2022 Recruiting - Football

[p_town_horn]

I'm going to push the glass of kool-aid aside for awhile.
While I am impressed with this recruiting haul, how many will actually play in 2022?
Who will be our QB and if it's Ewers how long will it take for him to get his feet under him?
How many of these recruits or existing players portal after spring practice.
I'm going to look towards 2023 and another good recruiting haul.
We need to have at least an 8 win season I think to convince the next recruiting class that the plan is working.
I am impressed with Sark and everything he has done.
Except for the win/loss record.
Show me something on the field in 2022 and the burnt orange glasses come back out.
And I'll be sipping the kool-aid.

I am waiting on 2023 for high expectations. Our enormous o and d line haul will have a year of experience and Quinn (or Hudson if he can beat him out) will have a year of starting experience. Not to mention that Bijan and Worthy will still be here for their final year.

 

[OrangeClad]

You noticed that too?

I don't completely disagree. That said, there is very solid history across D-1 FBS
wherein eventual outstanding and successful coaches started off their first year with an improved record from the regime the year prior. There are some exceptions, but 90% of the time a new coach that is going to really turn things around has a better first year. Falling to 5-7 the first year does not bode well for the future of Sark at UT, so we are now hoping he will be one of the exceptions. His 50-50 history as a HC at prior stops also doesn't spark tremendous optimism. So indeed, patience will be necessary for this one and maybe for quite a while. We need to be positive, but we also need to stay measured and recognize that Sark is already behind the typical curve, so our patience could just as easily result in a lot more lost years.

For those drinking too much orange kool-aid (and sometimes I do, too) and bring up this year's #5 recruiting class, lest not forget that Herman had back to back #3 ranked recruiting classes, as well as a much more successful prior HC record and he flamed out. I don't think we fired him too quickly because he lost control of the team, could not turn those recruiting wins into consistent high level success and recruits were no longer taking him seriously.

 

[moondog_LFZ]

Not to mention that Bijan and Worthy will still be here for their final year.

We can only hope.

 

[Chinstrap]

Texas A&M football coach Jimbo Fisher fires back at Alabama's Nick Saban over NIL comments

So Jimbo had the best class in the history of the NCAA because the ag’s are a national powerhouse and a ‘n m is the best school in the land. They don’t win championships but they are supposed to and that is enough to lure players. And I can prescribe medicine because I was supposed to be a doctor.

If I were Jimbo I would keep my big mouth shut and stop making the target on my back bigger. When they cut his recruiting “pig” and it’s NIL influence open it may be so rancid it will clear the coaching room. Jimbo does not show much class. He acts more more a hayseed.and the rest of college football does not need any more reason for their disdain for aggies.

 

[X Misn Tx]

The are multiple reasons to have solid depth on both lines. health, rotations, specific skills for specific situations.

I also think it can be important to be forced to deal with a more limited set amount of high value skill players.

I think, from the outside, that being 3 deep with 4* and 5* at each skill position can be more negative (attitude/transfers/etc) than being 3 deep with the same level talent on the lines.

Broad brush strokes obviously, but I agree with Sark's strategy. We should have at least 10 down linemen every cycle, and sometimes up to 14. The number is higher this year for a reason.

 

[OrangeClad]

I am waiting on 2023 for high expectations. Our enormous o and d line haul will have a year of experience and Quinn (or Hudson if he can beat him out) will have a year of starting experience. Not to mention that Bijan and Worthy will still be here for their final year.

I hope Bijan is here in 2023, but I'm not banking on it.

 

[OrangeClad]

So Jimbo had the best class in the history of the NCAA because the ag’s are a national powerhouse and a ‘n m is the best school in the land. They don’t win championships but they are supposed to and that is enough to lure players. And I can prescribe medicine because I was supposed to be a doctor.

If I were Jimbo I would keep my big mouth shut and stop making the target on my back bigger. When they cut his recruiting “pig” and it’s NIL influence open it may be so rancid it will clear the coaching room. Jimbo does not show much class. He acts more more a hayseed.and the rest of college football does not need any more reason for their disdain for aggies.

I agree, but you left out the breathtakingly beautiful campus in the spectacular, exciting city of Collie Station and a solid history of 7 - 8 win seasons. Those alone should entice every 5 star recruit, plus your list.

 

[Chop]

I'm going to push the glass of kool-aid aside for awhile.
While I am impressed with this recruiting haul, how many will actually play in 2022?
Who will be our QB and if it's Ewers how long will it take for him to get his feet under him?
How many of these recruits or existing players portal after spring practice.
I'm going to look towards 2023 and another good recruiting haul.
We need to have at least an 8 win season I think to convince the next recruiting class that the plan is working.
I am impressed with Sark and everything he has done.
Except for the win/loss record.
Show me something on the field in 2022 and the burnt orange glasses come back out.
And I'll be sipping the kool-aid.

I’ve gulped down so much Kool Aid, I’m peeing burnt orange.

(Better not let Tom Herman know…. He’ll break out that pee chart.)
Man, that dude was weird.

 

[Chop]

LB and WR seem to be all we really need from the portal this cycle. An upperclassman OL or two would be nice as well, until the young recruits can develop.

Of course, you just don’t turn away a freakish athlete at any position who wants in.

 

[nashhorn]

Jimbo is the stereotypical example of when someone yells the loudest.

 

[Pomspoms]

I like it....but WR misses drag it down and we could have should have 1 more big tyme RB. Missing on Camar and then seeing Miller flip weighs.
Still, for me....needed 1 or 2 more WRs and had some chances but missed leaves a red mark on it.
Edit: How could I forget LBs?....This may be the most glaring and impactful area of need still

If only Sark was perfect at his job like the rest of us.

 

[OrangeClad]

If only Sark was perfect at his job like the rest of us.

I'm not perfect, but I could be a lot closer to perfect for $5.5MM per year.

 

[txhorn_et]

Jimbo is the stereotypical example of when someone yells the loudest.

Well he did beat Bama. I’m sure that’s on his business card.
It’s not like they have anything else to hang their milkman overalls on. Oh wait, how quickly I have forgotten this years recruiting class. What was I thinking.

 

[p_town_horn]

I hope Bijan is here in 2023, but I'm not banking on it.

You are right. He won't be. I forgot he was a sophomore already. Dang

Well at least we have Worthy.

 

[mchammer]

You are right. He won't be. I forgot he was a sophomore already. Dang

Well at least we have Worthy.

Maybe Bijan can be persuaded.

 

[Sangre Naranjada]

I think, from the outside, that being 3 deep with 4* and 5* at each skill position can be more negative (attitude/transfers/etc) than being 3 deep with the same level talent on the lines.

Divas vs grunts. You may be on to something here.

 

[OrangeClad]

Divas vs grunts. You may be on to something here.

5 star culture vs 5 star players?

 

[2003TexasGrad]

I agree, but you left out the breathtakingly beautiful campus in the spectacular, exciting city of Collie Station and a solid history of 7 - 8 win seasons. Those alone should entice every 5 star recruit, plus your list.

I mean, what other campus literally has a polo ground on it? Game changer.

 

[RainH2burntO]

If only Sark was perfect at his job like the rest of us.

If you are reading my comments as some big criticism of Sark....you are reading them very wrong.
This was a great recruiting cycle for us...
Simply pointing out a few areas of need as noted in my above linked article and noted by Sark himself in comments regarding the cycle.

 

[old65horn]

I smell an aggy boycott brewing ...

Our avg was lowered by a 2* OL that we took because of his special skill, a long snapper and a 2* kicker.

 

[old65horn]

I like it....but WR misses drag it down and we could have should have 1 more big tyme RB. Missing on Camar and then seeing Miller flip weighs.
Still, for me....needed 1 or 2 more WRs and had some chances but missed leaves a red mark on it.
Edit: How could I forget LBs?....This may be the most glaring and impactful area of need still

So sorry you are disappointed with our class. Guess you want to get rid of Sark and Flood.

 

[NM fan]

I don't completely disagree. That said, there is very solid history across D-1 FBS
wherein eventual outstanding and successful coaches started off their first year with an improved record from the regime the year prior. There are some exceptions, but 90% of the time a new coach that is going to really turn things around has a better first year. Falling to 5-7 the first year does not bode well for the future of Sark at UT, so we are now hoping he will be one of the exceptions. His 50-50 history as a HC at prior stops also doesn't spark tremendous optimism. So indeed, patience will be necessary for this one and maybe for quite a while. We need to be positive, but we also need to stay measured and recognize that Sark is already behind the typical curve, so our patience could just as easily result in a lot more lost years.

For those drinking too much orange kool-aid (and sometimes I do, too) and bring up this year's #5 recruiting class, lest not forget that Herman had back to back #3 ranked recruiting classes, as well as a much more successful prior HC record and he flamed out. I don't think we fired him too quickly because he lost control of the team, could not turn those recruiting wins into consistent high level success and recruits were no longer taking him seriously.

First of all, going 5-7 while it sucks, was not all on Sark. This was a team under new systems and little talent. Developing players takes more than a couple months. These were obviously not his recruits, although there was talent in the skill positions. Second and most important, yes, TH recruited well, but only in the skill positions. Trench recruiting was totally ignored and if you watch the games, and I understand you do, it was in this area where we lost the games. Now we have a young set of players that will be developed by what I believe to be a great coaching staff, add Marion and Patterson and I believe in a couple years, we will be on our way, regardless of what color glasses I wear.

 

[OrangeClad]

If you are reading my comments as some big criticism of Sark....you are reading them very wrong.
This was a great recruiting cycle for us...
Simply pointing out a few areas of need as noted in my above linked article and noted by Sark himself in comments regarding the cycle.

No need for explanation, Rain. Even Sark himself knows he comes in with a 50-50 head coaching record, under performed with an ugly losing season in 2021 and is expected to turn things around and show improvement in 2022. You would not be judging fairly, nor accurately if you didn't have legitimate questions at this point. That doesn't mean we toss Sark under the bus, stop supporting his administration and start claiming there is no hope for the future, but it would also be disingenuous and fantasy to pretend all is perfect. I have hope for him and the program and believe he can do it, but I also know he has a very tough slog ahead of him and he has not started out extraordinarily well.

 

[OrangeClad]

First of all, going 5-7 while it sucks, was not all on Sark. This was a team under new systems and little talent. Developing players takes more than a couple months. These were obviously not his recruits, although there was talent in the skill positions. Second and most important, yes, TH recruited well, but only in the skill positions. Trench recruiting was totally ignored and if you watch the games, and I understand you do, it was in this area where we lost the games. Now we have a young set of players that will be developed by what I believe to be a great coaching staff, add Marion and Patterson and I believe in a couple years, we will be on our way, regardless of what color glasses I wear.

I can't disagree with this. I will add, however, that like Herman Sark will be on a very short leash with recruits. (Probably shorter because he didn't come in with Herman's HC hype, has his past personal issues that were well publicized and then went 5-7 after Herman got fired despite a better record.) Like most new coaches, selling the dream only lasts for so long before the recruits stop believing the con. Sark needs to turn it right around on the field and start winning big for consecutive years to keep the illusion of progress and a future Natty.

 

[caryhorn]

I think Sark’s best “recruit” is Gary Patterson. Our defense collapsed multiple times last year and cost the team at least two possibly three wins. PK was Sark’s hire and Sark owns it. The fact that Patterson was brought in shows Sark (and Del Conte) know PK didn’t do acceptable work and is on a very short leash.

 

[CreakyHorn]

I actually made it through the Farrell era. It was Winchester that ruined it for me.

 

[CreakyHorn]

I think Sark’s best “recruit” is Gary Patterson. Our defense collapsed multiple times last year and cost the team at least two possibly three wins. PK was Sark’s hire and Sark owns it. The fact that Patterson was brought in shows Sark (and Del Conte) know PK didn’t do acceptable work and is on a very short leash.

Or, perhaps when you see available a guy who has spent 21 years in the B12 creating stellar defenses with 3-stars, and developing relationships with Texas HS coaches, why wouldn't you go after him? Plus he and CDC go back a ways. How good would our defense had to have been that we wouldn't look at Patterson?

 

[Handler]

I am waiting on 2023 for high expectations. Our enormous o and d line haul will have a year of experience and Quinn (or Hudson if he can beat him out) will have a year of starting experience. Not to mention that Bijan and Worthy will still be here for their final year.

Yeah, just want to see progress next year. I'd imagine our futures # is 7-5. We need 4-5 more classes like this in a row before we can compete nationally.

 

[CreakyHorn]

Yeah, just want to see progress next year. I'd imagine our futures # is 7-5. We need 4-5 more classes like this in a row before we can compete nationally.

You're at the conservative end, but I hear you. A new coach and a good recruiting class do not mean instant Top 10. It's a process. I agree that 7-5 would be an acceptable improvement. Perhaps 10-2 the next year?

 

[I_Dont_Exist]

Yeah, just want to see progress next year. I'd imagine our futures # is 7-5. We need 4-5 more classes like this in a row before we can compete nationally.

If we're not competitive nationally at the end of '24 we'll be hiring a new coach.