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Two weeks after suffering the first attrition of the 2015 recruiting class in the Charlie Strong era, the Texas Longhorns received word of another decommitment on Monday with the news that Sherman offensive guard Aaron Garza has ended his pledge to the Horns, according to multiple reports.
The 6'3, 320-pounder had pledged to Texas in March of 2013 after attending the first-ever Sophomore Day held by the Horns in an attempt to get a faster start on 2015 recruiting than had happened with the 2014 class. A consensus three-star prospect, Garza is rated as the No. 40 offensive guard nationally, the No. 86 player in the state of Texas, and the No. 669 player nationally in the 247Sports Composite rankings.
He holds offers from Auburn, Baylor, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, and USC, with the Tigers perhaps making a move in Garza's recruitment, as the first 247Sports Crystal Ball prediction has now come in for Auburn following the Sherman product's decommitment.
The fact that Garza was offered by the Cowboys when new offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Joe Wickline decreases the likelihood that Wickline decided to pull Garza's offer, though already having two other likely guards in the class tilts the pendulum back in the direction of Garza no longer being in the longterm plans of the Longhorns.
From the sound of what Garza told Rivals, Wickline isn't quite sold on the big guard:
"I talked to (Joe) Wickline. He's just kind of saying that he doesn't know where my offer stands right now, if they're going to honor it," Garza said.
A right tackle for Sherman, Garza is the least athletic among the four players who were committed to Texas in the 2015 offensive line class. He doesn't always look natural bending and keeping a flat back as a run blocker, tending to use his size and strength advantage from a more upright stance. With those attributes, it's going to be hard for Garza to win the leverage battle in college unless he can improve his flexibility.
Garza had been the first pledge for Texas in the 2015 class and joins Lufkin athlete Keke Coutee as the other decommitment following the hire of Strong. Now with seven pledges, three of whom are offensive lineman, the group sits at No. 2 nationally behind Texas A&M and No. 1 in the Big 12 in the 247Sports Composite team rankings.
