With Easter, comes Spring, and a renewed spirit throughout Austin. A perfect example of that held true this week.
With the annual NFL Pro day and Spring football game commencing, there was a good vibe that permeated the campus.
And after Saturday night’s glorified practice, I got the impression this is a team with a sense of urgency.
For starters, the tempo is faster, especially on offense. Not as fast as the coaching staff wants, but quicker. Mack wants a play every 15 seconds, while the Horns were running one about every 20 seconds. On the right track, but that stuff takes time.
Offensively, David Ash looked sharp, comfortable, and a little pressed. But for the first time in three years, UT has a unquestioned leader at quarterback. Jonathan Gray showed why he’s the top tailback in a stable of thoroughbreds in UT’s backfield.
One surprise was the early-enrolled QB, Tyrone Swoopes. Not only did he produce points in his possession, but he wore a regular Spring game jersey. Not a traditional black, hands-off, Longhorn top, but a open target telling the defense to tee off. And he flourished. The ginormus signal-caller completed some easy touch throws mixed in with a 20-yard pickup on a play where he juked two linebackers, reversed field and hit the sidelines.
And my goodness Swoopes is large. I think the biggest story was Mack stating he was ahead of Brewer and Overstreet. A player who I felt was destined for a redshirt, might see the field in 2013. Mack may have no choice.
Of the offensive standouts, Off-coordinator Major Applewhite mentioned offensive lineman, Kennedy Estelle. With Josh Cochran’s injury, Estelle was pressed into action. He’s certainly looked the part. Great body control, knowledge of the protections, and drive. He’s still weak in the upper body, but that’s what Benny Wiley is for.
Def-coordinator Manny Diaz’ guys did about what you can do as a defense in a Spring game. Jordan Hicks is back and healthy, the linebackers look leaner, Sheroid Evans can fly, and UT still needs a consistent pass rush. Corner Duke Thomas has moved to the offense. Sort of. He snagged three catches during the Spring game, and Mack says he’ll probably play both ways this year.
The main question I have heading into the 2013 Texas Football season…… the kicking game. I’m not going to start worrying about this in April. I can save that nausea for August.
Interestingly enough, recruiting made headlines this weekend. With Texas hosting over 40 of the top recruits in Texas on Friday and Saturday, sometimes the program can reap the rewards of effort well spent on such activities.
And when a former rival in College Station has made some serious inroads in recruiting the state of Texas, what the Longhorns pulled off this weekend is even more fascinating. Four top-notch prospects, two from 2014 and two from 2015 pledged to the Horns within about 36 hours. GULP.
In 2014, the No. 1 center in Texas, Jasper’s Terrell Cuney, and a top-3 defensive tackle from San Antonio Warren, Trey Lealaimatafao. Cuney joins No. 1 OL Demetrious Knox of Fort Worth All-Saints on the offensive line. Lealaimatafao fills a potentially major void along the defensive front, with the UT staff neglecting the position in 2013.
For 2015, Mack snagged two gems in Desoto’s Bryce English, and Corpus Christi Flour Bluff’s Jalen Campbell. English, 5-foot-11, 315 pounds, continues a pipeline to Austin from Desoto high school. He’ll be the fourth member of the Longhorns family, joining lineman Curtis Riser and Marcus Hutchins, and corner Bryson Echols. Campbell, 5-foot-11, 175 pounds was a cornerback who blew up at the Rivals Camp in Houston two weeks ago. He’s also the highest rated defensive back in the 2015 class for Texas, and 8th overall.
That’s the kind of weekend that builds continuity, and stabilizes programs. If you had any doubt in Mack’s ability to reel in a majority of the state’s biggest fish, or that he’d lost some luster, just know he’s got his groove back.
There were a bevy of ’14 and ’15 blue-chippers on hand in Austin this weekend. Don’t be surprised if these past few days festivities nets a few more pledges here very soon. Energy and momentum is a real thing in recruiting. Texas football has some serious momentum.
It was a good finish to a week that saw legendary gunslinger, Vince Young perform for the league’s scouts at the annual Pro Day at the Moncrief-Neiuhaus Center and Young put on a show.
Young looked like a 29-year old NFL QB, mainly because he was one once. But his renewed spirit, leaner look, and overall talent shined through for over 30 NFL scouts. He will be back in the league shortly, and his hard work will undoubtedly pay off. Expect overtures from Oakland, Detroit, and Houston to name a few.
Kenny Vaccaro stayed steady as a first-round grade, Marquis Goodwin set a vertical record with a 42-inch jump. Not surprising for a Olympic high-jumper.
Alex Okafor is hard-working and slow, Brandon Moore quick and lazy. Go figure. Jeremy Hills ran a 4.38 40-yard dash, while DJ Monroe recorded a 4.35. Not bad for two guys who never really factored into the Texas offense in four years.
One final note from Pro day. Mack always proclaims it’s a family atmosphere at Texas. It’s part of his sell and motto to coaches, parents, and kids. Well, it’s all true.
The pictures Texas-ex Jamal Charles tweeted from the evaluation day were even more evident. At least 30 children had the run of the facilities and with over 25 former players coming back to help the newcomers, it just shows you that Mack has his priorities in order. It’s not a ‘win-at-all-costs’ mentality with Mack. And maybe that’s a good thing.
After news of a couple of transfers were released by the Texas Men’s basketball team, leading scorer Sheldon McClellan and Jaylon Bond, Rick Barnes got some much needed good news on Saturday morning.
Richardson Berkner combo guard, Kendal Yancy-Harris committed to Texas via Twitter. You could say we saw it coming. Future Longhorns teammates Prince Ibeh and Demarcus Holland revealed he had in fact committed to UT via their Twitter accounts two days before. Nevertheless, the 6-foot-4 Yancy-Harris is a 4-star scorer with a game ready for college, who de-committed from Southern Cal two months prior. He’ll play immediately next winter, especially with the possible defection of Myck Kabongo to the NBA.
The baseball team lost 2-of-3 from Oklahoma State in Stillwater this weekend. Funny thing, the bats woke up.
Mark Payton extended his hitting streak to 16 games, while freshman shortstop, C.J. Hinojosa had a great series, with two home-runs as part of seven hits, and six RBI’s. Problem was they ran into a better team. Oklahoma State moved to 22-6 on the season and have the look of those 1990’s Cowboys clubs who slugged the ball and had a great bullpen. The Big-12 goes through Stillwater and Norman this year. Plain and simple.
Quote of the Week :Â “Like Mike Davis said, he has a swagger about him now. When he first came in, he was a freshman that was just thrown into the fire and he had to play. They put him on the field, because he was the best guy. Now that he has it down, he’s a lot more comfortable. He’s loosened up with us and he talks more now, because he knows what he’s doing.” Â – Texas RB Malcolm Brown on Junior-to-be QB, David Ash
We at Horn Sports want to wish you a Happy Easter and appreciate you spending your Monday with us. Hook’Em Horns
