Finishing Out the '25 Class

[UNTLifer]

Looks like it will be all from the portal and I understand we are hosting another crew this weekend, so here are my questions.

1.  How many spaces do we have left to fill?

2.  Any idea what positions we are focusing on at this point?

3.  Do we expect any other current players to leave?

[jtm0097]

1. Not sure of the exact number but we don't have too many.

2. Mainly DL but I think we have a RB committed based on Cobbs tweet from the other day.

3. I think the portal closes soon but wouldn't be shocked if we have a few entries after spring practice  ends.

 

[Marty]

The winter portal opened Monday, Dec. 9, and ends on Saturday, Dec. 28. Meanwhile, the spring window runs from Wednesday, April 16, 2025, to Friday, April 25, 2025.

[UNTLifer]

1 hour ago, Marty said:

The winter portal opened Monday, Dec. 9, and ends on Saturday, Dec. 28. Meanwhile, the spring window runs from Wednesday, April 16, 2025, to Friday, April 25, 2025.

I read that as well, but saw where we were hosting another group this weekend so who really knows. 

[BillySee58]

14 hours ago, UNTLifer said:

Looks like it will be all from the portal and I understand we are hosting another crew this weekend, so here are my questions.

1.  How many spaces do we have left to fill?

2.  Any idea what positions we are focusing on at this point?

3.  Do we expect any other current players to leave?

1. I have us at about 80 scholarship players. This count does not include Makenzie McGill who we almost assuredly need to put on scholarship to keep, and Evan Jackson who deleted his transfer portal post and hasn’t posted anything since. Also does not include high school commit Terrence Lewis who still seems in line to sign in February.

That being said, we probably could sign a few more HS guys this February. We have space and likely will have more space after spring to bring in more portal guys this summer if needed.

2. Probably will have a better idea on this after spring when we have a better idea of where we still are weaker than we want to be. We have pretty good numbers at each position.

3. There definitely will be more transfers after spring but pure speculation on who. Larry Moore appears to be passed over at tackle, and I doubt he wants to spend his last season of eligibility on the bench. Same for VJ Bronson at DT. At safety I don’t expect Isheem Young to come back but I could be wrong. He came here because of Caponi and we seem to have been recruiting that position as if he isn’t coming back. BJ Allen at safety looks like he is in danger of getting passed up by multiple guys so he could be better off looking elsewhere for more playing time. I think Zach Evans is similarly buried on the depth chart.

I‘d be surprised if any of those 5 guys were still here after spring. Those are 5 spots I pretty much expect to open up just based on guys who are sort of the odd men out at their spots, but looks like they’ll be here through spring to have a chance to carve out bigger roles.

[jtm0097]

3 minutes ago, BillySee58 said:

1. I have us at about 80 scholarship players. This count does not include Makenzie McGill who we almost assuredly need to put on scholarship to keep, and Evan Jackson who deleted his transfer portal post and hasn’t posted anything since. Also does not include high school commit Terrence Lewis who still seems in line to sign in February.

That being said, we probably could sign a few more HS guys this February. We have space and likely will have more space after spring to bring in more portal guys this summer if needed.

2. Probably will have a better idea on this after spring when we have a better idea of where we still are weaker than we want to be. We have pretty good numbers at each position.

3. There definitely will be more transfers after spring but pure speculation on who. Larry Moore appears to be passed over at tackle, and I doubt he wants to spend his last season of eligibility on the bench. Same for VJ Bronson at DT. At safety I don’t expect Isheem Young to come back but I could be wrong. He came here because of Caponi and we seem to have been recruiting that position as if he isn’t coming back. BJ Allen at safety looks like he is in danger of getting passed up by multiple guys so he could be better off looking elsewhere for more playing time. I think Zach Evans is similarly buried on the depth chart.

I‘d be surprised if any of those 5 guys were still here after spring. Those are 5 spots I pretty much expect to open up just based on guys who are sort of the odd men out at their spots, but looks like they’ll be here through spring to have a chance to carve out bigger roles.

Thank you for this insightful recap Billy.

[El Paso Eagle]

Please keep in mind that it looks like shortly they will be changing the roster limits and the amount of players eligible to be put on scholarships. I believe then you will have to keep the minimum of 85 but you will be able to go higher if you choose but with a lower total number of players that can be in the program.

[BillySee58]

1 hour ago, El Paso Eagle said:

Please keep in mind that it looks like shortly they will be changing the roster limits and the amount of players eligible to be put on scholarships. I believe then you will have to keep the minimum of 85 but you will be able to go higher if you choose but with a lower total number of players that can be in the program.

After the Covid eligibility freeze of 2020, you were allowed to have more than 85 scholarship players. You were allowed to have 85 plus however many seniors from 2020 you had using their extra season of eligibility in 2021. We still decided to stay at 85. We probably budget for 85 so I don’t know that the rule change will change our self-imposed number.

[Jonnyeagle]

1 hour ago, BillySee58 said:

1. I have us at about 80 scholarship players. This count does not include Makenzie McGill who we almost assuredly need to put on scholarship to keep, and Evan Jackson who deleted his transfer portal post and hasn’t posted anything since. Also does not include high school commit Terrence Lewis who still seems in line to sign in February.

That being said, we probably could sign a few more HS guys this February. We have space and likely will have more space after spring to bring in more portal guys this summer if needed.

2. Probably will have a better idea on this after spring when we have a better idea of where we still are weaker than we want to be. We have pretty good numbers at each position.

3. There definitely will be more transfers after spring but pure speculation on who. Larry Moore appears to be passed over at tackle, and I doubt he wants to spend his last season of eligibility on the bench. Same for VJ Bronson at DT. At safety I don’t expect Isheem Young to come back but I could be wrong. He came here because of Caponi and we seem to have been recruiting that position as if he isn’t coming back. BJ Allen at safety looks like he is in danger of getting passed up by multiple guys so he could be better off looking elsewhere for more playing time. I think Zach Evans is similarly buried on the depth chart.

I‘d be surprised if any of those 5 guys were still here after spring. Those are 5 spots I pretty much expect to open up just based on guys who are sort of the odd men out at their spots, but looks like they’ll be here through spring to have a chance to carve out bigger roles.

Great analysis Billy!

[UNTLifer]

6 hours ago, BillySee58 said:

1. I have us at about 80 scholarship players. This count does not include Makenzie McGill who we almost assuredly need to put on scholarship to keep, and Evan Jackson who deleted his transfer portal post and hasn’t posted anything since. Also does not include high school commit Terrence Lewis who still seems in line to sign in February.

That being said, we probably could sign a few more HS guys this February. We have space and likely will have more space after spring to bring in more portal guys this summer if needed.

2. Probably will have a better idea on this after spring when we have a better idea of where we still are weaker than we want to be. We have pretty good numbers at each position.

3. There definitely will be more transfers after spring but pure speculation on who. Larry Moore appears to be passed over at tackle, and I doubt he wants to spend his last season of eligibility on the bench. Same for VJ Bronson at DT. At safety I don’t expect Isheem Young to come back but I could be wrong. He came here because of Caponi and we seem to have been recruiting that position as if he isn’t coming back. BJ Allen at safety looks like he is in danger of getting passed up by multiple guys so he could be better off looking elsewhere for more playing time. I think Zach Evans is similarly buried on the depth chart.

I‘d be surprised if any of those 5 guys were still here after spring. Those are 5 spots I pretty much expect to open up just based on guys who are sort of the odd men out at their spots, but looks like they’ll be here through spring to have a chance to carve out bigger roles.

Thanks and thank you for keeping up with all of this.