OTF Premium Why this is a dangerous new era for a college football program

[Gerry Hamilton]

This is why this is a dangerous new era for a college football program 

Was looking at NFL Draft picks since Steve Sarkisian got to Austin. There have been 28 players selected in the NFL Draft since 2023. 

There are two categories I'm putting guys into in the current era or forget development, and it's portal os bust.

The two categories are: Wouldn't likely have been signed out of high school, and wouldn't likely have been retained to fully develop

Wouldn't likely have been signed out of high school ...
Byron Murphy - no chance Texas would have signed him out of HS

Jahdae Barron - very little chance to no chance Texas would have signed him out of HS.

T'Vonde Sweat - not likely signed out of HS. 

Christian Jones - zero chance signed out of HS.

Jaylan Ford - not very likely signed out of HS. 

Gunnar Helm - 50/50 would have been signed out of HS. 

Barryn Sorrell - not very likely signed out of HS. 

Wouldn't likely have been retained to fully develop ...

Vernon Broughton - not likely retained

Moro Ojomo - not likely retained

Jonathon Brooks - possibly not retained. 

Jaydon Blue - not likely retained.

Alfred Collins - 50/50 at best if retained early in career.

DeMarvion Overshown - 50/50 if retained early in career.

Jordan Whittington - 50/50 at best if he would have been retained after first two years. 

 

 

[diegozanna20]

[Shmatt]

The value of the mid 4 star level prospects and high 3 star is all but gone. No one wants to sit and develop anymore, nor are some schools willing to let these guys develop. Just seems like a very volatile new age in college football.

[LRDuncan]

I find this a dangerous game to play especially with Brooks entering the portal today.  He had been mentioned as someone the staff really liked, but rather than pay him to keep and develop they let him walk.

I like how 2026 is shaping up but beyond that is not looking all that great.  I cannot help but think Sark is loading up for 2026 and then he'll head to the NFL with Arch after this season.

[Glass Joe]

All true.  However, there is a third category “Players Texas could’ve acquired in the Portal anytime they wanted to”, and (conveniently) all of those players above would fall into this category.  
 
Problem solved!  😂

[diegozanna20]

I get not retaining everyone, especially at positions where you can reload every year through the portal (like WR for example).
But you gotta retain some guys.
I really don't like Brooks leaving. I really don't.
Bo Barnes too.

[SportsTalk_J]

Do guys like these fill up indianas roster and that’s why they’re undefeated playing for a natty?

[mmdaytontexas]

13 minutes ago, diegozanna20 said:

Just curious, how did you embed that Gif? Thanks. 

[cdibbs]

How many of those guys would've been portal targets after a year or two at another school though?

[HookemDTX]

4 minutes ago, mmdaytontexas said:

Just curious, how did you embed that Gif? Thanks. 

 

Like this.

[mmdaytontexas]

5 minutes ago, HookemDTX said:

 

Like this.

Haha! 😁

[jdhdavis]

Saban used to sell recruits the value of developing in the early years with elite and developed athletes going to the NFL. Now the temptation is to go to lesser ranked programs to play earlier and get paid, but practicing against a lower tier of teammates with the hope of transferring up in later years. Will be a challenge to compare which model works best for the NFL. 

[Bunk Moreland]

26 minutes ago, Glass Joe said:

All true.  However, there is a third category “Players Texas could’ve acquired in the Portal anytime they wanted to”, and (conveniently) all of those players above would fall into this category.  
 
Problem solved!  😂

Not sure if this is tongue in cheek, but I actually think it’s correct. For every Vernon Broughton Texas opts not to retain, there will be a Jalen Walker available in the portal. For every Jaydon Blue, there’s a Raleek Brown. You potentially miss on high-impact, NFL draft pick type players that you’re not willing to wait on, but you can potentially substitute in future NFL first-rounders in their place. Not saying one way is better than the other, and not many schools can do it the second way like Texas can. But that’s why it’s good to be the king.

[stephanie]

18 minutes ago, mmdaytontexas said:

Just curious, how did you embed that Gif? Thanks. 

Press on what you want to save. Save it to photos. Insert in your comment. 

[texcoyote15]

This is getting crazy 

[HookemDTX]

4 minutes ago, stephanie said:

Press on what you want to save. Save it to photos. Insert in your comment. 

You can also just copy and paste some pics.

[Jeff05]

Ok

[mmdaytontexas]

6 minutes ago, stephanie said:

Press on what you want to save. Save it to photos. Insert in your comment. 

Gracias! 🤘

[HookemDTX]

1 minute ago, mmdaytontexas said:

Gracias! 🤘

Still waiting on your first embedded post, my friend.

[Hookem72]

If you look beyond the top echelon teams-a lot of lower ranked teams have revenue sharing to throw at lower ranked players on higher ranked teams, so the incentive is for the player to go develop and get paid.   People forget that most teams have 15+ million to share with their players.  This just creates inflation at the top and top tier teams will have to cover that 15+ million “new money” and then what they were already paying.  I give this thing three years before legislation takes over and it gets flushed.  We better get our natty now. 

[Gerry Hamilton]

28 minutes ago, cdibbs said:

How many of those guys would've been portal targets after a year or two at another school though?

For Texas? Not many after two years 

[Austalgia]

And it’s been said there are portal guys always to fill spots . The developed 3 star or low 4 star is always cheaper than the open market bidding war you get in the portal.  And what noone is talking about.  Sarks offense is super complicated.  He better change his philosophy to a plug and play system like a Gundy or Leach.  These year to year  piece together teams will have to learn his complicated offense that others couldn’t learn in 3/4 years.  

Edited 1 hour ago by Austalgia

[PaulieD]

1 hour ago, Gerry Hamilton said:

This is why this is a dangerous new era for a college football program 

Was looking at NFL Draft picks since Steve Sarkisian got to Austin. There have been 28 players selected in the NFL Draft since 2023. 

There are two categories I'm putting guys into in the current era or forget development, and it's portal os bust.

The two categories are: Wouldn't likely have been signed out of high school, and wouldn't likely have been retained to fully develop

Wouldn't likely have been signed out of high school ...
Byron Murphy - no chance Texas would have signed him out of HS

Jahdae Barron - very little chance to no chance Texas would have signed him out of HS.

T'Vonde Sweat - not likely signed out of HS. 

Christian Jones - zero chance signed out of HS.

Jaylan Ford - not very likely signed out of HS. 

Gunnar Helm - 50/50 would have been signed out of HS. 

Barryn Sorrell - not very likely signed out of HS. 

Wouldn't likely have been retained to fully develop ...

Vernon Broughton - not likely retained

Moro Ojomo - not likely retained

Jonathon Brooks - possibly not retained. 

Jaydon Blue - not likely retained.

Alfred Collins - 50/50 at best if retained early in career.

DeMarvion Overshown - 50/50 if retained early in career.

Jordan Whittington - 50/50 at best if he would have been retained after first two years. 

 

 

Excellent point, @Gerry Hamilton.  College athletics was originally designed to help athletes grow.  

How can they do so if the NIL limits positions to the very few?

[freerobertshmurder]

This just makes me sad. Part of the magic of college football was being able to see guys like Jahdae and T. Sweat, relatively low-rated prospects without high expectations, develop and grow from depth pieces into starters and eventually into the best football players in the entire country. Even though it makes sense for Texas to only go after high blue chip prospects out of HS and productive, talented players out of the portal, losing that aspect of players coming out of nowhere to become superstars for you is gonna suck

[GDI]

1 hour ago, Gerry Hamilton said:

Jaydon Blue - not likely retained.

I doubt he would have even been offered given his HS background.  

Wasn't he kicked off the team and they let the team vote to let him back and they voted no?