Bobby Burton

New Texas defensive line coach Kenny Baker was on the road yesterday for the first time as a Longhorns assistant. He made the rounds in Houston. 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. View full news

The difference in pass rush between Texas and Michigan was there for all to see. PK needs more difference makers on D, especially pass rushers.

Some highlights: https://www.hudl.com/video/3/16246324/655cf7a88cde9a04e8331a55

Major Preston Jr., safety from IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., was offered by Texas earlier today. Preston was one of IMG's starting safeties last year. Texas signee Jordon Johnson-Rubell was the other. View full news

Denton, goofy is not the same as different. 😉

BTW - Texas passed on seven higher rated in-state running backs last year to take Tre Wisner. Today, I'd take Wisner over all seven. - Kedrick Reesecano, New Caney, Ole Miss - Cameron Cook, Round Rock Stony Point, TCU - Peter Jenkins, Klein Forest, Houston - Kalib Hicks, Denton Ryan, Oklahoma - A'Marion Peterson Wichita Falls Hirschi, USC - Quinten Joyner, Manor, USC - Jambres Dunbar, Anna, Boise State The only in-state RB Texas did not pass on comparatively is Rueben Owens. This year, Texas passed on every in-state RB (except Caden Durham) to take Jerrick Gibson and Christian Clark. Texas did not prioritize the No. 2 ranked back overall, Taylor Tatum for example. In all, there are seven native Texas running backs ranked higher than Clark and six higher than Gibson. I guess we'll see who's right. No one bats 1.000, including Tashard Choice. But I'd give him the benefit of the doubt given what he's done thus far.

My thoughts are that they probably got some right and some wrong, just like every rankings process. To your point though, I think they've under-ranked several Longhorns. The two that I'd categorize as egregious are: - Ryan Wingo at No. 92 in the country is just off IMO. Get back to me in two years and let's look at the guys ahead of him, including the no. 1 ranked receiver. They fell in love with Cordale Russell last year, too, and he's just not that level of a guy. He's never had natural hands. Wingo does. And he's long and fluid and fast (10.5 100 meter). - Daniel Cruz not in the top 300. He'll be drafted IMO. I'd rank others higher, like Christian Clark, Wardell Mack, Xavier Filsaime and Colin Simmons. I guess Texas and Sark will just have to develop these guys and prove them wrong.

Hopefully... - Ewers/Manning > JT Barret/Cardale Jones - We know Ezezial Elliott is likely better than any current Texas RB, especially that season he had. - Texas has smaller receivers than that Ohio State team. Although they may have a stronger group overall - Michael Thomas may be the best of either group. - I think they had higher end guys on D. Bosa, T Decker, D Lee, E Apple, and V Bell. Where I think Texas might be truly better is the OL, TE and QB.

CJ and I talk about the Michigan possibilities and the elite players Texas seems to be prioritizing. https://youtu.be/Rt1q4nLkyXY

I think if I’m a Michigan player I would give Michigan every shot to win me back - with a good coaching hire(s) and with NIL if I was an elite player. But if those things don’t happen, then it’s one of those things where you’ve got to do what’s in your own best interest.

Yes and no. There might be a work around but it would have to be very quick, as in this week.

Rodney Terry's basketball team fought hard last night. But they came up on the short end of the stick in overtime, losing to No. 3 Houston 76-72. The Horns are showing signs of being a better team. The increased minutes of Chendall Weaver, the transfer from UT-Arlington, gives the team a little defensive spark without giving up too much on the offensive end of the floor. Is it enough to turn the season around? With back-to-back losses to ranked teams after beating ranked teams back-to-back a week ago, the early results are now mixed. What lineup works best for Texas basketball? I'm not sure anyone knows the answer. ** We could see some movement in the portal at Michigan after all. Yesterday, the Wolverines parted ways with their strength coach, who opted to head to the Los Angeles Chargers with Jim Harbaugh. There are two other defensive coaches who have yet to announce their next move - the defensive line and secondary coaches. Of course, Texas would be particularly interested in a couple of those defensive linemen - Kenneth Grant and Mason Graham. While neither player's name has appeared in the portal yet, Grant went so far as to follow the Instagram accounts of Steve Sarkisian, Texas Football, T'Vondre Sweat and Sydir Mitchell yesterday. Graham tweeted out a broken heart emoji over the departure of the S&C coach. Grant has since unfollowed the Texas accounts, as well as that of Oregon coach Dan Lanning. So we're left wondering exactly what is going on there. ** The portal is starting to remind me of a certain Al Pacino movie line... Just when I thought the portal was closing, it keeps dragging me back in. 😉 View full news

That's a sock account. It could end up being true eventually but it wasn't true when the guy wrote it.

He could maintain his scholarship at Michigan and enroll elsewhere after spring.

Hope Watts proves the doubters, including me, wrong. I didn’t think he had the speed and change of direction for corner in the NFL.

“- As of the time I am typing this, Grant has not entered the NCAA transfer portal” Not yet.

ACL. Out for Super Bowl.

I don't know of any legitimate negativity. Longhorn fans like them both.

Yes, they could do that. Their semester has already started so Michigan can’t take away their scholarship in Ann Arbor.

Thanks for posting. Just hate that for him.

And make it work for you.

The staff is back in Georgia again today. Texas tight end commitment Emaree Winston was visited by Steve Sarkisian and Jeff Banks today.

We think that’s something about his injury?