The point on a brisket is typically the fattiest cut. Pitmasters often trim the point (and select edges) off a brisket and return those pieces to the smoker.
Are burnt ends tough, chewy worthless cuts of meat, or are they heavenly bites of smoky goodness? It depends on who you ask…
Rather than discard the trimmings and fat, we choose to savor all the information that flows through the site. So, sit down and help yourself to some burnt ends.
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We’ll start with some odds and ends that we picked up from speaking with team sources this week.
Jerrod Heard – There have been reports and rumors that Jerrod Heard has been working with the receivers in the off-season. In speaking with a very solid source this weekend it appears nothing has been decided on that front. “The video everyone is talking about was just the team messing aroundâ€, the source told us. “Jerrod might end up over there, but he hasn’t spent any time at the position outside of horsing aroundâ€.
Young Guns – If the Texas program rebounds in the next few years, the 2015 recruiting class will be seen as the cornerstone of a talented program. Charlie Strong’s first full recruiting class brought Texas players such as Malik Jefferson, Charles Omenihu, DeShon Elliott, John Burt, Holton Hill, Kris Boyd, Connor Williams, Patrick Vahe and Davante Davis. You can tell from watching the team that this group has a special bond with Charlie Strong. In speaking to sources, we learned the group is really emerging as leaders within the program. Several of those players have been working hard since spring ended to step up and earn starting positions. “Those guys are hungry to prove something,” our source told us. “They know that they are Charlie’s first class and that carries a certain weight with them. They don’t think there are enough dogs on this team. There are too many players just content to put the jersey on and go out there. These kids are hard at work trying to set the tone and change that.â€
2016 Season – We spoke to a few current players to gauge their feelings on the upcoming season. From talking to the guys, it is clear there is a real sense of optimism in the air. “We have to do better this year,†one player told us. “We know that Coach Strong has a lot on the line and we don’t want to be responsible for anything happening to him.†One theme among the optimism we heard is the emergence of Shane Buechele. The players believe in the true freshman because he’s proving it in practice, and he leads by example in all aspects. “There’s just something different about that dude,†another player told us. “He’s not arrogant, but he is very confident. You can just tell he’s about his business.â€
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With spring football winding down at high schools around the state, the camp circuit is starting to heat up for the summer. Over the next few months we will bring you coverage from skill camp clinics, satellite camps, and the Under the Lights event in the summer. Our Daniel Seahorn was out at the Texas Takeover Showcase in Manor this past weekend to take in the action. The event was hosted by former Texas Longhorn All-American Derrick Johnson, and it featured many former Longhorns who came out to help coach. Fozzy Whitaker, Kwame Cavil, and Emmanuel Acho were just a few of the names on hand to help out at the camp. We were able to speak with Derrick Johnson following the event to catch up with the legendary defender.
Derrick Johnson on….. Malik Jefferson
“He’s a guy that will be an NFL player. The sky’s the limit for him. He’s very athletic and I think his skill rushing the passer is better than mine. I was more of a sideline to sideline guy, but he can do it all.â€
Derrick Johnson on….. Coach Charlie Strong
“They’re doing a great job. I’m over there a lot actually because I work out there during the off-season, and we believe in what he’s doing. He’s a guy that’s about discipline on and off the field. He’s a defensive guy which is right up my alley, but whenever I talk to him it’s very genuine. He just wants to win, and he’s getting the right guys in there.”
Derrick Johnson on…. what he tells current players
“I try to tell them to always work hard and that hard work pays off. I’m kind of old school when it comes to that, and staying easily motivated. Anything has to motivate them. You can’t come in and say I don’t want to work today. Somehow you’ve got to find it when you get out on the field, and they will because the great ones do.”
Derrick Johnson on…. new Texas coach Anthony Johnson
“He’s an old school ball coach. He’s my age, but he’s one of those guys where if we get together he always has to draw up a play no matter what we are talking about.â€
Derrick Johnson on…. a possible future in coaching
“I will get into coaching later on, but it won’t be a rush to get into it. Coaches put in a whole bunch of time. I’m not committed to the time they put in yet, but I’ll take my time and chill out for a few years before I find my way into coaching.â€
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We continue to take a sneak peek at the 2018 class as we grow closer to releasing our first ranking for the soon-to-be juniors. Last week we told you about some of the quarterbacks in this class, and this week we take a look at the safeties.
The past few years have been a safety renaissance within the state of Texas. Players like Brandon Jones, Deontay Anderson, Eric Monroe, Grant Delpit, Jeff Okudah, and Robert Barnes have emerged as elite players in the nation at the position. 2018 looks like it could be another strong year, so let’s take a look at the options for the Longhorns.
BJ Foster – Angleton
Foster already holds a Texas offer among a slew of others from the likes of Stanford, Georgia, Michigan, Oklahoma, Baylor, TCU, and Texas A&M. Foster is in the conversation for the top player in the state, and one look at his film can tell you why. At 6’1, 190 lbs., Foster is an impressive athlete with size and legit speed. At the safety position he gives you a great package of coverage ability and physicality. He can be a ball hawk in deep coverage, or run the alley to blow up opposing ball carriers. Foster is also a legit running back prospect with great potential on special teams. He told us in the past that he has a connection with Quandre Diggs, and Texas is high on his list among the schools that offered.
Cam Jones – Trinity
Jones is a name that could blow up in the next year if he can put some strong junior film together. Jones is an incredible athlete that went to state in track. He posted top times of 47.16 in the 400 and 21.19 in the 200 this season. Jones is still learning the finer points of playing safety, but he shows strong instincts and aggressiveness on the field. Jones is also one of the hardest workers out there, and he’s constantly in training to refine the raw parts of his game. Jones holds offers from Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee State, and UTSA. If Texas offered Jones, they would be near the top of his list. He told us that they were a childhood favorite of his, as he grew up watching Vince Young and Colt McCoy. Watch out for Cam over the next year because he shows five star athletic ability to go along with elite work ethic.
Isaiah Humphries – Sachse
Humphries is the son of former Penn State and NFL defensive back Leonard Humphries. Sachse’s star defender is new to the defensive back position, but he’s taken to it naturally. Humphries is a true free safety that can make big plays on the back end by roaming the deep middle. Humphries already holds offers from Oklahoma, Penn State, Houston, Duke, and Northwestern. He’s been to campus multiple times, and he likes what Texas has to offer. Of the three we’ve profiled, Humphries is the most likely to head out of state. USC and UCLA are threats for him if they get involved, while schools like Notre Dame and Ohio State could possibly steal him away. If Texas gets involved they would likely be the in-state school for him, but at this point Humphries is wide open to the possibilities.
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5-star Kennedale outside linebacker Baron Browning has offers from just about every elite Division 1 program in the country, including the Longhorns. While the battle for his commitment is far from over, the Texas coaching staff have kept their feet on the gas in trying to secure Browning’s pledge to play football on the 40 Acres. A source close to Browning’s recruitment tells us the Longhorns are feeling confident in their push to bring the gifted linebacker into the fold. Nothing is certain in recruiting, especially these days, but we’re told the coaching staff (emphatically) “very much” likes where they stand with Baron Browning’s recruitment.
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Charlie Strong is entering his 3rd season as head coach of the Longhorns and indubitably, the Eyes of Texas will be focusing on results. A source within the program tells us that despite Strong’s 11-14 record as head coach on the 40 Acres after two seasons, there is no reason to think Strong has to win a set number of games to keep his job. “His job is not in jeopardy. Texas is pleased with Strong and where he is headed with the program and the expectations he has of his players on and off the field. The ongoing issues reportedly happening at Baylor only solidify this.”