Today marks day three of Coach Baker being out on the trail, in the state of Texas, to see 2025 targets as a Longhorn assistant.

So far, here is the tally for where Coach Baker has stopped.

Tuesday

• Cy Fair – 2025 DL Landon Rink
• Randle – 2025 DL Chace Sims 
• Spring – 2025 DL Lance Guidry

Wednesday

• Katy Paetow – 2025 DL Carmello Brooks 
• Houston Heights High School 
• Lufkin – 2025 DL Zion Williams

Today, I have received word that a trip to DFW is in store.

Stops to see DL Xavier Ukponu at Denton Guyer and to Timberview to see DL Dilan Battle are expected for Thursday. It is likely other stops are thrown into the mix as well while in DFW, but for now, those two are ones I know are for sure happening.

Busy week for the newest Longhorn assistant. But alas, Texas is back firing on the defensive line trail.

The Vols' response?

The school president wrote a scathing rebuttal on Tuesday. On Wednesday, the attorney generals of the states of Tennessee and Virginia joined together to sue the NCAA over its NIL policy.

The funny thing here is, those attorney generals weren't defending the institutions. No, they were defending the rights of the individuals - the young players - in those states to be able to capitalize on NIL in any way they see fit.

So the state of Tennessee didn't argue NIL for the University of Tennessee. They argued on behalf of the players/recruits.

That may be an end around the NCAA just didn't see coming.

Right now, the NCAA is embroiled in so much litigation. A tweet below details many of them.

My take is this: The NCAA can't get out of its own way fast enough. While well meaning, the current governance was set up for a different era of college sports. Not a bad era, just not the multi-billion dollar one we have today.

Today, the labor should be compensated more equitably. Therein lies the crux of the problem. The NCAA and many of its member institutions don't want to call athletes "labor" because that might jeopardize the schools' tax exempt status.

I don't know the right answer. I don't even know if there is a right answer. The questions and problems are multifaceted.

Someone needs to take the reins soon, or college sports is going to be a muddled mess of epic proportion in two years time.

- Recruiting rankings/player development; how they intertwine some at least from a perception standpoint

- The strategy and blueprint Sark is now using in recruiting

Lufkin is home to 2025 DL Zion Williams, one of the top interior defensive lineman in the state.

Look for the 6-foot-4 interior defensive lineman to remain a priority for the Texas staff.

Sarkisian was on hand at The Star this morning for the induction ceremony and to also check out draft hopefuls Ja'Tavion Sanders and Ryan Watts who are partaking in drills and workouts this week.

After his two years of quarterbacking at BYU, Sarkisian played in the Shrine Bowl in 1997. Now, he returns to watch his former players continue on their path to the NFL.

Congrats to Coach Sark!

Charles is currently ranked the No. 16 defensive lineman and No. 130 prospect overall in the On3 Industry Rankings.

The 5-foot-11, 180-pounder, announced his change of plans via a Twitter post earlier today.

Texas is expected to be a key player in his recruitment. The Longhorns offered him a scholarship on Jan. 20, the program's first Junior Day of the new recruiting cycle.

Stewart rushed for 2,855 yards and 40 TDs last season, averaging more than 10 yards per carry.

As has been reported, Baker visited Cy Fair's Landon Rink. Rink's father Shane played for the Longhorns.

On Texas Football has learned that Baker also took the time to go see Spring defensive lineman Floyd Guidry. Both players have offers from the Horns and both were in Austin for the program's junior day January 20.

**

Just because his father played for the Longhorns, some assume Rink's recruitment is a foregone conclusion for the Horns.

That is not necessarily the case.

While Texas holds a special place in the family's heart, both A&M and OU have been recruiting Rink hard. And they've been doing so longer, including when Bo Davis was the Texas DL coach. Davis, frankly, was not recruiting Rink hard. Oklahoma assistant Todd Bates has been particularly dogged.

Rink told CJ Vogel yesterday after the visit that he liked Baker's "energy". That's a step forward in the process.

Texas has some ground to make up in this recruitment. It's not insurmountable, but it bears watching.

**

I spoke to a pro scout last night. They were impressed by Christian Jones yesterday, who worked at tackle for scouts.

"It's my first time seeing him up close in more than a year," the scout told me of Jones. "He's remade his body. He's done some real work."

As far as his play?

"He's looked good. From talking to our area scout the question was, can he be a starter at guard for us?"

"I think he can."

Answers like that will move Jones up draft boards. Good general managers make their living finding starters in the 3rd and 4th round along the line of scrimmage.