HornSports Staff
HornSports.com
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2013
- Messages
- 2,468
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***
Much was made about Joe Wickline’s quick exits from the field after the Kansas and Baylor games. There was enough of a fuss about it that we checked in with a few players to see if we could find out more.
According to the team, Wickline is so passionate about the line and their performance that he takes the losses very hard, especially if the OL doesn’t play up to his expectation.
“That’s just Coach Joe†is how one player put it.
We’re told that Wickline has been known to go for extended periods after a loss without speaking to anyone. Evidently he stays with the team, but is not talkative.
It sounds like nothing to make much of a fuss about, but it’s worth reporting here. More importantly, the saga doesn't end there…
We got word from a really solid source that Wickline had a hand in the offensive playbook against OU – more so than any previous game. The report we got was that Wick’s increased involvement meshed really well with Shawn Watson’s playcalling during the game but, as we saw, the timing needs work in order to get the plays in efficiently.
*****
Tyler (John Tyler HS) cornerback Isaac Warren is one of the most debated names in the 2015 class. Folks that have seen him in person like his size, speed and ability. Others cite his 3-star ranking and a pedestrian offer list as evidence that he is not “Big 12 caliberâ€.
Warren is currently committed to Purdue, but that hasn’t stopped the Longhorn coaches from pursuing him. Warren camped at Texas in July (before his Purdue commitment) and has maintained his status as a player that the coaches are “watching closely but yet to offerâ€.
Warren attended the Texas vs UCLA game in Dallas and was reported as saying very positive things afterward, despite the outcome. In interviews Warren has consistently talked up the Texas defense, their aggressive style and the Longhorn fan base.
But one current player we talked to said it’s a only a matter of Warren getting the long awaited offer. According to this team member, Warren told him, “I love it here.â€
Since it was relayed to us, you can be sure it was told to the coaches. That makes Warren a player to keep an eye on.
*****
Charlie Strong’s recruiting connections in the state of Florida are well known. It looks like he’s hoping those connections will extend up into Georgia…
Texas offered Buford, GA defensive tackle Derrick Brown. With an offer list that includes most every school in the SEC and ACC, Brown is a national Top 100 prospect in the 2016 class.
It’s going to be very tough to pull him away from UGA (he’s already been to multiple games this season).
Realistically this is an instructive recruitment for Longhorn fans. This staff is content to cast a far and wide net and see if anything bites and then the serious talks begin. That is a significantly different model than the previous coaching regime.
*****
The class of 2016 quarterback class is shaping up to be a very interesting race with names like Shane Beuchele (Lamar HS) and Jacob Eason (Lake Stevens, WA) headlining the class. At this point, the Horns are trying to line up their pick of the litter.
Due to a strong Junior campaign, a new name to watch is Logan Bonner (Rowlett). Bonner is in the classic drop back quarterback mold and can really sling the rock. The Horns haven’t offered, but Bonner was in Austin for the Baylor game, indicating mutual interest on both sides.
Bonner is in a similar scenario with Art Briles and Baylor (no offer – pending further review). Just like the UT scenario, Bonner went to Waco for the Bears game against the Horned Frogs.
If UT only recruits Zach Gentry in 2015, then odds are the coaches will also only opt to take one quarterback in Bonner’s class. With the top end talent stacked in 2016, Bonner’s development will be a storyline to watch.
*****
Another quick hitter while we’re on the subject of 2016 recruits…the other position in the class that is loaded with potential stars is defensive back.
Eric Monroe, Deontay Anderson and Brandon Jones all play Safety and each is ranked in the state’s Top 5 players by at least one of the recruiting services.
A possible early tip for how the Texas coaches are leaning…Brandon Jones (Nacogdoches) will be in Austin this weekend for the Iowa State game.
*****
We checked in with our best baseball source to see if he had anything noteworthy before the Fall World Series cranks up…and he delivered some unexpected news:
A new pitcher showed up at the baseball offices, asking for a tryout. His name?
David Ash.
That’s right. The former quarterback of the Longhorns approached Skip Johnson about throwing for the team. Naturally, the team welcomed him.
The report we got was that Ash can really hum it from 60’ 6â€, but often times they have no idea where the pitch will end up.
“Wildly effectiveâ€, anyone? Sounds like Nuke LaLoosh.
Ash has been working with Skip Johnson pretty steadily over the last few weeks. The staff hasn’t even put him up on a pitcher’s mound yet because they’re working on making his mechanics repeatable (which will improve his control).
How’s this for a storybook…Football player forced to prematurely end his playing career due to injury. He fills the void by picking up a baseball and proceeds to finish his college career on the pitching staff of one of college baseball’s most storied programs.
Eat your heart out Disney.
*****
That same baseball source told us that both the coaches and the players know this is a championship caliber team. According to him, the battle this Spring will be to maintain the mentality of last year’s team.
As a reminder, here is Augie Garrido before the 2014 season, “We spent all fall attacking what I think was our number one problem from last year, and that is the word entitlement. I think that we have taken really important steps forward in changing the attitude of being entitled and recognizing who we are, and changing that too. What are we going to do to serve the team? And how are we going to serve The University of Texas Baseball program and the athletic program. That was really our main mission. We didn't take as much time playing catch or taking batting practice as we did focusing on the mental parts of it all. Getting them focused on how to serve the team, how to be a great teammate, and what it takes to be mentally tough. Really changing the mentality.â€
It sounds like we’ll be hearing more of the same throughout the coming months. Garrido has never been shy about his expectations for a team. If he’s already convinced this is team can win a championship, then fans should be very confident about the team’s talent level.
*****
There was a tweet put out by North Shore running back Tristian Houston (that has since been deleted) that mentioned he was going to be taking all of his official visits after the season was over. We spoke to Tristian this evening and asked which schools he would be officially visiting. Houston clarified and said he wouldn’t be taking any other visits.
We asked if he was still solid with Texas. His response, “Yeah, I’m still 100%.â€
As a follow up we asked him if he was being recruited hard by any other programs. His response – Alabama (he holds a Bama offer).
*****
Our favorite quote from a player after the OU game came when asking about the team’s 2-4 record. Multiple players felt like the team is definitely starting to get their swagger back. And one player said it best:
“We’re gonna hit you in the mouth, help you up, and then come back and hit you in the mouth again.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***
Much was made about Joe Wickline’s quick exits from the field after the Kansas and Baylor games. There was enough of a fuss about it that we checked in with a few players to see if we could find out more.
According to the team, Wickline is so passionate about the line and their performance that he takes the losses very hard, especially if the OL doesn’t play up to his expectation.
“That’s just Coach Joe†is how one player put it.
We’re told that Wickline has been known to go for extended periods after a loss without speaking to anyone. Evidently he stays with the team, but is not talkative.
It sounds like nothing to make much of a fuss about, but it’s worth reporting here. More importantly, the saga doesn't end there…
We got word from a really solid source that Wickline had a hand in the offensive playbook against OU – more so than any previous game. The report we got was that Wick’s increased involvement meshed really well with Shawn Watson’s playcalling during the game but, as we saw, the timing needs work in order to get the plays in efficiently.
*****
Tyler (John Tyler HS) cornerback Isaac Warren is one of the most debated names in the 2015 class. Folks that have seen him in person like his size, speed and ability. Others cite his 3-star ranking and a pedestrian offer list as evidence that he is not “Big 12 caliberâ€.
Warren is currently committed to Purdue, but that hasn’t stopped the Longhorn coaches from pursuing him. Warren camped at Texas in July (before his Purdue commitment) and has maintained his status as a player that the coaches are “watching closely but yet to offerâ€.
Warren attended the Texas vs UCLA game in Dallas and was reported as saying very positive things afterward, despite the outcome. In interviews Warren has consistently talked up the Texas defense, their aggressive style and the Longhorn fan base.
But one current player we talked to said it’s a only a matter of Warren getting the long awaited offer. According to this team member, Warren told him, “I love it here.â€
Since it was relayed to us, you can be sure it was told to the coaches. That makes Warren a player to keep an eye on.
*****
Charlie Strong’s recruiting connections in the state of Florida are well known. It looks like he’s hoping those connections will extend up into Georgia…
Texas offered Buford, GA defensive tackle Derrick Brown. With an offer list that includes most every school in the SEC and ACC, Brown is a national Top 100 prospect in the 2016 class.
It’s going to be very tough to pull him away from UGA (he’s already been to multiple games this season).
Realistically this is an instructive recruitment for Longhorn fans. This staff is content to cast a far and wide net and see if anything bites and then the serious talks begin. That is a significantly different model than the previous coaching regime.
*****
The class of 2016 quarterback class is shaping up to be a very interesting race with names like Shane Beuchele (Lamar HS) and Jacob Eason (Lake Stevens, WA) headlining the class. At this point, the Horns are trying to line up their pick of the litter.
Due to a strong Junior campaign, a new name to watch is Logan Bonner (Rowlett). Bonner is in the classic drop back quarterback mold and can really sling the rock. The Horns haven’t offered, but Bonner was in Austin for the Baylor game, indicating mutual interest on both sides.
Bonner is in a similar scenario with Art Briles and Baylor (no offer – pending further review). Just like the UT scenario, Bonner went to Waco for the Bears game against the Horned Frogs.
If UT only recruits Zach Gentry in 2015, then odds are the coaches will also only opt to take one quarterback in Bonner’s class. With the top end talent stacked in 2016, Bonner’s development will be a storyline to watch.
*****
Another quick hitter while we’re on the subject of 2016 recruits…the other position in the class that is loaded with potential stars is defensive back.
Eric Monroe, Deontay Anderson and Brandon Jones all play Safety and each is ranked in the state’s Top 5 players by at least one of the recruiting services.
A possible early tip for how the Texas coaches are leaning…Brandon Jones (Nacogdoches) will be in Austin this weekend for the Iowa State game.
*****
We checked in with our best baseball source to see if he had anything noteworthy before the Fall World Series cranks up…and he delivered some unexpected news:
A new pitcher showed up at the baseball offices, asking for a tryout. His name?
David Ash.
That’s right. The former quarterback of the Longhorns approached Skip Johnson about throwing for the team. Naturally, the team welcomed him.
The report we got was that Ash can really hum it from 60’ 6â€, but often times they have no idea where the pitch will end up.
“Wildly effectiveâ€, anyone? Sounds like Nuke LaLoosh.
Ash has been working with Skip Johnson pretty steadily over the last few weeks. The staff hasn’t even put him up on a pitcher’s mound yet because they’re working on making his mechanics repeatable (which will improve his control).
How’s this for a storybook…Football player forced to prematurely end his playing career due to injury. He fills the void by picking up a baseball and proceeds to finish his college career on the pitching staff of one of college baseball’s most storied programs.
Eat your heart out Disney.
*****
That same baseball source told us that both the coaches and the players know this is a championship caliber team. According to him, the battle this Spring will be to maintain the mentality of last year’s team.
As a reminder, here is Augie Garrido before the 2014 season, “We spent all fall attacking what I think was our number one problem from last year, and that is the word entitlement. I think that we have taken really important steps forward in changing the attitude of being entitled and recognizing who we are, and changing that too. What are we going to do to serve the team? And how are we going to serve The University of Texas Baseball program and the athletic program. That was really our main mission. We didn't take as much time playing catch or taking batting practice as we did focusing on the mental parts of it all. Getting them focused on how to serve the team, how to be a great teammate, and what it takes to be mentally tough. Really changing the mentality.â€
It sounds like we’ll be hearing more of the same throughout the coming months. Garrido has never been shy about his expectations for a team. If he’s already convinced this is team can win a championship, then fans should be very confident about the team’s talent level.
*****
There was a tweet put out by North Shore running back Tristian Houston (that has since been deleted) that mentioned he was going to be taking all of his official visits after the season was over. We spoke to Tristian this evening and asked which schools he would be officially visiting. Houston clarified and said he wouldn’t be taking any other visits.
We asked if he was still solid with Texas. His response, “Yeah, I’m still 100%.â€
As a follow up we asked him if he was being recruited hard by any other programs. His response – Alabama (he holds a Bama offer).
*****
Our favorite quote from a player after the OU game came when asking about the team’s 2-4 record. Multiple players felt like the team is definitely starting to get their swagger back. And one player said it best:
“We’re gonna hit you in the mouth, help you up, and then come back and hit you in the mouth again.â€
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