'16 QB Easton Underwood (Tennessee)

BillySee58 · December 10, 2014

6'3" 180 lb qb from University School of Jackson in Jackson, Tennessee (West Tennessee). He reports a North Texas offer. Also lists offers from BYU, Colorado State, Indiana, Memphis, and Oregon (who already has a 2016 qb commit). Threw for 2060 yards this year with 25 touchdown passes against 11 interceptions. If we do choose to not get a 2015 HS QB, we'll definitely need a good one in 2016. Hopefully we continue to go after him.

Highlights:

http://www.hudl.com/athlete/3994771/easton-underwood

http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Easton-Underwood-165483

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/football/recruiting/player/_/id/206445/easton-underwood

Edited February 19, 2015 by BillySee58

Harry · July 10, 2015

Easton Underwood has spent a whole lot of time talking to Mike Canales over the last few years.

The Tennessee quarterback is entering his senior season under the impression those conversations could lead to him playing for UNT’s offensive coordinator.

“I have been talking to coach Canales and he said that they are going to offer a quarterback,” Underwood said of UNT. “It’s just a matter of who from what I understand.”

- See more at: http://meangreenblog.dentonrc.com/2015/07/unt-recruiting-target-series-easton-underwood.html/#sthash.aPBLaPJD.dpuf

BillySee58 · July 10, 2015

I don't think we're taking a QB. He made it sound like we haven't offered, which is what I was thinking, and we've known about him for almost two years. It would've happened by now. And we would've been pursuing other QBs too. If you want a QB in a class you don't just offer one or two.

Edited July 10, 2015 by BillySee58

H-towngreen · July 11, 2015

QB? We don't need no stinkin QB!

greenit · July 11, 2015

It sounds like we are talking to Underwood and we are still in contact with Riddle from Florida. It does not sound like we have offered either.

Next year we will have Smith and Greer as seniors, Shanbour and Cousins as juniors, Means as a sophomore, and Chumley as a redshirt Freshman (or possibly a sophomore).

Based on that list, I could easily see the staff going after a Juco QB to insert in as a junior for the 2016 race, especially if Smith does not pan out. We may be holding off on extending an offer until Smith can be further evaluated. If he looks like he is the real deal, then a HS QB can be pursued. If Smith flops, then getting another Juco QB seems reasonable.

BillySee58 · July 11, 2015

It sounds like we are talking to Underwood and we are still in contact with Riddle from Florida. It does not sound like we have offered either.
Next year we will have Smith and Greer as seniors, Shanbour and Cousins as juniors, Means as a sophomore, and Chumley as a redshirt Freshman (or possibly a sophomore).
Based on that list, I could easily see the staff going after a Juco QB to insert in as a junior for the 2016 race, especially if Smith does not pan out. We may be holding off on extending an offer until Smith can be further evaluated. If he looks like he is the real deal, then a HS QB can be pursued. If Smith flops, then getting another Juco QB seems reasonable.

The process is not as cut and dry as it sounds like you think it is. With present-day recruiting you can't just wait until the season starts to begin offering senior QBs. The good ones are already long-since committed.

I also don't think Smith should have anything to do with whether or not we take a high school QB. Our underclassmen QB are Means and Chumley. That's what the decision should be based on.

I do agree that I see a huge chance we pursue another JUCO QB if Smith doesn't work out. Probably darn near 100% if that were to happen. Which would make 5 JUCO QBs in 6 classes.

Shoutout to @brettvito though. He often gets a hard time, but this was a big interview for him to get.

greenit · July 11, 2015

Seems to me that the coaches took this very same approach last season. Once it became apparent that we had a train wreck at QB, the coaches decided they had to go with a Juco QB instead of offering a HS QB.

BillySee58 · July 11, 2015

Seems to me that the coaches took this very same approach last season. Once it became apparent that we had a train wreck at QB, the coaches decided they had to go with a Juco QB instead of offering a HS QB.

They weren't going to get a high school QB either way, unless you count Chumley. If Greer would've lit it up then they would not have gotten a JUCO QB, but that doesn't mean they would've gotten a high school QB instead. They committed to not getting a high school QB well before the season started, which is the same case this year.

They'll likely get a JUCO QB if Smith doesn't work out. But if he does work out don't expect them to get a high school QB instead. Just expect no QBs in the class period. If they get a high school QB then it'll be a desperation move after going the entire evaluating process without offering one. And at that point it would be a kid with maybe a few other FBS offers, but likely no other FBS offers.

Edited July 11, 2015 by BillySee58

Harry · July 11, 2015

"I also don't think Smith should have anything to do with whether or not we take a high school QB. Our underclassmen QB are Means and Chumley. That's what the decision should be based on."

Wise words indeed.

UNTLifer · July 11, 2015

The process is not as cut and dry as it sounds like you think it is. With present-day recruiting you can't just wait until the season starts to begin offering senior QBs. The good ones are already long-since committed.
I also don't think Smith should have anything to do with whether or not we take a high school QB. Our underclassmen QB are Means and Chumley. That's what the decision should be based on.
I do agree that I see a huge chance we pursue another JUCO QB if Smith doesn't work out. Probably darn near 100% if that were to happen. Which would make 5 JUCO QBs in 6 classes.
Shoutout to @brettvito though. He often gets a hard time, but this was a big interview for him to get.

Or maybe that is our approach.

Aldo · July 12, 2015

If we don't bring a HS QB in 2016, then our 2017 HS QB better be really really good or develop really really fast

Harry · July 16, 2015

Why are we recruiting a QB from Tennessee when there are so many damn good ones here in the Lone Star State?

DeepGreen · July 16, 2015

Why are we recruiting a QB from Tennessee when there are so many damn good ones here in the Lone Star State?

Harry, I've been wondering the same thing. What the hell we doing recruiting quarterbacks in Tennessee??? Also, in my world, we should be recruiting at least one, good high school QB every year.

Aldo · July 16, 2015

So have we offered or not? The websites have us as offered?

BillySee58 · July 17, 2015

So have we offered or not? The websites have us as offered?

All signs point to no. Rivals and ESPN have listed it for a while, but 247 and scout are the more accurate sites for us, or at least are usually more accurate with G5 prospects. In his comments he basically says we haven't offered when he says he's hopeful we're going to offer.

BillySee58 · July 17, 2015

Why are we recruiting a QB from Tennessee when there are so many damn good ones here in the Lone Star State?

I think you guys are missing the point. It's not that we aren't recruiting any Texas QBs; it's that we aren't recruiting any QBs this class and this article and Underwood's comments in it make that pretty apparent. We've been recruiting him for almost two years and he's hoping we offer, by the sounds of his comments.

It doesn't matter where you get your QB from if he's a good prospect and ends up doing well. We just aren't putting any emphasis on recruiting high school QBs for two straight classes.

GMG24 · July 17, 2015

Sounds to me like panic mode for offense staff/OC QB COACH, and HC. Hope I'm wrong but man I really thought the ball would be rolling by now.

MeanGreenTexan · July 17, 2015

The odd thing is that all of the QBs Chico comes in contact with speak highly of him. Seems like they want to play for him. Yet we're not offering. We're seeing it here. We saw it last year with the kid from FL.

Heck, even Riley still reveres the guy.

UNTLifer · July 28, 2015

Looking at Rivals, we are recruiting/havd offers out to 3 QB's in this class, 1 being recruited as an athlete.

BillySee58 · July 28, 2015

Looking at Rivals, we are recruiting/havd offers out to 3 QB's in this class, 1 being recruited as an athlete.

I don't know if you're referring to the same ones that I am, but the 3 players listed on rivals as a QB with an offer from us who I know of are Easton Underwood, who said we haven't offered in the article with Vito, as well as Tony Brown and Deshun Qualls who are both being recruited at other positions.

UNTLifer · July 28, 2015

Then how does Rivals list an offer since they have to get their information from the players?

BillySee58 · July 28, 2015

Then how does Rivals list an offer since they have to get their information from the players?

In the article he says we've been recruiting him for almost two years now. That offer has been listed on there for at least almost a year ago when I first stumbled upon it. Early on in the recruiting process he could've gotten the idea that we had offered him, since we were seriously recruiting him. He could've easily reported what he thought was an early offer, and may have been, but it does not sound like we have a true commitable offer (or even a non-commitable offer) out to him.

UNTLifer · July 29, 2015

Exactly my point regarding recruiting. Until February, nothing is set in stone yet everyone is so quick to jump on our coaching staff for doing a poor job. Kind of like all the hand wringing over the 2 TE's that recently verballed to smu. Maybe they looked up and saw Dilman and Chumley already here for years. Then again, sorry for questioning the process.

BillySee58 · July 30, 2015

Exactly my point regarding recruiting. Until February, nothing is set in stone yet everyone is so quick to jump on our coaching staff for doing a poor job. Kind of like all the hand wringing over the 2 TE's that recently verballed to smu. Maybe they looked up and saw Dilman and Chumley already here for years. Then again, sorry for questioning the process.

A lot going on here, but all I'll say is why would players with P5 offers be scared off here by a player listed as a QB on our roster and a player who has only played Tight End on the JV level and was only offered by other schools as a QB?

Ben Gooding · July 30, 2015

A lot going on here, but all I'll say is why would players with P5 offers be scared off here by a player listed as a QB on our roster and a player who has only played Tight End on the JV level and was only offered by other schools as a QB?

Bc that's not what happened, Billy. Lifer knows that too. I've been following this team pretty closely since 2011 and this is by far the worst shape I have seen a recruiting cycle in. It's also the least amount of optimism surrounding the program.