Last summer Charlie Strong introduced the idea of a late summer elite camp with the initial “Under the Lights†event at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. The event attracted a who’s who of Texas recruits to campus and generated positive buzz around the program that propelled it into the fall recruiting season. Under The Lights 2016 will take place this weekend, and once again the Texas coaching staff is looking to turn the camp into a buzzworthy event as they prepare to ramp up recruiting in the second half of the year.
The camp is open to the public, so fans are welcome to attend. Some prospects will arrive on Friday night to spend time on campus and with the coaches, but the camp officially starts Saturday evening with check-in at 6:00PM.
UTL will definitely be an event to keep an eye on even if you can’t make it to Austin. Like last year, big-time names confirmed they will be in attendance, and storylines are emerging with riveting narratives. It is impossible to cover every player expected in Austin in one article, so this is a comprehensive look at things to watch out for, including big names you already know, and some that might be on the verge of blowing up.
The committed players
“Committed†in this sense doesn’t refer to players pledged to the Texas class. While Shane Buechele is probable to attend and Reggie Hemphill is expected, the most fascinating aspect of this weekend’s camp is the number of players committed to other schools who will be in attendance.
On top of the list is the dent the Texas coaching staff will try to make in LSU’s class of verbal commitments. Some might remember that the Tigers got off to a red hot start this recruiting season despite their program facing somewhat of a crossroads with Les Miles at the helm. Texas will host four LSU commitments on Saturday including North Shore’s Eric Monroe, DeSoto’s Dee Anderson, and Manor’s Erick Fowler. All three players have affirmed their commitment to the bayou bengals, but the Horns are believed to be a significant player in the recruitment of Fowler and Anderson. St. Augustine (LA) tight end Jamal Pettigrew rounds out the group of LSU commits headed to Austin, and is considered a longshot for Texas.
The Horns are also hosting Houston Cougar commit Jordan Elliott at UTL. Elliott committed to Houston earlier in the summer, but has maintained an open profile and recently named Texas as one of the five official visits he plans to take. West Mesquite tight end Donte Coleman committed to Texas Tech in the spring, but seems to be leaving the door open for other possibilities. He is slated to attend Texas’ event – the Texas coaches have continued to recruit Coleman since offering him earlier in the year.
Charlie Strong earned a reputation as a recruiter who is never out of the fight. While some of these commitments might be tripping to Austin to have fun and compete, it never hurts to get them on campus to see what transpires. The downside for Texas is that they likely won’t have many of their own commits at the camp. Demarco Boyd is tentative, while Tope Imade told HornSports he won’t attend due to scheduling conflicts.
2016 commit and ace recruiter Reggie Hemphill is expected to be at the event, and he will be joined by a couple of Manvel teammates he is no doubt working hard on. 2017 John Tyler wide receiver Damion Miller has indicated to other outlets that he will be in Austin, and the talented pass catcher has a chance to start recruiting other elite talent in the 2017 class.
The uncommitted targets
The Longhorns will have plenty of elite talent at UTL who has not made a decision on their college destination. After all, 2016 recruits are still over six months away from National Signing Day.
Foremost among players that are not committed anywhere is the Houston linebacker duo of Dontavious Jackson (Elsik) and Jeffrey McCulloch. Both players rank in the top 25 of the HornSports 2016 Top 50, and reportedly have the Longhorns near the top of their lists. With both recruitments going well, it’s important for Strong and Vance Bedford to strengthen their relationship with both standout defenders.
Manvel linebacker Jordan Carmouche will also be in Austin this weekend, but reports say Texas is down his list a bit. Out of state SEC programs like Arkansas and Missouri are aggressively recruiting Carmouche, and both programs are ahead of Texas at this point.
Sealy athlete Christian Wallace seems like a candidate to commit at any moment. Wallace is very enthusiastic about UT on social media, showing off a haircut last week with a Longhorn logo shaved into the back of his head. Wallace can play any position in the defensive backfield, but has indicated that Texas is recruiting him at cornerback.
The void at defensive tackle within the program makes the recruitment of Elkins defensive tackle Ross Blacklock extremely important. Blacklock was offered earlier in the summer, and currently has Texas among his top group of schools.
New Orleans (LA) Brother Martin tight end Peyton Aucoin recently narrowed his list down to two schools, and Texas has a chance to close the book on that recruitment this weekend. The Horns are in competition with Florida to sign the big tight end, and need to work overtime with the uncertainty surrounding 2015 signee Devonaire Clarington.
Elsik safety Chris Brown will join his teammate Dontavious Jackson on the trip to Austin. Brown received an offer in June and is said to hold Texas as one of his lifelong favorites. Brown is one to watch as a possibility for a commitment at the event.
The biggest news of the week was confirmation of Bellaire Episcopal defensive tackle Marvin Wilson. The second ranked prospect on the HornSports 2017 Top 50 told us he will be in attendance, and is perhaps the most important recruit on the board in his class. Wilson was named the nation’s top overall player by Rivals.com, and though he expressed early interest in Texas he favors several SEC schools at this juncture. Wilson’s recruitment has yet to really heat up, so it would behoove Brick Haley to stick on Wilson’s hip every second he is on campus.
Wilson’s teammate Walker Little received an offer from the Longhorns earlier in the summer before seeing his stock skyrocket. Little is an ironically named massive offensive tackle, who could be a good foundation piece for an offensive line that seems to perpetually be mired in a re-build. McKinney Boyd offensive tackle Tyrese Robinson will also attend, giving Joe Wickline an opportunity to get an extended look at his two 2017 bookend offers.
LaGaryonn Carson of Liberty Eyalu confirmed late in the week he will make the trip to Austin. The 2017 east Texas super prospect was offered by Texas in the spring, and his profile grew quickly afterwards with offers from Alabama, Texas A&M, Baylor, and Arkansas. Carson’s recruitment has an SEC feel to it, so it will be important for the Horns to assert themselves.
La Grange 2017 running back JK Dobbins will make the trip fresh off his versatile performance at the Texas 7-on-7 State Championship. Dobbins has Texas out in front, and the tenth ranked prospect in the state is an electrifying playmaker. Dobbins definitely qualifies as one to watch for a commitment this weekend.
Who earns an offer?
Without a doubt the most followed storyline of the weekend will be Westlake quarterback Sam Ehlinger, who seemed ready to commit earlier in the summer following the Texas Elite Passing Camp. Days after the camp, Ehlinger was on campus and was asked to wait for an offer. Ehlinger says he was told an offer would be coming in late July, and UTL feels like an appropriate time with Shawn Robinson’s commitment to TCU. Ehlinger led Westlake to a state championship in 7-on-7, and seems ready to pull the trigger and commit to Texas.
2017 Wylie East running back Eno Benjamin has been to Austin multiple times this summer, and has indicated serious interest in playing at Texas. Benjamin is a talented jack-of-all-trades in the backfield who is well liked among recruits in his class.
Jaylon Mascorro is the other quarterback of interest in the 2017 class, but the Refugio product tweeted that he might play other positions during the camp. Mascorro is a talented passer, but he could also be a standout receiver or defensive back.
Major Tennison just became more important to Texas with the recent commitment of Kedrick James to Baylor. With a good performance this Saturday, the Bullard tight end could become the key target at his position for the 2017 class.
A couple of other prospects are looking to jump onto the radar this weekend. Clear Springs defensive back Langston Frederick told HornSports he plans to make a big impression this weekend. The 2017 Houston-area prospect has a small frame, but packs a punch on film. If you’re looking for a name to surface this weekend as a surprise performance, circle Frederick’s. Darrion “Speedy†Green (Cedar Hill) and Daiquain Jackson (Poteet) visited Austin earlier this summer, and both are also trying to establish themselves as defensive back targets for the Longhorns in the coming year.
Crosby wide receiver Mannie Netherly ranks ninth on the 2017 HornSports top 50. The tall, physical receiver hasn’t gotten a lot of attention from college programs yet, and he definitely wants to make a big impression under the lights in Austin. His teammate, 2018 running back Craig “Sqwirl†Williams, will join him on the trip. The shifty Crosby athlete could get his name noticed early in his recruitment.
Storylines abound this Saturday at UTL, and it’s safe to say fans could see some fireworks this weekend. Texas coach Chris Vaughn and Reggie Hemphill both hinted at the possibility of multiple commitments earlier in the week. The Longhorns have an opportunity to close some recuitments, gain some ground, and cement their position in multiple scenarios.