Brandon Alexander Receives Texas Offer ($)
2011 Brenham DE Brandon Alexander is the fastest-rising prospect in the state of Texas and the Longhorns are now short of defensive ends on scholarship.
It was probably a no-brainer, then, for Oscar Giles to extend Alexander an offer late last week when he visited Brenham and an invitation to take an official visit to campus on January 21.
The Aggies are thought to be one of the leaders for Alexander, who grew up in the state of Louisiana and has expressed a desire to play in the SEC.
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Nathan Hughes
Is Alexander really better? Hughes was really high on us but didn’t get an offer so he opted for OU. Why wouldn’t we offer him if we need another DE?
Also, I sure loved Jonathon Gray, but I still wish that we would take another back in this class and get a run game with a shifty shake and bake speedster to compliment Malcolm Brown.
Is Alexander Texas Good?
Or just the best of what is left?
Not meant to be a knock on him, I just haven’t seen him play.
Jonathan Gray
Holly shit. You guys watching the championship game?
In Mack Brown We Trust!
Concerning DE . . .
seems like the staff needs to work back-channel to try to get one of the already committed in-state players to join us. Or find an out-of-stater to fill a suddenly pressing need.
We’re one injury from starting Dravannti Johnson or having to move Okafor back to end (a move I support and kind of expect to happen) . . . or starting a true freshman.
Depending on the defensive alignment the new coordinator likes...
…Okafor would seem like a good candidate to play a power-end position. In a three-man front or a multiple front that uses a falcon linebacker/end, Okafor could play a big end/tackle hybrid, or he could just spin inside on passing downs.
I don’t know. I’m still aware that depth is really not, well, deep at end, but the level of talent at the position and young depth at tackle makes me think it might not be necessary to keep Okafor there.
Scholarships appear to be as follows…
True tackles (year in program in fall 2011): Bible (2), Randall (3), Cotton (2), Dorsey (2), Howell (3)
End/tackles: Okafor (2), Kriegel (3), Daniels (2)
True ends: Wilson (2), Jeffcoat (2)
LB/ends: D. Johnson, T. Allen (3)?
A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.
by burntorangehorn on Dec 21, 2010 3:13 PM CST up reply actions
Randall will be a senior
Okafor will be a junior and Kriegel was practicing along the offensive line before he got hurt this season.
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by Wescott Eberts (GoBR) on Dec 21, 2010 3:27 PM CST up reply actions
Thanks for the correction
Definitely crossed wires on Okafor and Randall, but that’s even more experience there, then.
I had no idea about Kriegel. Hmm, what really happened there? Did he just not have “it” to play end?
A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.
by burntorangehorn on Dec 21, 2010 5:59 PM CST up reply actions
I thought it was because we were thin at OL
Then we got thin at DT. We definitely need to re-load and this 2011 class looks great if we can sign all of them.
In Kriegel's case, both
He couldn’t cut it defensively (he was trying to make it at tackle) and I doubt he can play in the O-line, especially with Westerman, Greenlea, Flowers, et al coming on board. Kriegel’s one of those signings that never made sense to me.
What's your take on this year's group
We have a few lower rated OL—do you think that they are all good offers?
I watched Doyle in the state championship game
I wasn’t impressed. He is good size height and weight wise but he was average as far as athleticism goes and from what I saw is definitely an inside player in college, not a tackle. Now, he didn’t get beat or anything but his play and technique was just kind of underwhelming for a kid going to Texas, especially when you place him up against Westerman.
I also met Josh Cochran in the coaches box and talked with him for a few minutes. Great kid. Every bit of 6’6. He will need a redshirt year to fill out though.
"I want to be remembered as the guy who gave his all whenever he was on the field."
-Walter Payton
I like our top O-line prospects
But our coaching staff has not done a good job recruiting offensive linemen since 2002 (or developing them), so I’ll reserve judgment for at least a couple of years.
Assuming Westerman doesn’t de-commit, he’ll crack the two-deep next year, and I saw one prediction that he could start. Greenlea tore an ACL in September, which I assume means he’ll just be getting clearance to in the summer. Both are tackles. Flowers is the best guard prospect in the state; he probably sees the field next season. The other three are less well regarded; Cochran projects as a tackle, Doyle as a guard or center, Hutchins probably goes inside as well.
I’d guess four of them redshirt in 2011. We’ll have 12 O-linemen who are freshmen or sophomores this fall, just three (counting Tray Allen) who are are upperclassmen.
Recruits since 2002:
2002
Dallas Griffin 4*
Kyle Thornton 3*
Tony Hills 5* (at TE, obviously)
2004
Cedric Dockery 4*
Greg Dolan 4*
Adam Ulatoski 3*
2005
Charlie Tanner 3*
Chris Hall 3*
2006
Buck Burnette 4*
Roy Watts 3*
Steve Moore 3*
J’Marcus Webb 4*
Britt Mitchell 3* (at TE)
2007
Tray Allen 5*
Aundre McGaskey 4*
Kyle Hix 4*
Michael Huey 4*
2008
Mark Buchanan 4*
Luke Poehlmann 3*
Luke Poehlmann’s mullet 6*
David Snow 4*
2009
Thomas Ashcraft 4*
Paden Kelley 3*
Garrett Porter 4*
Mason Walters 5*
2010
Dominique Espinosa 4*
Trey Hopkins 4*
It would seem like out of Allen, Buchanan, Snow, Ashcraft, Porter, Walters, Espinosa, and Hopkins, there would be enough talent that recruiting wouldn’t seem to have been the problem. Maybe it is, but this really does look like a coaching problem more than anything else. It surely isn’t easy to have had the injuries and attrition over the years, but there should have been enough talent, right? Lots of lines do more with much less.
A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.
by burntorangehorn on Dec 21, 2010 9:15 PM CST up reply actions
Anyone know why.....
B.Burton is so emphatic about Okafor staying inside? He claims no pass rushing skills, though he was an excellent edge rusher in HS. With his height and arm length, you’d think he’s a natural to go back out to DE. He could be another of Oscar Giles’ many NFL DEs. Has any position coach put more of his players in the NFL? Not even close.
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