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Texas Longhorns News
A place for any Longhorn Fan to get the latest news from the On Texas Football team.
Today's show is brought to you by John Donovan and Longhorn Wealth Management Group.
The Texas staff is expected to host a number of unofficial visitors in March and at the Texas spring game April 20.
The staff spent December and January showing face time to top targets in the 2025 cycle, while also continuing the evaluation process. An evaluation process that will continue throughout the spring evaluation period ahead of June official visits with decisions to be made.
The timing of Kenny Baker being hired as the defensive line coach pushed back a few defensive line visits. That coupled with Texas offering more defensive lineman places a premium on spring visits for the Longhorns at a key position of need in 2025.
OnTexasFootball looks at six visits that will be key this spring.
K.J. Lacey, QB, Saraland (Ala.) High #AllGasNoBrakes
Steve Sarkisian and A.J. Milwee made a stop at Saraland High in January. Texas didn’t have the OnTexasFootball 4-star come in January 20 for Junior Day with Alabama 5-star signee, teammate and good friend Ryan Williams scheduled to make an official visit January 27 that never happened. Lacey was on campus briefly the weekend prior while in the area for 7v7, but a spring visit ahead of a June official visit will be key. Auburn, and now Ole Miss are making pushes for Lacey. He cancelled a visit to Ole Miss the first weekend of February at the request of the Texas staff. Continuing to navigate the return of Quinn Ewers pushing back the timeline of Arch Manning hitting the field is key for Texas keeping Lacey in the fold.
Brandon Brown, DL, Melbourne (Fla.) Eau Gallie #AllGasNoBrakes
Steve Sarkisian, Tashard Choice and Jeff Banks made a stop at Eau Gallie in January prior to Kenny Baker being able to hit the road. Despite the stop at the school by Texas, this one will come down to Baker relationship building with Brown. Getting Brown on campus in march to spend time with Baker will be critical in this recruitment. Texas A&M, LSU, Florida, USC, etc… are all coming full steam at the explosive 6-1.5, 285-pounder. Texas has some work to do to keep Brown in the fold, despite Texas being the school that has always intrigued him most.
Josiah Sharma, DL, Folsom (Calif.) High
Texas offered the 6-3.5, 300 pounder February 1 when Co-DC Johnny Nansen made a stop at Folsom High. The one-time Washington verbal was on campus at Alabama recently, and the Crimson Tide are all in. As is Oregon. Sharma told OTF’s C.J. Vogel that he plans to make a spring visit to Texas, where he does have family ties (Arlington and Austin). Same song, different verse. Sharma getting to know Baker, and stepping foot on campus will be critical if the Horns are to have a legit chance.
Michael Fasusi, OT, Lewisville (Texas) High
Texas’ Steve Sarkisian, Kyle Flood and Tashard Choice all stopped by Lewisville high in late January to talk with the 6-4, 290 pound high-end left tackle prospect. Fasusi’s father being at the school for the visit was seen as a positive for the Longhorns, as he didn’t make all the school visits. With Fasusi not attending January 20 Junior Day, getting the DFW area 5-star back on campus this spring ahead of a last weekend in June official visit is key. Texas continues to like where they sit ahead of spring and summer visits.
Dilan Battle, DL, Mansfield (Texas) Timberview
Steve Sarkisian and Kenny Baker made a stop at Timberview High in late January. Battle has not been on campus in some time, and getting him back to Austin is going to be key with much of the SEC plus Michigan being all in on the 6-2, 305 pound disruptor. Baker is tasked with relationship building, and making some big decisions headed into June official visits.
Zion Williams, DL, Lufkin (Texas) High
Steve Sarkisian and Blake Gideon were by Lufkin High in January. And Kenny Baker also made a visit two days after being officially announced by Texas. The 6-4.25, 325 pound Williams made a visit to LSU January 20, and will be back in early March. Williams told OnTexasFootball Tuesday that a March or spring game visit to Texas will happen. Texas A&M and TCU are also working for spring visits. The East Texas powerful defensive tackle told OTF that Texas, LSU, Texas A&M and TCU would for sure receive official visits.
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The Horns put together their most complete game of the year, a 94-58 throttling at home of West Virginia.
The Mountaineers aren’t very good.
But Texas hasn’t been “very good” much of this season. They’ve been average to above average.
They’ve lost games they should have won, won games they probably should have lost, etc. In other words, it’s been a somewhat typical basketball year.
But they’ve played a decent brand of ball the past three weeks, with the exception of an ugly loss to Iowa State last week.
Maybe the Horns are starting to put it together down the stretch.
**
Here’s a prediction:
Texas recruiting is going to be a slow burn. Again.
It’s the Sarkisian way.
In other words, Texas isn’t pushing for commitments despite the fact that there are several recruits on the cusp of a commitment to the Horns.
Texas will continue its outreach and recruiting through the month of February and into early March.
There may be one or two more commitments between now and then.
However, I think the March 23 timeline is where we’ll see more movement in the 2025 recruiting class. That’s the weekend when Texas will next invite a number of elite recruits back to campus.
So for now, we’re largely in a monitoring the moves behind the scenes, who Texas is setting up for those visits, the communication going on behind the scenes, and how the Longhorn recruiting board is truly netting out.
Again, Sark feels no need to rush things. And that has worked well for him during his time in Austin thus far. There’s no reason to think it won’t continue to work in the future, too.
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Klein (Texas) Oak defensive back Courtland Guillory has become one of the most sought after prospects in Texas since the conclusion of the 2023 season.
Arizona State was the first program to offer in November of 2023. Since that time, 14 more Power 5 programs have thrown their hat in the ring. That list includes Texas February 1.
Guillory, 6-1 and 175, provided his thoughts earlier in the week on the offer by the Longhorns.
“Coach (Blake) Gideon and Coach (Terry) Joseph they came down to my school," Guillory told OnTexasFootball. "I had already met with Coach Joseph earlier in the month (January). He (Joseph) told me he liked my size at corner, and my versatility. Couple of days later they showed up at my basketball practice and that's when they offered. They said they like big, long corners."
Guillory kept it simple when asked for his thoughts on Texas.
“Texas is a powerhouse."
The question for Texas fans is when will Guillory make a visit to Texas. That is expected in March.
“I’m going to go to some schools (in March). I know I’ll be going to UT and TCU. That’s for sure.”
Texas A&M setting the pace early
Guillory grew up watching Texas A&M and Oregon the most. The Aggies offered the day after Texas, and the Houston area prospect made a visit last weekend, along with a trip to Oklahoma.
“It was my first time on campus. It was a cool experience. I got to sit down with Coach (Jay) Bateman, and go over the defense and what the plan was. He told me he likes long corners. He thinks I would be great fit because I’m versatile. I can play more than corner."
Guillory, along with his mom and dad, had the opportunity to speak with Aggies head coach Mike Elko at length.
“He was a cool guy. My parents got to talk to him. We were talking about life, my journey and where I’m at now. It was a pretty dope experience. He definitely left a good impression on me."
Late summer decision planned
Guillory told OTF he grew up dreaming of playing in the SEC. That made the Tennessee offer January 20 on a Junior Day visit special.
"Tennessee was a special offer because I had gone on a visit and didn’t have an offer. It was my first SEC offer."
Since Tennessee offered, four more SEC programs have offered. They are Oklahoma, Missouri, Texas and Texas A&M.
Guillory is taking it all in headed in the spring with June official visits the plan prior to a decision.
"I think I’m going to commit at the end of the summer before the start of the season."
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https://youtu.be/zZNxhuURGu4
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Class of 2021
TE, JT Sanders, Denton Ryan
Most accurate recruiting ranking in retrospect: On3: no. 60 national, no. 9 player in Texas; in every other ranking, Sanders was rated as a five star
- Sanders was a man among boys in high school. But he rarely played a true tight end; instead, he frequently lined up flanked outside for jump ball opportunities. He also played some defense. Ultimately, he eschewed defense altogether and focused on learning to play a more conventional, NFL-style tight end for the Horns.
Takeaway for me: Good player but not an overwhelming athlete. Often "out-physical'ed" opponents in high school which doesn't always translate in the college game and beyond. Still, the overall athleticism and play-making ability were rare for a player his size. Not a five star but a definite high four star was the correct call.
WR, Xavier Worthy, Fresno Central East
Most accurate recruiting ranking in retrospect: On3, ESPN, and Rivals already had him pegged as a top player in the country; On3 was the highest at no. 18, while 247 was the lowest at no. 99. In actuality, this will likely end up as a win for the On3 Consensus ranking which had him at No. 56 overall, which is just about where most NFL draftniks think he will land.
- Worthy's speed was his calling card. He initially signed with Michigan but the Wolverines could not get him in to school as a mid-year enrollee. Steve Sarkisian, who was fresh on the job at Texas after recruiting Worthy while at Alabama, found out about it, and immediately made Worthy a priority. Worthy's top-end speed and impressive agility - his ability to start and stop on a dime - made him an elite recruit and both remain his calling card to this day.
Takeaway for me: Several players each year have legit big-time speed. But what else do they have? Can they move laterally, do they play tough, do they compete within the game? It can't just be straight speed.
RB, Jonathon Brooks, Halletsville
Most accurate recruiting ranking in retrospect: On3: no. 114 national, no. 8 running back, no. 17 player in the state of Texas; the next highest ranking was the no. 41 player in the state, according to Rivals.
- When Brooks first committed to Texas, half a dozen analysts thought Texas had lost their minds. Houston was the only other school that had offered. While a lot of people were busy pontificating that then-Texas RB coach Stan Drayton had lost his marbles, I watched the tape. I immediately took to the boards to defend the offer, vehemently. This all happened well before Brooks' incredible senior season, where he was the singular force behind Halletsville state championship appearance. He's been under-rated his entire career. A small school Texas boy who has proved them all wrong.
Takeaway for me: The film doesn't lie. And it doesn't matter who else has offered, or when they offered, if you like the tape.
DL, Byron Murphy, DeSoto
Most accurate recruiting ranking in retrospect: There wasn't one. The highest Murphy ranked from any group in-state was No. 45 at 247Sports. But that's a far, far cry from where he will be drafted.
- Murphy was the lesser-known and more lightly-recruited of a dominant duo at DeSoto, playing alongside Shemar Turner who inked with Texas A&M. Murphy flipped from Baylor to Texas relatively late in the recruiting process, yet still before Tom Herman had been fired. Murphy is a former middle school running back who just kept getting bigger and bigger. He also earned his associates degree (60 hours of college credit) while still in high school.
Takeaway for me: Never overlook or underestimate one of a pair of strong defensive linemen. Think of the combo of Colin Simmons and Alex January in this recruiting class. Also never underestimate desire and the willingness to go the extra mile. Perhaps Murphy's associates degree should have told us a little more about who he was on the inside.
WR, Adonai Mitchell, Antioch (Tenn.) Cane Ridge
Most accurate recruiting ranking in retrospect: Clearly, On3 had a better beed on this one. On3 was the only staff to mention him as a national recruit, ranking him at no. 105 overall.
- Mitchell started his high school career in Fort Bend ISD. While there, the previous Texas staff had decided not to recruit him; they didn't think he was fast enough. But his body control and catch radius were outstanding, and his speed was clearly better than they thought. He signed with Georgia and won two national championships before transferring to Texas and returning to the College Football Playoffs.
Takeaway for me: If a receiver isn't a flyer, but still runs in the 4.5s, the prospect needs agility, a wide catch radius, and the penchant for making the contested catch. It helps if they know how to create separation with their body, too.
Class of 2020
LB Jaylan Ford, Frisco Lone State
Most accurate recruiting ranking in retrospect: As with Murphy, no one was particularly close. ESPN was the worst, ranking Ford the no. 160 player in the state of Texas.
- Like Murphy, Ford was a relatively late flip in the recruiting process, this time over Utah. Ford had long arms, a good motor and was clearly a smart player coming out of high school. But he was more of a ball of clay that needed to be molded. Of course, that's what Texas did. Ford ended up leading the Longhorns in tackles in back-to-back years.
Takeaway for me: Sometimes linebacker is more about prototype and then how well they develop. Ford "developed" into a good linebacker, but he always had the frame and mental make-up for the position.
Class of 2019
WR, Jordan Whittington Cuero
Most accurate recruiting ranking in retrospect: Probably none of them. Every single service ranked Whittington among the top 60 players in the country. Even though he was a terrific player for Texas, it was mostly as a role player and never a focal point, which would have been more indicative of a lofty national rating.
- Whittington was a do-it-all player for Cuero. Running back, receiver, defensive back, etc. He literally could do it all, and did, helping Cuero to the state championship in what will remain one of the best single game performances you will ever see in high school. As a recruit, some college coaches thought he might have been a better safety than offensive player. But Whittington really didn't want to hear about defense during his recruitment. Could Whittington have somehow been a better answer for Texas and the NFL at safety than receiver? Probably so but he would have had to stay healthy.
Takeaway for me: Players who are better situated for one side of the ball than the other should probably be graded for the side of the ball they want to play on.
DL, T'Vondre Sweat, Huntsville
Most accurate recruiting ranking in retrospect: I'll go with 247Sports even though they weren't really correct., ranking him as the no. 48 player in the state. They were just so much better than everyone else. The next highest ranking for Sweat? The no. 94 player in the state, according to ESPN.
- I was working with Horns247 at the time. EJ Holland was the recruiting analyst for the site, and this is one EJ deserves heavy credit for. I asked EJ who the best prospect he saw that year in person was. Without hesitation, he said Sweat. But Sweat wasn't just a three star, he was actually the lowest rated recruit in the entire Texas class, according to the On3 Consensus. Hats off to EJ who has never actually been in the rankings process at any of his stops while covering recruiting.
Takeaway for me: Listen to people who go see players in person and mention a player as the best they've seen. It has happened to me a couple of other times to me as well - once with Gerry Hamilton and Earl Thomas. Another came from a writer who worked for us in the state of Georgia. He said he would rate Calvin Johnson the best player in the country if it were up to him. He was right. But we didn't even make Johnson a five star because he ran a 4.55 40-yard dash at some camp.
Class of 2018
OL, Christian Jones, Cy Woods
Most accurate recruiting ranking in retrospect: 247Sports as the No. 77 player in the state. Rivals and ESPN had him outside the top 100 in the state.
- Jones will be the 9th recruit in the 2018 class to end up making a roster in the NFL, a class that was ranked no. 3 in the country. With nine NFL players, that lofty class ranking wasn't far off. However, the individual rankings weren't exactly spot on as Jones' ranking can attest. Jones will make two of the bottom four recruits in the class of 2018 who will end up being NFL players. The other? Cameron Dicker.
Takeaway for me: Jones was recruited to Texas primarily by then-assistant Corby Meekins. Meekins was a former high school coach from the area. Meekins went out on a limb here. He liked Jones' mental make-up and athleticism. Jones was a former soccer goalie and only started playing football in high school. My takeaway? When a former high school coach takes a guy from near his area, pay closer attention. See Jeff Traylor and East Texas.
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As it looks currently, Buckeyes OC Bill O'Brien will head to Boston College to take over the head coaching job.
To fill the void, UCLA Head Coach Chip Kelly is expected to make the jump down to offensive coordinator according to Pete Thamel of ESPN.
What an unprecedented move here. New era of CFB.
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