UT off and running

[H-towngreen]

Texas snags eight oral commitments

12:02 AM CST on Monday, February 27, 2006

By TODD WILLS / The Dallas Morning News

Texas made a big splash with Saturday's Junior Day, hauling in eight oral commitments, including one from Plano East linebacker Keenan Robinson (6-3, 215), a member of SportsDay's 2007 Area Top 50.

Oral commitments are nonbinding. The first day a recruit in the Class of 2007 can sign a national letter of intent is Feb. 7.

Texas also got oral commitments from five offensive linemen – Aledo's Kyle Hix (6-7, 304), Austin Westlake's Matt Nader (6-6, 295), Vidor's Jerrod Gooch (6-5, 295), La Marque's Aundre McGaskey (6-4, 290) and Kilgore's Michael Huey (6-4, 290) – Beaumont Ozen defensive back Ben Wells (6-1, 175) and West-Orange Stark athlete Earl Thomas (5-10, 181).

They just had an entire O-line verbal to them before they even have spring ball.

The NCAA needs to have an early signing period for kids who want to get it out of the way before their senior season. It will keep players and schools from switching back and forth.

[MeanMag]

The NCAA needs to have an early signing period for kids who want to get it out of the way before their senior season. It will keep players and schools from switching back and forth.

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I might agree with this line of thinking if kids didn't get hurt and have bad grades in highschool football. I just think it is too much of a risk to sign a LOI with the school, unless there are provisions for injury and academic performance. A lot can change in a year.

[H-towngreen]

Very true. There would have to be stipulations so that in case of severe injury, or a head coach leaving, the school or player could back out. I think that an early signing period is something that would be mainly for the BCS schools and would only have a small affect on schools like NT?

Does NT have a Junior day? I think that it might be something to look into. It would be a good way of getting some local talent to come in and check out the new a.c.

Edited February 27, 2006 by H-towngreen

[MeanMag]

I would think it would benefit not only the BCS powers but it would also show the rest of the schools who they have absolutely no shot at recruiting, so as to not waste resources.

[greenjoe]

According to my research, The University of Texas has NEVER won the National Championship AND defeated North Texas in the same year.

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[Guest WPC]

Very true. There would have to be stipulations so that in case of severe injury, or a head coach leaving, the school or player could back out. I think that an early signing period is something that would be mainly for the BCS schools and would only have a small affect on schools like NT?

Once Mack Brown offers a schlorship he sticks with the player. A few years back, one of his studs got hurt in a playoff game here in San Antonio (blew out a knee) Mack called him the same day to tell him his schlorship was safe, work hard and he would see him in Austin. Great PR as this was in the local press, it also is a sign of the character of MB. As far as early signing, Joe Paterno really started this trend to lock up national recruits early so they could focus and enjoy their Senior Year. Once UT started this, other schools were forced to get in the game. If they didn't, they could and would get locked out of the select 5 star recruits. Also, once a player commits to Texas, they do not take any more visits or they know their scholarship is at risk.

[EagleMBA]

That whole process seems quite risky to me ... from BOTH sides. Have there been lots of instances in which an early commitment has come back to bite one party or the other in the ass? How does a junior know what his competition for playing time is going to look like that far ahead of time? How does a coach know that the kid didn't play the season of his life as a junior and it's downhill from here?

The whole thing is suspect IMHO.

[LongJim]

The NCAA needs to have an early signing period for kids who want to get it out of the way before their senior season. It will keep players and schools from switching back and forth.

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Yeah, but it's not nearly as much fun!

[NTEagle08]

Collin Mangrum signed his LOI to play here for basketball all the way back in May of last year so it's not like UT is the only one who is doing it.

[H-towngreen]

Collin Mangrum signed his LOI to play here for basketball all the way back in May of last year so it's not like UT is the only one who is doing it.

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Thats basketball and they do have an early signing period. UT just got 8 commits not signed LOI.

[H-towngreen]

UT is already half way done with their recruiting class for next year as they are already at 12 commits. Unbelievable!

It is intresting to see though that many players are already getting offers from teams we compete with for recruits. Teams like TCU and UH. I'm impressed that these teams are already handing out offers. That their coaching staffs already have an idea of who they want.

Then I picture DD and staff having not even started looking at prospects for '07. Does anyone else get that same feeling?

[good_ken]

Then I picture DD and staff having not even started looking at prospects for '07. Does anyone else get that same feeling?

uh, there was an article not too long ago about UNT having offered a lineman from Mansfield (i think). Some top 50 player.

So no, I don't get that feeling.

[H-towngreen]

The sooner the contact with the propects the better. I know that we have a camp over the summer but do we have a Junior Day? It seems like it would be a great way to get on a propects radar sooner. Have it during the last scrimmage of spring ball. That way they can come in here see us play, meet the coaches and check out the facilities.