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Texas recruiting notes 2019


bigup2dahorns

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EJ after dark: Four-star WR Elijah Higgins ready to return to campus

— Austin Bowie wide receiver Elijah Higgins will make an unofficial visit to Texas when the Longhorns take on USC on Sept. 15. While the Longhorns still have work to do in this recruitment, a win against the Trojans and an amazing experience could really help Texas turn the tide in this recruitment. Right now, I would still give the edge to Stanford and Florida.

— We reported a few weeks ago that four-star 2020 Atlanta Carver (GA) running back Jo’Quavious Marks would be making a visit to Texas for the game against Tulsa. Today, he confirmed his visit plans. Marks received a Texas offer last month and has high interest in the program. He is friends with Texas commit and fellow Georgia native Kenyatta Watson II and is excited about getting his first look at UT. Along with Texas, Marks holds offers from the likes of Alabama, Florida, Miami, Ohio State and Ole Miss.

— Texas linebacker commit Marcus Tillman Jr. intended on making an unofficial visit this weekend. However, he will not be able to make it after all. Tillman will instead try to make it in for the USC game. Tillman committed to Texas this summer and is still solid, so this shouldn’t be alarming.

— Texas recently extended an offer to four-star 2021 Houston Bellaire Episcopal offensive lineman Donovan Jackson, and he will be on campus when the Longhorns take on USC on Sept. 15. Jackson has high interest in Texas early on and is excited about getting back to campus after camping for Stars at Night this summer.

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12 hours ago, longhornmatt said:

RSJ, Daeshon Hall, Thomas Johnson, Olaka, and probably a few others I’m forgetting all flipped when Sumlin and Manziel were flying high for that year or two at the beginning.

Jimbo probably won’t have a big year like that, but he can probably offer more “incentives”. 

Keke? Or nah?

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Horns247 Recruiting Mailbag: What are recruits thoughts after Maryland?

WHAT ARE THE RECRUITS THINKING AFTER THE MARYLAND GAME? HOW MUCH IS THE MARYLAND GAME TRULY GOING TO HURT OUR KIDS WE ALREADY HAVE COMMITTED? — BIGTEX2152

EJ: Look guys, it’s not time to panic. This loss should sting. It’s a bad one there is no way around that. But it’s not going to cause recruits to abandon ship right now. It’s one game. What the loss will do is halt recruiting momentum until the USC game, which just became even bigger. It’s an absolute must-win for the Longhorns. It also gives other teams like recruiting rival A&M ammunition to use over the next couple of weeks. If Texas continues to struggle on the field, obviously things could head south, especially in the 2020 class. But let’s just wait and see how it all plays out.

Mike: It’s this time of year that I remember recruits are less panicked than fans when it comes to losses.  No one seems to be worried about the Maryland loss, but you could see some movement with a poor season.  We’ve always said recruiting success is directly tied to wins and losses going forward, so it will mostly depend on how the season plays out.

MIKE/EJ, AFTER WATCHING THE GAME, THE LONGHORNS LOOKED SIGNIFICANTLY SLOWER THAN MARYLAND. JAKE SMITH, IMO, IS A NO BRAINER CAN’T LOSE PROSPECT. IS IT FAIR TO SAY WITH MORE PERFORMANCES LIKE THIS PAST SATURDAY, HE WILL ENTERTAIN ALABAMA MORE? — TEXASFIGHT1012

EJ: Like I said, if Texas continues to struggle then you’ll see some shakeups with a few commits. Right now, there is no reason to believe anyone is backing out of their verbal pledges. In the case of Smith, yes, Alabama remains a threat. The Crimson Tide are still actively recruiting him and pushing him for a visit. If Texas continues to struggle then Smith making a visit becomes more of a possibility. Texas needs to do everything it can to keep Smith on board. He’s one of the best prospects I’ve seen in-person and should be a Day 1 difference maker.

Mike: Smith is absolutely a guy you cannot afford to lose. The Longhorns do not have a player with his level of explosion in the class, and there aren’t really any secondary targets they could replace him with. You always have to worry about out of state prospects when it comes to losses, and with Bama involved it’s a scary proposition.

SINCE WE CAN’T EVEN BEAT MARYLAND, THE LOGICAL CONCLUSION IS THAT NONE OF THE BIG-TIME TARGETS WILL SIGN WITH TEXAS. SO WHO ARE SOME THREE-STAR SLEEPER GUYS WE CAN LOOK OUT FOR? — COREYDSTEEL

EJ: Not really a sleeper but a three-star recruit that I could see Texas landing soon is Plano East safety Tyler Owens. UT offered this summer, and it appears the Longhorns have cemented themselves in the pole position. Owens has moved up his decision timeline as well and with a strong visit on Sept. 15, the Longhorns could close. As far as non-offered guys go, I think you could see them take closer looks at guys like Plano West defensive linemen Shemar Pearl, Plano all-purpose back Kyron Cumby and Argyle offensive lineman Preston Wilson.

Mike: Look, the Longhorns have put together good classes despite results on the field the last few years, and the season has yet to play out. Like we said, it isn’t time to panic. EJ kind of mentioned everyone we are hearing about, but I’ll emphasize Preston Wilsonagain as a guy who is just scratching the surface on his potential.

WHAT IS THE BEST-CASE SCENARIO FOR THE BIG TEXAS VS. USC RECRUITING WEEKEND? IS THIS A SEAL THE DEAL OR SOW SEEDS WEEKEND? — RUNCHUCKRUN

EJ: The best-case scenario is that Texas wins and regains momentum after this black eye of a loss to Maryland. The atmosphere should be electric, and I could see the Longhorns coming away with at least one commit if they pull out a victory. Of course, Texas is going to have to play a hell of a lot better than it did last weekend against Maryland. Remember, Texas is going to have 2019 targets on campus like Owens, Bru McCoy, Marcus Washington, Elijah Higgins, Jalen Catalon and Lewis Cineas well as elite 2020 recruits like Dwight McGlothern, Darius Snow and Demond Demas.

Mike: I think it’s a big sow seeds weekend. The big thing is that a win against USC could help the team get back on track which would yield to more wins. The environment will be big, and I think the best case scenario is a commitment or two and a big push in a number of recruitments.

TOP 2 MOST LIKELY COMMIT FLIPS (AWAY FROM ANOTHER PROGRAM TO JOIN THE HORNS) FOR THIS RECRUITING CLASS? — BEVO1992

EJ: Man, it’s hard to think about Texas flipping recruits after its loss to Maryland last weekend. If I had to pick one, I would go with junior college linebacker Caleb Johnson, who is currently committed to Iowa State. Johnson recently received a Texas offer and is looking to make an official visit after the season. Texas is going to continue to work on Texas A&M defensive line commit DeMarvin Leal, but nothing is going to change there unless the Longhorns get things turned around the field and A&M has a dud season in Jimbo Fisher’s first year with the program.

Mike: It’s tough to say because the Longhorns don’t appear to be in a strong position with a number of committed prospects. I’ll echo Caleb Johnson, but my personal confidence isn’t high on DeMarvin Leal. With that in mind, I guess I’ll say Andrew Coker is a guy to watch.

DO TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL COACHES AS A WHOLE TAKE ISSUE WITH TOM HERMAN’S OOS RECRUITING EMPHASIS THIS CYCLE? IS THIS A TREND DUE MAINLY TO JIMBO FISHER AND LINCOLN RILEY’S RESURGENCE IN STATE FOR 2019? — HERMANSHORNS 

EJ: Not at all. Herman has done an excellent job of maintaining relationships with high school coaches throughout the state. He has strong ties to the THSCA and always makes sure to go through the high school coach first before engaging with trainers and others. You have to remember that Herman had preexisting ties to these high school coaches from his time at Sam Houston State, Rice and Texas State. Herman also has a former Texas high school coach on staff in Corby Meekins. As far as your other question goes, Texas was always going to recruit nationally under Herman. He wants to rebuild the brand across the country. Of course, this class does have more out-of-state guys due to A&M and OU’s in-state success. 

Mike: I don’t think so, because Herman was already a known commodity in-state.  That makes a difference in their eyes from what Charlie Strong, who was thought of as an outsider did.  There’s no question that Texas was forced to look out of state because of losses to programs like Oklahoma and A&M, but I think some of it has to do with the 2019 class just not being as strong in talent as 2018 or 2020.

STAN DRAYTON — WHAT EXACTLY IS HE TELLING RECRUITS ABOUT HIS INVOLVEMENT IN THE GAME DAY RUN AND SUB PACKAGES? WITH OFFENSIVE PERFORMANCES AND PERSONNEL DECISIONS LIKE SATURDAY HAPPENING FAR TOO OFTEN, ARE RECRUITS AND PARENTS TURNING A DEAF EAR TO HIS PITCHES OF WORKING WITH ZEKE & JORDAN HOWARD? — DALHORN214

EJ: The main pitch I hear recruits talk about in terms of Drayton is his resume. And recruits and their parents love it. Drayton, based on said resume, is a guy that can develop you to get you to the NFL. However, the Longhorns need to find success on the ground. On top of that, Drayton, who was thought of as an ace recruiter when he was hired, needs to close with some big fish at the position. He also has the South Dallas area, and UT doesn’t have much of a presence there. With his reputation, I expected more from Drayton, especially from a national recruiting standpoint. I think Jason Washington, last year’s Big 12 Recruiter of the Year, has developed into that ace guy for this staff.

Mike: Drayton’s pitch is all about development, and we haven’t been privy to any conversations about personnel decisions with recruits. I’m not sure recruits are even asking those questions at this point.

OF THE REMAINING SAFETY TARGETS OFFERED, NOLA POLA-GATES AND LEWIS CINE, WHICH IS MORE LIKELY TO LAND AT TEXAS? — BDAMMONEATW

EJ: I feel like Texas has a better shot of getting both Owens and Catalon. From the two you listed, I would go with Cine. He has been on campus and has developed a strong relationship with Craig Naivar. Cine also plans to be back in Austin on Sept. 15 when the Longhorns take on USC. I actually feel like Texas can get Cine on board, but the Longhorns obviously need to win on the field. Pola-Gates has yet to make a visit to Texas. Until that happens, I don’t think he’s a realistic option.

Mike: I’d have to say Cine out of the guys you mentioned. Pola-Gates hasn’t been on campus, and he’s a long shot to begin with. It will be more interesting to see how the numbers play out with Cine, Catalon and Owens.

WITH LINEBACKER DEPTH EXPOSED, WILL WE TAKE ONE OR TWO MORE LINEBACKERS? — GRANBURYGUY

EJ: Two would be ideal. I mentioned Caleb Johnson as a guy the Longhorns could flip. Texas is still working on fellow JUCO linebacker Lakia Henry as well. Simply put, the Longhorns want a guy that can come in and make an immediate impact. Texas remains in a strong position for four-star linebacker David Gbenda. Right now, we still have reason to believe the Longhorns lead there.

Mike: Two more would be great, but the problem is finding them. We think they are in a strong position for Gbenda, but who becomes the second option? Maybe they flip Johnson or Henry, but outside of that it will need to be someone they identify this fall.

HOW MANY MORE YEARS CAN THEY SELL TO RECRUITS ‘WE ARE ABOUT TO BE BACK?’ THEN THEY TAKE Ls TO SCHOOLS LIKE MARYLAND IN GAME 1. — 1TRE26

EJ: Zero. This is a make or break year. Texas will get guys because its Texas, but Oklahoma and Texas A&M are going to run the state if Texas doesn’t start winning games on the field. National recruiting would also take a hit if the Longhorns don’t right the ship. Texas has been selling the future for far too long. It’s time to produce results.

Mike: That pitch just isn’t going to fly much anymore. I think they need a minimum of 8 wins just to stay level with recruits and push towards next year. Short of that, they are facing a mountain with Oklahoma increasing their presence again and Texas A&M having a hungry recruiting staff.

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1 hour ago, texifornia said:

" SINCE WE CAN’T EVEN BEAT MARYLAND, THE LOGICAL CONCLUSION IS THAT NONE OF THE BIG-TIME TARGETS WILL SIGN WITH TEXAS. SO WHO ARE SOME THREE-STAR SLEEPER GUYS WE CAN LOOK OUT FOR? — COREYDSTEEL "

Good lord 247 posters are dumb as rocks

They're a special kind of stupid over there for sure. Some good ones but mostly fucking idiots 

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Sourced Note | Trey Sanders High on Texas
– Super K

Let me preface this by saying that I received this information while I was out in Georgia to see Texas running back target, Derrian Brown (I’ll have a write up on him, shortly). So, it was before the Maryland game.

But while I was there, I happened to speak with a source close to five-star running back, Trey Sanders (IMG Academy). As you know, Sanders visited Texas this past summer.

The source said, “Trey doesn’t like to talk about recruiting but I can tell you that Texas quietly leads for him. That’s very quiet. I’m not saying things can’t change but at this moment, Texas is, quietly, his leader”.

Why?

“He loved that visit”

 

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4 hours ago, RockyMountainHighHorn said:

We led, lead, leed, lede whatever it may be for trey sanders. Hahaha oh wow that's a belly laugh. I'm sure porter is inspiring desire to say "I want to have his career!". 

Porter would be in charge of washing Trey’s jock strap. Then he would start over Trey under Herman.

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EJ after dark: Intel on top running back targets

— Five-star running back Trey Sanders still plans to make an official visit to Texas at some point this fall. He is looking to take it closer to November as he is focused on his high school team. Sanders, who is set to be an early enrollee, communicates with Stan Drayton frequently and is looking forward to getting back down to Austin. While Texas is still in the mix, it’s going to take an amazing OV and a big turnaround on the field to create some movement here. Alabama and Florida still appear to be the favorites.

— Four-star running back Noah Cain is looking to make an official visit to Texas in November. Like Sanders, Cain is focused on his high school team, which travels around the country and makes it hard for him to visit colleges on the weekend. Cain has a strong relationship with the Texas staff but wants to see more from the Longhorns on the field. Right now, UT still has work to do to top favorite LSU. Cain, who is also strongly considering Oklahoma, Auburn and Penn State, plans to make his commitment on December 21 and sign early.

— Four-star Buford (GA) running back Derrian Brown will make a visit to Texas when the Longhorns take on USC on Sept. 15. We’ve reported in the past that Brown intended to see UT on this date, but it is now set in stone. We still feel very good about where Texas stands in his recruitment and wouldn’t be surprised if the Longhorns seal the deal with a strong visit.

— Overall, Texas would like to take two running backs this cycle. Even if the Longhorns get Brown onboard, they would continue to actively recruit both Cain and Sanders. Texas has been upfront with the pair of elite prospects and neither would mind being part of a two-back class.

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