2021 Recruiting - Football

[Pomspoms]

Ours -- we have 1 top 200 Compositie offensive tackle, while Alabama now has 7

Thanks Joe for both those depth charts.

 

[BevoJoe]

Additional note: The Brock twins were 6 years old in 2009. Basically they have been watching Bama win championships--or be in the championship game--their entire growing up. While seeing the horns struggle in mediocrity.

^^^^THIS

Good point!

 

[caryhorn]

Ours -- we have 1 top 200 Compositie offensive tackle, while Alabama now has 7

This is fascinating. It will be interesting how this turns out for the twins. The studs already there will give no quarter to them.
I just hope a we can find some quality OL to pave the way for the offensive star power coming in.
Curious that the RB’s and QB’s coming in seems to have meant zip to them.

 

[longhornlegend]

Should we pull that schollie? Why should these parents benefit? Let it go to a family with a legitimate need

You cant blame the one here at UT. Most of you keep offering excuses for Hermans recruiting about "look at where we ranked". Yes we have ranked high but not from keeping local talent in house. I cant blame the twins. If we start winning it will fix itself. If we dont, it will fix itself. Herman has padded classes with good talent but far from balanced talent. Reference the LB situation as it stands today. Also this coddling of the BLM is pure BS. Like I have said before, if you want to dictate what your boss does then there is the door. Next man up!

 

[2003TexasGrad]

Looks like he's training to fight Rocky Balboa.

 

[2003TexasGrad]

Additional note: The Brock twins were 6 years old in 2009. Basically they have been watching Bama win championships--or be in the championship game--their entire growing up. While seeing the horns struggle in mediocrity.

I hadn't thought about that. How time flies when you're older. They probably have no memory of VY running it in on 4th down. That's nuts. Seems like just yesterday to me.

 

[longhornlegend]

Did he really earn that scholly or did we gift it to him as a way to appease his parents and entice his more talented younger brothers to come?

Really doesnt matter. If Herman wins, this fixes itself. If not then he needs a better recruiter/coach for this stuff and maybe even him. Cant believe the Brocks were impressed with how Herman handled the world mess we are all faced with. As noted, you didnt see Alabama having these same issues so wish them the best and let Herman go win.

 

[bystander]

I hadn't thought about that. How time flies when you're older. They probably have no memory of VY running it in on 4th down. That's nuts. Seems like just yesterday to me.

Think about this. The next Super Bowl will be the 25th anniversary of the Cowboys last Super Bowl appearance (when they defeated Pittsburgh, the game in which Neil O'Donnell made Larry Brown a rich man). People have lived an entire quarter century and have no idea why the Cowboys are known as America's Team.

And yet, Jerry Jones continues to smugly and arrogantly pass himself off as a successful football man.

For Texas, the buzz is long gone. It has been too long and the brand seems old. Yet the arrogance (or perceived arrogance) remains. You have to earn it now. You can't walk in acting like you're a Cadillac when your muffler is falling off due to rust.

 

[2003TexasGrad]

Think about this. The next Super Bowl will be the 25th anniversary of the Cowboys last Super Bowl appearance (when they defeated Pittsburgh, the game in which Neil O'Donnell made Larry Brown a rich man). People have lived an entire quarter century and have no idea why the Cowboys are known as America's Team.

And yet, Jerry Jones continues to smugly and arrogantly pass himself off as a successful football man.

For Texas, the buzz is long gone. It has been too long and the brand seems old. Yet the arrogance (or perceived arrogance) remains. You have to earn it now. You can't walk in acting like you're a Cadillac when your muffler is falling off due to rust.

Texas still has a long and storied history. And it only been 10 years, not 25, although to 18yo recruits 10 years IS 25 years.

 

[22Horn]

Buzz is gone; maybe true, but many other elite programs have experienced the same 'buzz on then off'......so it can come back. Ala has not always been the elite they are now...how about USC and others? Penn St? OU? tOSU? Ga? ND?

 

[Austin_Bill]

Who would be your choice for our next head coach?

Off the top of my head. The guy from Iowa state, maybe someone from the NFL. This go around, I just have no idea, I do have all the faith in CDC making a great choice. He is the best AD I've seen out there. Some of the guys who I like what they are doing. Herm Edwards (however still too early), Jack Del Rio (probably the next USC coach), the guy in Oregon.

Like I said, I have no idea right now.

 

[Joe Fan]

This is fascinating. It will be interesting how this turns out for the twins. The studs already there will give no quarter to them. I just hope a we can find some quality OL to pave the way for the offensive star power coming in. Curious that the RB’s and QB’s coming in seems to have meant zip to them.

It could be years before the Brocker Bros are starting, perhaps never. And it would be funny as hell if we won a NC with Luke still on the roster while the twins got nothing. Seems unlikely (lol) but youneverknow*.

It was not that long ago when there was much griping because OT Walker Little picked Stanford over us. We had to "settle" for Sam Cosmi and Derek Kerstetter that class. And, based on mock drafts at least, it seems very possible the NFL now likes Cosmi better than Little. So maybe things now are not as bad as they seem?

As far as our future OT looks, the names most mentioned as future starters at OT are Christian Jones and Isiah Hookfin. Tyler Johnson seems headed to OG. Beyond that, there are some good looking 2022 OTs as well (for example Dewberry and Banks) who, if we land, will bridge the depth chart gap quite well. I dont know if Herman and Hand will both be around for all of that, but youneverknow.


*I will always rmbr that phrase as Joaquin Andujar's "favorite word" in English

 

[gahornphan]

Texas selling points:
Stay close to home
Good education
Early playing time
Austin is fun
Possibility of going to cool bowl game
You daddy went here

Bama selling points:
Compete for championships ever year
NFL

So if you consider yourself an NFL caliber player and that’s your #1 goal, you go to Bama, or Ohio State, or OU.
If you want to have some fun, and make your daddy proud, go to UT.

 

[Chop]

It could be years before the Brocker Bros are starting, perhaps never. And it would be funny as hell if we won a NC with Luke still on the roster while the twins got nothing. Seems unlikely (lol) but youneverknow*.

It was not that long ago when there was much griping because OT Walker Little picked Stanford over us. We had to "settle" for Sam Cosmi and Derek Kerstetter that class. And, based on mock drafts at least, it seems very possible the NFL now likes Cosmi better than Little. So maybe things now are not as bad as they seem?

As far as our future OT looks, the names most mentioned as future starters at OT are Christian Jones and Isiah Hookfin. Tyler Johnson seems headed to OG. Beyond that, there are some good looking 2022 OTs as well (for example Dewberry and Banks) who, if we land, will bridge the depth chart gap quite well. I dont know if Herman and Hand will both be around for all of that, but youneverknow.


*I will always rmbr that phrase as Joaquin Andujar's "favorite word" in English

I like the taller, leaner, quicker guys like Hookfin, and later on Andrej Karic, for LT, and the bigger dudes who are still quick like Christian Jones for RT. Big strong guys who aren’t quite as quick may have OG in their future.

 

[Chop]

This is fascinating. It will be interesting how this turns out for the twins. The studs already there will give no quarter to them.
I just hope a we can find some quality OL to pave the way for the offensive star power coming in.
Curious that the RB’s and QB’s coming in seems to have meant zip to them.

That’s some good recruiting and strong depth at Tackle for those classified as Freshmen in your chart. OL recruiting has been good but not great, until this year. It’s still a long way until signing day, but Hand and Herman need to pick it up.

 

[caryhorn]

Texas selling points:
Stay close to home
Good education
Early playing time
Austin is fun
Possibility of going to cool bowl game
You daddy went here

Bama selling points:
Compete for championships ever year
NFL
So if you consider yourself an NFL caliber player and that’s your #1 goal, you go to Bama, or Ohio State, or OU.
If you want to have some fun, and make your daddy proud, go to UT.

I don't think its an either or situation. Ask Vince if he had fun at Texas during his time here, climaxed by playing against USC for a MNC.
Ask Colt if he enjoyed, had fun at UT, and then playing the the MNC game against Bama.
I am not counting the Horns out just yet re: getting into the BCS and playing for it all.
Many teams have languished in mediocrity for years and then jumped into the BCS scene: Clemson, Georgia, etc. USC could pop back in; Penn State, Oregon, Texas could too.

I don't know if TH can get the Horns to the promised land. This year will be telling. A great coach has to prove he's great. Some of the teams who have gotten to the BNC and won have not necessarily had the best overall talent. The Coach has to show he doesn't have to have the best players at every position to win it all.
I would argue that Sweeney at Clemson could say that in his first trip to the BCS game. Maybe his second try as well. tOSU beating Bama for its first BCS championship as well showed (which we knew already) that Meyer was a great coach.
If TH can't win the B12 this year, which is NOT the toughest league to win, that will reveal a lot about his ceiling as a coach.

 

[Joe Fan]

I like the taller, leaner, quicker guys like Hookfin, and later on Andrej Karic, for LT, and the bigger dudes who are still quick like Christian Jones for RT. Big strong guys who aren’t quite as quick may have OG in their future.

It's possible Jones will get a year at RT then move to LT the next season
We will see

 

[Joe Fan]

Texas selling points:
Stay close to home
Good education
Early playing time
Austin is fun
Possibility of going to cool bowl game
You daddy went here....

+ woke staff

 

[Joe Fan]

That’s some good recruiting and strong depth at Tackle for those classified as Freshmen in your chart. OL recruiting has been good but not great, until this year. It’s still a long way until signing day, but Hand and Herman need to pick it up.

Our 2017-19 OL recruiting classes look solid

Junior Angilau ('18) could be a 4-year starter, possibly all conf
Rafiti Ghirmai ('18) may become a starter
Christian Jones ('18) should be the starter at RT
Mike Grandy was also part of 2018 and might have been a player but for injury
And Calvin Anderson was also arguably part of the 2018 class
Tyler Johnson ('19) sounds like a future starter at OG
Isaiah Hookfin ('19) sounds like a future starter at LT
Willie Tyler ('19) still has rime to develop as an OT (as does Karic ('20))
And Parker Braun was also arguably part of the 2019 class.
Added all together (with Cosmi and Kerkstetter in 2017), it's the best stretch of OL recruiting for us since the mid-2000s. We have more OL depth now than in over a decade. From my perspective, the evidence is clear that the Herman staff has been good at identifying talent across the board (with the exception of Orlando at LB).

The problem is that 2021 was an epic, once-a-decade in-state OL class, the kind that careers can be made off (or lost). And two of them were double-legacies. The table was set but then we choked away the 2019 season and with it, the chance at a legendary OL class. We can still recover in terms of OL recruiting and OL depth with a good haul in 2021. But if Hand blows that too then he needs to go. And by then, it might be too late for Herman anyway.

 

[Chop]

It's possible Jones will get a year at RT then move to LT the next season
We will see

Maybe. It may depend on how Hookfin develops. He’s already North of 300 lbs, so check off filling out his tall and formerly lean frame.

 

[Pomspoms]

Maybe the brocks didn't come here simply bc they don't respect Herman, which I can understand.
So how do most feel about Urban Meyer?
Pretty sure we get the top recruits in Texas. I know he's not a media darling and maybe a little full of Himself but he commands respect. Is it time to open up the bank vault and make an offer? I do want to see what Herman can do this year with this team but I just feel like he doesn't have championship juice. Is there another commanding general out there that can be a difference maker?

 

[Joe Fan]

Now both Tommy and Blake liked this tweet
Picking a different school is one thing, trying to steal our QB at the same time is a pretty douchebag move

 

[Joe Fan]

Maybe the brocks didn't come here simply bc they don't respect Herman....

Perhaps the best way to look at it as a business decision. They think they can play in the NFL. Alabama gives them a better shot at that than we do. Thus, a rational choice.

 

[Chop]

Our 2017-19 OL recruiting classes look solid

Junior Angilau ('18) could be a 4-year starter, possibly all conf
Rafiti Ghirmai ('18) may become a starter
Christian Jones ('18) should be the starter at RT
Mike Grandy was also part of 2018 and might have been a player but for injury
And Calvin Anderson was also arguably part of the 2018 class
Tyler Johnson ('19) sounds like a future starter at OG
Isaiah Hookfin ('19) sounds like a future starter at LT
Willie Tyler ('19) still has rime to develop as an OT (as does Karic ('20))
And Parker Braun was also arguably part of the 2019 class.
Added all together, it's the best stretch of OL recruiting for us since the mid-2000s. We have more OL depth now than in over a decade. From my perspective, the evidence is clear that the Herman staff has been good at identifying talent across the board (with the exception of Orlando at LB).

The problem is that 2021 was an epic, once-a-decade in-state OL class, the kind that careers can be made off (or lost). And two of them were double-legacies. The table was set but then we choked away the 2019 season and with it, the chance at a legendary OL class. We can still recover in terms of OL recruiting and OL depth with a good haul in 2021. But if Hand blows that too then he needs to go. And by then, it might be too late for Herman anyway.

I’d keep or ditch Hand based primarily on the on-field performance, although recruiting is also important of course, and it obviously feeds into how well the OL performs on the field.

Random thoughts on some of these guys:

Junior Angilau—an absolute beast at run blocking. Still needs improvement at pass protection.

Willie—we won’t know about him until he gets in proper playing shape. The weight room, track, and dining table will make him or break him.

Ghirmai—It’s super important that he develops and fast. Center is a tough position to recruit, develop, and play.

Johnson and Jones are probably the farthest along in their development, especially Jones. Possibly either could play adequately this year (if there is a this year).

 

[Joe Fan]

I’d keep or ditch Hand based primarily on the on-field performance, although recruiting is also important of course, and it obviously feeds into how well the OL performs on the field....

I think evaluating Hand in 2019 is challenging due to the horrible game-planning and scheming. Our sets and player groupings often made predicting the play call way too easy. And those slow-developing plays to the short side of the field made me pull my hair out. There is just too much too complain about (the ou game was THE worst!).
But how much of that was Hand's fault? Maybe none of it. The OL ran their assigned plays but were never put in a position to succeed. It will be nice to see us take advantage of match ups -- and scheme to identify and then plow through the other guy's weaknesses for a change (just like Riley does to us).

 

[Pomspoms]

I

Perhaps the best way to look at it as a business decision. They think they can play in the NFL. Alabama gives them a better shot at that than we do. Thus, a rational choice.[/Q
I understand your rationale but if a player is really good no matter what team he plays for he's gonna get drafted. I'm sure the brocks already know the nuances of o-line play and technique from their dad. One thing is for sure is that they would get a lot more PT here at Texas so I think they just don't respect our coaching staff and it must be a substantial disrespect because I don't see them hating the university.

 

[Joe Fan]

One thing is for sure is that they would get a lot more PT here at Texas so I think they just don't respect our coaching staff and it must be a substantial disrespect because I don't see them hating the university.

The dad's dislike of Herman does appear to be more than just a rumor

 

[SabreHorn]

Urban Myth?

You have to be ******* kidding me.

Murders - that's plural
Rapes and sexual assaults by players & recruits
Robberies
Assaults
Thefts
NCAA sanctions
and it goes on

I'd consider Barry or Jackie first and maybe Howard Schnellenberger

Myth is king of the slimeballs

NO!! Hell NO! NO ******* WAY!

 

[Austin_Bill]

Look for the twins to make a few Twitter statements slamming Texas and specifically Tom Herman.

 

[SabreHorn]

Look for the twins to make a few Twitter statements slamming Texas and specifically Tom Herman.

While Herman deserves it, I'd be surprised if they do anything publicly. Say it to recruits or privately amongst people they know? Probably, but on social media? Don't think that's the family's style.