Horns Illustrated

Quarterback Shane Buechele hopes to make an early impact for the Longhorns as an early enrollee.

MARCH / APRIL 2016

CONTENTS FEATURES

TEXAS HOLD 'EM FOOTBALL

Head coach Charlie Strong and his staff displayed their recruiting prowess once again this year, hauling in a 24-player class destined to return the Longhorns to the upper echelon of college football. The 2016 class ranked No. 8 (Scout.com) and took the No. 1 spot in the Big 12 conference. Strong pulled in a wide range of players, building depth across his entire roster. In our annual recruiting issue, we take a detailed look at Brandon Jones, Chris Daniels, Shane Buechele and ďŹ ve-star player Erick Fowler. As always, we provide the details for every single new Longhorn, paired with Strong’s insights and predictions for the future.

DEPARTMENTS LEADING OFF

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

ROUNDUP

SPIRIT OF THE MONTH - Texas Cowgirls

MEDIA VOICES

LHN

THE HABE ON THE HORNS

FINAL SCORE

JIM S IGM ON/UNIV. OF TEXAS

COVER PHOTO: JESSE DROHEN

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PATRICK MEREDITH /UNIV. OF TEXAS

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LEADING

OFF

Texas basketball maintained its Big 12 winning streak with a 69-59 victory over Texas Tech on Feb. 6. Senior Javan Felix had a big game, leading all scorers with 20 points on 7-of-15 shooting. Isaiah Taylor and Kerwin Roach Jr. also pitched in, with 13 and 12 points, respectively. Texas avenged its conference opening loss to the Red Raiders with the team’s 20th consecutive win against Texas Tech at the Erwin Center. The Longhorns limited the Red Raiders to 38 percent shooting from the floor. The win marked Texas’ fourth consecutive conference win — a streak cut short by Oklahoma just two days later.

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ROUNDUP

BACK ON TOP: The men’s golf team posted its second straight win at the John A. Burns Intercollegiate, led by juniors Gavin Hall and Beau

TEXASSPORTS .COM

Hossler, who shared medalist honors. The victory marked Hall’s first win at Texas, carding a 69 and 71 before finishing with a 70 on the final round with three birdies and only one bogey. For Hossler, it marks his second straight win, third during the 2015-16 season and fourth of his collegiate career. Hossler jumped seven spots on the final day, following his first two rounds of a 67 and 75 with a 68 after making five birdies to only one bogey. Hossler is the ninth player in school history to win three or more times in a season. The last Texas player to win three tournaments in a season was Brandon Stone in 2013.

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FOREVER LEGENDARY: Fred Akers’ accomplishments as the head football coach earned him a spot in the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.

ORMER TEXAS LONGHORNS head football coach Fred Akers was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame on Feb. 3. “I’m so thankful, I can’t tell you,” Akers said of his induction. “I hope that others like me will have the same opportunity.” Akers and seven other notable sports figures with ties to the state of Texas, including former University of Texas basketball point guard T.J. Ford. Akers, a Blytheville, Ark., native, was the head football coach at Texas from 1977-86 during which time he compiled an 86-31-2 record (60-19-1 in the Southwest Conference), which ranks third on the all-time Texas victory list behind Darrell Royal and Mack Brown. His teams won conference titles in 1977 and 1983. He coached legendary Longhorns running back Earl Campbell during Campbell’s run to the 1977 Heisman Trophy. That season, Akers led the Longhorns to a No. 1 national ranking before losing to No. 5 Notre Dame in the 1978 Cotton Bowl. Akers’ Longhorns had three 10-win seasons along with four top-10 finishes in final polls. Akers also coached two Lombardi Trophy winners and 48 All-SWC players. In all, Akers spent 19 years on the Texas football staff. Akers’ 1981 team finished 10-1-1 and No. 2 nationally following a 14-12 Cotton Bowl win over No. 3 Alabama. His 1983 team carried an 11-0 record and No. 2 regular season ranking into the Cotton Bowl before losing to Georgia, 10-9. That team also produced a record 18 players who were taken in the NFL Draft in the spring of 1984.

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FRESH FACES CLAY JENNINGS — DEFENSIVE BACKS COACH CLAY JENNINGS, A Texas native who has extensive collegiate experience in the state as both a player and a coach, was named defensive backs coach at Texas. “It’s an honor to have the opportunity to coach in my home state and represent one of the nation’s premier football programs,” Jennings said. “I’m excited to be a part of the Longhorn family and ecstatic to have the chance to join coach Strong’s staff. He’s a man that so many of us as coaches look up to and admire. Coach Strong is all about transforming young men’s lives, and that’s first and foremost to me.” Jennings comes to Texas after spending two years at Arkansas as defensive backs coach. On a defense that ranked 12th in the nation against the run in 2015, seven of Jennings’ defensive backs ranked among the top 10 on the team in tackles. That group combined for nine tackles for loss while producing nine interceptions and 30 pass breakups. In 2014, Jennings helped the Razorbacks finish 10th in the nation in both scoring and total defense, as the team allowed just 19.2 points and 323.4 yards per game. Arkansas finished in the top 40 in passing yards allowed for the first time since 2011, surrendering just 208.8 passing yards per game to rank 37th. The Razorback secondary helped hold Heisman Trophy finalist Amari Cooper of Alabama to just two receptions for 22 yards, his lowest output of the season. CHARLIE WILLIAMS — WIDE RECEIVERS COACH A 30-YEAR coaching veteran at both the college and NFL levels, Charlie Williams was named the Texas wide receivers coach. Williams has coached several Pro Bowl receivers on the NFL level and numerous future NFL Draft picks during his time on college campuses. “Coaching at Texas, one of the premier football programs in the country, is an unbelievable opportunity,” Williams said. “After coaching in the NFL for the past four years, I’m excited to get back on a college campus to help these young student-athletes grow and develop both as players on the field and students in the classroom. It gives me a chance to coach and teach young student-athletes again, and I’m excited for the challenges ahead.” Williams comes to Texas after spending the last four years (2012-15) with the Indianapolis Colts, including last season as running backs coach, and the previous three as wide receivers coach.

FROM TOP LEF T: B ETHANY WALTER/U NIV. OF TEXAS, JIM S IGM ON/UNIV. OF TEXAS

HALL OF FAME WELCOMES AKERS

“First and foremost, our receiver group is going to be about ‘we,’” he said.“We’ll work hard each and every day, and it doesn’t matter who gets the credit.” In 2014, his most recent year as wide receivers coach, Williams guided the Colts receivers to combine for 219 receptions for 3,004 yards and 16 touchdown. T.Y. Hilton became the third player in franchise history to post back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons and recorded the most receptions (214), receiving yards (3,289) and 100-yard receiving games (16) in the first three seasons of a player’s career in Colts history.

AFTER PLENTY OF turnover in the last 13 months, the Longhorns have put together the best staff of Strong’s tenure.

• •

JAN. 15, 2014 — Strong introduces new coaching staff

• •

JAN. 16, 2015 — Texas hires Jay Norvell as wide receivers coach

DEC. 31, 2014 — Strong fires tight ends coach Bruce Chambers and wide receivers coach Les Koenning FEB. 6, 2015 — Florida announces Chris Rumph as defensive line coach

•

FEB. 13, 2015 — Texas hires Jeff Traylor as tight ends/ special teams coach and Brick Haley as defensive line coach

• SEPT. 8, 2015 — Strong demotes assistant head coach for offense/quarterbacks Shawn Watson, elevates Norvell • DEC. 12, 2015 — Texas hires Sterlin Gilbert and Matt Mattox; terminates Watson and offensive coordinator Joe Wickline • JAN. 19, 2016 —Tommie Robinson leaves Texas to return to USC • FEB. 11, 2016 — Chris Vaughn dismissed, Norvell leaves for Arizona State • FEB. 13, 2016 — Anthony Johnson announced as running backs coach • FEB. 15, 2016 —Charlie Williams announced as wide receivers coach • FEB. 17, 2016 —Defensive line coach Brick Haley spurns A&M; Clay Jennings announced as defensive backs coach From left: Anthony Johnson, Clay Jennings, Charlie Strong, Charlie Williams

JIM S IGM ON/UNIV. OF TEXAS

ANTHONY JOHNSON — RUNNING BACKS COACH ANTHONY JOHNSON, A former member of the Longhorns football team (2001-05) and staff, and a 10-year coaching veteran who was recently named co-offensive coordinator at Toledo, was named running backs coach at Texas. “There’s no way I could put into words how excited I am about the opportunity to come back to Texas and be the running backs coach,” Johnson said. “I grew up a Longhorn fan, played at Texas and bleed orange through and through.” Johnson spent the past two seasons as running backs coach at Toledo, where he helped guide an offense that led the Mid-American Conference in rushing both seasons, ranking 12th in the nation in 2014 (256.4 ypg), and 27th in 2015 (207.9 ypg). The Rockets were a combined 19-6 in that time with two bowl wins. “I’ve been watching the program from afar for years and I have great admiration for coach Strong,” Johnson said. “Coach Strong is a great football coach and a man of integrity who has so much passion for the kids and the program.” Last year, the Rockets ranked 30th nationally in total offense (460.9 ypg) and 31st in scoring offense (35.0 ppg). They finished with a 10-2 record, including regular season wins at Arkansas and against Iowa State, and capped the season by defeating Temple in the Marmot Boca Raton Bowl.

TEXAS EVOLUTION

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ON THE RIGHT TRACK

WHILE THIS SEASON the Texas cross country teams both qualified for the NCAA Championships for the first time since 2012, a former Longhorn proved to be one of the best American distance runners in his first year as a professional. Lifetime Longhorn Craig Lutz ran away from the field in Bend, Ore., to win the USATF Cross Country Championship. Lutz crossed the finish line in 31:40 after running over 10,000 meters of hills and turns. The individual win for Lutz comes on the heels of his team, Hoka One One NAZ Elite, winning the USA Team Cross Country Championships in December. It also sparks some momentum for Lutz as his pro career is still in its early stages. “For the career itself this is huge,” Lutz said. “I had a slightly disappointing first pro season in the fall going up to altitude for training. It’s hard to figure out the toughness of the pro circuits. It’s a big gap to jump from college; so coming out here with a national title that shows that altitude is working. We’re building the pieces for a successful career down the road. It’s a great way to start off 2016. It’s an Olympic year. There are a lot of big races to come.”

GOOD AS GOLD: Jamal Wilson has jumped into a qualifying position for the 2016 Summer Olympics.

ORMER TEXAS HIGH jumper Jamal Wilson is headed to the Olympics. The two-time All-American cleared 2.31 meters (7-7.00) in Europe to surpass the qualifying mark by two centimeters. Wilson won the high jump competition at the Gugl Indoor Meeting in Linz, Austria, with that mark. With his Olympic standard officially under his belt, Wilson will be eligible to represent his native Bahamas at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro this summer. He’s the third Bahamian to meet the Olympic standard during the eligible qualifying time frame, joining Donald Thomas and Trevor Barry. Wilson’s jump of 2.31 meters was a new indoors personal best, and his jump of 2.30 meters at the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations Odd Distance Meet in January was a new outdoor personal record. He’s currently tied for No. 9 in the world indoors this season.

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SPEED RACER: Craig Lutz won the USATF Cross Country Championship, crossing the finish line in 31:40.

JIM S IGM ON/UNIV. OF TEXAS

HIGH FLYER

BLAZE OF GLORY

HE 4X400-METER relay is the last event at a track meet because of the excitement it brings. At the Tyson Invitational, it was the Texas Longhorns that made the relay worth watching. The women’s team of Chrisann Gordon, Morolake Akinosun, Ariel Jones and Courtney Okolo put together a performance for the record books. The Longhorns clocked in at 3:27.94 for the win in commanding fashion. Texas led the entire way and Okolo proved to be the best 400-meter runner in the nation. After running a split of 50.77 at the Power Five Invitational earlier this year, Okolo improved on that mark by running her anchor leg in 50.59 seconds. The team’s time of 3:27.94 ranks No. 4 in NCAA history and is the fastest time during the regular season, with the three faster times all coming at the NCAA Championships. “To me there’s still another gear there. I know Courtney split 50.59 today, but you see her finish up healthy and walk off the track like it’s nothing,” head coach Mario Sategna said.“They know what’s at stake for the NCAAs, but more importantly we have the Big 12s coming up first and it will be a dog fight with Kansas State. They’re tough and a wellbalanced team.”

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POISED FOR GREATNESS: Courtney Okolo is set to bring home many more victories with the women’s 4x400-meter relay team.

BACK TO THE BASICS

BETH ANY W AL TER/UNIV. OF TEXAS

KACY CLEMENS RECENTLY posed a question to reporters. “What’s ‘Augie Ball’” the junior first baseman asked. With 47 seasons and five national titles under his belt, head coach Augie Garrido’s philosophy has earned a familiar moniker. The philosophy of “Augie Ball” stems from the old adage of “get him on, get him over, get him in.” And even in an era of moonshot home runs and highscoring affairs, Garrido still relies on

avoiding strikeouts and making contact, often via the bunt. “It all starts with making contact,” Garrido said. “We’ve been putting the ball in play more, which allows us to be more aggressive with more hit-and-runs.” Throughout 2015, the Longhorns strayed

from Garrido’s philosophy. Texas spent much of the season in a prolonged slump, racking up strikeouts at an alarming rate. By season’s end, six Texas starters compiled 39 or more strikeouts, and the team’s strikeout percentage reached nearly 22 percent. Sophomore catcher Michael Cantu said these numbers must come down in 2016 if Texas wants to see consistent success at the plate. “We’re working on putting the ball in play more,” Cantu said. “We didn’t do enough of that last year and it contributed to a lot of losses.” With an inexperienced pitching staff and a conference with numerous College World Series contenders, Texas will need to put runs on the board in 2016. In order to do that, the Longhorns plan on returning to a familiar philosophy

— Augie Ball.

Kacy Clemens MARCH / APRIL 2016 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 17

LET'S BE FRANK

CALENDAR APRIL 2016 BASEBALL 1: vs. FIU, 6 p.m. 2: vs. FIU, 2 p.m. 3: vs. FIU, 11 a.m.

HEN THE UTSA football team takes the field on April 23 for its annual Fiesta Spring Game, the scrimmage will mark the end of the first spring season under new head coach Frank Wilson. Wilson was named UTSA’s head coach on Jan. 16, succeeding Larry Coker. Prior to coming to San Antonio, Wilson served as the running backs coach at LSU. Upon his arrival, he immediately set goals for the Roadrunners’ program. “[There’s] an opportunity to be the first to win a conference championship at this university in football and an opportunity to be

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the first to win a bowl game,” Wilson said at his introductory press conference. “When the opportunity presented itself, I couldn’t be more excited about it. I’m thrilled about UTSA, the future and what we can do here.” Shortly after bringing in a new coaching staff, Wilson also introduced his first recruiting class. A total of 21 student-athletes signed letters of intent to attend and play for UTSA. The class includes 10 players from Texas, in addition to three players from Mississippi, two from Tennessee and players from Georgia and Louisiana. “We’re pleased with this class,” Wilson said. “It was one that was strategic in addressing the needs of our team as far as roster management goes. We were able to bring in a good mix from a classification standpoint with guys from junior college and high school. We also feel like we were able to address some of our position needs.” The new recruits will have to wait until fall to meet the new coaching staff, but for the returning players, they ’ll have a few weeks in the spring to get to know the program’s new cast of leading men.

5: at Texas State, San Marcos, 6 p.m. 8: vs. Marshall, 6 p.m. 9: vs. Marshall, 2 p.m. 10: vs. Marshall, 10 a.m. 12: vs. Incarnate Word, 6 p.m. 15: at Old Dominion, Norfolk, Va., 5 p.m. 16: at Old Dominion, Norfolk, Va., 2 p.m. 17: at Old Dominion, Norfolk, Va., 11 a.m. 19: vs. Houston Baptist, 6 p.m. 22: at Western Kentucky, Bowling Green, Ky., 6 p.m. 23: at Western Kentucky, Bowling Green, Ky., 3 p.m. 24: at Western Kentucky, Bowling Green, Ky., Noon 26: vs. TX A&M-Corpus Christi, 6 p.m. 29: vs. Louisiana Tech, 6 p.m. 30: vs. Louisiana Tech, 2 p.m. M GOLF 2-3: Aggies Invitational, Bryan, All Day 24-27: C-USA Championship, Texarkana, Ark., All Day W GOLF 1-2: Dallas Athletic Club/SMU Invitational, Dallas, All Day 18-20: C-USA Championship, Fort Myers, Fla., All Day TR ACK & FIELD 1-2: Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays, Austin, All Day 8-9: Roadrunners Invitational, All Day 16: Texas Invitational, Austin, All Day 22-23: Triton Invitational, San Diego, Calif., All Day SOFTBALL 2: at UTEP, El Paso, 2 p.m./4:30 p.m. 3: at UTEP, El Paso, 1 p.m. 6: vs. Texas, 6 p.m. 9: vs. Southern Miss, 1 p.m./3:30 p.m. 10: vs. Southern Miss, 1 p.m. 13: vs. Sam Houston State, 4 p.m./6:30 p.m. 16: at Louisiana Tech, Ruston, La., 2 p.m./4:30 p.m.

THE UTSA FOOTBALL program released its 2016 schedule with times still yet to be determined for some games. The schedule is as follows: Sept. 3 vs. Alabama State Sept. 10 at Colorado State Sept. 17 vs. Arizona State Sept. 24 at Old Dominion Oct. 8 vs. Southern Miss Oct. 15 at Rice Oct. 22 vs. UTEP Oct. 29 vs. North Texas Nov. 5 at Middle Tenn. Nov. 12 at Louisiana Tech Nov. 19 at Texas A&M Nov. 26 vs. Charlotte 18 HORNS ILLUSTRATED

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NFL DRAFT COMBINE UPDATE

FORMER UTSA TIGHT end David Morgan II was one of 300 college football players who were invited to the NFL Scouting Combine in February. “I was excited to get the invitation,” Morgan said. “I worked hard this offseason and am looking forward to taking another step toward reaching my goal of playing at the next level.” Morgan is a native of Marble Falls, Texas, and became the first Roadrunner to be named an All-American this past season. Morgan was

17: at Louisiana Tech, Ruston, La., 1 p.m. 20: vs. Incarnate Word, 5 p.m. 26: vs. TX A&M Corpus Christi, 5 p.m. 30: at UAB, Birmingham, Ala., 1 p.m./3:30 p.m. M TENNIS 9: vs. Middle Tennessee, Noon 21-24: C-USA Tournament, Houston, TBA W TENNIS 2: at UT Arlington, Arlington, 11 a.m. 3: at North Texas, Denton, Noon 20-24: C-USA Tournament, Murfreesboro, Tenn., TBA

also an honorable mention in the running for the John Mackey Award given each year to the best tight end in the country.

COURTESY JEF F HUEH N/UTSA ATH LETICS

UTSA FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

CALENDAR APRIL 2016 BASEBALL 1: at Georgia State, Atlanta, Ga., 5 p.m. 2: at Georgia State, Atlanta, Ga., 2 p.m. 3: at Georgia State, Atlanta, Ga., 1 p.m. 5: at TCU, Fort Worth, 6:30 p.m. 8: vs. ULM, 6:30 p.m. 9: vs. ULM, 2 p.m. 10: vs. ULM, 1 p.m. 12: vs. Houston Baptist, 6:30 p.m. 15: vs. Georgia Southern, 6:30 p.m. 16: vs. Georgia Southern, 2 p.m.

Roland Sales

17: vs. Georgia Southern, Noon

ON POINT: Women’s basketball head coach Krista Gerlich recorded her 200th win after the Mavericks defeated Texas State.

BEYOND 200 EBEKAH VANDIJK scored 26 points and pulled down 10 rebounds for her ninth double-double of the season, leading the Mavericks to an 80-48 victory over Sun Belt Conference rival Texas State. But the sophomore center wasn’t the star of the day. The victory, which ended a five-game losing streak against the Bobcats, was the 200th in the career of UTA head coach Krista Gerlich, who quickly shared the credit with those who have helped her reach the mark. “It’s exciting,” Gerlich said of the milestone win. “It’s all about our players and coaching staff. I’ve had so much help. They do a great job in performing the things that we ask them to do.” The women’s basketball team followed the win at Texas State by climbing over the .500 mark for the season with a 65-58 victory over Appalachian State at College Park Center. UTA extended its perfect record against Appalachian State to 4-0, thanks in large part to a career-high 25 points by LaShanda Green, who hit six of her 12 field-goal attempts, including 5-of-9 from 3-point range. Cierra Johnson also established a new career high with 10 assists in the victory.

COURTESY UTA ATHLETICS

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TRACK & FIELD

SENIOR HIGH JUMPER Roland Sales was named the Sun Belt Conference Men’s Field Student-Athlete of the Week after breaking the UT Arlington school record. Sales posted one of the top five marks in the country

this year when he cleared 7 feet, 2½ inches to win the high jump at Texas A&M’s Charlie Thomas Invitational. “We’re so proud of Roland,” coach John Sauerhage said. “He’s a great kid who has worked so hard to accomplish everything he’s done. The sky is literally the limit for Roland, and we can’t wait to see what else is in store for him the rest of the indoor and outdoor seasons.” Sales’ jump was the highest in the Sun Belt this year by 1.5 inches — the same margin by which he broke his school’s all-time record.

SOFTBALL

19: vs. Dallas Baptist, 6:30 p.m. 22: at Troy, Troy, Ala., 6 p.m. 23: at Troy, Troy, Ala., 3 p.m. 24: at Troy, Troy, Ala., Noon 26: at Texas A&M, College Station, 6:35 p.m. SOFTBALL 2: vs. Appalachian State, 1 p.m./3 p.m. 3: vs. Appalachian State, Noon 6: at North Texas, Denton, 6 p.m. 9: at South Alabama, Mobile, Ala., 1 p.m./3 p.m. 10: at South Alabama, Mobile, Ala, Noon 16: vs. ULM, 1 p.m./3 p.m. 17: vs. ULM, Noon 19: at Beaumont, Lamar, 2 p.m. 23: at Georgia State, Atlanta, Ga., Noon/2 p.m. 24: at Georgia State, Atlanta, Ga., 11 a.m.

THE UT ARLINGTON softball team is off to its best start in more than 12 years after running over Detroit, 11-5 at Allan Saxe Field. “Overall, they did a good job,” head coach Kristie Fox said. “We had some bright spots and learned a lot. Winning six games in four days is tough to do. They fought through some adversity, so I’m proud of them.” Freshmen Krista Rude and Brianna Burchianti each had eight hits over the six-game UT Arlington Invitational. Burchianti also scored six runs and drove in a team-high six runs, while Rude scored four runs.

TRACK & FIELD 1-2: Texas Relays, Austin, All Day 9: Baylor Invitational, Waco, All Day 14-16: Mt. SAC Relays, Norwalk, Calif., All Day 22-23: John Jacobs Invitational, Norman, Okla., All Day M TENNIS 3: at Texas A&M, College Station, 4:30 p.m. 22-24: Sun Belt Conference, New Orleans, La., TBA W TENNIS 2: vs. UTSA, 11 a.m. 3: vs. Memphis, 11 a.m. 7: vs. SMU, 2 p.m. 9: at Louisiana-Monroe, San Marcos, TBA 10: at Texas State, San Marcos, TBA 15-17: Sun Belt Conference Tournament, New Orleans, La., TBA M GOLF 4-5: Old Waverly Collegiate Championship, West Point, Miss., All Day 11-12: Jim West Intercollegiate, Bastrop, All Day 16: vs. Midwestern State, 2 p.m. 24-26: Sun Belt Championship, Destin, Fla., All Day

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JOHNNY WALKER REVIEW JOHNNY WALKER GIVES HIS THOUGHTS ON THE KEY TO TEXAS’ RECRUITING SUCCESS

JOHNNY WALKER'S RESUME • Played football and baseball at Texas from 1987-90 • Two-time All-Southwest Conference • Caught the game-winning reception to beat Oklahoma in 1989 • Drafted by the Atlanta Braves in 1990 (4th round)

PATRICK MEREDITH/UN IV. O F TEXAS

Malik Jefferson

“

I DON'T THINK TEXAS HAS EVER HAD ANYONE AS YOUNG AS JEFFERSON TAKE AN ACTIVE ROLE IN BRINGING IN PLAYERS. TO PLAY AS WELL AS HE DID AS A TRUE FRESHMAN IS INCREDIBLE. TO STEP UP AND BECOME A LEADER IN YOUR FIRST YEAR — THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN VERY OFTEN.

”

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JIM S IGM ON/UNIV. OF TEXAS

FROM LEFT: P.J. Locke III, Malik Jefferson and Sheroid Evans

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LHN Anchors and Analysts Remember: LANCE BLANKS

SU SAN S IGMON/ UNIV. OF TEXAS

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ACH MONTH WE'LL hear the Longhorn Network anchors’ favorite memories while on set, in addition to the reasons they love their job, in a piece Horns Illustrated likes to call LHN Anchors and Analysts Remember.

Lance Blanks played for the Texas basketball team between 1988-90. In his senior campaign, Blanks led the team to an Elite Eight appearance. He recalled the Sweet 16 win to advance to the Elite Eight as his favorite memory while playing for Texas. “At that point [during the Sweet 16 game], we were exceeding pundits’ expectations and the team came together in a way that was quite successful,” Blanks said. “The entire time I was at Texas was an exciting time. We were able to make an impact on the program and community in a positive way.” Blanks left Texas as the highest scoring two-year player in school history. His 1,322 career points place him eighth in the school record books. He was a member of the “BMW” backcourt, which consisted of Blanks, Travis Mays and Joey Wright. The trio was highly regarded for its ability to score. “Travis, Joey and I are connected for life,” Blanks said. “It’s because of the trio … the synergy and what we were able to create.” The Detroit Pistons drafted Blanks with the 26th overall pick in the 1990 NBA Draft. Blanks played two seasons with the Pistons before joining the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1993 for his final NBA season. In 2000, Blanks joined the San Antonio Spurs organization as a scout. Two years later he was promoted to Director of Scouting. Blanks’ next stop was with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2005, where he was named Assistant General Manager Blanks spent five seasons with the Cavaliers before moving to Phoenix to serve as the Suns’ general manager from 2010-13. Since his college playing days, Blanks had stayed close to the Texas program. So, when a job at the Longhorn Network presented itself, Blanks decided to take his talents as an analyst (he served as a Spurs’ television analyst for the 2004-05 season) back to the college he loved. “Scott McConnell and I have a longstanding relationship,” Blanks recalled. “He talked to me several times about getting more involved.

especially when you consider what he’s done. He hasn’t even been at Texas a year and has already shown the ability to positively impact the environment and players. He has accomplished a lot in a short period of time. The program has an extremely bright future. In the short term, when I think about the tournament, he’s someone that has shown an ability to take a team to the Final Four. He has his team playing in a way that’s beneficial in tournament-style games.”

Scott introduced me to Patricia Lowry, and after we met, the rest as they say is history. I don’t know how far this will go, but it made sense to join LHN at a deeper level.” THOUGHTS ON SHAKA SMART AND THE CURRENT TEAM Long term, Shaka Smart is clearly a coach that will be a force to be reckoned with,

ADVICE FOR YOUNG ATHLETES WITH NBA DREAMS “My advice to young players would be to put in the work that’s required to get you in the right state of mind. You need to have supreme confidence in what you can do. If you’re good at something and you don’t have the confidence — or if you have the confidence but don’t put in the time to master it — it’s not going to work at the professional level. In the NBA you’re going up against guys who are already doing those things for a living.”

MARCH / APRIL 2016 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 23

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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.

JIM S IGMON/ UNIV. OF TEXAS

CONTACT INFORMATION: t-association@ athletics.utexas.edu 512.471.6864

THE HABE ON THE HORNS

SPRINGING INTO ACTION TEXAS FOOTBALL’S SPRING SEASON BEGINS WITH HIGH HOPES

EGENDARY UNIVERSITY OF Texas sports information director Jones Ramsey famously said, “The two main sports in Texas are football and spring football.” Things have come a long way since Jones opined that little ditty, but there’s no doubt that Longhorn fans will turn their full attention to the gridiron once spring football gets underway. Texas’ workouts began March 7 on the Frank Denius Fields and “The Bubble,” which run alongside Red River Street on the main campus’ eastern boundary. The team will take a respite after seven days for spring break and then finish up with three more weeks of practice leading up to the Orange-White Scrimmage on April 16. The Longhorns will lay the foundation of their upcoming 2016 campaign during these practices. These workouts — without a doubt — are the most important of coach Charlie Strong’s three-year tenure. In case you forgot (although not likely), Texas went 5-7 last season and missed the postseason. Since the Longhorns last took the field — the team beat Baylor in its final regularseason game last season — five new assistant coaches joined the staff, three on offense and two on defense. Those coaches are likely to spend as much time learning about their players as they’ll work on refining the Longhorns’ skills and getting them ready for opening night against Notre Dame on Sept. 3. If there was a pecking order in the Texas two-deep lineup, it’s time to re-establish it with the new staff. That means the Longhorns should be hungry to show their new coaches

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what they can do on the field — simply stated, competition breeds excellence. Strong and his staff have landed the Big 12’s top recruiting class the past two seasons. Seventeen of the players he brought to the 40 Acres last spring played in 2015, including eight true freshmen, both of whom combined for 55 starts. The majority of this year’s class won’t arrive on campus until the summer, but the coaches should have an idea where the players can be plugged in after April 16. So many questions surround the team heading into the spring, none more important than who will be the quarterback on opening night. If you believe Strong, the position is up for grabs between Jerrod Heard, Tyrone Swoopes, Kai Locksley and true freshman Shane Buechele. All four will get their chance to sway new offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert. Texas has to play better, and win more games, if Strong’s stint here is to continue past the 2016 season. He has signed for five years — through the 2018 campaign — but another losing year would damage his chances of finishing what he’s started. The problem is that none of the rest of the Big 12 is backing up — TCU, Baylor, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech will all be as good, if not better, than they were in 2015 — and Texas just doesn’t scare anybody these days. I like Strong. He’s a straight shooter and gets the most out of his players. But it may be put-up-or-shut-up time, and that starts in the spring. 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 2016 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 25

Brandon Jones

Eric Fowler

Shane Buechele

Chris Daniels

TEXAS HOLD ’EM

BRIAN PERRON I/247 SPORTS , ISAIAH H OL E, 247 S PO RTS , JEREMY CLARK /247S PORTS

STRONG AND THE TEXAS COACHING STAFF CAME UP WITH A STACK OF ACES ON NATIONAL SIGNING DAY

EAD COACH CHARLIE Strong is a bit of a riverboat gambler when it comes to recruiting, an approach that seems to play into the “this-is-my-time” mentality of potential signees. The proof of Strong’s prowess in the living room was in the pudding of the Longhorns’ final haul on National Signing Day on Feb. 3, when 10 prep players revealed at the 11th hour that they would play for Texas. That avalanche of last-minute signings gave Texas a 24-player class and propelled the Longhorns from a mid-30s listing to as high as No. 8 (Scout.com) in the list of class rankings. “It was a great day and a great finish — our staff did an unbelievable job,” Strong said. “The players we signed from Texas came as a result of the relationship we built with the high school coaches in the state.” Texas’ newest group of signees gave the Longhorns the top-rated recruiting class in the Big 12 for the second consecutive year. The class consisted of 19 players from Texas, four from

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Louisiana and one from California. The signees represented every possible position. Six of the recruits are defensive linemen, four are offensive linemen, in addition to four linebackers, four wide receivers, three defensive backs, a tight end, a quarterback and a running back. Strong said he “kind of had a feeling that [they] were going to have a big day.” “Some of the recruits told us to ‘Relax, we just want to have our day,’” Strong said. “We told them, ‘That’s fine, as long as you pick Texas on your day.’” Texas produced far and away the top showing in the 10-member Big 12 Conference while it hauled in as many as 13 four-star players and a five-star player in Manor linebacker Erick Fowler. Included in that list were two players who decommited from other programs in the past few weeks — defensive tackles Jordan Elliott from Houston (who originally chose Michigan) and Chris Daniels from the Dallas suburb of Euless (Oklahoma) and another in Fowler, who had been committed to LSU since June. The Longhorns’ six highest-rated recruits all committed to Texas since

the start of the New Year. Texas had 32 players come to Austin on official visits and signed 24 of them. The biggest catches of the day came with the signings of Brandon Jones (Nacogdoches) and Jeffrey McCulloch (Aldine Davis). Jones, the nation’s No. 2 safety, chose the Longhorns over Texas A&M and Baylor. McCulloch, an outside linebacker, is considered the No. 3 recruit in Texas. In the Longhorns’ 5-7 campaign in 2015, Texas had 17 signees contribute, including eight true freshmen who combined for 55 starts. Strong believed that set the table for a big haul on National Signing Day. “A lot of players want to be able to play right away, and we continue to tell these guys that they’ll have a chance to contribute immediately if they’re good enough,” Strong said. “The best salesmen are our players. They formed a group [text] message to keep up with the recruits and to make sure they knew what was going on and that we wanted them.” Here’s a look at the Longhorns twodozen signees, with info and quotes from Strong, if available. MARCH / APRIL 2016 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 27

WELCOME TO DBU JONES IS SET TO MAKE IMMEDIATE IMPACT IN TEXAS SECONDARY

BRANDON JONES NACOGDOCHES (NACOGDOCHES) SAFETY 5’11.5â€? • 193 LBS HE TEXAS FOOTBALL team produces top-notch athletes in the secondary, so much so that it’s earned the moniker DBU, or “Defensive Back University.â€? Nacogdoches safety Brandon Jones looks to join the DBU roster, hitting Austin as one of the class’s most accomplished and recognized impact players. Simply stated, he’s a very good football player who’ll only improve once he gets some seasoning in the college game. Jones is a consensus to composite four-star prospect ranked as the No. 40 player nationally, the No. 1 safety, and the No. 6 player in the state of Texas, according to the 247Sports composite rankings. Scout.com had Jones listed as a five-star prospect and as the top safety in America as well.

BRIAN PERRON I/247 SPORTS

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The 5-foot-11.5, 193-pound highlight machine had 43 schools offer him scholarships and chose Texas over his two other finalists — Baylor and Texas A&M. That decision was much to the chagrin of the Aggies, who used their website TexAgs.com to produce a highquality film called On An Island: Being Brandon Jones about the sought-after recruit and what the site assumed would be a successful process to woo him to College Station. Jones waited until the morning of National Signing Day to announce in front of the nation where he planned to take his college career. He said he didn’t decide on Texas until the night before. “I actually told all the coaches I was turning off my phone because I never got the time to just do what’s best for me,� Jones said. “I was hearing so much stuff from other people. Me and my mom sat down and talked about it and we both concluded Texas would be the best school for me.� Jones’ mother, Sarah, said her son’s decision lifted a huge weight off her shoulders. “It sometimes felt like it would never, ever be over,� she said. “I’m very pleased with the decision and that Brandon is happy. He’ll have some peace in his heart and life will get back to normal for a little while.� As the last line of defense, playing safety carries a lot of responsibility. Watching Jones on the field during his high school days shows that he’s the total package. He can cover ground and at times make the big play in the pass

game or in run support. He can also tackle. He’s very aware, has a physically imposing presence and plays under control, limiting mistakes. Jones has four years of varsity playing experience from his high school days at Nacogdoches in East Texas, where he helped the Dragons to a complete turnaround during his time there, from an 0-10 season his freshman year to a 7-4 record his sophomore year and playoff appearances in both of the next two seasons. He made the most of his senior season after his junior campaign was cut short by a knee injury. As a senior, Jones recorded 124 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, two interceptions and eight total touchdowns to cap his career in a big way. Jones is projected at multiple positions in the secondary, specifically free safety, strong safety or at the nickel. “He’ll be able to start directly,� Nacogdoches head coach Bobby Reyes said. “Brandon will fit in with what Texas does and they think that, too. He’s got a chance to be a big part of what they do.�

STRONG QUOTE: It was important for us to go into east Texas =J@ Ĺ‚ J@ = LH=UAN %A†HH >A =J QJ>AHEAR=>HA player for us. I called him [on the night before National Signing Day] and said, “Where you at?â€? He said, “I don’t know Coach, I don’t know if I can sleep tonight.â€? I said, “Well you better try and do something because we need to have early workouts in the morning. Get in bed and don’t worry about it.â€? MARCH / APRIL 2016 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 29

STRONGHOLD

ERICK FOWLER MANOR (MANOR) DEFENSIVE END 6’1” • 226 LBS Y EVERY INDICATION, Erick Fowler looked ready to head east from Central Texas and play football at Louisiana State. But a funny thing happened on the way to Baton Rouge. Fowler sat back and listened to his family, a group comprising lifetime Texas fans who wanted Fowler to stay close to home and play for the Longhorns. The Manor linebacker/defensive end then found himself in the crosshairs of

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Charlie Strong — a head coach who is nothing short of a closer when it comes to recruiting. When Fowler and his family gathered in the Manor High School auditorium on Feb. 3 to announce where he would play college football, two caps were on the table in front of him. One cap was from LSU. The other was from Texas. With a sizable crowd of supporters cheering him on, Fowler picked up the burnt-orange cap and placedit on his head. Even he acted a little surprised by his choice, which he said was a random one. Ericka Fowler, Erick’s mother, said she was happy with her son’s decision. “I voiced my opinion to Erick at the very beginning, and I stood back and let him make his own decision,” she said. “LSU is a great school. However, we like coach Strong’s core values.” Fowler is a 6-foot-1, 226-pound specimen who’s been compared to former Texas defensive end Brian Orakpo, a player who’s had a tidy and very successful career in the NFL. He’s a little shorter than Orakpo, and probably not as quick off the line,

but Fowler shows signs of developing. Fowler can stand up on the line and beat offensive tackles with his first step, setting up a move inside. He’ll need to work on his technique but could eventually be a productive hybrid edge rusher. Fowler has the size to take a pounding and deliver one equally as well. That being said, he still has room to add bulk to his frame. “I like to attack the passer, but I can also drop back in coverage if I need to,” Fowler said.“In the past year I’ve improved with my finesse moves, and I’ve worked on my strength and speed. The things I love most about football is hitting people and seeing the fear in their eyes.” With 34 sacks during his sophomore and junior campaigns, Fowler has the makeup of a premier edge rusher. He can absolutely dominate his side of the line of scrimmage — he gets upfield and into the backfield with speed and ferocity and has a knack for dropping both quarterbacks and ball carriers. The composite rankings from 247Sports had Fowler as the 75th-best prospect in the country and the No.

ISAIAH HOLE

FOWLER FOLLOWED HIS HEART — AND HIS PARENTS’ ADVICE — STRAIGHT TO THE 40 ACRES

he definitely wants me as an outside linebacker,” Fowler said. “That’s the best fit for me. We actually run the same defense at Manor as Texas does, so nothing would change. For me to play for Texas is a blessing.”

STRONG QUOTE: He shocked everyone [by choosing to come to Texas]. He was committed to LSU. He’s a guy we can move around. He can play outside, inside, get his hand down and go rush. We’re excited about getting big “E.”

JEFF H OWE/247 SPORTS

7 outside linebacker. Along with LSU, he had offers from Alabama, Baylor, Michigan, Oklahoma, TCU and UCLA. “I believe in Texas and I like how they transform players into men, give them responsibilities and have high expectations for them,” Fowler said. “I love coach Bedford and coach Strong. They talk about life after football, which I strongly believe. They’ll work to make me become a man on and off the field.” Fowler would rather play outside linebacker than defensive end, but he may outgrow the position. “I talked to coach Bedford and

MARCH / APRIL 2016 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 31

GUNNING FOR NO. 1

SHANE BUECHELE ARLINGTON (LAMAR) QUARTERBACK 6’2” • 185 LBS HANE BUECHELE KNOWS a little about meeting expectations. Given his lineage (he’s the son of former Major League third baseman Steve Buechele), he understands the demand for performing when the lights are at their brightest. Yet, how his work ethic and background will translate to his time on the 40 Acres remains to be seen.

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There’s no doubt that Texas needs a breakthrough quarterback. For the Longhorns, the quarterback position has created issues for the team since Colt McCoy played. Jerrod Heard and Tyrone Swoopes split the snaps last season while true freshman Kai Locksley redshirted and bided his time to make a contribution. Now comes Buechele, who started at quarterback for three years at Arlington Lamar. With new offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert calling the shots, all four of the quarterbacks will receive an equal shot at the starting position in Texas’ season opener on Sept. 3 against Notre Dame at home. “All I ask for is a chance to compete,” Buechele said. “I want to try to play this year. I could make a difference on this team in a positive way. This opportunity is a great one. All those guys in the quarterback room are very talented. They’re all great athletes and can throw the ball.” Buechele, ranked as high as the nation’s fourth-best quarterback prospect, graduated early from Arlington Lamar and has already enrolled at Texas. He’s going through offseason drills now and will participate in the Longhorns’

upcoming spring practices. “Shane is so eager to learn,” Strong said. “He’s always around the office and around Sterlin. He’ll have that chance to compete. We’ll be able to know right away whether a guy can do it or not.” The three-time all-district quarterback threw for 6,739 yards and 73 touchdowns while running for 1,805 yards. Those are similar to the numbers Heard amassed at Denton Guyer while winning back-to-back state titles. As a senior, Buechele completed almost 65 percent of his passes and threw only six interceptions in 274 attempts. Those were similar numbers to his junior season (68 percent, six interceptions in 276 attempts). Buechele turned heads when he stood out among a group of the nation’s top senior quarterbacks at the prestigious Elite 11 competition in Beaverton, Ore. He won the “Golden Gun” target challenge for accuracy and impressed the scouts at the event with his throwing mechanics, which are so good Elite 11 coach and ESPN analyst Trent Dilfer likened Buechele to NFL All-Pro quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees. Buechele’s ability to make decisions

247 SPORTS

CAN BUECHELE BECOME TEXAS’ NEXT GREAT QUARTERBACK?

“I want to major in business and Texas has one of the best business schools in the nation,” Buechele said. “Putting all the pieces together, it was the best fit for me.”

STRONG QUOTE: It was fun recruiting him. He has two sisters at Oklahoma. For that visit, I ended up going for breakfast, and it was all laid out not knowing that both sisters went to Oklahoma. They came down and they said, “Coach, can we take a picture with the ‘Hook ‘Em’ down?” I said, “No, we’re not going to take that picture.” I took a picture with them, but we had to make sure it was ‘Hook ‘Em’ up. They were so proud of their brother, as well as his dad and mom.

JIM S IGMO N/UNIV. OF TEXAS

on the run and off schedule has people comparing him to Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield. As one would expect, Buechele also plans to play baseball for Texas. He said he was never a Texas fan growing up but envisioned himself as a Longhorn after attending a camp on the 40 Acres during the summer before his junior season, a time when his father was managing the Round Rock Express, the Texas Rangers’ Triple-A affiliate. He ultimately chose the Longhorns because of the school’s academic offerings as much as its football program. He turned down offers from Cal, Houston, Kansas, Kansas State, Kentucky, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, SMU, TCU and Texas Tech to head to Austin.

MARCH / APRIL 2016 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 33

CUTTING EDGE THE HIGHLY TOUTED DANIELS HAS THE TALENT TO PLAY ON THE EDGE

TRINITY (EULESS) DEFENSIVE TACKLE 6’3.5� • 299 LBS ATCHING CHRIS DANIELS' films as a prep player at Euless Trinity is like watching a man playing against a troop of small boys. Daniels is strong — usually requiring teams to throw two or three opponents his way to try and keep him away from the quarterback or running back. He’s also relentless and quick, and it’s the latter of those three attributes that has Texas coaches crossing their fingers that Daniels can play in space outside at defensive end. A former teammate of current Texas offensive lineman Patrick Vahe, Daniels

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sacks and was part of a defense that limited opponents 15.6 points per game, including back-to-back shutouts against Heritage and Haltom and six games of 10 points or fewer. Those shutouts were part of a five-game stretch in which Trinity allowed 23 total points (4.6 points per game). Daniels began playing football at the age of 7 — which is also his jersey number — and played running back until he was 15. He started on offense and defense but moved primarily to the defensive side of the ball after becoming bigger and stronger. “He has the necessary size of an interior defensive line prospect, but has the get-off and explosion of a defensive end — that’s why colleges lined up to get his signature,� Powers opined. “He also has good closing speed in the open field, which allows him to track down opposing ball carriers quickly and efficiently.�

STRONG QUOTE: We visited him the day before he committed to Oklahoma. I called him and said, “Listen, I know that you’re going to commit to Oklahoma tomorrow but I’m going to keep recruiting you. It’s going to be hard for you to tell me no because I’m going to stay on you. [Assistant coach Brian Jean-Mary] is going to do a good job on UKQ 4A†NA CKEJC PK Ĺƒ EL UKQ OKIADKS ‡ We were able to get that done.

JEREM Y CLARK /24 7SPORTS , 247 SPORTS

CHRIS DANIELS

shares many of the same qualities as Vahe — great size, nastiness and explosion off the ball. His ability to work on the edge will make him extremely valuable in odd fronts capable of showcasing his athleticism. Daniels took official visits to Oklahoma, Michigan, Tennessee and Texas. He held scholarship offers from every top team in the SEC and Big 12 as well as USC, Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State, among others. A total of 30 schools offered him throughout the recruiting process. He originally committed to the Sooners but backed out of that promise on Jan. 20 and chose to play for coach Charlie Strong and the Longhorns instead. Daniels famously said on National Signing Day that, “If you don’t want to go to Texas, don’t let [Strong] sit on your couch because that man is persuasive. He’s like an uncle to me; Uncle Charlie — for real.� Scout.com had Daniels ranked as the No. 4 defensive tackle in the state of Texas. Greg Powers, Scout’s national recruiting analyst, said Daniels’ skill set is hard to find in a defensive lineman. Daniels was a monster in his prep career. He recorded 61 tackles, nine tackles for loss and four sacks as a senior and was named unanimous Defensive Player of the Year in District 7-6A. That followed his junior season in which he racked up 45 tackles and seven

NAMES TO KNOW MEET THE REMAINING MEMBERS OF THE CLASS OF 2016

COLLIN JOHNSON

DEMARCO BOYD

VALLEY CHRISTIAN (SAN JOSE, CALIF.) WIDE RECEIVER 6’6” • 200 LBS.

GILMER (GILMER) INSIDE LINEBACKER 5’11” • 228 LBS.

BLESSED WITH A prototype body, a tremendous catch radius and an NFL pedigree, Collin Johnson stands apart from the rest of the class. He was stunningly fluid and explosive for a big receiver at the Under The Lights camp going into his junior year.

DEMARCO BOYD COMMITTED to Texas on the same day as his brother, cornerback Kris Boyd, although he would have to wait nearly a year before arriving on campus. A two-way standout at Gilmer, Boyd could be a fullback or halfback for Texas. He rushed for 681 yards and six touchdowns while catching 37 passes for 471 yards and six scores as a senior for the Buckeyes. He could also stick at linebacker, a position where he earned AllState honors in racking up 74 tackles, five sacks, 22 pressures and one interception in 15 games. Either way, Boyd seems to excel as a max-effort performer wherever he’s asked to play.

STRONG QUOTE: Collin is another receiver with good height. The good thing about him is his father was a great, unbelievable player here, and now his brother Kirk is here. I told Collin if he does what Kirk can do then he’s going to be playing right away.

247 SPORTS, BRIAN PERRONI,2 47

STRONG QUOTE: He’s [current Texas defensive back] Kris’ [Boyd] brother. He’s an outside linebacker, which is a good position for us. He can play a lot of different places for us. He’s here now as an early enrollee. He’s athletic linebacker that can run downhill, that can hold a point for you and who can do an outstanding job.

MARCH / APRIL 2016 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 35

ZACH SHACKELFORD

JORDAN ELLIOTT

BELTON (BELTON) OFFENSIVE GUARD 6’3� • 290 LBS.

WESTSIDE (HOUSTON) DEFENSIVE TACKLE 6’3.5� • 306 LBS.

TEXAS HASN'T HAD a nasty, violent presence on the interior since Kasey Studdard’s days on the 40 Acres. That’s starting to change and will continue trending in that direction with Zach Shackelford in the program. The 6-foot-3, 296-pound Belton product was forced to move around a lot as a child, the son of a college football player-turnedArmy chaplain. Now Austin is his home, and from there he could emerge as the starting center for the Longhorns in 2016 with some of the best upside of any of the line prospects Texas signed on either side of the ball.

SOME MAY WORRY about how Jordan Elliott’s career will pan out given that Texas was the third school he committed to during the recruiting process. The guys who flip on multiple schools have a tendency to not to pan out, but the saving grace is Charlie Strong is his head coach. At the U.S. Army All-American Bowl practices, his opponents couldn’t block him at times. He performed like a guy who can come in and make the Longhorns better at defensive tackle right away. A source within the program told Horns247Sports.com that if anyone can keep Elliott focused on the task at hand it’s Strong, which bodes well for his future and isn’t a concern for the staff.

JEFFREY MCCULLOCH ALDINE DAVIS (HOUSTON) LINEBACKER 6’2.5� • 230 LBS. Speed is the best tool in Jeffrey McCulloch’s arsenal. Whereas most players have to adjust to the speed of the game when they get to college, McCulloch plays fast and shouldn’t have any problem keeping up with the Big 12’s pace. What will determine how much he’ll play is how he adjusts to playing a more physical game. It’s not that he can’t play downhill — he certainly can — but McCulloch’s biggest adjustment at this level will be taking on and shedding blocks and working his way through the wash, things he hasn’t been asked to do in the past.

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STRONG QUOTE: %A S=O ?KIIEPPA@ PK BKQN KN Ĺ‚ RA @EBBANAJP LH=?AO >QP =P PDA AJ@ of the day we were able to get him. I asked him, “You’re for sure that this is where it’s going to happen?â€? These guys are 17 and 18 years old, and it’s hard. It’s hard that they have to make that decision, but when you start talking about distance, the closer that it gets that’s when you start recruiting them hard. He lives close to the Katy area. I told him, “You can be in Austin in three hours, but you’re going to get on a plane. In case you get stuck, you’re going PK D=RA PK Ĺƒ U KQP DANA PK LH=U ‡ 1DKOA PDEJCO ?KIA EJPK LH=U

247 SPORTS, ISAIAH HOLE/24 7SPORTS, TOM LO Y/24 7SPORTS

STRONG QUOTE: He’s already here and working hard. He was committed to Kansas State.

JEAN DELANCE

ANDREW FITZGERALD

NORTH MESQUITE (MESQUITE) OFFENSIVE TACKLE 6’5” • 291 LBS.

MARCUS (FLOWER MOUND) DEFENSIVE END 6’5” • 250 LBS

JEAN DELANCE IS everything anyone could want in an offensive tackle. He has the talent to become a dominant, franchise-type tackle. Can he get there? Certainly. But while Delance’s ceiling is high, he’s not as ready out of the box as Connor Williams was last year. It will be interesting to see how Matt Mattox molds him, meaning folks might have to be patient as he transitions to the college game.

BEING SO FAR advanced compared to the other signees in terms of technique might make Andrew Fitzgerald the most college-ready defensive line prospect in the class. He’s already well put together and he has the makeup to start a lot of games for the Longhorns.

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STRONG QUOTE: He’s so athletic and light on his feet. He can do lots of things at the tackle position.

STRONG QUOTE: This guy will be the dark horse of this class. He’s a guy that goes hard all the time. He has one speed. Up in the Fort Worth area, he was the defensive player of the year there. He’s fun to watch. When we turned the tape on, I said, “Oh God, I don’t need to see anything else. If he’s going to play like that, we have to have him.”

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KYLE PORTER KATY (KATY) RUNNING BACK 5’11” • 208 LBS. KYLE PORTER SHOWS a hint of Cedric Benson in his game due to his quick feet, balance and vision. He was a workhorse during his career at Katy, but he’s coming to Texas with only 643 career rushing attempts; by comparison, Johnathan Gray had a staterecord 1,218 totes. The best thing about Porter is his offer list. The fact that Arkansas and Oregon, two schools with an exceptional recent history of producing NFL-caliber running backs, coveted Porter speaks to his level of talent.

BRIAN PERRON I/247 SPORTS

STRONG QUOTE: I told our coaches that when you bring kids here on a visit, it’s overrated. He didn’t want to do anything. That’s just who he is and what he’s all about. I told him, “Listen. Don’t call me unless you’re calling to commit.” So my phone rings and I looked down and saw Kyle Porter. I looked at the coaches and thought, “Oh, this is going to be interesting.” So I answered the phone and said, “Kyle, what’s going on?” He said, “Well, you told me not to call you unless I’m ready to commit. I’m coming.” So we all jumped up and started screaming. For two years, I had the chance to watch him play for an unbelievable program. You look at Katy High School and the championships they win, so you know what type of player you’re going to get.

MARCH / APRIL 2016 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 39

ERIC CUFFEE

DENZEL OKAFOR

WACO (WACO) CORNERBACK 5’11.5” • 188 LBS.

LEWISVILLE (LEWISVILLE) OFFENSIVE GUARD 6’4” • 295 LBS.

ERIC CUFFEE FITS exactly into what the Texas coaches are looking for in cornerbacks. The issue is where will the talented Waco High product play with Holton Hill and Davante Davis seemingly entrenched at the position? Cuffee’s best path to see the field will likely be at the nickel position — a spot that fits his skill set. He’ll have to fight Kris Boyd and P.J. Locke for reps, but the best thing about Cuffee is that he’s at his best when the stakes are high. He put on tremendous performances during The Opening Dallas Regional and during the Under Armour All-America Game practices.

DENZEL OKAFOR ISN'T the most celebrated recruit in Texas’ 2016 class, but he’s one of the pundits’ favorites on the offensive side of the ball. The 6-foot-4, 295-pound, four-star prospect is blessed with a 6-foot-10 wingspan, in addition to athleticism, tremendous feet and the ability to create a push. Combine those tools with the fact that he’s a sharp kid and Okafor should come in and help the Longhorns right away. He has a chance to be a multi-year starter; he's one of the true high-upside guys in the class.

247 SPORTS, AL EX G LIETM AN/247 SPORTS, DAVID L AKE/2 47S PORTS

STRONG QUOTE: He’s a corner. He can play safety. He can play middle. He can do a lot of different things for us.

STRONG QUOTE: If you look at Denzel you see how much he has developed at Lewisville High School. He has unbelievable talent.

40 HORNS ILLUSTRATED

MARCH / APRIL 2016

D'ANDRE CHRISTMAS-GILES

REGGIE HEMPHILL-MAPPS

ST. AUGUSTINE (NEW ORLEANS, LA.) DEFENSIVE TACKLE 6’3� • 290 LBS.

MANVEL (MANVEL) WIDE RECEIVER 6’1� • 172 LBS.

STICKING WITH HIGH-UPSIDE guys, D’Andre Christmas-Giles has an impressive first step at 290 pounds. He’s strong at the point of attack, but that initial quickness is something needed in the Big 12, a league where a premium is placed on getting to the quarterback. He flew under the radar because he didn’t play football as a junior, forced to sit out after transferring schools. Like some of the other recruits, Christmas-Giles is another signee who has a chance to outplay his ranking.

REGGIE HEMPHILL-MAPPS HOLDS the distinction of having committed to Texas on two different occasions. He was technically Texas’ first 2016 commitment when he gave his pledge when Mack Brown was in charge. He earned the offer following a camp performance where he and teammate Deontay Anderson stole the show as rising sophomores. Strong decided to pull Hemphill-Mapps’ offer after he took the job, but the 6-foot-1, 172-pound pass catcher did enough to earn it back. He did so by doing things like averaging a touchdown catch every 3.3 receptions during his three varsity seasons.

STRONG QUOTE: %A†O =J QJ>AHEAR=>HA LH=UAN %A S=O ?KIIEPPA@ SDAJ & ł NOP CKP DANA & D=@ PK NA?KJł NI DEO ?KIIEPIAJP %A =HOK NQJO PN=?G %A has great speed and is a guy who can get outside, get down and stretch the defense.

247 SPORTS

STRONG QUOTE: It was eight questions every night with him. “Coach, what’s this? What position is this? What number can I have?� Every day it was the same questions. I can’t wait to get him to Texas. If you look at him, he’s a force in the middle.

42 HORNS ILLUSTRATED

MARCH / APRIL 2016

LIL'JORDAN HUMPHREY SOUTHLAKE CARROLL (SOUTHLAKE) ATHLETE 6’5” • 199 LBS. AFTER COMPETING AGAINST the state’s top running backs at The Opening Dallas Regional last spring, Lil’Jordan Humphrey realized he wasn’t going to become an exclusive running back at the next level. So he sought out Margin Hooks, one of the top private coaches in the Dallas area, to train him and develop his game. The result was a senior season at Southlake Carroll in which he totaled 2,168 all-purpose yards, catching 57 passes and eight touchdowns in 12 games. Humphrey is now heading to Texas as one of the most versatile, intriguing takes in the class.

ALIEF ELSIK (HOUSTON) SAFETY 5’11” • 183 LBS. STRONG DESCRIBED CHRIS Brown as a recruit with a chip on his shoulder, a description that couldn’t be more accurate. Brown doesn’t do anything that will blow you away from an athletic standpoint, but he plays the game angry and will give Texas everything he has. He’s a classic talent maximizer. He’s the type of guy programs like Texas need to have on the roster in order to win. Brown will help Texas win football games as long as he has an opportunity to buckle his chinstrap and go to work.

STRONG QUOTE: I told him, “You know the thing that I like is that you have a chip on your shoulder. You’re going to prove to everybody just how good you are.” It’s good that he comes in with the right attitude.

BRIAN PERRON I/247 SPORTS

STRONG QUOTE: He probably has the best name of them all. I got to watch him play basketball the other night, and I had to yell at him and tell him to shoot the ball. He has good height and he’ll play outside.

CHRIS BROWN

44 HORNS ILLUSTRATED

MARCH / APRIL 2016

MARCEL SOUTHALL

MALCOLM ROACH

DUNCANVILLE (DUNCANVILLE) DEFENSIVE TACKLE 6’2” • 285 LBS.

MADISON PREP ACADEMY (BATON ROUGE, LA.) DEFENSIVE END 6’3” • 255 LBS.

MARCEL SOUTHALL HAS legitimate NFL potential. The 6-foot-2, 285-pound tackle is a plus-athlete in the trenches who knows how to win in a phone booth. Like a lot of defensive tackles who have to transition to the next level, the knock on Southall is that he needs to develop a motor and learn technique. Thankfully for Texas, those are the kinds of things this staff prides itself on being able to get out of its players.

STRONG QUOTE: He’s also a young man that came in late for us. He had an outstanding year. He’s a guy that can hold a point for us.

THE WORD OUT of Louisiana on Malcolm Roach is that he’s a similar type of player to Kendell Beckwith, LSU’s talented linebacker who could be a top pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. The biggest difference between the two is that Roach is so physically raw that his body could take him to a number of different positions once Pat Moorer gets his hands on him. He could be a Fox, a strong end, play the 4i or possibly slide down to tackle with a frame that could carry 280 pounds or more in time. A year in the weight room might do him wonders, but he’s bringing a ton of athleticism, position versatility and upside to the defensive line nevertheless, all of which are traits Strong and the staff value.

247 SPORTS, RY AN CAL LAHAN

STRONG QUOTE: His dad is a high school coach at his school. He’s a good athlete that can also move around and can do a lot of things for us.

MARCH / APRIL 2016 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 45

GERALD WILBON

DAVION CURTIS

DESTREHAN (DESTREHAN, LA.) DEFENSIVE TACKLE 6’3” • 311 LBS.

TEMPLE (TEMPLE) WIDE RECEIVER 5’11” • 180 LBS.

GERALD WILBON MIGHT possess more raw strength than anyone in the class, which should serve him well playing over the ball as a true nose tackle. But that doesn’t tell the story of who Wilbon is as a person and what makes him special. Wilbon has had to live most of his life without his father, who is serving a life sentence in the Louisiana State Prison. Wilbon turned out to be a hard-working, dedicated athlete the folks at Destrehan raved about. He once had enough motivation to lose nearly 30 pounds heading into his junior season, which speaks to the kind of player and person the Longhorns are welcoming into the program.

A ONE-TIME GEORGIA commit, Davion Curtis can blow the top off a defense. He averaged 22.4 yards per catch as a senior and 22.9 per reception as a junior, hauling in 88 passes over his final two varsity seasons. During Curtis’ freshman year at Temple, Sterlin Gilbert was the offensive coordinator for Mike Spradlin’s Wildcats. Gilbert left for Eastern Illinois after the season but the offense stayed the same, which could give the speedster a leg up on the other incoming receivers.

BRIAN PERRON I/247 SPORTS, JEREMY CLARK /247S PORTS, JEFF HOW E/2 47S PORTS

STRONG QUOTE: He committed early to us. If you are looking at those guys inside, you have big bodies and guys that can hold the point and don’t get moved out of there. And once they get in the system with [strength and conditioning] coach [Pat] Moorer, they’re going to get bigger and stronger, and then they can play well inside.

STRONG QUOTE: Curtis is a young man that had committed to Georgia, but we were able to get him to stay home and come here. It’s amazing. Sometimes we don’t realize the magnitude and just how important it is for some of these young men. I was sitting there with Curtis and he said, “Coach, I’m going to Texas. I would never have thought I’d be going to Texas.” He was so proud of it, and he kept repeating it. I said, “Yes, you are.”

46 HORNS ILLUSTRATED

MARCH / APRIL 2016

THE MOST IMPRESSIVE thing about Peyton Aucoin is that he loves doing the dirty work on the field. Aucoin seemed to relish pushing people around. Brother Martin used Aucoin almost exclusively as a blocker, putting Alabama signee Irvin Smith in the game on passing downs. But in this offense, where the true tight end can be used more like a sixth offensive lineman, Aucoin should be a nice fit as a successor to Caleb Bluiett.

PEYTON AUCOIN BROTHER MARTIN (NEW ORLEANS, LA.) TIGHT END 6’4� • 255 LBS.

STRONG QUOTE: Peyton is a big tight end coming out of New Orleans. He stuck with us the whole time and committed early. He’s a good blocker. He can capture the edge of a defense for us and let us run the ball.

STRONG QUOTE: If our linemen want to see someone who’s strong, all they have to do is look at Tope. I went to see him, and he was so excited when I walked in. I was sitting there in the ?K=?DAO† KBĹ‚ ?A =J@ DA O=E@ Äź&P†O NA=HHU UKQ Coach.â€? I said, “Unless I’m a ghost, I think it’s me.â€? He brought all of his friends in there, and they all wanted a picture. He’s just proud to be a part of the program.

TOPE IMADE BOWIE (ARLINGTON) OFFENSIVE GUARD 6’4.5�• 327 LBS.

JEFF H OWE/247 SPORTS, JEF F HOW E/2 47S PORTS

A 515-POUND DEADLIFT speaks to Tope Imade’s raw power. He could compete for a starting job in 2017 with a year to work. There’s no need to rush him, and in due time he should be able to contribute in a big way.

Horns Illustrated (ISSN 1096-2573), Volume 23, Number 2. Copyright Š 2016 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 2016 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 47

FINAL SCORE

ISN'T IT GRAND?

PATRICK MEREDITH/UN IV. O F TEXAS

When Texas defeated Kansas 70-46 at home in late January, the Longhorns became the fifth program in NCAA Division I women’s basketball history to notch 1,000 wins. Texas joined the elite list alongside Tennessee, Louisiana Tech, James Madison, and Old Dominion. “This was a fun night — a night that we had all been looking forward to,” head coach Karen Aston said after the game. “The best part about tonight was that everyone got to be a part of it. All the players had a chance to get on the floor, and it will be a memory they’ll have forever.” Senior Imani Boyette led all scorers with 16 points and 10 rebounds to pick up her 12th double-double of the season. She also recorded four blocks on the night and shot a perfect 6-for-6 from the charity stripe. As a team, the Longhorns shot 43.1 percent (25-for58) from the field. Texas controlled the battle of the boards, 41-25, and outblocked Kansas, 6-3.

48 HORNS ILLUSTRATED

MARCH / APRIL 2016