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Texas recruiting notes 2019


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Just now, BigOrange1 said:

because he's a good player who can run and could help us and we have the spot??

are you guys just butt hurt because he decommitted or is there something to his story of which i'm unaware?

There was a contingent of fans who thought he was a reach when we took him.

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4 minutes ago, BigOrange1 said:

because he's a good player who can run and could help us and we have the spot??

are you guys just butt hurt because he decommitted or is there something to his story of which i'm unaware?

It's not a good sign that Oklahoma State didn't think he was good enough. OU was never going to take him. 

Edited by billfromlaketravis
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2 minutes ago, BigOrange1 said:

because he's a good player who can run and could help us and we have the spot??

are you guys just butt hurt because he decommitted or is there something to his story of which i'm unaware?

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Rumor was that after poor senior season he was no longer a take and processed out....

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because he's a good player who can run and could help us and we have the spot??
are you guys just butt hurt because he decommitted or is there something to his story of which i'm unaware?

There was a credible story that included a quote from his high school coach that Texas backed off and didn’t give him an indication they still wanted him. So, he felt he had to decommit.
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2 minutes ago, Dbeasy said:


There was a credible story that included a quote from his high school coach that Texas backed off and didn’t give him an indication they still wanted him. So, he felt he had to decommit.

Yup...... one way to process out is to back off and no longer indicate you want a player

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10 minutes ago, Dbeasy said:


There was a credible story that included a quote from his high school coach that Texas backed off and didn’t give him an indication they still wanted him. So, he felt he had to decommit.

They didn't back off, they stopped communicating period.  I don't like focusing on the negative, but the Houston deal rubbed me the wrong way.  I get it, there's more talent and in the end it's better for Houston and us to go separate directions.  Herman should have manned up though and at least called the kid to personally inform him - he deserved that at least.

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3 minutes ago, CB'sGotMeLit said:

They didn't back off, they stopped communicating period.  I don't like focusing on the negative, but the Houston deal rubbed me the wrong way.  I get it, there's more talent and in the end it's better for Houston and us to go separate directions.  Herman should have manned up though and at least called the kid to personally inform him - he deserved that at least.

Didn't meekins visit him just before he decommitted 

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32 minutes ago, BigOrange1 said:

are you guys just butt hurt because he decommitted or is there something to his story of which i'm unaware?

Texas definitely stopped recruiting Houston. I'm too lazy to go find the article but Houston's HS coach flat out said we weren't communicating with him anymore. 

 

Edited by texasstrong12
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1 minute ago, texasstrong12 said:

Texas definitely stopped recruiting Houston. I'm too lazy to go find the article but Houston's HS coach flat out said we weren't communicating with him anymore. 

 

https://newsok.com/article/5617855/high-school-football-millwood-star-demariyon-houstons-recruitment-remains-up-in-the-air

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7 minutes ago, texasstrong12 said:

Texas definitely stopped recruiting Houston. I'm too lazy to go find the article but Houston's HS coach flat out said we weren't communicating with him anymore. 

 

"Millwood star receiver De'Mariyon Houston was set on signing with Texas on Wednesday to open the early National Signing Day.

He had taken several promotional photos, had visits with the coaches and been to campus. But something changed in the last few weeks.

Texas' interest waned.

Despite being committed since early July, Houston was discouraged. It was time to start over in the recruiting process. One of the state's top recruits re-entered the market.

“It was like they found somebody else or something and they were really trying to push him off,” Millwood athletic director Shannon Hayes said. “He felt like they didn't want him anymore.”

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20 minutes ago, CB'sGotMeLit said:

They didn't back off, they stopped communicating period.  I don't like focusing on the negative, but the Houston deal rubbed me the wrong way.  I get it, there's more talent and in the end it's better for Houston and us to go separate directions.  Herman should have manned up though and at least called the kid to personally inform him - he deserved that at least.

Because pulling an offer is bad PR. Looks much better when it's just a decommitment. After months of little to no communication they know what's going on so it's not like they are left in the dark. 

Edited by texasstrong12
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22 minutes ago, CB'sGotMeLit said:

"Millwood star receiver De'Mariyon Houston was set on signing with Texas on Wednesday to open the early National Signing Day.

He had taken several promotional photos, had visits with the coaches and been to campus. But something changed in the last few weeks.

Texas' interest waned.

Despite being committed since early July, Houston was discouraged. It was time to start over in the recruiting process. One of the state's top recruits re-entered the market.

“It was like they found somebody else or something and they were really trying to push him off,” Millwood athletic director Shannon Hayes said. “He felt like they didn't want him anymore.”

thanks.  

pretty clear to me now that we won't be circling back to houston. 

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24 minutes ago, Machinator said:

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I'm wondering what Liebrock's SPARQ scores were.

When we saw clips of him from his 7-v-7 events in the summer, he looked like a man amongst boys.

But when his senior highlight film came out, it looked like he had trouble getting separation from high school DBs & LBs (in Arizona) and he almost never made anyone miss or picked up yards after the catch. (Again, this was against Arizona's big schools.)

His hands were like fly-paper, but I'm worried about him ever getting open. Seeing that he had a quiet week against top defenders from across the country doesn't surprise me, but does concern me.

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7 minutes ago, Napoleon said:


I'm wondering what Liebrock's SPARQ scores were.

When we saw clips of him from his 7-v-7 events in the summer, he looked like a man amongst boys.

But when his senior highlight film came out, it looked like he had trouble getting separation from high school DBs & LBs (in Arizona) and he almost never made anyone miss or picked up yards after the catch. (Again, this was against Arizona's big schools.)

His hands were like fly-paper, but I'm worried about him ever getting open. Seeing that he had a quiet week against top defenders from across the country doesn't surprise me, but does concern me.

Do you expect Liebrock to be an instant contributor? If so, you should be concerned. He'll need a redshirt season to get harder, better, faster, stronger.

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1 hour ago, UDontKnow said:

Do you expect Liebrock to be an instant contributor? If so, you should be concerned. He'll need a redshirt season to get harder, better, faster, stronger.

I don't, though I've seen some posts stating that they expect him to contribute next year.

My concern is that he looks extremely lean and strong right now and yet doesn't have any quickness. I doubt that he's going to add quickness as he gains weight, because he's not chicken-legged now with all upper body weight.

My thinking is that he'll redshirt, then spend another season or two getting bigger (hopefully only with good weight) and will eventually be an inline blocking TE that people forget can catch the ball. His contribution will be releasing late and catching 7 yard seam passes that he'll then take another 1 to 5 yards.

He's got a massive frame, so carrying a ripped 250-260 lbs should be possible by his 3rd or 4th season. He catches anything even remotely close to him, so teaching a slow blocker to catch is definitely not a problem with Liebrock.

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4 hours ago, cafe society said:

Grab a RB via whatever channel.  Sign Shepherd.  Sign the Stewart kid out of North Shore for nickel.  Grab two grad transfer OLs and a grad transfer TE.  Save the other spots for 2020.

You make it sound like getting 4-5 starters in the grad transfer market is like going to the store for milk and eggs. We hit the jackpot this year and we got two. 

At some point all of these great players we have been signing need to replace seniors who have left. 

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IT Scoop 1/7

Spoiler

 

When Texas is looking to fill a position of need, the staff won't confine its options to one of high school, JUCO, or grad transfer, rather it will typically weigh all available options and go from there. In some instances they may like their young options and want someone who can fill an immediate gap (or vice versa), but for the most part they'll always go best player available from the three main tributaries to the program. Talent is talent and they don't care if you're a high school player, at Last Chance U, or are ready to move on from your current four-year school as long as you fit the culture and can improve the program.

The needs in the class and program are mostly clear, but like with everything related to recruiting, subject to change. As you'll soon read.

2019

RB Deondrick Glass, Katy: A visit that was seemingly set in stone is now somewhat up in the air. I've been in contact with the father of the 5-foot-9 pinball numerous times this week.

First, after the bowl game:

"Texas is looking good! Defense wins championships. Texas just beat a very good Georgia team! Impressive! Texas can very easily be in the playoffs next year if they play like this all next season. Great win."

"The ground game is okay, still need that home run hitter running back, though."

"We will OV next week to see if it's a good fit."

Then, on Sunday:

"That's the plan [to announce on the 14th]. We might come down there next week, not sure, gotta talk to Coach Drayton."

Interesting, but perhaps here's some clarity on why Texas may re-calibrate numbers at the position.

APB Jordan Whittington, Cuero: You'll notice the new designation of all-purpose back for the talented early enrollee. After turning heads running the ball in a State Championship winning performance, Texas is envisioning Whittington as an Alvin Kamara styled running/receiving threat. Jordan has a dense build that could likely shoulder the load, and obviously has elite receiving skills. This past season saw Longhorns' running backs total more than 50 receptions, but we could see that number grow by leaps and bounds with Whittington coming out of the back-field.

Clearly this is the staff trying to address a roster shortage while also looking for ways to get the best personnel on the field. As receivers, Whittington and Jake Smith step on each others toes a bit, though there's certainly room for both at the position. The staff currently sees the greatest need for Whittington's Swiss Army knife versatility in the back-field. That could change over time, depending on who the 2020 takes are, but for now the slot could find himself slotted for a more unique role.

WR Jake Smith, Notre Dame Prep: The Gatorade National HS Player of the Year was invited to both the Under Armour and Army All-American games, but decided to sit out due to an injury suffered towards the end of his senior season. A few media members took it as him being afraid of competition, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. It isn't a serious injury, but it is one that will require more rehab than originally expected. Smith will be fine in a few weeks time.

Along with Whittington, Smith will add immediate big-play ability the offense was missing in 2018.

CB Keeyon Stewart, North Shore: The former Texas Tech commit and current state champion has caught the staff's attention. Stewart played safety for the Mustangs but he's a corner in college thanks to his 4.3 hand-timed speed. At 6-0, 175 pounds, and a solid tackler, he fits the profile for what Texas is looking for on the island. UT first took interest before NSD1 to see what his plans were. Stewart elected to sit on his offers and not sign in order to see what bigger schools might come his way. UT has been in contact with him but has yet to offer. The staff is still weighing all options, including refreshing the transfer portal often. We know they'd love to add another corner but first preference would probably be some experience, however Stewart's a good athlete (better than Anthony Cook, actually) with upside. He's competitive and tough, too.

LB Lakia Henry, Dodge City C.C.: The hard-hitting inside linebacker was committed to Tennessee for quite some team but recently re-opened things. Texas has mild interest but there are a lot of things that need to be checked out before he was allowed to visit, namely academic standing. Numbers have been addressed at linebacker for the most part, but he's a hard hitter who would compete to start at Mac so he's worth checking into further.

OL Desmond Bland, Arizona Western: The guard prospect committed to Nebraska in June but has yet to sign. He's a high-three star and looks it; light on his feet and has some fight. Texas likes him quite a bit and he might visit. They're still working on it.

OL Dawand Jones, Ben Davis (Indianapolis): The mammoth 6-foot-8, 360 pounder was paid a visit by Herb Hand in December. Texas extended an offer and would like him to visit, but this one is looking like it will go Ohio State's way.

OL Ira Henry, Trinity Catholic (St. Louis): The teammate of Texas signee Marcus Washington and 2020 target Mookie Cooper is another possibility to visit. He's 6-foot-5, 320 pounds and a mid-three-star.

The offensive line is another position where the portal is being monitored daily. There are reports out that Texas has been in touch with Virginia graduate transfer, RJ Proctor. We'll check into that and see how genuine the interest is on each side.

2020

OL Chad Lindberg, Clear Creek: The in-state top 10 talent recently returned home from Orlando where he participated in the Under Armour Future 50 event. Here are some quotes you'll like:

"Future 50 was good. Good experience and got a lot of stuff. Did well on the drills then twisted an ankle first rep of 1on1s lol but it’s all good. 1on1s aren’t football. Give me pads and I'd clean those DL guys up."

"Watched the Texas game with Hudson Card and Zach Evans. We all enjoyed it."

I mentioned earlier in the year Evans told me he wanted to play with the 6-foot-6, 305 pound road-grader.

"Yeah that’s the plan. We spent a lot of time with each other in Orlando. He cares about playing with me and Damieon George."

Texas has also offered Damieon George who would certainly tuck neatly in a 5-6 man offensive line class.

What about the spring, big man?

"I don’t have any plans set up but I’ll go as many places as I can. I’ll see LSU and Texas for sure."
I told him he'll be the smartest person in Louisiana the second he crosses the border. No offense @roschonsbigbro or any other Louisiana dwellers.

UT has a long way to go with Lindberg, but I doubt they'd trade their position with any other school.

The number will be 5-6 for the position in the class and landing Lindberg would be perhaps the biggest piece.

CB Avery Helm, Fort Bend Marshall: In what should have been a magical season, the junior corner lost a teammate to a domestic altercation and tore his ACL. Despite that, Helm stays optimistic and upbeat. "I should be back full in the spring but the summer is where I’m really going to take my game to another level."

He's certainly one of my favorite corners in the class, and I told him I hoped the injury didn't hurt his communication with college coaches. He said communication has remained great with schools and UT is one of the schools he plans to visit this spring.

Because of the injury his process might have slowed down a little, offer-wise, but the kid is a talent who could blow up. He received a very early Utah offer (good indicator) and also one from LSU in October.

2021 

OL Donovan Jackson, Bellaire Episcopal: Despite being rated a 92 by 247, I think it's clear Jackson will be in the five-star conversation eventually. There's a little Kenyon Green to him. Jackson had a hell of a combine in San Antonio, finishing on the all-combine team. His father, Todd, didn't have his son's size listing from the event yet, but he said Donovan measured 6-foot-5, 305 pounds when they visited Alabama for the Iron Bowl.

I asked him what visits they had planned for the spring an he said, "Nothing set yet. Waiting for schedules to come out but thinking UT, Bama, UGA to start." My next question was going to be about the Sugar Bowl but after he mentioned wanting to visit Georgia I shelved it. I didn't want to sound like I was drawing a distinction between the two schools. It's safe to say UT is in good early shape here.

IN CASE YOU WERE WORRIED...

Inside Texas wouldn't have a high profile recruitment to fret over during the final weeks, fret not!

Both me and Justin have recently heard positive rumblings regarding UT and defensive back Jalen Catalon......from the Arkansas side. Yes, not the Texas side.

Of course Texas has been selling the Sugar Bowl victory along with everything else since the big game. There's fear in Fayetteville that it is taking root.

We're not saying Texas is now the favorite, and we're also not discounting TCU, but UT certainly helped itself January 1st.

 

 

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