Free early recruiting article on OB

[hornpharmd]

texas.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1391867

Not sure how I feel about this. Definitely don't want Texas to lose out on top recruits b/c other schools are getting in there early and poaching these guys. However we have been having this discussion for years about how Texas his getting too many kids too early as juniors. They are not waiting to see how guys develop through their senior season and we often miss on some of the top talent b/c of that. Now Mack is going after guys even younger and I would think that just makes it that much tougher. Then there is the aspect that players may not work as hard if they know they are already locked into a schollie.

Of course we will see how this plays out. Mack is evolving and that is a good thing. I am glad he is looking at JUCO players now and taking more players late in their seniors years. He is going more out of state after some guys we just can't seem to find in state. If this is just part of that evolution then that is a good thing. Just hope we aren't having to go after freshman in a couple of years.

 

[coolhorn]

I don't have the problems with UT's shift in the recruiting paradigm that some others apparently have.

UT's recruiting IN-STATE has been dinged the last two or three years by some big boy programs like 'Bama, LSU, t-OSU, and Oregon, who were willing to offer players as sophomores heading into their junior seasons. Add to that that agricultural moving to the SEC has further opened up Texas to the recruiting shenanigans that is the SEC, and I don't think Mack and company had much choice but to begin offering much earlier.

The obvious downside to this is that some players won't develop enough, or will get hurt before they hit the UT campus for their freshman year. You can't prevent injuries in football, but good evaluation will, hopefully, weed out the players that max out their skills in high school. The current staff appears to be good evaluators, and generally, by the time they're heading into their junior years, the top players in-state are already known.

UT won't ever carpet-bomb offers like the SEC schools, nor will they pull offers (*cough* Saban *cough*) like those SEC schools, so other than moving up the date of the offers, I don't see that much change in Mack's recruiting philosophy. I just think he got sick and tired of UT starting recruiting with one hand tied behind the back, leading to Thursday's offers.

 

[Horns11]

"nor will they pull offers (*cough* Saban *cough*) like those SEC schools"

Mack himself alluded to the opposite of this after his Spring press conference. I can't find the quote right now, but he said something to the fact that when a kid decommits, sometimes it was Texas trying to part ways and not the other way around.

 

[coolhorn]

I'm sure Mack's not gonna handcuff himself to a player for four years that can't help the Horns unless it's an injury situation. It's just that he's not as blatant as Saban and some others at offering, then pulling the offer when somebody better comes along. I'm pretty sure Mack and company gently "persuade" players to make the right decision, whether it's to honor their commitment, or to cut bait and go somewhere else. Nobody said Mack's not gonna look out for UT's interest first...but somehow, he always makes the numbers work out right.

 

[Alex_de_Large]

When I saw Tyrone Swoopes dunk in 7th grade, I knew he would be a star at whatever he did. Some kids, you just know are special. There is no sense in waiting for them.

 

[hornpharmd]

That may be true. But we do we have 18 such stars thus far in the 2014 class?

 

[H-D Rider]

pharmd, I believe a guy with 2 NC's in the last 3 years shows it works! If you talk with the guys covering recruiting, there was a feeling that Texas might be getting behind by waiting to offer till the first Jr. Day next February. And by reading the reaction from some of these kids who were offered, it was a game changer! Times are changing... in this kind of business, you are either pushing... or getting pushed.

 

[HornSwoggler]

I was hoping the NCAA would put an early signing limit in place to prevent this. The Spring signing date always seemed logical to me as a date before which no offers could go out for the following class. I don't blame the Alabamas, LSUs, OUs, etc for signing a player as early as they feel comfortable. It is currently within the rules. I just don't think ANYONE should be making offers before a player's Junior season. I really feel it would be in the best interest of players and schools if they waited until after the Senior high school season is completed. Players would be better prepared and more motivated. Colleges would be taking fewer risks. Less offer shenanigans would result.

I would love to see a study done by someone qualified to evaluate the outcomes of early signings. Do the results justify the risks? Do the early signees usually pan out or flame out? How does their performance compare to players that sign after their junior or senior seasons? There are a lot of variables involved but that is what makes it interesting.

This seems like a good project for some of these schools that are making mountains of $. These are businesses after all!

 

[tholly]

I would hate for Saban to lead other coaches down the path of looking at recruits and players as chips. Pile 'em up high and then cull the ones off the bottom of the stack. These are all someone's son with great sacrifice and achievement just to be dumped on as unworthy by the school/coach that he trusted