Texas recruiting notes 2019

closetojumping · May 11, 2018

1 hour ago, Machinator said:

TFB Open Post: http://texas.thefootballbrainiacs.com/2018/05/open-post-weekend-may-11th-13th/

Hide contents

– With the commitment of Brayden Liebrock, Texas’ 2019 class is 50% out-of-state with three in-state and three out-of-state. Furthermore, Liebrock definitely won’t be the end of the out-of-state commitments for Texas, as Texas could rack up anywhere from two more to seven more commitments from out-of-state prospects. This got me thinking about the fact that the Longhorns seem to be more willing to go out-of-state to get players than in years past. Since 2012, the Longhorns have averaged 5.57 players in their class who do not hail from Texas. If we bring that into the last two coaching staffs, it’s pretty obvious that there is a larger focus out of state than earlier this century, as more than 26% of each class over the past five years has been from out-of-state with 2015 being the peak at 10 players from out-of-state. Compare this to the Mack Brown years where he averaged 2 out-of-staters per class.

However, was this due to Mack just being in love with Texas recruits and Texas recruits alone? It appears to have more to do more with necessity. When you compare the Longhorns previous three years’ total win percentage vs the percent of talent from out-of-state in that year’s class the point becomes much more clear. For example: the combined winning percentage of 2003, 2004, and 2005 was 89% and the percentage of OOS talent in the 2006 class was 9%, whilst the combined winning percentage of 2012, 2013, and 2014 was 59% and the percentage of OOS talent in the 2015 class was 34%.

There are plenty of other factors at play and the following graph is far from statistically sound, but I still feel it provides a good tool to visualize the correlation between the perceived trajectory of the program and the reliance on out-of-state talent.

Even under Mack Brown, he had to start off by taking a good number of guys from out-of-state until he secured the results to lock down the state.

Now, two questions remain…

“No-hahaha-no. This isn’t going to be forever…” But it probably won’t go away entirely either.

As you can see above, when Texas is at it’s peak, there is minimal need to go out-of-state. However, Texas still had about 2-4 guys from out-of-state a year. If Tom Herman were to ever get to that point, Texas would probably see a similar dominance in-state, yet Herman has shown a willingness and ability to step outside the border and take some talent. We’ll see just how great that willingness is after this season, but it’s there.

The second question is, “Can Tom Herman go out-of-state without ruffling the feathers of the easily angered Texas High School Football Coaching community?”

We saw Charlie Strong get in trouble for going out-of-state for recruits at times. What makes Tom Herman any different?

I think @Unofficial Longhorn put it best:

Herman has the existing equity to make OOS moves, whereas Strong was borrowing with no existing credit history.

When Charlie Strong went out and got the “Florida 5” and the other five out-of-state recruits, he was a guy going immediately out-of-state without having built prior relationships with teh Texas High School Coaching community. This gave them the idea that he wasn’t interested in Texas kids. And Charlie wasn’t good at being buddy-buddy or politicking, so whether or not the claims were valid didn’t matter. Add to this the fact that Strong came into a dysfunctional athletic department with a front office and donor-base that wasn’t exactly a fan of the hire (not because he was black), and high school coaches who weren’t a huge fan of the hire as well. Charlie Strong took a step forward to ensure he got some (seemingly) great talent when he had stood himself at the edge of the TXHSFB cliff.

Tom Herman may not originally be from Texas, but he may as well be. Herman has coached fifteen out of his twenty-one year-long career in the Lone Star State. He has built up strong relationships with the high school staffs around the state and continues to keep them steady by allowing them free access to the practices and flexible access around the facilities. He knows the correct people to know in these circles and has built those relationships out. He has played this game correctly all the way down the line, and for that he’s given himself plenty of wiggle room to play around with going out-of-state and meeting 7on7 coaches. – (Will)

May 8th Shhh:

– Two hours after the news of Brayden Liebrock broke, we were graced with some more good news.

The player connected with the most recent shhh, I’m told, has moved his timeline up and may actually announce late May/early June.

So, look for something to potentially drop in the next three weeks but we’ll continue to follow it. – (Super K)

– Elijah Higgins: For a while it seemed like Elijah Higgins ending up at Texas was a matter of when, not if. Over the past month, we’ve heard that this was no longer the case.

I spoke with a source earlier today who tells me that Texas is actually behind both Texas A&M and Stanford and that Higgins is set to visit Stanford this month.

It’s hard to know whether this will hold up. Fortunately, Texas is within striking distance on a couple big wide receivers in Makiya Tongue and Bru McCoy. I plan on speaking with Makiya in the very near future. – (Super K)

– One of my favorite Wide Receiver’s I’ve seen in 2019 is Notre Dame Prep (AZ) Jake Smith. Smith cut his list down to two recently, with Texas and USC as the lone schools remaining.

While it isn’t surprising to see Texas and USC as the finalists for him (I’ll break them down in a second) I wasn’t sure if he was going to narrow it down this soon. I say that because some other schools were trying to get him to extend the process a little bit. Schools like Texas A&M, Ohio State, and Notre Dame were wanting to get him on campus this summer for official visits. But, now it just looks like he will take the two officials to USC and Texas.

This is an interesting one to predict. As I know Texas fans hate the term “dream school” as a lot of recruits call Texas their dream school, and end up picking other schools. But, USC was the school Smith dreamed of playing at while growing up. And, Texas is the school that really opened his eyes on the visit and is giving him a ton to think about. It’s usually the opposite with the Longhorns.

Smith would like to make a decision this summer. And it sounds like he just about has his official visit dates locked in for USC and Texas. The official visit to USC will be May 19th, and Texas will their shot on June 2nd. Right now I feel good about Texas’ chances and the fact that he was willing to narrow his choices down to two this early in the process makes me feel like he somewhat knows what he wants to do. But this one isn’t over yet, and will likely come down to the official visits. – (Andrew)

– Jalen Catalon just dropped his top 8. As we have stated in the past, Texas is one of the front runners here, so they obviously made the top 8.

Jalen Catalon will be committing January 31st, so don’t expect anything to happen anytime in-between then an now. However Texas is still in a very good position here. – (Will)

I appreciate the work TFB does. I think they're the best of the $9.95ers and I'd consider subscribing when I have time for another board again.

That considered, I really don't like to see non-scientific thinking applying correlation to a disparate set of facts. It creates a narrative that isn't correct.

Mack Brown didn't go out of state in part because he woke a sleeping giant, sure, and in part because he got very lazy, very early, and harmed the program accordingly. I'll argue he was lazy-ish about his recruiting approach from the moment he realized he could fill an entire class of Texans and legacy UT people. By the time even 2005 rolled around, he'd cemented the premise that if someone wanted to come to Texas from OOS, they were going to have to recruit Texas aggressively, versus the other way around. As a result, Texas signed virtually no one from OOS for years. Mack Brown failed to exploit the national reach of the UT program out of sheer sloth and hubris, and then he bragged about it, and the press coverage rewarded his idiocy by lavishing him with praise. The program would have been stronger and deeper if Brown had taken a sweeping approach to recruiting the best players available after setting a Texas foundation in each class. Had he done so, Texas would have never run into QB, TB, WR, DL, or LB depth issues during his tenure. UT has been at or near the top in global merchandise sales and viewership from 2000 forward and Brown did little to exploit that national reach. I view it as a sin.

Now consider Tom Herman's approach. What he's doing now is nothing different in landscape view than Meyer at OSU or Florida, Saban at Bama, Fulmer at Tennessee, ND ever, Miami under Johnson, Erickson, and Davis, and particularly Bowden at FSU and Carroll at USC. Bowden and Carroll are the best analogs to me because they'd created national programs, or took over national programs, inside a recruiting hotbed. They built every class with a foundation of local talent that could compete at their level and continue to keep the program elite. Then they went out and went hunting for the best of the best at either positions of weakness within their own local realm, or simply because they could and felt they needed to in order to win titles. Herman's approach appears to be similar and I hope that continues to develop as he achieves higher levels of performance success at the helm of Texas.

So, I agree that Strong did what he felt he had to do out of necessity. I disagree that Mack Brown stayed largely within the Texas border merely because he soundly could. He could have done more, and he didn't. I disagree that Herman is a) doing something OOS out of semi-desperate necessity and b) will change his current approach once he's in a spot to dictate his class with Texas talent alone. If he does get lazy or myopic about his recruiting needs/reach, history dictates that we should know better, unite as recruitniks, storm the Belmont fortress, and cast him and his minions over the top of the upper westside deck.

Vertigo · May 11, 2018

1 hour ago, Machinator said:

Herman has the existing equity to make OOS moves, whereas Strong was borrowing with no existing credit history.

Vertigo · May 11, 2018

4 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

I appreciate the work TFB does. I think they're the best of the $9.95ers and I'd consider subscribing when I have time for another board again.

That considered, I really don't like to see non-scientific thinking applying correlation to a disparate set of facts. It creates a narrative that isn't correct.

Mack Brown didn't go out of state in part because he woke a sleeping giant, sure, and in part because he got very lazy, very early, and harmed the program accordingly. I'll argue he was lazy-ish about his recruiting approach from the moment he realized he could fill an entire class of Texans and legacy UT people. By the time even 2005 rolled around, he'd cemented the premise that if someone wanted to come to Texas from OOS, they were going to have to recruit Texas aggressively, versus the other way around. As a result, Texas signed virtually no one from OOS for years. Mack Brown failed to exploit the national reach of the UT program out of sheer sloth and hubris, and then he bragged about it, and the press coverage rewarded his idiocy by lavishing him with praise. The program would have been stronger and deeper if Brown had taken a sweeping approach to recruiting the best players available after setting a Texas foundation in each class. Had he done so, Texas would have never run into QB, TB, WR, DL, or LB depth issues during his tenure. UT has been at or near the top in global merchandise sales and viewership from 2000 forward and Brown did little to exploit that national reach. I view it as a sin.

Now consider Tom Herman's approach. What he's doing now is nothing different in landscape view than Meyer at OSU or Florida, Saban at Bama, Fulmer at Tennessee, ND ever, Miami under Johnson, Erickson, and Davis, and particularly Bowden at FSU and Carroll at USC. Bowden and Carroll are the best analogs to me because they'd created national programs, or took over national programs, inside a recruiting hotbed. They built every class with a foundation of local talent that could compete at their level and continue to keep the program elite. Then they went out and went hunting for the best of the best at either positions of weakness within their own local realm, or simply because they could and felt they needed to in order to win titles. Herman's approach appears to be similar and I hope that continues to develop as he achieves higher levels of performance success at the helm of Texas.

So, I agree that Strong did what he felt he had to do out of necessity. I disagree that Mack Brown stayed largely within the Texas border merely because he soundly could. He could have done more, and he didn't. I disagree that Herman is a) doing something OOS out of semi-desperate necessity and b) will change his current approach once he's in a spot to dictate his class with Texas talent alone. If he does get lazy or myopic about his recruiting needs/reach, history dictates that we should know better, unite as recruitniks, storm the Belmont fortress, and cast him and his minions over the top of the upper westside deck.

I agree, Bama could not sustain their dominance without a huge influx of OOS talent each year. As rich of a territory as Texas is for recruiting, the best of the best at each position don't always live here every cycle.

Machinator · May 11, 2018

Looking at that graph, I think the labels are incorrect. Three-year win % average is labeled as % OOS recruits, and vice versa.

Edit: looks like they fixed it on the site

Edited May 11, 2018 by Machinator

OnAComputer · May 11, 2018

2 hours ago, Machinator said:

TFB Open Post: http://texas.thefootballbrainiacs.com/2018/05/open-post-weekend-may-11th-13th/

Hide contents

– With the commitment of Brayden Liebrock, Texas’ 2019 class is 50% out-of-state with three in-state and three out-of-state. Furthermore, Liebrock definitely won’t be the end of the out-of-state commitments for Texas, as Texas could rack up anywhere from two more to seven more commitments from out-of-state prospects. This got me thinking about the fact that the Longhorns seem to be more willing to go out-of-state to get players than in years past. Since 2012, the Longhorns have averaged 5.57 players in their class who do not hail from Texas. If we bring that into the last two coaching staffs, it’s pretty obvious that there is a larger focus out of state than earlier this century, as more than 26% of each class over the past five years has been from out-of-state with 2015 being the peak at 10 players from out-of-state. Compare this to the Mack Brown years where he averaged 2 out-of-staters per class.

However, was this due to Mack just being in love with Texas recruits and Texas recruits alone? It appears to have more to do more with necessity. When you compare the Longhorns previous three years’ total win percentage vs the percent of talent from out-of-state in that year’s class the point becomes much more clear. For example: the combined winning percentage of 2003, 2004, and 2005 was 89% and the percentage of OOS talent in the 2006 class was 9%, whilst the combined winning percentage of 2012, 2013, and 2014 was 59% and the percentage of OOS talent in the 2015 class was 34%.

There are plenty of other factors at play and the following graph is far from statistically sound, but I still feel it provides a good tool to visualize the correlation between the perceived trajectory of the program and the reliance on out-of-state talent.

Even under Mack Brown, he had to start off by taking a good number of guys from out-of-state until he secured the results to lock down the state.

Now, two questions remain…

“No-hahaha-no. This isn’t going to be forever…” But it probably won’t go away entirely either.

As you can see above, when Texas is at it’s peak, there is minimal need to go out-of-state. However, Texas still had about 2-4 guys from out-of-state a year. If Tom Herman were to ever get to that point, Texas would probably see a similar dominance in-state, yet Herman has shown a willingness and ability to step outside the border and take some talent. We’ll see just how great that willingness is after this season, but it’s there.

The second question is, “Can Tom Herman go out-of-state without ruffling the feathers of the easily angered Texas High School Football Coaching community?”

We saw Charlie Strong get in trouble for going out-of-state for recruits at times. What makes Tom Herman any different?

I think @Unofficial Longhorn put it best:

Herman has the existing equity to make OOS moves, whereas Strong was borrowing with no existing credit history.

When Charlie Strong went out and got the “Florida 5” and the other five out-of-state recruits, he was a guy going immediately out-of-state without having built prior relationships with teh Texas High School Coaching community. This gave them the idea that he wasn’t interested in Texas kids. And Charlie wasn’t good at being buddy-buddy or politicking, so whether or not the claims were valid didn’t matter. Add to this the fact that Strong came into a dysfunctional athletic department with a front office and donor-base that wasn’t exactly a fan of the hire (not because he was black), and high school coaches who weren’t a huge fan of the hire as well. Charlie Strong took a step forward to ensure he got some (seemingly) great talent when he had stood himself at the edge of the TXHSFB cliff.

Tom Herman may not originally be from Texas, but he may as well be. Herman has coached fifteen out of his twenty-one year-long career in the Lone Star State. He has built up strong relationships with the high school staffs around the state and continues to keep them steady by allowing them free access to the practices and flexible access around the facilities. He knows the correct people to know in these circles and has built those relationships out. He has played this game correctly all the way down the line, and for that he’s given himself plenty of wiggle room to play around with going out-of-state and meeting 7on7 coaches. – (Will)

May 8th Shhh:

– Two hours after the news of Brayden Liebrock broke, we were graced with some more good news.

The player connected with the most recent shhh, I’m told, has moved his timeline up and may actually announce late May/early June.

So, look for something to potentially drop in the next three weeks but we’ll continue to follow it. – (Super K)

– Elijah Higgins: For a while it seemed like Elijah Higgins ending up at Texas was a matter of when, not if. Over the past month, we’ve heard that this was no longer the case.

I spoke with a source earlier today who tells me that Texas is actually behind both Texas A&M and Stanford and that Higgins is set to visit Stanford this month.

It’s hard to know whether this will hold up. Fortunately, Texas is within striking distance on a couple big wide receivers in Makiya Tongue and Bru McCoy. I plan on speaking with Makiya in the very near future. – (Super K)

– One of my favorite Wide Receiver’s I’ve seen in 2019 is Notre Dame Prep (AZ) Jake Smith. Smith cut his list down to two recently, with Texas and USC as the lone schools remaining.

While it isn’t surprising to see Texas and USC as the finalists for him (I’ll break them down in a second) I wasn’t sure if he was going to narrow it down this soon. I say that because some other schools were trying to get him to extend the process a little bit. Schools like Texas A&M, Ohio State, and Notre Dame were wanting to get him on campus this summer for official visits. But, now it just looks like he will take the two officials to USC and Texas.

This is an interesting one to predict. As I know Texas fans hate the term “dream school” as a lot of recruits call Texas their dream school, and end up picking other schools. But, USC was the school Smith dreamed of playing at while growing up. And, Texas is the school that really opened his eyes on the visit and is giving him a ton to think about. It’s usually the opposite with the Longhorns.

Smith would like to make a decision this summer. And it sounds like he just about has his official visit dates locked in for USC and Texas. The official visit to USC will be May 19th, and Texas will their shot on June 2nd. Right now I feel good about Texas’ chances and the fact that he was willing to narrow his choices down to two this early in the process makes me feel like he somewhat knows what he wants to do. But this one isn’t over yet, and will likely come down to the official visits. – (Andrew)

– Jalen Catalon just dropped his top 8. As we have stated in the past, Texas is one of the front runners here, so they obviously made the top 8.

Jalen Catalon will be committing January 31st, so don’t expect anything to happen anytime in-between then an now. However Texas is still in a very good position here. – (Will)

Fixed the graph because I am an idiot. Disregard my stupidity and listen to me. Thank you.

Neonmoon · May 11, 2018

Can’t see shit brah

TexasFan21 · May 11, 2018

Can we get a discount for shitty stats?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Bevo · May 11, 2018

20 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

The program would have been stronger and deeper if Brown had taken a sweeping approach to recruiting the best players available after setting a Texas foundation in each class. Had he done so, Texas would have never run into QB, TB, WR, DL, or LB depth issues during his tenure. UT has been at or near the top in global merchandise sales and viewership from 2000 forward and Brown did little to exploit that national reach. I view it as a sin.

I disagree with this. Mack was never willing to discard dead weight the way Alabama does. Sure, the weak spots in the roster were somewhat due to only recruiting Texas. However, I think a bigger issue was that we had so many players on the roster who were non-contributors. Dumping those guys and signing max classes would have surely helped.

closetojumping · May 11, 2018

9 minutes ago, Bevo said:

I disagree with this. Mack was never willing to discard dead weight the way Alabama does. Sure, the weak spots in the roster were somewhat due to only recruiting Texas. However, I think a bigger issue was that we had so many players on the roster who were non-contributors. Dumping those guys and signing max classes would have surely helped.

They're not mutually exclusive issues. I don't even follow your thinking.

GlenFromTheMailRoom · May 11, 2018

46 minutes ago, Post Oak said:

Horace is such a great name

TrojanPrincess · May 11, 2018

16 hours ago, closetojumping said:

Whatever you guys do, do not alert @TrojanPrincess to this news. It could very well shatter her worldview.

Oh please. Everyone out here is now saying Smith is all UT. All I provide is what we hear at the moment out here. He loved Austin, loved the college town feel, that doesn't negate what I posted earlier, that USC was a dream school, kids say that stuff all the time, wear their team gear, then fall in love with another program. Kids out here are falling in love with UT. That's why there is no such thing as a lock.

the last thing I worry about is skilled player recruitment for USC, this early in the game, as in previous years, USC always start slow to end top 5.

i have zero animosity, or ill wishes toward UT, USC will get who they're meant to get, as you will. Both programs will end with top 5 recruiting classes.

Machinator · May 11, 2018

IT

STATE OF RECRUITING

The importance of Texas landing a few top notch defensive ends in the class of 2019 is no secret.

With Charles Omenihu and Breckyn Hager (as well as Chris Nelson who has played end at times in his career) set to play their final seasons on the 40 Acres, restocking the cupboard is a priority. While Ta'Quon Graham and even Moro Ojomo will likely be nice table-setters going into 2019, it’s imperative UT ink a couple big-time pass rushers to insert into the developmental pipeline.

The top targets remain DeMarvin Leal, NaNa Osafo-Mensah, Marcus Hicks, and Zach Williams.

Let’s discuss all four.

DEMARVIN LEAL... Converse Judson has a lot of talent heading into the 2018 season. Some young, some old, and some in between, but one talent in particular stands out on the practice field at D.W. Rutledge stadium, 2019 defensive lineman and Texas A&M commit DeMarvin Leal.

It's easy to feel bad for the Rocket center who has to line up against the 6-foot-4, 280 pound mauler at nose tackle. Despite double teams, Leal is in the backfield almost every play. Even in a scrimmage, like the one Judson had on Friday, Leal was giving max effort. Nothing illustrated this more than when he ran from the trenches to near the first down marker to plug a receiver into the turf.

With how special Leal is, his recruitment included many of the top teams in the nation. Alabama, Michigan, Georgia, Oklahoma, and Penn State were some of the out of state schools that came calling. Baylor, Texas, Texas A&M, TCU, and Houston tried to keep his services in state.

On April 18, the Aggies earned his commitment following a spring official visit beating four other finalists of Oklahoma State, Clemson, Texas, and Alabama.

"Just the defense and the alumni, just the way the whole college is set up," Leal said Friday as to what drew him to College Station. "The new coaching staff and the way they're putting it all back together, and I've got a good relationship with coach Price. He's a good dude and he coaches well."

Price, the A&M defensive ends coach, A&M defensive coordinator Mike Elko and A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher have told Leal they project him to play strongside defensive end in Elko's defense. Playing that role in that system and for someone who helped Myles Garrett become the first overall pick was a major appeal to Leal.

"Coach Price has put a whole lot of defensive ends into the NFL," Leal said. "He's pretty much had All-Americans and broken all types of records there at A&M at defensive end."

His comments about the Aggie football program are glowing, but Leal officially visited Texas less than one month after committing. Leal was visited twice in one week by Texas coaches at Judson prior to his official visit. Defensive line coach Oscar Giles and corners coach/recruiting coordinator Jason Washington were the members of Tom Herman's staff that made their way down I-35.

Washington is very familiar with the San Antonio football landscape. He is originally from the Alamo City, played two sports at nearby Texas State and eventually joined the Bobcat football coaching staff for two separate stints. Leal admitted Friday he hears most from Washington the most.

With multiple visits to San Antonio to see the one of the state's top prospect, what was the message to Leal from the defensive coaching duo?

"They talked to me about coming up to the facility and looking at it all, making sure I give them a chance," Leal said.

Leal gave Texas a chance over the weekend of May 4th-6th.

"I would describe it as great," Leal said about the visit. "There was a lot of new stuff that I saw that I didn't really see on the unofficials. It was good being able to experience and check out what all they have."

Much of this included off-campus ventures to major concerts and a day trip on the lake.

In addition to recent visits by Texas coaches, Alabama sent former A&M assistant Jeff Banks by Judson on Thursday. When asked if Clemson's and Alabama's coaches were trying to get visits from Leal, he responded with a firm "yes sir."

Leal has a visit scheduled for Tuscaloosa next month, per 247.

NANA OSAFO-MENSAH...I went to visit the 6-foot-4, 230-pound defensive end/outside linebacker from Fort Worth Nolan Catholic yesterday. And as expected, the pads were popping during the David Beaudin-led practice. The headliner is the man who will choose between Texas and Notre Dame next Saturday (May 19th) at the Vikings’ spring game.

On the field, NaNa looked incredible. Big, fast, strong, and mean. He even got into a little practice fight towards the end with 3-star LB Chance Cover. It was physical, like Beaudin prefers it.

Most pundits have NaNa ear-marked for South Bend, but I wanted to hear it from him. He sang high praise for both programs. He could see himself at both schools but knows he must make a difficult choice.

On spring ball/pads on:
“Camps are fun, but there’s nothing better than doing it in pads. That’s a game situation. Everyone can pass rush with nothing on, but it’s about what you’re going to do in the game."

“It doesn’t matter if you win every rep at a camp. It matters how many sacks you’re going to get in a game or the season.”

On Texas official visit:
“I loved that visit. I really got to see another side of the coaches. Coach Giles, that man is awesome. He would be checking on me in my room. When we left, he was checking on me to see how everything was and checking up."

"Even the head recruiter, Bryan Carrington, and there was a girl named Tory (Tekyl), she was funny as heck. She even helped me because I lost my driver’s license at JMBLYA and she helped me find it. They care about you a lot. The players are looking out for me and were taking care of me at JMBLYA and when we went out to eat. Those players like Denzel Okafor, TQ (Ta'quon Graham) and Tope (Imade) really take care of you."

"The first night, Tope took us out a movie to see Avengers. That was his fourth time seeing but he wanted us to have a great time, so he took us out there.”

On decision/crystal balls:
“I saw that the other day (on 247) and I was kind of confused because I didn’t say anything to anyone. It’s still 50-50. I’ll know maybe by Friday where I really want to go. Right now, I couldn’t really tell anyone where I’m going to commit.”

On decision-making process:
“I love (ND), and my parents love them. But dad is talking about the opportunity to come see my games and also the fact Texas is so close to home. It’s a ton of fun down there in Austin and that’s why I like Texas at the same time."

“It’s a battle between what I’m going to do with my family at this point. I know both have great football programs, so it’s really about my family and if we can adjust if I went to Notre Dame or if they would be more comfortable with Texas.”

On his NFL dream:
“I always had the dream of going to the league. I can show I can do more than just pass rush at Notre Dame or Texas. It’s going to make me a more versatile player.”

MARCUS HICKS...The Wichita, Kansas native and 4-star defensive end is taking the recruiting process very seriously. He and his father have tripped across the country, taking in the sights, and listening to the major program’s best pitches for the 6-foot-5 end.

While Texas is behind OU and Michigan, they continue to build the relationship. Marcus’ father, Kelvin, insists Texas is still squarely in the mix. They’ve even discussed a possible visit this summer, which would be his third trip to Austin in nine months.

As you can tell just from paying attention to Twitter, Oscar Giles is putting in a lot of time and travel on this recruitment.

ZACHARY WILLIAMS...the 6-foot-4, 225-pounder out of Little Rock, Arkansas is the best edge bender of the group. He is becoming more enamored with the Longhorns by the day. In fact, they might stand out at this moment.

“Texas is a very prestigious and storied program with championships dating back to the 1920s. The coaching staff, facilities and the campus all stood out.”

Williams loved his visit last month, and he wants to take an official visit this fall. While I don’t have Williams on the same level as the other three mentioned here, Texas always has backup plans.

It really boils down to this; you can’t win a recruitment in May, but you can lose one. You can grab an early commit, but they will have the Texas target on their back until they sign.

On the other side, you can have a priority prospect commit elsewhere, but that doesn’t mean the pursuit is over.

No matter where any of these guys commit early, it’s really only the beginning. Just because Leal is pledged to A&M doesn’t mean Texas is out. Just because Hicks is leaning to a few other schools doesn’t mean UT isn’t in the race. And just because Osafo-Mensah might be leaning to the Fighting Irish, doesn’t mean Herman and his staff will lose his number.

It’s still May. Texas does a tremendous job manufacturing momentum, especially in the summer. They’ll still host a Stars At Night camp in July. They’ll still plan a pool party before 2-a-days as well. Those events, and the satellite camp scene, are all occasions where the Longhorns will continue to fight for the guys at the top of their board.

A successful 2018 campaign not only keeps Texas close to these prospects, it slowly gives them an edge. That’s one reason Herman and his coaches aren’t using pressure or negative recruiting tactics. Herman realizes a good upcoming season could yield much more. And that can’t happen in May.

Another one to watch: Last week we made mention of a couple defensive ends/linemen the staff is keeping tabs on in Jason Gold (Clear Springs) and Gilbert Ibeneme (Pearland).

Add Peter Mpagi (George Ranch) to the list. The staff has been tracking the 6-foot-4, 225 pounder for over a year and recently went by his school. Mpagi (pronounced pudgy) had an eventful week picking up Nebraska and Washington. Academics are important and he'll visit Stanford and Cal this summer and maybe Northwestern. He covets a Texas offer as much as any and he's willing to work for it by camping in Austin on June 5th. When you have good offers and you're willing to camp it's a good sign.

Of note: Texas offered elite Highland Park 2020 defensive end Prince Dorbah yesterday. That offer was happening sooner or later. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound edge rusher, who can also play in space, will be highly coveted over the next two years. With only six offers at this point, Texas jumped in at the right time.

Alabama, Oklahoma State, and Boston College are the notables that have recently offered the under-the-radar-no-more freak athlete who was named 15-5A District Newcomer of the Year and helped lead Highland Park to a 5A State Championship last winter.

For Dorbah, the recruiting process is very new. Almost overwhelming for a confident, yet humble kid. Luckily for Texas, this was a huge offer in his eyes.

Dorbah plans on visiting Austin this summer, possibly at a couple of camps.

ABOUT THE TIGHT ENDS... With the addition of Chandler (AZ) TE Brayden Liebrock this week, the other UT tight end targets were put on notice; jump in the boat or go another route. Thus Temple’s Jared Wiley releases his Top 3 this week - Texas, Missouri, and Houston.

At this point, we believe Texas is the team to beat. We also feel like his decision could be coming sooner rather than later. And while his offer sheet doesn’t give you the warm and fuzzies, outside of Missouri's track record at the position, his athletic ability, film, and college projection should.

We see the Horns taking two tight ends in the 2019 class, and Wiley is still a take in the eyes of Texas. He says he needs to talk to the coaches about setting up a visit and that he will be visiting soon.

ABOUT THE DEFENSIVE BACKS... With cornerback Kenyatta Watson II (Grayson, Georgia) in the fold, we feel comfortable in stating nickel/safety Jalen Catalon (Mansfield Legacy) is more likely to Texas than anywhere else at this point. That leaves room for two more based on current numbers.

Dekaney cornerback Marcus Banks has been a priority for some time and we're starting to feel real confident there. I know many fans have felt that way since the Banks and his mother went on a positive Twitter spree while on their official visit, but Texas still had its concerns. Those concerns seem to be waning and that's partly due to what we're hearing is inconsistent recruiting on the part of LSU. Banks may not be a take for the Tigers at this time. We've heard they want to see some guys at camp and that may be why Banks' official visit was pushed to June.

Assuming Texas can land Banks and Catalon, that leaves one spot left. Hello, Chris Adimora.

The Long Beach, California native had this to say about his recent trip to Austin, "I loved it. It felt like LA, but away from LA. Home away from home. When I got off the plane I knew it was special. I've never seen a campus like that. Texas is way up my list. The players make you feel at home."

Adimora said he spent a lot of time with Chris Brown and Caden Sterns.

Another interesting quote, "Priorities in Texas are different, people eat, live, and breathe football." This is an important selling point for football players in California who take the sport seriously.

Aside from saying Texas was way up his list, Adimora wasn't giving away too much. He said he really liked his trip to Boise State as well. He may return to Boise and visit Eugene in June, but he'll definitely be back in Austin this summer, likely for the featured recruiting event.

A parting shot, "The coaches said they'd use me at boundary (safety). If they have guys like #25 (BJ Foster) and Sterns I'm thinking why would I go there? Then they told me they play four safeties a lot of the time."

I don't know the kid too well so I don't want to get y'all too excited, but this seems to be trending well. Adimora is the California version of Demani Richardson. If you can pull him from the Golden State, you do it. Then you stay on Demani....for Rover.

Longhorn94 · May 11, 2018

4 minutes ago, TrojanPrincess said:

Oh please. Everyone out here is now saying Smith is all UT. All I provide is what we hear at the moment out here. He loved Austin, loved the college town feel, that doesn't negate what I posted earlier, that USC was a dream school, kids say that stuff all the time, wear their team gear, then fall in love with another program. Kids out here are falling in love with UT. That's why there is no such thing as a lock.

the last thing I worry about is skilled player recruitment for USC, this early in the game, as in previous years, USC always start slow to end top 5.

i have zero animosity, or ill wishes toward UT, USC will get who they're meant to get, as you will. Both programs will end with top 5 recruiting classes.

well yeah but thats just your opinion....and stop being so reasonable and stuff man, not cool.... not cool.... SC fan... you guys just dont get it!

closetojumping · May 11, 2018

7 minutes ago, TrojanPrincess said:

Oh please. Everyone out here is now saying Smith is all UT. All I provide is what we hear at the moment out here. He loved Austin, loved the college town feel, that doesn't negate what I posted earlier, that USC was a dream school, kids say that stuff all the time, wear their team gear, then fall in love with another program. Kids out here are falling in love with UT. That's why there is no such thing as a lock.

the last thing I worry about is skilled player recruitment for USC, this early in the game, as in previous years, USC always start slow to end top 5.

i have zero animosity, or ill wishes toward UT, USC will get who they're meant to get, as you will. Both programs will end with top 5 recruiting classes.

This is not going to go well for you, madam, if you continue to take me this seriously.

Bob Lives! · May 11, 2018

8 minutes ago, TrojanPrincess said:

i have zero animosity, or ill wishes toward UT, USC will get who they're meant to get, as you will. Both programs will end with top 5 recruiting classes.

TrojanPrincess's vagina not nearly as sandy as the rest of Surly's. No wipes needed.

Bevo · May 11, 2018

32 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

They're not mutually exclusive issues. I don't even follow your thinking.

Probably a better way to state it is that I partially agree with what you wrote.

Although not perfect, I think we would have been okay staying in state if Mack Brown was more willing to trim the roster. Ideally, Herman will recruit nationally to bring in elite recruits at every position and trim the roster liberally to maximize the talent under the 85 man limit.

UDontKnow · May 11, 2018

3 minutes ago, Bevo said:

Probably a better way to state it is that I partially agree with what you wrote.

Although not perfect, I think we would have been okay staying in state if Mack Brown was more willing to trim the roster. Ideally, Herman will recruit nationally to bring in elite recruits at every position and trim the roster liberally to maximize the talent under the 85 man limit.

I am interested in seeing how Herman manages the roster in terms of attrition. It's mid-May and Surly has already identified a number of players that are potential attrition candidates. Herman's connections to other schools around the state (Texas Lutheran, Sam Houston St, Texas St, and UH) might help in finding soft landing spots for these players. Is Herman going to do it and if so, when?

rickyspub · May 11, 2018

20 minutes ago, Bob Lives! said:

TrojanPrincess's vagina not nearly as sandy as the rest of Surly's. No wipes needed.

I believe pics from the Princess are the necessary form of proof in this case.

Edited May 11, 2018 by rickyspub

CBHorn · May 11, 2018

1 hour ago, Vertigo said:

Not the "Charlie critics are racist" crap again...

Tom Herman has consistently engaged Texas High School coaches on a level Charlie never did or would have. Herman has clearly shown how thinks very highly of Texas recruits. Maybe Charlie thought the same, but he certainly didn't make it as evident as Herman.

Machinator · May 11, 2018

Does someone want to tell him?

UT Lawnghorn · May 11, 2018

58 minutes ago, Bevo said:

I disagree with this. Mack was never willing to discard dead weight the way Alabama does. Sure, the weak spots in the roster were somewhat due to only recruiting Texas. However, I think a bigger issue was that we had so many players on the roster who were non-contributors. Dumping those guys and signing max classes would have surely helped.

Since this is Surly, I DISAGREE WITH THIS!!! ... sort of.

Mack not pushing guys out probably had a tiny bit to do with the state of the roster but really, with the kind of classes Mack was taking during the last third of his tenure here, signing a max class every year wouldn't have done a whole lot to help. Most of those classes were full of bread at the bottom already. If Mack had more space, he would've been adding more guys like he had at the bottom of those classes not the top, which basically would've resulted in getting rid of a Junior JAG and replacing him with a Freshman JAG. I think the lack of national recruiting had much more to do with roster issues than not pushing as many guys out as he could have.

UT Lawnghorn · May 11, 2018

7 minutes ago, CBHorn said:

Not the "Charlie critics are racist" crap again...

Tom Herman has consistently engaged Texas High School coaches on a level Charlie never did or would have. Herman has clearly shown how thinks very highly of Texas recruits. Maybe Charlie thought the same, but he certainly didn't make it as evident as Herman.

Does someone want to tell him?

I'll volunteer for this one.

JFC man. He was making a joke about the "no existing credit history" line, not saying CTJ or TFB were racist for criticizing Strong. You're the one who just started that discussion.

Edited May 11, 2018 by UT Lawnghorn

Sejjr · May 11, 2018

47 minutes ago, TrojanPrincess said:

Oh please. Everyone out here is now saying Smith is all UT. All I provide is what we hear at the moment out here. He loved Austin, loved the college town feel, that doesn't negate what I posted earlier, that USC was a dream school, kids say that stuff all the time, wear their team gear, then fall in love with another program. Kids out here are falling in love with UT. That's why there is no such thing as a lock.

the last thing I worry about is skilled player recruitment for USC, this early in the game, as in previous years, USC always start slow to end top 5.

i have zero animosity, or ill wishes toward UT, USC will get who they're meant to get, as you will. Both programs will end with top 5 recruiting classes.

Hey we like you too! Now let us have Bru and Smith please.

Vertigo · May 11, 2018

33 minutes ago, Machinator said:

Does someone want to tell him?

Forget it, he’s rolling. Complete with a neg!

GotThatFire · May 11, 2018

The new CBs for Jake Smith, they are mostly flip picks from USC, is that correct? Sweet

Is he going to be our offensive savior, a missing piece, like a white 3 point shooter that can hit lights out while you're concentrating on everyone else?

TrojanPrincess · May 11, 2018

31 minutes ago, Sejjr said:

Hey we like you too! Now let us have Bru and Smith please.

No on Bru!

billfromlaketravis · May 11, 2018

@TrojanPrincess do you have a friend or loved one that can stay with you on the night of September 15th? Be well my friend.

Elmer_Fudd · May 11, 2018

1 hour ago, Machinator said:

IT

Reveal hidden contents

STATE OF RECRUITING

The importance of Texas landing a few top notch defensive ends in the class of 2019 is no secret.

With Charles Omenihu and Breckyn Hager (as well as Chris Nelson who has played end at times in his career) set to play their final seasons on the 40 Acres, restocking the cupboard is a priority. While Ta'Quon Graham and even Moro Ojomo will likely be nice table-setters going into 2019, it’s imperative UT ink a couple big-time pass rushers to insert into the developmental pipeline.

The top targets remain DeMarvin Leal, NaNa Osafo-Mensah, Marcus Hicks, and Zach Williams.

Let’s discuss all four.

DEMARVIN LEAL... Converse Judson has a lot of talent heading into the 2018 season. Some young, some old, and some in between, but one talent in particular stands out on the practice field at D.W. Rutledge stadium, 2019 defensive lineman and Texas A&M commit DeMarvin Leal.

It's easy to feel bad for the Rocket center who has to line up against the 6-foot-4, 280 pound mauler at nose tackle. Despite double teams, Leal is in the backfield almost every play. Even in a scrimmage, like the one Judson had on Friday, Leal was giving max effort. Nothing illustrated this more than when he ran from the trenches to near the first down marker to plug a receiver into the turf.

With how special Leal is, his recruitment included many of the top teams in the nation. Alabama, Michigan, Georgia, Oklahoma, and Penn State were some of the out of state schools that came calling. Baylor, Texas, Texas A&M, TCU, and Houston tried to keep his services in state.

On April 18, the Aggies earned his commitment following a spring official visit beating four other finalists of Oklahoma State, Clemson, Texas, and Alabama.

"Just the defense and the alumni, just the way the whole college is set up," Leal said Friday as to what drew him to College Station. "The new coaching staff and the way they're putting it all back together, and I've got a good relationship with coach Price. He's a good dude and he coaches well."

Price, the A&M defensive ends coach, A&M defensive coordinator Mike Elko and A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher have told Leal they project him to play strongside defensive end in Elko's defense. Playing that role in that system and for someone who helped Myles Garrett become the first overall pick was a major appeal to Leal.

"Coach Price has put a whole lot of defensive ends into the NFL," Leal said. "He's pretty much had All-Americans and broken all types of records there at A&M at defensive end."

His comments about the Aggie football program are glowing, but Leal officially visited Texas less than one month after committing. Leal was visited twice in one week by Texas coaches at Judson prior to his official visit. Defensive line coach Oscar Giles and corners coach/recruiting coordinator Jason Washington were the members of Tom Herman's staff that made their way down I-35.

Washington is very familiar with the San Antonio football landscape. He is originally from the Alamo City, played two sports at nearby Texas State and eventually joined the Bobcat football coaching staff for two separate stints. Leal admitted Friday he hears most from Washington the most.

With multiple visits to San Antonio to see the one of the state's top prospect, what was the message to Leal from the defensive coaching duo?

"They talked to me about coming up to the facility and looking at it all, making sure I give them a chance," Leal said.

Leal gave Texas a chance over the weekend of May 4th-6th.

"I would describe it as great," Leal said about the visit. "There was a lot of new stuff that I saw that I didn't really see on the unofficials. It was good being able to experience and check out what all they have."

Much of this included off-campus ventures to major concerts and a day trip on the lake.

In addition to recent visits by Texas coaches, Alabama sent former A&M assistant Jeff Banks by Judson on Thursday. When asked if Clemson's and Alabama's coaches were trying to get visits from Leal, he responded with a firm "yes sir."

Leal has a visit scheduled for Tuscaloosa next month, per 247.

NANA OSAFO-MENSAH...I went to visit the 6-foot-4, 230-pound defensive end/outside linebacker from Fort Worth Nolan Catholic yesterday. And as expected, the pads were popping during the David Beaudin-led practice. The headliner is the man who will choose between Texas and Notre Dame next Saturday (May 19th) at the Vikings’ spring game.

On the field, NaNa looked incredible. Big, fast, strong, and mean. He even got into a little practice fight towards the end with 3-star LB Chance Cover. It was physical, like Beaudin prefers it.

Most pundits have NaNa ear-marked for South Bend, but I wanted to hear it from him. He sang high praise for both programs. He could see himself at both schools but knows he must make a difficult choice.

On spring ball/pads on:
“Camps are fun, but there’s nothing better than doing it in pads. That’s a game situation. Everyone can pass rush with nothing on, but it’s about what you’re going to do in the game."

“It doesn’t matter if you win every rep at a camp. It matters how many sacks you’re going to get in a game or the season.”

On Texas official visit:
“I loved that visit. I really got to see another side of the coaches. Coach Giles, that man is awesome. He would be checking on me in my room. When we left, he was checking on me to see how everything was and checking up."

"Even the head recruiter, Bryan Carrington, and there was a girl named Tory (Tekyl), she was funny as heck. She even helped me because I lost my driver’s license at JMBLYA and she helped me find it. They care about you a lot. The players are looking out for me and were taking care of me at JMBLYA and when we went out to eat. Those players like Denzel Okafor, TQ (Ta'quon Graham) and Tope (Imade) really take care of you."

"The first night, Tope took us out a movie to see Avengers. That was his fourth time seeing but he wanted us to have a great time, so he took us out there.”

On decision/crystal balls:
“I saw that the other day (on 247) and I was kind of confused because I didn’t say anything to anyone. It’s still 50-50. I’ll know maybe by Friday where I really want to go. Right now, I couldn’t really tell anyone where I’m going to commit.”

On decision-making process:
“I love (ND), and my parents love them. But dad is talking about the opportunity to come see my games and also the fact Texas is so close to home. It’s a ton of fun down there in Austin and that’s why I like Texas at the same time."

“It’s a battle between what I’m going to do with my family at this point. I know both have great football programs, so it’s really about my family and if we can adjust if I went to Notre Dame or if they would be more comfortable with Texas.”

On his NFL dream:
“I always had the dream of going to the league. I can show I can do more than just pass rush at Notre Dame or Texas. It’s going to make me a more versatile player.”

MARCUS HICKS...The Wichita, Kansas native and 4-star defensive end is taking the recruiting process very seriously. He and his father have tripped across the country, taking in the sights, and listening to the major program’s best pitches for the 6-foot-5 end.

While Texas is behind OU and Michigan, they continue to build the relationship. Marcus’ father, Kelvin, insists Texas is still squarely in the mix. They’ve even discussed a possible visit this summer, which would be his third trip to Austin in nine months.

As you can tell just from paying attention to Twitter, Oscar Giles is putting in a lot of time and travel on this recruitment.

ZACHARY WILLIAMS...the 6-foot-4, 225-pounder out of Little Rock, Arkansas is the best edge bender of the group. He is becoming more enamored with the Longhorns by the day. In fact, they might stand out at this moment.

“Texas is a very prestigious and storied program with championships dating back to the 1920s. The coaching staff, facilities and the campus all stood out.”

Williams loved his visit last month, and he wants to take an official visit this fall. While I don’t have Williams on the same level as the other three mentioned here, Texas always has backup plans.

It really boils down to this; you can’t win a recruitment in May, but you can lose one. You can grab an early commit, but they will have the Texas target on their back until they sign.

On the other side, you can have a priority prospect commit elsewhere, but that doesn’t mean the pursuit is over.

No matter where any of these guys commit early, it’s really only the beginning. Just because Leal is pledged to A&M doesn’t mean Texas is out. Just because Hicks is leaning to a few other schools doesn’t mean UT isn’t in the race. And just because Osafo-Mensah might be leaning to the Fighting Irish, doesn’t mean Herman and his staff will lose his number.

It’s still May. Texas does a tremendous job manufacturing momentum, especially in the summer. They’ll still host a Stars At Night camp in July. They’ll still plan a pool party before 2-a-days as well. Those events, and the satellite camp scene, are all occasions where the Longhorns will continue to fight for the guys at the top of their board.

A successful 2018 campaign not only keeps Texas close to these prospects, it slowly gives them an edge. That’s one reason Herman and his coaches aren’t using pressure or negative recruiting tactics. Herman realizes a good upcoming season could yield much more. And that can’t happen in May.

Another one to watch: Last week we made mention of a couple defensive ends/linemen the staff is keeping tabs on in Jason Gold (Clear Springs) and Gilbert Ibeneme (Pearland).

Add Peter Mpagi (George Ranch) to the list. The staff has been tracking the 6-foot-4, 225 pounder for over a year and recently went by his school. Mpagi (pronounced pudgy) had an eventful week picking up Nebraska and Washington. Academics are important and he'll visit Stanford and Cal this summer and maybe Northwestern. He covets a Texas offer as much as any and he's willing to work for it by camping in Austin on June 5th. When you have good offers and you're willing to camp it's a good sign.

Of note: Texas offered elite Highland Park 2020 defensive end Prince Dorbah yesterday. That offer was happening sooner or later. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound edge rusher, who can also play in space, will be highly coveted over the next two years. With only six offers at this point, Texas jumped in at the right time.

Alabama, Oklahoma State, and Boston College are the notables that have recently offered the under-the-radar-no-more freak athlete who was named 15-5A District Newcomer of the Year and helped lead Highland Park to a 5A State Championship last winter.

For Dorbah, the recruiting process is very new. Almost overwhelming for a confident, yet humble kid. Luckily for Texas, this was a huge offer in his eyes.

Dorbah plans on visiting Austin this summer, possibly at a couple of camps.

ABOUT THE TIGHT ENDS... With the addition of Chandler (AZ) TE Brayden Liebrock this week, the other UT tight end targets were put on notice; jump in the boat or go another route. Thus Temple’s Jared Wiley releases his Top 3 this week - Texas, Missouri, and Houston.

At this point, we believe Texas is the team to beat. We also feel like his decision could be coming sooner rather than later. And while his offer sheet doesn’t give you the warm and fuzzies, outside of Missouri's track record at the position, his athletic ability, film, and college projection should.

We see the Horns taking two tight ends in the 2019 class, and Wiley is still a take in the eyes of Texas. He says he needs to talk to the coaches about setting up a visit and that he will be visiting soon.

ABOUT THE DEFENSIVE BACKS... With cornerback Kenyatta Watson II (Grayson, Georgia) in the fold, we feel comfortable in stating nickel/safety Jalen Catalon (Mansfield Legacy) is more likely to Texas than anywhere else at this point. That leaves room for two more based on current numbers.

Dekaney cornerback Marcus Banks has been a priority for some time and we're starting to feel real confident there. I know many fans have felt that way since the Banks and his mother went on a positive Twitter spree while on their official visit, but Texas still had its concerns. Those concerns seem to be waning and that's partly due to what we're hearing is inconsistent recruiting on the part of LSU. Banks may not be a take for the Tigers at this time. We've heard they want to see some guys at camp and that may be why Banks' official visit was pushed to June.

Assuming Texas can land Banks and Catalon, that leaves one spot left. Hello, Chris Adimora.

The Long Beach, California native had this to say about his recent trip to Austin, "I loved it. It felt like LA, but away from LA. Home away from home. When I got off the plane I knew it was special. I've never seen a campus like that. Texas is way up my list. The players make you feel at home."

Adimora said he spent a lot of time with Chris Brown and Caden Sterns.

Another interesting quote, "Priorities in Texas are different, people eat, live, and breathe football." This is an important selling point for football players in California who take the sport seriously.

Aside from saying Texas was way up his list, Adimora wasn't giving away too much. He said he really liked his trip to Boise State as well. He may return to Boise and visit Eugene in June, but he'll definitely be back in Austin this summer, likely for the featured recruiting event.

A parting shot, "The coaches said they'd use me at boundary (safety). If they have guys like #25 (BJ Foster) and Sterns I'm thinking why would I go there? Then they told me they play four safeties a lot of the time."

I don't know the kid too well so I don't want to get y'all too excited, but this seems to be trending well. Adimora is the California version of Demani Richardson. If you can pull him from the Golden State, you do it. Then you stay on Demani....for Rover.

If Leal is 280 lbs.+ no way he plays DE in a 4-man front. Another lie from bimbo. He'll be sent with the DT's the 1st day he steps on campus, if he sticks with them. They have told Stripling he'll play SDE as well.

Edited May 11, 2018 by Elmer_Fudd

TrojanPrincess · May 11, 2018

1 minute ago, billfromlaketravis said:

@TrojanPrincess do you have a friend or loved one that can stay with you on the night of September 15th? Be well my friend.

No worries, if we lose, I'll simply go out and buy an expensive piece of jewelry to console myself....it lessens the pain.

works every time.

Longhorn94 · May 11, 2018

5 minutes ago, Elmer_Fudd said:

If Leal is 280 lbs.+ no way he plays DE in a 4-man front. Another lie from bimbo. He'll be sent with the DT's the 1st day he steps on campus, if he sticks with them. They have told Stripling he'll play SDE as well.

agreed. he will be a monster as a DT in a 4-3 or boundary 4i in our scheme. at DE, he is just another guy.

Orange&White · May 11, 2018

1 hour ago, closetojumping said:

They're not mutually exclusive issues. I don't even follow your thinking.

A program is going to hit on some busts in recruiting whether they are coming from in state or OOS. Mack could have mitigated on some of his busts by cleaning house every offseason like other coaches are known to do.

billfromlaketravis · May 11, 2018

2 minutes ago, TrojanPrincess said:

No worries, if we lose, I'll simply go out and buy an expensive piece of jewelry to console myself....it lessens the pain.

works every time.

Respect.

I want this one pretty bad. I'm getting sick of "browning out" after close Texas losses.

texifornia · May 11, 2018

GlenFromTheMailRoom · May 11, 2018

There should be some type of friendly wager between @closetojumping and @TrojanPrincess for Texas/USC . Someone has to use the other school's avatar or something.

billfromlaketravis · May 11, 2018

2 minutes ago, texifornia said:

No offense to the young man, but how many of those schools would take his commitment? OK State, Michigan, and TCU would be my guesses.

TrojanPrincess · May 11, 2018

1 minute ago, billfromlaketravis said:

Respect.

I want this one pretty bad. I'm getting sick of "browning out" after close Texas losses.

Who do you want respect from? Frankly, you won't get it from the simple minded, uninformed fans of other programs with no sense of history and tradition, and what that means.

You've always had it from fellow Blue Blood (except maybe the Okies) programs that are smart enough to know that CFB success is cyclical, but the blue bloods have an almost guaranteed chance to come back to championship level.

How did we treat the Texas fans and players in L.A.? With respect, because we know it's just a matter of time before Texas is Texas again.

wouldn't give the clowns another thought.

Elmer_Fudd · May 11, 2018

Remember a while back talk of this guy potentially visiting. 4* DL from Cali.

https://247sports.com/Player/Stephon-Wright-46037951

OnAComputer · May 11, 2018

2 hours ago, closetojumping said:

I appreciate the work TFB does. I think they're the best of the $9.95ers and I'd consider subscribing when I have time for another board again.

That considered, I really don't like to see non-scientific thinking applying correlation to a disparate set of facts. It creates a narrative that isn't correct.

Mack Brown didn't go out of state in part because he woke a sleeping giant, sure, and in part because he got very lazy, very early, and harmed the program accordingly. I'll argue he was lazy-ish about his recruiting approach from the moment he realized he could fill an entire class of Texans and legacy UT people. By the time even 2005 rolled around, he'd cemented the premise that if someone wanted to come to Texas from OOS, they were going to have to recruit Texas aggressively, versus the other way around. As a result, Texas signed virtually no one from OOS for years. Mack Brown failed to exploit the national reach of the UT program out of sheer sloth and hubris, and then he bragged about it, and the press coverage rewarded his idiocy by lavishing him with praise. The program would have been stronger and deeper if Brown had taken a sweeping approach to recruiting the best players available after setting a Texas foundation in each class. Had he done so, Texas would have never run into QB, TB, WR, DL, or LB depth issues during his tenure. UT has been at or near the top in global merchandise sales and viewership from 2000 forward and Brown did little to exploit that national reach. I view it as a sin.

Now consider Tom Herman's approach. What he's doing now is nothing different in landscape view than Meyer at OSU or Florida, Saban at Bama, Fulmer at Tennessee, ND ever, Miami under Johnson, Erickson, and Davis, and particularly Bowden at FSU and Carroll at USC. Bowden and Carroll are the best analogs to me because they'd created national programs, or took over national programs, inside a recruiting hotbed. They built every class with a foundation of local talent that could compete at their level and continue to keep the program elite. Then they went out and went hunting for the best of the best at either positions of weakness within their own local realm, or simply because they could and felt they needed to in order to win titles. Herman's approach appears to be similar and I hope that continues to develop as he achieves higher levels of performance success at the helm of Texas.

So, I agree that Strong did what he felt he had to do out of necessity. I disagree that Mack Brown stayed largely within the Texas border merely because he soundly could. He could have done more, and he didn't. I disagree that Herman is a) doing something OOS out of semi-desperate necessity and b) will change his current approach once he's in a spot to dictate his class with Texas talent alone. If he does get lazy or myopic about his recruiting needs/reach, history dictates that we should know better, unite as recruitniks, storm the Belmont fortress, and cast him and his minions over the top of the upper westside deck.

And as I put in the article, there are plenty of other major variables in this. I didn't say there was a causation. I just said there is a correlation and that it's interesting. Also I know if Brown was being lazy recruiting back in 2002-2007.

billfromlaketravis · May 11, 2018

1 minute ago, TrojanPrincess said:

Who do you want respect from? Frankly, you won't get it from the simple minded, uninformed fans of other programs with no sense of history and tradition, and what that means.

You've always had it from fellow Blue Blood (except maybe the Okies) programs that are smart enough to know that CFB success is cyclical, but the blue bloods have an almost guaranteed chance to come back to championship level.

How did we treat the Texas fans and players in L.A.? With respect, because we know it's just a matter of time before Texas is Texas again.

wouldn't give the clowns another thought.

I meant that I respect how you handle a loss.

Ricky Butler · May 11, 2018

I bet OU is going to get annoyed once they convince kids to leave Cali, but then they end up picking UT because Austin feels like less of a culture shock.

TrojanPrincess · May 11, 2018

1 minute ago, Ricky Butler said:

I bet OU is going to get annoyed once they convince kids to leave Cali, but then they end up picking UT because Austin feels like less of a culture shock.

OU has always drawn from the part of California - like the Fresno area, referred to as "Fresneck" or guys with character issues. Parts of California no one wants to live.

You'll be competing directly with us...smart kids that want a good education and a class program. Okies lose on both.

closetojumping · May 11, 2018

10 minutes ago, GlenFromTheMailRoom said:

There should be some type of friendly wager between @closetojumping and @TrojanPrincess for Texas/USC . Someone has to use the other school's avatar or something.

I like where your heads at here. @TrojanPrincess can write a board post in recruiting forum proclaiming my wisdom, purported sexual prowess, magnanimity in wealth, and good looks if USC loses. If Texas loses, I'll pose pics of me, topless, riding off on Traveler just before the cops arrested me.

billfromlaketravis · May 11, 2018

Traveler should come down to Austin. It would be fun.

USC please beat Stanford to give our game the attention it deserves.

In the same vein, we better beat Maryland.

Edited May 11, 2018 by billfromlaketravis

TrojanPrincess · May 11, 2018

1 minute ago, closetojumping said:

I like where your heads at here. @TrojanPrincess can write a board post in recruiting forum proclaiming my wisdom, purported sexual prowess, magnanimity in wealth, and good looks if USC loses. If Texas loses, I'll pose pics of me, topless, riding off on Traveler just before the cops arrested me.

I've lied and made those same proclamations before, to a few past loves. Words are empty, darling! Lol.

Ricky Butler · May 11, 2018

9 minutes ago, TrojanPrincess said:

OU has always drawn from the part of California - like the Fresno area, referred to as "Fresneck" or guys with character issues. Parts of California no one wants to live.

You'll be competing directly with us...smart kids that want a good education and a class program. Okies lose on both.

I'm thinking of SoCal kids. I was mentioning it because someone posted a link for Stephon Wright, and he has USC and OU as likely destinations.

TrojanPrincess · May 11, 2018

3 minutes ago, billfromlaketravis said:

Traveler should come down to Austin. It would be fun.

USC please beat Stanford to give our game the attention it deserves.

In the same vein, we better beat Maryland.

With no QB distinguishing himself for the starting QB job, and all hopes hanging on a true freshman that requalified from the 2019 class to 2018 to forego his senior year at Mater Dei, to come in as the savior in June? We may lose to both Stanford and UT.

GlenFromTheMailRoom · May 11, 2018

10 minutes ago, TrojanPrincess said:

I've lied and made those same proclamations before, to a few past loves. Words are empty, darling! Lol.

Then put your purse down and put the money on the table. Anonymity is your friend here. Otherwise, half the demented fucks that post here would have been in jail a long time ago.

Edited May 11, 2018 by GlenFromTheMailRoom

TrojanPrincess · May 11, 2018

Just now, GlenFromTheMailRoom said:

Then put your purse down and put the money on the table.

I'm not stupid, see my post above.

GlenFromTheMailRoom · May 11, 2018

3 minutes ago, TrojanPrincess said:

I'm not stupid, see my post above.

At least you're a realist. Which is why most of us respect your opinions. You have a seat in the pantheon of posters from other schools that don't get random scat gifs sent to them.

and changing avatars is playing with internet dollars.

Edited May 11, 2018 by GlenFromTheMailRoom

tantric superman · May 11, 2018

4 minutes ago, TrojanPrincess said:

With no QB distinguishing himself for the starting QB job, and all hopes hanging on a true freshman that requalified from the 2019 class to 2018 to forego his senior year at Mater Dei, to come in as the savior in June? We may lose to both Stanford and UT.

I disagree.

You are going to get skullfucked by both.

Sign In

Texas recruiting notes 2019

Recommended Posts

closetojumping 62033

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Popular Posts

closetojumping

Carl Winslow

RadiologyHorn

Posted Images

Vertigo 20225

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Vertigo 20225

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Machinator 32097

Link to comment

Share on other sites

OnAComputer 1405

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Neonmoon 38127

Link to comment

Share on other sites

TexasFan21 1275

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Bevo 13468

Link to comment

Share on other sites

closetojumping 62033

Link to comment

Share on other sites

GlenFromTheMailRoom 1598

Link to comment

Share on other sites

TrojanPrincess 26

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Machinator 32097

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Longhorn94 2425

Link to comment

Share on other sites

closetojumping 62033

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Bob Lives! 900

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Bevo 13468

Link to comment

Share on other sites

UDontKnow 10439

Link to comment

Share on other sites

rickyspub 801

Link to comment

Share on other sites

CBHorn 414

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Machinator 32097

Link to comment

Share on other sites

UT Lawnghorn 758

Link to comment

Share on other sites

UT Lawnghorn 758

Does someone want to tell him?﻿﻿

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Sejjr 3246

Does someone want to tell him?