Burnt Orange Nation

Thoughts on the Round Rock SQT

2012-05-26T23:44:48Z

Thoughts on the Round Rock SQT

Several FBS quarterback prospects stood out at the Round Rock SQT on Saturday.

The possible Texas target there was 2014 Lake Travis APB Varshaun Nixon, as the 'Horns will likely target a player at his position in the class and he's one of the most highly-regarded recruits in 2014 there.

Dontre Wilson Picks Oregon Over Texas

2012-05-26T00:40:11Z

The most shocking thing about what went down Friday night at the DeSoto spring game wasn't 2013 all-purpose back Dontre Wilson announcing his choice of Oregon over Texas, Ohio State, and others. It was a hectic month finally coming to a close for the speedster that saw him announce and delay his decision before returning to his original plan.

At times, it seemed that Wilson wasn't on the same page with his father and his head coach, as conflicting reports emerged from regarding the timing of his decision and his favorites, culminating in Wilson telling Horns Nation on Thursday that he was tired of the recruiting process ($) and wanted to get it over with.

Oregon has always seemed like a better fit for Wilson than Texas, as Chip Kelly's offense will take full advantage of his skillset, something that the Longhorns can only promise, but not show any evidence of delivering. Co-offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin could only try to sell Wilson on the idea of playing in a DJ Monroe role, except he would actually get the football. Wilson didn't buy it.

In terms of how it impacts Texas recruiting, it doesn't much. It keeps open another spot, but Wilson has been such a longshot for so long that he hasn't figured heavily into serious analysis of the state of recruiting for the 'Horns. A luxury take ever since the addition of Daje Johnson in the 2012 class, losing Wilson isn't much of a blow for Texas, despite his prodigious talents.

Texas Recruiting 2014: Offensive Overview

2012-05-24T15:58:09Z

With Texas down to a handful of spots in the 2013 class, it's time to take a look at the 2014 class and the potential targets on the offensive side of the ball. Some positions, like quarterback and wide receiver, appear to be reasonably set in terms of the top potential targets, while other positions, like running back, tight end, and offensive line, will likely feature some significant movement or players emerging onto the radar in the fall.

Quarterback: At this point, the debate essentially comes down to Denton Guyer's Jerrod Heard and Fort Bend Bush's Ronald Monroe. The latter has better size, but was encouraged by his coach not to take off and run, despite having athleticism that most coaches would feature heavily in the running game. The shorter Heard hit his stride about halfway through his sophomore season as he attempted to fill the shoes of current Oklahoma State quarterback JW Walsh and is a more proven running threat than Monroe.

The best guess at this point is that Heard will be the guy, as Bryan Harsin has been by Guyer this spring to evaluate Heard in person. The Guyer signal-caller grew up a Longhorn fan, but will he be willing to join what is becoming a crowded quarterback position?

Running back: There's not much separation at the position in state at this point and it may ultimately come down to what type of back Texas wants to take in the class. The coaches have also been on the road checking in on prospects in Louisiana and Nevada, so the ultimate take in the class could come from out of state.

If Texas wants an all-purpose back (a likelihood given the long odds on Dontre Wilson), Lake Travis' Vershaun Nixon is a possibility, while another local product in Samaje Perine from Pflugerville Hendrickson ranks among the best. Despite checking in at around 50 in the state on the first LSR, Aldine Eisenhower running back Donald Catalon may have as much talent/upside at the position as anyone.

Wide receiver: Initially, I didn't see a lot of big-time playmaking talent at the wide receiver position as I watched film on guys like Abilene Wylie's Lorenzo Joe, San Antonio Madison's Byron Daniels, and others. Then I went back and evaluated KD Cannon from Mount Pleasant, Armanti Foreman from Texas City, and Alief Taylor's Keenen Brown.

In what will likely be a small group at the position in 2014 (likely no more than two), those three could well end up being the top targets. Physically, Cannon isn't quite as strong as 2013 prospect Robbie Rhodes, but the two are similar in overall height and athletic ability, as Cannon has the top-end speed and extra gear that makes Rhodes so special, while also bringing some serious ball skills to the table.

In terms of a slot receiver prospect, none in the state are better than Foreman, who is exceptionally quick, could work on jet sweeps in college, and also has some wiggle because of his change of direction ability and lateral quickness.

With the height to play split end, Brown would be the tall receiver option in 2014 in all likelihood, as he combines some smooth athleticism for his height with the ball skills to go up and attack the football. His highlights on Hudl start off with a leaping one-handed grab in the endzone for a touchdown. Impressive.

Tight end: As usual, it's tough to find tight end prospects, with only three on the 2014 LSR -- McNeil's Zach Vaughan, who was out with an injury when I saw the Mavericks play last fall and won't have many pass-catching opportunities in the McNeil option offense, Manvel's Koda Martin, who has his highlights set on private on Hudl, and Euless Trinity's Will Taylor, who projects an H-back and plays in another run-heavy offense, but did lose some weight to improve his speed over the offseason.

Offensive line: This is another difficult position to project. Right now, the only clear target in state seems to be Fort Worth All Saints offensive tackle Demetrius Knox, though he wasn't even ranked on the initial LSR. Knox already holds almost 10 offers, including Alabama, Michigan, Nebraska, and Ohio State.Texas also stopped by to evaluate Ouachita Parish tackle Cameron Robinson, who is ranked fifth overall in the early 247Sports rankings. Unfortunately, his highlights are set on private, too.

Beyond those two, no other prospects have separated themselves, as the current top offensive lineman on the LSR is Nacogdoches' Jacob Bragg, who is an interior prospect at 6-3.

Longhorns Fall To Missouri 5-0; Baseballl Day Two Open Thread

2012-05-24T15:27:54Z

Corey Knebel made just his third career start and it was by far his worst. The sophomore was knocked around for five runs on nine hits in under five innings and the Horns couldn't overcome Missouri's pitching or the extra 'L' the Big 12 decided was necessary for their signage. Nathan Thornhill kept Texas alive with four shutout innings but it was all for naught as the Texas offense managed just five hits and no runs. The Horns have now been shutout twice in their last three games and have scored just seven runs in their last four games.

The Horns return to action today against Kansas at 12:30 in an elimination game. There's not much positive to dwell on from Wednesday so we won't try. Look for Dillon Peters or John Curtiss to pitch today as the Horns try to avoid a two-and-done in Oklahoma City. Join us here for an open thread and video should be available through the Big 12 here.

Longhorns Start Big 12 Tournament on High Note

2012-05-23T18:00:17Z

Last we left Texas baseball they were desperately needing a win over Big 12 champ Baylor before the start of the conference tournament. Texas got just that last Saturday, becoming just the second Big 12 team to beat the Bears this season. John Curtiss made a case for a weekend starting role, throwing 4.2 strong innings and Hoby Milner didn't give up a run in the final 4.1 innings. Jonathan Walsh scored on a wild pitch in the 8th to give Texas a 2-1 lead. The Bears started the 9th with a leadoff double but he was gunned by Mark Payton trying to advance to third in Texas baseball's play of the year to this point.

The victory over Baylor gives Texas three wins this season over teams in Boyd's World's top 15 and should guarantee the Horns a spot in the NCAA tournament regardless of what happens in Oklahoma City this week. A good week at the Big 12 tourney could ensure the Horns will be a 2-seed in a regional somewhere, but we'll see.

Texas hopes to get some revenge tonight against Missouri at 7:30. Video should be available here and you can join us after the jump for the open thread.

Wednesday, May 23
Oklahoma State vs. Oklahoma	9:00 a.m.
Kansas State vs. Baylor	12:30 p.m.
Kansas vs. Texas A&M	4:00 p.m.
Missouri vs. Texas	7:30 p.m.

Phil Steele releases his All-Big 12 team

2012-05-23T17:55:41Z

Phil Steele releases his All-Big 12 team

The Longhorns had several players made the cut, including Malcolm Brown, Kenny Vaccaro, Alex Okafor, and Jackson Jeffcoat.

But is Brown even the best running back on the team. And what about Carrington Byndom, who was left off the list?

Dexter Pittman Makes Headlines With Flagrant Foul

2012-05-23T15:38:53Z

With Chris Bosh injured, former University of Texas center Dexter Pittman has received some minutes for the Miami Heat during the 2012 playoffs, including one start, but Big Sexy made the wrong kind of headlines this morning after his blatant flagrant foul on the Pacers' Lance Stephenson last night. I heard about it on the radio this morning, but only now saw the video:

Oh, Dexter. So not Sexy. And so out of character, from what we know about him from his four years in Austin. Pittman has been known to knock out an opponent before (remember Blake Griffin?), but never, ever with anything intentional. Last night's foul? Yikes. Dexter should prepare to find he's going to miss whatever's left of the playoffs for Miami.

Texas Recruiting 2013: JUCO Targets Emerging?

2012-05-23T14:09:01Z

Two of the most important early-impact members of the 2012 recruiting class came from the junior college ranks, a rare move for Mack Brown, who indicated that Texas would consider continuing to recruit those players to fill needs. It appears that

In recent days, Dodge City (KS) Community College defensive lineman Marcus Hardison and Pierce College tight end Beau Sandland have both surfaced on the radar and though neither has an offer yet, both have significant interest in the Longhorns.

Hardison has expressed a desire to play defensive end despite checking in at 6-4 and 290 pounds, though the need for the 'Horns is at defensive tackle. With nearly 25 offers, including nearly every Big 12 program, Hardison is a highly-sought prospect.

Hardison has indicated that he's been a Texas fan since watching the Rose Bowl game against Michigan and went as far as to say that he would commit if offered ($):

If Texas offered, I'd probably commit in a heartbeat. That would be a dream come true for me. I'd love to play for them and play in that defense. I really hope it all works out. I'm counting on it.

A defensive end for Dodge City, Hardison slides inside at times as a pass-rushing defensive tackle. In high school, he was a solid strongside defensive end with good quickness off the ball and though he still moves well up roughly 40 pounds from that weight, he projects best as a 3-4 defensive end or three-tech defensive tackle.

After expressing a desire to take two tight ends in the 2013 class, the Longhorns have held off on offering another prospect other than commit Durham Smythe of Belton, as JD2 invites Jeremiah Gaines (Red Oak) and Trent Gow (Mansfield) have fallen off the radar.

As a result, the interest in Sandland could be legitimate. At 6-6 and 255 pounds, Sandland has the size the Texas coaches are looking for and plans on taking his official visits in the fall, a timetable that doesn't put any serious pressure on the 'Horns to offer in the immediate future. The ability to play early at Texas should play well with Sandland ($) if he does receive an offer.

A strong athlete for his size, Sandland has the speed to stretch the seam and create yardage after the catch, though he admitted that he's more of a threat there than in the blocking game. In looking at him physically, he looks like he needs some work on his upper body, but the mass is there to keep from being pushed around too much as an in-line blocker with a little bit effort.