Two DT's out of Florida

O

OldHippie

2,500+ Posts
Chris Nelson (Rivals 3 star) and Travonte Valentine (Rivals 4 star) out of Florida reportedly may now be looking at Texas.

Here is where I saw the reports. Scroll to posts 4766 and 4768.
Here
 
Remember in December when Mack was in Florida he stated something along the lines, "I'm down here killing myself recruiting?" All of that hard work must be paying off.
 
I don't know who Mack was working on, but these two Florida guys are those Charlie worked on. Unless by coincidence Mack also had worked on them.... Then more power to Mack, but I doubt it.
 
In fact, Mack was there visiting current commit LB Beck and FSU commit RB Dalvin Cook.

Maybe CS had MB check in on a couple of his guys while he was there.
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Mack was just out there delaying the inevitable. He knew what was waiting for him back in Austin..
 
We lost three DTs (one of whom probably would not have made it for academics reasons)... But we are now strongly in the mix for 4 new names at DT. Since they seem to have contacted Charlie who had recruited them before, they are all pretty high possibilities to come in. Expecting at least 3 to commit.

Here are all 7 of them, in a rough order of quality, showing the rivals and scouts national top-250/300 rankings, DT position rankings and star-numbers.

1. #210/133 Travonte Valentine, DT #14/13, Hialeah, FL, 4/4 stars 6'3" 286
2. NR/#192 Zaycoven Henderson, DT #21/16, Longview, TX, 4/4 stars, 6-2 300
3. #243/NR Michael Sawyers, DT #17/88, Nashville, TN, 4/3 stars 6'2" 307
4. NR/#278 Poona Ford, DT #33/23, Hilton Head, SC, 3/4 stars, 6-1 288
5. NR/NR Trey Lealaimatafao, DT #25/35, San Antonio, TX, 3/3 stars, 6-2 301
6. NR/NR Chris Nelson, DT #50+/42, Lakeland, FL, 3/3 stars, 6-3 280
7. NR/NR Courtney Garnett, DT #50/57, New Orleans, LA, 3/3 stars, 6-2 280

As you can see, we lost 2, 5 and 7 (and 7 may have never joined us), but we should be able to land at least a couple (probably 3) from among 1, 3, 4, and 6. So, we should end up better off in the end at DT than when we started.

I saw many reports all over that Poona Ford (who has set a visit date also) may be better than everybody and is moving up. So is Chris Nelson too, it seems. Travonte would be really good to get too.

Bottom line -- Charlie has this DT issue fully under control already. Was happy to see him handle a key depth-detail on recruiting fairly fast, in the middle of all the delay and confusion on staff hiring and board of regents approval on appointments and the UT compliance staff making sure of who can call whom, etc.
 
Thanks for the DT breakdown jayakris. I was hoping somebody with more information than I would fill in some blanks. It makes you wonder if more space were available in the 2014 class, how many other positions could be upgraded. But with that said, I think all previous commitments should still be honored. I guess some attrition may still occur in this class, although unfortunately Alaka may be one.
 
It seems Travonte has now set up a visit date with us. Looking good on that front. Wrap him up, Charlie.
 
There is also a JUCO DE that has an offer from UT. Vic Vernon.

Vic Vernon

Not sure I understand this with 3 DEs in the 2014 class and 4 scholarship DEs returning including stud Cedric Reed.

Must be a short term depth/experience concern.
 
I didn't see Valentine as having an interest in Texas on rivals or ESPN Recruiting sites.

Poona Ford is shown with an offer on ESPN but not on Rivals.

Chris Nelson is shown as having Texas offers on both sites.

Hoping we reel at least one in.
 
Update on the DTs.

It seems Travonte never set a visit and so he is out.

Poona Ford visited last week and was really impressed, by all reports. There was a scare yesterday with reports that Univ. So.Carolina had suddenly entered the picture, and that he would visit there. Looked ominous, as it is the home state univ. But today's news is that he is not even taking calls from the USC. So, that's a relief. Poona is pretty much a MUST for us. He is still visiting Missouri next weekend, but everybody thinks he will commit to us.

Chris Nelson is all sold on us. He also seems quite likely to commmit.

No news on Michael Sawyer. So I get the sense that it did not go as far as people originally guessed.

So, in the end we probably should have Poona and Nelson. 4-star and 3-star, but potentially both 4-stars later. Similar or better to the two guys who decommitted. Poona is quite possibly better than Zaycoven that we lost. LMFAO who went away should be replaced by Nelson too. So far it looks like Charlie would keep us out of trouble. If so, good work. But we'll wait and see.
 
Rivals shows Valentine had a visit set for this past weekend. Don't know if he made it in or not. They show his interest in Texas as HIGH but no offer extended as yet.
 
^^^ That rivals info may be out-dated from a week back. I am pretty sure Travonte did not come last weekend, and if I remember correctly had cancelled the trip. Not sure what went on there... I think he had become hot on LSU again, after a temporary show of interest in Texas. It was between LSU and Miami. It is also possible that our staff did not pursue it hard for whatever reason...
 
I know we are getting in late on some recruits this year, but I expect Charlie to start nailing down some TEXAS boys after this year.
 
The last time we had a change in coaching staff, we had a pretty good class that was put together in a hurry. The 1998 crew had a good year and recruiting improved from there....for about 9 or 10 years.
 
But remember that mack was here 4 weeks ahead of when Charlie was here (Mack didn't coach the UNC bowl game). That made a difference. Also, I don't think that the 1998 class was any better than about #12 to #15. Just about where this 2014 class will be. Mack did a great job in wrapping up 4 kids from Texas City, and that pushed the class up from around the 20 range where Mackovic had left it at that time. Mack didn't manage to pull in any big blue chips (national top-100 types - except AKH and Flowers who were Mackovic picks). I think the Texas city kids would be probably be two 4 stars and a 3 star now. May be one 4-star, two 3-stars and a 2-star. It was before the star system started. This is all from my memory.

Mackovic had left him with Montrell Flowers, Viktor Ike, Mike Williams, Antuwan Kirk-Hughes, who were all good recruits. I think Mack probably picked up Ahmad Brooks also, along with the Texas City quartet (Jermaine Anderson, Everick Rawls, Ervis Hill, Tyrone Jones). Otherwise he just hung on to most of the Mackovvic recruits (about 13 of some 16 recruits), like CS will manage to do with about 20 of the 25 odd Mack recruits now.

But Mack had the benefit that he was not going up against any inspired recruiters in Texas like Sumlin right now is. RC Slocum had gone 6-6 and 9-4 but hadn't locked up the tops in the state like Sumlin has done this year. So, times are different.
 
^^^ Having said that, I should also say that I am a teeny bit concerned that Charlie has not closed on guys like I had expected by now. At least Poona and Nelson at DT. If they don't commit, this class will fall below top-15. I was expecting those two guys to have committed by now as Charlie's picks. Anxiously waiting for one of his picks to commit. I had expected at least a couple of 4-star types that he would snag in, just as I expected about two or three 4-stars to leave the Mack class (two have). It doesn't seem like Charlie is a magician snake-oil salesman in recruiting that people can't say no to. That is probably not a bad thing, as long as he produces results, in the long run.
 
Just sayin - Franklin isn't having the same issues in a much tougher situation.

10 wins is almost a must next season since it appears we haven't got any momentum from the hire, staff hires, or recruiting.

Hopefully, we can flip back a few of these and pick up some quality players.
 
Good points jayakris. CS has only been here three weeks or so. I'm not too concerned about this class provided Coach can develop these guys and get the tough team culture installed in the whole team. If he wins big this next year, then recruiting will pick up momentum going forward.I am going to follow the de-commits from this year over the next 3-5 seasons and see how they pan out. Could be interesting. I think some of them will fade into oblivion and a one or two may be very productive, if that many.
 
I think you now may see Red McCombs frustration. He wanted that big name; Urban Meyer for instance probably would not have lost any players and picked up more. Maybe I'm wrong but the top top coaches have that buzz. Unfortunately Charlie is going to have to create the buzz through results HERE because the results at Louisville don't appear to have much cache. He came in late and in the middle of a dead zone so to speak recruiting-wise so I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. As for next year, if Ash cannot play then the 9-10 wins could be very difficult to attain.
 
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