Wow, a plethora of qbs. The future looks solid at the signal calling position. Love to get those players that OU targets, always a plus.
But there is no reason to downgrade McCoy, most people thought we would go for two qbs in this class. Colt was only a three-star prospect, so don't automatically assume the younger McCoy will be a full time bench warmer. I'm sure he won't be coming in with that attitude.
Lache has really nice things to say about Wood, wonder if this helps get him on campus
Back-to-back best QBs in the state
It may make me a bad person but I wish OU would have assumed he was theirs for a long time and forced them to either not go after other QBs or make sure and leave room for him just in case
Will be interesting to see what he can do behind a line that actually protects him, looks like he's always running for his life in his highlight videos
I think it would make more sense for him to RS than GG based on the level of competition they play against in HS and to make the cushion between them as big as possible
After getting greats like Major, Simms and VY, I was a little concerned when we missed on RP, Bomar and didn't really go after Chase Daniel. I incorrectly thought Colt was a back-up plan, a guy to make sure we had depth. Turns out RP and Bomar were nut cases, and Colt gets invited to the Downtown Athletic Club and now we have GG and CW in the pipeline.
First off, welcome to Connor. Congrats on your commitment!
Now to the depth chart concerns being discussed. While it would be nice to be handed a starting spot as a recruit, you as a coach should always want a recruit who comes in thinking they can beat out all other competition. You would not doing your team any favors by only having 1-2 big time QB's on the roster. If one doesn't pan out, gets injured, leaves early, or transfers, than the cupboard would be bare.
We are starting to structure our roster as all coaches would most likely prefer. Look at other top teams like Florida and USC in comparison to Texas. They also each have at least 3-4 big time prospects at QB (and it seems like 5-6 at RB and even more at WR). It is rare that a freshman or even a sophmore can start at QB and lead their team to the championship levels that are often expected. Even though guys like McCoy, Bradford, and T. Pryor have done pretty well as freshman, their teams would have been much better had they been more seasoned. Look how much better McCoy and Bradford were as sophmores or juniors (in McCoy's case). Even the type of early success that they had is still the exception, not the rule.
With the possible two year spacing between Gilbert and Wood/McCoy, that sets up very nicely in terms of having a QB ready to go when their turn comes. Wood and McCoy will both have their shot at some point. Let the best man win!
horns58 speaks with iron in his words (taken from dialog from Josey Wales).
I was just going to post something similar. We're getting set up the way USC has learned to operate, with several outstanding quarterbacks lined up.
I think Colt will be the last 4-year starter at UT. Possibly. It is not good when your best QB is playing all four years. That means you went from everything (VY) to the new kid with zero snaps in a live game. Then he plays for so many years that no other top QB gets a chance.
Reasons for more than one top-flight QB:
1. Injuries. 'nuff said.
2. At the college level, it's far more realistic that a QB have one, maybe two, really good years as a starter. James Street quarterbacked 20 straight wins. Two seasons. Was that enough?!!
3. Stop the red-shirting and give the guys experience and let the competition settle who starts. Plan for 4 years of playing time, aimed at one or two years as the starter, and focus on each guy getting a chance to win a conference title, BCS bowl games, and play for the national title.
Finally, Vince Young had ONE great year where he won it all. Was that enough? (short of the Heisman, of course).
But you get the idea... one year, maybe two, of full glory... should be sufficient as a resume of being a starting quarterback at the University of Texas.
When Vince left... it put this program back one big step. The continuity was broken and Colt had to play #2 vs. #1 here (TX vs tOSU) on his second ever game to start, or even play. He was redshirted thinking no way VY is not coming back. So Texas went from national champions and winning one of the greatest games of all time to a completely green quarterback trying to hold together a program that wanted to stay at the top.
This program should never have to do that again. Ever. As long as we are bringing in Gilberts and Woods caliber players... play'em. Early and often. Compete. And make it the trend that Texas is where two or more of the best quarterbacks in the country are always on hand. Year after year.
What will make it worth while to the players is for Texas to start totally dominating the college game.
Speaking of USC recruiting such a high number of RB, QB and WR. One thing I don't get, and have not taken the time to research is this - does that come at the expense of depth at positions like OL?
With scholly limits I wonder how they can have such high numbers of players who play positions like QB or RB where only one guy is on the field at a time. Someone who follows this closer than me probably knows, but if you go down a depth chart does Texas consistantly have bigger numbers of OL than USC, or do I just hear more about the 5* RBs than I do the OL recruits so it seems that way?
LonghorninAustin I admire the Baptist Church.
'
One thing about a Baptist that you will never get to do and that is to drink an alcoholic beverage. I respect that.
Bill, I grew up Church of Christ in a small town near Tyler. I meant no disrespect, just find it funny that both are from conservative protestant churches. As for as Baptists, I know plenty that drink. And dance.
I know you didn't mean any disrespect at all LonghornInAustin. It is great we got this one. It caught me completely by surprise - a very pleasant surprise indeed! I know we have other possible prospects but I would like to get a good RB and another LB soon.
I'm authentic Heeb actually- and am lucky to have had relatives in Texas since the 1830's.
Feel free to ask me any Jewish Texan trivia and of course I can mail you a pamphlet on famous Jewish athletes.
That's how QBs are traditionally recruited - or at least until we got the wave of kids who thought they ought to be able to start as freshmen. When you watched the Miami and FSU teams that were just cranking out QBs, they usually had a junior or senior at the helm, they didn't have that many four-year starters. So it's funny that people would be concerned at all about recruiting back-to-back stud QBs. We ought to be bringing in one stud QB every year. Anything less is rolling the dice - thankfully Colt worked out but that's not going to be the rule, that's the exception!
^^^
You have alot of faith in Chiles it looks like. Me not so much, at least in terms of leading our team full time....
I see it like this actually
2009
1.Colt(Sr)=Starter
2.Gilbert(Fr Not redshirting)
3.Chiles(Jr) possible position switch...i dont care how late it is in his career. If he wants to continue to try and persue his career as a qb, i could even see a possible transfer
4.Sherrod(Jr)
I personally see Gilbert winning the job of packup, considering he already has a playbook and may be the most highly rated recruit we've had since VY. He has the talent, and this will give him a nice chance of getting game reps in mop up duty to get prepared for the 2010 season. Guys like this dont always stick around for 4 or 5 years so you should play him while you have him.
2010
1.Gilbert(So)=Starter
2.Chiles(Sr) again, could possibly be at a different position
3.Sherrod(Sr)
4.McCoy(RS)
5.Wood(RS)
2011
1.Gilbert(Jr)
2/3.Case(Fr)
2/3.Wood(Fr)
Again, this is just my opinion. No need to jump on me for the suggestion of the possibilities of a Chiles position switch or maybe even a transfer. Its just reality
I'd like to see the following...2009 season -- Chiles and Gilbert compete for 2nd string QB
1. Colt (senior)
2a. Chiles (junior)
2b. Gilbert (true freshman)
3. Harris (junior)
2010 season -- Gilbert and Chiles compete for starting job
1a. Gilbert (true sophomore)
1b. Chiles (senior)
2. Harris (senior)
3a. Wood (redshirt)
3b. McCoy (redshirt)
2011 and 2012 season -- Wood vs. McCoy for #2 on depth chart
1. Gilbert (junior then senior)
2a. Wood (RS freshman then sophomore)
2b. McCoy (RS freshman then sophomore)
Whether Gilbert redshirts this year or not will be very telling. If he does, then I read the tea leaves as saying that Chiles (or Harris) will start in 2010. If Gilbert doesn't redshirt and gets some mop-up snaps this fall, then it means he'll get the green light to compete against Chiles for the starting job in 2010.