pretty significantly.

HOOPS

The future of Shaka Smart at Texas remains in limbo after another Round of 64 exit over the weekend. As of this a.m. we have heard nothing concrete regarding his future at Texas. Should Texas make a move, IT has heard three names that are currently head coaches in college basketball that could be targeted: Chris Beard, Dana Altman, and Eric Musselman.

A former Texas assistant coach still coaching at the NCAA level said Texas should “without a doubt” look at Loyola University Chicago head coach Porter Moser. This coaching contact believes he would be a really good fit, along with being a terrific coach in general. This same source shared concern with Musselman’s ability to connect with people the way he would need to at Texas, but loves him as an offensive coach and head coach in general.

The big push from former Texas players will be for Royal Ivey. Ivey is considered an up and coming coach in NBA circles. He is also considered the leader of the Texas basketball program among the former players. Guys that will push for Ivey to be the next head coach at Texas should the position open will include T.J. Ford, Kevin Durant, Tristan Thompson and every other former Longhorn playing in the NBA. That’s how much Ivey is liked and respected among the former Texas players. Ivey would have every former Texas player back fully invested in the program, which can be a powerful force in recruiting. There has even been talk of all the former Texas players currently in the NBA or formerly in the NBA purchasing a house together in Austin to be around the program as much as possible if Ivey was the head coach one day. It’s not out of the question that the players would provide part of the financial piece if the job opens and Ivey is next.

While this group of players wants Ivey to be the coach, all they want from Texas is for him to receive an interview if the job comes open. They understand ultimately it will be Chris Del Conte who is held responsible for the decision. A former Texas assistant coach who coached Ivey and was a part of the program for over a decade says Ivey would be “great” with the players and has the “BBIQ” required to succeed.

Understanding the staff needed to be put together is the question that would have to be answered.  Ivey would need a mix of coaching experience and strong recruiting ties. We’ll keep you posted, but you have to admit, Coach Royal has a nice ring to it.

 

Edited by satyanash
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Roach

Spoiler

The Longhorns get started today with spring football, but they've continued to be busy on the recruiting trail.

Steve Sarkisian and his staff have been working diligently to keep the lifeblood of the program pumping. One big piece of that puzzle is Maalik Murphy. The Texas quarterback commit is well-known out west and yields some influence. Horns247 put boots on the ground in the Golden State over the weekend and came away with some intel regarding a few Texas targets.

Elsewhere, there could be some decisions soon that could benefit the Longhorns, and we also checked on where targets from inside the state borders stand with the Longhorns.

In this week's edition of The Stampede, Horns247's weekly gathering of recruiting intel, we provide the scoop from out west along with a few odds and ends regarding the Texas recruiting effort.


(Photo: 247Sports)
 

This past weekend, I made a four-day trip out to Los Angeles to check in on the current pulse of Texas’ efforts in recruiting the west coast and how Sarkisian has used his California ties in the early months on the job.

My first stop was at Bishop Alemany High School in Mission Hills to catch up with a trio of targets on the defensive side of the ball: four-star linebacker Niuafe Tuihalamaka, four-star cornerback Ephesians Prysock and three-star defensive end Rashad McKenzie.

Tuihalamaka, who included Texas in his top five at the beginning of March, confirmed with me that he will take an official visit to Texas if visits open back up in the summer. He’s in communication with linebackers coach Jeff Choate and defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski routinely and Steve Sarkisian once a week. The family vibe he has gotten from Sarkisian specifically has stood out to him. The biggest contender in this race will be Notre Dame, but I feel confident that the Longhorns have a legitimate shot in this recruitment moving forward.

For Prysock, he included Texas in his top ten, but I feel if he doesn’t end up at Ohio State that it will be a PAC-12 school that wins over his services. He insists that he is interested in taking a visit to all ten of his top schools, including Texas, so if a group from California makes an official visit run to Austin, Prysock will be one to watch to see if he tags along.


Rashad McKenzie (Photo: Shotgun Spratling, 247Sports)
 

One of the biggest things I learned this weekend was that Rashad McKenzie could very well be one of the likeliest options to join Maalik Murphy as California commits in the Texas class if the Longhorns push. McKenzie was offered by Texas in February and has them in a small group at the top of his list along with Nebraska, Oregon and Washington. He is heavily interested in taking a visit and will make it out to Austin as soon as visits open up. With defensive line options in the state of Texas looking scarce in 2022, the Longhorns will most likely have to look out of state to fill some spots, and McKenzie will be one to keep a close eye on.

After swinging by Alemany, I went over to Chaminade Prep in Chatsworth to catch Maalik Murphy’s week two game. Despite struggling for most of the game, Murphy turned it on when it mattered and came away with a 12-6 victory in overtime. After the game, I caught up with Murphy to discuss how communication has been with Texas since committing and he gave the impression that it has never been stronger. He confirmed with me that if/when visits open up, Texas will be his only stop and that he hopes to bring some guys with him from California.

Overall, the buzz growing around the Texas program in the Golden State continues to rise. With other prospects like Earnest Greene, C.J. Williams and Tetairoa McMillan up for grabs, Sarkisian and his staff have a huge opportunity to make a big splash in just their first full recruiting cycle in Austin. Who will join Murphy? I came out of the weekend with the answer that it will certainly be somebody, but who still remains the question.

(Nick Harris)

Steve Sarkisian" srcset="https://s3media.247sports.com/Uploads/Assets/446/276/10276446.jpg?fit=bounds&crop=620:320,offset-y0.50&width=620&height=320" data-src="https://s3media.247sports.com/Uploads/Assets/446/276/10276446.jpg?fit=bounds&crop=620:320,offset-y0.50&width=620&height=320" />
(Photo: @Texas Football)
— Texas has yet to schedule any visits this summer. While some schools are busy publicizing big official visit weekends, Texas is hanging back right now. I checked around for some background and was told there still isn’t a ton of clarity when it comes to if the dead period will be lifted. While there is growing expectation that visits will resume on June 1, several sources I spoke with nationally still feel there’s a decent chance the dead period will be extended again. The biggest reason seems to be liability for the NCAA if a prospect or parent was infected with COVID-19 while on a visit.

— I spoke with Austin Westlake offensive lineman Connor Robertson over the weekend. The three-star prospect said he remains in contact with Texas pretty heavily speaking with AJ Milwee and Kyle Flood often. Robertson isn’t looking to make a public cut of any schools and his next move will likely be a commitment. He’s not quite sure on a timeline yet but it could be in the next month or so. He also said he could slow things down and wait to see if the dead period lifts this summer. I put a pick in for Texas shortly after he was offered, and I still feel Texas will be the pick if they push for his commitment.


(Photo: Blair Angulo, 247Sports)
 

— I did some digging on wide receiver recruiting to check on a few different targets. In talking with Evan Stewart and a few people around him, I feel this is still a recruitment Texas can win if the staff wants to stay the course. Brandon Harris and Andre Coleman have both had a lot of contact with Stewart since he decommitted, but they’ve also made it clear they will continue to recruit their targets and continue to fill up spots within the class. Right now they are walking a bit of a line there because Stewart won’t be moved off of his timeline. That said, Stewart has been talking with Maalik Murphy quite a bit and definitely wants to visit Texas with one of his official trips.

—One person who could take a spot is Kevin Coleman. In talking to sources near him, a group of top schools is definitely materializing. While Coleman maintains he’s open to all schools recruiting him, it sounds like a trio of Texas, Alabama and Oregon is starting to emerge. While the Longhorns would love to get Coleman into the boat early, the five-star pass catcher from St. Louis plans to take his recruitment all the way to the end of the year. Timelines can (and frequently do) change regularly, but the Longhorns will likely have to stay in this one for the long haul to win it.


(Photo: Andrew Hattersley, 247Sports)
 

— Carthage linebacker Kip Lewis took visits to Austin and College Station over the weekend. While at Texas, he was able to see the campus, and he had nothing to compare it to as it was his first ever time at a school. He did tell me there was a lot of walking and he wasn’t prepared for how massive everything was. One drawback to the trip was the amount of construction near the stadium and around the UT campus. Lewis said he couldn’t really get a great feel for anything because of it, and he’s still trying to figure out what he’s looking for when looking at colleges. He said that his trip to College Station was strong because he was able to see bit more of the campus and felt it was like its own town. In the end, this will be a lengthy recruitment that will play out over the long haul.

— Steve Sarkisian elevated Shawn Lewis to a QC position assisting with wide receivers. Lewis has been an unsung hero in the program for the past few years. A native of San Angelo, Texas, Lewis played and graduated from Missouri Southern State University in Joplin. After coming back to Texas, Lewis lived in San Antonio. He worked there as a trainer and would bus his kids to camps all around the country to get them looks. Lewis had a relationship with Sterlin Gilbert when he was at Texas, and he continued to be a presence around the building after Tom Herman took over. Eventually he found his way onto the staff as a recruiting assistant on a voluntary basis and did everything from hosting recruits and their families to giving them rides across campus on golf carts or getting food and drink for coaches and visitors. His tenacity and hard work paid off and now he will be a voice in the wide receiver room who can connect with players and be a great resource for the players. Having seen Lewis work during on campus events and talking to families he hosted, it’s easy to see he has a bright future in the business.


Kristopher Ross (Photo: Brian Perroni, 247Sports)

— North Shore DL Kristopher Ross is set to make his decision on Tuesday. When he was going to make his call over a month ago, it sounded like Texas was going to be the choice. In the run up to this commitment date, we’ve lost some of the confidence we had in Texas. While it doesn’t seem as certain as it did last month, we haven’t heard anything compelling enough to enter a pick for a new school. One Big 12 source I spoke with feels Texas is still going to be the pick, but there’s a lot less certainty this time around.

 

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2 minutes ago, texifornia said:

That Ivey paragraph reads weird as hell to me. Just a very odd vibe.

Not exactly the place for it, but that's basically what I expected on Ivey. A good chunk of the reason he's in Brooklyn right now is KD. It'll be a similar situation to Juwan Howard in that we have no idea what he'll look like as a head coach but I am confident that he'd clean up on the recruiting trail (not that we've done poorly on that end).

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  • closetojumping changed the title to Texas Recruiting Notes 2022 - Idiotic Slapfights Unrelated To 2022 Recruiting

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