Shoemaker DE Rahssan Thornton committed to LSU

[Mike Roach]

And another one bites the dust. Texas could use a few wins

 

[J.B. TexasEx]

Recruiting is a marathon, not a sprint, but we definitely need to get a few D-line prospects this year!

 

[Randolph Duke]

Recruiting is a marathon, not a sprint, but we definitely need to get a few D-line prospects this year!

Marathons are generally won by elite runners who stay among the leaders througout the race. I can't remember a marathon ever being won by a runner who fell to the back of the pack and waited toward the end to try to sprint to victory. The goal here isn't to simply make it to the finish line and be able to say we competed in 12 games or to say the Horns signed a recruiting class. The goal is to compete against the elite teams and win far more often than lose. Texas fans are not going to easily or happily adjust to a new norm where any number of other programs consistently outperform Texas on a regular basis, either on the field or in recruiting.

This may indeed be a formula to incredible success and repeat national championships, but consistently underperforming as compared to successful programs isn't a formula that will endear the staff to the fans or the alumniin the near future. Being consistently rejected by elite recruits is going to take some getting used to and there is simply no promise the fans will ever embrace the prospect of Texas being seen as a undesireable program to be a part of.

Bear with us as we deal with the adjustment. It seems as if this particular adjustment is going to be a marathon proposition, not a sprint.

And yes, I understand when Coach Strong was running a mid-major program and competing against primarily mid-major competition, his being outrecruited by elite programs wasn't anobstacle to his building a program that lead to mid-major success. However, Coach Strong's tactics at Lousiville never lead to a national championship and he is no longer coaching a team that only has to outplay mid-major competition. Successful elite programs have markedly different characteristics than do mid-major programs, so trying to apply every aspect of Coach Strong's tenure at Lousiville to the current situation at Texas isn't necessarily valid. Texas can't afford to implement a strategy in building a program that will only lead to consistent success at the mid-major level and only against mid-major competition.

 

[J.B. TexasEx]

Coach Strong's tactics at Lousiville never lead to a national championship and he is no longer coaching a team that only has to outplay mid-major competition.

To describe Coach Strong's tenure at Louisville as anything other than a resounding success is crazy talk. Ask UF and Miami

3 out of 4 national recruiting services had UT's 2015 class in their Top 10s. Obviously, that takes a hit without Du'Vonta Lampkin - maybe it's now Top 15? I'm not going to question Coach Strong's "recruiting tactics" unless we're mediocre in 2016 and beyond. To get worked up over verbal commitments 6 months before NSD is knee-jerk, IMO.

I'm not a sunshine-pumper, RD. You should know that by now.

 

[Matt Cotcher]

Successful elite programs have markedly different characteristics than do mid-major programs, so trying to apply every aspect of Coach Strong's tenure at Lousiville to the current situation at Texas isn't necessarily valid. 

While you're dealing in absolutes, the converse of your statement is also true.

 

[J.B. TexasEx]

While you're dealing in absolutes, the converse of your statement is also true.

...and Thornton was only rated a 3-star recruit by most services. What the hell is "elite" about him? Do we know where CFS and staff had him ranked on their boards?

http://247sports.com/Player/Rahssan-Thornton-79514

http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Rahssan-Thornton-167106

http://www.scout.com/college/football/recruiting/story/1550120-prospect-on-the-rise-rahssan-thornton

 

[Sirhornsalot]

Marathons are generally won by elite runners who stay among the leaders througout the race. I can't remember a marathon ever being won by a runner who fell to the back of the pack and waited toward the end to try to sprint to victory. 

Frank Shorter says hi. BTW, what you say doesn't happen actually happens so often it was given it's own name – "a kick."

Since the analogy is being applied to football recruiting, how far do we have to go back to find out if there's something to what you're saying? Well, January? lol Charlie Strong took a class that was ranked way back and brought them to a top 10 finish. So Charlie sat contently at the back of the pack and sprinted to the finish at the end. It was a HUGE victory, sorry you missed it.

So what football program and coach are you even talking about?

 

[Agmaniacmike]

Move along, nothing to see here.

 

[java]

I wonder if Ed is up to his old tricks?  Y'all know the tricks I'm talking about...do ya'?  The Ags may not turn LSU in, if he is, but I bet Patterson might.  I'll put Patterson's iq against Ed's any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

Ed will slip up.  How many times has he already been caught?  

 

[Randolph Duke]

Frank Shorter says hi. BTW, what you say doesn't happen actually happens so often it was given it's own name – "a kick."

Since the analogy is being applied to football recruiting, how far do we have to go back to find out if there's something to what you're saying? Well, January? lol Charlie Strong took a class that was ranked way back and brought them to a top 10 finish. So Charlie sat contently at the back of the pack and sprinted to the finish at the end. It was a HUGE victory, sorry you missed it.

So what football program and coach are you even talking about?

When Shorter won the Olympic Marathon in '72, he started fast and remained at the front of the pack until he pulled off a gutsy move, took off from the pack at the 9 mile mark and was alone in front of the pack for the remainder of the race. Shorter says "hi" back at you. Shorter got out front fast and stayed out front the entire race. (And for the record, the pacing strategy in distance racing is a relatively fast start, slowing in the middle and then pushing hard at the end).

Coach Strong's HUGE victory needs to be adjusted to account for the multiple individuals who still haven't been cleared to join the team because of grades. If I remember, didn't Coach Strong have at least scholarship left over on signing day because he had no recruit to take it? Wasn't it being considered to bump Merrick up from a grey shirt to a full scholarship because of the untaken scholarship? And then there is Lampkin, Major, Clarington and probably at least one or two others I'm not thinking of. Texas needs recruits who can set foot on the field in the fall, not players who pump up a final recruiting ranking but never make it on campus.

Texas doesn't need another class like last year's. It needs a better one, especially at positions Coach Strong is extending offers for, but getting rejected by the recruits. It is precisely because he didn't land his higher picks that Coach Strong had to settle for recruiting players with high probabilities of never making it on campus. I keep waiting for the Charlie Strong era to start being impressive. So far, recruiting for the 2016 class isn't impressive. The program has a lot of room for improvement. We went through four years of crap with Mack, Strong's first year was an abomination, this year is looking like another write off. That is six years of mediocrity for the fans and another year at the earliest before the Horns even begin to be able to compete in the Big 12. We need to start seeing improvement soon.

 

 

[java]

Duke, 

We get it.  You don't like what's going on, but you are like a broken record.  You complain incessantly, and it is annoying.

 

[echeese]

To describe Coach Strong's tenure at Louisville as anything other than a resounding success is crazy talk. Ask UF and Miami

3 out of 4 national recruiting services had UT's 2015 class in their Top 10s. Obviously, that takes a hit without Du'Vonta Lampkin - maybe it's now Top 15? I'm not going to question Coach Strong's "recruiting tactics" unless we're mediocre in 2016 and beyond. To get worked up over verbal commitments 6 months before NSD is knee-jerk, IMO.

I'm not a sunshine-pumper, RD. You should know that by now.

Strongly (pardon the pun) agree with the bolded line . .. which is obvious to anyone with a clue about college football but I'll go one further.   To describe CFS' recruiting at TEXAS so far as anything but a HUGE WIN. . . .well, basically an admission you are either trolling for attention or an idiot. . . .

The days of Mack Brown inking a Top 10 class at Junior Days then adding talent till we're Top 5 are gone. . . verbal commits don't mean squat for many of these recruits.

Alex Dunlop at OB had a great article on the best "flippers" in the biz. . . .CFS was up there with Urban Meyer (#1) and this going back through his UL days not just last year.. . .so a decent data set.

But the part that is beyond the grasp of our resident pot stirrer. . . . CFS not only has a better eye for talent than the internet services, he also does far more in terms of development with the talent he gets.

14 NFL picks in the past 2 years, 4 1st rounders and 2 seconds. . .. . .#2 last year in number of players from one school drafted.

Results not bluster, bullshit and sump pumping is just internet fodder for the whiney crowd. . . .

 

[primal defense]

Duke, 

We get it.  You don't like what's going on, but you are like a broken record.  You complain incessantly, and it is annoying.

You can say that again. The guy is like a vampire, reading his post will suck out any orange blood you may have and any excitement about the season will be sucked out of you. He's beginning to make Monarch sound good

Here are links to help, that guy has already decided Heard will be a non factor this year. Here's a pro Jerrod Heard article I've already posted. Please read after you his many of his broken record post to help regain your health.

http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/111499/oklahoma-states-j-w-walsh-big-fan-of-texas-qb-jerrod-heard

Here's a reminder on the Charlie Strong players drafted by the NFL when he's complaining about CS's recruiting in June.

http://hookemheadlines.com/2015/05/03/2015-nfl-draft-shows-charlie-strong-can-develop-talent/

 

[DMAC]

Duke, 

We get it.  You don't like what's going on, but you are like a broken record.  You complain incessantly, and it is annoying.

OL and DL recruiting has been terrible.  Hes just stating the obvious that most people refuse to acknowledge.

Its sad when 2 of the top DL in state pick UH and we are chasing the 3* stars and still losing out on them.

Hopefully mo-mo picks up.

 

[MikeV73]

A lot of us are starting to sound like the entitled football team we despised at the end of Brown's tenure. Maybe we can give our new regime more than a few months, and one complete recruiting cycle, to show some results? Wow, I hope everyone's lives can continue without falling in to depression over kids choosing colleges light years prior to NSD.

 

[Etex Horn]

"He's beginning to make Monarch sound good"

Oh....that's gonna leave a mark.

 

[streettopeschel]

"He's beginning to make Monarch sound good"

Oh....that's gonna leave a mark.

the 'M' word should never be invoked.

 

[DMAC]

A lot of us are starting to sound like the entitled football team we despised at the end of Brown's tenure. Maybe we can give our new regime more than a few months, and one complete recruiting cycle, to show some results? Wow, I hope everyone's lives can continue without falling in to depression over kids choosing colleges light years prior to NSD.

Blame it on the commercial - "We ARE Texas".

We arent entitled to Texas HS DL, LSU is. 

Besides I blame it on Swoopes like I did most of last season.

 

[Randolph Duke]

Duke,

We get it. You don't like what's going on, but you are like a broken record. You complain incessantly, and it is annoying.

The reality is whatever Coach Strong has done so far, it isn't good enough. Recruiting has to get better. Merely replicating his performance at Louisville won't cut it. For every Miami win, we can point to a loss to Central Florida. For every Florida win, we can point to a blowout loss against Syracuse or getting beaten by UConn. Texas isn't competing against the likes of Southern Miss, Temple or Cincinnati.
If Texas is to do well under Coach Strong, Coach Strong has to pick up his game above what he did as a mid major coach. No one wants to hear about how Coach Strong reprised his strategy to build a team that could compete against mid major competition. This is about constant improvement. We need to see improvement. It's time for Coach Strong and his staff to start delivering better than what a mid-major would deliver and its time to start delivering far better than in year one.