HornSports Staff
HornSports.com
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- Oct 20, 2013
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The point on a brisket is typically the fattiest cut. Pitmasters often trim the point and select edges off a whole brisket and return them to the smoker.
Are burnt ends tough, chewy worthless cuts of meat, or are they a heavenly bites of smoky goodness? I suppose it depends on who you ask...
Rather than discard trimmings and fat, we chose to savor all the information that flows through the site. So, sit down and help yourself to some burnt ends.
***DO NOT FORWARD***
Let’s start things off with some basketball news…
Eric Davis, the SG from Saginaw, MI, is announcing his college choice later today. Most analysts, including Jerry Meyer, are predicting that Davis will commit to Texas. When we talked to someone inside the basketball program this morning, they confirmed that they’re expecting Davis’ pledge.
“At this point, I’m expecting him to commit. In fact, I’d be surprised if he didn’t – something would have to have gone wrong in the final hours for us to lose him.â€
That’s about as strong of a statement as you can find in recruiting. Things frequently don’t turn out as expected in the slimy world of hoops recruiting, but this one is looking like a done deal with only hours left to go.
*****
Two noteworthy dominoes that a commitment from Davis could trigger:
1. A commitment from Eric Davis would signal that the staff chose him over Matt McQuaid and Admon Gilder. As we told you in previous Burnt Ends, Texas planned to take a close look at several SG options and then would move quickly once they decided which player fit best.
2. How does a commitment from Davis affect the recruitment of Kerwin Roach? Our source said they like Roach’s ability to play some PG and the flexibility that provides. Although Roach is listed by most as a SG, it sounds like Texas will take him as a combo prospect. Roach will visit Austin in late October and then plans to make his decision soon afterward.
*****
On Monday morning, Coach Strong said that Tank Jackson had not been fully evaluated yet, so he was not willing to put a timetable on his absence.
*****
A highly recruited offensive star (that isn’t committed anywhere yet) told us that he thought the Texas vs UCLA game was “awesomeâ€, adding that both teams were likely to be in his final three choices. According to the recruit, Texas coaches are telling him that they think he’s a difference maker on offense and that he will have an opportunity to impact the team the day he gets to campus.
*****
Following the comment above, it’s worth noting that we’ve heard UCLA’s name pretty frequently when talking to recruits. The Bruins have played in the state of Texas in 4 of the last 5 seasons and Saturday night’s win played very well in their strategy.
Jim Mora, Jr was pretty candid about it in his postgame remarks and we told you months ago that the Texas game was one that UCLA was emphasizing. The Bruins are seemingly poised to take advantage of the recent exposure and Saturday’s win. They aren’t going to clean house in the state, but if they cherry pick a few key recruits that solidifies them as a recruiting threat for the next 2-3 years.
*****
As reported elsewhere, Anthony Wheeler (LB – Skyline HS) did not attend Saturday’s game. His absence could be pretty telling, especially since the game was much closer to home that one in Austin. We were told that Texas coaches have 2-3 linebackers they prefer over Wheeler, so we’re thinking his absence on Saturday was an indication that contact is limited at this point.
*****
Deandre McNeal (Poteet HS) was at the UCLA game and seemed to have a good time. McNeal has UCLA on his list for official visits and doesn’t have a trip planned to Austin yet. He’s definitely one of those ‘cherries’ that we mentioned earlier.
McNeal is projected at LB by most recruiting analysts, but he wants to play offense in college. Beware of teams like Miami, UCLA and Alabama – all have told McNeal that he can play offense at their school.
*****
Staying at Poteet HS, the state’s top prospect, Malik Jefferson, attended the Texas-UCLA game. Jefferson is tight-lipped about his plans and didn’t offer much in the way of a reaction to Saturday’s game.
Jefferson and McNeal are both planning to announce their commitment on December 19th, but it will not be a joint ceremony. In fact, both players indicated that they’d prefer a smaller announcement with only family and close friends on hand, but that’s unlikely to happen.
*****
When it comes to making an impression in recruiting, most fans don't see the work that goes on behind the scenes. For example, as announced on Twitter, Tyler Moore (North Shore HS) picked a scholarship offer from BYU. What you didn't hear is that BYU coaches called Moore immediately following the Texas-BYU game....immediately as in Moore and his Dad hadn't even made it from DKR to their car yet.
That is how you send a message.
*****
We’re hearing that some suspended players will return for the KU game. Not all of them, but more than one.
*****
Out of 23 true freshmen, five have played in the team’s first three games (Beck, Foreman, Foreman, Hall & Joe). Charlie Strong has repeatedly talked about how difficult it is to come in and play on the line (on either side of the ball) as a true freshman. Since there are 7 OL/DL players, that leaves 9 kids with a chance to play.
The fact that none of those nine have even seen a ST snap means that the participation chart in Lawrence might be indicative of plans for the rest of conference play. Barring injuries, the chances of a freshman playing after four games seem slim.
One freshman to keep an eye on against Kansas is RB Donald Catalon. One player told us that Catalon has recovered from his injury really well, “He’s been working really hard. I’m impressed. I think he’ll play and play well.â€
*****
We’ve shared the reaction of a former college football player after the first two games. He gave us three thoughts on the UCLA game…
1. “Players love an opportunity to shut the naysayers up, and I have officially been shut up. I will admit I didn't have to largest amount of trust in Swoopes, but now? The Quarterback position is no longer what Longhorn nation needs to be concerned with. I'm not saying he's the best ever or anything like that, but the kid can play.â€
2. “Overall, I thought Texas played a very good first half. Their first half against BYU was good too, but it felt a little bit like the team was holding on for dear life. In the first half against UCLA I didn’t feel that way.â€
3. “These Longhorns need to learn how to finish a game. If a team is a ‘first half team’ it is usually a sign that something wrong with conditioning, coaching adjustments, or depth. Certainly depth is a factor for this Texas team, so becoming a good finishing team may take longer than normal.â€
Are burnt ends tough, chewy worthless cuts of meat, or are they a heavenly bites of smoky goodness? I suppose it depends on who you ask...
Rather than discard trimmings and fat, we chose to savor all the information that flows through the site. So, sit down and help yourself to some burnt ends.
***DO NOT FORWARD***
Let’s start things off with some basketball news…
Eric Davis, the SG from Saginaw, MI, is announcing his college choice later today. Most analysts, including Jerry Meyer, are predicting that Davis will commit to Texas. When we talked to someone inside the basketball program this morning, they confirmed that they’re expecting Davis’ pledge.
“At this point, I’m expecting him to commit. In fact, I’d be surprised if he didn’t – something would have to have gone wrong in the final hours for us to lose him.â€
That’s about as strong of a statement as you can find in recruiting. Things frequently don’t turn out as expected in the slimy world of hoops recruiting, but this one is looking like a done deal with only hours left to go.
*****
Two noteworthy dominoes that a commitment from Davis could trigger:
1. A commitment from Eric Davis would signal that the staff chose him over Matt McQuaid and Admon Gilder. As we told you in previous Burnt Ends, Texas planned to take a close look at several SG options and then would move quickly once they decided which player fit best.
2. How does a commitment from Davis affect the recruitment of Kerwin Roach? Our source said they like Roach’s ability to play some PG and the flexibility that provides. Although Roach is listed by most as a SG, it sounds like Texas will take him as a combo prospect. Roach will visit Austin in late October and then plans to make his decision soon afterward.
*****
On Monday morning, Coach Strong said that Tank Jackson had not been fully evaluated yet, so he was not willing to put a timetable on his absence.
*****
A highly recruited offensive star (that isn’t committed anywhere yet) told us that he thought the Texas vs UCLA game was “awesomeâ€, adding that both teams were likely to be in his final three choices. According to the recruit, Texas coaches are telling him that they think he’s a difference maker on offense and that he will have an opportunity to impact the team the day he gets to campus.
*****
Following the comment above, it’s worth noting that we’ve heard UCLA’s name pretty frequently when talking to recruits. The Bruins have played in the state of Texas in 4 of the last 5 seasons and Saturday night’s win played very well in their strategy.
Jim Mora, Jr was pretty candid about it in his postgame remarks and we told you months ago that the Texas game was one that UCLA was emphasizing. The Bruins are seemingly poised to take advantage of the recent exposure and Saturday’s win. They aren’t going to clean house in the state, but if they cherry pick a few key recruits that solidifies them as a recruiting threat for the next 2-3 years.
*****
As reported elsewhere, Anthony Wheeler (LB – Skyline HS) did not attend Saturday’s game. His absence could be pretty telling, especially since the game was much closer to home that one in Austin. We were told that Texas coaches have 2-3 linebackers they prefer over Wheeler, so we’re thinking his absence on Saturday was an indication that contact is limited at this point.
*****
Deandre McNeal (Poteet HS) was at the UCLA game and seemed to have a good time. McNeal has UCLA on his list for official visits and doesn’t have a trip planned to Austin yet. He’s definitely one of those ‘cherries’ that we mentioned earlier.
McNeal is projected at LB by most recruiting analysts, but he wants to play offense in college. Beware of teams like Miami, UCLA and Alabama – all have told McNeal that he can play offense at their school.
*****
Staying at Poteet HS, the state’s top prospect, Malik Jefferson, attended the Texas-UCLA game. Jefferson is tight-lipped about his plans and didn’t offer much in the way of a reaction to Saturday’s game.
Jefferson and McNeal are both planning to announce their commitment on December 19th, but it will not be a joint ceremony. In fact, both players indicated that they’d prefer a smaller announcement with only family and close friends on hand, but that’s unlikely to happen.
*****
When it comes to making an impression in recruiting, most fans don't see the work that goes on behind the scenes. For example, as announced on Twitter, Tyler Moore (North Shore HS) picked a scholarship offer from BYU. What you didn't hear is that BYU coaches called Moore immediately following the Texas-BYU game....immediately as in Moore and his Dad hadn't even made it from DKR to their car yet.
That is how you send a message.
*****
We’re hearing that some suspended players will return for the KU game. Not all of them, but more than one.
*****
Out of 23 true freshmen, five have played in the team’s first three games (Beck, Foreman, Foreman, Hall & Joe). Charlie Strong has repeatedly talked about how difficult it is to come in and play on the line (on either side of the ball) as a true freshman. Since there are 7 OL/DL players, that leaves 9 kids with a chance to play.
The fact that none of those nine have even seen a ST snap means that the participation chart in Lawrence might be indicative of plans for the rest of conference play. Barring injuries, the chances of a freshman playing after four games seem slim.
One freshman to keep an eye on against Kansas is RB Donald Catalon. One player told us that Catalon has recovered from his injury really well, “He’s been working really hard. I’m impressed. I think he’ll play and play well.â€
*****
We’ve shared the reaction of a former college football player after the first two games. He gave us three thoughts on the UCLA game…
1. “Players love an opportunity to shut the naysayers up, and I have officially been shut up. I will admit I didn't have to largest amount of trust in Swoopes, but now? The Quarterback position is no longer what Longhorn nation needs to be concerned with. I'm not saying he's the best ever or anything like that, but the kid can play.â€
2. “Overall, I thought Texas played a very good first half. Their first half against BYU was good too, but it felt a little bit like the team was holding on for dear life. In the first half against UCLA I didn’t feel that way.â€
3. “These Longhorns need to learn how to finish a game. If a team is a ‘first half team’ it is usually a sign that something wrong with conditioning, coaching adjustments, or depth. Certainly depth is a factor for this Texas team, so becoming a good finishing team may take longer than normal.â€
