There is one key change to spring practice this year from previous ones under Steve Sarkisian.

Sark has elected to begin spring practice the week following Texas' spring break from school. Each of the previous spring practices, Sark had elected to start spring ball a week prior to spring break, then give the players spring break off, and have them return and ready to go into pads.

I asked someone about the move, about why Sark opted to compress the amount of time for spring ball.

"I thought the last couple of years worked well," the source told me. "But, with the way the season went, the extra game, the increased expectations we had, it was a little draining. I think he just wanted to give the guys some more time to recuperate, and to give the new guys another couple of weeks to get acclimated to what college football is all about."

"And let's face it, the first couple of years here, it was about learning the plays, instilling the culture, that sort of stuff. Now it's just as much or more about focus and an even higher level execution, especially on offense.

"With more practices coming in succession, the reps will come at the guys faster. We'll see who picks up on things, who needs more time, that sort of thing. And we'll also see who's locked in over the short haul as opposed to longer, more drawn out spring practice."

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Each college team is allowed 15 practices during spring. If we assume Texas returns to the practice field at the end of spring break (March 20), the Horns will basically be practicing on the field every other day for the next month until the spring game April 20.

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Sark has worked for two of the game's best - Pete Carroll and Nick Saban.

Decisions like when to start spring practice may not seem all that big. But there's a reason for everything.

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I mentioned yesterday 2025 Alamo Heights ATH Michael Terry III will be attending the Texas Spring Game April 20. With the game kicking off at 1:00 p.m., the Texas staff will host a number of top prospects after on campus at the conclusion of the ballgame.

While attention for Texas fans will head east for the baseball series against TCU at the Disch, the Texas staff will be hosting prospects well into the evening.

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I chatted a bit with 2025 North Crowley LB Jonathan Cunningham late last night as well. While there are no specific dates set, Cunningham did say he is trying to get down to campus for a visit in the spring – that could be March or April, again, it is undetermined.

Texas offered Cunningham on February 1.

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On the Jonah Williams front, there was a crystal ball entry for him to end up at Oklahoma put in over the weekend. My memory is not tremendous, but I do believe that is now multiple picks entered in favor of the Sooners. Here is where I stand with Williams:

If a decision is reported to be coming soon, it is bad news. If we see this recruitment enter the summer months, it is a new ballgame. Williams likes OU and they are the favorite at the moment. Texas is going to have to get Williams on campus for them to have any sort of chance here. I will say, the decision to recruit Williams as a DB is going to give the Longhorns a bit of assistance here. 

The connection with Brandon Hall and Jay Valai on the Sooner staff is proving to be a major difference maker at the moment. 

The Texas Longhorns checked in at No. 4.

Georgia is No. 1, as expected. Ohio State checks in at No. 2 and the Oregon Ducks No. 3. 

The Texas 2024 schedule is well represented in the top 25:

1. Georgia
13. Michigan
14. Oklahoma
23. Kentucky
25. Texas A&M

The SEC has 40% of the top 25:

1. Georgia
4. Texas
6. Ole Miss
7. Missouri 
9. Alabama
12. LSU
14. Oklahoma
16. Tennessee
23. Kentucky 
25. Texas A&M

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/39512432/updated-2024-way-too-early-college-football-top-25-rankings

I would like to thank Texas Electricity Ratings for sponsoring today’s show.

We also take a deep dive on what Sarkisian can use from the Super Bowl for his own coaching practices.

Really like his personality and his attitude. And who his HS quarterback was took me by surprise.

Terry was on campus January 20 for the Texas Junior Day where the Longhorns offered and officially entered the race for his recruitment.

Texas A&M hosted Terry for an unofficial at the end of January as well. Terry mentioned TCU and Texas Tech as other programs that were high on his list following his trip to Texas in January.

Hitchcock (Texas) High 2025 wide receiver and OnTexasFootball 4-star Kelshaun Johnson has locked in two official visit dates, and a third date could follow soon. 

Johnson, 5-11 and 165, told OnTexasFootball that he has official visits locked in for Penn State May 31-June 2 and Texas Tech June 7-9. The Nittany Lions have been all in on the Houston area speedy playmaker since offering June 21, 2023. That includes multiple FaceTime calls with head coach James Franklin. Texas Tech is leaning on teammate and good friend Lloyd Jones. Jones, 6-3, 210, committed to the Red Raiders November 4, 2023. 

Johnson told OnTexasFootball that he is also in discussions with Texas and Kansas about June official visits. The Longhorns' staff has mentioned the last weekend in June. That would be the big recruiting weekend for the Longhorns. 

The Longhorns offered Johnson June 11, 2023 after a standout camp performance. Wide receivers coach Chris Jackson, area recruiter Blake Gideon and head coach Steve Sarkisian have remained in constant communication since that time. He attended Texas Junior Day January 20, as well as Texas A&M Junior Day January 27. OnTexasFootball continues to feel like Texas is in a very good spot headed into the spring evaluation period. 

Johnson is up to 23 offers after Florida, Utah, Houston, TCU, Arkansas and UTEP in January. 

Johnson is currently on the hardwood for the defending 3A State Champions. He will focus on track after the conclusion of basketball season. He posted a personal best of 10.49 (wind-aided) in the 100 meters last spring. 

Houston officially announces the hiring of former Texas defensive line coach Oscar Giles Monday afternoon.

Giles was with the Longhorns prior to the hiring of Bo Davis when Steve Sarkisian arrived in 2021. There is familiarity here with the area of recruiting, specifically in the Houston area where he will now be calling H-Town home.

The defensive line is an important position in the 2025 cycle and it could get much cloudier with the emergence of Giles to the region.

The Texas Longhorns offered 2025 offensive lineman John Mills (San Francisco, Calif./St. Ignatius Prep) on September 16, 2023. 

Since that time, offensive line coach Kyle Flood has made Mills a priority in the 2025 cycle. That includes multiple trips to San Fransisco to see Mills. And Mills and family have made three visits to Austin in less than a year. 

The 6-6, 325-pound IOL prospect and OnTexasFootball 4-star informed OTF Monday morning that his official visit date to Texas will be June 14-16. 

Texas initially talked to Mills about the last weekend in June, but his family will be out of the country that week/weekend. 

Mills currently sports 17 offers. Since Texas offered in September, Mills has added Power 5 offers from Nebraska, Michigan, Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Utah, TCU, USC, Texas A&M, Florida, Penn State and Arkansas. Washington was his first offer in 2022. 

He made January Junior Day visits to Texas (January 19-20) and Florida (January 27-28). He has been on campus at Washington and Michigan multiple times in the last year. 

Mills comes from a family of college athletes with multiple family members having played at the University of Washington.