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I like Charlie Strong as a coach, and there is a ton of talent in Texas to choose from... but it just isn't the same state it used to be a decade ago. Sure programs from out of state used to fish for recruits in Texas water, but it was understand that Texas would land the big ones.

Nobody thinks Texas is the best football school in the state anymore. The Aggies, Baylor, and TCU have been making more headlines. Teams like Oklahoma and LSU on the border have been going to bigger bowl games. Programs like Mizzou and Arkansas can say "you know we got the perfect spot for you to be a star".

If Charlie was a better salesman Texas would still be pulling them in. Thing is he is a good coach, and for Texas kids that means the guy your parents pay for you to camp with every summer not the CEO/bro you sign up to party with for three college years before the NFL. He came late into a early recruiting cycle and is having to rely on scoring big on our targets last minute (which COULD happen) to make a splash in his first cycle. Texas high school football is so big these kids are stars and they demand to be treating like stars. Being in a bootcamp 24/7 instead of playing xbox on a mega TV in the locker room is just less appealing. He might clean A&M's clock in a week which would shut me up, but until he does he is looking at a roster with a lot of needs and not a lot of stars to fill it with.

I think given enough time Charlie can do great things at Texas. He is being smart and dipping back into Florida- which has less developed and less worshiped talent- to build a roster of guys who might sneak up on a soft Big 12 team full of Texans. Given enough time I think he could coach up such a team to be competitive.

The issue with that plan of course is that it requires Texas fans stomaching teams like TCU and Baylor being at the top of the Big 12, and stomaching us getting all the local recruits that are talking about while they get Florida kids THEY have to brand. Texas fans have this idea Texas football is better overall, so a Texas team that wins a national title with Florida boys would be bittersweet. I think Charlie figured that out, hence the late push for some major talent in the state that was all committed to us at one point. If he can't win quickly, which will be hard with so much talent going to the NFL, then losing with Texas five stars will keep his seat cooler than the alternative. That is what they are used to.

This NSD is big for them, and this next season is big for them. Long term though Texas will be ok. There is no reason they can't bounce back even during the GOR period. It is OU that is completely locked on the ropes by the GOR, they are one bad post-Stoops hire away from going full Minnesota. A&M has a ticking clock to get someone substantial on the stadium during this GOR period and we might finally get to be the FSU of Texas instead of OU. If I ever found a magic lamp wish one is OU hires Dooley and gives him a 100 million dollar ten year deal off the bat.