2021 Recruiting - Football

I've been following recruiting for over 20 years and this is the worst that I've seen in terms of players going out of state since the mid 90's. Whatever other coaches are doing it's working.

Things were worse in the mid-80's when no one wanted to play in the SWC.
 
I've been following recruiting for over 20 years and this is the worst that I've seen in terms of players going out of state since the mid 90's. Whatever other coaches are doing it's working.

It's been getting worse ever since aggy opened the door for the SEC and their unusual recruiting tactics
 
Why do you think Herman fired most of his staff?

He kept the the following guys
Hand - He did a good job 2 years ago, struggled last year, we shall see what he looks like with the best talent he has had while at Texas.

Giles - Not a great recruiter per say, but he is fantastic at developing talent. This is why he kept his job.

Drayton - His track record speaks for itself, he is one of the very best.

Now we bring in guys with a track record for developing talent, and you want to complain because they aren't getting commitments from 5'star guys? Get real, this is the most unusual year ever. As I said, I don't expect a lot of these guys who have committed recently to stick simply because there were no camps for the coaches to personally meet them, and once play begins a lot of guys from many programs will start to take their visits and things will change for everyone.

Most important, we will see first hand what this staff can do with the best talent Texas has had since 2009.
I am always a bit ap
It's been getting worse ever since aggy opened the door for the SEC and their unusual recruiting tactics
Seems Ohio State has been as big a problem as anybody and they have poached excellent players not just above average. We are in big trouble once Notre Dame rejoins the party as they were once one of the great poachers. Of course your point is correct in that it has really exploded once Aggy opened the door.
 
...Seems Ohio State has been as big a problem as anybody and they have poached excellent players not just above average..r.

A big part of that in recent times were the results of Tom Herman recruiting the state Texas

In 2012-13, Herman signed QB JT Barrett, LB Mike Mitchell, H-Back Dontre Wilson and OL Demetrius Knox all from Texas (he also recruited Joe Barrow to tOSU). Herman left tOSU in Dec 2014, and tOSU did not sign any players from the state of Texas in either their 2015 or 2016 classes.

However, in 2017 tOSU came back with a vengeance signing 3 of the top 6 ranked players in Texas. Somewhat ironically, it was assistant Tim Beck who landed both Jeff Okudah (#2 and who was just a 1st round pick at CB) and Baron Browning (#4) from Texas. 2017 may have been the all-time low for in-state recruiting generally as OOS programs landed 16 of the top 20 in-state players. UT only got one player in the entire top 20 and he barely made it - #19 was Sam Ehlinger. aggy also only had one player in the top 20 from Texas. That was a an extremely pathetic time for our program.

So, while aggy gets the blame for kicking open the door into the state of Texas for unscrupulous SEC recruiting methods, our own ineptitude also played a big part. Hanging onto Mack Brown too long and then Powers insisting Patterson hire a specific type of coach really set us back.
 
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Mile Roach on Alexis --

As I reported last week, Texas is making a big push for Pompano Beach (Fla.) Monarch wide receiver Jaden Alexis. Alexis spoke with Horns247 for an in-depth interview last week and said the Longhorns are very much on his mind. In speaking with sources in Austin, I was told Texas feels strong about where things stand with the speedy wideout. In fact, I was told by a couple of sources that the feel is the Longhorns are at the worst in a co-lead for Alexis. Several of the current commits have been in contact with him as well, and Alexis mentioned forming a bond with Jalen Milroe and Landen King. I’ve heard enough smoke around Alexis that I’m close to putting in a crystal ball pick for the Longhorns. My only reservation is that I don’t have a ton of strong sources in south Florida, so I’d like to take a little more time to see what I can find out.
 
Roach on Ibraheem --

Dallas Kimball cornerback Ishmael Ibraheem has been a huge priority for Texas since Jay Valai arrived in Austin. The Texas staff has been in heavy contact with the four-star cornerback, and he’s been very receptive. That’s important because Ibraheem is nearly impossible to get on the phone, but I’m told he looks forward to his meetings with Ash and Valai. One source near Ibraheem told me the quarantine is helping Texas because Austin is one of the few places he visited and that bodes well for Texas. LSU is the other school in the race for Ibraheem, but I think Texas holds an edge right now.
 
Nahlin on WRs

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Farrell has always preferred ou to Texas -

(Rivals) Fact or Fiction: OU is leaving Texas behind in recruiting
1. Texas is being left behind by Oklahoma in recruiting.
Mike Farrell’s take: FACT. The Longhorns are landing prospects, but when I see Oklahoma reeling in five-stars like Mario Williams and four-stars like Clayton Smith while Texas adds more and more three-stars, it makes me wonder. Texas is ahead of OU in the Rivals team rankings with more commitments and the average star rating isn’t far off the Sooners, but let’s look at this — QB Caleb Williams is likely to commit and Oklahoma and the Sooners are involved and lead for many high rated prospects like Bryce Foster and others. If things pan out the way it appears it will, then OU will have a stronger recruiting year. And with the on-field success already well ahead of Texas, that doesn’t bode well for Tom Herman and company.

Adam Gorney’s take: FICTION. There is no question Oklahoma remains a major problem for Texas on the field and in recruiting, but the Longhorns had a higher-rated recruiting class in 2020 and the Longhorns are doing just fine with in-state prospects in 2021. Five-star OL Tommy Brockermeyer should join the class and then the Longhorns could be the frontrunner for four-star RB LJ Johnson (although Oklahoma is probably the favorite for five-star RB Camar Wheaton, the top player in the state of Texas). The Sooners are doing great, but Texas is right there as well and certainly not being left behind.
 
Farrell has always preferred ou to Texas -

(Rivals) Fact or Fiction: OU is leaving Texas behind in recruiting
1. Texas is being left behind by Oklahoma in recruiting.
Mike Farrell’s take: FACT. The Longhorns are landing prospects, but when I see Oklahoma reeling in five-stars like Mario Williams and four-stars like Clayton Smith while Texas adds more and more three-stars, it makes me wonder. Texas is ahead of OU in the Rivals team rankings with more commitments and the average star rating isn’t far off the Sooners, but let’s look at this — QB Caleb Williams is likely to commit and Oklahoma and the Sooners are involved and lead for many high rated prospects like Bryce Foster and others. If things pan out the way it appears it will, then OU will have a stronger recruiting year. And with the on-field success already well ahead of Texas, that doesn’t bode well for Tom Herman and company.

Adam Gorney’s take: FICTION. There is no question Oklahoma remains a major problem for Texas on the field and in recruiting, but the Longhorns had a higher-rated recruiting class in 2020 and the Longhorns are doing just fine with in-state prospects in 2021. Five-star OL Tommy Brockermeyer should join the class and then the Longhorns could be the frontrunner for four-star RB LJ Johnson (although Oklahoma is probably the favorite for five-star RB Camar Wheaton, the top player in the state of Texas). The Sooners are doing great, but Texas is right there as well and certainly not being left behind.
Farrell sounds bent. The results of the last few recruiting cycles do not support his thesis.
 
So he is short sighted. Maybe he should look at how many of the top ten best paid safeties are from Texas. He was spoon fed a line from some weak *** recruiter (from aOSU?) and he ate it.

Just thinking, Hassan Ridgeway, Malcolm Brown, Charles Omenihu (a 3 Star), Corey Redman, Ken Sims, Steve McMichael, Henry(?) Melton and I am certain others I cannot remember (Poona Ford). Of whom is he thinking?

Jonathan Gray is about the only 5 Star I can think of recently who did not make it to the NFL. Herman's first recruits will be eligible this year, so his criticism really holds no water.
 
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This kind of stuff hurts...and it usually seems like it's from Ohio state commits. Makes you wonder if its orchestrated.
No small matter. Notice the #of followers/views of the college football outlet that is "publicizing " this..
475,000
Ohio State Commit Blasts Texas Football In Recent Social Media Post

Interesting? How many 5'star guys have graduated from our program since Tom has been here?

1. Malik Jefferson - He had his best year under Tom Herman, but he was only under him for one year.

How many 4'star guys?
In 2015 Texas signed 12 4'star, 4 of them left the program after about 1 year. 2 were solid starters but didn't have the physical ability to make it in the NFL (Wheeler and Vehe). 2 were a bust (Burt, and Warren), and 4 made it to the league.

In 2016 Texas signed 17 4'star players, hell of a class on paper. One never made it to Texas (Eric Fowler) One had to retire for medical reasons (Hudson). 9 Transferred.

Of the remaining 6 players. 3 were drafted into the league, Duverney, Jones, and CJ. Denzel Okafor is still with the program. McCullouch had a disappointing career, as 4'stars go, but he was a solid contributor. Christmas-Giles finished his eligibility without much of a impact.

Every time there is a coaching change you going to get attrition, but we had 5 4'star guys complete their eligibility and 3 just got drafted.

That is pretty much it, except we haven't even talked about 3 star guys that were put in the league

Poona Ford, Lj Humphrey, Connor Williams, Charles Omenihu, PJ Locke, and Michael Dickson.

It's nothing but propaganda and tOSU likes to toss it out every year. Can't wait to play them and whip their asses.
 
This kind of stuff hurts...and it usually seems like it's from Ohio state commits. Makes you wonder if its orchestrated. No small matter. Notice the #of followers/views of the college football outlet that is "publicizing " ... Ohio State Commit Blasts Texas Football In Recent Social Media Post

I think Princely (Florida) said something similar with regard to the Big 12

We were supposed to be leading for Landon Jackson, Clayton Smith, Camar Wheaton and Andrew Mukuba. It's pissing me off and i am tempted to go off on another rant. It's double trouble with ou. We have been signing better classes than ou for the last few years yet they beat us anyway, win the conf and go to the playoffs. And now they are recruiting with us or possibly even better than us? NFL draft results back it up too (they had two 1st round juniors (both from Texas!) while we had 3 seniors taken in the 3rd. The prior year they had a Jr in the 1st and another in the early 2d while we had no one until the 5th) . I am forcing myself to stop here. :cursing2:
 
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I think Princely (Florida) said something similar with regard to the Big 12

We were supposed to be leading for Landon Jackson, Clayton Smith, Camar Wheaton and Andrew Mukuba. It's pissing me off and i am tempted to go off on another rant. It's double trouble with ou. We have been signing better classes than ou for the last few years yet they beat us anyway, win the conf and go to the playoffs. And now they are recruiting with us or even better than us? I am forcing myself not to go into rant mode.
This year is the tipping point between UT and ou. And not just with ou. We've been saying it for a few years. Win and your problems start melting away. It's the whole "scoreboard" thing. The longer it takes, the harder things will get.
 
Here is Nahlin on OOS WR JADEN ALEXIS

While in-state recruiting at wide receiver has been less than ideal in the 2021 cycle, the Texas staff continues to comb the country in search of dudes willing to catch footballs from Hudson Card, Ja’Quinden Jackson, and Jalen Milroe. The 2019 cycle saw UT grab one of the nation's top pass-catchers in Jake Smith, another out-of-state target. This year, the Horns are hunting in the other spring training destination of Florida.

At 6-foot-1 and 175 pounds, the 2021 three-star from Monarch High School in Pompano Beach, FL is the latest OOS wide receiver in the Longhorns‘ cross-hairs. "Texas has really shown interest," said Alexis. "They are more than football, they care about you as a person. I've built a great connection to Coach Coleman, while Coach Yurcich and Coach Herman have been great too. I even spoke to the strength and conditioning coach (Yancy McKnight). Texas was one of the first schools to really recruit me. Texas is big, but the people are better."

He holds 36 offers including Georgia, Auburn, Notre Dame, Georgia Tech, Alabama, Wisconsin, and Miami. But it seems Georgia, Miami, and UT are among his favorites. Something Texas has going for them is Milroe. The Katy Tompkins four-star quarterback reached out to Alexis a while back and made a big impression on him. “I want a place I can grow," said Alexis. "Milroe was the first committed quarterback to reach out. Him and Landen King called me. He hit me up and we instantly hit it off. I really appreciate him taking the time to do that. We are both like-minded people. We want to play in and win big games."

Alexis has traits that every school desires. He runs a 4.41 forty, a 10.75 100m, and a 22.27 200m. He played on both sides of the ball for Monarch last fall. On offense, he tallied 894 yards on 49 catches with eight touchdowns. His father, Rich, was a running back for the University of Washington and 7-year NFL veteran including stops at Jacksonville, Seattle, and Washington. His father is also from South Florida, and I asked Jaden if that meant staying close to home was likely or if he was open to leaving the nest.

"I want to branch out on my own, like my father," Alexis said. "U-Dub might be the farthest school from where we live, so I don't see myself going that far. But I want to pave my own path. I'm really interested in business school and UT has one of the best in the country." He doesn't have a set timeline for his decision, but noted he didn't have to visit Austin for UT to have a shot. He mentioned when the time is right, he'll know.Just keep chipping away, Texas. Watch why they call him "Showtime."
 
You guys have good comments on the Ohio state commits criticism. Similar to AustinBills comments I'll add that TH has been here 3 years now. A recruit typically goes from on campus to NFL in 3-4 years, right? Not really enough "data" to confirm or disprove anything in that regard. Only 2-3 schools in the country with new coaches could boast anything better....especially if an already existing pipeline wasnt well-established (LSU, Ohio st, etc.)
The whole notion is massive hyperbole.
And I think we are trending in the right direction, be it ever so slowly. If UT football was a stock and I was looking for some names right now I think it would look attractive vs peers.
 
This year is the tipping point between UT and ou. And not just with ou. We've been saying it for a few years. Win and your problems start melting away. It's the whole "scoreboard" thing. The longer it takes, the harder things will get.

You, me and everyone else has been saying "we just need to win" for over a decade now.

But here I am agreeing once again. Besides the senior QB we have better depth then we have had since maybe the 2009/2010 teams. Other than Bijan, I dont think a true freshman will crack the 2-deep. And if he were not a 5-star, I am not sure he would. So, yeah, no excuses.

We have to hope these new assistants know what they are doing. People are starting to grumble alittle about Hand even. It's an open question whether the less than ideal OL performance has been on him or the bad offensive scheming. I think we would all agree we have had some awful game plans and schemes for the last several years. And Hand can't really be faulted for that. So I guess with that improved, at least we will get to see which it was.
 

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