Another great write-up from the guys at Texas.247Sports.com...
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By Jeff Howe:
I went to Newton yesterday for Kevin Shorter's scrimmage. My intent was to watch him, get an eval on him, get a story for the network to preview his decision and set up a post-decision interview for the site that covers the school he chose.
What I got blindsided me.
Shorter met me at midfield after going into the locker room to put his pads down. We started the interview with some talk of the scrimmage – he had a 70-yard touchdown run and a TFL at safety – and then the following exchange occurred.
Me: “Do you know who you're picking tomorrow.”
Shorter: “(Smiling) Yes sir. I've known for a few days now.”
Me: “Do you want to tell me where you're going? (Completely joking and not expecting him to answer the question).”
Shorter: “Texas. I'm going to Texas.”
Me: “Seriously?”
Shorter: “Yeah, seriously.”
Me: “Are you messing with me?”
Shorter: “(Laughing) No sir. I'm seriously picking Texas.”
I was caught off-guard because not only was he wearing Arkansas-red cleats for the game but he had a Texas A&M dry-fit shirt on underneath his pads. I asked him why he chose the attire for the night.
“In case anybody showed up I'd be able to throw them off,” he said.
This wasn't a recruitment where Shorter beat down the door to get to Austin or the Texas coaches pressed him hard for a decision. It was simply a situation where the two sides slowly drifted towards each other.
Upon returning from a spring visit to Arkansas was the first time Shorter said he spoke with Bo Davis over the phone. Davis, his area recruiter, asked if Shorter had any interest in Texas.
Shorter said he had some interest but he wasn't focusing a ton of attention on the Longhorns at the time.
“I told him I consider myself an SEC back,” Shorter said. “He said he'd back off a little bit.”
In the two months between then and the next phone conversation between Davis and Shorter, Shorter looked deeper into Texas. His interest was piqued and he decided to take the plunge and visit the football offices during the state track meet in May.
“I did some research and looked at how SEC backs are always banged up and they don't go really high in the draft,” Shorter said. “It's usually guys from the Big 12 and the Pac-12, conferences like that. That's what helped put Texas over the top.”
Over the top? Yes, it happened that quick.
Shorter wasn't able to make a camp visit but he liked his visit for Texas Stampede so much that he decided to return for follow-up visit. On the follow-up Aug. 2 is when Larry Porter put everything on the table about the type of impact Shorter could have in the Texas offense.
With the expanding of the pod package allowing multiple backs to be on the field at the same time and with his skill set, Shorter said the staff showed him numerous ways he'd be used if he picked Texas.
“That's what did it, too – the number of backs they can put on the field,” Shorter said. “They said I have the ability to go out to receiver and catch balls, more so than the other backs they have now.”
There wasn't any poking or prodding by the staff and the prospect didn't beg to be recruited. Everything fell into place and by the time he left the 40 Acres after the second visit the Longhorns had grown on Shorter to the point where he knew Texas would be the pick.
“After the second time I went in is when I knew,” Shorter said. “The second time did it for me.”
Before I left – making sure there was nobody lingering in the stadium except a few Newton coaches gathering yard markers – I snapped the picture that is on our front page right now. I told Shorter I'd see what I could do about blurring out the A&M logo if he didn't want it in the picture.
“Heck,” he said, “I'll just take the shirt off if I have to.”
He turned it inside-out, I snapped the photo and motored back home to knock out content on one of the most fortunate days I've had on the road in the last few years.
Shorter also told me that his cousin and good friend – 2014 Texas offensive line commit Terrell Cuney – didn't pressure him to make a decision. Shorter said that Cuney – along with a couple of coaches on the Newton staff – were the only people who knew before today that he was going to pick the Longhorns.
“Terrell was supportive and he told me not to pick Texas if it was just to follow him,” Shorter said. “I told him that I wasn't following him and love Texas because it's a great school. After I sat down and looked at my options I really think it's the best place for me.
“We're both at peace with everything because we both have our own reasons why we love Texas and why we want to be there,” he added. “It's just a plus that it's the same school we've both decided to pick.”
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This is pay info people and if there was a service to pay $9 a month for, this is it... they have an offer to give you the next 4 months of the season for free is you sign-up for an annual sub... Sign up and get free time on the Texas.247Sports.com
By Jeff Howe:
I went to Newton yesterday for Kevin Shorter's scrimmage. My intent was to watch him, get an eval on him, get a story for the network to preview his decision and set up a post-decision interview for the site that covers the school he chose.
What I got blindsided me.
Shorter met me at midfield after going into the locker room to put his pads down. We started the interview with some talk of the scrimmage – he had a 70-yard touchdown run and a TFL at safety – and then the following exchange occurred.
Me: “Do you know who you're picking tomorrow.”
Shorter: “(Smiling) Yes sir. I've known for a few days now.”
Me: “Do you want to tell me where you're going? (Completely joking and not expecting him to answer the question).”
Shorter: “Texas. I'm going to Texas.”
Me: “Seriously?”
Shorter: “Yeah, seriously.”
Me: “Are you messing with me?”
Shorter: “(Laughing) No sir. I'm seriously picking Texas.”
I was caught off-guard because not only was he wearing Arkansas-red cleats for the game but he had a Texas A&M dry-fit shirt on underneath his pads. I asked him why he chose the attire for the night.
“In case anybody showed up I'd be able to throw them off,” he said.
This wasn't a recruitment where Shorter beat down the door to get to Austin or the Texas coaches pressed him hard for a decision. It was simply a situation where the two sides slowly drifted towards each other.
Upon returning from a spring visit to Arkansas was the first time Shorter said he spoke with Bo Davis over the phone. Davis, his area recruiter, asked if Shorter had any interest in Texas.
Shorter said he had some interest but he wasn't focusing a ton of attention on the Longhorns at the time.
“I told him I consider myself an SEC back,” Shorter said. “He said he'd back off a little bit.”
In the two months between then and the next phone conversation between Davis and Shorter, Shorter looked deeper into Texas. His interest was piqued and he decided to take the plunge and visit the football offices during the state track meet in May.
“I did some research and looked at how SEC backs are always banged up and they don't go really high in the draft,” Shorter said. “It's usually guys from the Big 12 and the Pac-12, conferences like that. That's what helped put Texas over the top.”
Over the top? Yes, it happened that quick.
Shorter wasn't able to make a camp visit but he liked his visit for Texas Stampede so much that he decided to return for follow-up visit. On the follow-up Aug. 2 is when Larry Porter put everything on the table about the type of impact Shorter could have in the Texas offense.
With the expanding of the pod package allowing multiple backs to be on the field at the same time and with his skill set, Shorter said the staff showed him numerous ways he'd be used if he picked Texas.
“That's what did it, too – the number of backs they can put on the field,” Shorter said. “They said I have the ability to go out to receiver and catch balls, more so than the other backs they have now.”
There wasn't any poking or prodding by the staff and the prospect didn't beg to be recruited. Everything fell into place and by the time he left the 40 Acres after the second visit the Longhorns had grown on Shorter to the point where he knew Texas would be the pick.
“After the second time I went in is when I knew,” Shorter said. “The second time did it for me.”
Before I left – making sure there was nobody lingering in the stadium except a few Newton coaches gathering yard markers – I snapped the picture that is on our front page right now. I told Shorter I'd see what I could do about blurring out the A&M logo if he didn't want it in the picture.
“Heck,” he said, “I'll just take the shirt off if I have to.”
He turned it inside-out, I snapped the photo and motored back home to knock out content on one of the most fortunate days I've had on the road in the last few years.
Shorter also told me that his cousin and good friend – 2014 Texas offensive line commit Terrell Cuney – didn't pressure him to make a decision. Shorter said that Cuney – along with a couple of coaches on the Newton staff – were the only people who knew before today that he was going to pick the Longhorns.
“Terrell was supportive and he told me not to pick Texas if it was just to follow him,” Shorter said. “I told him that I wasn't following him and love Texas because it's a great school. After I sat down and looked at my options I really think it's the best place for me.
“We're both at peace with everything because we both have our own reasons why we love Texas and why we want to be there,” he added. “It's just a plus that it's the same school we've both decided to pick.”
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