Texas Gives Up On Torshiro Davis
by Wescott Eberts (GoBR) on Jan 23, 2012 11:24 AM CST
in Texas Longhorns Recruiting
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PrintEven after an official visit to Texas back in December, LSU commit Torshiro Davis never gave the Longhorns much of a bump up his list, despite rumblings behind the scenes that Davis was giving Texas a closer look than he was letting on publicly.
On Monday, the Longhorns essentially admitted defeat in his recruitment according to multiple reports, cancelling a scheduled in-home visit following the official visit that Davis made to Baton Rouge over the weekend.
The Longhorns had recruited the high school defensive end because of a need for an edge rusher in the class and the relationship that defensive tackle coach Bo Davis had built with the Louisiana prospect during his time at Alabama.
However, that relationship was not strong enough to lure Davis out of his home state, no easy task given the, uh, disposition of Tiger fans, who don't take particularly kindly to in-state prospects leaving Tiger country.
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Expected, and par for the course.
I’m glad our staff is still going after it with the OOS kids! Well done.
I'm glad too,
but doesn’t it seem they are going after them late in the process and after they have committed elsewhere?
"Only angry people win football games." --DKR
good try
Though I am not sure edge rusher is near the need people make it out to be. Each player is responsible for a gap and he can not have a 240 DE getting destroyed in his run fits. He relies on confusion to create pressure and is quite happy to bring LBs and Safeties to add to the pressure.
One of the big turning points in terms of defense in 2011 IMO
Was when we started getting pressure on the QB by our DE’s. Once Jeffcoat (250 lb) in particular turned it on our defense became downright nasty. After Jeffcoat leaves, I don’t see another edge rushing DE on the roster.
I understand that Diaz can scheme around this using LB’s and safeties, just like Harsin can scheme around not having a blocking/passing TE. But I doubt either would chose to not have that weapon in their belt.
by Horncasting on Jan 23, 2012 11:52 AM CST up reply actions
jeffcoat
Would you consider him an edge rusher? He is more of technician. perhaps it the term “edge rusher” that confuses me. When I hear that I think under-sized and fast. Jeffcoat does not seem to fit that description. Torisho is 6’3" and 220. Kind of a hybrid. Wilson is behind Jeffcoat. He has plenty of natural ability to rush the passer if it ever clicks for him
"undersized but fast"
is a pretty common relation to edge rusher, but I think in this sense we are talking about somebody to get to the QB.
Although Jeffcoat is a technician, he has more than enough natural athletic ability to be both.
agree
torisho is a hybrid. Pure speed guy. Not sure he could be every down DE. Defense took off after Jeffcoat started to play the run well. Basically, he became a complete player. Guessing health was a big factor there. Plus I am less worried about rush ends given the over-all strength of the D-line. Lots of talent at DT. Many of the wunderkind have excellent speed. Texas has a couple of yrs to develop a DE, because the speed at DT will cause interior lineman fits and open the way for DEs and LBs to get pressure.
True. I think DE is very hard to evaluate
because you have a lot of bigger kids dominating, and they look fast, but what KIND of fast? Straightline? Laterally? I’d take a complete player that can also do well against the run.
Not saying Davis won’t be a good player in that respect, just throwing out my two cents.
Good point
Defense took off after Jeffcoat started to play the run well. Basically, he became a complete player.
He’d gotten so much better at getting to the QB, I just took for granted how much progress he made in stopping the run (especially when the play was going right at him). 2nd half of the year it was like he was a different player.
The big need in my mind is for a true pass rushing DE
I would put these guys in that category:
Jeffcoat was 6-3, 230 at signing;
Orkapo 6-4, 220
Kindle 6-4, 225
All of the above were/are very good pash rushers, who also played well against the run. All 3 are roughly the same size at Davis at this point.
Davis
Jackson was 6"4" and now listed at 6’5". Orakpo was 6’4". Sergio listed at 6’3" now and he is a LB, so not a great comparison. Torisho ran a 4.56 at the opening, which is amazing. I am only questioning how much weight he can pack on and keep his speed. He maybe better off as a LB in college and may never grow into a DE. He is a great prospect, but if he does not grow into a DE it is not a huge miss for Texas. LB is one of the deepest positions on the roster.
Kindle's not a bad comparison either, though
Because he did end up playing buck at Texas once Orakpo left. He was a little more productive as a junior rush linebacker than as an end, but he did make the move.
"Anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.'"
― Isaac Asimov
by burntorangehorn on Jan 23, 2012 1:54 PM CST up reply actions
I think Orakpo just looks like a bad comparison in hindsight
He was the same weight, similar speed and only an inch taller. Nobody could project that he’d be able to gain that amount of size and power, while also(seemingly) getting quicker.
i actually
agree. I think with MB, Dez, and Whaley. UT will have some of the pass rushing DT in the country and will lessen the need to for a specialist at the DE spot.
Reggie Wilson and Cedric Reed
They seem like the most natural candidates to succeed Jeffcoat on that side, but I’ve always thought that Wilson seemed destined to play strong end. If he is truly just 6’3" 250lbs., then he might have neither the speed for buck nor size for strong. Reed has the frame to play strong, but is actually Jeffcoat’s understudy on the depth chart right now. I couldn’t tell you from what I saw last year whether he seems like a good future pass-rusher in that spot.
Timing-wise, it would seriously be great if Jeffcoat (buck) and Wilson (SDE) were to both be on the team in 2013, with Whaley (SDE) and Reed (buck/SDE) getting lots of snaps as well. I do agree that Jeffcoat seems the only sure-fire edge-rusher right now, but I do wonder if someone like Benson or Thompson might be able to transition. Neither Bluiett nor Ridgeway is really a natural pass-rusher among 2012 DE commits. While one would normally think a 2012 linebacker recruit could grow into an edge-rusher, I don’t see that kind of athleticism and frame combo among the LB commitments so far.
Perhaps another big problem is that the great state of Texas doesn’t seem to offer a lot in terms of pass-rushers in 2013. Someone can certainly correct me if I’m wrong, but I just don’t see anyone very highly regarded at the position. There was a lot of buzz about Mike Mitchell for a while, but his name doesn’t appear to be anywhere around Texas recruiting talk. What’s up there?
"Anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.'"
― Isaac Asimov
by burntorangehorn on Jan 23, 2012 1:18 PM CST up reply actions
Does anyone else feel......
Like the way this years recruiting is closing out the urgency to win, win big, and win now is becoming more and more important? We have a phenominal class but we should be able to lure some of these others were missing on. I think the rebuilding project may need to step up to keep momentum on the national recruiting level.
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