Is Daeshon Hall's Texas commitment in jeopardy? Back in March, Lancaster defensive end and Texas commit Daeshon Hall took a visit to Baylor with his high school teammates for the Baylor Pro Day, telling the services that it was an innocent trip and that he smoothed out any wrinkles with the Texas coaching staff upon informing them of the trip afterwards. As with any recruit taking such a trip without telling the prior to going, the staff essentially told Hall not to do it again. Hall told Orangebloods.com that it would not happen again ($).
Well, it may have, only weeks after Hall made that statement. Rumors surfaced last weekend that he made an unofficial trip to Texas A&M, confirmed to Hookem.com ($) by a source at Lancaster. Hall declined to discuss it with the service.
If the trip did happen, Hall's commitment could be in serious question, as Mack Brown has little tolerance for commits taking other visits and even less for prospects who do so without informing the coaching staff. It could well be the case that another visit for Hall would effectively end his commitment to Texas, whether he chooses to inform the staff beforehand or not.
Antwuan Davis has a list. Following a trip to South Bend to take in the Notre Dame campus last weekend, the Bastrop cornerback now has a list of favorites ($) -- Texas, TCU, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Baylor, with the Irish apparently not making the cut. Speaking as a born and raised Hoosier, it's understandable that such a visit would be absolutely underwhelming. Indiana is not a cool state.
The Longhorns still appear to be in pole position with Davis, who is the odds-on favorite to become the 14th commitment in the class for Texas, though he indicated that he doesn't currently have a timetable for a decision. Despite that proclamation, it's hard to see his recruitment extending into his senior season.
If the Longhorns can manage to land Davis, it could help swing the pendulum back in the direction of Texas with friend Maurice Smith, who doesn't have a leader (officially), but would have Alabama out in front if he did.
Jacorey Warrick invited to The Opening. After participating in the Dallas NFTC back in March, on Wednesday evening the future 'Horn was given the chance to attend The Opening:
S/O and congrats to Cypress Falls (Texas) WR Jacorey Warrick (@PeteyWeStraw11), the 25th official invitee to the 2012 #THEOPENING #Hookem
— The Opening (@TheOpening2012) April 19, 2012
Of the 25 prospects currently slated to attend the event, nine are from Texas and four are committed to Texas. So far, quarterback Tyrone Swoopes, wide receiver Jake Oliver, and lineman Jake Raulerson are scheduled to make the trip out to Oregon.
So, Eldridge Massington is fast. Like, really fast, especially when his 6-3 height is considered. How fast? This fast:
Sick fast for 6-3, 200+ pounds. RT @WMrecruiting: Eldridge Massington ( @OH_GOTTAMAN ) just won the 15-4A 100 meters with a 10.66!
— Wescott Eberts (@SBN_Wescott) April 13, 2012
The next question, obviously, is whether the time was legit. It was:
Ppl keep asking was @OH_GOTTAMAN 's 10.66 yesterday hand time..No! It was FAT. It's already posted on dyestat.com
— Wrangler Recruiting (@WMrecruiting) April 13, 2012
The West Mesquite wideout is now up to 20 offers after picking up one from Oklahoma State yesterday and sounds like he is interested in visiting Michigan ($) and the California schools (USC, UCLA, Cal), as well as Notre Dame and Tennessee.
With rumors currently circulating that Dallas Skyline wide receiver Ra'Shaad Samples is leaning towards Texas A&M, Massington is a guy who could be in the mix for an offer from the Longhorns, though Hookem.com continues to maintain that Fort Worth Southwest wide receiver Robbie Rhodes is higher on the board than Massington.
The same site also believes that Texas would have a tough time landing Massington at this point, but it would be worth a shot, as he has the best size/speed combination of all the tall 2013 wide receivers (of whom there are about 100 in Texas this cycle) and that means that his skillset is less redundant than that of Samples or Rhodes.
Former 'Horn center Dallas Griffin fighting MS, riding for cure. It's not related to recruiting, but the Houston Chronicle profiled the battle of former Texas center Draddy Award winner Dallas Griffin, who has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and will ride in the BP MS 150 this weekend from Houston to Austin to help find a cure.
The article is worth reading, as it profiles the assistance that Griffin has received from co-workers, family members, and former teammates in battling a condition that doctors still know relatively little about -- what causes it or how to effectively treat it.
What is perhaps most shocking about the article is the picture of Griffin. Always undersized for a center, Griffin still weighed 285 pounds during his football career and has now lost 100 pounds. Whether that's mostly a result of changing his diet and riding his bicycle extensively or due to the multiple sclerosis, he now looks nothing like the former offensive lineman that he is.
Best of luck to Griffin with his battle.