DE Erick Fowler commits to LSU

[Matt Cotcher]

— Twitter API (@twitterapi) November 7, 2011

!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+"://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");


Fowler is #8 on the Top 50, plus he lives in the shadow of DKR. This is a major boost for LSU.

 

[Sirhornsalot]

We were on this guy?

 

[utisdabomb12]

[SIZE=14.6666669845581px]Not surprised at all. This is how Strong recruits. People expecting a bunch of early commits are going to be disappointed[/SIZE][SIZE=14.6666669845581px]. Strong's '11 class at Louisville he had 5 commits before July 1st, '12 class 4 commits, '13 class 5 commits. Like I said, don't expect many early commits. I only expect 5-7 commits before fall ball starts. We are currently at 5.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6666669845581px]Strong isn't worried about flipping commits either. See Major, Locke, Newsome, Locksley, Cherry, Hager, Lampkin, Vasser, and Johnson.  [/SIZE]

 

[Randolph Duke]

Not surprised at all. This is how Strong recruits. People expecting a bunch of early commits are going to be disappointed. Strong's '11 class at Louisville he had 5 commits before July 1st, '12 class 4 commits, '13 class 5 commits. Like I said, don't expect many early commits. I only expect 5-7 commits before fall ball starts. We are currently at 5.

Strong isn't worried about flipping commits either. See Major, Locke, Newsome, Locksley, Cherry, Hager, Lampkin, Vasser, and Johnson.

What is concerning is the number of top instate recruits who seem to give no weight whatsoever to Strong's supposed ability to develop defensive players. Here, yet another top player rejected that and instead committed to a SEC school.
And let's not ever again use Lampkin as an example of Strong's recruiting prowess.

 

[Agmaniacmike]

This is a big blow, especially with the Kendell Jones commit a couple of weeks. While Fowler isn't a DT, A&M and Texas are both on second and third-tier options on that front with the top guys going elsewhere. BTW, I expect Fowler was sold on the 3-4 defense that LSU is selling right now, it is a good fit for his talents.

 

[utisdabomb12]

What is concerning is the number of top instate recruits who seem to give no weight whatsoever to Strong's supposed ability to develop defensive players. Here, yet another top player rejected that and instead committed to a SEC school.

And let's not ever again use Lampkin as an example of Strong's recruiting prowess.

You said this exact same thing last year. Get back at me in February on NSD. You are the type person that can't handle Strong's recruiting style, at all. Just because players aren't committing to Texas right now doesn't mean they aren't interested. This is how Strong recruits, he doesn't take many early commits and is not worried about flipping players at the end of the process. Malik, Mcneal, Boyd, Hill, Newsome, Locke, and so on were all in state guys landed late in the process. 

I think people have become so conditioned to Mack's recruiting style they can't handle the long game of Strong's recruiting style. 

 

[Randolph Duke]

You said this exact same thing last year. Get back at me in February on NSD.

You know I will. By the way, with Lampkin blowing off Coach Strong and not everyone qualifying, any talk of who is getting all the extra scholarships? This is a new problem for Texas. I'm wondering how Strong handles the scholarships he couldn't find recruits for.

 

[Agmaniacmike]

I don't understand that logic. If Fowler, Jones, Monroe, McCullough, DJax, etc. called Strong and wanted to commit he would take them in a heatbeat. Most of these guys are at the top of the big board, they aren't players you can turn down on a consistent basis. If he truly didn't want commits this early then Hemphill-Mapps, Johnson, Imade,etc. wouldn't be in the boat currently. Based on what I am seeing, Texas is struggling and A&M is taking second-tier commits. Both schools are going to have to show improvement if they want to flip kids and/or pick up momentum from TCU/Baylor and the cherrypicking SEC West schools.

 

[utisdabomb12]

You know I will. By the way, with Lampkin blowing off Coach Strong and not everyone qualifying, any talk of who is getting all the extra scholarships? This is a new problem for Texas. I'm wondering how Strong handles the scholarships he couldn't find recruits for.

Is this serious? 

 

[utisdabomb12]

I don't understand that logic. If Fowler, Jones, Monroe, McCullough, DJax, etc. called Strong and wanted to commit he would take them in a heatbeat. Most of these guys are at the top of the big board, they aren't players you can turn down on a consistent basis. If he truly didn't want commits this early then Hemphill-Mapps, Johnson, Imade,etc. wouldn't be in the boat currently. Based on what I am seeing, Texas is struggling and A&M is taking second-tier commits. Both schools are going to have to show improvement if they want to flip kids and/or pick up momentum from TCU/Baylor and the cherrypicking SEC West schools.

It's not a matter of Strong taking Fowler, Jones, Monroe, McCullough, DJax in a heartbeat. It's a matter of pushing for a commit. Strong views commits this early in the process as meaningless. Bedford has even said, "commits are nothing but placeholders for other schools". Texas will take a few commits early in the process because that's how recruiting works, some guys want to be Longhorns regardless of how hard you push (see Imade and Hemphill). You will never see Texas, under Strong, having 12 to 15 commits this early in the process. It's not who he is, it never has been. 

I've been saying this since Strong was hired because it was the first thing the Louisville recruiting guys told me. "Don't expect many early commits because that's not Strong." If people are expecting more than 5 to 8 commits by the end of July they are going to be disappointed. People acting like this is out of the norm is astounding to me because the #s at Florida and Louisville prove this is how Strong recruits. 

 

[Randolph Duke]

Is this serious?

Of course it's serious. I think there was one scholarship unfilled after recruiting day, Lampkin's makes two and last I heard, there are four recruits still not academically cleared. How does Coach Strong handle the scholarships he doesn't have recruits to fill? Does he give them to Sr walkons? If he gives a one year scholarship he can't bring in someone in Jan, can he? What is his policy? Who gets them? Does anyone even know?

 

[utisdabomb12]

Of course it's serious. I think there was one scholarship unfilled after recruiting day, Lampkin's makes two and last I heard, there are four recruits still not academically cleared. How does Coach Strong handle the scholarships he doesn't have recruits to fill? Does he give them to Sr walkons? If he gives a one year scholarship he can't bring in someone in Jan, can he? What is his policy? Who gets them? Does anyone even know?

He will most likely use the scholarships on this recruiting cycle. From what I've read, it's unlikely Lampkin or Johsnon make it to campus. People seem somewhat optimistic on Major and Clarington. So we might only be talking 2 extra scholarships available. I'm not sure how many scholarship players we currently have on the roster either. 

Strong wants to build a roster with his guys. He's more likely to give a scholarship to a guy he recruited over a random Mack Brown walk on. 

 

[Agmaniacmike]

Comparing recruiting at Louisville to Texas is a stretch. Strong can offer 50+ worthy kids in Texas and be in 90% of their top 5 lists. In Louisville, not matter what he did, the majority of recruits would recognize it as a secondary destination to the big schools in the area. If a prospect believes in their ability they aren't likely to commit to Louisville or stick with that commit with likely offers from strong ACC/SEC/Big 10 schools. Hence why he often closed with hidden 3-star gems with offers from decent schools. How did he recruit once he had a BCS Bowl win under his belt?

 

[utisdabomb12]

Comparing recruiting at Louisville to Texas is a stretch. Strong can offer 50+ worthy kids in Texas and be in 90% of their top 5 lists. In Louisville, not matter what he did, the majority of recruits would recognize it as a secondary destination to the big schools in the area. If a prospect believes in their ability they aren't likely to commit to Louisville or stick with that commit with likely offers from strong ACC/SEC/Big 10 schools. Hence why he often closed with hidden 3-star gems with offers from decent schools. 

1-He recruited the same way on the defensive side of the ball at Florida. 

2-He was recruiting a ton of lower ranked recruits at Louisville early in the process, so your argument is irrelevant. Most of the 3 star recruits he recruited didn't perceive Louisville as a "secondary destination" because it was their best offer. You can spin however you want. Strong hasn't taken many early commits at Florida or Louisville. This isn't anything coming out of nowhere either, I've been saying this since Strong was hired. 

 

[Randolph Duke]

1-He recruited the same way on the defensive side of the ball at Florida.

2-He was recruiting a ton of lower ranked recruits at Louisville early in the process, so your argument is irrelevant. Most of the 3 star recruits he recruited didn't perceive Louisville as a "secondary destination" because it was their best offer. You can spin however you want. Strong hasn't taken many early commits at Florida or Louisville. This isn't anything coming out of nowhere either, I've been saying this since Strong was hired.

But the fact remains elite defensive players in Texas that Coach Strong is recruiting are preferring to play elsewhere. At some point, that has to change for UT to get back to the upper echelon of college football. To date, that change doesn't seem to be starting.

The real problem for the Horns isn't defense, though. It's offense. Let's not kid ourselves. Elite players want to play for teams that have a chance of competing for championships. It isn't recruiting elite players that is going to get Texas back to a nine or ten win season. It's going to be coaching up three stars on offense that turns Texas' fortunes around. Without a qb or an offensive line, this year is looking more and more like another writeoff. The only way Coach Strong will start getting serious consideration from elite instate talent is after 2016 and if somehow the offense starts to come together.

 

[Agmaniacmike]

Not sure how that makes the argument irrelevant. Strong's final year (the one with a BCS title to show for it) he had 12 commits before the season started. I don't think this is an outlier, when he was winning he was able to convince recruits to commit. He capitalized on defensive prowess and Florida connections to win some head-to-heads down the stretch against middling major conference teams like WV and Ole Miss while at Louisville. Bottom line, if a kid is sold, he will commit, any other characterization reeks of spin. I'm not sure how likely a Texas team expected to struggle through this season is to flip top recruits from the likes of Alabama, LSU, and TCU; that just seems like a losing proposition. Who am I to rain on your parade though, keep your head in the clouds if you would like, I am an A&M fan, I know mediocrity when I see it.

 

[utisdabomb12]

But the fact remains elite defensive players in Texas that Coach Strong is recruiting are preferring to play elsewhere. 

In June.  Like I said, you repeated the same line last year. How did that narrative work out when Strong landed Elliott, Jefferson, Hill, Boyd, Locke, Wheeler and so on? I'm also not sure why you are so fixated on "Texas" either.  Strong should absolutely look more out of state than we have been under previous coaches (Louisiana, Georgia, Florida and California are ripe with talent).  I've been saying for years the defensive talent is slightly overrated in Texas because of the move to the spread. 

The real problem for the Horns isn't defense, though. It's offense. Let's not kid ourselves. Elite players want to play for teams that have a chance of competing for championships. 

We will find out, again it's June. I do know we currently have an Elite 11 QB and stud WR committed.  Warren,  Vahe, Burt, Newsome, Locksley, Johnson, and Clarington were all blue chips landed last year, so yeah it's not like he struck out on the offensive side of the ball. 

 

[Randolph Duke]

Not sure how that makes the argument irrelevant. Strong's final year (the one with a BCS title to show for it) he had 12 commits before the season started. I don't think this is an outlier, when he was winning he was able to convince recruits to commit. He capitalized on defensive prowess and Florida connections to win some head-to-heads down the stretch against middling major conference teams like WV and Ole Miss while at Louisville. Bottom line, if a kid is sold, he will commit, any other characterization reeks of spin. I'm not sure how likely a Texas team expected to struggle through this season is to flip top recruits from the likes of Alabama, LSU, and TCU; that just seems like a losing proposition. Who am I to rain on your parade though, keep your head in the clouds if you would like, I am an A&M fan, I know mediocrity when I see it.

UT has no offense and has no special teams capabilities. No.player is going to flip from Bama, LSU or TCU to play for Texas until and unless Coach Strong shows he can handle coaching more than just a mid-major program. Shit like not having the team captains prepared to handle the coin flip simply can't happen again. Debacles like what happened against TCU and Arky simply can't happen. Quite frankly, there needs to be a lot of improvement in coaching that has to occur before UT will be able to recruit at a high level. For me, the Cal game is the telling game for this season. If Texas can't compete against Cal, this season will be another disaster and the recruiting wheels fall off.

 

[utisdabomb12]

 I don't think this is an outlier, when he was winning he was able to convince recruits to commit.

He wasn't winning in his first two years at Louisville. Much like now he was left a dumpster fire. 

He capitalized on defensive prowess and Florida connections to win some head-to-heads down the stretch against middling major conference teams like WV and Ole Miss while at Louisville.

This is really your argument.? Strong wasn't landing top tier recruits at Louisville, he developed them. Strong wasn't beating other teams out for recruits, he was finding hidden gems that he could develop. 

Bottom line, if a kid is sold, he will commit, any other characterization reeks of spin.

If you aren't pushing for a commit a kid won't commit. Not sure what's difficult to understand. I have no clue which recruits Strong is pushing to commit, but I do know he has an extensive history of not taking many early commits. 

I'm not sure how likely a Texas team expected to struggle through this season is to flip top recruits from the likes of Alabama, LSU, and TCU; that just seems like a losing proposition. Who am I to rain on your parade though, keep your head in the clouds if you would like, I am an A&M fan, I know mediocrity when I see it.

Flipped Vasser and Johnson from Georgia. Flipped Newsome from UCLA. Flipped Major from Baylor. Flipped Locke from Oregon. Flipped Locksley from FSU. Flipper Hager from Tennessee. Flipped Lampkin from OU. Those are all pretty big name schools and we went 6-7 last year. What's your point? This doesn't even include guys like Boyd/Jefferson/Mcneal who were supposedly leans to A&M, Davis a major lean to FSU, and Burt major lean to Auburn. But hey, there's no way Strong can pull in a good class even in a bad year.