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Texas Recruiting Notes 2022 - Idiotic Slapfights Unrelated To 2022 Recruiting


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9 minutes ago, Burt Macklin said:

Sark had Lupoi at UW so he was absolutely not recruiting clean

You are correct, my mistake

10 minutes ago, Burt Macklin said:

He recruited like 13 guys who were picked in the top 2 rounds of the NFL draft in the 4 years he was there.

I haven't seen that anywhere, but I would love to see who. They would have to be upside guys because his classes at Washington were like 19th, and two 24ths. He gets credit for 3 classes, his transition class was ranked (!)75th.

13 minutes ago, Burt Macklin said:

Shaq Thompson

I missed Thompson in reviewing the class as 247 has him not enrolling.

16 minutes ago, Burt Macklin said:

Austin Sefaraian Jenkins was #41 in the country. Troy Williams (QB who ended up playing for Utah) was a top 100 commit. Overall, they had a ton of success recruiting guys to a UW program that was in total disarray when they got there, and they identified and landed a bunch of NFL Talent that would put UT’s current NFL talent to shame. At freaking UW coming off an 0-12 season. 

 This was essentially my whole point. His staffs have been very good at identifying talent, no doubt. They have also utilized every resource available to land elite talent, something that Tom did not do. 

We may be missing context on what rainmaker means. To me, it's someone who can sell ice to an eskimo and beat the bamas of the world without the bag or the tradition or perennial success. I do not think that Sark is that. I don't think it's criticizing his abilities to say he uses the system to his advantage which boost his results. 

 

 

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IT nuggets:
*If there was any questions prior about Texas pursuing difference maker speed at wide receiver under Steve Sarkisian, this can be put to bed. IT is told that not only will Even Stewart be an extremely high priority for Sarkisian and staff, but so will Spearman’s Brene Thompson. The 10.2 100-meter sprinter will also immediately become a top priority as a wide receiver. Oklahoma has been considered the favorite for Thompson for months.

*Arlington Bowie 2022 guard Devon Campbell will immediately become a top priority of Sarkisian and staff. Campbell released a top 16 today, but one constant in his recruitment has always been Texas. The Longhorns remain at the top of his list, and receiving a lot of positive reviews on UT by former Bowie lineman Tope Imade.

*Texas A&M has been trending for good buddies Harold Perkins, P.J. Williams and Donovan Green for weeks now. There has been chatter that the trio could end up at the school, and that could happen. If one of the trio was to break away, it would be Perkins. Texas A&M and Florida currently have the best chance to reel in the trio together. With that said, Texas began the season in a pretty good spot for all, and a real good spot for uber athlete Perkins. Perkins has a really good relationship with Coleman Hutzler, so that is something to watch moving forward. Bridgeland 2022 QB Conner Weigman will be playing on the same 7-on-7 team with Harold Perkins and Donovan Green.

*Beaumont West Brook 2022 defensive back Bryce Anderson remains locked into his LSU pledge despite the many coaching changes and questions around the future of the program.

*LSU was trending for 2022 OT Kelvin Banks (Summer Creek High) late in the season. Texas and Texas A&M are two more key players in this race. IT was told that the Longhorns will have every opportunity to make up ground following the hire of Sarkisian.

*Atascocita 2022 OG/T Kam Dewberry’s recruiting is simple right now for Texas fans, it’s the SEC vs. Texas.

Justin Wells talked to 2022 national 100 WR out of Mater Dei:
WR CJ Williams, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, CA): One of the top receivers in 2022 is suddenly a big fan of the Longhorns. Already high on his list, after Steve Sarkisian was named head coach at UT last week, they moved up the board. He's really eager to see Austin and has a great relationship with Sarkisian. His father graduated from Alabama, so they had a good thing going with Sark in Tuscaloosa. Williams likes that Sark is a Cali guy and shows that he loves his roots. That means a lot to CJ.

The 6-foot-2, 195-pound four-star holds 47 offers, including Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia, LSU and Notre Dame. He's also an excellent student and his team is set to play football this spring, but CIF continues to push the date (was January 9th) back. He'll be in Texas this weekend for the Pylon 7v7 tournament, before he heads over to Globe Life Park for the 6A state semifinal - Southlake Carroll vs Duncanville.

Early enrollees headed to Austin:
*Shadow Creek linebacker Terrence Cooks told IT this morning that he will be moving to Austin January 13. He’s 100% with the Longhorns. He has not spoke with Steve Sarkisian to this point.

*John Muir cornerback Jamier Johnson leaves California on Monday and will be in Austin on Tuesday he told IT today. He has also yet to speak with Sarkisian.

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8 minutes ago, Ricky's one-hitter said:

This was essentially my whole point. His staffs have been very good at identifying talent, no doubt. They have also utilized every resource available to land elite talent, something that Tom did not do. 

We may be missing context on what rainmaker means. To me, it's someone who can sell ice to an eskimo and beat the bamas of the world without the bag or the tradition or perennial success. I do not think that Sark is that. I don't think it's criticizing his abilities to say he uses the system to his advantage which boost his results. 

Who in your mind does this, beyond like a one-year bag binge like Martin at Tennessee?

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3 minutes ago, texifornia said:

Who in your mind does this, beyond like a one-year bag binge like Martin at Tennessee?

I think it's mostly a myth with the exception of some one off years, as you said. Traylor is a decent approximation of a recruiting "witch", but he's not doing incredible things at UTSA. More often than not, coaches get built up for being decent recruiters who ran into situations that allowed them to outperform their station. Most "rainmakers" fall into this category, imo. 

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29 minutes ago, Ricky's one-hitter said:

You are correct, my mistake

I haven't seen that anywhere, but I would love to see who. They would have to be upside guys because his classes at Washington were like 19th, and two 24ths. He gets credit for 3 classes, his transition class was ranked (!)75th.

I missed Thompson in reviewing the class as 247 has him not enrolling.

 This was essentially my whole point. His staffs have been very good at identifying talent, no doubt. They have also utilized every resource available to land elite talent, something that Tom did not do. 

We may be missing context on what rainmaker means. To me, it's someone who can sell ice to an eskimo and beat the bamas of the world without the bag or the tradition or perennial success. I do not think that Sark is that. I don't think it's criticizing his abilities to say he uses the system to his advantage which boost his results. 

 

 

First, literally no one does that. That’s an unbelievably stringent definition of rainmaker. 
 

I think Sark personally is a rainmaker, and he did a great job recruiting at UW and USC. He landed highly rated QBs in the national top 100 multiple times at UW. You have to add some context to this. UW was a mess when he got there and has never been a recruiting powerhouse. He then went to USC and landed 2 5 stars in USC’s 2014 transition class followed by the #2 overall class, which included Ricky Town and Sam Darnold in the same class who were both top 150 recruits. 

I’m not sure what more you could really expect of him recruiting-wise. He’s proven to be an elite recruiter, and has always had at least 1 or 2 rainmakers on his staff. 

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39 minutes ago, Ricky's one-hitter said:

I haven't seen that anywhere, but I would love to see who. They would have to be upside guys because his classes at Washington were like 19th, and two 24ths. He gets credit for 3 classes, his transition class was ranked (!)75th.

This is the general list. A couple of these guys weren’t his, like Dissly and Baker, but almost everyone else was. And again, this was at UW coming off an 0-12 Whittingham team. 

11 2018 NFL 1 12 TAM Vita Vea DT College Stats
12 2018 NFL 2 44 SFO Dante Pettis WR College Stats
13 2018 NFL 4 120 SEA Will Dissly TE College Stats
14 2018 NFL 6 216 OAK Azeem Victor LB College Stats
15 2018 NFL 6 217 DEN Keishawn Bierria ILB College Stats
16 2017 NFL 1 9 CIN John Ross  WR College Stats
17 2017 NFL 2 33 GNB Kevin King  CB College Stats
18 2017 NFL 2 36 ARI Budda Baker  S College Stats
19 2017 NFL 2 43 PHI Sidney Jones CB College Stats
20 2017 NFL 6 214 PHI Elijah Qualls DT College Stats
21 2016 NFL 6 220 PIT Travis Feeney OLB College Stats
22 2016 NFL 7 236 DET Dwayne Washington RB College Stats
23 2015 NFL 1 12 CLE Danny Shelton NT College Stats
24 2015 NFL 1 18 KAN Marcus Peters  CB College Stats
25 2015 NFL 1 25 CAR Shaq Thompson OLB College Stats
Rk Year Lg Rnd Pick Tm Player Pos  
26 2015 NFL 2 44 NOR Hau'oli Kikaha OLB College Stats
27 2014 NFL 2 38 TAM Austin Seferian-Jenkins TE College Stats
28 2014 NFL 2 54 TEN Bishop Sankey RB College Stats
29 2013 NFL 1 22 ATL Desmond Trufant DB College Stats
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47 minutes ago, BurntOrange&White said:

*Arlington Bowie 2022 guard Devon Campbell will immediately become a top priority of Sarkisian and staff. Campbell released a top 16 today, but one constant in his recruitment has always been Texas. The Longhorns remain at the top of his list, and receiving a lot of positive reviews on UT by former Bowie lineman Tope Imade.
 

Should be noted aggy wasn't in his top 16.  Neither was Bama'.

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4 hours ago, Machinator said:

As a general rule, I hope Sark is more involved in the day-to-day of recruiting, as opposed to Herman, who seemed to think he was above it all.

I think this is why Milwee is being brought in on staff. Sarkisian trusts him to do some of the OC/QB room stuff that allows Sarkisian to use that time recruiting. Herman never really trusted his OCs enough to leave them alone to manage other aspects of his job, it appears Sarkisian does.

 

If Milwee allows Sarkisian to eat up recruiting then he's worth his weight.

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On 1/8/2021 at 1:04 PM, Ricky's one-hitter said:

Let's temper expectations on "rainmaker" recruiting.

Sark has had a lot of success at Alabama. He is the OC of the offense with the best personnel in CFB at a perennial powerhouse. His offense looks better because of that fact, and his recruiting gets a boost. Also, bag man network. At Texas, the offense will have to prove itself without the eliteelite talent at the top (except Bijan, maybe Card, and we'll see if Whit/Smith can get their head on and stay healthy) and lack of elite depth. He's also going to have to win. Situational success does not a rainmaker make. It looks like the bag man will play a role - that's encouraging, and hopefully indicative of a loaded first 2 classes. 

At Washington he pulled in Sankey (.90), and then a bunch of 4* busts. He hovered around 15-20 in the rankings. To me, this indicates pretty clean recruiting. He landed some decent wc kids, but it appears that the higher ranked guys that chose Washington are the ones that USC/Oregon didn't want/pay.

At SC, I'll give him credit for '15. Number 2 in the country with lots of big names, mostly west coast, but also a highly ranked Georgia lineman. I won't comment on the bags at SC as there are others here wiho know much more than I. That said, this is not a clean class. 

Sark will have the built in benefits of Texas, is apparently playing the game, and has previous success to lean on, but he isn't a rainmaker. He's a good recruiter when given ideal situations, and at Texas he'll need to create those for himself. 

Mike Roach had Brandon Huffman (247's NW reporter) on his podcast this week and Huffman raved about Sark's recruiting at Washington.  He said Sark was able to pull guys that were historically out of Washington's reach.  He did say that he thought Sark started to neglect some of the in-state talent once he started pulling kids out of Southern California - but that one the whole Sark was a terrific evaluator/recruiter.

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On 1/8/2021 at 11:35 AM, Burt Macklin said:

Huh? Sark had Lupoi at UW so he was absolutely not recruiting clean, and your characterization of his recruiting is way off. He recruited like 13 guys who were picked in the top 2 rounds of the NFL draft in the 4 years he was there. They landed some really highly rated recruits. Shaq Thompson was the #5 player in the country and the highest rated prospect to ever sign with UW. Austin Sefaraian Jenkins was #41 in the country. Troy Williams (QB who ended up playing for Utah) was a top 100 commit. Overall, they had a ton of success recruiting guys to a UW program that was in total disarray when they got there, and they identified and landed a bunch of NFL Talent that would put UT’s current NFL talent to shame. At freaking UW coming off an 0-12 season. Then he went to a USC program that was in quite a bit of disarray and was .5 points away from beating Bama for the best recruiting class in the country. The guy is absolutely an elite recruiter and he builds a staff that’s great at recruiting too. 

Some of us just don't want to be happy

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49 minutes ago, Burt Macklin said:

Not sure why but this post made me realize I now have to actively root for Bama In the title game tomorrow. That’s gonna weird AF. I guess I can view it more as hate watching tOSU. That should make it feel more normal. 

I have a lot of family from Ohio who I really like, but somehow rooting against Ohio State just feels right. Pretty much only cheer for them against Michigan.

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Chris Hummer: Where Alabama's 2017 recruiting class stands among the most prolific ever

Quote

Rare are storybook beginnings in sports. The narrative demands a hero’s journey, strife and struggle ahead of championship dreams. Not for Alabama’s 2017 class. That group started with a second-and-26 bang, future Heisman finalist Tua Tagovailoa to future Heisman winner DeVonta Smith for a national championship. Three years later, the 2017 class will have the opportunity to bookend its four-year run with a second national title. T

he cast of characters isn't quite the same – a different 2017 QB signee and Heisman finalist is under center and a few other notable players have departed – but the potential legacy-defining opportunity will shine on the entire 2017 group. “I feel like we’re the greatest of all time,” senior All-American tackle Alex Leatherwood said. Not quite yet. But a second national championship and the 2021 NFL Draft could seal that status for one of the most decorated recruiting classes in college football history.

To get a sense of where Alabama’s 2017 group sits in the all-time pantheon of internet-era classes – sorry, no 1953 Oklahoma – 247Sports examined some of the best classes of the past, looking at a couple of factors:

    1. National championships won. If a group didn’t win a title within a four-year period of arriving on campus it wasn’t considered.

    2. Draft picks using the same scale we do for our development ratings each year (3 points for a 1st round pick, 2 points for a 2nd or 3rd round pick, 1 point for a 4th-7th round pick).

    3. Teams also received an additional point for every All-American it had from that class.

    4. A Heisman winner doesn’t hurt.

To clear any confusion, this is not a piece on the highest-ranking recruiting classes of all time as far as the 247Sports Composite is concerned. That honor goes to 2010 Florida, though it's worth noting that Alabama's 2021 class could jump them with a dream National Signing Day in a couple weeks.

No. 1 – 2003 USC

Draft Picks: 1st (4), 2nd/3rd (5), 4th-7th (3)
All-Americans: 5
Heisman Winner: Reggie Bush
Four-Year Record: 48-4

Points: 30

USC had a dynasty in the early-2000s, and this dynamic class paved the way. These signees were back-to-back national champions in 2003 and 2004 as underclassmen and lost another one in a last-second classic against Texas the following year. Reggie Bush, a Heisman winner and college football icon, is the highlight member of this group. He’s hardly alone. The thunder to his lightning, LenDale White, ended up as a second-round pick. So did star receiver Steve Smith. The Trojans’ 2003 class excelled along the line of scrimmage, producing Sam Baker as a first-round pick at offensive tackle. Defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis and defensive end Lawrence Jackson were also first-round picks in 2008. I haven’t even mentioned All-American center Ryan Kalil, who went in the second round of the 2007 draft. With a pair of national titles and 12 total draft picks out of a 26-player class, USC’s 2003 group is the current gold standard of modern recruiting classes.

No. 2 – 2008 Alabama

Draft Picks: 1st (5), 2nd/3rd (2), 4th-7th (3)
All-Americans: 6
Heisman Winner: Mark Ingram
Four-Year Record: 48-6

Points: 28

This is the class that started Nick Saban's dynasty and it holds up all these years later. The 2008 class broke through as national champions in 2009 and many members of the group won a second national championship in 2011. A few, like All-American lineman Barrett Jones, even won a third during their fifth season in 2012. Julio Jones was the standout member of this class as a recruit and remains so to this day. Many in Tuscaloosa believe Jones was and remains Saban's most important signee ever. But the depth of this 30-man class is staggering. Mark Ingram won a Heisman Trophy.

Don’ta Hightower is considered one of the best collegiate linebackers in the modern era. Mark Barron and Marcell Dareus were first-round picks. Fellow defenders like Courtney Upshaw and Terrence Cody were picked on Day 2. Overall, Alabama’s 2008 class collected two national titles in a four-year run along with producing 10 draft picks, a full 33 percent of the class. The 2008 Alabama class didn’t rank at No. 1 overall at the time. But there’s little doubt, at least looking back, it’s the top recruiting group in Saban’s decorated history — for now.

No. 3 - 2013 Ohio State

Draft Picks: 1st (6), 2nd/3rd (2), 4th-7th (0)
All-Americans: 5
Heisman Winners: N/A (J.T. Barrett had one top-5 finish)
Four-Year Record: 49-6

Points: 27

The high-end draft production from this class is unmatched. Six of the 24 players to sign with Ohio State in 2013 ended up in the first round. That’s 25%! Just insane production, and many of the players were great college football players like Ezekiel Elliott, Billy Price and Joey Bosa. For all of Ohio State’s success in the College Football Playoff era, this 2013 class is part of the only Buckeyes national championship since 2002.

They won the initial CFB Playoff title in 2014, beating Oregon in one of the bigger beatdowns we’ve seen in a championship game. Quarterback J.T. Barrett was never a first- or second-team All-American, but he ended his career with a litany of Ohio State and Big Ten passing records. Other players like safety Vonn Bell and cornerback Eli Apple were also dominant college players in their own right. Should this team have contended for another title in 2015? Yes — and they were even the unanimous preseason No. 1 team. But it’s hard to knock a group with a national title on its ledger and so many first-round picks.

No. 4 — 2013 Alabama

Draft Picks: 1st (3), 2nd/3rd (4), 4th-7th (3)
All-Americans: 5
Heisman Winner: Derrick Henry
Four-Year Record: 51-6

Points: 25

This group doesn’t get as much attention as it should when it comes to debates like this, but Alabama’s 2013 class was loaded. Three first-round picks probably aren’t up to the usual Alabama standard, yet it’s hard to ignore the fact that 10 members of this 26-player class were ultimately drafted. And one of the non-first-round picks, Derrick Henry, has certainly shown NFL teams they were wrong to let him slip into the second round.

Henry is the highlight member of this group as a Heisman Trophy winner and lynchpin of Alabama’s 2015 national championship team. Linebacker Reuben Foster, defensive end Jonathan Allen, tight end OJ Howard and offensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson were All-Americans. Allen was so dominant in 2016 that he finished seventh in the Heisman voting. This 2013 group will always sit behind the 2008 class with just a single national title. But the 2013 cycle helped bridged the gap between Alabama’s late-era BCS dominance and the beginning of the CFB Playoff.

By the way! Alvin Kamara initially signed as part of this class. He doesn’t factor into the consideration because he finished his career at Tennessee. But it’s still incredible to consider the NFL’s top two running backs were in the same Alabama recruiting class.

No. 5 - 2017 Alabama

Draft Picks: 1st (4), 2nd/3rd (1), 4th-7th (1)
All-Americans: 9
Heisman Winner: DeVonta Smith
Four-Year Record: 40-4

Total Points: 24

To start, nine members of the Crimson Tide’s 29-man class have been named an All-American by one organization or another. That’s more than a third of the class, and it’s by far the highest number of All-Americans of any single class 247Sports examined. The Crimson also have a quartet of top 5 Heisman finishers (Smith, Tagovailoa, Mac Jones, Najee Harris) and a Heisman winner (Smith).

The 2017 class has played in two national championships, winning one, and it carries a 40-4 overall record since stepping on campus. And while it’s still early with the group’s NFL Draft positioning, the 2017 class can already claim a quartet of first-round picks (Tagovailoa, Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs, Jedrick Wills) and six draft picks overall. Combine the team’s draft efforts with its All-American production, and the 2017 class sits at 24 points overall.

But that number can still grow exponentially. Smith, Harris and Jones are considered likely first-round picks. Leatherwood and Moses are likely to be off the board by the end of Day 2. Conservatively, this Alabama class could produce seven first-round draft picks.

Other Classes Considered

There’s no comprehensive list of the greatest recruiting classes, so 247Sports looked at a number of historic groups in an effort to identify the best. Let’s hit on a few the 2017 Alabama class has already exceeded. Miami’s talent production in the late ‘90s is unrivaled, and the 1999 group that featured Bryant McKinnie, Andre Johnson and Ken Dorsey – twice a top 5 Heisman finisher – played for a pair of national titles, winning one. But it topped out at 18 points. The team’s following class in 2000, which featured a quartet of first-round picks, ended up with 16 points.

Florida State’s 2013 team is considered one of the best of the modern era, and a 2012 class, led by Heisman winner Jameis Winston, catapulted the Seminoles over the top. Yet even that group finished at 17 points. The class before it, featuring Kelvin Benjamin and many of the weapons Winston threw to, also topped out at 17 points.

Florida won a pair of national championships in 2006 and 2008. What about one of those classes? The Gators’ 2007 group, which featured a trio of first-round picks (Joe Haden, Maurkice Pouncey, Mike Pouncey), led the way. The points put that group at 18. You have to wonder how that class would be viewed if Cam Newton, who signed with the Gators, had stuck in Gainesville throughout his career.

Maybe a pre-Alabama Saban class from LSU? The 2003 Tigers class was stacked with a quartet of future first-round picks, including No. 1 overall selection JaMarcus Russell. But there isn’t enough depth with just six overall draft picks and 15 points. Texas’ legendary 2002 class led by Vince Young? Just 15 points. Clemson’s 2015 class with a pair of first-round d-linemen? Just 15 points.

Finally, LSU’s 2017 class might find its way into the upper-tier of these rankings. That group already has five first-round picks to its credit, and players like JaCoby Stevens, Kary Vincent and Myles Brennan remain possible draft picks. For now, the group sits at 21 points.

Can 2017 Bama leap all the way to No. 1?

It will depend on if Alabama beats Ohio State on Monday. If that happens, the Crimson Tide’s 2017 group will join Alabama’s 2008 class and USC’s 2003 class with a pair of national championships. At that point, it’ll be difficult to even argue against the 2017 group’s resume. Not only is Alabama likely to add at least six Day 1 or Day 2 picks, which, conservatively, would bring its point total to 36. But it’s impossible to ignore the individual accolades this group has accumulated. Just look at the number of awards they’ve won the last few years.

Heisman – DeVonta Smith (2020)
Maxwell – Tua Tagovailoa (2018), DeVonta Smith (2020)
Walter Camp – Tua Tagovailoa (2018), DeVonta Smith (2020)
Doak Walker – Najee Harris (2020)
Davey O’Brien – Mac Jones (2020)
Fred Biletnikoff – Jerry Jeudy (2018), DeVonta Smith (2020)
Outland – Alex Leatherwood (2018)
Paul Hornung – DeVonta Smith (2020)

That’s staggering production from just a single class. Looking at all of those awards, All-American honors and draft picks, Leatherwood is certainly correct that the 2017 class has a strong argument to already be the top all-time of the modern era. But a second national championship on Monday would leave no question.

 

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IT....THE EWERS NOTE....

Spoiler

RECRUITING MATTERS

WR CJ Williams, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, CA): The four-star and .98 composite from the Golden State took a trip to the Lone Star state this weekend. He participated in Pylon's 7-on-7 tournament with a group from the West Coast.

"We’ve been practicing here for a minute," said Williams. "It's been an on and off again situation for us. I'm really just trying to stay optimistic with a season here. Our head coach really does a great job of keeping us engaged and on-task even with no set date. I know a lot of people over here are praying for the best and hoping for the season. It was actually supposed to be January 9th. But CIF continues to push it back.“

While Covid has tremendously affected recruiting for the 2021 and 2022 classes, Williams sees the positives.

"I feel the level of my recruitment has been the same as if this whole situation wouldn’t have happened," said Williams. "I’m in a pretty fortunate enough spot to have a good amount of offers from some really great schools. I think the aspect of my recruiting that really has been affected is the ability to take visits. It really hasn’t allowed me to get the same experience out of the whole process. My family's big thing is that we don’t want me going anywhere I have never visited. So not having the opportunity to do that really is a hard concept to take a hold of."

With 47 offers in hand, he's getting looks from virtually every program in the nation.

"I do have a list of schools I wish to visit," Williams said. "Some of these include Notre Dame, Ohio State, Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Texas, and Stanford just to name a few."

The Longhorns were a sweet subject for Williams. He's very intrigued by Austin and the new head coach in town.

"Texas was actually a school that was high on my list prior to Covid-19," said Williams. "They were really one of my earlier offers and came after me after watching me one day at practice. My pops and I then came to make plans to see UT as well as Texas A&M on a visit. Then this whole thing kind of happened and it put a real fork in the road for us. As time went on my relationship with other schools really outshined that of mine with Texas. But I feel like with the arrival with Coach Sarkisian, they are once again on my high list. Him and I have a great relationship and he was most definitely my biggest recruiter at the University of Alabama, which is my dad’s alma mater. He is also a California guy so that fact that he shows love to his roots really means a lot to me."

We're already starting to see the impact Sarkisian could have in recruiting.QB

Quinn Ewers, Southlake Carroll (2022) (OHIO STATE): After pulling off the rather improbable upset of Duncanville on Saturday, the five-star signal-caller was all smiles. It's been a crazy season, with games canceled and an early-season injury for Ewers, so this win was big for him and the program. He enjoyed the victory for 48 hours, a day longer than normal.

"Westlake prep starts on Monday morning," said Ewers.

Despite his pledge to Ohio State, Ewers has a strong relationship with Steve Sarkisian from his days at Alabama. It was one of things he liked about the Crimson Tide.

Even more, Ewers and Texas wide receiver Jake Smith were caught teasing Sam Ehlinger during an IG Live interview last week. Ewers stays in contact with some of the UT football players and they are always watching him. Now, he faces Austin Westlake and his head coach's father, Todd Dodge, in Dodge Bowl I at AT&T Stadium on Saturday night.

He's excited for the opportunity to bring back a trophy to Southlake. As for Texas, don't be surprised if Sarkisian has already reached out. The door isn't closed here and that's the most important nugget today.

RB Jaylen Thompson, St. Bernard (Playa Del Rey, CA) (2022): The 5-foot-9, 180-pound tailback with 14 offers including UT, USC, Arizona State, and Cincinnati has always had his eyes on Texas. With the hiring of Steve Sarkisian, he's even more interested in the Horns.

"I love it," said Thompson. "I think it's a great move for Texas hiring Sarkisian. Huge."

Thompson is still in contact with Texas running backs coach Stan Drayton.

WR Brenen Thompson, Spearman (2022): The athlete with track-and-field speed, Thompson just completed his junior season and now looks to the new year. The four-star dropped his top 12 before Christmas - UT, Georgia, Oregon, Clemson, OU, Auburn, Texas A&M, Stanford, Oklahoma State, Alabama, Nebraska, and Texas Tech. But the new head coach in Austin already contacted Thompson.

"I talked to Coach Sarkisian today (Sunday)," said Thompson. "A lot of Texas fans should be watching the national championship on Monday night."

The track stud has goals for this season too. "I want to win state in the 100 and 200 meters," said Thompson. That’s not only possible, but likely.

WR Evan Stewart, Frisco Liberty (2022): Following a phenomenal junior year Stewart released his top 13 last week - UT, Alabama, LSU, Notre Dame, and Georgia among others. Noticeably absent were OU and Ohio State. Stewart noted his interest isn't strong with the Buckeyes and he had a conflict with the Sooners. One coach that has his attention is about to call Austin home.

"Coach (Sarkisian) is a good man," said Stewart. "We haven't spoke too much, but I like what him and Coach Saban and Coach Wiggins have done at Alabama."

With the potential of Wiggins joining Sarkisian as the wide receivers coach in Austin, Stewart is even more intrigued.

"That will be very interesting," said Stewart. He noted that Wiggins gets to know his players really well, while building the best wide receiver room in America.

Sarkisian is making speed a priority and Stewart fits that mold.

WR Matthew Golden, Klein Cain (2022): At 6-foot-1, 190 pounds, Golden is on a long list of potential game-breakers at receiver in-state for 2022.

West Virginia, NC State, TCU, Mississippi State, and Baylor reach out the most, but Texas is the school he likes.

"I could see myself going to Texas," Golden said. "I've always loved the school and culture. With Coach Sarkisian coming, I think it's going to make a big impact for the Longhorns. It's a school with great coaches and somewhere they like to put the ball in the receivers hands. It's Texas."

There's some real positive buzz with the pass-catchers in 2022 after Sarkisian's hire. For a position that needs a shot of speed and talent, this is a development that should get fans excited.

RB LJ Johnson, Cy-Fair (2021): The recruitment of L.J. Johnson is getting closer to the end. Both Texas and Texas A&M have felt good at times, and like the bridesmaid at times. Texas started feeling pretty good following a first call with Steve Sarkisian and Stan Drayton. Since that time the feeling has been less confident to the point of a source in the Houston area Saturday night saying Texas A&M was trending again. Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian spoke with Johnson once again Sunday. Johnson continues to believe Texas A&M is the logical decision for his skill set in the Aggies' offensive scheme. Johnson’s concern over the Texas offensive line has popped up more this weekend. Classes begin January 19 in College Station and Austin.

Finishing up 2021:

The Longhorns new staff will very likely go after Parish Episcopal OT/G Austin Uke once they arrive as a group in town. The new staff will need to develop a relationship with Donald Hawkins, who trains Uke. USC was the heavy favorite until firing their OL coach.

Texas will turn over every rock nationally at OL and DL in the 2021 class. Those efforts could lead literally anywhere from the East Coast to Michigan to the West Coast and up to the Pacific Northwest. In the Lone Star State, David Abiara, Garfield Lawrence, and Keith Cooper will be looked at on the front seven.

COACHING Q&A LEAD-IN

Many factors are making this a unique coaching turnover scenario, namely new head coach Steve Sarkisian and some members of his future Texas staff are preparing for the national championship tonight. Because of that, he hasn’t officially named the members from the Alabama staff who will join him which has led to justifiable speculation regarding some of them, including DC Pete Golding. It’s conceivable he brings so many Bama coaches with him that A&M fans will have a new second favorite team.

Another factor that makes this change hard to game out is Sarkisian’s defensive coordinator is yet to be named while defensive coaches Bo Davis, Terry Joseph, and potentially Blake Gideon are already known. When has that happened before?

I have faith the pieces will all fit together in time but for now let’s just do a Q&A and see if we can make sense of things.

 

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Stampede 

Spoiler

After tonight's national championship game, Steve Sarkisian will transition into his role as Texas head coach.

The Longhorns have something new to sell on the recruiting trail, but that buzz is already starting up. This weekend's Pylon 7v7 event in Dallas brought prospects from all over the country to Texas and gave us an opportunity to talk to sources and learn about where certain recruitments stand. Sarkisian's west coast influence has been well-chronicled and we were able to speak to many recruits, coaches, parents and trainers to learn how Sarkisian could help Texas rebound on the trail and cash in on a loaded 2022 class.

Can Texas make a big impact in California? Will the Longhorns be able to get the talented group of in-state prospects to come to Austin? Where do things stand with former Texas leans now that the staff is re-shuffling?

In this week's edition of The Stampede, Horns247's weekly gathering of recruiting intel, we drop a boatload of notes on prospects from across the country.

—The excitement about Steve Sarkisian and Texas was palpable this weekend when talking to recruits, coaches and parents at Pylon 7v7 Dallas. No region embodied that excitement more than the prospects from the west coast. It seems that time Sarkisan spent at USC and Washington is still evident for a lot of these kids, and his work recruiting out west for Alabama has Texas in the mix for a new batch of targets.

—The most common question I was asked by those from the west coast was if Tosh Lupoi was going to be joining Sarkisian in Austin. The amount of times I heard, “If Sark gets Tosh they will recruit lights out,” were too many to count.

Domani Jackson (Photo: Mike Roach, 247Sports)

 

—Let’s start with Domani Jackson. The five-star cornerback from California was once scheduled to visit Texas and even telling those on staff that the Longhorns were at the top of his list. Following the decommitment of Quinn Ewers who was recruiting him to Texas, Jackson dropped Texas from his top schools. I talked with Jackson to see if there was any possibility of the Longhorns getting back in with him, and I was told no. He’s locked in on his top group of schools and said he could never really see himself at Texas. Michigan, USC and Ohio State seem to be the schools with the best chance though Jackson maintains he’s open to all schools recruiting him.

—Speaking of prospects from St. Bernard, 2022 running back Jaylen Thompson picked up a Texas offer a few months ago. Thompson said he speaks with Stan Drayton regularly and is close friends with Texas signee Jamier Johnson. Texas, Colorado, Arizona State and Colorado are the schools standing out. It’s tough to see where Thompson fits in considering the amount of running back talent available, but Thompson does have a pretty diverse skill set that could play out in a few different ways.

CJ Williams (Photo: Mike Roach, 247Sports)

 

—On the other hand, Texas is very much in the game with Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei wide receiver CJ Williams right now. Williams told me he’s considering all schools in his Top 16, but Texas is back in the mix for sure. Williams’ father played basketball at Alabama, so the Crimson Tide has been high on his list for some time. Steve Sarkisian has been a big part of that recruitment, but Williams also said he has a good relationship with Andre Coleman. If Coleman stays and Sarkisian ups the pressure in this recruitment, Texas could be a real contender.

—One prospect who I feel Texas could grow on is Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei ATH Raleek Brown. Brown says he’s pretty wide open right now and not looking to name any top schools soon. Oklahoma, USC, Oregon, LSU, Georgia and Alabama are the schools recruiting him the hardest, but Texas is moving up. Jeff Banks and Steve Sarkisian are his main recruiters at Alabama and Brown had an interest in visiting Texas going back to last February when I spoke to him at Pylon 7v7 Las Vegas. Brown said Sarkisian to Texas changes the game for him because of what he did with Devonta Smith. Brown is the same type of electric and versatile athlete who could be used in multiple ways at the next level.

Larry Turner-Gooden (Photo: Mike Roach, 247Sports)

 

—Texas should also generate some interest from Calabasas (Calif.) St. Bernard athlete Larry Turner-Gooden. Turner-Gooden’s primary recruiter from Alabama appears to be Jeff Banks, but he told me he knows Steve Sarkisian well and really likes him. Turner-Gooden is most likely to play safety at the next level and USC is the school I hear most for him right now. It will be interesting to see if Texas can get him on campus once visits are allowed again.

—Texas is still in a comfortable position with Klein Cain 2022 running back Jaydon Blue. Retaining Stan Drayton was huge for the Longhorns in pursuit of Blue, and Texas has been near the top since the summer. Blue was disappointed to see Tom Herman go, but he feels optimistic about the future with Steve Sarkisian. Blue feels he could fit like Najee Harris does in the Alabama offense. Oklahoma, LSU, Alabama, USC and Ohio State are all in the game for Blue and he’s looking to announce his commitment at the All-American Bowl next year.

Elite safety Kamari Wilson (Photo: Mike Roach, 247Sports)

 

—Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy safety Kamari Wilson is hitting the reset button a bit on his commitment. He told me that 2021 was a new year and he wanted it to be a blank slate for everyone recruiting him to have the same type of chance. Wilson seemed high on Texas back in the summer, and he had a good relationship with Jay Valai. The Longhorns will have to re-build the relationship with Wilson considering the new coaches hired to have a chance at the elite Florida safety.

—Saint Louis (Mo.) St. Mary’s wide receiver Kevin Coleman said he liked Texas and had a good relationship with Andre Coleman. Steve Sarkisian moving to Texas increases his interest in the Longhorns. He wants to tune in to see how the Longhorns come along under Sarkisian this year and make a decision at the All-American Bowl next year. Coleman spoke fondly of Texas, but I got the feeling there was quite a bit of work to be done for the speedy playmaker.

(Photo: Mike Roach, 247Sports)

 

—Jaylon Guilbeau is remaining patient with his recruitment. With Jay Valai seemingly headed out the door, Guilbeau is going to wait and see how things play out. Guilbeau was open in talking about re-evaluating his options, but he does love Texas and is in no rush to make a jump. Guilbeau was scheduled to talk with Steve Sarkisian sometime over the weekend. It wouldn’t surprise me to see Guilbeau open his recruitment in the coming months, but I believe Texas will get every opportunity to make a new first impression.

—2022 Oradell (NJ.) Bergen Catholic cornerback Jaeden Gould wasn’t in Dallas for 7v7 this weekend, but I did exchange a few messages with him. Notre Dame is high on his list of schools and Gould knows new Texas DB coach Terry Joseph. Gould said that Joseph hosted him on an unofficial visit and he feels Joseph knows how to develop good defensive backs. Gould had a great relationship with Jay Valai, but it appears he won’t lose much momentum with Texas given the relationship with Joseph.)

—One out-of-state prospect who I feel has a legitimate interest in Texas is La Grange Park (IL.) Nazareth Academy wide receiver Tyler Morris. Morris is thought of as a bit of a Michigan lean, and I agree that the Wolverines will be hard to beat with Morris’s former teammate J.J. McCarthy signing in Ann Arbor. Still, Morris said he has a strong relationship with Andre Coleman and has been looking into Texas. He’d like to take a visit if the dead period is lifted in the spring, and he could take a self-guided visit if the dead period is extended.

—Four-star Garland safety Chace Biddle said he’s still high on Texas, but the Longhorns will have to re-build and restart that recruitment now that Chris Ash and Jay Valai are gone. Biddle has been talking to several schools including Oklahoma, Texas A&M and Alabama. Biddle doesn’t seem to be in any sort of hurry at the moment, but it’s a setback for Texas that they will need to overcome if they want to sign the speedy, athletic defensive back.

 

—2022 Lewisville WR Armani Winfield said that landing Steve Sarkisian was, “The best thing that could happen for Texas.” Winfield said that he’s been in contact with Texas wide receivers coach Andre Coleman, and Coleman expressed excitement about the future. We’ve heard from some sources that there’s a possibility Coleman stays on, and Winfield said that from talking to Coleman, he thinks he will stay on. Ohio State is still high on Winfield’s list and Texas A&M has been making a push recently as well.

—2022 League City Clear Lake cornerback Julian Humphrey doesn’t have a Texas offer, but it wouldn’t surprise me to see the new staff evaluate him for one. Humphrey was one of the best players on the field during the tournament and showed off a big frame and strong athleticism. He holds over 20 offers from around the country and he said he felt Texas was close to pulling the trigger before the staff was dismissed. Humphrey is already highly ranked but he could pick up more steam in the coming months.

 

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8 minutes ago, RGBIII said:

IT....THE EWERS NOTE....

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RECRUITING MATTERS

WR CJ Williams, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, CA): The four-star and .98 composite from the Golden State took a trip to the Lone Star state this weekend. He participated in Pylon's 7-on-7 tournament with a group from the West Coast.

"We’ve been practicing here for a minute," said Williams. "It's been an on and off again situation for us. I'm really just trying to stay optimistic with a season here. Our head coach really does a great job of keeping us engaged and on-task even with no set date. I know a lot of people over here are praying for the best and hoping for the season. It was actually supposed to be January 9th. But CIF continues to push it back.“

While Covid has tremendously affected recruiting for the 2021 and 2022 classes, Williams sees the positives.

"I feel the level of my recruitment has been the same as if this whole situation wouldn’t have happened," said Williams. "I’m in a pretty fortunate enough spot to have a good amount of offers from some really great schools. I think the aspect of my recruiting that really has been affected is the ability to take visits. It really hasn’t allowed me to get the same experience out of the whole process. My family's big thing is that we don’t want me going anywhere I have never visited. So not having the opportunity to do that really is a hard concept to take a hold of."

With 47 offers in hand, he's getting looks from virtually every program in the nation.

"I do have a list of schools I wish to visit," Williams said. "Some of these include Notre Dame, Ohio State, Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Texas, and Stanford just to name a few."

The Longhorns were a sweet subject for Williams. He's very intrigued by Austin and the new head coach in town.

"Texas was actually a school that was high on my list prior to Covid-19," said Williams. "They were really one of my earlier offers and came after me after watching me one day at practice. My pops and I then came to make plans to see UT as well as Texas A&M on a visit. Then this whole thing kind of happened and it put a real fork in the road for us. As time went on my relationship with other schools really outshined that of mine with Texas. But I feel like with the arrival with Coach Sarkisian, they are once again on my high list. Him and I have a great relationship and he was most definitely my biggest recruiter at the University of Alabama, which is my dad’s alma mater. He is also a California guy so that fact that he shows love to his roots really means a lot to me."

We're already starting to see the impact Sarkisian could have in recruiting.QB

Quinn Ewers, Southlake Carroll (2022) (OHIO STATE): After pulling off the rather improbable upset of Duncanville on Saturday, the five-star signal-caller was all smiles. It's been a crazy season, with games canceled and an early-season injury for Ewers, so this win was big for him and the program. He enjoyed the victory for 48 hours, a day longer than normal.

"Westlake prep starts on Monday morning," said Ewers.

Despite his pledge to Ohio State, Ewers has a strong relationship with Steve Sarkisian from his days at Alabama. It was one of things he liked about the Crimson Tide.

Even more, Ewers and Texas wide receiver Jake Smith were caught teasing Sam Ehlinger during an IG Live interview last week. Ewers stays in contact with some of the UT football players and they are always watching him. Now, he faces Austin Westlake and his head coach's father, Todd Dodge, in Dodge Bowl I at AT&T Stadium on Saturday night.

He's excited for the opportunity to bring back a trophy to Southlake. As for Texas, don't be surprised if Sarkisian has already reached out. The door isn't closed here and that's the most important nugget today.

RB Jaylen Thompson, St. Bernard (Playa Del Rey, CA) (2022): The 5-foot-9, 180-pound tailback with 14 offers including UT, USC, Arizona State, and Cincinnati has always had his eyes on Texas. With the hiring of Steve Sarkisian, he's even more interested in the Horns.

"I love it," said Thompson. "I think it's a great move for Texas hiring Sarkisian. Huge."

Thompson is still in contact with Texas running backs coach Stan Drayton.

WR Brenen Thompson, Spearman (2022): The athlete with track-and-field speed, Thompson just completed his junior season and now looks to the new year. The four-star dropped his top 12 before Christmas - UT, Georgia, Oregon, Clemson, OU, Auburn, Texas A&M, Stanford, Oklahoma State, Alabama, Nebraska, and Texas Tech. But the new head coach in Austin already contacted Thompson.

"I talked to Coach Sarkisian today (Sunday)," said Thompson. "A lot of Texas fans should be watching the national championship on Monday night."

The track stud has goals for this season too. "I want to win state in the 100 and 200 meters," said Thompson. That’s not only possible, but likely.

WR Evan Stewart, Frisco Liberty (2022): Following a phenomenal junior year Stewart released his top 13 last week - UT, Alabama, LSU, Notre Dame, and Georgia among others. Noticeably absent were OU and Ohio State. Stewart noted his interest isn't strong with the Buckeyes and he had a conflict with the Sooners. One coach that has his attention is about to call Austin home.

"Coach (Sarkisian) is a good man," said Stewart. "We haven't spoke too much, but I like what him and Coach Saban and Coach Wiggins have done at Alabama."

With the potential of Wiggins joining Sarkisian as the wide receivers coach in Austin, Stewart is even more intrigued.

"That will be very interesting," said Stewart. He noted that Wiggins gets to know his players really well, while building the best wide receiver room in America.

Sarkisian is making speed a priority and Stewart fits that mold.

WR Matthew Golden, Klein Cain (2022): At 6-foot-1, 190 pounds, Golden is on a long list of potential game-breakers at receiver in-state for 2022.

West Virginia, NC State, TCU, Mississippi State, and Baylor reach out the most, but Texas is the school he likes.

"I could see myself going to Texas," Golden said. "I've always loved the school and culture. With Coach Sarkisian coming, I think it's going to make a big impact for the Longhorns. It's a school with great coaches and somewhere they like to put the ball in the receivers hands. It's Texas."

There's some real positive buzz with the pass-catchers in 2022 after Sarkisian's hire. For a position that needs a shot of speed and talent, this is a development that should get fans excited.

RB LJ Johnson, Cy-Fair (2021): The recruitment of L.J. Johnson is getting closer to the end. Both Texas and Texas A&M have felt good at times, and like the bridesmaid at times. Texas started feeling pretty good following a first call with Steve Sarkisian and Stan Drayton. Since that time the feeling has been less confident to the point of a source in the Houston area Saturday night saying Texas A&M was trending again. Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian spoke with Johnson once again Sunday. Johnson continues to believe Texas A&M is the logical decision for his skill set in the Aggies' offensive scheme. Johnson’s concern over the Texas offensive line has popped up more this weekend. Classes begin January 19 in College Station and Austin.

Finishing up 2021:

The Longhorns new staff will very likely go after Parish Episcopal OT/G Austin Uke once they arrive as a group in town. The new staff will need to develop a relationship with Donald Hawkins, who trains Uke. USC was the heavy favorite until firing their OL coach.

Texas will turn over every rock nationally at OL and DL in the 2021 class. Those efforts could lead literally anywhere from the East Coast to Michigan to the West Coast and up to the Pacific Northwest. In the Lone Star State, David Abiara, Garfield Lawrence, and Keith Cooper will be looked at on the front seven.

COACHING Q&A LEAD-IN

Many factors are making this a unique coaching turnover scenario, namely new head coach Steve Sarkisian and some members of his future Texas staff are preparing for the national championship tonight. Because of that, he hasn’t officially named the members from the Alabama staff who will join him which has led to justifiable speculation regarding some of them, including DC Pete Golding. It’s conceivable he brings so many Bama coaches with him that A&M fans will have a new second favorite team.

Another factor that makes this change hard to game out is Sarkisian’s defensive coordinator is yet to be named while defensive coaches Bo Davis, Terry Joseph, and potentially Blake Gideon are already known. When has that happened before?

I have faith the pieces will all fit together in time but for now let’s just do a Q&A and see if we can make sense of things.

 

I thought it strange that there was no confirmation that Sark had reach out to Ewers since Ewers is the most logical "first call" and there were reports that Sark had been reaching out to 21/22 targets. Not saying he's going to flip, nor am I getting my hopes up, but I'm of the opinion Sark and Ewers have spoken recently and Ewers would just prefer to keep it quiet for the time being.

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3 hours ago, ChampionshipLevelPiss said:

I thought it strange that there was no confirmation that Sark had reach out to Ewers since Ewers is the most logical "first call" and there were reports that Sark had been reaching out to 21/22 targets. Not saying he's going to flip, nor am I getting my hopes up, but I'm of the opinion Sark and Ewers have spoken recently and Ewers would just prefer to keep it quiet for the time being.

I'm sure that a tight schedule, coaching for Bama, recruiting for Texas, working to poach a verbal commit from the team Bama plays against tonight, and making sure the recruits that have already committed/signed feel the love all make it tricky to thread the needle of propriety, teenage feels, and making Ewers priority #1.

In this regard, I'd rather just give Sark time to breathe and operate this week. If Ewers doesn't get a call from Sark this week (or he does and we don't hear confirmation of it), it's not the end of the world. There's still plenty of time til NSD 22.

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3 hours ago, Mason Ramsey said:

Sounding more and more likely that Coleman is staying on. I’d say it’s possible that he moves to TE/inside WRs and we bring Wiggins in as outside WR coach. Or, we keep Coleman at WRs and bring in an all star recruiter at TE.

On your point about moving Coleman inside to TE’s, Texas fans have a weird obsession with TE coaches who are below average recruiters. Warehime and Boulware were jokes on the recruiting trail. TE coaches need to be war daddies on the trail, not some dude like Coleman who supposedly needs to talk to recruits in person to “make an impression”. 

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

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