2015 Texas Longhorns Recruiting Thread

[Hook Em 88]

Jeremycrabtree: Just visited with 2016 QB Jawon Pass. Liked him at the Elite11. He definitely talked up #Horns, but mentioned a slew of SEC schools.

[Whisky Dog]

Yeah I know, COY for the conference is no small thing... but there just hasn't been much success at the dance, which is where it really counts.

We have been doing a lot of 1-and-done recruiting... maybe we should target those who will stick around for at least a couple to three years...

How do we get over the hump?

So the last several years Barnes fails miserably with the one and dones and bad recruiting evals but he's kept around. But now that he's got a solid team of freshmen and sop res with a burgeoning elite freshman PG plus only one junior in Holmes and you want to fire him now? Do you realize how dumbass that sounds?

[bluebellmaniac]

So the last several years Barnes fails miserably with the one and dones and bad recruiting evals but he's kept around. But now that he's got a solid team of freshmen and sop res with a burgeoning elite freshman PG plus only one junior in Holmes and you want to fire him now? Do you realize how dumbass that sounds?

A shot at a coach like Marshall is a rare opportunity. While Barnes has had success at recruiting, getting the subsequent consistent success in the tourney has been lacking. It is not an easy decision to go from one success to reach for a higher opportunity. Think of George Hill being traded for a draft pick .... Kawhi. That was not an easy decision, but we upgraded with it. Marshall is an incredible motivator and has done so much more with so much less. Give Marshall the resources that Texas offers and maybe he's the next Coach K.

In general, we should be having more success. We kept waiting for Mack to turn things around, but we should have seen what we had. We can take a wait and see at ude, but a rare opportunity at what could be a Hall of Fame Coach is staring us in the face.

Edit: As I think about this, another example would be Bob Hill, who had a W-L record of 121 - 43 his first 2 seasons coaching the Spurs. In his 3rd season he gets canned after 18 games because the team is 3-15 due to injuries to DRob and Sean Elliott. Fans were shocked and angry. Yet, in hindsight, it was a good move. Back then Pop didn't have a great track record when he stepped in. Yet few (only those on ST) would argue with the results. Coach Marshall does have a great track record and all indications are that he is on the path of doing great things.

Edit 2: So after some more thorough fact checking, Marshall will make $1.75M next year and has a current year buyout of $400k, which reduces by $100k each year for the next 2 years. His record of success at WSU is pretty impressive (and shows a lot of hunger):

Wichita State Shockers (Missouri Valley Conference) (2007–present)
2007–08	Wichita State	11–20	4–14	9th
2008–09	Wichita State	17–17	8–10	T–5th	CBI Second Round
2009–10	Wichita State	25–10	12–6	2nd	NIT First Round
2010–11	Wichita State	29–8	14–4	2nd	NIT Champions
2011–12	Wichita State	27–6	16–2	1st	NCAA Second Round
2012–13	Wichita State	30–9	12–6	2nd	NCAA Final Four
2013–14	Wichita State	35–1	18–0	1st	NCAA Third Round
Wichita State:		174–71 (.710)	84–42 (.667)

While Barnes has been consistent, but very mediocre of late in the tourney:

Texas Longhorns (Big 12 Conference) (1998–present)
1998–99	Texas	19–13	13–3	1st	NCAA First Round
1999–00	Texas	24–9	13–3	2nd	NCAA Second Round
2000–01	Texas	25–9	12–4	T–2nd	NCAA First Round
2001–02	Texas	22–12	10–6	T–3rd	NCAA Sweet Sixteen
2002–03	Texas	26–7	13–3	2nd	NCAA Final Four
2003–04	Texas	25–8	12–4	T–2nd	NCAA Sweet Sixteen
2004–05	Texas	20–11	9–7	T–5th	NCAA First Round
2005–06	Texas	30–7	13–3	T–1st	NCAA Elite Eight
2006–07	Texas	25–10	12–4	3rd	NCAA Second Round
2007–08	Texas	31–7	13–3	T–1st	NCAA Elite Eight
2008–09	Texas	23–12	9–7	T–4th	NCAA Second Round
2009–10	Texas	24–10	9–7	T–6th	NCAA First Round
2010–11	Texas	28–8	13–3	2nd	NCAA Second Round
2011–12	Texas	20–14	9–9	5th	NCAA First Round
2012–13	Texas	16–18	7–11	7th	CBI First Round
2013–14	Texas	22–9	11–7	T-3rd	NCAA Third Round
Texas:		357–152 (.701)	166–76

[Whisky Dog]

His Wichita state team didn't do so well this tourney with a 1 seed, so if we're only looking at tourney results that's damning evidence.

CBB is also littered with small school coaches who go to big conference programs and flame out big time, so he's anything but a sure thing. He's the flavor of the month right now much like Shaka Smart was previously, and how have Shaka's teams done in the tourney recently?

I was all for getting a change the last three offseasons, but right now with a promising young team with a potentially elite PG and a legitimate shot at a big time recruiting class you don't make the change to the flavor of the month.

Also, your analogy is bull unless somehow making the change will give you a healthy David Robinson and a young Tim Duncan next season. It won't.

[pgardn]

Yeah I know, COY for the conference is no small thing... but there just hasn't been much success at the dance, which is where it really counts.

We have been doing a lot of 1-and-done recruiting... maybe we should target those who will stick around for at least a couple to three years...

How do we get over the hump?

Imo: we rebounded very well this year and had some athletes but we are still very poorly coached.
Barnes will not get us there. And the good players know we are a dead end for significant improvement.

Barnes getting COY is significant in my mind as this means he has to stay. All of our sports barring volleyball are suffering.
I hope the new AD and even football coach can change a possible atmosphere of complacency that occurs with success followed by a job finished at ude (see Mack and Dodds).

[pgardn]

His Wichita state team didn't do so well this tourney with a 1 seed, so if we're only looking at tourney results that's damning evidence.

CBB is also littered with small school coaches who go to big conference programs and flame out big time, so he's anything but a sure thing. He's the flavor of the month right now much like Shaka Smart was previously, and how have Shaka's teams done in the tourney recently?

I was all for getting a change the last three offseasons, but right now with a promising young team with a potentially elite PG and a legitimate shot at a big time recruiting class you don't make the change to the flavor of the month.

Also, your analogy is bull unless somehow making the change will give you a healthy David Robinson and a young Tim Duncan next season. It won't.

This is all fine. But when 68 teams are now allowed in a tourney making it should not be the standard. Barnes has completely lost a team, as in players don't give a . More than once. This does not happen if you recruit properly and coach well. Losing your players is worse, much worse, than not making the tourney.

We also play the ugliest basketball on earth. Honestly, I would rather lose with inferior athletes who play the game the proper way. And I don't keep up with many coaches except Barnes. He is not good. HE needs to improve more than the kids.

Sorry, back to the recruiting.

[Blake]

None of the kids on this years horn team were seniors so expectations were low.

But because of this year, they're now high.

If they have poor tournament showings in the next few years, he has to be fired.

[Needs More Bourbon]

24/7 has a recruiting update that seems to say we're in even better shape now with RB Chris Warren (how much better can it get before he commits?). There's a separate post about LB Malik Jefferson. Anyone care to share?

[Whisky Dog]

None of the kids on this years horn team were seniors so expectations were low.

But because of this year, they're now high.

If they have poor tournament showings in the next few years, he has to be fired.

Exactly. If they weren't going to fire the guy when his recruiting experiment of 1 and done guys coupled with bad evals hurt the program they why would they fire him when he turns it around with an exciting freshman PG, sop re center, only one guy returning as a senior next season, and a legit shot at one of the top players in the country? This team is perfectly set up to be the type of team he coaches well so firing him now would be extremely stupid. You give him this chance to develop this group and if he loses them and underachieves the next season or two you replace him then.

[TFloss32]

Per his Twitter, UT has offered DT Tim Settle of Manassas, VA:

http://247sports.com/Player/Tim-Settle-29990

[TFloss32]

Quotes from the mother of RB/ATH Chris Warren III of Rockwall (24/7):

"Christopher loved it," Lopez said. "He liked the practice a lot. [Oklahoma drill] impressed him. He thought the intensity was high and enjoyed the interactiveness of Coach (Charlie) Strong during practice."

"When I picked him up we sat down with most of the coaches: Coach Strong, (Tommie) Robinson, (Chris) Rumph, (Joe) Wickline," Lopez said.

"Coach Strong stated he wants him there at UT. We talked directly with him the most," she said.

[TFloss32]

Inside Texas mentioned RB/ATH Chris Warren III and his mother spoke with almost the entire staff for two and a half hours once practice ended on Saturday.

[benefactor]

Damn...that's a pretty hard push. Strong must see something he really likes in him. Hopefully they can close the deal.

[Bloeddyr10]

Texas didn't wait until their QB camp to offer more QB's. They have just offered Zach Gentry of Alburqueque (NM.), per 24/7. He isn't as highly rated as Jake Browning or Travis Waller from California, but he is a 6'6, 230 pounder with a 4.68 40-yard dash. I'm still anxious to see the "QB Camp" later this spring.

http://247sports.com/Player/Zach-Gentry-30305

http://www.hudl.com/athlete/o/1526405/zach-gentry

[TFloss32]

Texas didn't wait until their QB camp to offer more QB's. They have just offered Zach Gentry of Alburqueque (NM.), per 24/7. He isn't as highly rated as Jake Browning or Travis Waller from California, but he is a 6'6, 230 pounder with a 4.68 40-yard dash. I'm still anxious to see the "QB Camp" later this spring.

http://247sports.com/Player/Zach-Gentry-30305

http://www.hudl.com/athlete/o/1526405/zach-gentry

I knew he was on the radar, but the timing is definitely a surprise.

[TFloss32]

Damn...that's a pretty hard push. Strong must see something he really likes in him. Hopefully they can close the deal.

I'm confident Texas lands him as long as they don't make some ridiculous mistake or have a crappy season.

With that said, I'm interested to see if they make a move on RB Tristian Houston this Thursday.

[TFloss32]

Update on five-star DE Keisean Lucier-South of Orange, CA (24/7):

"The only person that I have been talking with (at Texas) is Coach (Chris) Rumph," Lucier-South said via text message. "He's a really cool guy and he's a great coach. (We talk) like once a week."

"I want to visit Texas," he said. "I don't have a top list right now, but I like Texas at this point in my recruitment."

[Needs More Bourbon]

From Shaggy: Ronald Jones put out his top 6 and we aren't in it. Supposedly we sent him a letter addressed to "Roland Jones" and he wasn't too happy about it.

[Needs More Bourbon]

I'm confident Texas lands him as long as they don't make some ridiculous mistake or have a crappy season.

With that said, I'm interested to see if they make a move on RB Tristian Houston this Thursday.

Why Thursday? Is he visiting then?

[TFloss32]

Why Thursday? Is he visiting then?

He is supposed to stop by the football offices on Thursday while in Austin for Texas Relays.

[ColinB]

From Shaggy: Ronald Jones put out his top 6 and we aren't in it. Supposedly we sent him a letter addressed to "Roland Jones" and he wasn't too happy about it.

[TFloss32]

Per his Twitter, UT has offered five-star LB Jeff Holland of Jacksonville, FL:

http://247sports.com/Player/Jeffery-Holland-23197

[TFloss32]

From Shaggy: Ronald Jones put out his top 6 and we aren't in it. Supposedly we sent him a letter addressed to "Roland Jones" and he wasn't too happy about it.

Just a strange recruitment on UT's side of things.

He's another who will be in town this weekend for Texas Relays, so we'll see if he meets with any coaches.

[Bloeddyr10]

Per his Twitter, UT has offered five-star LB Jeff Holland of Jacksonville, FL:

http://247sports.com/Player/Jeffery-Holland-23197

I remember him asking for a Texas offer a few weeks ago. He I believe he really likes Strong, he had Louisville in his top 10 before Strong came to Texas.

[leemajors]

He is supposed to stop by the football offices on Thursday while in Austin for Texas Relays.

thanks, I'll be avoiding Airport Blvd near Highland Mall this weekend