Tag: Texas football recruiting

A look at Texas and Oklahoma’s WR, OL recruiting under current coaches

Oklahoma has fallen on hard times in OL and WR recruiting with head coach Brent Venables.

Texas is running away from Oklahoma in wide receiver and offensive line recruiting. Don’t take my word for it. Look at the product.

Oklahoma once dominated against Texas in recruiting pass catchers and offensive linemen. Now, Texas is returning the favor.

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian and assistants Kyle Flood and Jeff Banks have helped transform recruiting for the Longhorns in the Lone Star State. They have done so at the expense of their top rivals.

Over the last two cycles, the Sooners have signed just three On3 consensus four-star or better offensive linemen. None of those four-star-or-better linemen are five-stars.

Adding to their frustration, Oklahoma has only signed four On3 consensus four-star receivers in the last two cycles. They’ve endured that drought despite losing several players to the portal or NFL Draft.

Let’s compare Oklahoma and Texas at the two positions once dominated by the Sooners.

Bad News, Aggies: Texas as permanent rival coming to theater near you?

Nick Saban talks like the SEC is set on three permanent rivals.

A three permanent rival model looks imminent in regards to SEC scheduling in the future, and Texas will likely be on Texas A&M’s annual schedule. Continue reading “Bad News, Aggies: Texas as permanent rival coming to theater near you?”

Texas is separating from Oklahoma in WR development

Marvin Mims’ comments validate concerns over receiver development at Oklahoma.

Oklahoma simply isn’t developing wide receivers like they used to. That much is evident after Marvin Mims’ comments at the NFL combine.

Mims said the following on how he was utilized in Norman:

Oklahoma didn’t ask me to run a technical route tree, but I have a trainer and run more routes. I just wasn’t asked to do it for Oklahoma.

Under Lincoln Riley, Oklahoma joined Ohio State, Clemson, LSU and Alabama as a premier landing spot at wide receiver.

The departure of Riley paired with the Longhorns’ addition of Steve Sarkisian has allowed Texas to take Oklahoma’s seat at the table of elite receiver recruiting. And, for that matter, offensive line recruiting as well.

The Sooners have become an afterthought for big name receiver recruits with uncertainty at receiver. While Brent Venables won out for Langham Creek star Jaquaize Pettaway, his staff put up a far inferior class to Texas’ elite trio of Johntay Cook, Ryan Niblett and DeAndre Moore.

For whatever reason, fewer elite pass catchers see Oklahoma as a viable option for receiver development. Given Mims’ comments at the NFL combine, perhaps their concerns are valid.

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2024 five-star CB Kobe Black speaks on Texas

Kobe Black is the top-rated prospect in the state of Texas.

Waco Connally cornerback Kobe Black is the top-rated prospect in the state of Texas for the 2024 recruiting cycle.

College coaches all over the country are working hard to land the talented defensive back. Black has offers from the likes of Alabama, Ohio State, USC, Texas A&M and other premier programs.

Black is a top priority for Steve Sarkisian and Texas’ coaching staff this cycle. After landing four five-stars in the 2023 class, Texas hopes Black can be a catalyst for this cycle.

On3 Sports sat down with Black to discuss teams standing out in his recruitment. Black stated he liked the atmosphere Texas is building on campus following his January visit.

“Everybody there, I’d say they don’t sugarcoat anything. They always tell the truth. There are good vibes there. Everything’s cool there.”

Black has no rush to commit to a school anytime school. He is planning to be patient with the recruiting process and take his official visits in the spring.

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Texas Football: Predicting the two-deep ahead of spring practice

We look at what the Texas depth chart looks like ahead of spring ball.

Spring practice begins on Monday, March 6. The sessions soften the blow of a long offseason without football. Continue reading “Texas Football: Predicting the two-deep ahead of spring practice”

Examining where Texas ranks in one early Big 12 prediction

One Big 12 standings prediction puts Texas football atop the conference.

College football writers are taking notice of the Longhorns’ loaded returning roster. 247Sports writer Kevin Flaherty joined Athlon Sports in predicting Texas to finish first in the Big 12 conference.

The more we read of Texas as the clear cut favorite to win the league, the more it sets up as an evaluation year for Steve Sarkisian and company. The vibe is like that of the 2020 offseason, where Texas returned senior quarterback Sam Ehlinger and an experienced and talented roster.

Obviously, Sarkisian has plenty more time left on his contract and has a strong chance to coach the full duration. Nevertheless, we could have a good idea of how the tenure will go after this season.

The talent advantage paired with the returning production is such that missing the conference title would be tantamount to fumbling on the one-yard line. The reference to the 2020 game between Texas and TCU was not intended, but is an apt comparison.

Texas needs to win the Big 12 this season. Here’s a look at Flaherty’s Way-Too-Early Big 12 standings prediction.

Texas could face 8-game SEC schedule with one permanent rival

The SEC considers only having one annual conference rival for each team.

Another new possibility emerged in regard to Texas’ future SEC schedule. Continue reading “Texas could face 8-game SEC schedule with one permanent rival”

Texas WR Brenen Thompson to run track this spring

Brenen Thompson will run track and miss spring practice.

Texas wide receiver Brenen Thompson is a speedy talent. It appears he will be putting his speed to good use as he runs with the Texas Track & Field team this spring.

Thompson undoubtedly will add value to the track team. Albeit, it could come at a cost to his ability to push for a prominent role on the football team this season.

It appears Thompson will not be able to participate in spring football in the next couple weeks. The move doesn’t hurt the already loaded Texas wide receiver room so much as it hurts the speedster’s chances to climb the depth chart.

Certainly, it’s Thompson’s prerogative to choose how he spends the offseason. The Texas staff knew his passion for running before he joined the team. Nevertheless, players who are able to participate in the spring sessions might earn tiebreakers on the depth chart if a depth battle is close.

Texas begins spring practice on March 6.

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247Sports’ Steve Wiltfong predicts No. 1 RB Jerrick Gibson to Texas

The nation’s No. 1 RB for the 2024 class continues to trend to Texas.

247Sports’ Steve Wiltfong likes Texas’ chances for the nation’s top running back in the 2024 class. On Monday morning we learned Wiltfong had placed a prediction for Jerrick Gibson in favor of the Longhorns.

The prediction is one of a few positives favoring Texas in their recruitment of the elite back.

Among recruiting analysts and insiders, Wiltfong is well regarded as one of the more reliable sources for recruiting. It would appear he has enough information to have an opinion on the recruitment of Gibson.

The prediction strengthens the reliability of yesterday’s Rivals prediction that we noted earlier. 247Sports joins Rivals and On3 Sports in hinting at the Longhorns’ strong chances to win out for the five-star running back.

There’s still plenty of time until Texas reaches the finish line, and Gibson could certain change his mind. Nevertheless, the tea leaves indicate the nation’s top back could choose the Longhorns in back-to-back recruiting cycles.

The 2024 recruiting class is off to a strong start in becoming the final piece to a championship roster for 2024.

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Texas receives Rivals prediction for five-star RB Jerrick Gibson

Recruiting insiders and analysts are liking Texas’ chances in Jerrick Gibson’s recruitment.

Texas is trending for another elite running back. On Sunday, we learned recruiting analyst Jason Suchomel has placed a prediction for five-star Jerrick Gibson to choose the Longhorns.

We noted the other day that Gibson has a good relationship with Texas running backs coach Tashard Choice. The affinity for Choice appears to be paying off for Steve Sarkisian and his staff.

The running back position is becoming one of the greatest certainties for recruiting on the Forty Acres. Bijan Robinson’s career capped by his presumed first round pick status in the upcoming draft should be a Texas talking point over the next few years.

Last year, Texas won out for the nation’s No. 1 running back in Cedric Baxter. That the Longhorns are in the race at all is a testament to the value of Tashard Choice in recruiting.

Winning over elite running backs in SEC country is no small feat. Bringing a second elite Florida running back to Austin would be a monumental move. We’ll watch this recruitment closely as it plays out in the next few months.

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