Tag: Jake Smith

Former USC and Texas WR Jake Smith transfers back to home state, returns to Pac-12

Jake Smith, a former Trojan as well as a former Texas Longhorn, could play against USC in 2023 in a Pac-12 game.

Jake Smith, the former USC and Texas receiver and a four-star prospect from the 2019 recruiting class, is on the move. Smith, who attended Notre Dame Preparatory in Scottsdale, is transferring back home to the state of Arizona to attend Arizona State University and play for the Sun Devils.

Smith, the former National Gatorade Player of The Year, missed the entire 2021 season with a foot issue and did not play this past year at USC.

In 15 games for the Longhorns in 2019 and 2020 combined, Smith recorded 48 catches for 568 yards and nine touchdowns.

I believe if Jake Smith’s foot injury after two years is healed, he could be a huge addition to the offense in new head coach Kenny Dillingham’s system.

When USC plays Arizona State (for the last time as a Pac-12 football member) in 2023, it will be fascinating to see who gets the upper hand in the matchup. USC is almost certain to win the game, but will Jake Smith be able to do damage against a USC secondary which struggled so much this past season? One wonders if Jake Smith is already thinking about the USC game and dreaming of putting up video-game numbers against one of his former teams in major college football.

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Former Longhorn WR Jake Smith no longer listed on USC’s roster

The future is unclear for former Texas wide receiver Jake Smith.

Former Texas wideout Jake Smith is no longer listed on USC’s spring roster.

Smith was sidelined over the course of the 2021 season due to a lingering foot injury. Now it appears he might be moving on from the USC program. Smith’s name has not yet appeared in the NCAA transfer portal.

The four-star from the class of 2019 signed with the Longhorns making an immediate impact during his freshman season. Smith caught six touchdowns with over 270 receiving yards playing behind Devin Duvernay in 2019.

 

Many believed Smith would take a huge leap in production during his sophomore year but injuries and drops held him back. He saw his numbers decrease in a crowded Texas wide receiver room. Smith decided to take his talents to USC after Tom Herman was fired at the conclusion of the 2020 season.

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What happened to Texas’ 2019 recruiting class?

This is…NOT GREAT, BOB!

While Texas has been struggling for over a decade, the most recent issues could very well be attributed to the 2019 recruiting class.

Success is not determined by one recruiting cycle. However, former head coach Tom Herman and his staff seemed like they couldn’t keep a cactus alive, let alone develop and maximize a class full of heralded recruits at the time, but having a class of 26 players turn into practically nothing is definitely a contributor to the program’s lack of success recently.

Quarterback Sam Ehlinger was only able to do so much during his time as a Longhorn, and it probably wasn’t until after he left that Texas fans realized how much his heroics were masking a team that was running thin at every position.

The 2019 class, which at the time was expected to be Herman’s best class as it was ranked No. 3 in the nation, quickly evaporated. It has now left Steve Sarkisian in a situation where he needs to really hit on his first class in order to make up for the mistakes of the prior regime.

Of the 26 enrollees, 12 of them have left or plan on transferring, three had medical issues that prevented them from ever seeing the field, and four of them do not contribute. This means that of the 26, 18 players from the class are not contributing in what should be their junior season.

Here is the status of all of the players from Texas’ 2019 recruiting class.

How Texas football transfers are performing with their new programs

How are the former Longhorns performing this season?

Ever since the new transfer rules were enacted, players have been moving all over the nation in order to receive new opportunities.

While transfers have certainly helped Texas in the past like running back Tre Watson, or even this year’s defensive transfer Ovie Oghoufo, the Longhorns have also lost their fair share of transfers throughout the past couple years.

In many cases, players transfer to get a bigger role than what they currently have, but there is always other reasons beneath the surface that we will not know. Some teams may be upset that a player leaves, although they are likely doing what they think is best for their career.

Since we are at the halfway mark of the 2021 college football season, it felt like a great time to check in on how the former Longhorns are doing at their new homes.

Here is how the former Longhorns are currently performing after choosing to leave the University of Texas.

Former Texas WR Jake Smith will not play for USC this season

USC head coach Clay Helton announced Jake Smith will be out for the season with a broken foot. He suffered the injury during Texas’ first spring practice.

When Jake Smith left Texas for USC, he became the fourth Longhorn to travel west to Los Angeles. Becoming an every-down wide receiver was the goal playing in offensive coordinator Graham Harrell’s air raid attack.

However, it seems Smith will not play a down this season. USC head coach Clay Helton announced the transfer will be shut down with a broken foot.

Smith suffered the injury during Texas’ first spring practice of the year. There was hope he could be ready for the beginning of the season but is now most likely going to need surgery.

Smith dealt with injuries last season as well, only appearing in seven games. He finished with 294 yards and three touchdowns on 23 receptions.

With the loss of Amon-Ra St. Brown, USC was going to have an opening at slot receiver. Colorado transfer K.D. Nixon (out of DeSoto High School) was going to compete for snaps at the position as well.

Now, Smith will work his way back onto the field to prepare for the 2022 season.

The former Gatorade National Player of the Year was a top recruit out of high school, ranking as the No. 77 overall prospect. Smith was projected as one of the next great wide receivers to come out of Texas but it never clicked with Tom Herman as the coach.

Steve Sarkisian never had a real opportunity to work with Smith before he departed for USC.

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Former Texas WR Jake Smith releases statement, confirms he will transfer

It sounds like Jake Smith has played his last game in burnt orange.

The Longhorns roster will likely be missing their third most productive receiver from the 2020 season, as sophomore and former Gatorade National Player of the Year Jake Smith entered the NCAA transfer portal.

The slot receiver posted his farewell to Texas via Twitter on Friday.

A few Texas players quoted the tweet and wished Smith luck at his next stop, therefore it’s evident his Longhorn career is done.

Smith entered the transfer portal a week ago, which can likely be attributed to the many injuries Smith faced during his time at Texas.

There were very high expectations for Smith, who came out of Arizona as a four-star prospect, but he was unfortunately unable to stay healthy. Smith missed multiple games in both years due to injuries and broke his foot on the very first day of spring football this season. An injury that likely forced him to fall behind players like Jordan Whittington, Troy Omiere and Michigan transfer Xavier Worthy on the depth chart.

There are no crystal ball predictions for Smith, but there is speculation he is heading West. During his high school recruitment, Smith officially visited two schools, one of which was Texas. The other school, which seems to serve as a pipeline for Texas transfers and staff is USC. In recent years, former defensive coordinator Todd Orlando took the job there, former Director of Recruiting Bryan Carrington, wide receiver Bru McCoy (what a whirlwind that was), running back Keontay Ingram, tight end Malcom Epps, and defensive back Xavion Alford have all headed to Southern California.

He also unofficially visited Ohio State and Alabama during his high school recruitment. It is unclear where Smith will go, or when he will announce where he goes, but if he can stay healthy at the next stop they are getting a great weapon.

Jake Smith’s transfer could open up a new door in wide receiver recruiting

Before Jake Smith put his name in the portal, Sarkisian knew he was going to have to rebuild the WR room. Now, another door may have opened.

When Jake Smith entered the transfer portal on Tuesday, the news was not entirely shocking. The wide receiver never really got going in his two seasons under Tom Herman. Many thought Steve Sarkisian would bring new opportunities.

One broken foot later, Smith was possibly falling out of favor on the depth chart. Troy Omeire (dealing with his own injury) and Jordan Whittington were excelling, while the addition of Xavier Worthy was a welcome one.

Joshua Moore was the team’s leading receiver last season. Kelvontay Dixon’s speed could favor Sarkisian’s offense. Even Kai Money stood out during the spring game.

It’s easy to see why Smith possibly felt like an odd man out.

Before the former Gatorade Player of the Year put his name in the transfer portal, Sarkisian knew he was going to have to rebuild the wide receiver room via recruiting. Losing Smith just makes it a more difficult challenge.

World-class speed was priority No. 1, followed by every other trait you look for in a receiver. Sarkisian knows what he wants in his offense. If he needs to coach up players with Andre Coleman, then so be it.

Luckily there are a plentiful number of options for Texas to go after in the 2022 class. The question has always been how many do the Longhorns end up taking when it’s all said and done.

Three was thought to be the answer but with Smith gone, four may be necessary. Talented in his own right, Smith could have been in the program for two, possibly three more years. Losing a longer-term option means a suitable replacement is needed within the next recruiting cycle.

No matter the number, Evan Stewart is going to be the priority. The five-star not only possesses the skills you want from a receiver but is a burner. He proved it on the track this season, running a 10.58 100-meters.

Armani Winfield is already committed and solidified his place in the 2022 class. He may not be a prototypical Sarkisian receiver but still proves to be one of the best in the state. He will find a way to get involved in the offense.

Brenen Thompson was thought to be the third and final piece of the puzzle. Another speedster, the Spearman native has dominated at the 3A-DII level on the football field and on the track. He will remain atop the board until the fax has been sent but will not be where Texas stops.

With a fourth spot now available, former Oklahoma commit Jordan Hudson and California native C.J. Williams will be names to look for. The latter was in Austin on June 19 for his first official visit of the summer, while Hudson is still pondering a trip.

Before Smith entered the portal, both Hudson and Williams were prospects Texas were chasing, but doing so in hoping they land them. Now, landing a fourth wide receiver is a must.

  • Jordan Hudson/C.J. Williams
  • Evan Stewart
  • Brenen Thompson
  • Armani Winfield

Now, that is a wide receiver class.

Add in Troy Omeire as an underclassman and Texas’ wide receiver room will be set over the next three to four seasons.

Texas WR Jake Smith enters the NCAA transfer portal

Wide receiver Jake Smith has entered the transfer portal after two seasons in Austin. Max Olson of The Athletic was the first to report.

While Steve Sarkisian has excelled in the transfer portal, the other side can be just as detrimental.

On Tuesday, wide receiver Jake Smith entered the transfer portal after two seasons in Austin. Max Olson of The Athletic was the first to report the news. A former four-star recruit, Smith played in 20 games, having 568 yards and nine touchdowns.

A broken foot kept the wide receiver out of the entirety of spring practice. While Smith was not expected to be a full-time starter, he was going to be a major contributor in Sarkisian’s offense.

Smith was a member of the 2019 recruiting class under Tom Herman. He was the No. 49 overall prospect after winning the Gatorade National Player of the Year. Being a Scottsdale, Arizona native, a west coast option is the most likely destination for Smith.

Tom Herman’s usage of Smith will leave fans wondering what if. In Mike Yurcich’s offense, Smith played in the slot with Jordan Whittington. Rarely would the two receivers have the opportunity to be on the field at the same time. Smith never had the opportunity to prove he could be an every-down receiver.

With the roster in front of Sarkisian, the addition of Xavier Worthy seems that much more important. Whittington, Troy Omeire, and Joshua Moore will continue to be the top three receivers but the depth gets thinner with Smith’s departure.

The need for four wide receivers in the 2022 recruiting class just became more important.

247Sports ranks Texas as one of most lethal offenses in college football

247Sports recently listed the most lethal offenses in college football for the 2021 season.

High expectations for Steve Sarkisian as the new head coach at Texas would be an absolute understatement.

At Alabama, Sarkisian’s offensive unit shattered records, accounting for the most offensive yards and touchdowns in the nation.

The Longhorns have lacked dynamic offenses over the past few seasons, whether that be the fault of offensive coordinators Tim Beck or Mike Yurcich, the majority of blame fell on the shoulders of former head coach Tom Herman, who seemed to never give full control to his coordinators.

Last season, Texas’ offense was oftentimes plagued by predictability and the lack of big-time plays. The Longhorns ranked 19th in total offense and were abysmal on third down only converting 37% of the time, which led to the ranking of 89th in the country.

Alabama’s offense ranked at or near the top in every major offensive statistical category. To put it simply, Sarkisian is known for explosive offenses. This is something that he is hoping to bring to Texas, which also comes with high expectations.

247Sports recently ranked the most lethal offenses in college football for the 2021 season and Texas was listed alongside the likes of Alabama, Oklahoma and Ohio State.

Having superstar running back Bijan Robinson, who is capable of amassing over 2,000 yards, along with healthy weapons on the outside will be huge for the Longhorns. Last season, there were stretches without Jordan Whittington, Jake Smith and Tarik Black. Health is never for sure, but having Whittington and Smith back along with the addition of transfers Xavier Worthy (Michigan) and Keilan Robinson (Alabama) there will be speed and big play makers across the board.

Look for Texas’ offense to go from scoring to answer, to being one of the most high flying offenses in the nation.

Status of current, future wide receiver room at Texas

Steve Sarkisian has talked about the wide receiver room more than any other position group on the roster.

One of the more disappointing position groups last season was the wide receivers. No one stepped up as a go-to for quarterback Sam Ehlinger despite all of the talent in the room.

The most infuriating part was the constant rotation. No matter the situation, down, distance, or scenario, Tom Herman switched out his receivers for whatever reason. His best pass-catchers at the time would be on the sidelines, leaving Ehlinger out dry.

Luckily, Steve Sarkisian will not hold those same ideologies. He will play his three or four best receivers, regardless of their position. On the depth chart, they will be labeled as X, Z, and H but Sarkisian is more than willing to play two H-receivers if it fits the formation better.

As we look into the future, wide receiver will be one of the most recruited positions by Andre Coleman and Sarkisian over the next few cycles. A near overhaul is needed. SEC-level speed and more elite blue-chip talents are needed in order for Texas to reach the next level.

Here is the status of the current and future of the Longhorns’ wide receiver room.