Is OU #1 for top Texas recruits?
by cabalnamedclyde on Jul 24, 2007 3:37 PM CDT
18 comments
I commented a few weeks ago about OU snapping up the top-rated Texas recruits and was assured it was no big deal because, to wit, we got some good ones and at that level there isn't that much of a difference among them.
Since then we have lost possible cutting edge players to grades, lack of playing time, "weed," and burglerizing cars. We've also lost three of the top four state-ranked (We got #3!), as well as four of the top five nationally ranked (We got #22!), recruits to OU.
So how does the school's biggest rival come into our own playground and walk off with our toys?
Don't misunderstand: We have quality players and I'm proud of them and a booster for every one who bleeds orange. But there are some states (stories from Indiana, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania come to mind) where top players who go to school in other states--forget arch-rivals--are anathema, literally shunned when they dare return home. Considering how we routinely ante up our all-stars to Oklahoma, Louisiana, Michigan, and others, Texas is obviously more beneficent.
I recall Barry Switzer once said about recruiting Texas that once he got "all that state loyalty bullshit out of the way, it's easy to get them to Norman." (Gawd! The mere thought of prefering Norman to Austin brings on a severe acid reflux attack!) And let's face it, Brown is a good coach, but Stoops is better tactically and creatively. . . Boise State notwithstanding. (Even that, thrown in with forfeiting a year's worth of wins, didn't seem to stifle his recruiting.) And he did win the Conference without a Bomar-quality QB (who wanted to come to UT) and with only about half-a-season from a Heisman runner-up (who was going to come to UT until . . .but that's another story!).
So excuse me if I believe top rated players from Texas can make a difference between a good and a great team, whether they play for Texas or not. And I just wonder what they are told--or given--that makes them trade the Lone Star for a covered wagon in a legendary rivalry that usually has national implications.
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String the classes
Last year OU came up empty with a terrible class. This year they are getting some top kids. Next year, who knows. Maybe Texas gets most of the top prospects next season or maybe just another solid class.
I prefer the consistent depth of Texas to the highs and lows of OU right now. Look at all the attrition they've had, because they didn't get the right guys.
If OU falls flat this season you can blame erratic recruiting, because they couldn't get a QB to stick for several years.
How will that look to 09 recruits?
I think Mack has a pretty firm history of sorting through the recruting BS and more or less finding guys who can play and develop. It will concern me a little when we see a trend of OU getting all the top players, but one year doesn't worry me.
There are too many good players in Texas.
I'm fine with our recruiting
due to academic expectations & current roster depth UT will not always land the state's top recruits. OU's great recruiting class next year probably has a lot more to do with their roster attrition and the inability A&M and Tech to win consistently (and recruit top talent) than it has to do with our ability to recruit.
There is more talent in the state that can stock an entire team, so its natural that a lot of it won't stay in state.
Mack has shown an ability to recruit top talent with very little attrition other than Ramonce's off the field stuff and VY leaving early. In the long run of Mack's tenure, he's probably just beginning to hit his stride.
My only concern continues to be QB recruiting. We need to add another top prospect this year or next year.
Low Attrition?
Mack has shown an ability to recruit top talent with very little attrition other than Ramonce's off the field stuff and VY leaving early.
.
I still can't understand how that bit of urban myth continues to survive. Mack Brown is a heck of a recruiter, but the level of attrition is anything but low.
Just since the 2002 class (inclusive) we've had the following leave the program:
Chase Pittman (understandably)
Sonny Davis
Clint Haney
Dustin Miksch
Garnet Smith
Bryan Pickryl
Robert Timmons
Edorian McCullough
Mike Williams
Marco Martin
Albert Hardy
Marcus Myers
Kyle Thornton
Eric Foreman
Erik Hardeman
Myron Hardy
Ramonce Taylor
Bobby Tatum
George Walker
Greg Dolan
Michael Houston
Jarrell Wilkerson
Chris Brown
Jevan Snead
J'Marcus Webb
Roy Watts
Robert Joseph
Those 03 losses were bad
Pickryl, McCullough, and Williams were all supposed to be amazing.
Shame about Walker
Texas receiver George Walker has been forced to quit the team because of lingering knee problems.
He has been placed on a medical scholarship, and he will remain in school.
Walker was a top high school prospect but didn’t see much action in his two seasons with the Longhorns. He did not catch a pass last year.
by patienthornsfan on Jul 25, 2007 5:31 AM CDT up reply actions
There are a couple of guys
on Hornchamps list that left due to injuries.
What is the point of this?
Do you realize how many UT freshman and sophmores who are just regular students end up transferring? And they aren't playing an injury prone sport or competing for anything.
Attending college and playing on the football team are optional endeavors -- and both come with certain expectations.
Attrition is going to happen.
Give me something to compare that to
Without knowing what the average attrition rate at a major program, that list really has little meaning.
27 leaving since 2002 could be average, a lot or the lowest in the country.
every team has a list like this
You can't name a D-1 school with a single sizeable recruiting class that doesn't have a few players that never see the field. The expectation that all recruits make the field (and an impact) is completely absurd, no matter how many stars rivals puts next to their name after high school.
The point of my comment was not that all our recruits pan out---they don't. Most of those that seen the field, however, have stayed for their 4 years and have been productive. The ones that don't stick around (i.e. get booted off the team, transfer, or leave for the NFL early) I consider to be attrition. Just glancing at your list, I'd say there are probably 5 or 6 of those since 2002.
You don't need 20+ recruits every year to stock a talented team year in & out. In this year's team, the only position that attrition has really caused an issue is depth at QB.
What?
the only position that attrition has really caused an issue is depth at QB.
-------------------------------------------------
You don't see a problem with our depth at OT? And that is IF Ulatoski can hold down the RT job. How much experience & ability do you see at the second line of OTs? Just how inexperienced and lacking in depth do you see our OT situation next season?
As for QB, depth is not the problem. Keeping all 4 of them on campus will be the challenge. If things aren't handled correctly, S.Harris and/or J.Chiles may well be looking for a new home.
Tech doesn't win consistently?
We're 9-5, 8-5, 8-4, 9-3, and 8-5 over the past five years. That's pretty consistent.
I'm not trying to be defensive. If your position really is that 8-9 win seasons aren't good seasons (and Texas surely has higher expectations than Texas Tech) then ignore me. I disagree, obviously.
by Red Blooded on Jul 24, 2007 5:22 PM CDT reply actions
Completely Agree
I heard a comment on the radio yesterday that Tech is the only Big 12 team that has not had a losing season since the inception of the conference. I'd say that's pretty damn consistent.
The sky is falling!!!!!
Now that Mac has shown that he has obviously lost it, who are we going to get to replace him?
--------------------------------------------------
- Step back from the ledge.
- Take deep breaths
- Take at look at this.
- Go to the Texas 100.
- Flip through each year
- Come to some realizations:
a. UT does not get the top recruit every year, but they are consistently the best looking at all of the years
b. In 2008, UT has just as many recruits in the top 10 that OU does
c. The team did not go to shit in 2004 after AP and Bomar went to OU.
d. Way too much time is spent by fans trying to determine how good 16 - 18 year old kids are at football and agonizing about where they chose to go to school, leave that to the coaches, that is why we pay them ridiculous amounts of money.
Colt was a 3 Star I think........
I guess one of his back ups should be starting because of their higher rating. I agree with you Wells
Step back from the ledge.
Take deep breaths
Example: C-Mac
Colt is a good example of why Texas fans shouldn't obsess over rankings. In 2005 Colt wasn't in the Rivals 100 or (I'm pretty sure) the espn 150. Let's look at who was in that class
Mark Sanchez USC - hasn't played yet, but will probably be good. Had a rape thing that went away
Ryan Perriloux - never played, was kicked off team for riverboat gambling. Ironically, the blurb on rivals includes the quote, "has improved his decision making."
In fact, the top QBs from 2004 haven't been altogether great either. Bomar needs no comment, but X Lee still wont start at FSU, and Morelli is a complete head case a Penn St. Henne has turned out to be good, despite doing his best Drew Bledsoe impression last year and imitating a block of granite.
CMac and Chase Daniel are easily the best QBs of '05 so far, and they were left off of all the super prep lists. So lets not worry about the rankings websites quite as much.
2004
After signing day 2004, I didn't think we would ever beat OU again.
by cortexas on Jul 25, 2007 11:05 PM CDT reply actions
But does anyone have an answer to my question?
I've read lots of discussion about attrition and quality over the long haul and OU's ups and downs in Texas recruiting. I can see why players might want to go to the schools where their dads played. And I can understand losses like Dodge, especially with less than a fifty per cent chance of making starting QB at UT, going to his dad's new school. Ditto Jevan Snead, transfering in the face of being a career backup, barring a one-year starting job in the unlikely event McCoy jumps to the NFL early. And I can understand losing key positions when it's obvious a superior talent is in their same grad class or maybe just one year ahead, as with Snead (and I think Bomar was in that position). And I can understand why players might go to A&M. (Well, I really can't; it's a different situation and I'm just being patronizing.)
But I'd still like to know: What is the sales pitch that makes Texas schoolboys go to an archrival like OU?
by cabalnamedclyde on Jul 26, 2007 7:38 PM CDT reply actions
I agree with
But I'd still like to know: What is the sales pitch that makes Texas schoolboys go to an archrival like OU?
I will never understand it, I don't want any explanations, I'll never knowingly shake hands with, or talk to a f@@@@@g traitor that leaves Texas to play at ou. Period...............
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