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Texas recruiting notes 2019


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The Stampede: Intel on Noah Cain; coaches analyze DB commits

We are under three weeks away from Noah Cain’s commitment, and it seems like the door is still open in his recruitment. From talking to Cain and sources near him, that’s just the way he wants it. The four-star running back from IMG Academy (Fla.) is extremely calculated in the way he handles things, and from talking to sources around his recruitment, there’s been nothing tipping his hand so far.

One source I spoke with earlier in the weekend said that Penn State had a slight edge over Georgia and Texas in terms of how hard they were recruiting him, while another source said that it was primarily between Georgia and Texas with Penn State on the outside looking in. When I tried to clarify all of the things I was hearing, I was told that Cain prefers to keep people guessing.

For the Longhorns, Cain is a major priority. Just how big? Tom Herman made sure he was the first prospect he met with during the contact period. Shortly after leaving AT&T Stadium following the Big 12 title game, Herman made an in-home visit and had a heart-to-heart with the talented running back.

Cain was in attendance for the Big 12 title game, and he described it as a “cool atmosphere.” Texas struggled to run the ball against Oklahoma, but that doesn’t seem like it will detract from Texas’ chances. Cain and his family have seen enough from the Texas offense, and they’re encouraged by the development of the Texas offensive line under Herb Hand.

Texas is pitching that aspect along with the immense need for a difference maker at running back. Cain saw that need in person on Saturday, and he’s aware of the depth charts at the schools recruiting him.

Texas presents the greatest opportunity to play early, while Georgia has done a great job pitching him a role with their stacked backfield. I was also told that Penn State is recruiting him every bit as hard as Texas, and they’ve had a long relationship with Cain. This recruitment will come down to the wire, and the Longhorns have already used their in-home visit Herman.

While other assistants will still be able to visit, it was a calculated risk. Herman will not be able to have the last word, but he was able to show Cain how big of a priority he is. (Roach)

***

Texas commit Chris Adimora proved himself as one of the best defensive backs in the country this season. According to Mayfair (Calif.) head coach Derek Bedell, Adimora made big strides in his final year of high school football. “He became a vocal team leader in the locker room,” Bedell said. “That’s something this team really needed. As a team with a ton of young players, a veteran respected player that can lead is vital. On the field, he was a more explosive defender versus the run game. He played downhill and physical at the point of attack.”

Adimora did a little bit of everything for Mayfair as he lined up at both safety and wide receiver and led his team to a deep run in the state playoffs. One of the highest rated prospects in UT’s class, Adimora has tremendous upside as he has only been focused on football for a few years. Adimora actually started off as a basketball player before making the transition to the gridiron.

However, Adimora picked things up quickly and has an opportunity to be a special playmaker in the secondary at the next level. “He’s fast,” Bedell said. “He is quick to diagnose plays, which makes him very fast to the football. His size gives him the ability to cover a variety of players, but he can also be a factor in the run game. “These attributes make him versatile when you are game planning. We would use him at times as an in the box defender on one play then back as a middle safety on the next.”

So what does Adimora need to keep working on as he makes the transition to college ball? “He needs to improve his ability to take things from the meeting room onto the field,” Bedell said. “In college, meetings are used more for install than on the field walk thrus. We try and do some of this but not as much as they do in college.” Bedell added that Adimora would be a great fit at Texas and expects him to help continue the DBU tradition on the Forty Acres. “From a scheme standpoint, he is a perfect fit because of his versatility,” Bedell said. “However, I think that it will be difficult to have an immediate impact with Texas being so young at safety. But a lack of depth will give him the opportunity to impress. He has all the talent in the world, and he will compete his tail off.”

Adimora is set to sign with Texas during the early period. At 6-foot-1, 192 pounds, Adimora is ranked as the No. 17 safety and No. 197 overall prospect in the country, per 247Sports Composite. (Holland)

**

(Photo: MIke Roach, 247Sports)

Tyler Owens is one of the more intriguing prospects in the country. The four-star safety out of Plano East is a big, raw defensive back with so much upside. And it’s no surprise he was one of the biggest risers in the 247Sports recruiting rankings this fall. “He’s got size and speed,” said Plano East head coach Joey McCullough. “He’s explosive. He has great closing speed. He ran a 10.4 right before he got a bunch of offers. Being 6-foot-3, 200 pounds and being number one in our weight room power rankings, man, that’s impressive.”

Owens is extremely versatile and could play several positions in the Texas secondary thanks to his rare blend of size and speed. In fact, Texas safeties coach Craig Naivar has told Owens that he won’t be pigeonholed to just one position. McCullough added that Owens really does have the ability to lineup anywhere on the back end. “Our kids always mess with him about being a linebacker,” McCullough said. “Listen, he can play anything he wants to play. That’s the great thing about him. Whether he’s a down safety or a deep safety, he can play wherever. I wish I could have used him on offense (laughs). I think he will fit in well at Texas. He is comparable to the safeties they have. They put a GPS on Tyler at their camp, and his closing speed was as fast as the starting safety there. That’s impressive.”

McCullough added that Owens is also a quality land for Texas from an off the field perspective. “He’s an outstanding young man,” McCullough said. “He exemplifies student-athlete. He’s kind of what you want your kids to be. Nobody is perfect, but he’s a soft-spoken guy, and it’s been a pleasure to watch him grow. His confidence really grew and exploded. I told him nobody should be as fast or athletic. He believes it now.” Owens will sign with Texas during the early period. At 6-foot-2, 202 pounds, Owens is ranked as the No. 24 safety and No. 283 overall prospect in the country, per 247Sports Composite. (Holland)

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3 hours ago, Not a Sock said:

What's the level of competition he is playing against, because Warren is throwing kids around.

His point of impact is crazy it’s like he hit the a button and down on the joystick. It’s a quick launch hit stick type tackle. Long ass arms too 

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IT Scoop

 

Spoiler

We'll post team information tomorrow. I only talked to one person and he didn't have much information. I'll talk to more today, as will Justin. Obviously the most pressing news is regarding Caden Sterns' MRI. We haven't heard anything substantial yet, but should today. We'll post when we hear something.

RECRUITING

On Landon Jackson.... the 2021 stud from Pleasant Grove in was in attendance for the RRS Rematch.

“I just honestly love everything about tonight," said Jackson. "I really like Texas a lot. Not many new schools reach out yet, but the main one is definitely Texas. They recruit me the hardest.”

Jackson had a torn MCL and meniscus in his knee late in the year and missed the remainder of his sophomore season. But he's working to get back to top form, and hopes to be running by this spring. That one school that recruits him so well impressed him this season and last Saturday.

“It was great, seeing how passionate the Texas fans are about their team, and how much hate they have for each other. I also wore burnt orange.”

It's early here, but for an A&M legacy to be trending UT at this point is noteworthy. He hopes to visit Texas for Junior Days in February.

On Jalen Catalon....The Mansfield Legacy ATH is taking his OV to the ATX on 12/14-15th.
Despite missing most of his senior year due to a knee injury, he's staying positive and working hard in rehab.

“Everything is going well," said Catalon. "I'm just staying the course and enjoying the process and the bonds built with the coaches.”

Saying 'no' will be difficult for Catalon. He's a people pleaser and really can see himself at all three of his final schools - Texas, Arkansas, and TCU.

“What makes this hard is that everyone offers me a great education and opportunity," said Catalon. "Texas has an amazing campus and has impressed me with there play this year. I'm eager for my official."

On Deondrick Glass...the Katy running back just finished his senior campaign and is now focusing on recruiting. Two schools that he'll look to visit remain Texas and Georgia. He says he'd like to see both before making his decision. He doesn't know if he'll sign during NSD1 of NSD2, but those two along with Oklahoma State remain in the most contact.

[inserts Willie Nelson 8-Track] 

Tom Herman and Stan Drayton did an in-home with IMG Academy RB Noah Cain on Saturday night. Cain attended the B12 Championship earlier in the day. 

Drayton will also see JUCO RB Rhamondre Stevenson this week. He'll fly cross country to see 5-star tailback Trey Sanders as well. Herman was in Iowa on Saturday checking in on OL target Myron Cunningham. There's still no scheduled visit for Cunningham, but the Horns are working on it. We'll get more on Cunningham. Hopefully Herman prioritizing him at least gets UT's foot in the door for a visit. Time is running out.

Grossmont College (CA) OT Jay Williams will get an in-home with OL coach Herb Hand today. He'll then head to Sugar Land for a visit with OL Isaiah Hookfin. The Dulles offensive prospect will take his OV to Texas on the 14th-15th.

WR coach Drew Mehringer will see Mater Dei (CA) 5* ATH Bru McCoy today, as we reported in the Humidor. He'll also see Jordan Whittington and Marcus Washington this week.

Coach Orlando will see Fullerton College LB Caleb Johnson on Tuesday and Texas pledge De'Gabriel Floyd and 2020 stud LB Justin Flowe over the next few days.

Jason Washington will see Marques Caldwell and Kenyatta Watson II over the next few days. Both are solid commits. He'll also see some Derrian Brown this week.

Craig Naivar will see 2020 safety Bryson Washington (UT looks good here) today, then 4-star DB Jalen Catalon on Tuesday, and hit Cali to visit with pledge Chris Adimora on Thursday. Herman will join Naivar to see Catalon on Tuesday. They'll know where they stand before JC's OV weekend in two weeks. It's not looking good, though. Tyler Owens' in-home will happen shortly after they leave Mansfield.

Naivar will also stop by DFW prospects' Darius Snow, Dwight McGlothern, Chris Thompson, and Ja'Quinden Jackson this week. All remain top 2020 targets. He'll also check in on Lufkin's Jerrin Thompson this week to touch base.

Derek Warehime will see Jared Wiley, Michael Henderson, Brayden Liebrock, and the JUCO scene. Schools like TVCC, Navarro, TJC, and Kilgore JC will get visits. Texas is mining for back-up plans to Caleb Johnson should it be needed.

Tim Beck will head to Arizona to check-in on future Longhorns, Brayden Liebrock and Jake Smith, but he'll also swing through Saguaro to see 5-star DB Kelee Ringo.

Oscar Giles will be in Louisiana on Wednesday for his in-home with UT pledge Myron Warren. 

The next few weeks will go far into putting a punctuation on the 2019 recruiting class in kicking of the 2020 group.

CALEB JOHNSON

[under construction]

 

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from comments:

Spoiler

 

Q: Any chance we get in contact with Parker the decommit from Tech or are we done on the DL?

Nahlin: Probably done. They liked him as a backup plan to Myron Warren.

Wells: Probably not with Warren and Jones in + Mpagi and Sweat.

/

Q: What's ol' Corbz up to?

Wells: Somebody has to go to OK to see Demariyon Houston. He drew the short straw.

from a random poster, recruiting relevant:

Quote

 

Texas A&M hires Joe Jon Finley (from Mizzou) to replace Tim Brewster at TE coach.

Finley was also the interim OC in the Texas Bowl last season when Josh Heupel took the UCF job.

 

Dude has a history with OU as a player & coach

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IT on Caleb Johnson

As we know, the JUCO linebacker made his long awaited trip to Eugene. When Johnson originally arrived on the radar, Texas immediately jumped to the forefront but as we got to know him a little better it became clear an Oregon offer could serve as a stick in the spokes.

That offer came but didn't have the immediate, needle-moving impact I thought it might. Of course they had his attention, but so too did Texas and Arkansas.

I told him I read the 247 article regarding his Oregon visit and my speculation was that Texas still looked good from the standpoint of scheme and playing time. He responded, "Pretty good! And it definitely still looks good. The opportunity to come play in both is pretty much the same. And their scheme would adapt around me and my strengths which is real nice."

Johnson said Texas will visit him on Tuesday. I asked him if Oregon was recruiting him as hard as Texas and he said it was, along with Arkansas.

He'll know by the middle of next when he's going to decide. This could play out into the first signing period.

Not making a quick decision after his final visit is probably a good sign for Texas. As the recency wears off of the Oregon visit I think UT can continue making headway.

I think the staff pulls this off for the same reasons it pulled Gary Johnson -- scheme and opportunity -- but some tedious moments lie ahead.

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1 hour ago, Machinator said:

IT on Caleb Johnson

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

As we know, the JUCO linebacker made his long awaited trip to Eugene. When Johnson originally arrived on the radar, Texas immediately jumped to the forefront but as we got to know him a little better it became clear an Oregon offer could serve as a stick in the spokes.

That offer came but didn't have the immediate, needle-moving impact I thought it might. Of course they had his attention, but so too did Texas and Arkansas.

I told him I read the 247 article regarding his Oregon visit and my speculation was that Texas still looked good from the standpoint of scheme and playing time. He responded, "Pretty good! And it definitely still looks good. The opportunity to come play in both is pretty much the same. And their scheme would adapt around me and my strengths which is real nice."

Johnson said Texas will visit him on Tuesday. I asked him if Oregon was recruiting him as hard as Texas and he said it was, along with Arkansas.

He'll know by the middle of next when he's going to decide. This could play out into the first signing period.

Not making a quick decision after his final visit is probably a good sign for Texas. As the recency wears off of the Oregon visit I think UT can continue making headway.

I think the staff pulls this off for the same reasons it pulled Gary Johnson -- scheme and opportunity -- but some tedious moments lie ahead.

 

Good news.  It seems Texas withstood the punch.

Edited by Post Oak
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2 hours ago, NoName said:

Derek Warehime will see Jared Wiley, Michael Henderson, Brayden Liebrock, and the JUCO scene. Schools like TVCC, Navarro, TJC, and Kilgore JC will get visits. Texas is mining for back-up plans to Caleb Johnson should it be needed.

tenor.gif?itemid=4971414

 

I was sincerely hoping to see Warehime off the trail so he can pack his shit up in his office and head to Valdosta State. 

Edited by Vertigo
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4 minutes ago, Hiphopopotamos said:

They're not going to dump him prior to NSD1 and risk an already really good TE recruiting class.

They won't dump him, but I was hoping to not see him on the road. No sense in building relationships with a person that wont be there. 

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43 minutes ago, Bolero88 said:

Warren looks fantastic, but he needs to learn to not leave his feet. He's going to get juked and pump-faked a lot in college if he doesn't. 

Your mom needs to learn to stay on her feet too. Don’t even get me started on all the QBs who pumped her in college.

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22 minutes ago, Hiphopopotamos said:

They're not going to dump him prior to NSD1 and risk an already really good TE recruiting class.

 

17 minutes ago, Vertigo said:

They won't dump him, but I was hoping to not see him on the road. No sense in building relationships with a person that wont be there. 

giphy.gif

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21 hours ago, Elmer_Fudd said:

So it sounds like the McCoy's were already told Kliff was coming on board as the OC after all the comments from Super K.  If Kliff doesn't get hired then what?  Are they still going to jump on board that sinking ship after being told false information?

The KK saga seems to get more complicated as time evolves.  Aside from ESPN reports he could considered for head coaching jobs in the NFL,  if the Packers hire Josh McDaniels, he could potentially be the Pats OC.  He knows the organization well as they drafted him out of college and he's remained close with both Belichick and Brady.

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6 minutes ago, pigmeat markham said:

The KK saga seems to get more complicated as time evolves.  Aside from ESPN reports he could considered for head coaching jobs in the NFL,  if the Packers hire Josh McDaniels, he could potentially be the Pats OC.  He knows the organization well as they drafted him out of college and he's remained close with both Belichick and Brady.

Unless he has already decided he wants nothing to do with the NFL, it seems waiting would make the most sense. Even if the NFL HC thing seems far-fetched, he could have several pro-options to choose from and I am sure there will be other more stable, if not as prestigious, OC options at the college level as well. No matter how he performs at SC, I would think the likelihood of him being their next HC is almost as far-fetched as the NFL HC thing is. 

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12 minutes ago, rickyspub said:

Unless he has already decided he wants nothing to do with the NFL, it seems waiting would make the most sense. Even if the NFL HC thing seems far-fetched, he could have several pro-options to choose from and I am sure there will be other more stable, if not as prestigious, OC options at the college level as well. No matter how he performs at SC, I would think the likelihood of him being their next HC is almost as far-fetched as the NFL HC thing is. 

I know, I know, always with the jokes about KK's social life, but he's got a girlfriend that might that just might make the west coast his personal preference.

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On 11/30/2018 at 9:19 AM, Machinator said:

IT

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

T-minus 24 hours and counting until the Death Star launches.

TEAM

It isn't a week the team needed outside motivation, but it has been presented in the form of all Big 12 Conference snubs and a consensus feeling outside the program that OU is going to win. In the day and age of social media, of course outside noise filters in.

This culminated in a great week of practice. "It was a great week, just like before Iowa State. Tuesday was very physical. Poor scout team, they got beat up like they want to beat up OU. Lots of energy this week, as you'd expect."

This is a pretty confident bunch, but not over-confident.
"They learned some valuable lessons this season. The first game taught them a lot; they can beat OU, and they can lose to OU. They understand how dangerous they are. But winning that game gives them all the confidence they need. They're especially confident in their toughness. Beat them up and points will follow."

Injuries are and aren't a question heading into the game. How is Sam?
"It's the same with him. The staff has done what they can to put him on a pitch count and limit his throwing but all it takes is one unfortunate hit to re-aggravate it to the point that throwing is nearly impossible. They've limited him as much as they can within reason. They know he's going to have to throw the ball around. I expect Sam to have a big game. He never needs motivation, but I think it's pretty clear how bad he wants to hold another one over Murray."

Brandon Jones has been another one fans have worried about. How is he?
"He's the best he's been since re-injuring his ankle weeks ago. He looks fine, normal. The worst part is the chiding he took for suffering that big hit on punt return."

It seemed like the defense really suffered versus Oklahoma State and West Virginia with him out. Is it that simple?
"I don't think so, but that didn't help. That defense was just unprepared. The players thought they could just show up and play. That was another valuable lesson they learned this season. The level of focus needed has been restored."

Realistically how good can the defense play this week?
"Their expectations are very high, but I don't know if they're realistic. They think they're ready to play their best game of the season and are very confident they're going to play better than they did in the first meeting. This defense is much more comfortable with the game plan the second go around. OU's offense doesn't have near the room for improvement the Texas defense does. I think some ground has been made up."

How different are the game plans from the first tilt?
"Not much, but there are certainly some wrinkles. There's some stuff on offense they'll go to in the right situation to pull out all the stops. On defense there's a blitz package or two OU hasn't seen this season. Of course there are plans to defend Kyler as a runner in different ways if needed. They certainly want to get hits on him."

We know physicality is a clear advantage for Texas, what are some others?
"The staff feels confident in the Texas o-line versus OU's defensive line. Basically they like UT's chances to run the ball with a healthy tandem of Watson and Ingram. There's always Ehlinger too. Yards after contact is a big advantage, whether it's a running back or receiver, they're available. Just be physical."

What's the key to the game. What was worked on a lot this week?
"Containing Kyler. Containment was worked on non-stop from the varying defensive looks to ensure everyone knows their assignment. They need to limit his big plays, keep him in the pocket, and get some blitzes home. He'll make mistakes if that happens. I'm expecting a big game from the defensive line. Roach at nose is something they didn't see the first time. Omenihu is playing well and highly motivated. He's always motivated but this type of stage will have a lot NFL people watching. Of course Breckyn wants a haircut."

How does Texas lose this game?
"The team knows it's possible that Kyler can put them away if they don't do their job. I think everyone knows that's possible. That offense is amazing, but that just helps them focus and relish the opportunity. Because of OU's offense there isn't much margin for error on either side of the ball. If the team plays like it did in the losses or even some of the wins it isn't good enough. If they play their A game they're going to win."

NCAA TRANSFER PORTAL

Texas had its first name appear in the new NCAA transfer portal this week. If you've read the tea leaves and depth charts, it shouldn't be difficult to decipher who it is. But it wouldn't be cool to release the name because there's a chance if he didn't like what potential new programs were selling him, he can actually return to school. We've heard these kids can actually visit schools, then withdraw their name if they don't think they'll find a better situation. It's something we are monitoring daily. 

RECRUITING

As we reported in the Scoop and Tuesday recruiting notes, expect the staff to be on the road no less than 24 hours after the game in Arlington. Guys we're hearing that'll receiver early visits include wide receiver Bru McCoy, running back Noah Cain, cornerback Kenyatta Watson II, and linebacker Caleb Johnson. 

Quickly on Kenyatta Watson, we hear that recruitment is done and good to go. Any miscommunication has been repaired and the elite athlete will sign during the early period. This next visit will only reaffirm that.

The visit to Juco linebacker Caleb Johnson will be a big one for the staff. They'll need to read where his head is at after his visit to Oregon. We caught up with him this week and he's excited for the visit, but he's also going up there on business to see if Ducks defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt will remain. Johnson's recruiter is co-defensive coordinator/safeties coach Keith Heyward, so even if Leavitt took a job elsewhere it might not affect Johnson all that much, unless Leavitt took Heyward with him. If the staff gets a bad feel for Johnson they could make the short trip to see fellow Juco Vic Viramontes. Viramontes is blowing up recently, and may net an LSU offer soon. The staff may also elect to keep digging for a Juco through NSD2. 

Hopefully Gary Johnson has a career game this week and Johnson takes note.

This is interesting: We've heard that Georgia is making a quiet, credible push for Trey Sanders. Florida is doing the same. Alabama may not actually lead right now. If you're one of those with your head buried in the sand, this is just another hard-fought SEC recruitment. If you're breathing fresh air, you'll know that anyone who has worked for Saban knows how it has to compete with Saban. We want Sanders at Georgia because that helps Texas with Noah Cain. Someone is going to have to bowl a perfect game to come up with Sanders.

Here's some good news. It sounds like offensive line commit Tyler Johnson is going to enroll early. Now you can factor him in to the two deep as a true freshman. They're going to throw him into the fire and see what's forged next August. The staff isn't sure if he's a guard or right tackle yet. I could see him initially at guard between a junior Derek Kerstetter and senior Zach Shackelford, with Imade on the left side. We'll see, long way to go, but this is an exciting development. Johnson's senior tape shows a great athlete for the position with him playing more pissed off than a year prior. That can help overcome technical flaws.

I caught up with a source on Texas wide receiver commit Demariyon Houston. He says OU hasn't been in contact with Houston and that Houston still plans on signing in February. In February? "That's always been his plan." We'll see if the staff asks him to sign early or not.

There is some 'save the ship' potential to finish this cycle to the benefit of the next one.

Herman mentioned what we've been saying for a while now; a Big 12 Championship doesn't do much for 2019 but helps a lot with the class of 2020. Go get that win, fellas.

 

So I suppose Kennedy Lewis has a spot now?

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