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TEAM
Four players did not practice this week. That includes the brothers Ingram-Dixon, Keondre Coburn, and Jordan Whittington.
Reese Leitao has a broken hand but is playing with a club. There is a bit of optimism regarding him next year playing defensive end with a year to prepare for it. Leitao is a good example of how players can prove to be much more mentally comfortable on one side of the ball than the other.
We’ll have a bigger team portion next week. It’s a bye week and not much to talk about.
SCENARIO 1-3
The decision-makers are pragmatic and understand recruiting is sliding, but they won’t make a decision regarding the future of the head coach position off of that. The thinking is, if the head coach situation is worked out once and for all, recruiting will follow suit.
The AD is still struggling to raise money and that remains an essential point in deciding Tom Herman’s fate. He was brought to Texas to raise money and navigate difficult head coaching situations. Del Conte was brought to Texas for this exact moment and he understands that.
As crazy as it sounds, there is *some* discussion Herman wouldn’t be safe with a Big 12 Championship victory. We think that’s easier to say now, based on how people feel in November, than in December after raising the trophy with a dejected OU onlooking. But it does illustrate the hot water Herman currently finds himself, and if fundraising leading up to that game remains dire, then one of the major issues really isn’t fixed.
A loss to OU, should it occur, and the writing is seemingly on the wall. That would make Herman 1-5 versus the hated rival, with losses occurring on the headsets and in the week of prep as much as on the field.
Donor sources we talk to indicate Del Conte will have the financial support he needs even if the hire isn’t for Scenario #1(Urban Meyer).
We’ll concede Scenario #2 (Herman returning) is more likely than it was after the OU loss, but that isn’t to say it’s likely. That should be expected with the team being on a four-game winning streak. However, the decision-makers do understand the context of the winning streak and are receiving calls after ugly wins the same as after losses.
Everything on the Meyer front is quiet from direct donor and AD sources. We don’t think that’s a bad thing because Del Conte prefers to work in silence to the extent he can. We do know there has been misinformation given from the AD to donors, and high-level donors to mid-level donors. If you have enough sources you’re able to game out what is real and what isn’t.
Misinformation we’ve heard includes: whether a search for a search firm has been conducted (it has, though we don’t know the result), and whether donors are ready to help out financially, i.e., buyouts (they are).
We did hear that one former head coach with ties to UT does believe Urban to Texas is a possibility. We know it is, but it was interesting to hear this person thinks it’s possible too.
To balance that, one of my best agent sources is skeptical Texas can pull off such a move given the climate and cost.
As far as Scenario #3 (a search beyond Meyer), we haven’t heard any names in a while. James Franklin was thought to have a chance very early on, but he’d be a terrible hire and is proving that now.
If a change is to be made, they’re all in on Scenario #1.
RECRUITING MATTERS
Four-star Shadow Creek star LB Terrence Cooks is set to announce his commitment on Saturday at around 3:30 p.m. The Longhorns remain the heavy favorite over Baylor when checking in with multiple sources. Should the 6-foot-2, 210-pound speedy linebacker pick Texas, it will be a combination of football/academics and a close bond with linebackers coach Coleman Hutzler.
The addition of Cooks to Morice Blackwell would give Texas two extremely athletic space linebackers in the class. There is also JACK prospect Derrick Harris Jr. Should the Longhorns offer another linebacker in the class, Arizona verbal K.C. Ossaicould get the nod. The staff is closely monitoring Ossai, and there are some pushing for an offer with others questioning where he would fit in the defensive scheme. The 6-foot-1, 235-pound Ossai plays with excellent eyes, passion, physicality and makes up for lack of forty speed with football IQ and football DNA.
On to some (L)OL recruiting.
Former Texas and NFL offensive lineman Donald Hawkins trains some of the best offensive line prospects in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. That list includes Tommy and James Brockermeyer from time to time, Stanford commit Jack Leyrer and senior riser Austin Uke at Parish Episcopal. The list of younger prospects Hawkins is working with includes the next nationally recruited offensive tackle out of Highland Park — Robert Sweeney. Obviously, when recruiting the Brockermyer brothers, a staff would go through the parents. But there is information to be gained and key relationships to be built and needed with prospects to attain all pertinent information, and that would include a position specific trainer such as Hawkins. In the case of Texas, Hawkins not only trains some of the top offensive line prospects in the D/FW area, but he also played for the Longhorns. That gets to the point of the failures of the Longhorn staff recruiting the position. As of yesterday afternoon, neither Texas head coach Tom Herman nor offensive line coach Herb Hand has called or reached out to Donald Hawkins. Never. Not once. And let’s also add this, Jack Leyrer’s father is also a Texas graduate. So Herman nor Hand has ever reached out to the person that trains multiple targets/offers with parents that are Texas graduates.
Now on to Uke. If there is something that will cause Texas pause in offering Uke, it’s that he’s only a shade over 6-foot-3 without shoes on. Uke, however, has an 80-81-inch wingspan and 10-inch hands with terrific feet, body quickness, and flexibility in his ankles, knees and hips. USC, Florida State, and Penn State are just some of the recent offers with three more Power 5 offers expected in the next week. Texas offensive line coach Herb Hand is scheduled to conduct a virtual visit with Uke on Saturday, and an offer is still possible or likely. Now if Herb Hand was being a thorough recruiter, he would reach out to Hawkins about Uke’s ability to be a quality tackle at 6-3.25 seeing as Hawkins was a 6-4 tackle that excelled at Texas and played in the NFL. Uke’s mom is high on USC right now, pending other offers likely to come.
The Longhorns wisely made an offer to 2021 Bryan Rudder playmaker Keithron Lee this week. Lee is seen by the Texas staff similar to Dajon Harrison in the 2020 class. Wide receiver first, but a player capable of playing cornerback. In the case of Lee, the defensive staff will battle more for Lee assuming he were to pick the Longhorns due to being a longer-armed athlete with more high-point ball skills. Lee’s growing list of offers includes Ole Miss, TCU, Texas Tech, Tennessee, Pittsburgh and SMU.
Inside Texas had him in the top 100 in the summer, but probably still underrated him. IT will see him tonight to get a more thorough understanding of the dynamic playmaker.