2011 Texas Longhorn Recruiting

[The Reckoning]

i think ive said it before here, but i believe the coaches were well aware of the longhorns "rebuilding" this year, so they insisted on the run - even though it's not going anywhere.

this strategy will give incentive to future running back prospects and hard-nosed linemen, so it should work in the long run by using UT's prestige to initially draw in the recruits. reeling in prospects like malcolm brown gives testimony to this - with players like gilbert and (hopefully) some solid receivers, it should give the horns some cards to play with in the upcoming years. not that i necessarily agree with the strategy because it really hurts current students, but i understand what they are doing.

[TFloss32]

OL Tray Allen officially took on redshirt status today. He'll have one more year of eligibility after this year ends.

[TFloss32]

TE Chris Barnett committed to Arkansas this past weekend after having visited them a dozen times.

Side note...LB Chet Moss of Cedar Park posted a thread on OrangeBloods after the Iowa State debacle stating that the 2011 class is "still married" to UT. We'll see if that rings true if Texas drops games to the likes of Baylor, Kansas State and A&M.

[TFloss32]

Just a reminder that 2012 QB Connor Brewer of Chaparral HS (Scottsdale, AZ) will be in Austin this weekend for the Baylor game. We may have another letdown on our hands, but at least he'll get to see Colt McCoy get his jersey retired and his sister already attends UT.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Connor-Brewer-93534

[TFloss32]

I can't believe I forgot to post this, but RB Aaron Green of San Antonio Madison is making his commitment tonight from his church in Converse, TX. There's an article in the San Antonio Express News this morning that talks about Green "shocking the world" with his decision. Honestly, I'll be shocked if it's not Nebraska. Maybe Baylor???

http://www.kens5.com/sports/college/DAVID-FLORES-Madison-star-Green-reveals-college-choice-Wednesday-night-105844423.html

[Kermit]

I can't believe I forgot to post this, but RB Aaron Green of San Antonio Madison is making his commitment tonight from his church in Converse, TX. There's an article in the San Antonio Express News this morning that talks about Green "shocking the world" with his decision. Honestly, I'll be shocked if it's not Nebraska. Maybe Baylor???

http://www.kens5.com/sports/college/DAVID-FLORES-Madison-star-Green-reveals-college-choice-Wednesday-night-105844423.html

He's going post-op.

[TFloss32]

Well, it's Nebraska. Hopefully the Texas staff has known this for a while and they have an idea of how they'll close the class.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Aaron-Green-84784;_ylt=Ar1BGRt3M4IxO972pD8viTNGPZB4

[ThePop]

Expected.

[Whisky Dog]

It sounded like the Texas coaches weren't recruiting him anymore at all. His "shock the world" cliche'd comment was just to drum up interest in an announcement everyone already knew the answer to.

[TFloss32]

2012 OT Kyle Marrs of San Antonio Brandeis will be in Austin this weekend for the Baylor game.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Kyle-Marrs-111613

[TFloss32]

2012 DT Joey Hunt of El Campo will also be in attendance this weekend.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Joey-Hunt-114999

[TFloss32]

2012 DT Javonte Magee of San Antonio Sam Houston was also at the Baylor game on Saturday night. Texas probably has the advantage at this point because of 2011 DT Quincy Russell.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Javonte-Magee-104642

[TFloss32]

DB Charles Jackson of Klein Collins committed to Nebraska today. Too bad Texas didn't pull the trigger on offering this kid.

http://fe1.rivals.sports.ac4.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Charles-Jackson-104768

[TFloss32]

This is the latest Recruitocosm for everyone to read. It hardly addresses recruiting, but focuses more on potential staff changes for Texas. This is mostly pure speculation, but it's a fun read and makes you think about the possibilities. Enjoy.

http://recruitocosm.fantake.com/2010/11/05/texas-recruiting-weekly-winds-of-change/comment-page-1/#comment-13072

[TFloss32]

Here's a follow-up article to the last one. It continues the discussion of potential coaching changes.

http://recruitocosm.fantake.com/2010/11/08/winds-of-change-part-ii-apocalypto/

[TFloss32]

Here's a link to all of the playoff match-ups in Texas HS football:

http://www.texasfootball.com/playoff-central/

[TFloss32]

2012 ATH Bralon Addison of Fort Bend Hightower will be in Austin this weekend for the Oklahoma State game. Texas is recruiting him as defensive back.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Bralon-Addison-81314

[TFloss32]

Just read that RB Tre Newton has decided to end his football career due to head injuries. This season gets better and better, doesn't it?

[TFloss32]

http://recruitocosm.fantake.com/2010/11/14/coaching-changes-whispers-behind-the-scenes/

Another great article on potential coaching changes.

[TFloss32]

LB Anthony Wallace of Dallas Skyline has committed to Oregon.
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Anthony-Wallace-85198

DE Cedric Reed of Cleveland (Texas commitment) visited College Station this weekend for the Nebraska game. He says he's still firmly committed to Texas, but don't be surprised if this one turns at some point. There were rumors of him switching to A&M even before Texas saw their season go down the drain. If Texas loses anyone from their 2011 class, he would be the most likely candidate.

[DesignatedT]

Yeah, I have also heard the Reed might be switching his commit. Hopefully it turns out to be true, we could use it.

[TFloss32]

Here's some more news from Recruitocosm on the Greg Davis possiblities:
http://recruitocosm.fantake.com/2010/11/21/agents-leverage-and-confirmation-of-whispers/

An article on the Cedric Reed drama:
http://recruitocosm.fantake.com/2010/11/21/cedric-reeds-word-stronger-than-oak/

[tlongII]

Is it really a good idea to bring these recruits to Austin this year?

[The Reckoning]

it's called tradition

[TFloss32]

Is it really a good idea to bring these recruits to Austin this year?

Might as well do damage control in person instead of by text, phone or e-mail.

[modtxspur]

Is there any truth to the rumor Case McCoy is leaning towards transfering to ACU if he can't get PT?

[leemajors]

Is there any truth to the rumor Case McCoy is leaning towards transfering to ACU if he can't get PT?

my friend who works sideline camera said case was scared to go in the game vs Iowa State, so that sounds unlikely.

[TFloss32]

Is there any truth to the rumor Case McCoy is leaning towards transfering to ACU if he can't get PT?

There have been lots of transfer and attrition rumors. You'll obviously see that after an abysmal 5-7 season. There's a lot of fat to be trimmed. I haven't heard the ACU rumor about Case McCoy. I have heard rumors of Connor Wood transferring to TCU or Stanford, though. I've always thought that something has to give at the QB position with David Ash coming in during the Spring semester of 2011. There doesn't seem to be enough separation between the QBs on the Texas roster and Garrett Gilbert will always be the starter as long as Mack Brown is the head coach. IMO, Connor Wood would be the strongest candidate for a transfer eventually.

[TFloss32]

Some coaching names being thrown around as potential replacements:
http://recruitocosm.fantake.com/2010/11/27/finally-some-names-meet-texas-new-ol-coach/

Another article on timelines and coaching changes to appease the masses:
http://recruitocosm.fantake.com/2010/11/30/coaching-changes-catalysts-crossroads-and-timelines/

[TFloss32]

my friend who works sideline camera said case was scared to go in the game vs Iowa State, so that sounds unlikely.

Not sure why Case McCoy would've been scared. It's not like Mack Brown is ever going to put him in unless Texas is actually winning (and by a large margin). Garrett Gilbert wasn't even pulled from the Kansas State debacle after throwing five INTs. Even when McCoy got a chance against FAU, he wasn't even allowed to throw the ball. Mack is too afraid of creating a QB controversy because he's married to Gilbert and knows how poorly he's played this year.

[TFloss32]

Here's another 2011 name to keep an eye on:

DE, Brandon Alexander, Brenham (6-6, 230)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Brandon-Alexander-118205

He's flown under the radar for a while since he's a transplant from Louisiana. The Texas staff invited him to the Texas A&M game along with teammate, 2012 LB Timothy Cole. Texas is likely recruiting him as insurance in case Cedric Reed de-commits or if Jermauria Rasco decides to commit elsewhere. He probably has Texas A&M as his #1 at the moment.

[leemajors]

Not sure why Case McCoy would've been scared. It's not like Mack Brown is ever going to put him in unless Texas is actually winning (and by a large margin). Garrett Gilbert wasn't even pulled from the Kansas State debacle after throwing five INTs. Even when McCoy got a chance against FAU, he wasn't even allowed to throw the ball. Mack is too afraid of creating a QB controversy because he's married to Gilbert and knows how poorly he's played this year.

it's secondhand, but he said he overheard case say it.

[TFloss32]

it's secondhand, but he said he overheard case say it.

Not questioning your guy...just thinking out loud. You would think Case McCoy would know this better than anyone.

[TFloss32]

And the attrition news begins...read earlier tonight that DT Tyrell Higgins has been contemplating quitting football. It's not official yet, however. This would be yet another hit to the DT position which has a lot of youth and inexperience. For those that don't know or have forgotten, Higgins has already quit the team once before and earned his scholarship back this past Spring after returning to the team as a walk-on.

[TFloss32]

Hey fellas...can't post the link right now because the site is down at the moment, but Recruitocosm posted last night that the Board of Regents had met unoffcially to discuss a big money hire at OC (Gus Malzahn, Dana Holgorsen, etc.) and that Greg Davis is going to most likely be reassigned to another position within the program. This news is about 10 years in the making! Whoever they hire will hopefully provide a much needed momentum swing in the Longhorns' favor. Looks like the only coaches who have job security on the offensive side of the ball are Major Applewhite and TE coach Bruce Chambers. Be back later with links...

http://recruitocosm.fantake.com/2010/12/02/coordinator-level-changes-big-cigar/

[TFloss32]

Here's another story that serves as sort of a "cheat sheet" for who UT could be looking at as the next OC. Seems as if Dana Holgorsen is (or was) the top choice, but his lifestyle may keep him from getting a serious look. Remember, he's a product of the Mike Leach coaching tree. He's a little different in the head and apparently is known for frequenting the bars and hittin' some co-ed ass. I think Texas could use some "swag."

http://barkingcarnival.fantake.com/2010/12/02/our-new-offensive-coordinator-will-be/

[TFloss32]

I've read a lot the past few days and it seems like something may go down tomorrow with regard to coaching changes. Not sure if hires will be announced or just the coaches that are on the way out. We'll have to wait and see. I think the next two weeks will be very exciting for Longhorn fans. Here's where we're currently at:

Coaches to Retire
Mac McWhorter (Offensive Line)
Mike Tolleson (Defensive Tackles)

Coaches to Resign
Greg Davis (Offensive Coordinator)

Coaches to Walk
Bobby Kennedy (Wide Receivers)

Coaches to be Re-assigned within Program
Jeff "Mad Dog" Madden (Strength and Conditioning)

Coaches to Remain
Major Applewhite (Running Backs)
Bruce Chambers (Tight Ends)
Will Muschamp (Defensive Coordinator)
Duane Akina (Defensive Backs)
Oscar Giles (Defensive Line)

Here's another Recruitocosm update on the offensive coordinator search. Looks like Gus Malzahn may be a very realistic option for Texas.

http://recruitocosm.fantake.com/2010/12/04/coaching-change-rumors-and-confirmations/

[TFloss32]

Here's an official confirmation on three coaches from the Austin American Statesman:

http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/longhorns/entries/2010/12/06/breaking_davis.html?cxntcid=breaking_news

Looks like Greg Davis will not be at UT next year in any role as of right now.

[TFloss32]

More attrition news...ugh! Apparently a DE on the Texas roster is having his scholarship pulled. No names or reasons yet. My guess would be Dravannti Johnson or Tevin Mims. It's definitely NOT stud freshman Reggie Wilson...that's a relief.

http://recruitocosm.fantake.com/2010/12/09/more-attrition-on-the-defensivie-line/comment-page-1/#comment-22923

Rumors going around that Texas is about to offer DE Brandon Alexander from Brenham. Apparently his senior tape has gotten around and schools are all over him. I imagine this offer will definitely go down if another defensive lineman is lost. Having him may help towards getting guys like 2012 LB Tim Cole and 2012 DT Malcolm Brown (both of Brenham).

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Brandon-Alexander-118205

[Whisky Dog]

It's Mims that left apparently to grades (supposedly), and I'd be shocked if the Horns land Alexander as he's not from Texas and just moved to Brenham a year ago. He's SEC bound if a big SEC hitter comes calling.

I know Rasco has cooled, but he's going to be needed as the DL looks thin as hell for next season.

Got damn what a shitty season

[TFloss32]

It's Mims that left apparently to grades (supposedly), and I'd be shocked if the Horns land Alexander as he's not from Texas and just moved to Brenham a year ago. He's SEC bound if a big SEC hitter comes calling.

I know Rasco has cooled, but he's going to be needed as the DL looks thin as hell for next season.

Got damn what a shitty season

It's definitely Tevin Mims. That defensive line is going to be littered with freshmen and sophomores next year.

I've heard the same thing on Alexander. Many people have said he flew under the radar because he was from a smaller school in Louisiana and then blew up when he got to Brenham. Things will get interesting if LSU or Alabama come calling.

[TFloss32]

Here are some other coaching names being thrown around as possible replacements:

John Papuchis, Nebraska (Defensive Line and Special Teams)
Gunter Brewer, Oklahoma State (Wide Receivers)

[symple19]

No way you guys get Malzahn. Why go be a coordinator again when you can get a head coaching gig?

Vandy reportedly offered him 3 mil per to be HC.

[Kermit]

No way you guys get Malzahn. Why go be a coordinator again when you can get a head coaching gig?

Vandy reportedly offered him 3 mil per to be HC.

Malzahn was never an option. Just wishful thinking.

[symple19]

Malzahn was never an option. Just wishful thinking.

sorry, I'm a little insecure about coordinators leaving for UT :lol

[Kermit]

sorry, I'm a little insecure about coordinators leaving for UT :lol

:lmao

Well, Vanderbilt just offered him $3 million a year to coach for them. Do you think he takes it?

[TFloss32]

http://recruitocosm.fantake.com/2010/12/10/street-agents-in-texas-some-new-competition-for-will-lyles/

An interesting article about street agents in college football recruiting, specifically a guy named Baron Flenory. Touches on the Anthony Wallace recruitment and how he all of sudden ended up committing to Oregon without any prior talk of them being a major player. There is a second part coming at a later date that talks about Oregon and Auburn specifically.

[symple19]

:lmao

Well, Vanderbilt just offered him $3 million a year to coach for them. Do you think he takes it?

No, I don't. Nashville is a football wasteland. He already declined the Colorado job, which is a much better gig.

I think he's waiting for a Michigan/UF/Miami caliber HC job.

Many on the plains think he'll stick around one more year (unless one of the above schools offer) so he can prove that he can help AU win 9+ games without Cam.

Remember, this guy is only 5 years removed from coaching High School football

Couldn't blame him if he did take it though. 3 mil is a lot of cheese, more than even Chizik makes at Auburn

[TFloss32]

Couple of things:

ATH LaDarius Brown of Waxahachie has committed to TCU. I really wish Texas would've offered him as a defensive back. He's a Top 50 player (in the nation) and should do big things in Forth Worth.

S Avery Walls from McDonough, Georgia has committed to Cal. If some of you don't remember, he visited the UT campus back in the Spring but was never offered by Texas. Mack Brown wasn't in Austin at the time.

OC Dana Holgorsen of Oklahoma State was officially named the HCIW of West Virginia yesterday. Kind of out of left field, but that takes him off of Texas and Florida's list of potential OCs.

DC Teryl Austin of Florida is supposedly taking the same position at Texas. However, reports of him being hired yesterday are slowly being overshadowed by articles saying those previous reports were premature. The Texas Board of Regents will be holding a special meeting Friday to discuss job openings. They usually don't meet about job openings unless a salary above one million dollars needs to be approved. Whether they're discussing OC and DC...there's no way to know. However, a guy like Teryl Austin won't require a million dollar salary. It could be to approve a salary for a new OC such as David Shaw of Stanford, Paul Chryst of Wisconsin (the Badgers put up 70 points THREE times this year) or Bryan Harsin of Boise State. Those are my top three candidates for OC. A lot of misinformation is being thrown around by Bellmont because Mack Brown was super pissed about the Greg Davis news getting out before his actual resignation took place.

[ThePop]

Seems like our recruits are staying loyal. Only 2 I could see decommiting is Westerman and Russell.

[TFloss32]

Bad news.

DE Jermauria Rasco of Shreveport Evangel Christian has eliminated Texas from his list of schools. Only LSU, Alabama, Florida State and Tennessee remain. Losing Muschamp really hurt Texas' chances.

[BUMP]

fPzje3lISdY

[TFloss32]

OL Christian Westerman of Chandler, Arizona (arguably UT's top recruit) is visiting Auburn this weekend. Auburn and Oregon have been hot on his trail since all of the UT drama so it makes sense for him to keep his options open. The encouraging news is his family has been planning a move to Austin for about nine months now and he still has his official visit to UT in January. Hopefully UT will be able to hang on.

[Blake]

OC Dana Holgorsen of Oklahoma State was officially named the HCIW of West Virginia yesterday. Kind of out of left field, but that takes him off of Texas and Florida's list of potential OCs.


thank god

[DesignatedT]

I heard Kenny Williams 4 star RB from pflugerville de commited from Tech and joined A&M today. Good pickup if true.

[TFloss32]

I heard Kenny Williams 4 star RB from pflugerville de commited from Tech and joined A&M today. Good pickup if true.

I read that today as well but haven't posted about it because I can't find a confirmation. Great pick-up for the Ags if it comes to fruition. I'll post a link if I find one.

[modtxspur]

I was watching the replay of the Steele and Guyer game. Did Malcom Brown throw up the horns after his first touchdown...couldn't tell but it looked like he did.

[TFloss32]

Tennesse DC, Justin Wilcox, has been the latest and greatest name in the Texas DC search. He's only been the DC at Tennesse for one year, but is best known for his work as the Boise State DC from 2006-2009. If some of you don't remember, Boise State's defense held undefeated, high-flying TCU to just 10 points in last year's Fiesta Bowl. Despite being only 33, he has an impressive college resume.

Even better news is he's rumored to be targeting Cal DT coach, Tosh Lupoi for the same position at Texas. Wilcox coached Lupoi at Cal for two years before moving on to Boise State. Lupoi is known for being a fierce recruiter and was named the 2010 Rivals Recruiter of the Year. He is only 29 years old. He is a Cal guy through and through, so it may be a tough pull to get him to come to Texas. However, UT will most likely give Lupoi at least two times what he currently makes at Cal. Wilcox apparently tried to take Lupoi to Tennessee with him last year, but Lupoi turned him down.

Interesting sidenote...Wilcox is a Mormon and Lupoi is obviously of Polynesian descent (he is probably Mormon as well). Texas rarely has a shot at any prospect that is Mormon or of a Polynesian background because they simply haven't had those connections in the past. Having these two guys on board could help tremendously when it comes to recruiting schools like Euless Trinity or any kid of Polynesian ethnicity. Wilcox and Lupoi are also both very familiar with the West Coast. I wouldn't mind a constant pipeline of Samoans and Tongans suiting up in burnt orange. Also, hiring a guy like Wilcox would make Texas an even sexier destination for Boise State OC, Bryan Harsin, as they worked together at Boise State for many years.

[rjv]

i was happy for malcolm brown and steele. being a local i wish him the very best, although i can not wish the same for the school he picked. he sure is a great talent and solid student though.

[Harry Callahan]

I had no knowledge of the Euless Trinity program and the influx of Tongan players there. When the DFW airport was being built, a bunch of people from Tonga (a very small Island country in the Pacific) came over to the U.S. to work on the DFW airport. A large community on Tongans settled in the Mid-Cities and Euless in particular.

Euless Trinity has benefited from the Tongan players. They have a really good team and program there - I enjoyed watching them play last weekend.

TFloss is bringing up some interesting info once again. I would be good for UT to bring in some bright young assistants with fire in their bellys. You have to shake things up every now and then and now is the time.

Malcolm Brown is a big-time talent and did well against a tough team last weekend in the 5A Div II championship. With the physical training and resources at Texas, they will turn him into a real monster (along with hopefully a little better blocking next year). He should terrorize defenses for the next three or four years.

[TFloss32]

CB Nick Waisome of Groveland, Florida has de-committed from Florida and switched to Florida State. Why is this related to Texas? Not only did Texas target Waisome for a long time, but Waisome de-committed this past weekend after his official visit to Florida. How often do you see a prospect de-commit from the school he plans on attending directly after his official visit?! Very odd. Anyway, Texas could tie into all of this because Waisome was extremely close with Florida DC, Teryl Austin (who also coaches the defensive backs). Either Waisome had some sort of epiphany when it came to Florida State, he dislikes Will Muschamp or he was informed that Teryl Austin is no longer going to be on staff at Florida. Does that mean Austin is going to Texas as we originally thought? Although rumors are rampant that Justin Wilcox is Texas' guy at DC, Austin could very well still be in play for the Longhorns. Austin has also been rumored to have a desire to go back to coaching in the NFL.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Nick-Waisome-95578

[symple19]

Christian Westerman visited Auburn over the weekend. Reports have him wavering on his commitment to UT


edit: i scrolled up and saw that you were already on it TFloss, as always :lol

[TFloss32]

Christian Westerman visited Auburn over the weekend. Reports have him wavering on his commitment to UT


edit: i scrolled up and saw that you were already on it TFloss, as always :lol

Yeah, I think Westerman and his family are doing their due diligence in case they're not happy with the new coaches at UT. It's the smart thing to do. Westerman is getting a bit impatient because he has no clue who his new OL coach will be. Nobody is sure what's going through Mack Brown's mind right now when it comes to the hiring process. Like I mentioned above, the positive thing is UT has developed a close relationship with the Westermans over the past year and they've been planning a move to Austin for a while now. Hopefully the new staff will be solidified by the time he takes his official visit to Texas and all will be well. Whoever signs this guy will be getting a beast of a player.

[TFloss32]

edit: i scrolled up and saw that you were already on it TFloss, as always :lol

I definitely need you guys to help me out from time to time and I love it when others contribute (especially SEC guys). There's simply too much info to be able to post it all. I was frustrated last weekend because I didn't have access to a computer during the whole Will Muschamp fiasco and I couldn't post.

[TFloss32]

I read today that Tennessee Strength & Conditioning coach, Bennie Wylie, might be a candidate for the same position at Texas if Justin Wilcox becomes the new DC. Wylie is a native of Mexia, Texas and has worked for Texas Tech and the Dallas Cowboys. He is 33 years old. His wife is also a native Texan. Check out this video of him below:

http://www.utsports.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/wylie_bennie00.html

http://utsports.tv/featured/meet-bennie-wylie/

The biggest thing I noticed about this guy is that he actually practices what he preaches. He does workouts with his players and commands respect. Tell me you wouldn't rather have this guy running out of the tunnel with the players instead of Jeff "Mad Dog" Madden.

[TFloss32]

DE Brandon Alexander of Brenham has finally been offered a scholarship by Texas. With DE Jermauria Rasco out the picture, expect Texas to hit this one hard. Major Applewhite and Oscar Giles have been in his ear quite a bit from what I've read. He is scheduled for an official visit to Texas on January 21st.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Brandon-Alexander-118205

[Whisky Dog]

Didn't know Wilcox was Mormon and hadn't thought about the angle with all of the Tongan/Samoan players that have been popping up in D1 steadily for a while now. Could be interesting if that's the case.

I'm thinking the idea of Wilcox/Harsin would be good, especially if Lupoi is swayed. Lupoi is a monster recruiter, but the knock is he instructed players to fake injuries at the end of the Oregon game to gain a clock advantage. To me that could go two ways: 1) it could cause Mack to question his character a bit and be a red flag to him, or 2) It could help lure him (along with 2 to 3x the pay and half the cost of living) to Texas. Word was whether or not he acted alone in that game Tedford hung him out to dry and made no attempt to shoulder blame and protect his guy. Only Tosh knows how badly that pissed him off, but if he's sufficiently disgruntled he could be swayed. As far as I know, with incentives he's only making about 100 to 110 k a year in southern Cali which would be equivalent to about 40 to 50 k a year in Austin. Maybe 250k and the chance to work at a top 3 program with Wilcox and he's swayed.

[TFloss32]

Latest article from Recruitocosm about where Texas is looking for new coaches:

http://recruitocosm.fantake.com/2010/12/21/good-tidings-we-bring-to-you-and-your-team/comment-page-1/#comment-27179

[Whisky Dog]

Jesus has been off big time since Boom left, maybe his sources were tied to him. Lots of salt grains needed with Jesus these days...

Any college football fan, especially longhorn fan, who isn't catching Thujone's ms paint work isn't doing it right:

http://www.shaggybevo.com/board/showthread.php/79472-Texas-Coaching-Search-Shit-Carnival-IN-MS-PAINT

[TFloss32]

Chip Brown is reporting that Florida OC Steve Addazio has been hired as the new OL coach for the Texas Longhorns. It looks like this hire may have been announced before the others because of OL Christian Westerman questioning his commitment to Texas due to numerous coaching vacancies. For those that don't know, Addazio was named the 2010 ESPN Recruiter of the Year. He's definitely a Mack Brown type of hire. Imagine if you get Cal DT coach, Tosh Lupoi, in the mix. You have two recruiting machines on your staff that are familiar with both the Southeast and West Coast.

I also wanted to make a point that Boise State plays their bowl game tomorrow night, 12/22. If Bryan Harsin is the man at OC, we could see him announced by the end of the week.

[Whisky Dog]

Interesting, either Mack has an OC basically hired just not until after his bowl game and got that input from him, Mack allowed Westerman to have a big impact on this, or Ketch is full of shit like he has been on everything else this year.

[TFloss32]

Interesting, either Mack has an OC basically hired just not until after his bowl game and got that input from him, Mack allowed Westerman to have a big impact on this, or Ketch is full of shit like he has been on everything else this year.

I'm actually wondering if this will be true or not. Chip Brown reported that Teryl Austin was going to be the new DC last week and it never happened. It very well could come to fruition, but it doesn't seem to be. Hiring Austin doesn't seem to make a lot of sense, IMO.

If Addazio is the man at OL, I'd imagine the new OC had to sign off on it. I also think the Westermans were given input as well. They wanted someone with a proven track record and Addazio fits the bill. Announcing this before every other hire feels like a strategic move to retain Westerman.

[ThePop]

I wouldn't believe the OL hire until its officially announced from Mack. So much BS rumors floating around.

[TFloss32]

I wouldn't believe the OL hire until its officially announced from Mack. So much BS rumors floating around.

This is true. Looks like Chip Brown might've swung and missed again. News coming out of Philly that Steve Addazio is the new HC for Temple.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5947908

[Whisky Dog]

Chip Brown may need to find a new gig. If I was paying 9.95 a month for inconsistent rumors I could get from a guy who calls himself Jesus for free I'd be pissed right now.

[DMX7]

Chip Brown is an absolute joke.

[scottspurs]

Mack Brown for OC and DC?

[TFloss32]

Here's the latest from Jesus:

http://recruitocosm.fantake.com/2010/12/27/jesus-chryst-well-know-sunday/

No breaking news to speak of, but good insight as to the process Mack Brown is going through in order to make the best hires possible. Hopefully we'll finally hear something definitive by Sunday, 1/2 or next Monday, 1/3 (Brown usually holds his press conferences on Monday mornings).

[TFloss32]

2012 QB Connor Brewer of Scottsdale, AZ has told UT coaches that he will be in Austin for the upcoming Junior Days (whenever those will be). Remember that his sister is currently on the UT swim team. If you've read the Recruitocosm article above, you'll know that there could be some shake-ups as far as recruiting goes. Junior Days could be pushed back in order to allow more time for the new coaches to get adjusted, we could see very few early offers go out, recruiting evaluations could take longer, etc. There are a lot of unknowns at this point. All in all, Brewer will be in Austin at some point soon in hopes of receiving an offer.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Connor-Brewer-93534

[TFloss32]

With attention about to be turned towards the 2012 class, here's a name that's flying under the radar right now. He's a stud QB for Tatum, but Texas could recruit him as a safety. Just someone to keep an eye on...and he has great hair.

ATH, Jalen Overstreet, Tatum (6-2, 205)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Jalen-Overstreet-119442

[TFloss32]

Texas officially has another coaching vacancy to fill. WR coach, Bobby Kennedy, is taking the same position at Colorado. Not only were Kennedy's wide receivers arguably the worst unit on the Texas team this year, he's also rumored to have been involved in the whole Cleve Bryant sexual scandal. Needless to say, he's been looking for an out since the offseason began as he's interviewed for a handful of jobs. He knew he was no longer wanted so it works out for everyone. I will say that Texas is losing a great recruiter with the departure of Kennedy, but this was pretty much a given and Mack Brown has had his list of candidates ready for a while now.

http://www.buffzone.com/ci_16958784

No replacements have been made public yet except for Oklahoma State WRs coach, Gunter Brewer, who is said to have interest in the job. He's coached the the likes of Randy Moss, Dez Bryant and Justin Blackmon. He's good friends with Major Applewhite and has a reputation as being a hellacious recruiter. I'll keep you posted.

**That's now FIVE positions that UT has to fill (OC, OL, WR, DC, DT)...possibly SIX if they can somehow find a new role for Jeff "Mad Dog" Madden and replace him with a new S&C coach. That's over half of the staff...incredible.

[TFloss32]

Recruitocosm came out with the following report that Jeff "Mad Dog" Madden is indeed being reassigned within the program. This is great news (if true). Jesus' batting average hasn't been as great since Muschamp left, so we'll see if this comes to fruition.

http://recruitocosm.fantake.com/2010/12/28/mad-dog-is-gone/

[TFloss32]

Throw Kansas WR coach, Darrell Wyatt, into the mix of possible replacements for Bobby Kennedy. Wyatt is probably best known for breaking school offensive records at Southern Miss and for his WRs at Oklahoma from 2002-2005. He also recruited East Texas during his tenure at OU and was responsible for signing guys like Adrian Peterson out of Palestine and Malcolm Kelly of Longview.

http://www.kuathletics.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/wyatt_darrell00.html

[TFloss32]

I thought it was important to make a mental note that Texas A&M has decided to have their Junior Day on Saturday, January 22nd. I've mentioned before that Texas A&M has a leg up on Texas with certain 2012 guys, so this is a smart move by them to get first crack at a lot of recruits while Texas is still getting their new coaches adjusted and continuing their prospect evaluations. We'll see if the Ags get any early commits in about three weeks or so. Texas has yet to determine when they'll have their Junior Days, but it definitely won't happen until National Signing Day (Wednesday, February 2nd) has passed and the 2011 class is secured.

[TFloss32]

Junior DB Aaron Williams has decided to declare for the NFL Draft. He looks to be the only non-senior that is going to make the jump.

[ThePop]

No surprise there

[TFloss32]

Update on the upcoming Junior Days...there will be two separate dates like last year. I read that the tentative dates (subject to change, of course) are February 11th-13th and February 25th-27th. Looks like 2012 QB Connor Brewer of Scottsdale, Arizona is scheduled for the second one. He's the only one I've read with a scheduled visit from the 2012 class. We'll know more in the coming weeks.

[ThePop]

Darrell Wyatt supposedly being hired as the WR coach. If this rumor stands it would be a pretty good hire.

[TFloss32]

Lots and lots of news that has all of sudden come together in the early morning hours today. Props to the Pop for posting that news above. I haven't posted lately because this UT coaching search has been incredibly fluid (things change all of the time) and lots of rumors are thrown everywhere. It's fun to speculate, but I wanted to give y'all some information that was more concrete.

First and foremost, Kansas WR coach, Darrell Wyatt, is officially taking the same position at UT and has also been deemed Co-Recruiting Coordinator. UT released a statement last night so this one is in the books. I think it's a great hire from a lot of different angles. Like I said before, Wyatt has recruited the state of Texas for a long time and was able to land guys like Adrian Peterson and Malcolm Kelly for OU in the earlier part of the decade. I think he'll do big things for UT's WRs as they were a weak link this year.

On the offensive side of the ball...I told you I didn't want to post hearsay, but I can at least tell you where I think we are based on what I've read. First of all, it appears that Wisconsin OC Paul Chryst is not coming to Texas even though he's been a hot candidate (or simply a really good smokescreen for someone else). I do believe Texas had serious interest in him, but I think he's starting to lean towards staying at Wisconsin or leaving for the NFL. He's very good friends with Jason Garrett and could possibly see himself landing a position with the Dallas Cowboys or another team in the league. UT also targeted Wisconsin's OL coach Bob Bostad. It appears as if Bostad will remain at Wisconsin if Chryst leaves to become the new OC for the Badgers or he'll move along as well. Now, remember Boise State OC Bryan Harsin? Things have been eerily quiet on that front for the past few weeks, but he continues to pop us as the main candidate. If he is indeed the man for the job, he's looking to bring Boise State OL coach Chris Strausser along with him to UT. Arkansas OL coach Chris Klenakis has also been mentioned as a candidate more than once.

On the defensive side of the ball...Alabama DT coach Bo Davis is definitely in Austin today along with his wife. UT DE coach Oscar Giles picked them up from the airport this morning. That's pretty telling that he brought along his wife and you usually wouldn't see position coaches make a trip unless they knew who their DC was going to be. Many have said Davis has been offered the job, but there's no confirmation on that or if he's accepted. I don't have to say much more as we know how badass Alabama's defense is along with the kinds of defensive lineman they put out every year.

Like the OC job, things have been all over the place for the DC job as well. It was reported at the beginning of the weekend that Tennessee DC, Justin Wilcox, is out of the running. There's no specific reason as to why, but many think he's no longer a candidate. With that said, the three hot names are Stanford DC Vic Fangio, LSU DC John Chavis (he's already denying he's going to Texas) and Seattle Seahawks DB coach, Jerry Gray (former Longhorn). I'll post more info on everyone as things become more concrete. There's simply no way of knowing what's going on as Mack Brown has kept information on lockdown and numerous media outlets have been repeatedly wrong with their reports.

Strength and Conditioning...I'm still reading that Jeff "Mad Dog" Madden is done at that position. He'll most likely be re-assigned within the program as he's one of Brown's good friends.

I've also read multiple times that Major Applewhite and Duane Akina are staying on staff. That's great, great news. There are also reports that there are mutliple coaches in Austin (no specific names) to meet with Mack Brown today. Some say it's more interviews while others think we have a full boat of coaches and this thing is almost official.

Recruiting...all is well on that front. Everyone is solidly committed, but the only prospect that's still a bit unsure is OL Christian Westerman. He has an official visit to USC scheduled for January 13th and he'll be coming to Austin for his official UT visit the following weekend on January 21st. USC and UT are the only schools he's supposed to be considering at this point. Good news is UT gets the last crack at him and the Westerman family was decked out in Texas gear at the Under Armour All-American practices for the past few days. I also wanted to add that the recruiting "dead period" ends tonight at midnight. That simply means that the coaches can resume talking to recruits as of January 4th. Many believe Brown would like to have his staff in place on (or near) that date.

[TFloss32]

Just a couple of udates...

Like I said, this situation has been very fluid. Turns out Wisconsin OC, Paul Chryst, has made a trip to Austin tonight with his family. It's also interesting to note that Mack Brown has had discussions with Boise State OC Bryan Harsin prior to Chryst getting into town. Sounds like it's going to be one of these two guys. No word on the OL or DC coaching candidates other than what I wrote earlier.

Update on DE Jermauria Rasco of Shreveport Evangel Christian...I wrote a couple of weeks ago that he had eliminated Texas from his list of potential schools after Will Muschamp left for Florida. Turns out he's received the news of Alabama DT coach, Bo Davis, possibly taking the same job with UT (Davis has been Rasco's recruiter while at Alabama and has a great relationship with him). He stated after US Army All-American practice today that he still might make an official visit to Texas before all is said and done. We'll keep our fingers crossed that UT can get him to Austin along with the other commits. Not sure if I've mentioned this before, but Rasco's mother plans on making a move to Houston after her son graduates to be closer to family. She's always loved UT.

[Spurstro]

I know there aren't a lot of replies in here, but wanted to say I check this thread regularly for your updates.

Thanks for posting TFloss.

[modtxspur]

^this. I come here everyday to check on your updates. People at work think I'm a college insider. You do a great job. WhAt happened with the DT coach from Cal? Is he still a possibility?

[TFloss32]

No problem, fellas. Glad you enjoy it. I apologize that the information has kind of been all over the place. I'm definitely not an insider in the least...just trying to pass along info to those who don't have time to read or don't want to pay for subcriptions to sites. Mack Brown was extremely pissed that the Greg Davis resignation news got out prematurely to the media, so he's been doing an excellent job of being tight lipped and rumors have run rampant as a result. Things are going to get real fun here soon with the new coaching hires and the Texas Junior Days coming up in February. I'll continue to post relevant information as often as I can.

Couple of other things from tonight...it's been said that Wisconsin OL coach Bob Bostad is in town along with Wisconsin OC Paul Chryst. Chryst has also brought along his family to Austin. I would say that's a good indication that he's our man, but it could just be coincidence considering they're probably still traveling together as the Rose Bowl was just last Saturday. With that said, some think Chryst is headed to Dallas tomorrow to speak with Jason Garrett before going home to Wisconsin. Also, some are starting to think that Boise State OC Bryan Harsin and OL coach Chris Strausser were actually in Austin yesterday for interviews. So figure that one out.

[TFloss32]

^this. I come here everyday to check on your updates. People at work think I'm a college insider. You do a great job. WhAt happened with the DT coach from Cal? Is he still a possibility?

I think we can write off Cal DT coach, Tosh Lupoi. Although a possibility, I don't think he was ever contacted directly by Texas. He's a hardcore Cal guy as he's an alum and coached there since he graduated. The only way Texas probably had a legit shot with him is if Tennessee DC Justin Wilcox came aboard. Even then, some say it would've been hard to pry him away from Cal because he's firmly rooted on the West Coast. It's debatable as to what happened with Wilcox. Some believe he didn't quite make it through the vetting process and others believe Texas turned him down because he wanted to bring additional coaches along with him. As of right now, I think our man at DT is going to be Bo Davis of Alabama. He has a great reputation coaching defensive line and also has a background in strength and conditioning. I've heard he could have a pretty significant role at Texas if he's hired and it never hurts to have an SEC guy on your staff. Lupoi would've been a great hire, but there are many awesome coaches to be had.

[Ballcox]

Also appreciate the updates on UT football. I've been getting info from here, recruitocosm site, and another site called Shaggybevo.com has been really good for up to date info.

[TFloss32]

More great news to report.

Alabama DT coach Bo Davis has officially taken the same job with Texas. UT reported it today, so that's coach #2 in the books. DTs Desmond Jackson and Quincy Russell expressed their feelings about the hire and are very happy with it. They were both solid commitments to Texas before Davis came along, but basically said they aren't going anywhere after receiving this news. DE Jermauria Rasco has also added Texas back on to his list of potential schools because of the Davis hire. With all of that said...

The biggest news of the day concerns the DC search. I mentioned three hot names as DC candidates last night, but it turns out a new name joined the fun this morning. I'm more happy about this one than any of the candidates that have been talked about before. Mississippi State DC Manny Diaz and his wife were in Austin today for an interview. Many believe he has the offer and will be the next DC of Texas. It makes sense considering Bo Davis is also an SEC guy and was officially named to his position this morning. Diaz is a young, hungry coach that helped take Mississippi State to new heights this year and would be a guy that would probably stick around for a couple of years. Excellent hire if this comes to fruition. He and Davis will be a great combo with their fiery attitudes and SEC connections (i.e. recruiting).

Wisconsin OC Paul Chryst was spotted leaving the Austin airport this morning and had great things to say about his interview. He did say "no comment'" when asked about receiving an offer to be the new Texas OC. He's currently back in Wisconsin and it's being reported that he's going to take a few days to make his decision. It appears that it's his job to lose, but there's really no way to know with the way things changes hour by hour. His decision could be dependent upon whether he receives an NFL offer at some point during the week.

Lastly, all the reputable media outlets are reporting today that Jeff "Mad Dog" Madden is officially out at as the Strength and Conditioning coach. The four names that are being put out there as replacements are Tennessee's Bennie Wylie, LSU's Tommy Moffitt, Alabama's Scott Cochran and NC State's Todd Rice. Watch the video of Wylie that I posted before if you haven't already. I really hope he's the guy. He and his wife are native Texans and it was reported today that he would be very receptive to an offer from UT (even though there hasn't been contact between the two parties as of today). He is supposed to be in the Dallas area tomorrow on vacation visiting his wife's family. I hope UT takes the opportunity to drop him a line.

[TFloss32]

Just a quick FYI...the Bo Davis press conference is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. today. I'll post a link if UT puts up a video at a later date. I also forgot to note last night that Davis coached at Galena Park North Shore HS from 1997-2002. That's great news as he's familiar with the Houston area and UT recruits North Shore yearly. If you're unfamilair with how recruiting works, each coach on UT's staff is assigned to a certain area of the state (and/or country) to recruit. We could see Davis recruiting the Houston area and Darrell Wyatt placed in East Texas (where's had great success before). Wyatt is also familiar with Central Texas as he's a Killeen native.

EDIT: I found the video of Wyatt's press conference.
http://www.texassports.com/allaccess/?media=219810

Also, here's another link to a video interview he did yesterday. Look at the portion of the home page on the right that says "Texas Sports TV." His interview is the first link on the list.
http://mackbrown-texasfootball.com/

[TFloss32]

Mississippi State DC Manny Diaz left the Austin airport at about 10:30 this morning and is headed back to Starkville. When asked about the the DC position he said, "It's a sunny day...y'all have a good one." Everything else was "no comment." You think he's UT's guy?

[TFloss32]

Here's the transcript of Bo Davis' press conference. Video to come later.

http://mackbrown-texasfootball.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/010511aaa.html

[TFloss32]

Several legit sources are saying Manny Diaz is the new DC of the Texas Longhorns. I'll post a reputable link when I find one.

Also, a bit of a curveball was thrown today because Pitt is supposedly looking at Paul Chryst for their head coaching vacancy. Pitt fired HC Mike Haywood only three weeks after hiring him away from Miami of Ohio. He was arrested on a domestic abuse charge and Pitt decided they couldn't have him representing their school. This situation could throw a wrench into Texas' plans if Chryst is their main candidate for the OC position. We'll find out soon either way. It could be the perfect scenario for Bryan Harsin of Boise State to step in and snatch the job.

[jjktkk]

Several legit sources are saying Manny Diaz is the new DC of the Texas Longhorns. I'll post a reputable link when I find one.

Also, a bit of a curveball was thrown today because Pitt is supposedly looking at Paul Chryst for their head coaching vacancy. Pitt fired HC Mike Haywood only three weeks after hiring him away from Miami of Ohio. He was arrested on a domestic abuse charge and Pitt decided they couldn't have him representing their school. This situation could throw a wrench into Texas' plans if Chryst is their main candidate for the OC position. We'll find out soon either way. It could be the perfect scenario for Bryan Harsin of Boise State to step in and snatch the job.

TFloss32, I recently just started looking at this forum. I had no idea that I could get such good Horns info. Thanks for all the updates. Man if all these hires are true, what a coup for UT. Hats off to Mack Brown. :tu

[TFloss32]

Heads up that the 2011 Under Armour All-American Game is being played tonight in St. Petersburg, Florida on ESPN at 7:00 ET. Be on the lookout for the future Texas boys:

OL, Christian Westerman, Hamilton (Chandler, Arizona)
DT, Desmond Jackson, Spring Westfield
CB, Josh Turner, Millwood (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
CB, Quandre Diggs, Angleton

[TFloss32]

TFloss32, I recently just started looking at this forum. I had no idea that I could get such good Horns info. Thanks for all the updates. Man if all these hires are true, what a coup for UT. Hats off to Mack Brown. :tu

No problem at all. I'm just doing my best to compile what I read for everyone that loves UT and doesn't necessarily have the time to look in multiple places. If you'd like me to post more of certain information or have any questions...let me know. I'll try be as accurate as I can.

Mack Brown definitely got much needed kick in the ass this year. Success can breed lacksadaisical attitudes. It's nice to see him rebounding with solid coaching hires so far. Hopefully this is over soon.

[ThePop]

I'm hearing plenty of good things about Diaz, but he has little experience. Whats up with that

[TFloss32]

Manny Diaz is official. Can't get a much better source than straight from Mississippi State. I'll let everyone know when the press conference will take place.

http://blogs.clarionledger.com/msu/2011/01/05/diaz-accepts-texas-offer/

Cool YouTube interview to give you an idea of what Diaz is like.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xa3X6Ea35vA

[TFloss32]

I'm hearing plenty of good things about Diaz, but he has little experience. Whats up with that

Diaz is definitely a roll of the dice kind of hire for Brown, but I guarantee you he was very thorough in the interview process and sought out numerous recommendations. He's 36 and he's only been at MSU for one year, but the wild success that he had at a mid-level SEC school like MSU will garner a lot of attention. He took that defense from being a bunch of nobodies to holding a team like Auburn to their lowest point total all year (17). Like I said, it may be a bit of a risk, but at the very least UT is going to get a guy that works his tail off. It reminds me of the Muschamp hire a few years ago. We'll see how it all works out.

[TFloss32]

Video of Bo Davis' presser:

http://www.texassports.com/allaccess/?media=220151

[ThePop]

After these new coacing hires, i'm getting excited for next season. As for the players....I can't get the image of gilbert throwing interceptions out of my head.

[jjktkk]

After these new coacing hires, i'm getting excited for next season. As for the players....I can't get the image of gilbert throwing interceptions out of my head.

Try getting the image of Gilbert handing off to Malcum Brown next year and the O-line bulldozing ahead.

[yavozerb]

Try getting the image of Gilbert handing off to Malcum Brown next year and the O-line bulldozing ahead.

Sounds good, but the bulldozing I think is going to take a while. From what I saw the last 2 seasons the o-line is going to take some time to develop. Keep the updates coming guys, thanks..:toast

[TFloss32]

Very quiet this morning, fellas.

It looks like Wisconsin OC Paul Chryst has agreed to an interview for the HC job at Pitt. If it's not a quick process, Chryst could drop himself out of the running at Texas by taking too long with his decision. It makes things interesting because nobody is sure if Boise State OC Bryan Harsin was ever officially offered by Mack Brown. I would expect UT to put a full court press on Harsin either way if Chryst doesn't sign a contract quickly.

EDIT: As I was typing this I read that there is rumored to be a private plane headed to Austin from Boise. Don't you love fun rumors like that?!

Also, the press conference for Manny Diaz is probably happening around lunch time or mid-afternoon. I'll post links when I find them.

[TFloss32]

Quick update...Boise State OC Bryan Harsin is reported to be on that private flight to Austin right now and is expected to arrive around 2:15. If he was actually in Austin on Sunday night like some think he was, this could be him coming back to accept the job. Either way, Mack Brown is going to make it very hard on him to say no.

EDIT: Manny Diaz presser is at 4:00 and he has arrived in Austin. Pushing back the presser allows enough time for Bryan Harsin to get into town as well. I hope we get a joint press conference and this thing is over today.

[TFloss32]

Rumors swirling that Tennessee S&C coach, Bennie Wylie, has accepted the same position at Texas. My favorite hire so far! Imagine this guy leading the team out of the tunnel instead of Mad Dog. Awesome day to be a Longhorn fan! Here's a reminder of what Wylie brings to the table:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvtWug9yYAs

[TFloss32]

Bryan Harsin and his wife landed in Austin about 30 minutes ago and Sally Brown (Mack's wife) was there to greet them at the airport's private terminal. Mack means business when he sends Sally. Excellent sign.

[TFloss32]

It's now being reported that Bryan Harsin and Major Applewhite will be the Co-OCs for UT. Applewhite will receive that title in order to give him a significant raise and he will serve as an understudy to Harsin. This current set-up is a win/win for everyone.

[modtxspur]

Nice, this sounds like best case scenario with applewhite staying on board. Any word on an O line coach? Now that Chryst is out of the picture i assume Bostad is too.

[ThePop]

Wow co-ocs is pretty surprising but I like it :)

[yavozerb]

It's now being reported that Bryan Harsin and Major Applewhite will be the Co-OCs for UT. Applewhite will receive that title in order to give him a significant raise and he will serve as an understudy to Harsin. This current set-up is a win/win for everyone.

Probably by next season the NCAA will not allow co-oc's to recruit either :lol..Seriously, if both coaches are happy with it then UT fans should be exstatic.

[TFloss32]

Manny Diaz presser from yesterday:

http://www.texassports.com/allaccess/?media=220384

[TFloss32]

Nice, this sounds like best case scenario with applewhite staying on board. Any word on an O line coach? Now that Chryst is out of the picture i assume Bostad is too.

Mod-

The OL situation is still up in the air. I'd like to give you specific info, but I'd be making something up if I did. However, I did read that Wisconsin OL coach Bob Bostad is not completely out of the picture. It looks like Pitt is going in the opposite direction of Paul Chryst, so he'll either end up in the NFL or remain with Wisconsin. If Chryst decides to stay in his current situation, Bostad may decide to give Texas a hard look since he won't be promoted to OC for the Badgers. Either way, if Mack Brown wants him, he'll make it extremely hard to say no like he's done with every other coaching hire so far. As far as the rest of the candidates, here are the names that I continue to read about everyday in no particular order of significance:

Bob Bostad, Wisconsin
Chris Klenakis, Arkansas
Jeff Grimes, Auburn
Chris Strausser, Boise State
Joe Wickline, Oklahoma State
Random NFL coach

Keep an eye on Jeff Grimes. He's a native Texan and a graduate of UTEP. Brown has already hired three guys with Texas connections and Grimes could be the fourth. In addition to that, Christian Westerman's family really likes him and he's one of the reasons they've been giving Auburn a hard look in the past few weeks. Signing Grimes would all but lock-up Westerman for UT. The longer this plays out, the more I lean towards Grimes. If not Grimes, UT could look to the NFL. Brown has mentioned before that he'd like the OL coach to be the patriarch of the staff, so he could go with someone older and more experienced. That's why we saw him target Steve Addazio early on in the process until Temple came calling. Chris Strausser is also a serious option with Bryan Harsin coming aboard.


Probably by next season the NCAA will not allow co-oc's to recruit either :lol..Seriously, if both coaches are happy with it then UT fans should be exstatic.

True. That HCIW rule placed on Will Muschamp was crap. Anyway, I doubt that will be the case as Applewhite will most likely coach QBs. Everything should be fine with the Co-OC situation. Brown has set it up to where Applewhite is more of an understudy, so he won't be testing Harsin's authority. It's a situation that will allow for Applewhite to be prepared to take over once Harsin is ready to move on to bigger things.

[TFloss32]

Some recruiting news:

Major Applewhite made a trip to Aledo HS yesterday to check out 2012 RB Johnathan Gray. If some of aren't aware, he scored 8 TDs in the 4A Texas Final while leading his team to victory (that's a state record for the championship game). He'll most likely be the top running back in the nation next year. Combining him with 2011 RB Malcolm Brown would see the best RB tandem UT has ever had.

Bo Davis will also be making a trip to Brenham very soon to visit with 2011 DE Brandon Alexander, but he'll also make sure he speaks with 2012 DT Malcolm Brown and 2012 LB Tim Cole. Alexander has become a key prospect in the past two months with 2011 DE Jermauria Rasco's status up in the air. UT is still looking to get a commitment from a true DE in this class as a guy like 2011 DE Cedric Reed will most likely move inside at some point in the future. Davis has a battle to fight with the Brenham boys as they all favor the Aggies currently. I also expect the new defensive coaches to get up to Denton really soon as well. Many think 2012 DE Mario Edwards, Jr. is seriously considering committing to Florida State (his second favorite) soon with the departure of Will Muschamp.

Darrell Wyatt has already been to Arlington to check on 2011 WR Miles Onyegbule and will meet with 2011 WR Jaxon Shipley and his family once the U.S. Army All-American Game is over.

The responses due to the recent Manny Diaz hire have been overwhelmingly positive from current recruits and prospects from the 2012 class. I'll have more on that later if I can find some quotes.

[TFloss32]

The U.S. Army All-American Game will be played this Saturday, January 8th, in San Antonio at the Alamodome. Kickoff is at 1 ET on NBC. Check out the future Longhorns and one uncommitted player of interest:

RB, Malcolm Brown, Cibolo Steele
WR, Jaxon Shipley, Brownwood
OL, Sedrick Flowers, Galena Park North Shore
OL, Garrett Greenlea, Klein Collins
DT, Quincy Russell, San Antonio Sam Houston
LB, Steve Edmond, Daingerfield
LB, Kendall Thompson, Carthage

Uncommitted
DE, Jermauria Rasco, Evangel Christian (Shreveport, LA)

[TFloss32]

Quick update on Bryan Harsin...everything is going as planned. The only interesting thing of note is that his flight back to Boise has been delayed twice already. He was first supposed to depart at 11 and then it changed to 1:15. It has been delayed for a second time. Harsin staying in Austin longer can only be a good thing (unless they're having trouble ironing out details). The main thought is Harsin will go back to Boise today and inform his players and fellow staff members that he's headed to Texas (like Manny Diaz did before him). We could see a press release later this evening and Harsin should return early next week for his press conference.

**I forgot to add this little note in my OL discussion above. Another reason to keep an eye on Jeff Grimes of Auburn is he previously coached at Boise State and knows Harsin. He'd be a great help with the offensive transition as he knows Harsin's system.

[TFloss32]

Little bit of a change. The Harsin return flight to Boise State has not been re-scheduled like the prior flights. No idea what it means, but it looks like Harsin is staying a while longer so they can knock out the OL coaching hire. There is currently a flight coming from Oxford, MS (Ole Miss) and it is arriving in Austin around 3:00. Ole Miss OL coach Mike Markuson is presumed to be on it. Markuson has ties to the Boise State program, so this would make sense bringing him in for an interview. This is the first I've heard of Markuson being mentioned as a candidate.

[TFloss32]

Bryan Harsin and his wife left Austin around 3:30 and are headed back to Boise. He's Texas' new OC. He and his wife are scheduled to return tomorrow morning.

To show you how crazy these rumors are...the flight from Oxford, MS did not contain Ole Miss OL coach Mike Markuson. It flew to Dallas Love Field 45 minutes after landing in Austin. However, there is a private flight scheduled to depart from Madison, WI that will arrive in Austin around 6:20. That could be your man Bob Bostad. He'd be the cherry on top of an amazing group of new coaches. The private flight rumors are fun, but take them with a grain of salt as the Markuson rumor was bogus.

[Mr. Peabody]

Thanks for the updates.

[TFloss32]

Harsin is official.

http://www.texassports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/010711aaa.html

[Cant_Be_Faded]

Happy with Harsin. Now all we gotta do is pretend the players we have don't suck asshole.

[Whisky Dog]

This whole coaching search has been a wild ride.

I'm almost positive that Harsin will be the QB coach as the playcaller and after the job he did with Moore. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what the new staff can get out of the players in the system who struggled this year. With Harsin in I'd expect the QB position to be open and Gilbert may not be the guy who fits the system best.

I'd love to get Wickline in but don't see it happening. Bostad or Grimes I'd consider the leader. Grimes coached the o line at Hardin Simmons when my cousin was playing there in 98 and I met him a few times, would be interesting if he gets the job at UT.

[scottspurs]

I'm loving the hires by UT. Young energetic blood should be a shot in the arm for the program.

[scottspurs]

Shipley with a nice touchdown grab in the Army AA game.

[Mr. Peabody]

It seemed as if Malcolm Brown only got 2 or 3 carries. You'd figure the #1 RB in the nation would get more carries than that in an all-star game played in his hometown.

[yavozerb]

It seemed as if Malcolm Brown only got 2 or 3 carries. You'd figure the #1 RB in the nation would get more carries than that in an all-star game played in his hometown.

Mack made damn sure malcom would not get anymore than 3 touches in this meaningless game..:nope

[ThePop]

What has happened to Quincy Russell? Supposedly he is injured but I don't have a subscription to read what happened.

[TFloss32]

Morning, fellas.

First and foremost, Bryan Harsin's press conference will be today at noon. Major Applewhite will be at his side and they'll discuss their plans for the future. You can watch it live at mackbrown-texasfootball.com. It was an interesting weekend because of Jim Harbaugh deciding to leave Stanford for the NFL. It put Longhorn nation in a frenzy because Stanford may have interest in Boise State HC, Chris Petersen, as a replacement. Everyone fears that if Petersen takes the Stanford job, Harsin's tenure at Texas would end before it began. The thought is Harsin would go back to Boise and become the HC for the Broncos. Even if Petersen ended up taking the Stanford job and moving to Palo Alto, I don't see Harsin leaving Texas. Him returning to town yesterday is a good indication of that. He knows the kind of opportunity he has in Austin and I can't imagine him passing it up. The good thing is the Stanford job should be filled quickly and we'll know soon enough if there's a real need to worry. My guess is that they promote from within to keep some continuity within the program (especially with Andrew Luck returning). Brown, Applewhite and Harsin have plans to make the rounds at certain Texas high schools in the next few weeks for introductions and recruiting purposes. We could see Junior Days (originally scheduled for February) pushed back because of this. Duane Akina and Manny Diaz will be doing the same for the defensive side of the ball.

Recruiting note...2011 DE Jermauria Rasco stayed in San Antonio an additional day after the U.S. Army All-American Game to meet with staffs of several schools. Oscar Giles and Bo Davis were there to meet with Rasco and his mother at the team hotel. The positive news is Davis has been recruiting Rasco for Alabama in the past year and there's a tight relationship there. When Davis was hired by Texas, Rasco's mother said she was "high on the hog." He's a big need for Texas and I hope they can lock him up. Keep in mind that Rasco's mother plans on moving to Houston after her son graduates to be closer to family in Texas.

2011 DT Quincy Russell had a knee injury earlier this week when practicing for the U.S. Army All-American Game. It was originally diagnosed as a tendon problem, but nothing has been confirmed. He'll have an official evaluation done on his knee at some point this week. He said he's a bit sore but doesn't think it's anything serious.

Will Muschamp wasted no time in offering 2012 WR Cayleb Jones of Austin High. Florida officially extended an offer last week. Jones is likely to be one of the top receivers in the nation for the 2012 class (if not the top) and will have his pick of schools. Texas is the heavy favorite right now and we could see him as the first commitment of the 2012 class.

The rumors floating around last week about 2012 DE Mario Edwards, Jr. of Denton Ryan were not true. Florida State folks had hyped up the thought that Edwards was going to commit to the Seminoles last week and that he no longer had interest in Texas with the departure of Will Muschamp. Edwards' father debunked the rumors and mentioned that they weren't nearly ready to make any kind of decision. Florida State fans are hoping they can steal Edwards from Texas because he is the son of former Dallas Cowboys and Florida State DB, Mario Edwards, Sr.

Here's the link for the Bennie Wylie press conference from last week:
http://www.texassports.com/allaccess/?media=220408

Finally, the OL coaching search. Unfortunately, the private flight from Wisconsin on Friday night did not contain Wisconsin OL coach Bob Bostad. I'm sure some of you have figured that out by now as I haven't posted since originally talking about it. I get the feeling UT is looking in another direction and Auburn OL coach, Jeff Grimes, could be the reason for that. Mack Brown has made it a point not to contact potential hires until their bowl games are over, so that's a possibility as to why the OL hire is taking so long (Auburn plays the MNC tonight). Not only does Grimes have Texas roots, but Harsin would most likely give an endorsement for the hire as he and Grimes previously worked together at Boise State. Grimes would also be a huge help in sealing the deal with 2011 OL Christian Westerman. If Grimes is indeed the guy, we should see some movement by tomorrow or Wednesday.

[TFloss32]

Good news. Per multiple sources, Boise State HC Chris Petersen has announced he's staying and will not take the Stanford job. This doesn't surprise me in the least as I didn't see Petersen encouraging Bryan Harsin to take the Texas OC job if he wasn't staying at Boise State. They have too good of a friendship to not have things squared away and Petersen knows that Harsin would likely be next in line for HC at Boise State when/if he leaves. On that note, Harsin and Applewhite's press conference today was awesome and will get a lot of y'all very fired up for what's to come. I'll post the link once UT has made all of their edits.

[TFloss32]

Lots of rumors today that 2011 OL Christian Westerman is about to switch his commitment to Auburn. According to his father, there won't be any de-commitment soon as they're waiting to see who Texas hires at the OL position. They are still solid with their official visit to Texas on January 21st. Westerman's father mentioned two other things:

1.) They have cancelled their January 14th official visit to USC as the Trojans are no longer in the running.

2.) OL coach Jeff Grimes of Auburn would be a "home run" hire for Texas (translation: "it will seal the deal") if it happens.

I keep thinking Texas is after Grimes and that's why we haven't seen an OL hire yet as Auburn played their bowl game last night. There is a big coaching convention in Dallas right now that is attended by many coaches from around the country. UT's staff will be there and Grimes is one coach that is expected to be in town as well. Many think Mack Brown will use this opportunity to unofficially interview Grimes and get the ball rolling. Hopefully we'll see movement soon.

[TFloss32]

Major Applewhite's portion of the press conference.

http://www.texassports.com/allaccess/?media=221083

[TFloss32]

Bryan Harsin's portion of the press conference.

http://www.texassports.com/allaccess/?media=221110

[ThePop]

Then I hope we hire Grimes. Westerman is a really important recruit that would likely get playing time next year, and even though Auburn seems tempting, they're not gonna be like they were this year (neither is texas).

If we can keep Westerman and get DeAndre Daniels(bball) then our 2011 class will be set. Though it seems like both are unlikely at this point.

[TFloss32]

Here's a breakdown of some of the top 2012 recruits to get familiar with. Junior Days are coming up quick.

http://recruitocosm.fantake.com/2011/01/11/tipsys-new-and-improved-2012-texas-top-25/comment-page-1/#comment-35854

[TFloss32]

Here are the true freshmen that will be enrolling early at UT to particpate in Spring practice. They'll be moving to Austin this weekend.

QB, David Ash, Belton
TE, M.J. McFarland, El Paso El Dorado
LB, Chet Moss, Cedar Park
ATH, Quandre Diggs, Angleton

[TFloss32]

Recruitocosm is saying Auburn OL coach Jeff Grimes is close to to taking the same position with Texas. Hope it's true.

http://recruitocosm.fantake.com/2011/01/12/oline-coaching-update-from-the-coaches-convention/

[DMX7]

Any updates on what the new OC's think about the current players such as Gilbert?

[TFloss32]

Any updates on what the new OC's think about the current players such as Gilbert?

:lol

We won't know those things until Spring ball probably. The players don't even report back to school until January 18th. Let's just hope there's a genuine QB competition.

[DMX7]

:lol

We won't know those things until Spring ball probably. The players don't even report back to school until January 18th. Let's just hope there's a genuine QB competition.

I think he did meet some of them though. That's what I meant.

[Whisky Dog]

I think he did meet some of them though. That's what I meant.

The new OC and Major will be evaluating the QB position from now until the day before the game in Sept.

Here's one thing to know though: Harsin met Gilbert at an awards ceremony when Harsin was there to see Kellen Moore get an award and Gilbert was there to get the HS QB of the year award. Allegedly they really hit it off and talked philosophy and all that. That might factor now, might not. Personally, I think Gilbert needs to rework his mechanics and do a ton of work with Harsin/Applewhite if he's going to be the QB this year.

[DMX7]

I think Gilbert's going to be the guy but it's going to be a whole new system and they probably will rework his mechanics.

I think Harsin is going to be huge for Texas. Greg Davis was just terrible.

[ThePop]

Yep, I'm definately not gonna miss -3 yard plays.

[DesignatedT]

lol Gilbert. Please keep that guy the starter.

[The Reckoning]

Texas really dominated the recruiting scene in the lone star state this past year despite all the coaching changes. let's home that trend continues, and we find some coaches who develop talent rather than deal with it.

[leemajors]

The new OC and Major will be evaluating the QB position from now until the day before the game in Sept.

Here's one thing to know though: Harsin met Gilbert at an awards ceremony when Harsin was there to see Kellen Moore get an award and Gilbert was there to get the HS QB of the year award. Allegedly they really hit it off and talked philosophy and all that. That might factor now, might not. Personally, I think Gilbert needs to rework his mechanics and do a ton of work with Harsin/Applewhite if he's going to be the QB this year.

as long as he learns to not stare down receivers he might be ok

[TFloss32]

I think he did meet some of them though. That's what I meant.

Oh, I thought you were just bashing Gilbert (that's why I was laughing). I'm sure he's met some, but I don't know for sure. I do like that Major Applewhite mentioned D.J. Monroe in the press conference. Maybe the guy will finally get some meaningful touches.

[TFloss32]

It's being reported that Auburn OL coach Jeff Grimes arrived in Austin last night to meet with Mack Brown. He'll be leaving at some point today to go back to Alabama. I could never confirm if Brown actually went to Dallas for the AFCA convention, but that doesn't really matter as Grimes is reportedly now on campus to hammer out details.

[modtxspur]

Great news...cherry on the top

[TFloss32]

UPDATE on Jeff Grimes...he will be in Austin until tomorrow (at least). I think that's a good indication that UT got their man.

[TFloss32]

Here's a hot 2012 prospect that has been confirmed for the first Junior Day visit on February 11th-13th. He's a name that I'm still getting familiar with, but he's already been offered by Alabama, Oklahoma and Nebraska to let you in on what kind of a talent he is. Texas DT coach Bo Davis was his recruiter for Alabama. He's stated that Texas' hiring of Davis has put the Longhorns at the top of his list.

DT, Paul Boyette, Jr., Humble (6-4, 280)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Paul-Boyette%20Jr.-94436

I'll be starting a new 2012 thread after National Signing Day on February 2nd. I'll have a master list of all the Junior Day invites shortly after that.

[ThePop]

Great, looking forward to the 2012 recruits. Lets lock up westerman and maybe alexander and see whats ahead. I wonder how many guys will commit on junior day this year

[200 miles]

So the Wisconsin offensive line coach is not coming to texas after all?

[TFloss32]

Sorry I didn't post yesterday, fellas. I was home sick and slept for the majority of the day. Anyway...

Auburn OL coach Jeff Grimes has returned to Alabama with an offer from Texas. So, what's taking so long? Of everything I've read, there are conflicting reports about what's actually going on. The majority of sources are saying that Grimes has indeed accepted Mack Brown's offer and he's returned to Auburn to inform everyone of his decision. However, there are a few media outlets that are saying he's either using the weekend to think it over or he will wind up staying with Auburn. Grimes' wife is apparently playing a major role in this decision as she's happy with their current situation and may not want to uproot the family (even if it means passing up the opportunity to move home to Texas). It's very surprising to me that word of his decision, one way or the other, hasn't been leaked yet. It's also possible that this is taking longer than usual because Grimes could have certain responsbilities to take care of due to Auburn winning the MNC. If Grimes was ever going to make a significant career move, one would think the time is now. Auburn is losing several players to the NFL (including four OL), they could be facing major NCAA sanctions in the future due to Cam Newton's recruitment, the FBI has been investigating the actions of their boosters, etc. Not only is this an opportunity for him to move back to Texas, but it's also a perfect chance to jump ship on a program that has a very uncertain future. I'll keep you posted.

The one thing I do know is that UT will have an OL coach in place by the time 2011 OL Christian Westerman makes his official visit next weekend. UT can kiss him goodbye otherwise.

Plan B = Joe Wickline, Oklahoma State
Plan C = Chris Klenakis, Arkansas

[TFloss32]

So the Wisconsin offensive line coach is not coming to texas after all?

200 miles-

Other than the rumor that I posted last week about the private flight from Wisconsin to Austin possibly containing Wisconsin OL coach Bob Bostad, there has been little mention of him being a candidate for the same job at Texas. It's very possible that once Mack Brown and Wisconsin OC Paul Chryst went their separate ways, the chance of signing Bostad went down the tubes as well. Don't count on it.

[TFloss32]

2012 RB Trey Williams of Spring DeKaney has received a Junior Day invite from Major Applewhite and will be in Austin on the weekend of February 11th-13th. I can't stress how awesome this news is as Williams might not have received an offer at all if the old coaching staff was still in place and that would've been a disgrace. We could see Williams as one of the first commitments of the 2012 class as he's never hid his affection for the Longhorns.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Trey-Williams-104073

[Whisky Dog]

Grimes chose to stay at Auburn.

Kind of odd IMO. Everyone knows there was some dirty stuff that got Cam on campus, and now that the NCAA and everyone have made their $$$ off the situation they might go back and really start investigating which would bring that program down and leave the remaining staff scrambling. This was his lifeboat and he chose to go down with the ship.

[ThePop]

Oh well, i'm sure Mack will find the best person he can.

[TFloss32]

Thanks for posting, Whisky. I've been trying to post the news for the last hour and my Internet is giving me problems. I apologize if I got anybody's hopes up with Grimes. I figured he was all but in the bag after spending the night in Austin earlier in the week like the previous hires had done before him. It seemed like everything was lining up perfectly. I agree with Whisky that it's an odd decision with so many guys going to the NFL and the Auburn program possibly being in major trouble down the road. I know Grimes was going to get a significant raise from Auburn even before Texas came calling, but this was a great opportunity for him to get out of that potential mess and come home to Texas. I guess his decision is an indication of how much he truly loves living in Auburn. Anyway, this whole hiring process has been a rollercoaster but Texas has always managed to land excellent coaches and I don't expect that trend to change with the new OL coach. I get the feeling that Mack Brown probably knew that Grimes was a "no go" when he left Austin and has already been in contact with other candidates. I do expect the new OL coach to be in place before 2011 OL Christian Westerman and his family visit Austin this upcoming weekend. It's a must if Texas expects to retain his commitment.

[TFloss32]

http://recruitocosm.fantake.com/2011/01/16/ol-coaching-search-update-why-grimes-stayed-and-whats-next/

Quick little update from Recruitocosm on what went down with Grimes. Maybe it was as simple as not wanting to uproot his family?

[Cant_Be_Faded]

mack is such a narrowminded, arrogant piece of shit

[ThePop]

WTF Akina :pctoss

[scottspurs]

WTF Akina :pctoss

This is worse than losing Muschamp in my opinion. This has been the worst year ever for Texas football.

[TFloss32]

This is worse than losing Muschamp in my opinion. This has been the worst year ever for Texas football.

Well, for those that don't know, Texas DB coach Duane Akina has accepted the same position with the University of Arizona in a huge surprise move (at least to us fans). I had previously read subtle mentions of Akina possibly leaving, but nobody has ever seriously reported on it. When a guy takes a lateral move to a lesser program in Arizona for less money, it appears that he's simply in need of a fresh start. A 5-7 season will definitely create friction between staff members. It's undoubtedly a blow to the team as he was well-liked by the UT players and he's developed three Thorpe Award winners during his tenure in Austin. So, who's the replacement going to be? According to Recruitocosm's latest, former UT DB and current Seattle Seahawks DB coach, Jerry Gray, is the main candidate to replace Akina and communication with him could go back as far as four weeks ago (if you believe that). I think Gray would be a great fit as he's had NFL success and has never hid his desire to be a part of the UT staff (he wanted the DC job before UT hired Will Muschamp). I do find it more than coincidental that the Akina news came out the same night the Seattle Seahawks lost to the Chicago Bears. We'll see what happens and I'll let you know if I hear anything about Gray making a trip to Austin.

http://recruitocosm.fantake.com/2011/01/16/duane-akina-news-is-a-home-run/


What's the recruiting impact? The only DB who says he could open up his recruitment is 2011 CB Josh Turner of Oklahoma City. His relationship with Akina and the fact the guy consistently cranked out NFL DBs is what sold Turner on UT and now he's a bit unsure of his future. He says he will still be in Austin this weekend for his official visit, so hopefully he will be reassured once he gets on campus. I would imagine UT will have their new DB coach hired and in place by that time.


Couple of other things of interest...

**2012 WR Thomas Johnson of Dallas Skyline has accepted an invite to the first Junior Day and will be in Austin on February 11th-13th.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Thomas-Johnson-110750

**More crazy OL coaching news... according to 24/7 Sports (aka HookEm.com), Oklahoma State OL coach Joe Wickline is no longer a candidate for the same job at Texas and attention has now been turned to Boise State OL coach, Chris Strausser. Also, Jesus Shuttlesworth of Recruitocosm commented last night that he believes Wisconsin OL Bob Bostad is back on the table. Your guess is as good as mine.

[ThePop]

Ugh this is terrible. If Mack can keep all 23 recruits in tact, it would be his greatest victory as a coach.

[TFloss32]

You guys will hate me for another airplane rumor, but it'll make this Monday even more interesting. The same private jet that picked up Grimes from Auburn is scheduled to arrive in Madison, Wisconsin later today. Hmmmm....

[Whisky Dog]

Thanks for getting all the info TFloss. That Akina news was a definite shock, but with the recent news the timing is starting to make sense. With the Seahawks making an exit from the playoffs this weekend it is now being announced by Kirk Bohls of AAS as well as Hookem247 that DB coach of the Seahawks and former Longhorn Jerry Gray is the front runner to take over for Akina. Jerry is known in some NFL circles as the best or one of the best DB coaches in the NFL. Would be an amazing hire.

[samikeyp]

Thanks for getting all the info TFloss. That Akina news was a definite shock, but with the recent news the timing is starting to make sense. With the Seahawks making an exit from the playoffs this weekend it is now being announced by Kirk Bohls of AAS as well as Hookem247 that DB coach of the Seahawks and former Longhorn Jerry Gray is the front runner to take over for Akina. Jerry is known in some NFL circles as the best or one of the best DB coaches in the NFL. Would be an amazing hire.

Hope this comes true...big fan Jerry Gray. :)

[Whisky Dog]

You guys will hate me for another airplane rumor, but it'll make this Monday even more interesting. The same private jet that picked up Grimes from Auburn is scheduled to arrive in Madison, Wisconsin later today. Hmmmm....

Well, the plane did have a famous person on it, but it wasn't Bostad. It was PGA tour golfer Steve Stricker who lives in Madison. Oh well...

[TFloss32]

Well, the plane did have a famous person on it, but it wasn't Bostad. It was PGA tour golfer Steve Stricker who lives in Madison. Oh well...

Yeah, sucks. I'm keeping my hopes up that Bostad is still in the picture. I know crappy weather conditions in Wisconsin could delay the process a bit (if he's the guy). Like I said before, your guess is as good as mine.

[TFloss32]

Multiple sources are now confirming that Seattle Seahawks DB coach, Jerry Gray, has taken the same position with Texas. Announcment coming as early as this afternoon. Big news!

[ThePop]

Yup, just read the press release. Now, how about that OL coach?

[The Reckoning]

maybe mack should start looking to the nfl for an o-line coach if UT wants to keep its pro-style offense.

[TFloss32]

Yup, just read the press release. Now, how about that OL coach?


Here's the offical release from the school for those who haven't read it yet:

http://mackbrown-texasfootball.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/011711aab.html

[TFloss32]

Little recruiting news...2011 S Sheroid Evans of Fort Bend Dulles will be receiving a visit from Mack Brown tomorrow at his high school. Evans is the one DB I haven't seen a quote from since Akina left last night. I'm glad Jerry Gray was hired before this visit to help ease any doubts Evans may have.

[ThePop]

I did a little facebook stalking earlier and saw this on Evan's page.

"Soooooo my position coach is headed to Arizona St..??? Woow what's next?"

In the comments, people said stuff like, "go with him" or "gigem" as jokes, but Evans didn't make a clear indication of his feelings.

[TFloss32]

I did a little facebook stalking earlier and saw this on Evan's page.

"Soooooo my position coach is headed to Arizona St..??? Woow what's next?"

In the comments, people said stuff like, "go with him" or "gigem" as jokes, but Evans didn't make a clear indication of his feelings.

2011 ATH Quandre Diggs was quoted basically saying all of the DBs are solid commits with the Jerry Gray hire. Take it for what it's worth.


I wanted to show everyone some of the tweets from players after their first workout with Bennie Wylie this morning:

RB Jeremy Hills- ""first workout of offseason in the books.....coach wylie is the TRUTH! gon have us lookin like them boys from 300!"

S Kenny Vaccaro- "Coach Wylie gonna have me lookin like a 300 Spartan"

[TFloss32]

A new candidate has surfaced in the OL coaching search. Good article on him below:

Herb Hand, Vanderbilt

http://www.burntorangenation.com/2011/1/18/1941811/texas-ol-coach-search-talk-to-the-hand

[The Reckoning]

rofl i can see the banner above the weight room today reading "This is Sparta!"

[TFloss32]

Finally found out the Jerry Gray press conference is tomorrow at 11 a.m.

[TFloss32]

Just wanted to follow-up on Mack Brown's visit with 2011 S Sheroid Evans today. Evans' coach reiterated that Sheroid is "locked in" after talking with Mack. No need to sweat this one.

[ThePop]

I'm getting nervous about the OL search. Someone should have been hired by now, it seems that Mack is still searching and isn't even at the interview stage yet.

[Whisky Dog]

If nothing is announced tomorrow then it's bad.

[TFloss32]

If nothing is announced tomorrow then it's bad.

I don't think anyone knows what's truly going on. One theory is Mack Brown is after Sean Kugler of the Pittsburgh Steelers. If that's the case, let's pray they lose to the Jets this weekend so an announcement can be made. Surely Brown wouldn't let 2011 OL Christian Westerman and his family visit Austin this weekend without having a new OL coach in place (or at the very least have them informed of who it will be).

Some recruiting stuff...

*It was reported that Manny Diaz, Oscar Giles and Bo Davis were in Shreveport, LA yesterday to visit with 2011 DE Jermauria Rasco. They stopped off in Houston to visit Galena Park North Shore HS before that.


*2011 DE Brandon Alexander of Brenham has confirmed his official visit to UT this weekend. He's running out of time before National Signing Day to visit all of the schools he wants to see. He had to choose between Florida and Texas this weekend, and he decided to go with Texas. Great news there. I'll have a list of all of the guys that will be in town by Friday.


*2011 ATH Brandon Carter of Euless Trinity switched his commitment from Oklahoma to TCU last night. He was one of the best playmakers in Texas this year if you had the opportunity to see any of Trinity's games. Very underrated.
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Brandon-Carter-105972


*2012 OL Christian Okafor of Houston Westbury committed to Texas Tech yesterday. Not sure if he was on UT's radar, but he's a big one at 6'6"/300.
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Christian-Okafor-116423


*Texas Tech also picked up a commitment from 2011 CB Marcus Roberson out of St. Thomas Aquinas HS in Fort Lauderdale, FL. I wouldn't normally mention something like that, but it's a big pick-up for them as Roberson is a Top 50 player and rated as the #2 CB in the nation by Rivals.
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Marcus-Roberson-108272

[TFloss32]

The one time I didn't give y'all a flight tracking rumor, it turns out to be true....anyway, multiple sources have confirmed that a plane from Athens, Georgia is scheduled to land in Austin later this afternoon (original ETA has changed due to delays). OL coach Stacy Searels of Georgia is likely to take the same position with Texas. There was an article written by Recruitocosm before the season ended saying this guy was Will Muschamp's choice for offensive line before he left for Florida. I've read a couple of times that the next OL candidate to come to Austin would be the last. I hope this will end today.

EDIT: He's bringing the wifey....;)

[TFloss32]

2011 DT Quincy Russell is going to have his knee scoped on Friday. He's said doctors don't think he has any tendon damage, but they'll probably go in to remove scar tissue. He won't be in town for his official visit this weekend.

[TFloss32]

Georgia OL coach Stacy Searels and his wife are due to touch down in Austin at any minute. Sally Brown is there to greet them. Sounds like this one is done.

[TFloss32]

*Lots of sources saying Georgia OL coach Stacy Searels has accepted the same position at Texas. He arrived in Austin with his wife around 5:30 this evening. A press conference is expected to go down tomorrow so that the staff can prepare for all of the recruits coming into town on Friday.


*Here's a link to the Jerry Gray press conference from this afternoon:
http://www.texassports.com/allaccess/?media=222472


*Mack Brown, Bo Davis and Oscar Giles were at Klein Collins HS today visiting 2011 OL Garrett Greenlea. There are a lot of schools in that area with current commits and future prospects, but I don't know what other schools were visited. I do know Major Applewhite was in the Kingwood area today.


*Everyone already knows that 2011 OL Christian Westerman will be in Austin this weekend for his official visit to UT, but I just read that Mack Brown, Major Applewhite and Stacy Searels will be in Arizona on Wednesday, January 26th for an in-home visit with the Westermans in an attempt to close up shop.

[ThePop]

Hey, saw on one of the sites that Josh Turner met with Diaz, and made some comments that weren't very convincing of his commitment. I don't have a subscription but have you seen anything about what he said?

[Whisky Dog]

Hey, saw on one of the sites that Josh Turner met with Diaz, and made some comments that weren't very convincing of his commitment. I don't have a subscription but have you seen anything about what he said?

Not surprising seeing as how he hasn't met his new position coach yet. He just basically said Diaz is a good coach and seems like a cool guy and he's looking forward to making his visit to UT to see what's going down. Once he meets Gray it's likely he's reaffirmed.

On another note, here's a reason Mack hardly ever recruits outside of Texas:

Looks like we're losing Westerman to Auburn as he's cancelled his visit and is making an announcement on Friday http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/Richardobert/114913

[symple19]

*Everyone already knows that 2011 OL Christian Westerman will be in Austin this weekend for his official visit to UT, but I just read that Mack Brown, Major Applewhite and Stacy Searels will be in Arizona on Wednesday, January 25th for an in-home visit with the Westermans in an attempt to close up shop.

So glad UT couldn't lure away coach Grimes, who visited Westerman on Monday.

It would appear his visit paid off.

Below is from AZcentral's recruiting blogger, Richard Obert

http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/Richardobert/114913


In an e-mail sent by Chandler Hamilton senior All-America tackle Christian Westerman's father, Chris, tonight, he wrote, "There has been a significant recruiting update... and we would like to set up an announcement date for this Friday, Jan. 21, at Hamilton High School to announce some breaking news on his college decision to the media."

It appears Westerman will decommit from Texas and pledge to Auburn, especially after Texas lost out this week on hiring offensive line coach Jeff Grimes away from Auburn to replace retired Mac McWhorter, with whom Westerman and his family had developed a special bond. Grimes decided to remain at Auburn.

Westerman, 6-foot-5, 295 pounds, rated by Rivals as the 18th top prospect in the nation, was scheduled to take his official recruiting trip to Texas this weekend. That now appears canceled.

Grimes quickly hit it off with Westerman last month when Westerman took a recruiting trip to Auburn. During Auburn's stay here to prepare for the national championship game, Auburn coaches, including Grimes, visited Westerman at his home.

Auburn loses 4 seniors off the offensive line, so chances are excellent he'll choose AU. The Tigers are also quickly gaining steam with Cyrus Kouandjio. Both of these kids would have a very real chance of starting or at least getting major playing time.

[symple19]

rofl, I hate reading whisky's posts so much that I didn't even see his entry above mine.

oh well

[TFloss32]

@symple19 & Whisky

Thanks for posting the link. I read that little snippet this morning. Doesn't look good for Texas. What's weird is I can't find any confirmation that he's cancelled his official visit to UT this weekend. Westerman having an announcement at his high school reeks of him de-commiting and going with Auburn, but it's possible that Westerman's father simply wants Chrisitian to have his fifteen minutes in front of the media while re-affirming his commitment to Texas. That's the only scenario in which I can see it working out in Texas' favor. It's odd timing and a bit of head scratcher considering Westerman will be passing up an official visit and an in-home visit with the school he's been committed to for almost a year now. Why not wait a week and at least hear what Texas has to say?! I'd prepare myself for bad news if I'm a Texas fan.

[TFloss32]

Hey, saw on one of the sites that Josh Turner met with Diaz, and made some comments that weren't very convincing of his commitment. I don't have a subscription but have you seen anything about what he said?

Pop-

I know what you're talking about, but I haven't seen the quotes from Josh Turner. I know he'll be in Austin this weekend for his official visit and he'll have the opportunity to meet Jerry Gray. My best guess is the initial shock of coaching changes needs to wear off with some of these recruits. We saw the linebackers go through it with Manny Diaz and the defensive linemen go through it with Bo Davis. All of these guys were pretty attached to their position coaches, so it's a natural reaction to have some doubt about Texas. Turner will have the opportunity to iron out any concerns in the next few days. I wouldn't worry about him right now. Christian Westerman is the guy it's not looking good with.

[TFloss32]

2011 OL Christian Westerman will announce his college decision at 10 a.m. tomorrow morning at his high school. Still no mention of him cancelling his official visit to UT (even though the writing is on the wall).

[Kermit]

2011 OL Christian Westerman will announce his college decision at 10 a.m. tomorrow morning at his high school. Still no mention of him cancelling his official visit to UT (even though the writing is on the wall).

He's gone.

[DesignatedT]

Yeah, Westerman is gone.

[Whisky Dog]

Pop-

I know what you're talking about, but I haven't seen the quotes from Josh Turner. I know he'll be in Austin this weekend for his official visit and he'll have the opportunity to meet Jerry Gray. My best guess is the initial shock of coaching changes needs to wear off with some of these recruits. We saw the linebackers go through it with Manny Diaz and the defensive linemen go through it with Bo Davis. All of these guys were pretty attached to their position coaches, so it's a natural reaction to have some doubt about Texas. Turner will have the opportunity to iron out any concerns in the next few days. I wouldn't worry about him right now. Christian Westerman is the guy it's not looking good with.

Here's the quotes from Turner about Diaz to hookem247 per Gerry Hamilton (if you want a Longhorn paysite this is the one to get):

"I've been talking to him all week," Turner said. "He was cool. He seems like a good coach that has a great plan,"
This weekend will be huge for Turner as he didn't rule out taking a visit on January 28.
"I don't know what I'm going to do. I won't know until after this weekend. I just have to see how things go, so I won't be able to say for sure until Sunday," he said.



In other news, Aledo top dog RB Johnathan Gray had surgery on his right shoulder this morning to repair a torn labrum. Apprentlu he had the same surgery as well as rotator cuff surgery last offseason on his left shoulder, so something to keep an eye on regarding his ability to stay healthy at the next level.

[TFloss32]

Thanks, Whisky. Do you know if Johnathan Gray was having his knee worked on as well?


Stacy Searels is official. No mention of press conference yet.
http://mackbrown-texasfootball.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/012011aaa.html

[Whisky Dog]

Thanks, Whisky. Do you know if Johnathan Gray was having his knee worked on as well?


Stacy Searels is official. No mention of press conference yet.
http://mackbrown-texasfootball.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/012011aaa.html

No, apparently the knee is fine. He's been doing speed conditioning drills with no problems on the knee.

[DMX7]

It's pretty obvious Westerman is just a frontrunner. If Oregon or USC had won the title, he'd probably be paying them a visit too.

[TFloss32]

Here's the current list of guys that will be in town this weekend for their official visit:

RB, Malcolm Brown, Cibolo Steele
OL, Taylor Doyle, Austin Lake Travis
WR, Jaxon Shipley, Brownwood
DE, Brandon Alexander, Brenham
LB, Steve Edmond, Daingerfield
LB, Kendall Thompson, Carthage
CB, Josh Turner, Millwood (Oklahoma City, OK)
ATH, Mykkele Thompson, San Antonio Stevens

Alexander is obviously one of the more important ones since he's uncommitted. DT Quincy Russell will not be in town after having knee surgery this morning.

[TFloss32]

Surprise, surprise! 2011 OL Christian Westerman made the switch to Auburn this morning. I'll keep a close eye on who UT could go after with an open scholarship.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Christian-Westerman-69139

For some great news...just found out that 2012 QB Connor Brewer of Chaparral HS in Scottsdale, Arizona will be visiting Austin next Friday, January 28th. This is sort of a private meeting/special treatment before Junior Days, so I wouldn't expect Brewer to come back in February (unless something was set up). This lines up with what I read this morning in Recruitocosm's latest article:

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Connor-Brewer-93534

http://recruitocosm.fantake.com/2011/01/21/making-them-offers-they-cant-refuse/

Looks like Brewer will be the QB choice for 2012 and UT will offer while he's in town. I don't know what the chances of him committing early are, but keep in mind his parents are already familiar with UT and Austin. Brewer's sister is a member of the UT swim team. Bryan Harsin was Brewer's recruiter for Boise State so there's already an established relationship there and the two have been talking since Harsin was hired.

[The Reckoning]

terrible decision on westerman's part. he'll regret it in three years when Auburn is heavily penalized and falls into the same bout of mediocrity theyve always been.

buh..buh..buh.. i wannad play SEC futboll :depressed

[Kermit]

He'll transfer to whoever wins the MNC next year.

[Whisky Dog]

Surprise, surprise! 2011 OL Christian Westerman made the switch to Auburn this morning. I'll keep a close eye on who UT could go after with an open scholarship.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Christian-Westerman-69139

For some great news...just found out that 2012 QB Connor Brewer of Chaparral HS in Scottsdale, Arizona will be visiting Austin next Friday, January 28th. This is sort of a private meeting/special treatment before Junior Days, so I wouldn't expect Brewer to come back in February (unless something was set up). This lines up with what I read this morning in Recruitocosm's latest article:

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Connor-Brewer-93534

http://recruitocosm.fantake.com/2011/01/21/making-them-offers-they-cant-refuse/

Looks like Brewer will be the QB choice for 2012 and UT will offer while he's in town. I don't know what the chances of him committing early are, but keep in mind his parents are already familiar with UT and Austin. Brewer's sister is a member of the UT swim team. Bryan Harsin was Brewer's recruiter for Boise State so there's already an established relationship there and the two have been talking since Harsin was hired.

That Brewer news is interesting as he's making a special trip out here outside of Junior days. I just learned that UT has invited QB Trevor Knight to the junior day on the 13th so they're looking at him too.

That Alexander recruitment is vital right now as UT did a horrible job recruiting DE in the 2008 and 2009 classes so as of now the only true DE on the entire roster are Jackson Jeffcoat and Reggie Wilson. Both of those guys are beasts, but there is zero depth behind them right now. Alex Okafor will possibly be moved back to his natural spot at end so that will help, but keeping Cedric Reed from being swayed by aggie and landing Alexander would be nice for future end depth.

[symple19]

terrible decision on westerman's part. he'll regret it in three years when Auburn is heavily penalized and falls into the same bout of mediocrity theyve always been.

buh..buh..buh.. i wannad play SEC futboll :depressed

:cry:cry:cry:cry:cry:cry:cry:cry:cry:cry:cry:cry:c ry:cry:cry:cry:cry:cry:cry:cry:cry:cry:cry:cry:cry :cry:cry:cry:

so let me guess, Auburn paid him right? Just like $cam Newton, huh?

The jealousy and asshurt are palpable

Here's what the kid said at his presser. Pretty classy, imo


"I have spent countless hours and months considering all the things that matter to me for my college future and football future and Auburn just came out on top in the end," Westerman said. "It was about the Auburn coaches, especially coach [Gene] Chizick and my offensive line coach, Jeff Grimes, the Auburn family and the fact that there was a relationship that has now been solidified for many months now. In the end it was about people, trust, love and family."

"Even after a down year where the Horns went 5-7, I still had a relationship and trusted the coaches and the direction of the program," Westerman said. "After the season, my position coach left the program and then [six] other coaches left. It just all changed. There was no more relationship to hang my hat on, and my position coach is [who] I will spend about 90 percent of my time [with]. It was just too little too late. Auburn had it all and I was very close to my position coach there over the last 8-10 months. "

"My mom's side of the family is from the Auburn area. I have always liked the team and my grandparents live about 30 miles from the school," Westerman said. I have spent a lot of time with my family there and many summers on Lake Martin. It is comfortable and familiar. I also have other family in Alabama on my mom's side and also Georgia, Florida and all across SEC country"

"I have also forged some very strong relationships with other players that I met and spend time with at the Under Armor All-America game," Westerman said. "Guys like Reese Dismukes, Thomas O'Reilly and Kiehl Frazier and guys I became close to at lightening speed. We are all in and now part of War Eagle nation. We have big plans to get Auburn back to the national championship during our career there."

"The national championship was just icing on the cake," Westerman said. "I have never been a fair weathered fan and I have been building a relationship with Auburn for about eight months now. Winning the national championship this year certainly is exciting for the program but I did not play on that team. It is my desire to get back there in my time there and that will be one of my goals along with winning the SEC and going to a bowl game each and every year.

"I am excited and blessed to move forward with my commitment to this great program and the Auburn family," Westerman said. "In the end I am following my faith, my heart and my family."

Does it really hurt UT this bad to lose out on Westerman? No. UT still has a stacked fucking class full of top-notch talent. They'll probably roll in and snatch another 4 or 5* OL who is already committed somewhere else. Don't worry TR, UT will almost certainly still be ahead of Auburn (and everyone else) in the final recruiting rankings. Oh, and you have my blessing to start a, "UT tops in final Rivals recruiting rankings". Except you won't find me coming by to cry about it like you've done here as well as in the SEC top conference thread.

You're a UT fan/student (i believe). A top 3 program. Why are you so insecure?

Pull your goddamn panties out of your ass, quit balling about Auburn, and drive on. UT will be back where it was before. The only way UT doesn't make it back to the forefront of CFB is if Mack & Co completely and utterly blow it. Not likely, IMO

[symple19]

He'll transfer to whoever wins the MNC next year.

Cute. Another fucking crybaby. I'm beginning to see a trend here...

Nice to know not all UT fans turn to badmouthing somebody else's school as soon as something doesn't go their way.

A lot of this BS reminds me of Bammers saying, "we didn't want em' anyway" as soon as Auburn gets a recruit they wanted.

[modtxspur]

Of course Westerman didn't get paid. Nobody from Auburn is getting paid anymore. Cam Newton & co screwed that up. Your ignorant if you don't think this is rampant in college sports. The difference is Auburn was doing it bigger and won a national championship, that when its all said and done will only be recognized by Auburn (see reggie bush). UT screwed the pooch on this guy. I think we all agree it took to long to find an OL coach and when we did finally get one....yawn. This whole situation just feels like the whole USC situation. Cam Newton is like that rock that hit your windshield and start a little crack but two months later that crack goes across your whole windshield.

[yavozerb]

Not really sure why UT fans are losing any sleep of any over this cause they have plenty of talent and will be back near the top in 1-2 seasons. I have no love for UT (since I did not go there) and I have no hate for auburn but these last minute changes by prospects is nothing new. Westerman will probably be forgotten in 1-2 years and both teams will go on putting up W's. Although I must say I see UT getting to the top much faster than Auburn getting there again.

[symple19]

^ whatever. I've addressed the Cam situation enough. There's a thingy called a forum search if you'd like to dredge up that debate.

Sorry for temporarily hijacking your thread TFloss.

UT still has, what, four 4* OL's? They'll be fine. The cupboard isn't bare, nor even close. I fully expect to see the Horn's back in the picture next season. Add in Malcolm Brown and a return to some kind of consistent running game and I think you'll see a vast improvement.

I really didn't watch UT much last season, but it always seemed to me like all that was missing was a running game and a guy who could break the long one. Yeah, the offensive coaching was sub-par, but there has been enough of a shake-up there to hopefully make a positive change.

And if you don't think a true freshman running back can make a big difference, then you didn't see Lattimore from South Carolina last year. He'll be a Heisman candidate before he's done, and I still think he was the single biggest reason the Cocks finally won the East. From the video i've seen of Brown, there's no reason he couldn't do the same kind of thing in Austin

[Kermit]

Cute. Another fucking crybaby. I'm beginning to see a trend here...

Nice to know not all UT fans turn to badmouthing somebody else's school as soon as something doesn't go their way.

A lot of this BS reminds me of Bammers saying, "we didn't want em' anyway" as soon as Auburn gets a recruit they wanted.

Have you always been an insufferable faggot? I guess I just ignored you before.

So when is Auburn going on probation?

[Whisky Dog]

Not really sure why UT fans are losing any sleep of any over this cause they have plenty of talent and will be back near the top in 1-2 seasons. I have no love for UT (since I did not go there) and I have no hate for auburn but these last minute changes by prospects is nothing new. Westerman will probably be forgotten in 1-2 years and both teams will go on putting up W's. Although I must say I see UT getting to the top much faster than Auburn getting there again.

Yeah recruits change their minds all the time, and given the coaching upheaval it is actually very surprising if Westerman is the only lost recruit. The problems people had wasnt that he changes but the way the family handled it. They gave Mack no notice of a recommitment and didn't even tell him they were canceling their visit. The dad then sent out a press release trying to create a media circus over a "big recruiting announcement" but didn't even bother to send that to Mack and the staff. They learned about it through the media, which is very classless. Other than that no problem with the kid (or actually his dad and mom as is the case here) making a decision to change.

UT's former staff did a horrible job of Oline recruiting from 2008 to 2010 so there are definite holes. They really f'd up last season by not jumping on at least one but probably two of the top tackle prospects in a very deep tackle class for Texas HS football. That is the reason they had to reach OOS for Westerman and the reason they are in dire need of tackle help in this coming 2012 class. They might even be better served to go JUCO, but Mack never does that.

[The Reckoning]

good point Whiskey Dog. animosity towards the recruit is due to his family loving their 15 minutes of fame and abusing it by leading the school on. the stint they pulled wasted all the resources and time the coaches put into recruiting him. UT could have used that time to recruit some 3 star linemen instead, which the team sorely needs. this class is full of skill position players but hardly any offensive linemen. that scares me, especially after having to watch in person our line cave in game after game.

symple, why are you so upset about us discussing recruiting? go enjoy your championship. btw, i met some bammers in colorado and they were 100x annoying as us, so yeah im offended.

as a student, i have every right to be pissed off at how the football program is running itself. that includes how they handle recruiting. these are the only years ill be able to go to every single home game, and i only have one more year left. so i have a right to be upset over the program being led on so bad by an 17-18 year old kid instead of focusing on more important things. im very bitter about UT football in general right now, and i have every right to be. honestly, after i graduate, i probably wont look at recruiting at all.

[symple19]

symple, why are you so upset about us discussing recruiting? go enjoy your championship. btw, i met some bammers in colorado and they were 100x annoying as us, so yeah im offended.

as a student, i have every right to be pissed off at how the football program is running itself. that includes how they handle recruiting. these are the only years ill be able to go to every single home game, and i only have one more year left. so i have a right to be upset over the program being led on so bad by an 17-18 year old kid instead of focusing on more important things. im very bitter about UT football in general right now, and i have every right to be. honestly, after i graduate, i probably wont look at recruiting at all.

I'm not upset about talking recruiting, I'm upset about the underhanded insults toward Auburn just because you lost a recruit. It would appear that the only reason Westerman left is because UT's OL coach got fired. I suppose he could have gone ahead and de-committed a long time ago, but most think he wanted to see if he could find something positive with the new hire and still head to Austin.

[The Reckoning]

i never insulted auburn. i just expressed my opinion that it might not be a good idea committing to a program with questions surrounding it. not to mention the whole ordeal was started within the SEC. he also shouldnt have had a verbal committment and pulled it at the last second without notifying the school. not my problem. just my opinion.

you've been really defensive lately. not my business to care, but lighten up.

[ThePop]

Brandon Alexander had his official visit this weekend. Seems it went pretty well.

"UT definatly made this decision a whole lot harder."

Tfloss will have more info

[Whisky Dog]

Big news from the other UT commit on the fence - Josh Turner from OK Millwood.

The CB/safety prospect had left open the chance to make an official visit next weekend, but after his visit with the coaching staff and particularly Jerry Gray Turner said no more visits and he'll sign his LOI in Austin on 2/2/11 when he's there for the USA game.

Good news fellow Horns

[Whisky Dog]

Brandon Alexander had his official visit this weekend. Seems it went pretty well.

"UT definatly made this decision a whole lot harder."

Tfloss will have more info

Also Alexander's teammate, 2012 LB Tim Cole, made an unofficial visit on Saturday as well. He'll be back for the Junior day.

[TFloss32]

Lots of info to cover this morning. Thanks to Whisky and Pop for the info above. I'll just do my best to summarize everything.

*The official visits went as well (as expected). There isn't a lot of groundbreaking news to share because the majority of the guys are already committed to Texas, but the biggest storyline of this past weekend is 2011 CB Josh Turner of Oklahoma City Millwood solidifying his commitment to Texas. "I'm still going to be a Longhorn. My commitment is stronger than it ever was." He also mentioned he was very impressed by what Jerry Gray will offer as his position coach and had the opportunity to watch film with Manny Diaz. Turner said he looks forward to playing in Diaz's aggressive schemes.

*The second biggest story was the official visit of uncommitted 2011 DE Brandon Alexander of Brenham. Like the other commits, he was extremely impressed with everything Texas had to offer and mentioned that UT has "made my decision a lot harder." There is a guy that posts under the name BrenhamHorn on various Longhorn message boards and he's good for information in that part of the state. He grew up in Brenham and now has a brother that attends the high school. Anyway, he said he's heard from two local players that Alexander is going to be a Longhorn. Take it with a grain of salt because you know how Internet rumors work, but he mentioned that UT really made waves with Alexander this weekend. He's a key recruit for this class with the lack of depth at DE. This one is a UT/A&M battle.

*Like Whisky said above, Texas had a surprise visitor this weekend when a second Brenham star showed up on campus. I don't know if he came with Alexander, but 2012 LB Tim Cole was in Austin as well. Now, you wouldn't usually see a junior show up on campus when seniors are taking their official visits, so it was considered a big deal that Cole was there and it speaks volumes about his interest in Texas (especially knowing that he'll be back in Austin for Junior Days in three weeks). The only thing I don't know is if Cole came to town on his own accord or if the meeting was previously arranged by the staff. Either way, out of all the Brenham boys, Texas has the best shot with Cole and I wouldn't be surprised if he commits to UT at their first Junior Day or shortly after that.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Timothy-Cole-103352

[TFloss32]

I wasn't going to give you guys a list of Junior Day invites until we approached that weekend, but I'm obsessed. Here's what I have for the first Junior Day (Feb. 11-13):

Confirmed

QB, Trevor Knight, San Antonio Reagan (6-2, 190)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Trevor-Knight-104915

RB, Johnathan Gray, Aledo (5-11, 190)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Johnathan-Gray-103880

RB, Trey Williams, Spring DeKaney (5-8, 175)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Trey-Williams-104073

WR, Thomas Johnson, Dallas Skyline (5-11, 180)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Thomas-Johnson-110750

WR, Cayleb Jones, Austin High (6-2, 185)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Cayleb-Jones-98700

OL, Kennedy Estelle, Pearland Dawson (6-7, 292)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Kennedy-Estelle-119649

OL, Curtis Riser, DeSoto (6-4, 270)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Curtis-Riser-102649

DT, Malcom Brown, Brenham (6-2, 280)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Malcom-Brown-103353

DT, Paul Boyette, Jr., Humble (6-4, 280)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Paul-Boyette%20Jr.-94436

DT, Zorell Ezell, Humble (6-2, 255)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Zorrell-Ezell-121319

DT, Javonte Magee, San Antonio Sam Houston (6-5, 262)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Javonte-Magee-104642

DE, Mario Edwards, Jr., Denton Ryan (6-4, 250)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Mario-Edwards-106231

DE, Kyndahl Hill, Humble (6-5, 195)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Kyndahl-Hill-110549

LB, Tim Cole, Brenham (6-2, 210)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Timothy-Cole-103352

LB, Alex De La Torre, Denton Ryan (6-1, 223)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Alex-De%20La%20Torre-94917

LB, Peter Jinkens, Dallas Skyline (6-1, 208)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Peter-Jinkens-110751

LB/DE, Damien Neroes, Garland (6-1, 215)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Damien-Neroes-117921

CB, LaDarrell McNeil, Dallas Maceo Smith (6-1, 190)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-LaDarrell-McNeil-89921

ATH, Corey Coleman, Richardson Pearce (5-11, 180)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Corey-Coleman-107077


Invited (Not Confirmed)

OL, Greg Brantley, Carthage (6-7, 305)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Greg-Brantley-120175

S, Edward Pope, Carthage (6-3, 175)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Edward-Pope-109373


Names of Interest

OL, Boone Feldt, Pilot Point Selz (6-3, 276)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Boone-Feldt-115017

OL, Camrhon Hughes, Harker Heights (6-6, 269)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Camrhon-Hughes-118772

OL, Trey Keenan, Argyle (6-5, 270)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Trey-Keenan-114491

OL, John Michael McGee, Texarkana Texas (6-4, 255)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-John%20Michael-McGee-104801

OL/DE, Michael Starts, Waco La Vega (6-4, 275)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Michael-Starts-116604

LB, Alexander Lyons, DeSoto (6-0, 204)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Alexander-Lyons-95722

DE, Eric Davis, Tyler John Tyler (6-3, 227)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Eric-Davis-114451

DE, Devonte Fields, Arlington Martin (6-4, 220)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Devonte-Fields-119099

CB, Bryson Echols, DeSoto (5-10, 175)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Bryson-Echols-118357

S, Will Hines, Waco High (6-1, 175)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Will-Hines-122202

ATH, Bralon Addison, Fort Bend Hightower (5-10, 182)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Bralon-Addison-81314

ATH, Troy Green, Brenham (6-1, 192)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Troy-Green-99673

ATH, Kendall Sanders, Athens (6-1, 175)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Kendall-Sanders-100333

ATH, Corey Thompson, Fort Bend Elkins (6-2, 193)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Corey-Thompson-94381


*Look for guys like Trey Williams, Cayleb Jones, Curtis Riser, Paul Boyette, Jr., Tim Cole, Alex De La Torre and LaDarrell McNeil to commit on the spot when (or if) they're offered. I expect Jones to come to campus on Friday night and get one of the first offers like 2011 WR Jaxon Shipley did last year. He's a priority for this class.

*Notice that QB Trevor Knight of San Antonio Reagan will also be in town for the first Junior Day. QB will be a position to watch for 2012 because Connnor Brewer of Scottsdale, Arizona will have already visited Austin by that time (he's coming in this weekend). I still think Brewer is the choice for QB, but I also think this race is more like 1A (Brewer) and 1B (Knight) rather than #1 and #2. It'll be interesting to see how the staff handles this one because I know Knight would commit on the spot whereas Brewer might want a bit more time. I'd be happy with either one.

*I also wanted to add that Texas A&M had their first Junior Day this past weekend and will have the second one this upcoming weekend. I don't know which prospects were in attendance, but luckily no recruits that Texas is going after gave a pledge to the Aggies. They did pick up stud 2012 WR Jaevon Richardson of Baytown Lee, though. 2012 DT Malcom Brown of Brenham was not in attendance because he was taking the SAT. I'll try to get a list for the next one.

[DesignatedT]

Really hope Alexander goes with A&M. We need him a lot more then you guys do.

[TFloss32]

Really hope Alexander goes with A&M. We need him a lot more then you guys do.

I'm interested to see what the Aggie D looks like under DeRuyter next year without Von Miller. When Texas lost Sergio Kindle (a guy like Miller that can come off the edge or put his hand on the ground), their pass rush declined significantly. Texas has really been hurt by attrition on the defensive line so Alexander is key. He'd be a nice pick-up for either team and could possibly give that school an advantage over the other with 2012 LB Tim Cole and 2012 DT Malcom Brown coming down the pipe.

[Whisky Dog]

Johnathan Gray has announced he'll be doing two junior days - TCU this weekend and UT on 2/13.

[Kermit]

Gray is a big TCU fan, right?

[TFloss32]

Johnathan Gray has announced he'll be doing two junior days - TCU this weekend and UT on 2/13.

Thanks, Whisky. I'll update the list.


Gray is a big TCU fan, right?

I think Gray is around a heavy influence of TCU since his hometown is so close to Forth Worth. I know he is a fan and seriously considering them, but he's also always been a fan of Texas. TCU/UT competition, IMO. I hope UT offers and locks up both Johnathan Gray and Trey Williams and calls it a day at the RB position.

[Kermit]

So, how does having Brown affect Gray? Because, if he's the man right off the bat at TCU....

[TFloss32]

So, how does having Brown affect Gray? Because, if he's the man right off the bat at TCU....

I'd be dishonest if I told you I knew for sure. I have read that Gray is fine with sharing a backfield with Brown. Most RBs are now realizing that a two-back system is becoming the norm and helps teams keep guys fresh. Alabama and USC are good examples of that. As far as TCU goes, I don't know what their RB depth chart looks like even though I'm sure he'll get playing time right away. He'll have to share carries wherever he goes (especially at a young age). It may be as simple as who he likes best. Let's revisit this one after he visits TCU and Texas in a few weeks.

[TFloss32]

I remembered I wanted to touch on who could possibly fill the scholarship that 2011 OL Christian Westerman has left vacant. I'd imagine UT will go after another OL, DB or simply leave it open for the 2012 class. Anyway, UT has a policy of not pursuing prospects committed to other schools, but they obviously don't have that luxury being that it's so late in the recruiting year. Anyway, Stacy Searels has made a road trip to see 2011 Under Armour All-American OL Le'Raven Clark of Rockdale. There's not much to report from the trip except Clark was adamant about his commitment to Texas Tech and sort of gave UT the cold shoulder. Searels will visit Rockdale again this week for another opportunity to speak with Clark.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Le'Raven-Clark-107063

*Mack Brown and Jerry Gray were also on the road and made their way up to Oklahoma City to check in with 2011 CB Josh Turner.

*Darrell Wyatt also made a road trip to visit 2012 LB Jeremiah Tshimanga of North Richland Hills. He is rumored to be the cousin of Texas DE Reggie Wilson, but I've never seen confirmation of that. Tshimanga's coach made it a point to mention that he was very, very impressed with Wyatt's recruiting prowess. Look for Tshimanga to get a Junior Day invite (maybe the second one on Feb. 25-27).

http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Jeremiah-Tshimanga-116424

*Another pair of names to watch for that open scholarship are 2011 DB Charles Jackson of Klein Collins (currently committed to Nebraska) and 2011 OL Shayvion Hatten of Daingerfield (currently committed to Texas A&M).

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Charles-Jackson-104768

http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Shayvion-Hatten-96591

[Whisky Dog]

So, how does having Brown affect Gray? Because, if he's the man right off the bat at TCU....

Probably doesn't effect him as much as you'd think as Brown's the only big prospect running back that UT has and is more of a power runner to Gray's speed and shiftiness. I'm sure they're selling Richardson/Ingram and McFadden/Jones type of roles. Plus, with Gray's high workload in HS taking a toll on his shoulders and overall health he may welcome those roles and see how they can help him preserve himself going into the NFL.

[TFloss32]

Quick little update on 2011 DE Brandon Alexander of Brenham...looks like Arkansas has their in-home visit today, A&M will have one tomorrow and Mack Brown will have the last shot on Wednesday. If he doesn't commit this weekend, I think he'll do so next Wednesday, February 2nd (National Signing Day).

[DesignatedT]

I'm interested to see what the Aggie D looks like under DeRuyter next year without Von Miller. When Texas lost Sergio Kindle (a guy like Miller that can come off the edge or put his hand on the ground), their pass rush declined significantly. Texas has really been hurt by attrition on the defensive line so Alexander is key. He'd be a nice pick-up for either team and could possibly give that school an advantage over the other with 2012 LB Tim Cole and 2012 DT Malcom Brown coming down the pipe.

He definitely might have to change some things up, but the Aggies are very strong in that OLB/Joker position. Freshman Demontre Moore played the position when Von was out of the game this season and Sean /Jonathan Stewart also have great speed to get around the edge. Also, LB Shaun Ward is supposed to be a Von Miller clone and the exact same type of player. IMO, the part that will hurt the most is that ILB position and losing Michael Hodges is going to be huge for this defense since we have nobody to step in and play that MLB position like he did (see the LSU game).

[DesignatedT]

Just heard reports that A&M got a commit from Floyd Raven who recently decommitted from Ole Miss. This would be huge and probably are best recruit so far if it's true.

[TFloss32]

Just heard reports that A&M got a commit from Floyd Raven who recently decommitted from Ole Miss. This would be huge and probably are best recruit so far if it's true.

I don't know anything about the guy, but he is highly ranked. A&M needs solid DBs. Looks like he decommitted from Ole Miss last week and visited Pitt this past weekend. Rivals doesn't have him listed as committed right now but the rumors favor A&M.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Floyd-Raven-98602

[scottspurs]

Soon your gonna have to start the 2012 Texas Longhorn Recruiting thread TFloss32. This is my favorite thread on Spurstalk. Hook em :toast

[TFloss32]

Soon your gonna have to start the 2012 Texas Longhorn Recruiting thread TFloss32. This is my favorite thread on Spurstalk. Hook em :toast

Thanks, scottspurs. I appreciate it. Let me know if I can add certain types of info to make it better. I'll be starting the 2012 thread next week after National Signing Day on February 2nd. We have to get all of these 2011 guys officially signed first. We're about to get into the thick of things and it'll be a lot of fun. The new staff is already proving what great recruiters they are.

[TFloss32]

Just read that Mack Brown is currently in Cleveland, Texas doing an in-home visit with 2011 DE Cedric Reed. A&M has tried their damndest to turn him for a long time, but Reed reiterated today that he's a solid commitment. A visit from Coach Brown should put the final touches on his recruitment.

[ThePop]

Looking forward to the 2012 topic. BTW, you can add me to the 2011 commitment list as I have already enrolled for this Fall.

[TFloss32]

Looking forward to the 2012 topic. BTW, you can add me to the 2011 commitment list as I have already enrolled for this Fall.

:lol...I'm going to need your measurables and hometown/high school.

[TFloss32]

Here's a quick breakdown of where all of the coaches are recruiting right now:

*After visiting Cleveland last night to visit with 2011 DE Cedric Reed, Mack Brown will be in San Antonio today to visit with 2011 RB Malcolm Brown, 2011 ATH Mykkele Thompson and 2011 DT Quincy Russell. He'll head to Brenham on Wednesday for his in-home visit with 2011 DE Brandon Alexander followed by in-home visits on Thursday with 2011 LBs Steve Edmond of Daingerfield and Kendall Thompson of Carthage and then 2011 OL Josh Cochran of Hallsville. Just to let you know, Reed said his visit went pretty well and it got him excited about next year.

*In addition to making a trip to Rockdale on Monday morning to visit with 2011 OL Le'Raven Clark, Stacy Searels made calls to DeSoto HS to check on 2012 OL Curtis Riser and Waco La Vega HS to ask about 2012 OL Michael Starts. Searels is expected to be on the road all week so I'll keep you posted on where he goes and what he does.

*Jerry Gray is expected to be in the Houston area day today. He'll be visiting with 2011 S Sheroid Evans of Fort Bend Dulles and then he'll head over to Fort Bend Hightower to see 2012 ATH Bralon Addison. He'll then call on 2012 ATH Corey Thompson of Fort Bend Elkins after that. These are two ATHs that I want Texas to go after hard, but I'm not sure what they're plan of action is with those two at this point.

*In addition to visiting 2012 LB Jeremiah Tshimanga of North Richland Hills yesterday, Darrell Wyatt stopped at Dallas Skyline HS to visit with 2012 WR Thomas Johnson and 2012 LB Peter Jinkens. He also went to Argyle HS to see 2012 OL Trey Keenan as well as Garland HS to visit with 2012 DE/LB Damien Neroes.

*I also wanted to mention that 2012 CB LaDarrell McNeil of Dallas Maceo Smith has confirmed that he'll be at the first Junior Day in addition to two Humble kids: 2012 DT Zorell Ezell and 2012 DE Kyndahl Hill. I updated the list with some other guys as well.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Zorrell-Ezell-121319

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Kyndahl-Hill-110549

*2012 DT Malcom Brown and 2012 LB Tim Cole of Brenham have confirmed that they will be at the A&M Junior Day this weekend and they may also stop at the one for TCU on Sunday.

[TFloss32]

Here's the updated Junior Day info with some additional names:

Confirmed

QB, Trevor Knight, San Antonio Reagan (6-2, 190)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Trevor-Knight-104915

RB, Johnathan Gray, Aledo (5-11, 190)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Johnathan-Gray-103880

RB, Trey Williams, Spring DeKaney (5-8, 175)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Trey-Williams-104073

WR, Thomas Johnson, Dallas Skyline (5-11, 180)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Thomas-Johnson-110750

WR, Cayleb Jones, Austin High (6-2, 185)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Cayleb-Jones-98700

OL, Kennedy Estelle, Pearland Dawson (6-7, 292)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Kennedy-Estelle-119649

OL, Curtis Riser, DeSoto (6-4, 270)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Curtis-Riser-102649

DT, Malcom Brown, Brenham (6-2, 280)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Malcom-Brown-103353

DT, Paul Boyette, Jr., Humble (6-4, 280)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Paul-Boyette%20Jr.-94436

DT, Zorell Ezell, Humble (6-2, 255)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Zorrell-Ezell-121319

DT, Javonte Magee, San Antonio Sam Houston (6-5, 262)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Javonte-Magee-104642

DE, Kyndahl Hill, Humble (6-5, 195)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Kyndahl-Hill-110549

LB, Tim Cole, Brenham (6-2, 210)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Timothy-Cole-103352

LB, Alex De La Torre, Denton Ryan (6-1, 223)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Alex-De%20La%20Torre-94917

LB, Peter Jinkens, Dallas Skyline (6-1, 208)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Peter-Jinkens-110751

LB/DE, Damien Neroes, Garland (6-1, 215)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Damien-Neroes-117921

CB, LaDarrell McNeil, Dallas Maceo Smith (6-1, 190)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-LaDarrell-McNeil-89921

ATH, Corey Coleman, Richardson Pearce (5-11, 180)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Corey-Coleman-107077


Invited (Not Confirmed)

OL, Greg Brantley, Carthage (6-7, 305)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Greg-Brantley-120175

S, Edward Pope, Carthage (6-3, 175)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Edward-Pope-109373


Names of Interest

OL, Boone Feldt, Pilot Point Selz (6-3, 276)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Boone-Feldt-115017

OL, Camrhon Hughes, Harker Heights (6-6, 269)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Camrhon-Hughes-118772

OL, Trey Keenan, Argyle (6-5, 270)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Trey-Keenan-114491

OL, John Michael McGee, Texarkana Texas (6-4, 255)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-John%20Michael-McGee-104801

OL/DE, Michael Starts, Waco La Vega (6-4, 275)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Michael-Starts-116604

LB, Alexander Lyons, DeSoto (6-0, 204)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Alexander-Lyons-95722

DE, Eric Davis, Tyler John Tyler (6-3, 227)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Eric-Davis-114451

DE, Devonte Fields, Arlington Martin (6-4, 220)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Devonte-Fields-119099

CB, Bryson Echols, DeSoto (5-10, 175)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Bryson-Echols-118357

S, Will Hines, Waco High (6-1, 175)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Will-Hines-122202

ATH, Bralon Addison, Fort Bend Hightower (5-10, 182)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Bralon-Addison-81314

ATH, Troy Green, Brenham (6-1, 192)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Troy-Green-99673

ATH, Kendall Sanders, Athens (6-1, 175)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Kendall-Sanders-100333

ATH, Corey Thompson, Fort Bend Elkins (6-2, 193)
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Corey-Thompson-94381

[TFloss32]

I wanted to mention that 2012 ATH Kendall Sanders of Athens is another one that will commit on the spot when/if he's offered. He's been very open about it. He's a guy that's been talked about on and off for a long time and it will be fun to see which ATHs Texas decides to go with. QB, LB and ATH are the positions that I'm most looking forward to seeing what happens for 2012.

[TFloss32]

Change of plans with Mack Brown. He's changed his San Antonio tour to Friday. Also, Stacy Searels is at Pearland Dawson HS today to visit 2012 OL Kennedy Estelle. It's looking like he, Curtis Riser and Michael Starts might be three of the OL offers at Junior Days (Riser without a doubt will get an offer).

[TFloss32]

Good news on 2011 DT Quincy Russell. His knee surgery went well on Friday and there is no structural damage to report. He simply had scar tissue removed and plans on shedding his knee brace tomorrow.

EDIT: Russell will be coming to Austin this weekend for his official visit.