Sports Talk

From the stands: A look at the Longhorn Class of 2013, Part I

It’s Signing Day. And if you have ever ready anything I write, you know I LOVE signing day. Love it. Recruiting is the lifeblood of college athletics. There is an old saying in college sports that I always quote: “It’s not the Xs and Os, it’s the Jimmys and Joes.”

Which means you can scheme and plot and design plays all you want, but you need big-time athletes with big-time talent on the field to run those plays and schemes, or it won’t matter much. So as you can imagine, programs spend an incredible amount of time, resources and energy in finding those Jimmys and those Joes. But it is far from a sure thing.

Recruiting is like speculating. No matter how sure of a thing a kid is, there is a chance for it to fall apart. He gets in trouble with a girl, or the law, or gets homesick. Sometimes he’s already peaked before college and he never makes an impact: or sometimes the overlooked guy turns into a superstar. Every school at every level has their big-time busts, their went-to-jails and their out-of-nowheres and you can be sure that this recruiting class will have those stories as well.

No more talk! Let’s look at this class.

2013 Recruiting Class

The first thing you notice about this class is how small it is. The Horns are only taking 15 players this spring because of the staggering number of underclassmen already on the roster. The second thing you notice is this class is ranked approximately No. 20, depending your recruiting service of choice. That ranking is based on total number of recruits, which is a bit misleading.

Texas doesn’t have the ability to sign 25 guys (the maximum allowed per class) and that hurts their ranking; however, if you look at average star ranking per recruit, Texas ranks No. 10 at 3.6-per-player. That’s pretty good if you ask me. This class has some immediate contributors and talent all over the place. Here they are, the Class of 2013, with the Rivals.com ranking system of stars (five being the best):

Chevoski Collins: ATH, Livingston (LHS), 5'11", 185 pounds, 3 stars
Antwuan Davis: DB, Bastrop (BHS) , 6'0", 180 pounds, 4 stars
Deoundrei Davis: LB, Cypress (Cypress Woods), 6'3", 215 pounds, 4 stars
Rami Hammad: OL, Irving (IHS), 6'5", 320 pounds, 4 stars
Desmond Harrison: OL, San Pablo, CA (Contra Costa C.C.), 6'8", 305 pounds, 3 stars
Naashon Hughes: LB, Harker Heights (HH), 6'4", 210 pounds, 3 stars
Erik Huhn: DB, Cibolo (Steele), 6'2", 205 pounds, 3 stars
Darius James: OL, Killeen (Harker Heights), 6'5", 319 pounds, 4 stars
Montrel Meander: DB, Amarillo (Palo Duro), 6'3", 180 pounds, 3 stars
Jake Oliver: WR, Dallas (Jesuit), 6'4", 194 pounds, 4 stars
Kent Perkins: OL, Dallas (Lake Highlands), 6'5", 300 pounds, 4 stars
Jake Raulerson: DE, Celina (CHS), 6'5" , 262 pounds, 4 stars
Geoff Swaim: TE, Oroville, CA (Butte C.C.), 6'5", 250 pounds, 3 stars
Tyrone Swoopes: QB, Whitewright (WHS), 6'5", 229 pounds, 4 stars
Jacorey Warrick: WR, Houston (Cypress Falls), 5'10", 168 pounds, 4 stars

The numbers are small, but every single guy in this class is going to make an impact, assuming everyone stays out of trouble and in school. Sorry, this is not about things that might go wrong, only good today. We are going to break this into two parts, the offense and defense, to see where everyone coming in will be a factor. This week we start with the offense.

The offense

Digging deeper, you see that Texas addressed a serious need up front with this class, taking four offensive linemen and a tight end. Texas surely would have liked to have taken another running back, but the depth in the backfield is very, very deep and you just can’t have enough big guys up front to open holes and protect the quarterback.

A sprinkling of skill players and a big-time quarterback finish it off, but the offensive line haul in this class is spectacular. There are two guys I’m intentionally leaving off the offensive list right now because I think they are going to start on the defensive side of the ball first: Jake Raulerson and Chevoski Collins, but I expect Raulerson to eventually move to the O-line and Collins might get a Daje Johnson-type role on the offense, but for now I’m leaving them where they are. Let’s dive in.

Rami Hammad
Offensive Line
Irving (IHS)
6'5", 320 pounds
4 stars

I’ll just say this: I bet Rami Hammad doesn’t need to show ID to get into a rated-R movie. He physically looks like a guy that’s been playing in college for a few years already. He’s unbelievably quick for a guy his size and seems to have the tools already to play at the college level.

Hammad was a very late commit to Texas after spending the majority of his recruitment time committed to Baylor. That’s a ringing endorsement to me, because if Art Briles wants you playing on his offense, you are doing something right. And it wasn’t just Briles and Mack Brown, either: Hammad had offers from ou, Nebraska, LSU, Aggie, UCLA and about 30 others from around the country.

I think the idea is for Hammad to redshirt in 2013 and get on the field in ‘14, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he saw time next fall. He’s going to be a mainstay at guard for several years for Texas.

Desmond Harrison
Offensive Line
6/8”, 305 pounds
San Pablo, CA (Contra Costa C.C.)
3 stars

For the second straight year, Texas dipped into the JuCo pool for an offensive linemen. Last year Donald Hawkins came from junior college and won the starting tackle job and this year the staff expects the same from Contra Costa Community College tackle Desmond Harrison.

Fairly new to football, Harrison has terrific athleticism and basketball moves, meaning quick feet and and the ability to slide laterally very well. He’ll probably need the summer to work on technique, but I fully expect Harrison to get to campus this summer and immediately jump into the starting tackle role.

The plan, it seems, is for Harrison to take over at the tackle spot currently occupied by Hawkins, who will move inside to guard, moving Trey Hopkins to center, where he could be a star. Or maybe Hawkins gives center a shot. Texas needs a bigger and more physical presence inside at center and Hopkins/Hawkins (or even Mason Walters) could provide that — assuming Harrison can jump right in.

I think he does, allowing everyone else to slide down. He has NFL size right now and, hopefully, the talent as well. Harrison is the most important recruit in this class in my opinion because of all the things that can open up if he’s successful. You name a school, they were after Harrison, but Texas locked him up January 21.

Darius James
Offensive Line
Killeen (Harker Heights)
6'5", 319 pounds
4 stars

See Rami Hammad. The two have similar skill sets and similar talent and, from what I can see, similar abilities to look 28 rather than 18. Where Hammad is a bit stronger and will start off at guard, I think James is a bit quicker and will play center, but they are very much alike on the field.

Just as with Hammad, I expect the plan is to redshirt James in 2013, but if he gets an opportunity to play with some uncertainty at center going into the fall of 2013, he isn’t giving it back. I think you are looking at your starting guard and center for the next three to four years in Hammad and Darius James, it’s just a matter of when.

Ranked the No. 1 center prospect in the country, James was courted by everyone in the Big 12 and the SEC, but he committed in March and never wavered.

Jake Oliver
Wide Receiver
Dallas (Jesuit)
6'4", 194 pounds
4 stars

Oliver brings something to the team that Texas hasn’t had in a while: a big, tall target outside for quarterbacks to throw it to. He is not going to blaze past many college defenders, but at 6'4" he has the ability to out-jump them when the ball is in the air, and from what I’ve seen, he just doesn’t drop passes.

With Jaxon Shipley working underneath and Mike Davis the deep threat in the new spread offense, a big kid like Oliver who can catch the ball outside or over the middle and move the chains is going to thrive. And, I forgot to mention, he’s a ferocious blocker on the outside, which Texas doesn’t have enough of right now.

I think Oliver works his way onto the field this fall because of that size and the mismatches he can create in four- and five-wide sets. I also think he’s going to be a crowd favorite before his time is up in Austin.

Oliver was the second commitment in the 2013 class, committing last February, but he still had ou, Oklahoma State, Michigan and Ohio State, among others, after him.

Kent Perkins
Offensive Line
Dallas (Lake Highlands)
6'5", 300 pounds
4 stars

With Hammad the future at guard, James the future at center and the likelihood of Jake Raulerson moving to guard at some point, Kent Perkins is the future at tackle, but he could easily move inside to guard if need be. He has the feet, quickness and awareness outside to play tackle (meaning he anticipates a pass rush from outside well: some guys do that well, some don’t), but he could also move inside and take on the bigger defensive linemen as well.

He reminds me a lot of another guard/tackle hybrid from Dallas — Justin Blalock. They are about the same size (Perkins is a little taller) and have very similar skill sets. I think their paths will also be the same: a terrific lineman that the staff would ideally like to move inside to guard, but he’s too good at tackle for that to happen. Not a bad problem to have, eh?

The third rated tackle in the nation, Perkins has been a Longhorn since last February, turning down the rest of the Big 12 and the SEC.

Geoff Swaim
Tight End
Oroville, CA (Butte C.C.)
6'5", 250 pounds
3 stars

With DJ Grant and Barrett Matthews done with college, Texas has a hole at tight end. MJ McFarland has crazy skills with the ball in the air, but he’s been inconsistent blocking. Greg Daniels is still learning the new job. Texas needs an established guy to come in, block well and catch enough passes to keep the defense honest. Enter Geoff Swaim.

The California native is going to fill the role of another California native — Blaine Irby. In 2011 Irby did it all: he lined up at h-back and was the lead blocker on inside plays, he lined up at tight end and sealed the edge on runs, he was an outlet receiver when the quarterback was under pressure and he was the recipient of this awesomeness.

Expect the same from Swaim. He’s going to be an immediate contributor and he’s going to be all over the field.

Tyrone Swoopes
Quarterback
Whitewright (WHS)
6'5", 229 pounds
4 stars

Tyrone Swoopes gets the comparisons to Vince Young because of his size and athleticism and that part is all true. Also like VY, he needs to work on his mechanics. The good news for him there are several quarterbacks in front of him, so he can refine his game.

Understand I am not down at all on Swoopes, but he needs time to learn the college game. He will learn the college game and he’s going to make an impact for Texas, but it is probably two years away. Or not. What do I know?

Notre Dame, ou, Stanford, Alabama and many others courted Swoopes, but he picked Texas last February.

Jacorey Warrick
Wide Receiver
Houston (Cypress Falls)
5'10", 168 pounds
4 stars

Warrick is recovering from a mid-season knee injury that cost him his senior year, but the good news is he was told in mid-January he’ll be ready to go. His 4.4 speed should not be affected by the injury and, assuming he rehabs as he should, he’ll be cleared for when contact starts.

On the field, Warrick has Ryan Broyles-like skills. His ability to make plays, both downfield and over the middle, is outstanding. He will thrive in the new spread attack that will allow him to work over the middle out of the slot and stretch the field down the seam, just like Broyles did for oklahoma. Assuming he’s cleared in August, I expect you’ll see Warrick playing this fall and don’t be surprised if he’s one of the candidates for a kick returning job as well.

Warrick is another guy that has been committed for nearly a year, turning down ou, Nebraska, LSU and Clemson to come to Texas.

In conclusion

The casual fan will look at this class and see the small numbers and the No. 20 ranking and think Texas has slipped. It’s true Texas lost a few high profile recruits and had some de-commits, but don’t sell this class short. It’s small because of all the youth on the Texas roster, but I can honestly say that every single kid in this class should be a contributor and should do so pretty quickly: some will be starters in six months. Small doesn’t equal bad, it equals small.

Back next week with the class of 2013 defense.

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Trey McLean writes From the Stands for the University Co-op.
Follow Trey on the University Co-op Game Day Page or on Twitter @TreyMcLean.

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Photo by Johntex

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Longhorn Sports

From the Stands: Orange-White Scrimmage signals the end of Longhorn spring practice

Thoughts on the past week:

Sheldon McClellan will transfer from Texas. The Longhorns’ leading scorer was at odds with head coach Rick Barnes for most of the season and the break from Texas is probably the best thing for everyone. A young team will get one player younger next season. Good luck, kid.
I cannot overemphasize the awesomeness that is Florida Gulf Coast University basketball. I was in their stomping grounds while they were making their tourney run and the energy and emotion in the area was palpable. Good luck, Dunk City, I wish you the best.
And you, too, Wichita State. All I know about Shockers basketball is Maurice Evans transferred from there to play at Texas. Now they are in the Final Four, so I know two things.
I met two Kansas fans on the beach and offered them my support (I had KU in the National Title game) and both responded with nothing close to polite, nice or even decent behavior. Both guys — adults in KU jerseys on the beach who weren’t together and didn’t know each other — took great delight in reminding how bad Texas was in everything and how good they were in basketball. I’m done with you, Rock Chalk. Who is their biggest rival now? K-State? Whoever it is, I’ll be for them.
Tubby Smith to Texas Tech. That’s a great hire for Tech. They have a nice basketball arena and now they have a brand name that can coach with skins on the wall.
I am not talking about the Louisville guy...
... But what a year for the Cardinals. They win the Big East and shock Florida in the Sugar Bowl last fall, got to the NCAA Tournament in baseball and are now in back-to-back Final Fours. Oh, and their ladies knocked the No. 1 Baylor Bears in the Sweet 16 on Sunday night. Well done.
Colt McCoy is a 49er. A much better fit, a much better team and a much cooler town.

The Longhorns wrapped up spring practice last weekend with the annual Orange-White Scrimmage and while it wasn’t the tell-all some wanted it to be, there was plenty to see. Here are my thoughts from Saturday night.

The new offense

The offense has installed the new up-tempo and it did not disappoint. The Horns first team offense took opening kickoff and drove right down the field on the No. 2 defense, snapping the ball consistently 10 to 15 seconds into the play clock. It’s important to note that Texas isn’t trying to be Baylor, snapping the ball with 30 seconds left on the clock, but rather speeding up the tempo 15 or more seconds per play not substituting, which prevents the defense from substituting as well.

I heard the commentary on LHN about the tempo being Baylor-fast according to the coaches, but it didn’t seem that way in application, which is just fine. I thought the Horns did an excellent job of implementing that and all the players looked comfortable in it.

A (sort of) reborn defense

There is no denying the talent has been there on defense, but for some reason it just wasn’t working last year. I surely didn’t expect Texas to be the Baltimore Ravens in the spring game, but as a whole I thought the defense looked pretty good. The newly-bearded Manny Diaz simplified his scheme (possibly just for the spring game) and everyone looked more assertive and aggressive.

The big takeaway for me was, even when the offense had big plays, they were not the result of missed tackles (except for Kendall Sanders’ touchdown catch). It wasn’t perfect and there is more work to be done, but I liked what I saw.

Energy

Desmond Jackson was the mouthpiece for the defense when the game started and I saw coach Stacy Searels whooping and slapping his guys and lots of hooting and hollering. Dalton Santos body slammed a guy and the entire running back corps met walk-on Gaston Davis with the same passion and intensity after his fourth quarter touchdown run as they do when they meet the starters after a touchdown in the season. This is supposed to be fun, and the Texas Longhorns were having fun, and so were the fans.

Separation

Lots of meaningful moves for the future in the spring game with some guys confirming their place on the field. Let’s break them down:

Tyrone Swoopes is the backup quarterback. I know officially it’s Case McCoy, but after watching Swoopes calmly and smoothly drive the second team offense down the field on the first team defense, he’s definitely the No. 2 (Mack Brown has said he’s already ahead of Jalen Overstreet and Connor Brewer). He’s so fluid and so agile you don’t realize he’s 6-foot-6, 245 pounds. I’ll spare the VY comparisons, but he’s special and I fully expect to see him in game one next year if he continues on this path.
Jonathan Gray is the starting tailback. Gray looked great on Saturday night to me. He was sudden, quick and hit the holes hard and caught the ball well. I think there is clear separation between Gray and Malcolm Brown and Joe Bergeron. Texas has the best running back trio in the conference, but Gray is a cut above.
Bryant Jackson is the No. 3/4 receiver. Daje Johnson was shelved for most of the game (why show anyone what your x-factor is?) and Bryant Jackson had a solid game, tipped ball for an interception aside. His six catches for 27 yards don’t seem like eye-popping numbers, but he’s consistent and understands his role.
MJ McFarland is the starting tight end. As I mentioned last week, he’s the best option at the position as Texas uses it in the passing game and he flashed that Saturday night.
Sheroid Evans is taking over the backup/second corner spot. He isn’t there completely, but his interception and strong play on Saturday night opened the door for Duke Thomas to pull double duty on offense as well (he looked very good at receiver). Evans has track speed and at 6-feet, 185 pounds is a big corner opposite Carrington Byndom. Look for Thomas to get reps at corner as well, but I think Evans will allow Quandre Diggs to move inside to the slot, like Kenny Vaccaro did last year.

Reclamation

Texas was bad on defense last year, but there were definite signs of life that I just didn’t see in 2012. Such as:

Adrian Phillips looking like pre-shoulder injury Adrian Phillips. In 2011 AP was the best defensive back on the field for most of the season, but off-season shoulder surgery robbed him of his confidence in 2012. He took bad angles and used poor technique to protect himself and the result was, well, you saw the result.
Mykelle Thompson didn’t have a shoulder injury last year, but he tackled like he did. He’s been far better in the spring and looked a lot better Saturday night. If he keeps that progression up he will hold on to his job this fall.
Jordan Hicks’ return. Again, you already know why this is such a big deal.

Stand outs

I thought quite a few guys made great impressions in the spring game and will take terrific momentum into the home stretch of the off-season:

Caleb Bluiett. It’s been a foregone conclusion that the four-man end rotation would be Jeffcoat/Reed and Wilson/Davis, but redshirt freshman Caleb Blueitt was terrific. He had two tackles for loss, including a sack, and deflected a pass playing against the first team offense. Fellow end Bryce Cottrell got a lot of attention during spring, but Bluiett was one of the stars of the scrimmage on Saturday.
Kendall Sanders. The wide out from Athens is a playmaker similar to Daje and looked terrific, taking a screen pass for a touchdown after picking his way through traffic. That play looked a lot like this one to me.
John Harris. Fully healthy from the foot injury that sidelined him in 2011, the 6-foot-3, 230-pound junior is the perfect wide out/tight end hybrid and I think he’s worked his way into a flex tight end spot like Dan Buckner was in 2009. He led the team with 73 yards receiving on just three catches, showing he has pass-catching abilities as well as blocking abilities.
Kennedy Estelle. The 6-foot-7, 300-pound sophomore is making the most out of the opportunity to play with injuries in front of him. I think he’s looked very good and has locked up the backup tackle spot.

Other observations

The “one-minute offense” at the end of the first half was bad: a false start, a dropped pass and a turnover ended it. Yuck.
Points Nick and Kickoff Nick changed roles, but luckily for us, it’s still Points Nick and Kickoff Nick.
The kicking game has to be better, as does the return game.
Mason Walters was blowing some people out.
Longhorn Network needs to be careful with that parabolic field mic. I thought a few times Mack Brown was going make for some awkward TV.
I had no idea backup quarterback Trey Holtz was Lou’s grandson and Skip’s kid.

In conclusion

In conclusion I am sad. Football is officially over until August. But football magazine day is coming soon and I have plenty of time to entertain all of us with “whatever happened to” and “what if” scenarios.

Follow me on Twitter @TreyMcLean or email me.

The Offensive line at the Orange and White scrimmage.

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