re: 2015 Recruiting Discussion

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What are your thoughts on our current LB commits?

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Moore - love him. He's a WLB and just finds a way to make plays. I think he'll have a Claiborne type impact on the field (and I've heard he's a great individual off it). Like Darion, he's a little undersized but he makes up for it with great instincts and elite closing speed. Ideally he'd redshirt to fill out to his max and learn the defense, but he'll be a tackling machine

Durham - probably a MLB. His HUDL is set to private though so I couldn't tell you much as a player. I believe he's playing DE in HS though. From what I understand, he's more of a good athlete that we're projecting well than a finished product

Garner - very rangy guy that seems to find the ball. Definitely a project though. I don't know the exact nature of the injury but someone mentioned to me he might not play any more football. My guess is concussion related but it's pure guesswork.

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Maybe it's the lack of depth at the position in Texas.

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Yeah so many HS's run a spread these days that there are a lot of schools playing a base heavy nickel or 335 in HS in state. Big, heavy run-pluggers are not at a premium in HS so they move those good athletes to the line or offense. Michael Richardson probably would have developed into an elite SAM for us but Desoto played him at DE.

There are plenty of undersized guys that are very good but it's hard to defend the LSUs, Bamas, and Auburns of the world with a crew of undersized LBs. You can take one here or there, but you have to be very judicious. We've passed on quite a few that will make impacts in the Big 12 where power sets are few and far between.

Cam Townsend is a perfect example of this. I think he'll be pretty good wherever he ends up but he's a thin 6'0" guy. Maybe even 5'11". He came up and we measured him and passed. It's not just height as he's thinnish and will probably max out under 210. Very Tommy Sanders-ish and we learned last year that all the speed in the world doesn't help when they run right at you.

Is Lockhart still being recruited as a MLB?

Seems like OLB needs to be a priority especially if Garner goes the route of Cedric Collins

Maybe close with Durham, Lockhart, Jefferson, Juco guy, best OLB available?

He's playing MIKE for his team right now, and Alabama tried to stuff his head with fantasies that he's the next CJ Mosley. But I'm not sure our plans for him are him being a linebacker at all.

In other news, Kendall Sheffield set all his official visits and none are with us. The 24/7 board isn't too happy about that, but the mods aren't buying into the panic. The schools involved are USC, Oregon, Alabama, Florida State, and Ohio State. I'm not sure why he picked the buckeyes, but whatever. Didn't know he was interested in the big-10, a conference even worse than the big 12.

As long as a kid has visited and continues to visit (which Kendall has done), I'll never blame a kid for using OV to see new places. I think it's very smart on their part to do it on someone else's dime.

I'm not too worried either to be honest.... I get the geographical reasonings for using the OV's on other schools. Just surprised by a couple of the selections. Don't shoot the messenger, fellas

I am a little worried about the 'Bama one because it's his last one early December and the last one always gives you the freshest imprints. They're obviously a powerhouse traditionally on defense and cornerback is where they are weakest right now. They have Brown from last year and Minkah Fitzpatrick (5-star) cycle but a few think hes capable of flipping. And Brown could be a hit or miss. So maybe a little worried, ha.

Def not shooting the messenger, he's no lock by any means. The choice of OV's to me seemed like he just picked random top 10 OOS programs. It actually made me feel a little better about him, but thats just me.

Sheffield and Jefferson could take the program to uncharted territory. I think tu/strong/boosters will do anything to get Malik to austin. They're trying to pin the entire program turnaround on signing Malik.

Neither seem like wishywashy, prisoner of the moment type kids so hopefully that helps us? I've got the koolaid IV in though, so who knows.

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Texas would sell its mother's soul to the devil to sign Malik.

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You cannot sell something you do not possess

Christian is also on his way

Sometime in December IIRC

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I think tu/strong/boosters will do anything to get Malik to austin. They're trying to pin the entire program turnaround on signing Malik.

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Well yeah. The whole spin is Strong's rules appeal to mama and not the recruit. Malik's mama has been very outspoken, especially about Texas, so if he picked us it would pop their balloon.