THREE THINGS WE LEARNED
1. Texas needs to change its portal strategy, and I have a wild suggestion
— Lately, there’s been a lot of talk on the Orangebloods message boards about Texas’ utilization of the portal, both in the way certain positions have been neglected in the past and what the UT staff needs to do moving forward.
The thinking is pretty much unanimous that Texas could have used help along the offensive line in last year’s portal window. Every person reading this column will agree with that statement, and the guess here is that the Texas coaches would probably agree that not adding some experience to the roster was a major misstep.
Opinions are more divided on how the coaching staff should handle the portal moving forward. Yes, needs still need to be met at places like the offensive line. But lately, there’s been a shift among some fans that the portal absolutely needs to be the priority over high school recruiting, with some even suggesting that Texas allocate just about all of its resources to transfers and essentially bailing on high school recruiting. To that, I say poppycock.
Certainly, portal players are valuable. They can help a team get over the hump from being close to championship caliber to actually bringing home some hardware. That being said, he bulk of any roster’s top-end talent is going to come from high school recruiting, guys that sometimes take multiple years to develop. In today’s ever-changing college football world, it’s a bit of a juggling act to find players that are willing to be patient, deciding how much to pay a highly-rated prospect that may not contribute right away, or dumping that money into players in the portal. Your evaluations of high school talent better be spot on, especially for those earning big NIL paydays, but that’s why the coaches and much of the support staff make the kind of money they do.
If you look at this year’s Texas roster, just about every top player is someone that was signed out of high school. If I’m picking the top 10 players on this team, guys like Anthony Hill, Colin Simmons, Manny Muhammad, Michael Taaffe, Jelani McDonald, Trevor Goosby, Tre Wisner, Ryan Wingo, Jaylon Guilbeau and Liona Lefau are probably making the list. That’s 10, and that doesn’t even include Arch Manning or a young talent like Graceson Littleton.
Steve Sarkisian likes to say that Texas is never going to live in the portal, and that feels like the right approach to me. Now, could he and his staff have handled the portal a little better over the past couple of years? That’s a fair question and the obvious answer to that is yes.
— This is a bit off the wall, but maybe it’s time to take a radically different approach to talent aquistion through the portal.
I’m a firm believer that you should be able to bring in kicking and punting talent via the portal whenever those positions need to be replaced, even if that means bringing in one-year hired guns year after year.
Why not view quarterback the same way? It sounds moronic with the talent Texas has stacked in the quarterback room with Arch Manning, K.J. Lacey and incoming freshman Dia Bell, but Manning is proving this year that there are no guarantees with quarterback recruiting, regardless of a recruiting rankings (Quinn Ewers helped prove that point as well). While there is some risk in putting all your eggs in quarterbacks from the high school ranks that are unproven as college players, taking a proven college talent out of the portal seems like a much safer – and more effective – option.
Hear me out …
It has worked at Oregon, repeatedly. It worked at Texas with Quinn Ewers (although that one almost didn’t feel like a portal addition, weirdly). It’s working at Ohio State with Julian Sayin. It worked at Ohio State last year as it rode Will Howard to a national title. Vanderbilt is in the hunt for the playoffs with transfer Diego Pavia. Indiana – freaking INDIANA – is the No. 2-ranked team in the country in large part due to Cal transfer Fernando Mendoza. Miami has done it successfully in multiple years, last week’s stinker from Carson Beck notwithstanding. Trinidad Chambliss looks pretty good to these eyes every time I watch Ole Miss. That Tennessee offense looks pretty damn explosive with transfer Joey Aguilar leading the charge. Arkansas isn’t a good team, but that offense can put up points under former Boise State QB Taylen Green. Hell, even Oklahoma has been brought off of life support with the addition of John Mateer. Texas, of course, did go to the portal for some insurance for Manning when it brought in Matthew Caldwell last year, but maybe it’s time to start looking for bona fide starting quarterbacks in the future?
I don’t think we’ll see Sarkisian take such a wild swing in his quarterback philosophy, but it’s something to at least consider.
2. New DT offer Karlos May has the Longhorns high on his early list
Texas offered 2027 defensive tackle Karlos May late last week, and the Birmingham (AL) Ramsay product said that development really moved the needle for him.
Ramsay’s ranking is starting to catch up with his offer sheet this week, with Rivals moving him from an unranked player to the No. 91-ranked prospect in the entire country. Makes sense when you consider that he has offers from programs like Texas, Auburn, Georgia, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Alabama, Ohio State, Nebraska and Florida State, among others.
“When I got that Texas offer, I was very excited,” May said. “Texas is one of those schools every kid would love to have an offer from. They have produced the best defensive linemen that have come through. They’re a household name.”
May was scheduled to talk to Kenny Baker on Sunday night to discuss possible plans of getting him to Austin for a game visit. He doesn’t have a list of favorites, but when he does put something out, Texas should certainly make the cut.
“To start off, Texas is just one of those schools that they basically stand out to me the most, one of them, because they’re defensive program and the things they have done, players at that school,” May said. “There’s a lot of history at Texas, those guys have been good and successful for a long time. They’re just a winning team.”
So far this fall, May has attended games at Auburn, Florida State, Notre Dame, Clemson and Florida. Look for Texas to try to get him in for either the Arkansas or Texas A&M game.
3. The Texas-OU visit moved the needle for DB Jerry Outhouse
North Crowley 2027 cornerback Jerry Outhouse was one of the more talented uncommitted prospects who took in the Texas-OU game a couple of weekends ago, and the nation’s No. 115-ranked prospect told OB that he enjoyed the overall experience.
“The environment was crazy. It’s like nothing else,” Outhouse said. “I love how they separate the fans with the Sooners and Longhorns on one side. That made the game more impactful.”
Outhouse has been to games at places like Texas A&M, TCU, Oklahoma and Arizona State. He’s hoping to get down to Austin for the Texas A&M game next month. The environment in Dallas, he said, was livelier than the campus visits he’s taken to see other games.
“Of course (the excitement) is going to be high. Everything is going to be packed because it’s a rivalry. They don’t like each other so that makes it even more exciting,” Outhouse said.
The 6-1, 184-pound Outhouse not only liked the environment of the Red River Rivalry, he said he’s been impressed with Texas’ defensive performances this year.
“Really I like what the coaches are doing in the secondary,” Outhouse said. “They hit me up every once in a while. I like how they communicate with me even though I haven’t gotten down there.”
As a high school teammate of current Texas commitment John Turntine, Outhouse said that’s another element that gives the Longhorns a boost.
“He tells me that’s home all the time. It just makes everything better to be honest, knowing I have a former teammate down there,” Outhouse said. “it makes everything better. I’m already building a relationship, so knowing I’d have a teammate down there makes things even better.”
TWO QUESTIONS
1. What are everyone’s recruiting questions this week?
If you were a recruit or parent, would the negative **** on the board following Saturday’s game detour you or cause pause? Has there ever been a scenario this has happened in the past that’s been brought to your attention?
I know it’s not any different than social media or other team pages … just curious.
Absolutely not. Coaches in the past have tried to make that claim, that the negativity on the message boards is going to cost them recruits, but I’ve never had a single recruit complain about what’s being said on our boards. Now parents? That’s another story, but it usually happens after a player is on campus and part of the team.
You bring up a good point in that with social media, the effect of what’s said on a premium message board is even less impactful than it was maybe 10 years ago. Guys are more conditioned to criticism and there are probably fewer commits on Orangebloods than there were before social media.
Sark has had a reputation as a great QB coach – one of the main reasons the Mannings wanted Arch to go to UT. How will Ewers underachieving and falling to the 7th round in the draft, and now Arch going from preseason Heisman candidate to 62nd in one NCAA QB ranking, 67th and 75th in others, affect current QB commits and future QB recruiting?
It doesn’t seem to be having any impact on Dia Bell at all. He remains solid with his Texas commitment. On one hand, most elite quarterbacks are supremely confident, so they won’t worry about any QB struggles at Texas. They’ll look at it like they can be the guy to break the trend. On the other hand, other coaches will certainly try to use that against Texas if the trend continues, and the longer it goes with Texas getting underwhelming QB play, the more impact those negative pitches will have.
Any 5 star OLs looking for early playing time?
5-stars? Not that I’m aware of. Texas is looking to flip UCLA commitment Micah Smith, but that’s been the extent of the new OL recruiting action. I mentioned it in another column last week, but I’m told there’s been zero contact between Texas and Felix Ocho since he committed to Texas Tech in July.
When does our poor play start costing us some commits? Specifically Dia Bell?
I honestly don’t think that’s an issue, and certainly not with Dia Bell. Texas could lose a commitment or two (I continue to keep an eye on DL), but it has nothing to do with wins and losses or the way the Longhorns are playing.
What will it take to get commits from Kennedy Brown and Ishmael Camara?
For one, it’ll take a bunch of cash. Gilmer’s Ishmael Camara has visited Texas once this fall and the staff needs to work on getting him back on campus another time or two. He also visited Texas A&M and some in College Station feel the Aggies are a legitimate threat in that one. Brown has also been to Texas A&M a bunch so Texas really needs to get him on campus as soon as possible. It feels like the Longhorns have fallen behind a bit in that one.
What happens first … a decommit or a commitment?
Good question. I’ve been waiting for someone like Corey Wells to peel off of his commitment for a month or more, but he keeps hanging on despite repeated visits to Auburn. My guess would be that we’ll see a decommitment before a commitment.
Do you think Florida loses some recruits to us?
If it’s going to happen, defensive line and Kendall Guervil seems to make the most sense. Maybe tight end/offensive tackle Heze Kent to a lesser degree. Some of that will depend on who Florida brings in, and what happens with Texas’ current commitments. Right now, I’d lean slightly towards it not happening.
The article that Ketch was referring to about the lack of urgency by the coaching staff going after 2027 recruits.
Has anyone asked the coaches about this.
If not, are y’all planning to.
Why is Texas being out worked, what happened to all gas no brakes.
Do y’all know if they plan of hitting the portal more this next time around.
I haven’t asked the coaches about that … that’s not exactly going to elicit a positive response if they think we’re being critical of their work ethic.
For the record, I haven’t said Texas is being outworked (I don’t think @Ketchum technically said that either), but there’s no doubt that programs like Texas A&M have an early lead on Texas when it comes to momentum with the 2027 class. That’s never been a problem for Texas under Sarkisian in the past, but this year’s recruiting landscape is different with earlier NIL offerings and with A&M undefeated and ranked No. 3 in the country.
I realize that Trey Moore first contacted the Kentucky QB outside the end zone, but he didn’t fully wrap him up, have him controlled and “in the grasp” until they were in the end zone. And the whistle didn’t blow until the QB was on the ground in the end zone. Still, they ruled no safety and the ball was placed on the 1 where first contact was made.
But what if the QB had escaped his grasp and either run out of the end zone or threw a pass, regardless if complete or incomplete? Or fumbled the ball?
That play was very close but looked to be the right call to me. In my experience of watching football, when there’s a play at the goal line and the ball carrier essentially goes backward when tackled, they almost always rule the player to be down where the contact was initiated. I honestly didn’t have a problem with the ruling.
2. How do the SEC programs rank after last weekend’s slate of games?
1. Alabama (last week: 1) – Pretty easy choice for the top spot.
2. Georgia (last week: 4) – If that offense can stay consistent, this team is dangerous.
3. Texas A&M (last week: 3) – What’s up with the Aggies’ defense?
4. Ole Miss (last week: 2) – Played Georgia competitively for most of the game.
5. Vanderbilt (last week: 7) – Been saying all year that this is a good team and people are coming around.
6. Tennessee (last week: 5) – Gotta wonder how that game would have turned out if not for the pick-6 to end the half.
7. Missouri (last week: 8) – Would have been huge if they could have knocked off Bama.
8. LSU (last week: 9) – Moves up a spot despite a loss, which feels odd, but Nussmeier is finally playing better.
9. Texas (last week: 6) – I could make a legitimate case that this is too high, but the rest of the league is meh.
10. Oklahoma (last week: 10) – REALLY tough stretch of games coming up for OU.
11. Florida (last week: 11) – Won and still fired their coach.
12. Mississippi State (last week: 12) – Almost pulled off a road win over Florida.
13. Auburn (last week: 13) – A bad offensive football team.
14. Arkansas (last week: 15) – Arkansas can actually score some points.
15. South Carolina (last week: 13) – Oklahoma dominated SC’s offense.
16. Kentucky (last week: 16) – Still can’t believe Texas nearly lost to this team.
ONE PREDICTION – My prediction from last week lasted all of five days …
Last week, I wrote in this very section that I thought Texas might have found something in the win over Oklahoma, and I predicted the Longhorns would win their next five games before I’d make my assessment of the game against Texas A&M. I also noted that I’d “adjust my confidence meter accordingly after each week and I want to see Texas dominate Kentucky on Saturday,” and we all know how that turned out.
Simply put, this is just not a very good Texas football team right now. The shine from the Oklahoma win is already gone. In four games against Power 4 opponents, Texas is averaging under 17 points per game. If we take out the overtime field goal from last week, the punt return for a touchdown against Oklahoma and the 5-yard TD drive from last week that was set up by a punt return, this offense is averaging a woeful 12.5 points per game. That’s going to catch up with Texas, and it probably happens sooner rather than later.
