Jump to content

Does UT have a problem recruiting the best in state?


Recommended Posts

While our recruiting has been overall fantastic, there have been some concerns that perhaps we are not hitting on as many top 10 state prospects as we could from some people, and I was wondering is this really a problem.   I just went through the last few consensus rankings and tried to figure out if we ever had a shot:

2024 commits - Simmons, Black, Filsame

2024 recruited at same or better level - Hudson (Wingo), Tatum (debatable but seems like our coaches just liked our 2 guys better)

2024 got beat - Williams, Bussey, Jonah-Ajonye

2024 never recruited - Lagway, Flowers

2023 commits - Hill, Cook, Muhammad

2023 recruited at same or better level - Arnold (Manning), Owens (Baxter)

2023 got beat - Hicks, Bowen, Simpson-Hunt, Toviano, Hale (debatable.. maybe pulled back late)

2022 commits - Campbell, Banks, Brooks

2022 recruited at same or better level - Klubnic / Weigman (debatable with Murphy, though both guys ended up ranked way higher)

2022 got beat - Stewart, Perkins, Harris, Anderson

2022 never recruited - Marshall

 

So we're pulling in 3 top 10s a year, losing on 3-4 a year, getting a few out of state equivalents.  Is that a good level going forward or are we capable of doing better every year?

in 2025, moore and sanchez are committed elsewhere #1 and 2.   we are probably behind on williams, brew.  perhaps doing okay with fasusi, pettijohn, terry.  no idea on haywood, lockett, marsh

 

 

 

  • Hook 'Em 3
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderators

I think what's interesting about the topic is how much Texas is recruiting nationally now ...

If you take all the final national rankings ...

Brandon Baker and Ryan Wingo would have ranked inside the top 10 in the state of Texas. So Texas has Colin Simmons, Kobe Black and Xavier Filsaime + Baker and Wingo of guys that would be top 10 in Texas if all lived in the state. 

Within that top 10, Texas didn't go all in or after a couple of guys - Terry Bussey and Taylor Tatum. Texas liked some other guys better, wrong or right. And Texas didn't offer QB DJ Lagway, wrong or right. 

Texas absolutely would have taken LB Justin Williams and DL Joseph Jonah-Ajonye ... but both signed with Georgia. 

 

It was the same in the 2023 class ...

Arch Manning and CJ Baxter would have been top 10 ranked prospects in Texas. That means Texas didn't go after two top 10 ranked prospects - Rueben Owens and Jackson Arnold. 

Texas got top 10 ranked Anthony Hill. Johntay Cook and Malik Muhammad.

Wrong or right, didn't push for a couple of guys ranked in the top 10. 

  • Hook 'Em 12
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderators

Other thing I would say ... the top 10 ranked kids in 2025 right now is pretty much irrelevant to me. It's going to change a lot in the coming weeks and months...

 

For instance ... I like Ryan Fodje (Bridgeland) much more than Ty Haywood at OT. Fodje is a 3-star right now, but he won't be. 

 

I'll have more on rankings in 2025 tomorrow. 

  • Hook 'Em 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderators

I wouldn't say Texas has a problem recruiting in Texas to the topic. 

For me, Texas needs to keep on the path they have set out. Keep building a team, and not just collecting talent. 

If Sark recruits top 5-10 level classes on average and wins enough in the portal, the Horns will be a fixture in the 12 team playoff moving forward. 

  • Hook 'Em 10
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Gerry Hamilton said:

I wouldn't say Texas has a problem recruiting in Texas to the topic. 

For me, Texas needs to keep on the path they have set out. Keep building a team, and not just collecting talent. 

If Sark recruits top 5-10 level classes on average and wins enough in the portal, the Horns will be a fixture in the 12 team playoff moving forward. 

"Building a team! Not just collecting talent" should be the motto of the Texas recruiting department.

Edited by OTF12024
  • Hook 'Em 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderators
6 minutes ago, OTF12024 said:

"Building a team! Not just collecting talent" should be the motto of the Texas recruiting department.

I believe they have done a very good job of that to this point. I have seen zero signs of deviation from that ... paramount that continues because with the success in 2023 and playoff appearance, got to keep from the next couple of classes having too much "expect it to happen" vs. making it happen again. 

  • Hook 'Em 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

43 minutes ago, Quinncent McManning, Jr. said:

While our recruiting has been overall fantastic, there have been some concerns that perhaps we are not hitting on as many top 10 state prospects as we could from some people, and I was wondering is this really a problem.   I just went through the last few consensus rankings and tried to figure out if we ever had a shot:

2024 commits - Simmons, Black, Filsame

2024 recruited at same or better level - Hudson (Wingo), Tatum (debatable but seems like our coaches just liked our 2 guys better)

2024 got beat - Williams, Bussey, Jonah-Ajonye

2024 never recruited - Lagway, Flowers

2023 commits - Hill, Cook, Muhammad

2023 recruited at same or better level - Arnold (Manning), Owens (Baxter)

2023 got beat - Hicks, Bowen, Simpson-Hunt, Toviano, Hale (debatable.. maybe pulled back late)

2022 commits - Campbell, Banks, Brooks

2022 recruited at same or better level - Klubnic / Weigman (debatable with Murphy, though both guys ended up ranked way higher)

2022 got beat - Stewart, Perkins, Harris, Anderson

2022 never recruited - Marshall

 

So we're pulling in 3 top 10s a year, losing on 3-4 a year, getting a few out of state equivalents.  Is that a good level going forward or are we capable of doing better every year?

in 2025, moore and sanchez are committed elsewhere #1 and 2.   we are probably behind on williams, brew.  perhaps doing okay with fasusi, pettijohn, terry.  no idea on haywood, lockett, marsh

 

 

 

Texas kids are not as loyal like the old days. This can be said for most of the state universities. Most of the top 25 Texas talent went to out of state schools. This is why it’s important that Texas recruit out of State.

  • Hook 'Em 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderators
1 hour ago, Quinncent McManning, Jr. said:

Thanks Gerry.   I had heard the narrative but agree the national recruiting plus in state makes this less of a concern.  I remember when Mack would get 7 or 8 of the top 10 but that was a different era completely.  I think we just need the dominos to fall our way on a few of the in state elites every year. 

It's a very good recruiting discussion for sure! Someone posted above, and I agree with that poster too ... just so much population growth in Texas that a lot of kids didn't grow up with the Texas or Texas A&M jersey on ...

 

As much on the field success as Georgia has had under Kirby Smart ... they are averaging signing 3-4 out of the top 10 out of the home state in the 2022, 2023 and 2024 classes. Similar population boom in Atlanta metro area ... 

And every program in the country has feet on the ground recruiting DFW, Houston and Atlanta 

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderators

Gerry and I address the state of Texas a bit today on the YouTube channel. The number of prospects to commit from the state has decreased the last three cycles, but I think Texas is as involved as they’ve ever been in terms of evaluations, extending offers and getting prospects to visit campus. 
Ultimately, they find prospects from elsewhere they end up prioritizing and wanting a bit more for their schemes and fits.  

  • Hook 'Em 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think we as a fanbase got used to hearing the narrative that  UT was going to recruit the best in Texas from prior coaches. The current staff is doing that but also recruiting the best people for their scheme in state and nationally. 
it seemed like in the past we spent so much time recruiting n state and missed and were left with whatever we could patch together to complete the class. The net is cast much wider now with better results. Plus a playoff program doesn’t hurt either. 

  • Hook 'Em 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Moving from the BigXii to SEC will require more meat and potatoes.  

 

Not every top 5 class is made of the same ingredients.  Throw in 8 top ranked WRs/DBs and you’ll have a great ranking, easy to find, plenty of them available.

 

That looks a lot different than a class full of 4*+ DLs, OLs, LBs, RBs, and TEs.  

 

Texas needs to over-recruit meat and potatoes every year, and hit the portal for the proven WR/DB mercenaries.

 

Class rankings won’t be as high, but our team will be better.

  • Hook 'Em 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderators
17 hours ago, SkiBreck said:

Moving from the BigXii to SEC will require more meat and potatoes.  

 

Not every top 5 class is made of the same ingredients.  Throw in 8 top ranked WRs/DBs and you’ll have a great ranking, easy to find, plenty of them available.

 

That looks a lot different than a class full of 4*+ DLs, OLs, LBs, RBs, and TEs.  

 

Texas needs to over-recruit meat and potatoes every year, and hit the portal for the proven WR/DB mercenaries.

 

Class rankings won’t be as high, but our team will be better.

Think there is a lot of truth/facts in that. 

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 2/3/2024 at 9:46 AM, Quinncent McManning, Jr. said:

Thanks Gerry.   I had heard the narrative but agree the national recruiting plus in state makes this less of a concern.  I remember when Mack would get 7 or 8 of the top 10 but that was a different era completely.  I think we just need the dominos to fall our way on a few of the in state elites every year. 

Mack made a mistake limiting recruiting to mainly Texas. Win multiple NC by recruiting nationally.

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.