Football Articles
Recruiting: The Magnificent Seven
Posted by Scipio Tex on March 3rd, 2009 under Football, Recruiting
As of March 3rd, 2009 – with seven new additions to the 2010 class last weekend – 80%+ of this class is pretty much in the books. We could be done by the Spring Game. In fact, the staff has already begun building bridges into 2011 with several of the elite sophomores.
Next stop, grammar school.
It’s always good fun to watch fans and internet recruting services as they make strict judgements on incomplete information; the forums ping-ponging between elation and grief depending on which player they’ve never seen play is coveted, offered, rejected, or dissed by the college of their choice.
We dramatically overrate the known (Dominic Espinosa, Traylon Shead) versus the unknown (Chris Jones, Greg Daniels, possibly Ross Apo); basic human psychology that’s pretty much part and parcel to the human condition. How quickly we reconcile each with the other is a good indication of one’s ability to think critically about this stuff.
Recruiting – particularly in its early phases – is the proverbial blind man and the elephant, and no one has the complete picture, including our staff. At the end of the day, you have to reserve judgement until you can get your eyes on the player in some fashion, think critically about what system we’re plugging them into, consider physical upside, and assess the opportunity cost of taking a good player instead of holding out for the great one. Then you’re at least starting to realize that it may be a large mammal of some sort; one that craps bigger than your head. But not Leonard Davis.
Several of these takes representing some very good staff behaviors, a couple probably represent a small degree of laziness and risk aversion, and one likely miss serving as an embarrassing reprimand to our systemic inability to implement sound schemes at the OL position.
The Latest 7
Greg Daniels DE 6-4 240 4.8 – Houston, TX
Ashton Dorsey DT 6-3 275 5.0 -Tyler, TX
Bryant Jackson DB 6-3 175 4.5 – Sulphur Springs, TX
Chris Jones WR 6-0 170 4.5 – Daingerfield, TX
Traylon Shead RB 6-1 205 4.6 – Cayuga, TX
Ross Apo WR 6-3 196 4.6 – Arlington, TX
Dominic Espinosa OL 6-3 275 5.1 – Cedar Park, TX
Let’s talk defensive guys first:
Greg Daniels DE 6-4 240 4.8 – Houston, TX
Daniels is a suprise and the staff apparently had no intention to offer until after they met him, saw his film, and realized they had a baller. His film reveals an active motor, good strength, solid first step. Not elite, but he’s Texas good. He’s a strongside DE/future DT and it’s appropriate to view him through the same lens as Tevin Mims.
It’s amusing to read the initial reaction to Daniels and then contrast it with the response once film became available, OU’s recent coveting was discovered, and his physical upside became known.
With respect to the latter, he was a 6-1 200 pound sophomore TE who became a 6-3 230+ pound DE as a junior and is still growing as of his last bowl of Cheerios. St Pius attendance suggests that academics are in order and that he knows how to wear a pair of chinos with aplomb. Let’s be clear though: he’s not on Wilson or Jeffcoat’s level and this suggests that we’re expecting to land only one of the two, if either. That realization is a downer, but Daniels as a specific take isn’t. Separate the two.
Ashton Dorsey DT 6-3 275 5.0 – Tyler, TX
The full court press on East Texas and DFW continues and this pleases me a great deal strategically. I like this kid and may favor him more than Cotton. He can move laterally and he plays with a motor. Once a big man passes the eyeball test, that’s all that matters. It’s a throwaway line in every eval to point out that a DT needs to play lower – young big kids play high because they can – but there’s nothing in his hips that suggests that he’s incapable of doing so.
Bryant Jackson DB 6-3 175 4.5 – Sulphur Springs, TX
You always take the athletic too-skinny East Texas kid who can run with a good frame. A great complement to a brutal hitting machine alley-filler like Ahmad Dixon. He’s a smooth strider who covers ground and hawks the ball at its highest point – something we sorely need in the world of basketball on grass. It would be hard to describe Bryant as physical, but filling out his frame often gives a kid more confidence to stick his head in there. It happened with Huff and Stanley Richard. He’ll be 200+ in three years.
Let’s talk O:
Chris Jones WR 6-0 170 4.5 – Daingerfield, TX
Another prototypical skinny East Texas kid with huge upside and no time in the weight room. The staff deliberately kept him under wraps after learning of him while he carried Daingerfield to the 2A state title. They did their homework here. You won’t find him on many lists, but that will change quickly.
Very solid speed, but his acceleration is off of the charts. Its plant-n-go and everyone around him is tied to anvils. We’re talking Peter Warrick ankle flexion. A creator with the ball in his hands. Don’t sweat his competition level – his gifts are apparent running against air. Slot WR, return guy. Good take.
Traylon Shead RB 6-1 205 4.6 – Cayuga, TX
He obviously has great size and lateral quickness for a big man, but I’d recommend a little more critical analysis, beyond the fact that he has the potential to break Kenneth Hall’s national high school rushing record. Aside from the fact that he’s playing against the equivalent of a 5A losing record JV team, Traylon also has dominating OL play and he’s consistently running through massive holes untouched; and when he is touched, he’s not a particularly hard guy to take down.
People are wowed that he’s taking the edge against a 5-10 170 pound LB that runs a 5.2 40. I suppose that’s their right. You’d like to see a big back drive through traffic rather than pick his way across like gridiron Frogger. His speed is adequate though he’s decidely missing a top end gear at the college level.
He clearly has real athletic gifts, but I shrug at him as a RB. I’d love to see a senior year that discredits my observations.
Dominic Espinosa OL 6-3 275 5.1 – Cedar Park, TX
He’s a legitimate take in and of itself, but this is contextually puzzling. I see him as a strong center candidate down the road. He plays with aggression, he gets off the ball quickly, and he has a good punch in the running game. However, he was taken largely because we’re on the outs with Jake Matthews. He’s an interior OL all the way and that’s puzzling given our need at tackle and the deal we’d set up – implicit or otherwise – with Desoto’s Evan Washington.
As for Jake Matthews, where to begin? Bruce Matthews had just been named the Texans OL coach and it was pretty clear that Jake would like to stay local if he can help it. All we needed to do was check out when they kicked the tires.
Instead, Bruce came to Austin with Jake, saw our OL schemes, and literally belly laughed. Now Jake will decide if he wants to stay local at A&M and swallow losing for four years close to home playing a NFL scheme or if he wants to head to USC and blow out Big 10 teams in the Rose Bowl. There are times when we could fuck up a ham sandwich, but what can you do?
Ross Apo WR 6-3 196 4.6 – Arlington, TX
Ah, the great unknown. And not just because he’s LDS with mocha skin. He’s shrouded in more mystery than the true paternity of Sailor Ripley’s children. There’s no film yet on Apo, but some background is known.
He had reasonable offers (Cal, Nebraska, BYU) and OU had recruited him fairly heavily with a trip to OU Weekend and a campus visit. He shined at an Oklahoma summer camp before his junior year in June ‘08, did the same thing in SLC at a Nike camp a week later, and finished it off with another noteworthy performance in St Louis at the National Underclassmen Combine. He obviously has the requisite size and he’s said to have good hands and big hops (35 inch + vertical). We’ll see. There is good talent across the state at WR and any insinuation that we’re settling will be met with outrage, outcry, the burning of Bobby Kennedy in effigy etc.
I’ll be dealing with the class in total and our next targets in my next post and you can also take a look at BON for their take on remaining folks on the board.
Thoughts?
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Activity
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Scipio Tex commented on the blog post Place Your Bets, Gentlemens 27 minutes ago
explain…
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Scipio Tex commented on the blog post Now THAT’S Taking One For The Team 42 minutes ago
He played for New Mexico State.
We recruited him briefly, along with Louisville, Pitt and a host of others. Everyone ran when they realized he was a lunatic.
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Scipio Tex commented on the blog post Now THAT’S Taking One For The Team 42 minutes ago
He played for New Mexico State.
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Jorgrama commented on the blog post Bracket Breakdown & Gambling Tips 45 minutes ago
Had some harsh words about Barnes in that podcast, that’s for sure. . . .
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dick commented on the blog post Now THAT’S Taking One For The Team 48 minutes ago
Didn’t we think we target him at one point?
He’s a good player, imagine UNM with him on their #3 seed roster.
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dick wrote a new blog post: FLV March Madness First Round Bets 50 minutes ago
Here we are, my favorite weekend of the year. I’ve taken sick days on the first two days of the tourney every year except my first and this year is no different (i’m feverish, which is true). My one goal for the gambling season (August thru first weekend of April) is to have enough money to bet on every
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Scipio Tex commented on the blog post Now THAT’S Taking One For The Team 1 hour, 20 minutes ago
Pope was a real head case recruit, if I recall correctly.
Shot four times in high school too.
Transferred to the Hall from New Mexico St after all of the Big Schools gave him the cold shoulder for his recruiting antics.
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Scipio Tex wrote a new blog post: Place Your Bets, Gentlemens 1 hour, 26 minutes ago
First, if you’re not reading Fading Las Vegas or March to March, you’re missing out on the best college basketball prognostication available in the free market. The vast bulk of Kevin Berger’s basketball writing is going to be found there, so click accordingly.
The key delineation to make is that Fading Las Vegas
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admin commented on the blog post Final Four Prediction 2 hours, 19 minutes ago
Baylor scares me. They have no idea what the bright lights feel like.
Huggins also has a horrible history with high seeds from his days at Cincy.
Bingo.
Bingo.
Yet Gary Williams has a ring. Maybe this is Huggy’s year and maybe Scott Drew can get laid in a morgue. Love to see what Huggy could have
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admin commented on the blog post Final Four Prediction 2 hours, 19 minutes ago
Baylor scares me. They have no idea what the bright lights feel like.
Huggins also has a horrible history with high seeds from his days at Cincy.
Bingo.
Bingo.
Yet Gary Williams has a ring. Maybe this is Huggy’s year and maybe Scott Drew can get laid in a morgue.
I have these guys in my bracket. DEEP.
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dick commented on the blog post Early NCAA Tournament Bets 2 hours, 30 minutes ago
Travis,
63-58 on KenPom for 121. That’s still a really low scoring game
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Scipio Tex commented on the blog post Bracket Breakdown & Gambling Tips 3 hours, 10 minutes ago
Thanks, dick. Interesting perspective.
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dick commented on the blog post The Definitive Bracket: 63 Guaranteed Winners! 3 hours, 33 minutes ago
KB,
You are going to be too smart for your own good. A common fault amongst Bracket makers. There’s a reason why the 55 year old admins win 80% of these things every year.
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dick commented on the blog post Bracket Breakdown & Gambling Tips 3 hours, 37 minutes ago
“which impresses me since I know he didn’t hear the podcast.”
You shouldn’t be, after reading both guys over the past year, KB knows more about basketball and gambling than Millman does and it’s not even close.
A little warning about Chad Millman. I was pretty excited when I heard that ESPN hired a
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Luke wrote a new blog post: Some perspective for a generation of Wildcats 3 hours, 38 minutes ago
Kansas State is beginning the NCAA tournament as a #2 seed with legitimate final four hopes (just ask the president) in less than 24 hours.
I’m going to need a moment to admire that sentence…….
OK, I’m good.
As the anticipation has built over the last few days, I’m sure I’m not the only one who has taken
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whiskey wrote a new blog post: Chalk Talk: The ND 3-4 Transition Part I- Expectations 4 hours, 3 minutes ago
Welcome to the first of what I hope will be many installments of “Chalk Talk” with LB Coach. I am excited to introduce LB Coach as a new contributor to One Foot Down. LB Coach has a significant amount of experience playing football at Notre Dame and on the professional level. He also has a
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dick commented on the blog post Early NCAA Tournament Bets 4 hours, 19 minutes ago
I’ll post all of my first day games tonight.
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srr50 wrote a new blog post: Now THAT’S Taking One For The Team 6 hours, 39 minutes ago
Aggie Corp with “Squeeze Army?”
POSERS
Texas Tech forward Darko Cohadarevic doesn’t just talk the talk — he walks the walk.
Tuesday night Tech faced Seton Hall in a first round NIT contest. With the game tied at 10, Seton Hall forward Herb Pope delivered two below-the-belt blows to Cohadarevic.
After Pope was ejected, Tech went on
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Kevin Berger commented on the blog post Bracket Breakdown & Gambling Tips 8 hours, 22 minutes ago
Louisville has a great chance if Jerry Smith is healthy.
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Kevin Berger commented on the blog post Final Four Prediction 8 hours, 24 minutes ago
Good team that took number 1 seeded Louisville to the wire in last year’s tournament. Start 3 seniors and two juniors, very athletic. Solid pass first point guard. Their leading scorer was player of the year in the conference.
Good club that plays multiple defenses.
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ghostofagroundgame commented on the blog post Bracket Breakdown & Gambling Tips 8 hours, 48 minutes ago
I just took Baylor going to the Elite 8. It’s a crazy mixed up world we live in.
Is it just me, or does it pain anyone else to not be able to determine who is going to beat Duke early? It’s bound to happen, but who will it be?
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Art Vandelay commented on the blog post Final Four Prediction 8 hours, 51 minutes ago
By “we” I meant the Horns. Kevin, why should I take Siena over A&M?
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Kevin Berger commented on the blog post Bracket Breakdown & Gambling Tips 9 hours, 5 minutes ago
colorado ag, Utah State is as athletic as Nebraska. You’ll be fine as long as they don’t go 16 for 31 from three.
Siena, on the other hand, is going to beat you like you stole something. Maybe not, but the Saints should win.
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Kevin Berger commented on the blog post Bracket Breakdown & Gambling Tips 9 hours, 8 minutes ago
Great article Scipio. Also, thanks for the dime.
Looking at the Tournament futures market, Vegas is telling us what they think about Onuaku’s health. The Orangemen have the easiest region and road to the fianl four, yet they’re +700 to win it all, while UK and Kansas, teams with much tougher roads, are +250
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Art Vandelay commented on the blog post Final Four Prediction 9 hours, 13 minutes ago
My brackets are pretty much locked down except the South. Can’t get myself to take Baylor, and Duke doesn’t feel right. Nobody seems to be high on Nova. It’s all about the Big East and Big 12 this year.
It’s a crying shame we suck so bad. We are in a good
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James commented on the blog post Bracket Breakdown & Gambling Tips 9 hours, 24 minutes ago
Scip, like a peaceful Indian in the 1800’s, I never trust a Mormon that can shoot. Utah State has me worried.
If we escape the first weekend, things get very interesting with a potential Sweet 16 match-up with Duke. Ugly up the game and guard like hell on the perimeter in front of a
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Scipio Tex commented on the blog post Bracket Breakdown & Gambling Tips 9 hours, 54 minutes ago
CJD -
Possibly. However, I’m telling you – the beauty of these intergame lines is that when you see that all-too-familiar big early game lead that you know will evaporate down the stretch as soon as the team starts regressing to their 3 point shooting mean, there’s some money to be made.
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Scipio Tex commented on the blog post Bracket Breakdown & Gambling Tips 9 hours, 56 minutes ago
uthookem-
I’d say you have your priorities straight.
colorado -
Anytime. How far do you think the Aggies go? A lot of people think Utah State is the most dangerous pure shooting team in the tournament.
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uthookem commented on the blog post Bracket Breakdown & Gambling Tips 10 hours, 7 minutes ago
Last year in Vegas, Friday morning, stumble to the line at 8:30 to make my bets, put $20 on a four-team parlay on the four 9:00 am games, nailed it! Three of the four games’ spread was determined in the final 0:30. Walked away with $220.
Yeah, so what if that is the only
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James commented on the blog post Sending Aggies to the NFL 10 hours, 7 minutes ago
Jordan, all just wild, premature conjecture. I’d hedge that only a third of that 2013 list ever makes an NFL roster. It is picking which third that is the tough part.
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Justaguy said:
March 3rd, 2009 at 5:54 pm
Scipio,
Great read and I often wonder if Jerry Terranova had the faintest idea what he started years ago in regards to the recruiting services.
I have heard very good things about Jones from friends in East Texas and after watching Hales and Monroe in person I am glad to see Texas starting to accumulate some players on the outside capable of creating big plays after the catch.
RansomStoddard said:
March 3rd, 2009 at 6:09 pm
Most people belly laugh at our OL ’schemes’.
M said:
March 3rd, 2009 at 6:39 pm
Just wonderful to hear that we have such competent OL coaching.
Bornahorn said:
March 3rd, 2009 at 6:53 pm
As for OL coaching, I think the scheme issues are Davis’ not McWhorter. Posts on this board suggest that most of the OL issues are scheme.
beowulf said:
March 3rd, 2009 at 7:06 pm
Sure glad you’re interested in recruiting again.
Have you seen the pictures of Daniels on Bragg’s board?
Gesis.
I’m not concerned at all with our defensive recruiting. Muschamp will turn a guy like Daniels into a monster, celebrating and emphasising his strengths a la Kindle. We’re going to be an elite defense for years and years now.
5 or 6 elite difference makers left to put the full course press on. This class can be another monster if the chips fall right. The base is there.
98 said:
March 3rd, 2009 at 7:10 pm
i dont believe anyone is dumb enough to mistake espinosa for a tackle.from what i remember, espinosa was invited to the camp. think it is more a case of the staff still believing they have a shot at mathews and than offer washington when it is clear mathews is going elsewhere.
i think if kindle has a monster season we might land both jeffcoat and wilson by selling muschamp as the DC whose scheme allows for DE’s to excel. after all they are high school kids.
Justaguy said:
March 3rd, 2009 at 7:24 pm
I had one thought about the DE recruiting. Won’t say it is rational, but here goes.
Eddie Jones has yet to have a well season on the 40 Acres. I am not sure if he has gotten through a season without having some type of injury. Is it far fetched that the offer to Daniels is not only because of his upside and a hedge against only landing one of Wilson or Jeffcoat, but also in case Eddie can’t come back and decides to “retire” from football i.e. Ishie?
beowulf said:
March 3rd, 2009 at 7:30 pm
Justaguy.
No. Daniels is an offer every year regardless. They did their homework on the kid.
Justaguy said:
March 3rd, 2009 at 7:38 pm
beowulf,
Thanks for the response. I don’t follow this much aside from going to some games in the area and talking with friends in coaching.
Horncasting said:
March 3rd, 2009 at 7:46 pm
REW compared Jones to Reggie McNeal – all straight-line speed and no wiggle. From your write-up it look like you completely disagree.
If the staff is really offering the easier commits over the ones they’ll have to fight over, you’d think they’d have offered Washington by now instead of holding out for Matthews.
dedfischer said:
March 3rd, 2009 at 8:05 pm
Finally. We can start identifying our targets now.
Trips Right said:
March 3rd, 2009 at 8:12 pm
We’re promoting a REW vs. Scipio battle to the death. Scipio is the Brazilian grappler and REW the striker. Controversy on Jones was just a pivot point to generate attention. Sailor Ripley is the West Coast version of Don King with a similar hair style.
Hold Still, I'm Not Done said:
March 3rd, 2009 at 10:09 pm
The foundation of this class has been poured and is hardening like a 14 year-old’s pecker climbing a rope in gym class. While the ecstasy of what we’re experiencing is quite real, don’t ruin your underwear and the rest of your school year just yet. There’s still work to do.
My magnificent seven (not the gym rope induced version) are Seastrunk, Jeffcoat, Wilson, Darius White, Adrian White, Cobbs and Hicks.
If we can get any three of these I’ll give up golf and resume my career as a rope humper..
Scipio Tex said:
March 3rd, 2009 at 10:54 pm
Hold Still –
Well stated. You’ll find my next post deals with just that issue.
Scipio Tex said:
March 3rd, 2009 at 11:02 pm
REW compared Jones to Reggie McNeal – all straight-line speed and no wiggle. From your write-up it look like you completely disagree.
We may disagree then. I’m not necessarily saying that Jones is a whirling dervish, but he gets from stop to go really quickly. He also shows a great ability to plant his foot and cut upfield when he’s carrying the ball on reverses and misdirection.
shockthenation said:
March 4th, 2009 at 9:19 am
Do we really have a shot at Seastrunk? I have been thinking of him thus far as the equivalent of an out of state stud who will come in for banquet weekend and then end up throwing the UT hat in the garbage in front of Ric Renner. I just don’t want to get my hopes up.
I can’t wait to see Muschamp’s defense get after the qb’s in the Big XII once he puts all this shit into place.
Crash said:
March 4th, 2009 at 9:31 am
Scipio -
Is your take on Jake and Bruce Matthews surmise or are you recounting something you read/heard?
Either way, it’s depressing.
Nordberg said:
March 4th, 2009 at 10:22 am
I think we can now pretty much write off any upper-end stud who doesn’t commit to us by spring break of his junior year. Sure, there are exceptions like Frank Okam, but shit, that was five years ago. Have there been any since?
Jim said:
March 4th, 2009 at 10:33 am
Send your kid to aggie, Bruce, that will be tons of laughs. You can get him accustomed to losing and he’ll be ready to join you with the Texans. Instant karma’s gonna gitcha….
dick said:
March 4th, 2009 at 10:48 am
“REW compared Jones to Reggie McNeal – all straight-line speed and no wiggle. From your write-up it look like you completely disagree.”
Hell, reggie mcneal would have been a pretty good college receiver. I’d take that out of Jones.
Scipio Tex said:
March 4th, 2009 at 11:24 am
Crash:
It’s irresponsible speculation on my part fueled by a first hand report from a spectator. Not one of the recruiting services.
Frankly, it didn’t surprise me and that made me more open to believing it. I’m fairly sure Bruce Matthews can see the same things I’ve noticed.
HenryJames said:
March 4th, 2009 at 11:29 am
“Hell, reggie mcneal would have been a pretty good college receiver. I’d take that out of Jones.”
Exactly. If Reggie McNeal plays receiver or safety in college, he gets drafted in the first couple of rounds. Shit, he got picked in the 6th round just based on his athleticism.
Jones is a good prospect, but on film he doesn’t show much wiggle and he gets tackled by one guy. His start/stop is great, he’s fast and he has an economy of motion, i.e. he doesn’t waste many steps. He’s figured out that the shortest distance between him and the endzone is a straight line.
Like all receivers we’ve signed we’ll have to see if he can run routes and block consistently.
BatesHorn said:
March 4th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
“I’m fairly sure Bruce Matthews can see the same things I’ve noticed.”
Ya think?
A HOF lineman generally considered one of the greatest ever. My guess is he probably knows a turd when he sees one. Metaphorically, speaking, of course.
Scipio Tex said:
March 4th, 2009 at 2:27 pm
Yep. The Matthews family has incredible football IQ.
Clay Matthews may be the smartest defender in the history of the NFL. I’m talking Mike Singletary and Ronnie Lott type knowledge.
Saggy Aggie said:
March 4th, 2009 at 2:58 pm
Beowulf, how is it that the Texas staff did their homework on Daniels when Scip just stated that the staff just pull an offer out their butts after seeing film of the boy? If you have info the rest of us do not, then please feel free to share. I, for one, would like to hear it. I am asking cause I also have a difficult time believing that the staff just offered Daniels out of thin air, given all the other prospects that are available. There has to be more to this story than: this kid showed up, looked impressive, and got an offer. That has a ring of incompetence to it.
The story about Matthews is also a little hard to believe. Doubt if a person who has been around the game as long as Matthews would let a put down like that slip out of his mouth. The fella is still working in the business and football at the higher levels is a tight knit community. A person, no matter who he is, would not last in the business of football as long as Matthews has if he actually had such loose lips with negative comments. Probably just the recruiting services looking to make news out of nothing and from nowhere. That way they can seem to be with the down low and it also gives them something to chatter about to their paying customers. Hey, it takes up space and kills time and that has some degree of value and worth for recruiting junkies.
Saggy Aggie said:
March 4th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
By the way, I beg to differ. If Matthews actually did say what he is purported to have said, then that would not be a sign of “incredible football IQ”. He does live in the state of Texas. He is currently employed by an organization that has connections to the university and which is based on popular support by the citizens of state of Texas, many of whom are Texas alums, at least the ones with the dinero. A 300lb man living in the public eye and bitching about the UT football out of no necessity would be what you refer to as a big, fat, easy target with a bulls-eye on his back. Doubt if a man with such a “incredible football IQ” would be stuck with such a incredibly low everday, life IQ.
Scipio Tex said:
March 4th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
You don’t find it interesting that no recruiting service has called the #1 OL recruit in the state to see how his trip went?
Saggy Aggie said:
March 4th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
No, not really, but I find it interesting that you apparently believe that recruits are required to be truthful in their responses to the recruiting services. All Matthews has to do is to say some run of the mill nice things about his trip and be done with it. What? is it a state commie regulation that every recruit has to truly state how he really feels about a visit? It is just as likely that the recruiting services are bright enough to appear to be consistent. They have been doing this for some time and this is how they happen to make their living, their bread and butter.
Scipio Tex said:
March 4th, 2009 at 3:48 pm
Reread the question.
Dr. Venkman said:
March 4th, 2009 at 3:49 pm
The aggie is kidding, or, perhaps its just some turnabout on “keep ahr-cee”.
It’s pretty obvious to anyone who’s watched Texas trying to run the ball for the last 9 years that there’s something fairly structural wrong with how the o-line works. I would think that, to Mr. Matthews, these struggles were painfully obvious.
Newy25 said:
March 4th, 2009 at 5:25 pm
“Beowulf, how is it that the Texas staff did their homework on Daniels when Scip just stated that the staff just pull an offer out their butts after seeing film of the boy?”
Because that is not what happened. Texas invites a select few to junior days and the coaches had been studying Daniels enough to make him part of that group. He and Jones are great players that the staff did a good job of contacting and luring in for a Junior day. Texas ending up offering like 80% of the players that came in for the 2 junior days. In theory every single kid that stepped on campus was Texas good and research had to be done up front to figure that out.
“The story about Matthews is also a little hard to believe”
It is actually pretty easy to believe. Texas (like most schools in the conference now) runs a circus like spread game that does not remotely look like anything Matthews saw in the NFL. He probably saw our players doing nothing but reach and cut blocking and thought to himself – HTF would this help my kid get prepared for the NFL?
The only question I have is how did he not know this before the visit? Anyone who watched our sideways running scheme and pass first offense could have seen and understood this.
crp said:
March 4th, 2009 at 5:36 pm
newy, didn’t Matthews spend a good portion of his career playing in the run and shoot? that’s about as close to a “circus like spread game” that you could get.
didn’t seem to hurt his career, and if anything may have actually prolonged it.
Scipio Tex said:
March 4th, 2009 at 5:42 pm
crp:
The run n shoot is no more. We’re talking about Jake. And his father’s desire to develop him or the League while still getting a good education etc.
crp said:
March 4th, 2009 at 6:00 pm
scipio, fair enough. i don’t know enough about running game schemes to sit here and tell you why our running game scheme is bad, but i have two eyes and can tell you that it is. So you, Bruce Matthews, and I agree on that point.
On the other hand, i think it’s a pretty big leap in logic to say bad running game scheme = we can’t prepare an olineman for the pros. it seems to me we’ve done pretty well in that regard.
for whatever reason, my bullshit meter went off on this one, but i am no insider and admit i probably don’t have all of the information that you and others do. it’s not like our running game scheme is a nuclear secret. if he didn’t like it and it was such a concern, why did he visit in the first place?
Saggy Aggie said:
March 4th, 2009 at 6:29 pm
Like you said Newy, there is just something fishy about Matthews openly dogging our staff, schemes, and coaches. Even if it is true that he felt that way, why say it and have it go public? If Matthews the elder has been in the business as long as he has, then you cannot tell me that he does not understand what political correctness is. Football is always about who you know and how you treat them. Isn’t Mack and his success a perfect and ideal reflection of this truth? Mack isn’t exactly considered to be the best X’s and O’s guy in the world.
Scipio, I have reread your question and, to be honest, it was not necessary. I believe I already answered it the first time around. Care to tell me how I did not? To be elementary, you were implying that the reason why no recruiting service bothered to interview Matthews was because they believed his responses would be negative, confirming the rumors on the boards. My point is that this excuse does not pass the b.s. meter. Does anyone actually believe that Matthews, the elder or the younger, would give negative and insulting responses regarding their visit and the UT program in general? Even if that is what they believed, does anyone think that the Matthews are naive enough to give any other responses than the run of the mill and the politically correct? What would they have to gain by being honest or negative? So there must be another reason why the recruting services are refusing to follow up. I really doubt if fear of a high school kid’s honesty and negativity would be one of the reasons. Just does not make any sense nor does it add up.
glenn said:
March 4th, 2009 at 6:31 pm
very good question, crp. i’ve been wondering that.
Newy25 said:
March 4th, 2009 at 6:38 pm
“Football is always about who you know and how you treat them.”
Not in the NFL.
Facebook User said:
March 4th, 2009 at 7:05 pm
Saggy – So you aren’t debating whether or not the scheme around the running game may or may not pass muster? You are only discussing whether or not the kid’s dad said critical things?
Of course he didn’t. And Jake hasn’t either. In fact Jake hasn’t said anything, to anyone.
Scip is taking some poetic license with the elder’s response.
I’m quite sure he politely said thanks for the invite, you have a great program here and have a great day. He likley then got in his car and turned to his son and said “we” won’t be commenting on the visit here to any interweb recruiting folks.
Saggy Aggie said:
March 4th, 2009 at 7:10 pm
If the NFL is a business then you can bet your hiney that it matters, cause “who you know” matters in any and all businesses. It’s about money and there has to be a trust factor. Rich folk are not in the habit of handing their keys to strangers. I believe it is safe to say that. It may matter to differing degrees and along with other factors, but only a fool would believe that “who you know” does not matters. Does anyone think that if Matthews was an a-hole and hated by his peers that he would have gotten that coaching gig with the Texans, no matter how good of coach he was? Has anyone else noticed the higher one moves up the ladder in life and business the less competition matters and the more cooperation is valued? Competition is for the little folk, the nobodies of the world.
Tom Hicks said:
March 4th, 2009 at 7:36 pm
“Has anyone else noticed the higher one moves up the ladder in life and business the less competition matters and the more cooperation is valued? Competition is for the little folk, the nobodies of the world.”
And exactly who the fuck are YOU?!!!
The Kop said:
March 4th, 2009 at 7:43 pm
Where the hell is our new stadium you drawling wanker?
Scipio Tex said:
March 4th, 2009 at 7:44 pm
Oh, God.
Saggy Aggie is Beergut.
The sense of grievance, inattention to logic, baseless contentiousness. It’s forensic.
Justaguy said:
March 4th, 2009 at 7:46 pm
Okay, this might be one of those questions that can’t be answered, but if the schemes at Texas are so fucking terrible that they would impair the development of an offensive lineman how in the world did Texas land the class of lineman they just did in 2009 and how did they get their two most recent commitments?
CloseToJumping said:
March 4th, 2009 at 7:54 pm
Competition doesn’t matter at the top? Holy shit that is funny. The next time you sit down at a boardroom conference table and can’t find the sucker, all of those competitors smiling back at you spotted him a long time ago. Spoken like a true aggie.
That take is almost so absurdly cavalier as to believe that it’s a spoof or parody, but I’d guess you just have spent too much time hanging around the energy industry during the upswing.
beowulf said:
March 5th, 2009 at 7:00 am
Jake Matthews update (Thursday morning) Reply
——————————————————————————–
I spoke with Elkins head coach Robert Crivellari this morning to get an update on Jake’s visit to Austin last Friday.
After his conversations with Jake, coach Crivellari said the trip went great and Jake told him “They’re all making it really hard to make a decision.”
I’m working on a story right now, should have it posted in a bit.
Jason Suchomel
jason@rivals.com
Re: Jake Matthews update (Thursday morning) Reply
Originally posted by JakeHorn:
I thought Jake’s Hall of Famer dad didn’t like our blocking schemes and had nixed the idea of a commitment to the Horns.
——————————————————————————–
Coach Crivellari and a few others I’ve talked to didn’t feel that was accurate at all. I don’t mind if you all discuss that kind of stuff since it’s a hot topic, but can we please not turn this thread into a big pissing match? The most important news, according to coach Crivellari and another person I talked to, is that Texas made a strong impression and very much is a part of this one (at least that’s the feeling, although Jake doesn’t come out and say much about that type of stuff directly).
This post was edited on 3/5 8:41 AM by Suchomel
Jason Suchomel
jason@rivals.com
El Mahico said:
March 5th, 2009 at 7:27 am
Jake’s dad doesn’t like our blocking schemes?
Do you guys just make stuff up for purposes of sensationalism?
This is, guaranteed, 100% baloney.
Even if it WAS true, Bruce has far too much class and is far too private of a person to ever say anything like that to anybody.
But it ain’t true.
Personally, it sounds like an urban myth run amok.
dedfischer said:
March 5th, 2009 at 7:54 am
I cooperate with my competitors in business, but I’ll cut their throats the first chance I get. I would expect they would do the same to me, no matter how cool they are at the trade shows. Maybe Saggy Aggie is in a different industry than myself.
HenryJames said:
March 5th, 2009 at 8:04 am
“Do you guys just make stuff up for purposes of sensationalism?”
Scipio embellishes everything. Dude doesn’t even have a brother.
Ricky said:
March 5th, 2009 at 10:16 am
I see that OB has an interview with Jake Matthews up. I don’t have a subscription, but it could have the answers everyone is looking for. That said, I bet he doesn’t say anything inflammatory but says just enough for us to think he might really come here when in all likelihood he has already ruled us out. Hope I’m wrong.
HenryJames said:
March 5th, 2009 at 10:20 am
It’s an interview with his coach.
Ricky said:
March 5th, 2009 at 10:34 am
Thanks! I am guessing it doesn’t clear the air in any way, shape, or form, right?
HenryJames said:
March 5th, 2009 at 10:43 am
The coach says he has a good visit which I have no reason to believe is not the case.
Ricky said:
March 5th, 2009 at 11:52 am
Thanks, pretty much par for the course. Soon we will hear from Jake’s girlfriend’s uncle’s co-worker that Jake is going to be a Longhorn. We’ll all sport wood and then in February when he commits to USC we will find out that his father hates the spread when it comes to OL development and pushed him to go elsewhere.
Scipio Tex said:
March 5th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
It’s conceivable that he still ends up here. I’m also of the opinion that he came here to commit if everything felt good. I don’t think it’s unreasonable to believe that seeing our schemes in person gave Bruce some pause.
Ricky said:
March 5th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
Let’s keep our fingers crossed!
98 said:
March 5th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
why do you guys make Greg’s life so hard? he already has to deal with BOOM stealing his chicken, maddog stealing agility and mack stealing his coffee.
beowulf said:
March 5th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
The comments attributed to Dad Matthews were likely overtly embellished by some interweb dweeb. I understand it may have been a USC nut. Happens. Dad’s and the family’s history as we now know it most likely precludes his making any statement like that.
However, Scipio’s over 10 year history of observing and commenting on our OL play and schemes is, IMO, also peerless in its accuracy over the years. I can’t recall what game it was, might have been one of the early North Texas games/maybe the first game of the year in 1999, whtever, but Scipio absolutely nailed the problematic schemes and OL requirements and also which players were mostly liabilities. He has since repeated that ability to discern what is going on in our line play early and often every year.
Scip is right about our OL schemes. The rest is cherry toppings as he used the internet dweeb version of the tale to emphasize in a colorful and entertaining manner our OL problems. Happens.
Please don’t stop.
98 said:
March 5th, 2009 at 6:52 pm
get your john harris fix here.
i like how inside texas uses youtube. why have your own databases when you can put it up for free on more reliable and user friendly websites.
Newy25 said:
March 5th, 2009 at 7:16 pm
Does he ever run a route longer than 7 yards?
Church said:
March 6th, 2009 at 7:58 am
Newy, why does it matter? Does Greg Davis utilize routes longer than 7 yards?
CloseToJumping said:
March 7th, 2009 at 8:46 am
beowulf–
I can’t speak to Scipio’s position, but similar info I’ve heard comes from a former Texas player who was present. The kid likes Texas, the dad doesn’t. It’s not really a mystery, much like our shitty offensive line schemes and running game approach.
The Pedestrian said:
March 7th, 2009 at 10:32 am
Well, that’s one way to turn 2 minutes worth of highlights into 5 minutes.
Barnet said:
December 12th, 2009 at 10:18 pm
Excelente blog con toneladas de datos