What Does Next Year's Team Look Like?

http://www.bevoball.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/brown_ball-300×198.jpgLet’s start with who is leaving.

Fozzy Whittaker, one of my favorites, has played his last game but few other losses on offense. The defense loses two key players in Keenan Robinson and Emmanuel Acho. It is still too early to know who leaves early but my early pick would be Alex Okafor.

Who is coming?

Mack Brown has done it again. Rivals has the 2012 class as the number one recruiting class in football.  Led by everyone’s can’t miss Jonathan Gray of Aledo and includes another five star player in Cayleb Jones, who at 6’3″ and 200 pounds is the number 4 ranked WR coming out of high school.  The Longhorns also have commitments from 11 four star recruits including Connor Brewer, 6’2″/195 and is the 8th rated QB in the country.  The have recruited the #1 RB, #4 & #5 WR, #2,#11 & #17 OL, #4 DT. #7 LB. I don’t see a lot of LB but there is depth on the current roster.  To me it may come down to the  QB.  Connor Brewer has to step up and play as a freshman. The wild card may be Jalen Overstreet.  He was recruited as an athlete and would be the perfect guy for the Wildcat formation. He is a large 6’2″ and has good speed and a touch on his passes.  I am not discounting or forgetting Case McCoy or David Ash.  How they will progress may impact this situation.

Coaching Changes?

I think Manny Diaz is a goner.  He has been rumored everywhere and the SEC loves to let their DC’S go and then bring them back. See Auburn and Florida.  Mack Brown is staying. He didn’t make the changes this past off season only to leave before they got a chance to work.  The team finished 7-5 and received an invitation to the Holiday Bowl against California.  They suffered two tough losses, mostly because they did not have a running game. Injuries really destroyed their chances of beating Missouri or Kansas St.