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    CJ Vogel
    What a wild turn of events coming from Ryan Day's program.
    As it looks currently, Buckeyes OC Bill O'Brien will head to Boston College to take over the head coaching job.
    To fill the void, UCLA Head Coach Chip Kelly is expected to make the jump down to offensive coordinator according to Pete Thamel of ESPN.
    What an unprecedented move here. New era of CFB.
    Gerry Hamilton
    Texas commitment Landon Jackson talks Longhorns and baseball 
    Texarkana, Texas - OnTexasFootball 4-star Lance Jackson committed to Texas January 21 following a junior day visit. 
    Jackson, 6-5 and 260, is not just one of the top football prospects in the state and country. He’s also expected to ascend to be one of top baseball prospects in Texas in the 2025 cycle.
    OnTexasFootball spent two hours at Pleasant Grove High Thursday, and had the opportunity to sit down and speak with Jackson about a number of topics. 
    Lance Jackson Q & A
    Gerry Hamilton: What was it that led you to pick Texas?
    Lance Jackson: “I’ve always liked Austin, even when I went there during my brothers (Landon Jackson) recruitment. So that was a good reason. And I’ve known PK (Pete Kwiatkowski) since Landon was getting recruited. He’s a good dude, and I feel like he is real. He won’t be fake to you, so he’s probably one of the realist coaches.”
    Hamilton: What position did PK specifically tell you they were recruiting you to play?
    Jackson: “I don’t want to be wrong on that, but it’s the one that doesn’t drop as much.”
    Hamilton: What was it Coach Sarkisian and PK told you they like about your game?
    Jackson: “I’m big and athletic. I can play either side of the ball, and I can move well.”
    Hamilton: Do you prefer one side of the ball? 
    Jackson: “It’s just whatever. If I got there and they told me to play tight end, I would be fine with it. It’s whatever they need me to do.”
    Hamilton: Is it UT, Austin and everything that appeals to you?
    Jackson: “Yes sir. I love everything about it. There is nothing I don’t like about it.
    Hamilton: Are you in touch with any of the guys committed to Texas?
    Jackson: “Yes sir. A lot of them follow me on instagram. K.J. Lacey.” 
    Hamilton: What is next for you in football?
    Jackson: “I’m not so much focused on me right now. I mean, I have personal goals, but my main goal is to win a State Championship for my team. We are a young team this year and I haven’t won one yet, so it would be a cool thing to do. My personal goals aren’t really needed. But I want 15 sacks and over 700 yards receiving.”
    Hamilton: What are your goals this spring in baseball?
    Jackson: “Also with baseball, my goals are to win a State Championship because we are highly favored to do that this year. And then my personal goal, is to hit 97 and have good command.”
    Hamilton: Do you plan to graduate in December of 2024, or stay for baseball?
    Jackson: “I’m kind of still deciding. Depends on how the season goes this year, and summer ball. I want to graduate early. That’s kind of what’s on my mind right now, but that could change.” 
    Hamilton: Have you talked to Coach Sarkisian about the baseball possibility in college?
    Jackson: “Yes. They told me they were totally fine with playing baseball at Texas if I want to. They said they would work it all out for me.”
    Hamilton: Have you had any interaction with the baseball staff at Texas? 
    Jackson: “Not really as of yet. They follow me on social media and stuff, but we haven’t talked yet.”
    Hamilton: Guys like you can end up facing a tough decision between football and the MLB Draft possibilities. What are your early thoughts on that?
    Jackson: “I’m kind of just laying back on it right now because I was injured last year and didn’t get to play summer ball. That’s one of your most important years. After this summer, I will probably know more because I will get to play some of the bigger tournaments. So I just don’t know right now.” 
    Hamilton: When you were growing up, did you envisions yourself with a football helmet or baseball cap on?
    Jackson: “When I was growing up, I was baseball.  I feel like it was what my dad worked with me more on. Landon or I wasn’t really football players (first). Landon was basketball. I just grew up loving baseball. That was my thing. Then in middle school I started getting noticed for football, and kind of molded me.”
    Hamilton: What did you learn about the recruiting process watching Landon go through it?
    Jackson: “I’ve kind of learned to notice fakeness. I know certain things - the talk a lot vs realness.”
    Hamilton: Who did you actually choose Texas over? Who was No. 2 and who was No. 3?
    Jackson: “Arkansas and Tennessee.”
    Hamilton: Watching Texas this year, what were your thoughts?
    Jackson: “I like how they rotate a lot. I mean they get everybody in there playing. All defensive linemen change a lot, and I like that.”
    Hamilton: Did Texas moving to the SEC impact your recruitment?
    Jackson: “Probably not Texas because it’s Texas, but I have always known I wanted to play in the SEC. Maybe a little bit.”
    Hamilton: What is more difficult, baseball or football?
    Jackson: “I would probably say baseball because it’s a little more mental. It’s not as physically hard as football, but it’s more difficult mentally.”
    Hamilton: What is your favorite part about being a pitcher?
    Jackson: “I just like throwing hard, and it’s mental like I said. So it helps you work on the mental part in football too. Baseball relaxes me. I just love being out there.”
    Hamilton: What are you working on from a defensive EDGE position headed into your senior season? 
    Jackson: “I can probably improve on my moves (pass rush), and be more fluid. Right now I’m just trying to use my strength and speed. Being more fluid in my moves.” 
    CJ Vogel
    You know it is the offseason when hypothetical rankings are the subject of conversation, but this is part of why I love college football as much as I do. My personal rankings of the SEC from today, February 9.
    I will present a case for each school with a brief summary of why their ranking made sense to me. These rankings won't please everybody, which means it's only a matter of time before I get an AP vote, right? Anyways, to the rankings of the SEC from more than 200 days away from kickoff.

    1. Georgia
    Kirby Smart's squad comes in as the top dog in these rankings, pun absolutely intended. Of course, Carson Beck returning for UGA gains all of the headlines, however the return of Nazir Stackhouse and Will Brinson on the iDL give the Dawgs an edge over Texas or anyone else for that matter. Georgia added former UF running back Trevor Etienne in the offseason and the offense returns 76% of its production from a year ago per ESPN's Bill Connelly. I like the Dawgs to start the year.
    2. Texas
    A third year quarterback behind an offensive line that returns four of five starters from a year ago. Let's not forget Sarkisian is the only College Football Playoff coach from 2023 to return to the same school. The ability to stop the run will be the biggest question mark in my eyes. However, Texas should be able to score with the likes of anyone in the country. Blue and Baxter lead the RB room and the talks of the portal additions at wide receiver have been the highlight of the offseason in Austin.
    3. Ole Miss
    I absolutely love what Ole Miss has done this offseason. Perhaps a top five roster in college football? Adding Walter Nolen from the portal is the biggest win of the offseason for anyone in my eyes. Lane Kiffin also added former Manor standout Princely Umanmeilen (7.0 sacks) from Florida to pair with Jared Ivey (5.5 sacks) on the edges for the Ole Miss defense, both of whom are 6-feet-5-inches and 260-plus pounds. Offense will rarely be an issue under Kiffin and when you are able to snag former UNC OL Diego Pounds and two members of Washington's Joe Moore Award winning line, Julius Buelow and Nate Kalepo, the trenches are a massive strength for the Rebels in 2024.
    4. Alabama
    The new era in Tuscaloosa may not be as rocky as some might expect. Listen, Kalen DeBoer has won every where he has been as a head coach. While Jalen Milroe may not be his prototypical match at quarterback, DeBoer will find a way to use mismatches to his advantage. The WR room of Ryan Williams, Jalen Hale, Kobe Prentice and Kendrick Law are enough to get by even after losing Bond and Niblack. The trench talent still remains in Tuscaloosa as well. To me, 9–3 is a safe bet.
    5. Missouri
    Alright, it is time to fully respect what Eli Drinkwitz is doing at Mizzou. Albeit a very nasty game, a win over Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl to end the 2023 season signifies a lot of momentum remains in Columbia. Over 79% of offensive production returns in 2024, with RB Cody Schrader (1,627 yards and 14 TD) being the largest departure obviously. QB Brady Cook is back for the Tigers, as is Theo Wease, Mookie Cooper and All American Luther Burden. 
    6. Tennessee
    It is officially Nico Iamaleava season on Rocky Top and I am all for it. The bowl game was a good taste of what Iamaleave could bring, but let's see it for a full season. The Vols added TE Holden Staes and Tulane standout WR Chris Brazzell to the offense which will return Bru McCoy as well. Landing former LSU OL Zalance Heard was one of the biggest offensive linemen portal wins of the offseason. Six departures out of the DB room brings a bit of a question mark, however, I am big fan of Oregon State transfer CB Jermod McCoy. 
    7. Oklahoma
    I juggled with where to put Oklahoma for quite a long time. New offensive coordinator, new defensive coordinator, first-time starting QB and a brand new offensive line lead me to pause. A tough hill to climb while entering the SEC. I expect Venables' defense to lead the conversation in Norman this season. Billy Bowman Jr. and Danny Stutsman return and I love what Oklahoma has brought in on the defensive line and edges. My question is will Arnold and the OL be consistent enough to let the elite group of wide receivers impact games as we know they can.
    8. LSU
     If the defense is not better than a year ago, LSU could be in some deep trouble once again. No longer is there a Heisman at the quarterback position to mask the deficiencies on the defensive side of the ball from a year ago. A brand new defensive coaching staff should be provide an improvement, but until then, I am not expecting LSU to be contending at this time.
    9. Texas A&M
    Winning early for Mike Elko is going to be an important task, especially with how well Texas is cruising at the moment. When Conner Weigman is healthy, I think he has top-3 ability in the SEC. Though for A&M in 2024, my question belongs in the trenches and if the personnel brought in by the staff fits what they want to do. There will be 40 new players on campus come the fall, with 23 of them coming from the portal. Lots of turnover for the new era.
    10. Auburn
    This is a must-win season for Hugh Freeze in Auburn. If it is not a must-win, it is at least a must-show improvement from a year ago. The issue is, I question if they have the quarterback to do so. Can Fr. QB Walker White unseat Payton Thorne? That will be interesting to me. Otherwise, I like what Auburn did in the portal and the Tigers are adding a pair of five-star wide receivers as well. Still, I see too many questions offensively.
    11. Kentucky
    This is a team I am most prepared to be wrong about. I like Kentucky and I love the culture Mark Stoops has instilled for his program. Former five-star QB Brock Vandagriff should take over the reigns for the departed Devin Leary. Keeping Barion Brown was as big as any portal addition, though I love former UNT WR Ja'Mori Maclin here. Kentucky ranks 102nd in returning production per ESPN's Bill Connelly.
    12. Florida
    The toughest schedule I have seen for a college football team could not have come at a worse time for Billy Napier. Asking Graham Mertz, who wasn't terrible in 2023, to overcome that feat is just too tall for me. But with where Florida sits right now, it won't matter anyways. The Gators got whooped in the portal and do not see a lot of help coming in, despite a small handful of recruiting victories.
    13. South Carolina
    No more Spencer Rattler for the Gamecocks in 2024. QB LaNorris Sellers is the man penciled in to start for next season. I question who will be available to throw the ball to for Norris. WR Juice Wells transferred to Ole Miss and WR coach Justin Stepp just took the job at Illinois. It could be an upsetting season for the Gamecocks this fall unless some serious portal work is done in April.
    14. Mississippi State
    First year under Jeff Lebby might not produce the results the Miss State fanbase is hoping for. There will be an adjustment period to getting the adequate talent on campus for Lebby and his crew. Right now, I just don't see Mississippi State having the talent to compete. The biggest question mark to me for a Lebby scheme is can you play complementary football, in year one of a new system that is a tall task.
    15. Arkansas
    I was amazed Pittman kept his job in Fayetteville this offseason. It certainly does not help that QB KJ Jefferson (UCF) and RB Rocket Sanders (South Carolina) departed for the portal this offseason. Maybe Bobby Petrino is the fix? But it feels like nothing more than a prayer for dying head coaches in the SEC. 
    16. Vanderbilt
    Vandy is recruiting better and will have solid talent on the roster this year. They have been more competitive in recent seasons as well, but at the end of the day, they are still Vanderbilt and lack the dogs in the trenches that make game altering plays. That's the biggest issue and until they address that, it will remain an issue in 2024. 
     
    CJ Vogel
    The final segment of the In The Pipeline series takes a deeper look at the revamped secondary. Whether it be via the portal or the high school ranks, the Texas secondary room has turned a new leaf as the move to the SEC nears.
    One thing is for sure: Texas added a ton of athleticism and speed in these position rooms since January 1. 
    Cornerbacks
    On Roster: Terrance Brooks, Malik Muhammad, Gavin Holmes, Warren Roberson, Wardell Mack, Santana Wilson, Kobe Black
    Coming Soon: TBD
    For 2024: What was a bit of a question mark in 2023, now becomes a strength of the team in 2024. Texas should not have to wait very long to name their starting cornerback duo for next season as both Brooks and Muhammad return. Gavin Holmes was solid in his rotational snaps a year ago, there is no shortage of confidence from him as well which is a great sign to push the competition envelope. I expect we see Warren Roberson in 2024, the staff likes his athleticism. Where the freshmen group fits in is interesting to me. Lots of length and speed joining the room, but which of the bunch is physically ready and mentally prepared for college ball? The spring will give us a better idea.
    Beyond: Terry Joseph's room has reloaded the depth necessary at corner. Texas also likes to rotate at this spot and get a number of guys snaps in just about every situation during the season which bodes well for getting youngsters acclimated. Right now, the vision is very bright for 2025. It is no guarantee that Brooks departs or returns, but either way, there will be capable bodies and what should be a CB1 in Muhammad by the time he becomes a junior. The 2025 recruiting cycle is interesting to me, if Texas can land Dorian Brew, the rich get richer, however if not, where does that next envelope-pusher come from for the competition of the room?
     
    STAR
    On Roster: Jahdae Barron, Jaylon Guilbeau, Austin Jordan
    Coming Soon: TBD
    For 2024: How big was it that Jahdae Barron opted to return for the Texas defense? I'll answer that: huge. Barron received solid draft grades, right around the 5th or 6th round is where I had heard he was expected to go, however he comes back to Austin looking to carry out a fully healthy campaign for one last go-round. The addition of Andrew Mukuba provides versatility to the secondary, but I see Barron remaining close to the ball where his IQ makes the biggest difference in his game. We saw a lot of Guilbeau his freshman season before injury derailed his development. Does he stick around after spring ball? I like Austin Jordan, but wonder what impact he will have during his time on campus.
    Beyond: When Jahdae departs, this position becomes a bit of a question mark for me. Which of the freshmen get run at STAR this spring? That might be the indicator of what happens here if I am being honest. I would like to think Jaylon Guilbeau finds his role here and thrives. He has great instincts around the football and will be entering his senior season in 2025, but I question his health overall. Jordon Johnson-Rubell projects as a deep safety, his size is not a great match here, but I love his football IQ and think he could play that Quandre Diggs-nickel role if asked. A bit of a question mark moving forward. One thing I would love to see is Jelani McDonald take over this role. He already fits the build of a hybrid safety and linebacker and at STAR you get the best of both worlds with his skillset.
     
    Safety
    On Roster: Derek Williams, Michael Taaffe, Andrew Mukuba, Jelani McDonald, Xavier Filsaime, Jordon Johnson-Rubell
    Coming Soon: TBD
    For 2024: Yes please! This is a fun unit. There is a tremendous combination of experience and youth combined with plus athleticism and an increased level of speed on the field. Adding Andrew Mukuba to the roster was huge. A three-year starter with big time accolades helps the Longhorns add a piece they were missing here. Derek Williams is my pick to join him in the starting lineup for the beginning of the season. Taaffe will get run as will freshman Xavier Filsaime. How much? That is to be determined because that role will not be handed over easily with Jelani McDonald in the way. Regardless, a healthier and more complete looking DB room entering 2024.
    Beyond: I would expect Mukuba to depart after the season and potentially Taaffe. Best part of this room is its youth. We have talked about is expected to be an improved on-field product next season, though what isn't mentioned is the youth in which this room is expected to take in. Derek Williams, Xavier Filsaime, Jelani McDonald and Jordon Johnson-Rubell as the safeties over the next 2-3 years sounds like a dream for Blake Gideon. Development will be key, but there is plenty of raw talent to build upon at the moment.
     
     
    Bobby Burton
    I've been in the process of writing a piece for this website about the Texas players who are expected to be selected in this year's NFL draft. I wanted to give a deeper look of just how those players were perceived as recruits.
    I'll finish and post that article later this morning; it includes some hard and soft data, and it could spark a conversation that I think will prove interesting and informative.
    Well, as I was researching and writing that article last night, it was announced that the University of Texas had placed another former player into the NFL Hall of Fame. Steve McMichael, who his former teammates at Texas affectionately to this day call "Bam Bam", was one of the Longhorns' most dominant defensive linemen ever and went on to be a key member of the 1985 Chicago Bears defense that many consider among the best ever.
    McMichael came slightly before my time. I saw him play when I was young, but I didn't really know his back story. So I was curious.
    Who was Steve McMichael as a recruit?
    I found this from the Corpus Christi Caller-Times:
    "Besides playing football, McMichael lettered in basketball, track and field, baseball, golf and tennis."
    That's SIX varsity sports. How is that even possible? Golf and tennis?
    Baseball seems to have been his second best sport. As a catcher, he was offered a minor-league deal by the St. Louis Cardinals.
    **
    This morning, I spoke with one of McMichael's former Texas teammates, Les Koenning, to see what I could learn.
    First, the Bam Bam nickname stemmed from the old Flinstones cartoon. Like the Bam Bam in the cartoon, McMichael had "muscles everywhere" and he loved the nickname, according to Koenning.
    But what about McMichael does Koenning remember the most?
    "He was so dadgum tough," Koenning, who was a year below McMichael in school, said. "He was a real type of tough, tough to the core. Strong, too, and just a determination. He had a will to him. He wanted to win no matter what, he was just so competitive, strong and athletic."
    Koenning called McMichael and his fellow defensive tackles Steve Massey and Bill Acker the "heart and soul" of the team.
    Koennnig even laughed about one memory of McMichael that revolved around spring break. It's not a tale of debauchery that you might normally think.
    While Koenning and some of the other players would go home, to the beach, or try to find a job to make some spending money during spring break, McMichael and Acker, who were both from the small south Texas town of Freer, had other plans.
    McMichael went went home every spring break to the "Rattlesnake Roundup", where, you guessed it, he would try to catch rattlesnakes bare-handed.
    Koenning said McMichael also wasn't much for team speeches, at least not ones from the coaches. But he recalled a time where McMichael addressed the team before a game after the coaches had left the room.
    It was a pre-game speech.
    "I want everybody on the kickoff team to stand up," McMichael said. They all stood, and he addressed them in front of the entire team.
    "Listen here, we're gonna beat the shit out of this team. But y'all better start it right. You better go down there and knock the crap out of them or, you and me, we're gonna have a little talk about it after the game, and you're not gonna like that."
    McMichael then sat down. The kickoff team, made up mostly of younger players, remained standing for a few seconds in awkward silence before sitting down.
    Suffice to say, the kickoff team gave maximum effort.
    **
    McMichael's nickname morphed from Bam Bam at Texas to "Mongo" later in life. He was a colorful person. After the Bears, he even took a turn at pro wrestling.
    Unfortunately, like so many former football players of his era, McMichael has been fighting ALS for several years. Former Texas players and friends visit him often.
    But the Pro Football Hall of Fame is a fitting end for a tennis-playing defensive tackle from Freer, Texas, who was a Longhorn through and through. 
    **
    McMichael becomes the sixth Longhorn to become a member of the Hall of Fame. He joins Earl Campbell, Bobby Layne, Tom Landry, Bobby Dillon and Tex Schramm.
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