MARCH / APRIL 2017
28
Sam Ehlinger leads Texas’ latest recruiting class.
CONTENTS FEATURES
28
FOOTBALL
FILLING THE GAPS Only weeks after coming together, head coach Tom Herman and his staff pulled in an 18-player class on Feb. 1. Focused on recruiting players who could fill in the gaps on the current Longhorn roster, as well as on those who fit Herman’s vision for Texas, the class of 2017 was ranked 26th in the nation by 247sports.com and 28th by Rivals.com. In our annual recruiting issue, we provide detailed coverage on the class’ key players, as well as who will make an impact early on and Herman’s thoughts on each of the players.
44
FOOTBALL
GETTING INTO THE MIX National Signing Day is over and it’s time for the Tom Herman era to officially begin. With the annual Spring Game right around the corner, both seasoned and new players are already hitting the weight room and the practice field. So what should fans expect at this year’s scrimmage? Senior Editor Steve Habel provides the details.
DEPARTMENTS LEADING OFF
11
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
13
ROUNDUP
20
SPIRIT OF THE MONTH - The Roustabouts
21
MEDIA VOICES
25
THE HABE ON THE HORNS
48
FINAL SCORE CO URTES Y ACTION GAL LERY PROS
8
COVER PHOTO: MICHELLE TUCKER, ACTION GALLERY PROS
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BETH ANY WAL TER/ UNIV. OF TEXAS
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LEADING
OFF
Sophomore guard Eric Davis Jr. scored 15 points — including the go-ahead 3-pointer with 29 seconds remaining — to lift the Longhorns over Texas Tech, 62-58, at the Frank Erwin Center on Feb.1. Freshman forward Jarrett Allen shot 8-of-11 from the field en route to a team-high 19 points and eight rebounds, while freshman guard Andrew Jones recorded 11 points and seven assists in a career-high 35 minutes. “In past games, the vibe got tight,” Davis said about closing out the game. “But we’re learning from past mistakes. We're not finishing other games because we get tight. We wanted to stay loose and confident. Coach [Shaka Smart] was telling us in the huddle, ‘Believe.’ So that's what we did. We believed, and the outcome worked out in our favor.”
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ROUNDUP
PATRICK MEREDITH/ UNIV. OF TEXAS
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LEAVING HER MARK: During the game against Kansas State, a post feed from Joyner Holmes set up a layup for senior Kelsey Lang, who calmly jogged back down the court afterward with her index finger raised in subdued celebration. But the everyday nature of the play belied the milestone it represented. With the layup, Lang became the latest Longhorn to score over 1,000 career points. She is the 41st player in school history to surpass that mark. “It means a lot,” Lang said after the game. “There are only a handful of people who have done it here, so it feels great to be in the books with them.” Lang didn’t stop with one edit to the record books. Her five blocks on the night moved her into seventh place on Texas’ all-time career blocks list. She’s recorded a total of 160 denials during her time in Austin.
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MARCH / APRIL 2017
SHINING SUN
ONE LAST SHOT
ALREADY MAKING HISTORY: Lexi Sun is the first Texas volleyball player to win the Gatorade National Volleyball Player of the Year award.
T
EXAS VOLLEYBALL SIGNEE Lexi Sun was named the 2016-17 Gatorade National Volleyball Player of the Year. The 6-foot-2 outside hitter amassed 630 kills, 288 digs, 60 blocks and 45 service aces in her senior season at Santa Fe Christian High School. Sun was named a 2016-17 Under Armour First-Team All-American and the ALL-USA Player of the Year by USA TODAY. She’s also a member of the U.S. Women’s Junior National Team. Sun is the No. 1 recruit in the nation and will join the Longhorns for the 2017 season. The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner across the country and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. In addition to athletic excellence, the award recognizes academic achievement and exemplary character on and off the field. For 32 years, Gatorade has honored more than 15,000 State Players of the Year and 290 National Players of the Year. Sun is the first Texas volleyball player to earn the national award since its inception in 1996. 14 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
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KACY CLEMENS IS hungry for one last trip to Omaha as he prepares to start his final season at Texas. “[Going to the College World Series] happened my freshman year, and that was one of the best years of my life,” the senior first baseman said. “That’s what we’re looking to do this year. We want to go to Omaha and win.” But during the past two seasons, his team hasn’t come close to reaching such a goal. The Longhorns couldn’t scrape up a winning percentage above .500 in 2016, let alone make their mark in Omaha. Clemens is well aware of his squad’s struggles to live up to the program’s standards. “When you lose around here, it’s a big deal,” Clemens said. “There’s a reason why we represent this Longhorn on our chest. We come here to win and that hasn’t happened.” Although 2016 left a bitter taste in his mouth, it wasn’t a complete waste of a year for Clemens’ personal development. He was named first baseman on the 2016 Phillips 66 Big 12 Baseball Championship AllTournament team after hitting .400 and slugging .600. Clemens attributes his growth as a player to his recently obtained role as a steady first baseman. The result of this season is still up in the air, but Clemens is confident his team can turn the program around. “We’re excited to bring happiness to Austin with this baseball season for sure,” Clemens said. “It will be fun, and I think we’re going to win ball games.”
SUN : USA TODAY ; CLEMENS: BETHANY W ALTER/UNIV. OF TEXAS
HUNGER GAMES: Kacy Clemens and the Longhorns are hungry for a winning 2017 season.
MARCH / APRIL 2017
ROOM TO ADVANCE
T
HE BIG 12 baseball preseason coaches’ poll tabbed Texas baseball to finish fourth in the conference this year. The Longhorns received 41 votes, trailing preseason favorite TCU (64), Oklahoma State (54) and Texas Tech (48), all three of which reached the College World Series last season. A different team has won each of the past six Big 12 titles with Texas the last squad to repeat as regular season champions (2009-11). The Longhorns’ regular season kicked off on Feb. 17 with a home contest against No. 23 Rice, the first of four games in the series.
2017 Big 12 Preseason Coaches’ Poll School
Number of Votes
TCU
64
Oklahoma State
54
Texas Tech
48
Texas
41
West Virginia
40
Oklahoma
28
Baylor
26
Kansas State
13
Kansas
10
THE HUMBLE HERO PUTTING THE TEAM FIRST
ALLEN: BETH ANY WALTER/ UNIV. OF TEXAS; CL EARE: B ETHANY W ALTER/UNIV. OF TEXAS
GAME FACE: Jarrett Allen shows little emotion on the court, despite the success he has experienced this season.
JARRETT ALLEN RARELY displays emotion, even after rim-destroying dunks. The freshman forward simply puts his head down and gets back on defense. Yes, Allen has lived up to his billing as Texas’ prized recruit in its 2016 class, but you’ll never hear Allen comment on his success. “I’m not very good at crediting myself for stuff,” Allen said. The forward has plenty of “stuff” to credit himself for. Allen led all Big 12 freshmen in rebounding and ranks second in the league in freshman scoring at press time. In the month of January, Allen was on an absolute tear. He averaged over 15 points and 10 rebounds a game and recorded three straight double-doubles. For his efforts, Allen earned back-to-back Phillips 66 Big 12 Newcomer of the Week awards. But Allen’s success at the collegiate level didn’t manifest overnight. Early in the year, he was timid with his shot selection, attempting fewer than seven shots per game while averaging fewer than 10 points per contest. Allen has since embraced his role as a key cog in the Texas offense. The forward has scored in double-figures in 10 out of his last 11 games. While Allen shies away from addressing his rapid development, head coach Shaka Smart doesn’t hold back on his praises for the freshman and how he’s progressed this season. “He has gotten better and better,” Smart said. “He’s applied himself in terms of work ethic. He has a huge upside where he can continue getting better. I’m pleased with his growth.”
SENIOR FORWARD SHAQUILLE Cleare isn’t one to call attention to himself. He always uses “we” when speaking to the media and never delves into talking about individual accomplishments. For example, take Texas’ 84-83 win over Oklahoma on Jan. 23. Cleare scored a career-high 23 points, made a career-high 10-of-14 field goals and tied his career high in rebounds with eight. But he uttered a mere five words to assess his performance. “It’s a great feeling, man,” Cleare said. He then quickly proceeded to talk about the team. “But to move off me, I’m surrounded by great guards,” Cleare said. “My guys are unselfish. They share the ball well and they put me in good positions.” Cleare’s selfless personality is one that surely resonates with head coach Shaka Smart, who constantly preaches about the importance of being devoted to the team. “Shaq’s our most consistent person this year and most consistent teammate,” Smart said. “He’s been by far our most unselfish player on our team. He’s a guy that has made sacrifices and his attitude has always been great.” And while he may not be the most boisterous teammate, he still is the one the players look up to. “We want him to speak up because he knows more than [the younger] guys,” Smart said. “He’s not the most outgoing, but when he does speak up, it carries weight.” Shaquille Cleare MARCH / APRIL 2017 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 15
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SECOND TO NONE
F
Tasija Karosas
THE FIRST OF MANY
Joanna Evans
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THE TEXAS WOMEN’S swimming & diving team snapped then-No. 2 Georgia’s 103-meet home winning streak and dealt the defending NCAA champion Lady Bulldogs their first home loss since 1995 when the Longhorns posted a 171-124 win in late January. The win is the first for fifth-year Texas head coach Carol Capitani over Georgia and her mentor, UGA head coach Jack Bauerle, for whom she served 14 years as an assistant coach over two stints. Capitani left Georgia in 2012 to take over the Texas women’s swimming & diving program. “What a big day for Texas,” Capitani said. “This is a special team and I couldn’t be more proud. Our girls have fought all year, and today was no exception. It’s an emotional day for them and for me.” Texas seized the lead through the first event and never let up. The Longhorns captured the 200-yard medley relay, as All-American seniors Tasija Karosas and Madisyn Cox joined sophomore Remedy Rule and All-American junior Rebecca Millard to win in 1:37.70. Sophomore Joanna Evans, a Rio Olympian for The Bahamas, held off Georgia’s tough distance contingent and claimed the 1,000 freestyle in 9:46.40. Cox went three-for-three against the Bulldogs and won all six individual races on the road trip. She captured the 200 freestyle in 1:45.28. Freshman Alison Gibson swept the diving events and gave the Longhorns a diving sweep for the week over Auburn and Georgia.
KAROSAS : BETH ANY WAL TER/ UNIV. OF TEXAS; EVANS: BETHANY WAL TER/ UNIV. OF TEXAS
OR MOST FANS, seeing the Texas women’s swimming & diving team anywhere other than first place is unusual, which is understandable. After all, the Longhorns have won nine national championships. So it may come as a surprise to many that when the Longhorns were ranked No. 1 in the new College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) poll, it marked their first time atop the national rankings in the five-year tenure of head coach Carol Capitani. “I’m proud of these young women,” Capitani said. “The rankings are a great snapshot and it’s an honor to be recognized for our team’s accomplishments. What matters most is how we finish at the end of the season, and the team has some big goals in that area. We have some great leadership, and the team is in a good place to accomplish those goals moving forward.” Thanks in part to standout performances by All-American seniors Madisyn Cox and Tasija Karosas, the Longhorns can claim dual-meet victories over five teams currently ranked among the top 11 in the country, including road wins at No. 14 Auburn and No. 2 Georgia; Texas’ only loss this season came at then-No. 2 Stanford.
MARCH / APRIL 2017
SOCCER INKS NINE HOT STREAK
Angela Kelly
KELLY: BETHANY WALTER/U NIV. OF TEXAS; S CO TT: B ETHANY W ALTER/UNIV. OF TEXAS
T
EXAS HEAD SOCCER coach Angela Kelly announced eight signees for the 2017-18 academic school year, adding to a class that already included junior transfer Amber Stearns out of Boston College. Freshman signees joining the program for the upcoming 2017 campaign include:
Name
Position
Hometown
High School
Haley Berg
Midfielder/ Forward
Celina, Texas
Celina High School
Bailey Dobbs
Goalkeeper
Katy, Texas
Seven Lakes High School
Madison Dorsett
Outside Back
Carrollton, Texas
Prestonwood Christian Academy
Savannah Madden
Goalkeeper
San Diego, Calif.
Scripps Ranch High School
Peyton McGee
Defender
Mansfield, Texas
Mansfield Legacy High School
Erin Moudy
Outside Back
Dallas, Texas
Lake Highlands High School
Emily Strouphauer
Midfielder/ Forward
Round Rock, Texas
Cedar Ridge High School
Natalie Weidenbach
Outside Back
North Bend, Wash.
Mount Si High School
“This 2017 signing class is one of the most versatile classes we’ve ever had,” Kelly said. “Within this class, we have prolific goal-scorers, creative personalities, strong defensive mentalities and athleticism between the pipes. Our staff has been excited to get this group to campus and they’ve been counting down the days until they can put on the Texas jersey and represent this program with class.”
LUCKY NO. 7: Harrison Scott claimed his seventh consecutive win after playing Virginia Tech on Feb. 4.
LOSSES COME FEW and far between for the No. 10 Texas men’s tennis team. The Longhorns are off to a 7-1 start to the 2017 season (as of Feb. 4) and find themselves in the ITA National Team Indoor Championships after a pair of victories over Drake and Oregon. Defeats are even sparser for Harrison Scott. The sophomore from Canada hasn’t dropped a single set since October. During his masterful run, Scott has won seven straight dual-match play events to start the season. “He’s practicing hard,” head coach Michael Center said about Scott. “Harrison has a dynamic game and he hits the ball heavy. He’s always prepared. He’s fit and moving well. Harrison is tough to handle out there right now.” Scott and the Longhorns hosted Virginia Tech at Weller Indoor Tennis Center on Feb. 4 and emerged with a 4-3 victory. The Hokies have struggled to garner any sort of momentum this season. Texas won two of three doubles contests to claim the doubles point. Sophomores Julian Zlobinsky and Scott led off with a 6-3 win over Henrik Korsgaard and Jason Kros at third doubles. The Hokies responded with a 6-3 victory at second doubles, but Texas claimed the final decision at first doubles to win the doubles point. The clincher came from sophomore Leonardo Telles and senior George Goldhoff. The match was a tune up for higher-profile matches down the stretch of the season. In addition to the ITA finals at the end of February, Texas played No. 2 Wake Forest and No. 4 California in early March. MARCH / APRIL 2017 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 17
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O
NE YEAR AGO, UTSA head football coach Frank Wilson had only a month between his onboarding into his new position at the helm and National Signing Day. Nevertheless, he still managed to use his skills as a recruiter to turn in a good class. Several of his signees, such as Josiah Tauaefa and Marquez McNair, played key roles in getting the Roadrunners to their first ever bowl game in 2016. Bryce Rivers This year, Wilson — who was the recruiting coordinator and running backs coach at LSU before coming to UTSA — showed what he could do with a full year to recruit. The 2017 group wasn’t the biggest class ever signed by the UTSA football program, but it may end up being one of the most successful at the time of signing. Of the 23 players who signed letters of intent, 10 were rated as threestar recruits by various outlets. UTSA’s recruiting class was ranked 76th in the country, up 31 spots from last year’s class ranking. “We trust our process,” Wilson said. “We trust our evaluations. Then you have to figure that when you’re going out and putting together a class, it has to be need based. For us, we take based on our need, what happens with attrition — through graduation, transfer and injury — and we address those needs.” The Roadrunners tried to stay local with their selections. Of the 23 signings, 16 are from the state of Texas and five of those 16 are from the greater San Antonio area. “For us, it’s significant because so many times people think the grass is greener on the other side,” Wilson said. “We don’t. We like homegrown guys. We like our guys that are raised here because we think we have quality athletes here, and we have quality coaching.” Two of the local players signed included quarterbacks Frank Harris from Schertz Clemens and Bryce Rivers from San Antonio Stevens. Both will spend a year learning under incumbent UTSA quarterback Dalton Sturm.
Frank Wilson
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CALENDAR MARCH 2017 BASEBALL
SOFTBALL
3: vs. Utah, 6 p.m.
1: vs. TAMU-Corpus Christi, San Antonio, 6 p.m.
4: vs. Utah, 1 p.m./4:15 pm
3: vs. Prairie View A&M,
5: vs. Utah, Noon
College Station, 12:15 p.m.
7: at Texas State, San Marcos, 6 p.m.
3: vs. Texas A&M, College Station, 3 p.m.
10: at Texas Tech, Lubbock, 6:30 p.m.
4: vs. Prairie View A&M, College Station, 10 a.m.
11: at Texas Tech, Lubbock, 2 p.m.
4: vs. Georgetown, College Station, 5:15 p.m.
12: at Texas Tech, Lubbock, 1 p.m.
5: vs. Texas A&M, College Station, 12:15 p.m.
17: at Marshall, Charleston, W.V., 3 p.m.
8: at Texas, Austin, 4 p.m.
18: at Marshall, Charleston, W.V., 3 p.m.
11: at Marshall , Huntington, W.V., Noon/2:15 pm
19: at Marshall, Charleston, W.V., Noon
12: at Marshall, Huntington, W.V., 11 a.m.
21: at Houston Baptist, Houston, 2 p.m.
14: at Baylor, Waco, 6 p.m.
24: vs. Old Dominion, 6 p.m.
17: vs. UAB , 3 p.m./5:15 p.m.
25: vs. Old Dominion, 2 p.m.
18: vs. UAB, 11 a.m.
26: vs. Old Dominion, Noon
21: at Lamar, Beaumont, 5 p.m.
28: at Baylor, Waco, 6:30 p.m.
25: at North Texas, Denton, 1 p.m./3:15 p.m.
31: at Louisiana Tech, Ruston, La., 6:30 p.m.
26: at North Texas, Denton, 1 p.m.
M BASKETBALL
29: vs. Texas, 6 p.m.
2: vs. Charlotte, 7 p.m.
M TENNIS
4: vs. Old Dominion, 3 p.m.
3-4: HEB Tournament of Champions,
8-11: C-USA Tournament, Birmingham, Ala., TBA
Corpus Christi, TBA
W BASKETBALL
10: at Southern Miss, Hattiesburg, Miss., TBA 11: vs. UAB, Hattiesburg, Miss., TBA
2: at Charlotte, Charlotte, N.C., 6 p.m.
12: vs. Rice, Hattiesburg, Miss., TBA
4: at Old Dominion, Norfolk, Va., Noon
14: vs. Cleveland State, 5 p.m.
8-11: C-USA Tournament, Birmingham, Ala., TBA
16: vs. Navy, 11 a.m.
M GOLF
18: vs. Marquette, 10 a.m. 25: at Lamar, Beaumont, 10 a.m.
10-11: Border Olympics, Laredo, All Day
29: at TAMU-Corpus Christi,
20-21: Lone Star Invitational, San Antonio, All Day
Corpus Christi, 2 p.m.
W GOLF
W TENNIS
13-14: Entrada Classic, St. George, Utah, All Day
3: at Air Force, Colorado Springs, Colo., 5 p.m.
24-26: LSU Tigers Classic,
4: vs. UMKC, Colorado Springs, Colo., 10:30 a.m.
Baton Rouge, La., All Day
5: vs. Idaho State, Colorado Springs, Colo., TBA
M/W INDOOR TRACK & FIELD
9: vs. SIU Edwardsville, 2 p.m. 10: vs. Tulane, 3 p.m.
10-11: NCAA Championships,
11: vs. Prairie View A&M, 3 p.m.
College Station, All Day
12: vs. Central Arkansas, 11 a.m.
M/W OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD 17-19: UTSA Invitational, San Antonio, All Day
16: vs. Colorado State, 3 p.m. 29: at TAMU-Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, 2 p.m.
23-25: Ricardo Romo Invitational, San Antonio, All Day 29-31: Texas Relays, Austin, All Day
Frank Harris
RIVERS: 2 47SPORTS ; WILS ON: JEFF H UEHN; HARRIS : 247S PO RTS
ROUND ’EM UP
MARCH / APRIL 2017
STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE
COX: UTAMAVS.COM; MINJAREZ: UTAMAVS.COM ; ROHRBAUGH: UTAMAVS.COM ; WENG ER: UTAMAVS.COM
T
HE UT ARLINGTON baseball team has a rich history of developing players who compete at the professional level, and more might be headed that way, as three current UTA players — Brady Cox, Josh Minjarez and Quintin Rohrbaugh — were identified by Baseball America magazine as being among the top prospects in the Sun Belt Conference. A senior catcher, Cox was ranked as the No. 7 2017 MLB draft prospect in the Sun Belt, and Rohrbaugh, a senior outfielder, was ranked 17th. Sophomore shortstop Minjarez was tabbed as the seventh-best prospect in the league available for the 2018 MLB Draft. Cox is coming off a junior season, in which he was named a semifinalist for the Johnny Bench Award, which is given annually to the nation’s premier catcher. His .365 average was the third-highest total in the conference, as were his 81 hits. Rohrbaugh hit .343 a year ago, with 79 hits, 13 doubles, 36 runs scored and 35 runs batted in. Minjarez claimed the starting shortstop job as a freshman, hit .321 and drove in 17 runs.
VOLLEYBALL
CALENDAR MARCH 2017
W BASKETBALL
19: at Georgia State, Atlanta, Ga., 1 p.m.
2: at ULM, Monroe, La., 5:15 p.m.
21: at Sam Houston State, Huntsville, 6:30 p.m.
4: at Louisiana, Lafayette, La., 5 p.m.
24: vs. Georgia Southern, 6:30 p.m.
8: Sun Belt Championship, New Orleans, La., TBA
25: vs. Georgia Southern, 2 p.m. 26: vs. Georgia Southern, 1 p.m.
M BASKETBALL
28: at Dallas Baptist, Dallas, 6:30 p.m. 31: vs. Troy, 6:30 p.m.
2: at ULM, Monroe, La., 7 p.m. 4: at Louisiana, Lafayette, La., 7:15 p.m. 8: NCAA First Round, New Orleans, La., TBA
M TENNIS
10: NCAA Quarterfinals, New Orleans, La., TBA
4: Pacific Tournament, Grove, Ore., TBA
11: NCAA Semifinals, New Orleans, La., TBA
11: vs. Columbia, 10 a.m.
12: NCAA Championship Final, New Orleans,
14: vs. Navy, TBA
La., 1 p.m.
15: vs. Columbia, 2 p.m. 17: vs. Air Force, 3 p.m.
SOFTBALL Brady Cox
18: vs. Georgia Southern, 11 a.m.
3: vs. Incarnate Word, 3 p.m.
21: at Texas, 5:30 p.m.
3: vs. Saint Francis PA, 5:30 p.m.
25: at Wichita State, Wichita, Kan., 1 p.m.
4: vs. Incarnate Word, 3 p.m. 4: vs. Tulsa, 5:30 p.m.
W TENNIS
5: vs. Tulsa, 11 a.m.
5: vs. UCF, Noon
11: vs. ULM, 1 p.m./ 3 p.m.
10: vs. Wichita State, 2 p.m.
12: vs. ULM, Noon
13: at Fresno State, Fresno, Calif., 7 p.m.
15: vs. Stephen F. Austin, 6 p.m.
15: at Long Beach State, Long Beach, Calif., 3 p.m.
18: at Louisiana, Lafayette, La., 2 p.m./ 4 p.m.
18: vs. Georgia State, 11 a.m.
19: at Louisiana, Lafayette, La., 1 p.m.
19: vs. Kansas State, 11 a.m.
22: vs. Houston Baptist, 6 p.m.
24: at Arkansas State, Jonesboro, Ark., TBA
25: vs. Georgia Southern, 1 p.m./ 3 p.m.
25: vs. ULM, Jonesboro, Ark., TBA
26: vs. Georgia Southern, Noon
29: at Rice, Houston, 3 p.m.
29: vs. North Texas, 6 p.m.
M/W INDOOR TRACK & FIELD
BASEBALL
10-11: NCAA Indoor Championships, College
3: at TAMU-Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi,
Josh Minjarez
6:30 p.m. 4: at TAMU-Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi,
M/W OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD
6:30 p.m.
17-18: TCU Invitational, Fort Worth, All day
5: at TAMU-Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi,
25: Bobby Lane Invitational, Arlington, All day
1 p.m.
29-31: Texas Relays, Austin, All day
8: vs. Abilene Christian, Abilene, 6:30 p.m.
Quintin Rohrbaugh
AFTER SERVING AS an assistant at UCLA, Colorado and Michigan State, J.T. Wenger is taking over as UT Arlington’s volleyball head coach. Wenger is the seventh head coach in UTA volleyball history and fills the void left by former coach Diane Seymour. “We’re thrilled to open a new era of UTA volleyball under J.T. Wenger,” UTA athletic director Jim Baker said. “J.T. brings a wealth of experience, has a passion for sport and the vision to take the program to unprecedented heights. We conducted an exhaustive national search and, during the process, received a tremendous amount of interest in our program. The UTA athletics program has great ambition and potential while the volleyball program has a history of national success. Our search was conducted with the
Station, All day
10: vs. Milwaukee, 6:30 p.m.
M GOLF
11: vs. Milwaukee, 2 p.m.
14-16: ORU Spring Break Shootout, Las Colinas,
12: vs. Milwaukee, Noon
Texas, All day
14: vs. Texas Tech, Arlington, 7 p.m.
19-20: Cape Fear National Intercollegiate,
15: vs. Abilene Christian, 6:30 p.m.
Wilmington, N.C., All day
17: at Georgia State, Atlanta, Ga., 6 p.m.
27-28: Little Rock First Tee Classic, Little Rock,
18: at Georgia State, Atlanta, Ga., 2 p.m.
Ark., All day
intent to secure the right person to lead our program. We welcome him, his wife Marissa and children Vivienne and Reid into the UTA family.” Wenger comes to Arlington after serving as an assistant coach at Michigan State (2016), associate head coach at Colorado (2012-15) and men’s assistant coach at UCLA (2006-11). A former star player at powerhouse UCLA, Wenger is a two-time “30 Under 30” honoree by the American Volleyball Coaches Association, created to identify up-andcoming coaches under 30 years old. “Upon visiting campus, it became clear that athletics are a priority for this university and there’s tremendous and contagious passion in the athletic department,” Wegner said. “I look forward to meeting the team and beginning the next chapter in UTA volleyball by developing great student-athletes and great people.”
J.T. Wenger
MARCH / APRIL 2017 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 19
MARCH / APRIL 2017
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HE ROUSTABOUTS STARTED over a decade ago as an organization tailored for students with ambition to dance through college. As a club, its members are afforded the opportunity to continue dancing while enabling them to be involved in other aspects of college life. “Many of us were in drill team or really intense dance studios during high school that took up our entire lives,” Roustabouts director Eliza MacDowell said. “The Roustabouts provide a way to dance in a healthy amount where you can still grow and be in college. It’s a good family.” The Roustabouts’ most popular and recognizable event is performing at the Torchlight parade or Hex Rally in the fall. They are the only student-run organization that performs at these pep rallies, a fact the Roustabouts pride themselves on. “It’s cool to feel the energy at the rally,” MacDowell said. “It was special the University gave us the opportunity to perform since we’re a student organization.” The Roustabouts have been involved with the Hex Rally and Torchlight Rally for several years. In the beginning, they provided entertainment for gathering crowds as a prelude to the festivities. This past year, they were given the opportunity to participate alongside Texas Cheer and Pom, as well as the Longhorn Band, to pep up the crowd as part of the Torchlight Rally prior to the Texas/ OU game. The organization includes 24 members, both men and women, from all different majors and areas around campus. Even though the Roustabouts practice and perform on the 40 Acres, the group membership is open to anyone in the Austin area, including students at ACC and Texas State. The Roustabouts are a completely student-run dance company; they don’t have any faculty involvement or sponsorship. Every semester, the Roustabouts hold auditions for people who can learn and pick up new routines quickly without memory mistakes. To make the cut, prospective members must also be good performers and filled with passion. They meet twice a week to work on routines choreographed by their directors and members. Their routines consist mostly of hip-hop arrangements, but occasionally they dabble in contemporary or jazz, especially for their spring show. In the spring, the Roustabouts put on a showcase for the university and the surrounding Austin area. Their spring show consists of three full-group routines and 12 small-group routines that are inspired by various members in the dance company. In the past, the Roustabouts have invited members from the Steel Dance Company, UT Dance and even Longhorn Singers to perform in their showcase. This year, their spring show will be on May 8. “It allows us to get involved with other organizations, other dance companies,” MacDowell said. “It gives us an opportunity to grow.”
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BRANDON BELT PLAYED high school baseball at Hudson High School. Despite the Boston Red Sox drafting him in the 11th round of the 2006 MLB Draft, Belt chose not to go pro and enrolled at San Jacinto College. He pitched for San Jacinto College for one year before the Atlanta Braves selected him in the 11th round of the 2007 draft. Again, Belt elected to stay in college. Belt transferred to Texas for his sophomore campaign. In his first season at Texas, Belt hit six home runs, knocked in a team-high 65 RBIs and had a .319 hitting average. Belt also pitched in 16 games as a reliever. Due to shoulder problems, Belt moved to first base for his junior year. Belt helped Texas finish second in the College World Series, hitting .329 with eight home runs and driving in 43 runs. Belt elected to forgo his final season at Texas after the San Francisco Giants selected him in the 5th round with the 147th overall pick of the 2009 MLB Draft. The 6-foot-5 lefty rose through the minor league ranks quickly and finished the 2010 season with a .352 batting average. Prior to the 2011 season, Belt was regarded as the third-best first base prospect on the MLB.com website. After a strong spring training with the Giants in 2011, Belt was named to the Opening Day roster. In his first Major League at-bat, Belt singled off of Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw. He won his first World Series ring in 2012 after the Giants swept the Detroit Tigers. Belt hit an RBItriple in Game Four of the World Series. He won his second ring two years later when the Giants beat the Kansas City Royals in seven games. Belt hit safely in all seven games of the World Series, finishing the postseason with a .295 average and eight RBIs. Belt was selected to his first All-Star Game in the 2016 season. He finished the season with 17 home runs, a .394 on-base percentage and 104 walks. Belt was the first Giants’ player since Barry Bonds to record 100 walks in a season.
BELT: MATT HEM PH EL /UNIV. OF TEXAS
THE ROUSTABOUTS
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
LUCKY CATCH: Toneil Carter, who switched to Texas over Georgia, will provide some much needed assistance at running back.
CLASS SUPERLATIVES JEFF HOWE SELECTS HIS FAVORITES FROM TEXAS’ 2017 SIGNING CLASS
NATIONAL SIGNING DAY HAS COME AND GONE AND THE TEXAS 2017 RECRUITING CLASS IS COMPLETE. Now that the dust has settled on the cycle and Tom Herman has his first 18 signees in the fold (15 February signees, three spring semester enrollees), it’s time to wrap things up. To do that, it’s time to hand out the class superlatives and recognize select members of Herman’s first haul at Texas.
BRIAN PERRONI, 24 7SPORTS
JEWEL OF THE CLASS: SAM EHLINGER
SURPRISE ADDITION TO THE CLASS: TONEIL CARTER Let’s be real — if Nick Chubb and/or Sony Michel had decided to leave for the NFL Draft, Carter would be at Georgia right now. Instead, the Bulldogs’ misfortune of not having room to take Carter (5-11, 196) in January provided the Longhorns a tremendous gift in a versatile, talented running back who will add immediate depth to a position of need. The loss of D’Onta Foreman means there’s a chance for Carter to earn playing time right off the bat.
Not only is the Austin Westlake quarterback the highest-ranked recruit in the class, he has the goods to eventually be the face of the program. The 6-foot-2, 219-pound Ehlinger is already on campus going through winter conditioning and expected to push Shane Buechele. He’s a tremendous fit for Herman’s pro-spread offense with his dualthreat skill set, and he has the alpha dog mentality required to thrive behind center. There’s no question that Ehlinger is the face of the class.
BIGGEST SLEEPER: DANIEL YOUNG
MOST LIKELY TO MAKE AN EARLY IMPACT: GARY JOHNSON
MOST UNDERRATED: MARQEZ BIMAGE
Herman made it clear during his signing day press conference that Johnson is coming on board intending to take someone’s job. The 6-foot, 211-pound JUCO product brings the physicality to the middle of a defense Todd Orlando apparently felt was lacking in 2016. You don’t bring JUCO guys into the program to provide depth — you bring them in to start and make a difference. That’s where the bar is set for Johnson.
When it comes to scheme fit, Young has a great chance of outperforming his ranking. The Longhorns liked Young, a physical between-the-tackles thumper, leaving no room in the class for other, high-rated backs. What Carlos Hyde and Kenneth Farrow were to Herman before — backs who provided a physical edge at Ohio State and Houston — Young (6-0, 210) has a chance to be the same kind of runner.
It’s hard not to like guys who possess Bimage’s combination of length, burst and striking ability. On top of the physical tools, he’s a tremendous scheme fit in Orlando’s 3-4 defense as an outside linebacker. Bimage (62, 230) played with his hand on the ground as a senior for the Cubs, but he has the tools to be an effective stand-up edge defender at the next level. He’s better than the three-star rating he ended the cycle with in the 247Sports Composite rankings (.8680, No. 514 overall). MARCH / APRIL 2017 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 21
JOHNNY WALKER REVIEW FORMER LONGHORN JOHNNY WALKER GIVES HIS THOUGHTS ON NATIONAL SIGNING DAY
JOHNNY WALKER'S RESUME • Played football and baseball at Texas from 1987 to 1990 • Two-time All-Southwest Conference • Caught the game-winning reception to beat Oklahoma in 1989
Horns Illustrated: What did you think of Texas’ National Signing Day? Johnny Walker: I’ll be honest — I was disappointed in the signing class. I wanted head coach Tom Herman to bring in more talent. The player that stands out the most to me is Gary Johnson, the linebacker from Dodge City C.C. He’ll turn out to be the best player in this class. He’s at a position where Texas has good football players, but as far as rating and talent go, he’s the best in the class. HI: Any chance Sam Ehlinger plays as a true freshman? JW: The quarterback position will be key for next year. As far as the skill positions are concerned, Texas is solid across the board. So the season will depend on the quality of play we see from the quarterback position. We should expect to see some great competition over that position. I honestly wouldn’t sleep on Jerrod Heard moving over and getting some playing time as a quarterback. The good news is the position will be wide open and Texas has guys that can really play well. From what I heard, Ehlinger is a good runner too. He’ll definitely have a chance to play as a true freshman because Texas doesn’t have much depth at the position. HI: Tom Herman signed two tight ends in the 2017 recruiting class. Texas has lacked an impact player at the position since the days of David Thomas and Jermichael Finley. Are you excited to see Herman bring that position back? JW: I’d like to see Texas add that threat back to the offense. Texas has speed and size on the outsides, but it would be nice to have a tight end come across the middle and get those first downs on short yardage situations. Texas needs someone to attack the middle of the field in general. It’s something the Longhorns have missed over the last five or six years. 22 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
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• Drafted by the Atlanta Braves in 1990 (4th round)
“
THE PLAYER THAT STANDS OUT THE MOST TO ME IS GARY JOHNSON, THE LINEBACKER FROM DODGE CITY C.C. HE’LL TURN OUT TO BE THE BEST PLAYER IN THIS CLASS. HE’S AT A POSITION WHERE TEXAS HAS GOOD FOOTBALL PLAYERS,
”
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EARLY IMPACT: Johnny Walker expects Gary Johnson to make an impact early in the 2017 season.
LHN ANCHORS AND ANALYSTS REMEMBER: AHMAD BROOKS
E
ACH MONTH WE’LL hear from the anchors from the Longhorn Network, gaining insight into their favorite memories. Horns Illustrated captures their stories about what it’s like working for LHN and why they love their job, in a piece we like to call LHN Anchors and Analysts Remember.
Horns Illustrated: How did you land at the Longhorn Network? Ahmad Brooks: I worked a local radio show in Austin for three years called “The Morning Drive.” The day before ESPN announced the Longhorn Network I got fired from my job. The timing seemed right and from that point forward, I made a point of wanting to be a part of LHN. I had a contact through the network and I emailed her religiously — and to this day she’ll tell you I was the most persistent employee she’s ever hired. They brought me into the studio for a practice run and when I came out they said they might have something for me. I ended up covering the practice show that entire year and did some things for Longhorn Extra. As a child growing up in a sports family, most of our gatherings revolved around sporting events. I’ve been fortunate to have a job that connects my passion with sports to my alma mater.
Ahmad Brooks
UT ATHLETICS PHOTOG RAPHY
HI: How does your unique perspective as a former Texas player enhance the viewer’s experience? AB: One of the things I know is football — specifically the culture at Texas and how the program should operate. Having played in a historic era, in terms of winning games under Mack Brown, I understand that when Texas is winning, it’s a good thing. For me to have an understanding of that is invaluable. It’s probably one of the chief reasons why I’m able to do my job. I don’t have to guess or speculate on how the players are feeling. As an analyst it helps when you’ve experienced what players feel like in key moments. Knowing the verbiage also helps tremendously. Having sat in the classroom and being able to understand concepts helps when providing color commentary. However, you’re not there to show off your knowledge — you’re there to add value to the broadcast and show good chemistry with the people you’re on-air with. HI: What do you do for fun outside of LHN? AB: One of my first loves is soccer. I’m involved in an after-school program with about 600 kids in the Austin area. We have a literature system that’s built around five honor codes: Do Right. Be Positive. Seek Wisdom. Take Action. Never Quit. One of the concepts we talk about with the kids is being a super athlete. A super athlete understands his influence off the field, and understands his dedication to helping the community. When athletes don’t have people around to support them, they tend to struggle. I also have a son that just turned four years old and he’s the love of my life. He takes up a lot of my time and reminds me what it used to be like to be so eager to play sports. MARCH / APRIL 2017 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 23
SOCIAL BUZZ If you’re not willing to work and strain everyday, the University of Texas football program is NOT the place for you! — Sam Ehlinger (@sehlinger3)
DID YOU KNOW? In his first recruiting class since taking over as the football head coach, Tom Herman signed players he insisted would help the Longhorns win championships. Here’s what Texas fans had to say about the class on the Horns Illustrated Facebook page.
143K FACEBOOK LIKES
Coach Herman knew what he needed in this class. Texas has the staff to coach up the talent. Coaching is the key, and I truly believe that this staff will get Texas back to its winning ways.
Averaged over
Great job Coach. It’s not always how many stars the player has, it’s about chemistry and character.
Our “Reach” was over
— Dylan Haines (@dylanhaines4)
1 MILLION during the week of 9/7 - 9/14
60K VISITS PER DAY OVER 80K POST CLICKS
Happy birthday to the greatest linebacker to ever wear number 60 at Texas. Love you dad and thanks for the genetics. — Breckyn Hager (@Breckyn44)
1300+
INSTAGRAM followers Horns_Illustrated
2500+
Views on the YouTube Channel last month
My jersey is ALWAYS untucked and I’m not sure how it happens. — Brianna Taylor (@bretaylor20)
hornsillustrated.com/
I also root for the Cougars (my wife went to UH). They are going to miss him in Houston. Great coach!
Waiting for them Scholtz’s nachos like drool on game day — Fancy Boots (@TexasFancyBoots) 24 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
HAS OVER 120K FANS IN TEXAS READ BY FANS IN 152 COUNTRIES IN 2014
We love cheering for our Lady Longhorns! Go Texas! — Lauren D Smith (@ldsmithELAR)
MARCH / APRIL 2017
Losing is essential to anyone’s success. The more you lose the more you want to win. — Matthew Cantu (@matthewcantu11)
Beat Tech baby! — Syd (@sydrosen13)
His first Longhorns basketball game! — Anna (@PhotoChick_Ana)
CLOCKWIS E FRO M TOP RIGH T: ALL TW ITTER PHOTOS COURTES Y TW ITTER.COM, ALL OTHER PHOTOS COURTESY INSTAGRAM.COM AND RESPECTIVE PHOTO GRAPHERS.
This sounds an awful a lot like what Strong said about his first class. We will see how it goes. Good luck to you Coach. We need some wins!
/hornsillustrated
For those that don’t have a National Signing Day: I didn’t have one and I started 33 games. It’s not where you start it’s where you finish!
MEET THE T-ASSOCIATION The T-Association is an organization made up of former varsity athletics letter winners. An additional designation for the T-Association members is the T-Ring, which is awarded to an athlete who lettered for 2 or more years, who did not compete the last 2 years of eligibility anywhere other than The University of Texas and who graduated from college. David McWilliams, former Longhorn head football coach, currently serves as the executive director for the T-Association. T-Association Mission - The T-Association’s mission is to create and maintain an enhanced atmosphere and structure whereby UT student-athletes become lifetime members of The University of Texas Athletics family and are welcomed, involved and encouraged to participate during and after their college tenure. TAPN Mission - The Letter Winner’s Professional Network exists to unite the members of the T-Association on a professional level by providing networking opportunities and a database of contacts, thereby furthering the opportunities, community, education and success of Longhorn Letter Winners.
UT ATHLETICS PHOTOG RAPHY
CONTACT INFORMATION: t-association@athletics.utexas.edu 512.471.6864
THE HABE ON THE HORNS
MAKING THE GRADE
IN A TRANSITION YEAR, HERMAN IS CONFIDENT IN THE CLASS OF 2017
N
EW TEXAS FOOTBALL coach Tom Herman is a realist. When he called the Longhorns’ 2017 recruiting class transitional, he was talking more about the 18 signees’ roles in bridging the gap between the former regime to the success Herman expects to have in the near future — but likely not in the coming season. Recruiting as a whole is a crapshoot at best. Finding a way to predict the eventual contribution to your team and the ultimate maturity levels of 17-year-old boys as they grow into men is a ridiculous, and likely asinine, endeavor. Throw those boys into a pot with others of their kind with pride and playing time on the line and you get nothing but controlled chaos. But you can also occasionally catch lightning in a bottle. “Building a successful program isn’t just about football,” Herman said on Feb.1 as he introduced the class he and his staff cobbled together despite being on the job for barely two months. “It’s about academics. It’s about life after football. It’s about social life. It’s about building the complete man, the Texas man. I certainly appreciate everybody that was involved.” This class, headed by Austin Westlake quarterback Sam Ehlinger and junior college linebacker Gary Johnson of the Birmingham suburb of Douglas, Ala., was ranked anywhere from 26th to 32nd in the nation by those services that have made the evaluation of high school football players their own cottage industry. That’s the worst ranking ever for a Longhorn team, but Herman wasn’t worried about how those outside his program view his signees. According to Herman’s research, every metric, every analytic and every study will show that in years of a coaching staff transition, that signing class has the highest rate of attrition, or the highest rate of off-field issues, whether it be academic issues, drugs and alcohol, or social issues. That class also has the
Tom Herman
highest rate of players who flat can’t, or won’t, play for the new coach and his staff. “I’m proud of the calculated nature in which we went about attacking this class,” Herman said. “We weren’t going to fall into that trap. And that happens when you go and chase stars and people that you don’t know and you try to piecemeal the process. “So we wanted to pump the brakes on that a little bit,” he added. “And we wanted to make sure we were bringing in quality young men that we had relationships with and could fit our culture.” Herman made one thing very clear on Feb. 1: He would only recruit kids he thought could play for and win national championships. “We don’t sign back-ups at the University of Texas,” he said. “We don’t sign role players.” It remains to be seen how much of an impact this first recruiting class will have in the turnaround for the Longhorns that they’ve been mandated to produce. We’ll have to look back five years from now to see if the signees made the grade. Just sayin’, ya know?
The Habe is Steve Habel, Horns Illustrated’s senior editor. He was the magazine’s first staff member, in 1994, and has covered Texas sports ever since. MARCH / APRIL 2017 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 25
FILLING THE GAPS
T
EXAS IS USUALLY at the front of the line when it comes to class ranking for recruiting. Yet, over the past five years, that prowess has provided mixed results on the field once the lights come on for real in the early fall. So when new head coach Tom Herman finished assembling his staff in the middle of January, he gave his coaches a mandate — find us players who will fit in, who will fill a specific need and who are above reproach in character — all while persuading the best talent available to believe in the process he’s pushing. That push produced an 18-player class on Feb. 1 that was ranked 26th in the nation by 247sports.com and 28th by Rivals.com and Scout.com, a far cry from the No. 8 spot (247sports.com) Texas claimed last year. “We wanted to bring in quality young men that we had relationships with and that we knew could fit our culture,” Herman said. “We did extensive background research on all of these individuals. We’re excited about where they fit in terms of the needs that we saw on this roster.” Texas ended up with the second-ranked class in the Big 12 — far behind conference champion Oklahoma, which was eighth in one ranking and sixth in two others. “Let’s make one thing clear — we recruit kids at Texas that can play for us and win us national championships,” Herman added. “And that’s what each of these kids was assigned to do. Some may help us in the first year, while some may need a couple years to develop. But we don’t sign backups at Texas. We don’t sign role players. We sign guys that we know and believe through our evaluation process can help us win championships.” The class consisted of three defensive backs, three defensive linemen, two linebackers, two tight ends, two running backs, two offensive linemen, two wide receivers, a quarterback and a kicker. 28 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
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The Longhorns’ class was made up of seven four-star players (as ranked by 247sports.com): quarterback Sam Ehlinger (Austin Westlake), running back Toneil Carter (Houston Langham Creek), wide receiver Damion Miller (Tyler John Tyler), defensive end Taquon Graham (Temple), defensive backs Montrell Estell (Hooks) and Josh Thompson (Nacogdoches) and linebacker Gary Johnson, a junior college transfer from Douglas, Ala, by way of Dodge City (Kan.) Community College. The additional 11 players signed by Texas were held three-star rankings. They include linebacker Marquez Bimage (Brenham), defensive back Kobe Boyce (Corinth Lake Dallas), tight ends Cade Brewer (Lake Travis) and Reese Leitao (Jenks, Okla.), defensive linemen Jamari Chisholm (Valdosta, Ga/ NE Oklahoma A&M College) and Max Cummins (Fort Worth AllSaints Episcopal), offensive lineman Samuel Cosmi (Humble Atascocita) and Derek Kerstetter (San Antonio Reagan), wide receiver Jordan Pouncey (Winter Park, Fla.), kicker Joshua Rowland (Madison, Miss./Mississippi Gulf Coast CC) and running back Daniel Young (Houston Westfield). Texas’ ranking by 247sports.com marks its worst finish since the service’s recruiting rankings started in 1999. This class also marks the first time the Longhorns didn’t sign a top 10-player from the Lone Star State; nine of the top 12 players from Texas left the state to play collegiately. “I don’t frown upon the rankings,” Herman said. “They’re real. But to have a realistic expectation of a transition class that only signs 20 guys to be in the Top 10 . . . I mean, that’s silly. “Will we be there next year? Absolutely,” he added. “But I’m proud of how the staff went about its business of finding these guys that may have that extra something that rankings can’t and don’t ever see.” Without further adieu, please meet the 2017 recruiting class.
JIM S IGM ON/UNIV. OF TEXAS
HEAD COACH TOM HERMAN AND HIS STAFF FILL THE PROGRAM’S NEEDS WITH A NEW 18-PLAYER CLASS
Josh Thompson and Jordan Pouncey
But I’m proud of how the staff went about its business of finding these guys that may have that extra something that rankings can’t and don’t ever see.
- Tom Herman
WATCH LIST
Jordan Pouncey
QUARTERBACK SAM EHLINGER (Westlake): Ehlinger was the Texas 2015 Gatorade Player of the Year as a junior when he led his prep team to the State 6A finals. He was injured (three times) last season. He’s already with the team as an early enrollee and will likely push incumbent Shane Buechele (who started all 12 games for the Longhorns) from Day 1. Linebacker Gary Johnson (Dodge City (Kan.) Community College): Herman said the Longhorns have a need for “mike” linebackers and considers Johnson the top junior-college player at the position. He’s likely to start immediately in the middle, which means transcendent talent Malik Jefferson, one of the highest-ranked players in former coach Charlie Strong’s three recruiting classes, can move to outside linebacker, where he’s better suited.
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WHO GOT AWAY
Gary Johnson
TEXAS GOT JUST one of the three highprofile players who waited until signing day to announce their commitments. The Longhorns failed to sign two four-star players — Westlake OL Stephan Zabie, who chose UCLA, and Galena Park North Shore DE K’Lavon Chaisson, who decided to play for LSU in an 11th-hour reversal. Texas did land Pouncey, a three-star player, who picked the Longhorns over Miami and Tennessee. If Texas could’ve landed all three of those players, the class would’ve finished in the top 20 in team recruiting rankings. MARCH / APRIL 2017 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 29
TOP GUN
SAM EHLINGER
NATL 119 POS 4 ST 20 QUARTERBACK WESTLAKE (AUSTIN, TEXAS) 6’1” • 215 LBS.
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THERE’S NO STOPPING Sam Ehlinger. The Westlake quarterback is already on the 40 Acres, going through conditioning drills and workouts with the team. Ehlinger verbally committed to Texas after his junior year, a season in which he was named Gatorade Texas Player of the Year and saw him after directing Westlake into the Class 6A Division I championship game. His list of superlatives from his prep career is staggering: 2015 APSE Texas Player of the Year; All-Central Texas Player of the Year as a junior; and MaxPreps National Junior of the Year. He was a threeyear starter who finished his high school career as Westlake’s all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns. He had just 10 interceptions in 762 career pass attempts and he claimed a school record in total yards (9,886). Ehlinger also had 125 total touchdowns. Then came his senior year, one of the most anticipated in a decade for Westlake, the school that produced longtime NFL quarterbacks Drew Brees and Nick Foles and is coached by former Texas quarterback Todd Dodge. Ehlinger started the season and threw for 356 yards and rushed for 63 more in a stirring 32-29 win against 2015 Class 6A DII state champion Katy, after which he was named Ford Tough Player of the Week. But he injured his knee in the contest and missed the next four games. He came back in time for a matchup with cross-town rival Lake Travis and was once again injured, this time breaking his thumb. He recovered in time for the beginning of the postseason but suffered a third — and season-ending — injury in a 55-15 win over Laredo United. In that playoff game he completed 16-of-22 passes for 203 yards and two touchdowns (most of that after he was hurt) before exiting with a 38-0 halftime lead.
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EHLINGER’S GUMPTION AND MOXIE MAKE HIM THE PERFECT FIT FOR TEXAS
“I learned many leadership qualities off the field that you don’t think about when you’re playing,” Ehlinger said about the time he spent on the sidelines. “Obviously, it wasn’t the way that I would’ve liked for it to go, but you live and you learn,” he added. “The pressure, the eyes on me, it never went away. I got used to it and learned how to deal with it.” There’s a certain synergy about the 6-foot-1, 215-pound Ehlinger. Some of that’s built on the way he’s handled the setbacks in his life, none more profound than the death of his father, Ross, who died in the rough, icy waters of San Francisco Bay during the Escape from Alcatraz triathlon when Ehlinger was an eighth grader. Ehlinger has a tattoo of his father’s Alcatraz triathlon race number, in Roman numerals — MDLXVI — on his rib cage, visible only when he chooses to let it be seen. Texas head coach Tom Herman said he “fell in love” with Ehlinger for two reasons and neither of those are quantifiable or things that you see on
videotape. Ehlinger was the first player to put his commitment in line with Herman’s hiring after former coach Charlie Strong was fired in November. “Yes, he was the Gatorade State Player of the Year as an 11th grader in the state of Texas — that’s big-time stuff,” Herman said. “What stood out to me was not on video. “First, Sam’s been through a lot in his life, and he had to mature at a young age,” Herman explained. “He’s transitioned or translated that maturity into this dynamic leadership quality. Sam’s an alpha male. He walks in the room, and it’s like, ‘Whoa, Sam’s here.’ He’s a competitor. “The second thing is the kid was committed to Texas, even with tears his meniscus in week one of his senior year,” he added. “A lot of players would’ve said, ‘That’s it. I’m shutting it down.’ Not Sam. That tells me about how much the kid loves football and how great of a teammate is he.” Expect Ehlinger to push incumbent starter Shane Buechele at the quarterback spot from the first spring drill and through the summer and fall.
HERMAN QUOTE: In Sam’s junior year, he was the Gatorade State Player of the Year before he had some injury situations. There are two things that UKQ @KJ P OAA KJ ł HIġ DA O =J =HLD= I=HA and a great leader for his age. He had to grow up quickly.
First, Sam’s been through a lot in his life, and he had to mature at a young age. He’s transitioned or translated that maturity into this dynamic leadership quality. Sam’s an alpha male. He walks in the room, and it’s like, ‘Whoa, Sam’s here.’ He’s a competitor.
- Tom Herman
MARCH / APRIL 2017 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 31
FOOTLOOSE
CARTER BRINGS A COMBINATION OF FOOTWORK AND SPEED TO THE 40 ACRES
TONEIL CARTER Â?Â?Â?Â?
247S PORTS
NATL 158 POS 9 ST 25 RUNNING BACK LANGHAM CREEK (HOUSTON, TEXAS) 5'11 • 197 LBS. SOME RUNNING BACKS, such as former Seattle star Marshawn Lynch, make their yards with bring-me-down-if-you-can toughness. Others, like Kansas City stalwart and former Texas standout Jamaal Charles, use instinct and pure speed to get to the hole and down the field. Toneil Carter, one of two running backs signed by the Longhorns this season, gets his yards with quickness through the line and into the open field. He’s one of Texas’ three early enrollees this season and will go through spring drills with the team. Carter, at 5-foot-11 and 197 pounds, is a speed back who can run away from defenders. He projects as a real change-of-pace runner for the Longhorns’ offense, which will feature a bruising power back in Chris Warren III and two hybrid ballcarriers in Kyle Porter and Kirk Johnson. According to 247sports.com, Carter is a four-star recruit, the No. 7 overall running back in the 2017 class, and the 21st-ranked player in the state of Texas. Carter possesses true track speed — he runs 10.6 seconds in the 100 meters, a number that overshadows his 4.26 shuttle and 35.6-inch vertical. He also ran a 4.56-second 40-yard dash at the Houston: The Opening Regional camp this year. He was rated as a top-10 running back nationally and second in Texas. “I warmed up inside on the field when I was here for the Texas Relays, and I thought —whooo,â€? Carter said. “It’s always been my dream growing up to play at the big college level and I’m finally able to do it.â€? Carter’s package is based on superior footwork, according to Houston area position trainer Rischad Whitfield, who’s worked with Carter since he was a sophomore in high school. Whitfield has coached dozens of NFL players, including Pittsburgh running back Le’Veon Bell, Denver wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders and former Houston wide receiver Andre Johnson. “Footwork is the foundation — that’s what a lot of people don’t understand,â€? Whitfield told 247sports.com. “Toneil’s got great technique, great fundamentals, great foot speed and his footwork and vision are A1.
“Toneil has elite potential,� Whitfield added. “He has a chance to go down and end up being one of the top running backs at Texas.� Carter was a key cog in the offense for three years for his prep team at Houston Langham Creek. He averaged 7.6 yards per rush in his career during his time at the varsity level. There are some doubts about Carter’s durability after he carried the ball just 485 times for Langham Creek, hundreds of time fewer than the nation’s other top-rated running backs. But others think the lack of wear and tear on Carter’s body should be considered a blessing rather than a shortfall. And scholarship offers from Georgia, Notre Dame, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas A&M, Baylor, Alabama, Arkansas, LSU, Michigan and Michigan State certainly lend credence to that point. He finished his high school career with 3,857 rushing yards and 57 touchdowns. In May 2015, Carter received a scholarship offer from Texas when Charlie Strong was still the Longhorns’ head coach. He later took a recruiting trip to Georgia and eventually committed to the Bulldogs, but changed his mind after Georgia’s two top running backs, Nick Chubb and Sony Michel, decided to return to school, leaving Carter without his planned slot as an early enrollee. So Carter landed at Texas, with his story ready to be written — likely in burnt orange ink.
HERMAN QUOTE: 1KJAEH EO = IE@ UA=N CQU PD=P SA SANA =>HA PK Ĺƒ EL ÄĽBNKI $AKNCE=9 That was a tremendous job by our staff to get him to choose us in a span of two weeks. He knew us during our time in Houston and through the relationships we had forged.
MARCH / APRIL 2017 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 33
ALL THE RIGHT MOVES JOHNSON’S SIDELINE-TO-SIDELINE PROWESS FILLS A NEED FOR THE LONGHORNS
Â?Â?Â?Â? NATL 5 POS 1 ST 1 INSIDE LINEBACKER DODGE CITY COMMUNITY COLLEGE (DODGE CITY, KAN.) 6'1 • 225 LBS. FOR ALL INTENTS and purposes, the Texas football team is confident junior college linebacker recruit Gary Johnson is the right guy to satisfy a need in the Longhorns’ defense because, well, he can flat fill a hole when the opposition tries to run up the middle. But he can catch ball carriers too, which makes the Douglas, Ala, product out of Dodge City (Kan.) Community College the type of player who can be on the field every down and lead the Longhorns’ pursuit from sideline to sideline. Texas head coach Tom Herman said Johnson, a 6-foot-1, 225-pounder, was rated by most services as the top JUCO linebacker in the country. The Longhorns needed a player like Johnson and they reeled him in. “The middle linebacker was a position on our team that we needed depth and we needed physical inside linebackers, and Gary is certainly that,â€? Herman said as he announced the Longhorns’ class of 2017. “He’s a hammerhead but he’s not a hammerhead slug; he can run,â€? he added. “He’s a perfect middle linebacker for our system. He’s going to compete immediately for that spot.â€? Johnson is a former Alabama commit who’s coming off an 82-tackle season in junior college. He had 23 offers to play at the FBS level from the likes of LSU, Georgia, Auburn, Oregon, Mississippi, TCU, Ohio State and USC. Johnson told Lone Star Radio that Alabama was his “dream school,â€? but he’s excited about playing for the Longhorns. “I can’t wait to get to Austin and do what I can to make a difference on my team,â€? Johnson said. “Everybody wanted me to go Alabama, and I committed there, but my academic requirements weren’t SEC eligible so I had to pick another conference.â€? According to 247sports.com, Johnson has elite speed and quickness and is a devastating tackler when he runs to the ball. Herman shared a story at the signing day press conference about Johnson’s track speed that wowed even veteran reporters. “In high school at 215 pounds, Johnson won the [Alabama] State [track championships],â€? Herman said. “He ran the 100-meter dash in 10.59 seconds, and he did it with no blocks. Every other kid had the 34 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
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HERMAN QUOTE: This was a position on our team that needed depth. We needed physical inside linebackers and Gary is certainly that. He can run OE@AHEJA PK OE@AHEJA =J@ OPEHH ł HH PDA =J@ C=LO %A†O =J AT?AHHAJP addition. He can make tackles down the line of scrimmage.
247 SPORTS
GARY JOHNSON
blocks. He told his coach he didn’t feel comfortable starting in track blocks.� Johnson said his journey through the junior college ranks helped him become a better player. “I didn’t have one Division I offer after high school, so I had to go to junior college and prove myself and I did,� Johnson said. “Being a part of a program like Texas and the players I will have around me is exciting. I have the mentality that I can’t be stopped and when it’s time to make a big play, I expect to be there.� If he’s as good as advertised, expect him to supplant Malik Jefferson in the middle — Texas’ potentially transcendent junior linebacker. The move will allow Jefferson to move to the edge, where he can be more effective as a push rusher.
PROVING GROUNDS THOMPSON’S WORK ETHIC WILL ONLY BOOST HIS POSITION IN THE LONGHORNS’ SECONDARY
He was an All-American, all-state and two-time all-district honoree and selected to participate in the 2017 Offense-Defense Bowl. Thompson was named to the 5A All-State Second-Team by the Associated Press in 2016 after garnering unanimous first-team All-District 17-5A kudos as a safety and being honored as the utility player of the year. And then there was Jones, whom Thompson played with since their Pony League days and lined up alongside in the Nacogdoches secondary for two seasons. “With Brandon being at Texas, I’ll feel comfortable going in,� Thompson said. “I already know all the players that are at Texas, so my focus is to take the workouts seriously, not being scared, and set my mind forward.�
JOSH THOMPSON Â?Â?Â?Â?
247S PORTS
NATL 302 POS 35 ST 45 CORNERBACK NACOGDOCHES (NACOGDOCHES, TEXAS) 6'0 • 182
HERMAN QUOTE: We needed guys that can be versatile and physical and Thompson Ĺ‚ PO PD=P IKH@
THANKS TO SIGNING Nacogdoches defensive back Josh Thompson in February, Texas coaches can envision the day when the entire secondary is made up of players from east Texas. Thompson, a 6-foot, 182-pound product of Piney Woods, will rejoin his former teammate, freshman safety Brandon Jones, this season in the defensive backfield. Thompson was ranked as the nation’s No. 35 cornerback in the 2017 class by 247sports.com. However, his stock rose considerably between his junior and senior season, especially after he was one of the 166 gilded prep invites to Nike’s The Opening showcase last summer. Being among the best of the best forced Thompson to put in the extra effort to keep pace. He went to several junior days and summer camps. Thompson chose the Longhorns over 28 other FBS-level schools, most notably TCU, to which he had committed before changing tack and picking Texas in July. His confidence jumped as well after he committed to Texas. “I couldn’t sit here and let things come to me – I had to go out and get it,� Thompson said. “You have to have the right mindset to do that, to have all those coaches coming at you. It turned out to be a blessing.� A big part of Thompson flipping to Texas was fellow defensive back signee Kobe Boyce and quarterback Sam Ehlinger (who was on his 7-on7 team at The Opening), who recruited Thompson very hard. Landing Thompson also helped strengthen Boyce’s commitment since the two are close friends. “It’s been a tough road but I know Texas is the right choice for me,� Thompson said. “This is where great players are made. I look up to [former Texas great defensive back] Michael Huff — he wore No. 7 just like I do. I know I made the right decision and had to go to a place where I was comfortable. We’re going to do great things here.� Thompson is a physical corner with great speed and athleticism, and has a chance to play safety or nickel for the Longhorns. He’s strong and has a huge physical upside because of his build, and he uses his body and hands well. MARCH / APRIL 2017 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 35
THE HUNT IS OVER MEET THE CLASS OF 2018
Â?Â?Â?
NATL 497 POS 19 TIGHT END JENKS (JENKS, OKLA.) 6'4" • 234 LBS.
ST 8
LEITAO IS NOW recognized as one of the top tight end prospects in the country. The former Nebraska commit, who picked the Longhorns on Dec. 29, was upgraded by 247Sports to the No. 14-ranked tight end prospect in the country. 247Sports Director of Scouting Barton Simmons credited Leitao’s rise to success on both sides of the ball to his involvement in one of the nation’s top high school programs. “He hails from a strong program,� Simmons said. “He has the size, looks natural as a route-runner and pass-catcher, but I think he’ll be a good edge blocker. “He had nine sacks for a team that doesn’t typically play guys both ways,� he added. “That tells me the guy is a football player.� Leitao is one of two tight ends the Longhorns have in the fold in 2017, the other being Lake Travis’ Cade Brewer. Head coach Tom Herman inherited a roster with only two scholarship tight ends (Andrew Beck and Peyton Aucoin), so getting numbers while upgrading the talent level at the position was a priority for the new regime. The Longhorns have done that with Leitao, who caught 34 passes for 423 yards and four touchdowns during his senior season.
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NATL NA POS 102 ST 150 OFFENSIVE TACKLE ATASCOCITA (HUMBLE, TEXAS) 6'5" • 260 LBS.
THE THREE-STAR OFFENSIVE lineman out of Atascocita grew up dreaming of attending the University of Texas. “As a kid, Texas was my dream school,� Cosmi said. “I was always with the Longhorns growing up. Even when they were doing bad, I was still rooting for them. There’s just something about Texas. “Texas is a big time school, and I feel like with Tom Herman we’re going to improve,� he added. “What he did at UH shows what he can do.� Cosmi is a 6-foot-5, 260-pound offensive tackle who likely won’t contribute as early as Marquez Bimage or Daniel Young. Due to recruiting over the previous two cycles, which included the addition of 10 high school offensive linemen, there’s no need for the Longhorns to rush young offensive linemen before they’re ready to see the field. That’s a good thing for Cosmi, who will need some time in the weight room to develop before he tries to make his way through what’s quickly becoming a deep tackle rotation. Regardless of when he sees the field, Cosmi will have a chance to step across the chalked line as a Longhorn due to the Herman regime trusting their evaluations. Cosmi is ranked as the No. 150 offensive tackle in the country and No. 229 overall prospect in the state, according to 247Sports Composite.
HERMAN QUOTE: We needed tackle bodies and we addressed that with 0=I ÄĽ1DA LNAREKQO ?K=?DEJC NACEIA9 @E@ a good job bringing in offensive linemen in the past but a lot of those guys are bigger, thicker guys that will play inside.
HERMAN QUOTE: We had a numbers situation at tight end — we had just one scholarship player left at the position. We needed two guys and we got two different types of guys. Reese may be more ready to play right now because of his physical strength.
36 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
SAMUEL COSMI
MARCH / APRIL 2017
LEITAO: BRIAN PERRONI, 2 47S PORTS; COSM I: JEFF HO WE, BRIAN PERRONI
REESE LEITAO
MARQEZ BIMAGE
BRENHAM HEAD COACH Glen West told Bimage this time last year that if he wanted to be heavily recruited as a linebacker, he’d have to start filling out a frame that was carrying only 207 pounds. By the time Bimage reported for practice at the start of the school year he had gained 29 pounds. Now at 230 pounds, the 6-foot-2 linebacker heads to Texas as a seemingly perfect fit to play on the edge in the 3-4 defense Todd Orlando will install this spring. Bimage played mostly with his hand on the ground at Brenham. We’ll find out if he can play in space in time, but guys with his length, explosiveness off the ball and violent play around the line of scrimmage are worth their weight in gold if they pan out. At least the Texas staff, which recruited Bimage and had him committed at Houston, knows what they’re getting and that he’ll work his tail off. Bimage is ranked as the No. 25 inside linebacker in the country and No. 100 overall prospect in the state, according to 247Sports Composite.
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NATL 513 POS 34 ST 72 LINEBACKER BRENHAM (BRENHAM, TEXAS) 6'2" • 230 LBS.
JORDAN POUNCEY
BIMAGE: BRIAN PERRONI, 24 7SPORTS; POUNCEY: ANDREW IVINS, 2 47S PORTS; MILL ER: 247SPORTS
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NATL 734 POS 106 ST 96 WIDE RECEIVER WINTER PARK (WINTER PARK, FLA.) 6'2" • 185 LBS.
HERMAN QUOTE: He has a knack for pass rushing and can get after a quarterback. He’s an athletic, powerful and aggressive dude.
WHERE POUNCEY IS ranked (the No. 106 wide receiver and the No. 97 product in Florida in the 247Sports Composite rankings) probably won’t get anybody excited. The production he had on the football field as a senior, however, should be a reason to feel good about the Winter Park (Fla.) product being an asset to the Longhorns. While playing at a Class 8A school in Florida, Pouncey (6-foot-2 and 185 pounds) rushed for 768 yards (8.9 yards per carry) as a senior. He also averaged 13.9 yards per reception on 31 catches; recorded 49 tackles and three interceptions with 12 pass breakups on defense; and registered a 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Not only is Pouncey productive, he has pedigree — he’s second cousins with former Florida and current NFL offensive linemen Maurkice Pouncey (Pittsburgh Steelers) and Mike Pouncey (Miami Dolphins).
HERMAN QUOTE: Pouncey, who was originally a Notre Dame commit, is another guy SA BAAH ?=J I=GA LH=UO BKN QO =J@ OPNAP?D PDA Ĺ‚ AH@
NO MATTER THE setting — pads or 7-on-7 — Miller, who averaged 22.5 yards per reception as a senior, always manages to stand out. If you walked up to a field, with no preconceived notions about the players, you would be able to quickly identify Miller as a stud. Miller committed to Texas last summer over offers from Baylor, Missouri, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss and Texas A&M, among others. During his senior season, Miller recorded 41 receptions for 922 yards and eight touchdowns en route to leading John Tyler to the state playoffs. At 6-foot-1, 193 pounds, Miller is ranked by 247Sports Composite as the No. 23 wide receiver in the country and No. 23 overall prospect in the state.
DAMION MILLER Â?Â?Â?Â?
NATL 152 POS 24 ST 23 WIDE RECEIVER JOHN TYLER (TYLER, TEXAS) 6'1" • 193 LBS.
HERMAN QUOTE: We needed some dynamic playmakers from our receivers and, with Damion Miller, we’ve addressed those needs.
MARCH / APRIL 2017 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 37
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NATL 563 POS 55 ST 78 CORNERBACK LAKE DALLAS (LAKE DALLAS, TEXAS) 6'0" • 163 LBS.
BOYCE IS A versatile prospect who could play various positions in the secondary. He’ll likely start off at corner, but he could be the perfect fit at nickel for the Longhorns. He also has the potential to play safety, a position he played at Lake Dallas. Overall, Boyce gives Texas a lot to work with. Boyce said he thoroughly enjoyed his official visit. “The official went great,� he said. “It went better than I expected. It was cool getting to see Austin.� The three-star prospect out of Lake Dallas also had a chance to sit down with head coach Tom Herman, who also stopped by to see him at school earlier in the week. “[Herman] talked about how I can make an impact,� Boyce said. “The coaches were happy I stayed through everything. My parents got to know Coach Herman, and he was straight up with us.� Boyce committed to Texas back in April over offers from Arkansas, Baylor, Illinois, Mississippi State, Texas A&M and others. He flirted with Ole Miss and Oklahoma for a bit but stayed solid to Texas. He’s ready to make an impact as a freshman. “Our conference is fast, so they want me to play to my advantages,� Boyce said. “I’ll likely line up on the right side. They talked to me strictly about playing corner but said I could see time at special teams and maybe even some receiver.� At 6-foot, 163 pounds, Boyce is ranked as the No. 54 cornerback in the country and No. 73 overall prospect in the state, according to 247Sports Composite.
HERMAN QUOTE: %A†O =JKPDAN A=NHU ?KIIEP =J@ DA OPQ?G SEPD EP (K>A ?=J @Ał JEPAHU come up and be a force in the run game but also can cover and return. We’re extremely excited to have him.
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DEREK KERSTETTER Â?Â?Â?
NATL 619 POS 30 ST 85 OFFENSIVE LINEMAN REAGAN (SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS) 6'5" • 299 LBS.
KERSTETTER FLIPPED HIS commitment from Oklahoma State to Texas in December — 10 days after the Longhorns extended a scholarship. The primary reason for the switch was the Texas coaching staff. Both head coach Tom Herman and offensive line coach Derek Warehime recruited him hard. “They’re great coaches,� Kerstetter said. “I had fun talking to them on my visit. They told me how they like this class and that they’re glad to have me. They get you fired up, and I love guys like that.� Kerstetter added that he’s already feels like home. He meshed well with the players on campus, including his host during his official visit, Zach Shackelford. “I knew him before,� Kerstetter said. “We were friends. He said that if you work hard you would have an opportunity to play.� At 6-foot-5, 299 pounds, Kerstetter is ranked as the No. 27 offensive guard in the country and No. 81 overall prospect in the state, according to 247Sports Composite.
HERMAN QUOTE: (ANOPAPPAN ?=J LH=U =HH ł RA LKOEPEKJO KJ PDA KBBAJOERA HEJA %A†O =J Army All-American.
BOYCE: BRIAN PERRONI, 247 SPORTS; K ERS TETTER: TONY MORANO (WITH HEL MET), EJ H OLLAND (WITHOUT HELMET)
KOBE BOYCE
MAX CUMMINS
NATL NA POS 68 ST 191 DEFENSIVE TACKLE ALL SAINTS EPISCOPAL (FORT WORTH, TEXAS 6'6" • 255 LBS.
HERMAN QUOTE: We needed length on the defensive line and we addressed that. Max Cummins’ recruitment exploded the last few weeks in January when he got offers from other Big 12 schools. He wanted to be a Longhorn.
CUM MINS : JEREMY CLARK , 24 7SPORTS
UNDER-THE-RADAR THREE-STAR DEFENSIVE end from Fort Worth All Saints, Cummins received an offer from Texas defensive line coach Oscar Giles during an in-home visit in January. Cummins pulled the trigger on the spot. “It was a no brainer,” he said. “I knew them at Houston and they built a relationship with me, which mattered. I did my research, and Texas has the No. 6 business school in the country. What they’re building is great. It’s hard to say no.” Cummins was previously committed to UConn but backed out of his pledge. He then received offers from Baylor, Houston and Texas and interest from a number of Power Five programs.
After giving the Longhorns a verbal pledge, Cummins made his way to campus for an official visit. He gave the trip high marks. “The staff is one of the best in the country,” Cummins said. “They speak for themselves. The facilities were great and they gave us some hints on some upgrades. The tradition speaks for itself. The strength and conditioning program is the best in the country.” With his decision out of the way, Cummins is ready to suit up for the Longhorns this summer. “I know I’ll have a chance of playing early if I work hard and get ready,” Cummins said. “Coach Giles said that I check the boxes. I just have to prove that I can do it.” At 6-foot-6, 255 pounds, Cummins is ranked as the No. 78 strongside defensive end in the country and No. 220 overall prospect in the state, according to 247Sports Composite. Texas is looking for more length up front, and Cummins certainly fits the bill. He has the potential to play multiple spots in the trenches in Texas’ new 3-4 defense. And his ceiling is extremely high.
MARCH / APRIL 2017 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 39
TAQUON GRAHAM
NATL 199 POS 15 ST 34 DEFENSIVE END TEMPLE (TEMPLE, TEXAS) 6'3" • 255 LBS.
THE FOUR-STAR PROSPECT and the No. 181 overall prospect in the 247Sports Composite is an intriguing line recruit. Graham is 255 pounds with a body that looks like it could add more weight in a hurry. With the Longhorns moving to a 3-4 defense, the team needs versatile ends who can hold up against the run and get after the quarterback with an equal level of effectiveness. Graham can do that and with only redshirt freshman Andrew Fitzgerald backing up Charles Omenihu at defensive end, Graham should come in and compete for playing time right off the bat.
JOSHUA ROWLAND
NATL 205 POS 1 ST 57 KICKER MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST C.C. (PERKINSTON, MISS.) 5'10" • 185 LBS. ROWLAND, WHO WAS the No. 1 JUCO kicker according to 247Sports.com, spent the past two seasons with the Mississippi Gulf Coast Bulldogs. He missed only one extra point in his junior college career and went 25for-31 on field goal attempts. He was named a second-team National Junior College Athletic Association All-American in 2015.
HERMAN QUOTE: 4A JAA@A@ = GE?GAN =J@ EP S=O = @Ał JEPA EJPAJPEKJ PK ł J@ KJA =P PDA junior college level.
OVER HIS FINAL two seasons at Lake Travis, Brewer had some of the best numbers of any prep tight end in the country. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound H-back caught 115 passes for 1,664 yards and 29 touchdowns. Brewer was more than just a receiver masquerading as a tight end in helping the Cavaliers to a 30-2 record over the past two seasons. He played on the line, flexed and split out wide, showing a willingness to mix it up at the line scrimmage and be physical. With Brewer and Reese Leitao the Longhorns have changed the look of the tight end position in one cycle for the better. Fans shouldn’t be the least bit surprised if these two are playing fairly significant roles as true freshmen by the time the 2017 season is in the books.
CADE BREWER
NATL 989 POS 46 ST 134 TIGHT END LAKE TRAVIS (AUSTIN, TEXAS) 6'3" • 210 LBS.
40 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
MARCH / APRIL 2017
HERMAN QUOTE: Cade is an athletic guy that we can split out and play in the slot as a receiver or a hybrid.
GRAHAM: JEF F HOW E, 247S PORTS ; ROWLAND: @JOSH _ROWL AND14, 247 SPORTS; BREWER: JEFF HOWE, 247SPORTS
HERMAN QUOTE: Graham was committed when we got here and stayed committed. He went to a lot of other schools but our staff was able to make sure he stayed with us.
MONTRELL ESTELL
NATL 253 POS 11 ST 42 ATHLETE HOOKS (HOOKS, TEXAS) 6'2" • 180 LBS.
IT’S NORMALLY EASY to project where a player will go when he commits to a school, but that’s not necessarily the case with this four-star athlete. Estell, who hails from Hooks, is one of the nation’s premier allaround players. As a junior, Estell played running back, wide receiver and defensive back, earning all-state honors in the latter. He played so well at all of those spots that there were questions about what spot Estell would play at Texas when he committed. As it looks right now, Estell will play safety, but he also mentioned throughout the process he’d be a good fit at wide receiver. Either way, he’ll likely excel wherever the coaches place him. After all, things went well for him wherever he lined up last season. The No. 253 overall player in the country, as a junior Estell rushed for 412 yards and four touchdowns on 33 carries to go along with 490 receiving yards and five touchdowns on 28 receptions. He also picked off six balls, three of which went for touchdowns, during the 2015 season.
NATL 160 POS 22 ST 5 DEFENSIVE TACKLE NORTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA A&M (MIAMI, OKLA.) 6'5" • 280 LBS. CHISHOLM HAS THE length, athleticism and size the coaching staff wanted to add up front. Another way to look at why the staff valued adding a JUCO body to the mix up front is to potentially give themselves some margin for error when it comes to giving the young defensive tackles time to develop. Aside from senior Poona Ford and junior Chris Nelson, the Longhorns have little experience on the defensive interior. Chisholm could serve as a buffer of sorts until Jordan Elliott, Marcel Southall or any of the other three tackle signees from 2016 are ready to log a high number of reps. Chisholm could also add depth at defensive end in Todd Orlando’s 3-4 defense where only redshirt freshman Andrew Fitzgerald is set to be behind Charles Omenihu. Chisholm, who registered 8.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks in 10 games in 2016, will be an intriguing player to follow going forward since there’s simply not a lot known about him.
HERMAN QUOTE: He was a captain of his junior college team. He’s almost 300 pounds and ready to play right now.
ESTEL L: 247 SPORTS; CH ISHO LM: 2 47SPORTS
HERMAN QUOTE: Montrell is a freak athlete we want on our team.
JAMARI CHISHOLM
42 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
MARCH / APRIL 2017
JIM S IGMO N/UNIV. OF TEXAS
GETTING INTO THE MIX
THE TEXAS FOOTBALL PLAYERS NEED TO MAKE THEIR MARKS IN SPRING PRACTICE TO EARN THEIR HORNS IN THE FALL
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ELCOME TO THE Tom Herman era. Herman isn’t in the business of coddling his players. There will not be a “Camp Texas” in Austin with Herman in charge — fun will be in the results, not in the day-to-day work to attain such success. Herman is demanding of the young men he was hired to turn into a winning football team. If you have any doubt in that statement, listen to the declaration he made on National Signing Day. “There are no starters on this team — zero. None. They don’t exist,” Herman said. “There’s no depth chart and I’ve told the team this ad nauseam. If you want to earn a place on the two-deep, on the depth chart, on the ones and twos, you need to earn it during our winter offseason conditioning program.” And what starts there will continue into the Longhorns’ spring drills, which started March 6, when the team completed its two mandated practices in shorts before spring break. Texas then returned to begin a fourweek slog of finding who will excel, who will fit in and who won’t in the run-up to the Spring Game on April 15. “I haven’t watched one snap of film,” Herman contended. “And I’m not going to. The defensive and offensive staffs have because they need to know where to put guys in what position. I have the final say on the depth chart. “And spots on that depth chart will be earned in January and February. I don’t know necessarily where we exactly are lacking or where we exactly need to move guys around, but by the end of the spring, we will.” Herman’s job is twofold — he needs to find a way to shake a group of players and find a way to make them produce more than they did in three unsatisfactory seasons under Charlie Strong. “I told the players that in this program, you’ll get five pats on the back — for each bowl win and the day you graduate,” Herman said. “Other than that, we’re into working, not smelling the roses and all that cute fun stuff. We’re into grinding and winning and that’s where the fun is.” Remember that Texas has been one of the youngest teams in FBS football over the past two seasons. In 2015, the Longhorns played 17 true freshmen while starting a school-record 10 of them when Texas went 5-7. Last year, 15 true freshmen played and six of them started at least one game for a team that went 5-7, again.
“This is a meritocracy — you get what you earn around here,” Herman said. “There will be attrition. There will be guys that leave the team. “There isn’t anything that I found out about Texas that I didn’t know,” Herman said. “This is Texas, and it still is. Even with the recent lack of success on the field, this is one of the premier institutions in the country, one of the premier cities in the country, with one of the premier football programs in the country. “We’re going to get it back to where it belongs quick, and we’re excited about that.” Let’s take a look at some of the key aspects and position battles that will be a part of spring drills and how Herman’s recruits will fit into the mix.
THE OFFENSE AS A WHOLE Part of the spring will be spent installing the Longhorns’ new offense, an attack that Herman calls pro-style. “We may be in the shotgun and up-tempo, but I tell everybody that will listen that we’re a pro spread offense,” Herman said. “We run plays that are like the NFL — split zone, divide zone, two-back power, lead, iso — you name it. We happen to do it from the gun and in that personnel grouping when we can.”
QUARTERBACK Texas has an incumbent starter in Shane Buechele who took the first snap in all 12 games and passed for nearly 3,000 yards last season. Coming into 2017, he’ll have the upper hand. But incoming freshman Sam Ehlinger, who’s an early enrollee and already on campus, is expected to push Buechele — and that will make both players better. “Is Sam going to push Shane?” Herman asked. “I hope so. I hope everybody pushes everybody.” Ehlinger will either emerge as the better fit in Herman’s offense, which requires a quarterback to make plays with both his arm and legs, or serve as Buechele’s backup and potentially secure a redshirt season. He could also become an emergency option behind Buechele and redshirt sophomore Matthew Merrick.
RUNNING BACK Chris Warren III, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in the fourth game of last season against Oklahoma State, will be the closest thing to a starter at the position, with sophomores Kyle Porter and Kirk Johnson and incoming freshman Toneil Carter (who’s also an early enrollee) looking to get their share of the action. MARCH / APRIL 2017 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 45
WAITING GAME: Fans will need to wait for the spring game to see how Herman plans to fill some key positions.
Patrick Vahe
TIGHT END After years of watching the tight end become something of an afterthought in the Texas offense, Herman’s attack will put added emphasis on the position. “Tight end is probably as hard — or maybe complex is the right word — as the quarterback in this offense,” Herman said. “We need an extremely versatile guy that can split out on the slot, put his hand on the ground, block a defensive end and one that can motion in the back field and become a fullback or H-back of sorts. It’s a critical role in our offense.”
LINEBACKER
DEFENSIVE BACK Strong and his staff recruited some of the state’s (and nation’s) best athletes for the Texas secondary but the group as a whole has done very little to distinguish itself. Herman added to the mix with three incoming freshmen standouts, but the spring drills will be the first real time for five players to emerge as the Longhorns’ go-to defensive backs. 46 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
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FANS : PATRICK MEREDITH /UNIV. OF TEXAS VAHE: JIM S IGM ON/UNIV. OF TEXAS
Texas’ signing of JUCO standout Gary Johnson for the “mike” linebacker position will likely move Malik Jefferson to the outside, where he’ll be the playmaker the previous staff thought he’d be. But, because Johnson won’t be in Austin until June 1, that switch will have to be worked out later.
Herman is a firm believer in winning at the line of scrimmage and being a physical football team. That’s one of many reasons Young was a good enough fit for the Longhorns to be able to pass on other highrated backs.
DANIEL YOUNG
HERMAN QUOTE: Daniel might be the steal of the class and the steal of any class in the Big 12. He comes from a great program that’s developed great players over the years. Danny has just scratched the surface with his potential because as a sophomore he was playing linebacker. He was moved to tailback as a junior because his team needed help there and spent that year learning the position. He had an unbelievable senior year running the football; he saw a marked improvement in every game.
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NATL 654 POS 34 ST 93 RUNNING BACK WESTFIELD (HOUSTON, TEXAS) 6'0" • 210 LBS.
YOUNG: BRIAN PERRONI, 2 47S PORTS
YOUNG REMINDS PUNDITS of another running back head coach Tom Herman had success with in his time as an offensive coordinator and a head coach — Carlos Hyde. Hyde checked in at 6-feet, 230 pounds at the NFL Combine in 2014. He was a nasty, violent runner who set the tone for the Buckeyes during Herman’s first two seasons as the Ohio State offensive coordinator (2,491 yards, 6.3 yards per carry and 31 touchdowns). Young currently stands 6-feet tall and tips the scales at 210 pounds. The rationale 247Sports Director of Scouting Barton Simmons gave for bumping Young from a low to a high three-star prospect showed that folks are taking notice of what Young brings to the table, which is a skill set that sounds a lot like Hyde’s. “I love Young on film as a violent physical runner,� Simmons wrote.
Horns Illustrated (ISSN 1096-2573), Volume 24, Number 2. Copyright Š 2017 by Texan Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Published seven times a year (monthly in January/February, March/April, May/June, July-September, October, November and December) in the United States by Horns Illustrated, 9417 B Solana Vista Loop, Austin, TX 78750. Subscription Inquiries: Send new or renewal notices or change of address (send both old and new addresses) to Horns Illustrated, P.O. Box 50069, Austin, TX 78763. Allow 6-8 weeks for change of address. Subscription Problems: Call 855-246-7677. Subscription Costs: U.S. and its possessions, one year basic rate, $39.00. Periodicals Postage Paid =P QOPEJ 1AT=O =J@ =@@EPEKJ=H I=EHEJC KBł ?AO POSTMASTER – send address changes to Horns Illustrated - P.O. Box 50069, Austin, TX 78763. Tel. (855) 246-7677. Publisher disclaims all responsibility to return unsolicited editorial matter, and all rights in portions published vest in publisher. Letters to Horns Illustrated magazine or its editors are assumed intended for publication in whole or in part without permission from the writer. Any similarity between persons or places mentioned EJ PDA ł ?PEKJ KN OAIE ł ?PEKJ =J@ NA=H LH=?AO KN persons living or dead is coincidental. Single copies: $4.95 in U.S. MARCH / APRIL 2017 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 47
FINAL SCORE
The Texas women's basketball team capped its first perfect January since 1989 as it pushed past then-No. 22 West Virginia 69-54 inside the Erwin Center on Jan. 29. With the victory, the Longhorns embarked on a 14-win streak and boasted their best opening conference record in program history. Texas leads the all-times series over West Virginia 8-5 and holds a perfect 5-0 record when the game is played in Austin. Junior Brooke McCarty led all scorers with 15 points behind a 3-5 effort from downtown. She also tied her season high with six assists. Senior Kelsey Lang totaled 13 points and picked up game highs in both rebounds and blocks with eight and two, respectively. Sophomore Lashann Higgs lifted the bench with 10 points and a team-high three steals. As a team, Texas shot 47.3 percent (26-55) from the field while holding West Virginia to a 39.1 shooting percentage (18-46). The Longhorns outrebounded the Mountaineers 35-28 and dished out 15 assists. 48 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
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PATRICK MEREDITH/UN IV. O F TEXAS
HANGING TOUGH