SB Nation - DeSean Hales

DeSean Hales Gives Up Football, Will Remain As Student Coach

Wescott Eberts — Sat, 18 Aug 2012 18:10:58 -0000

Senior Texas Longhorns wide receiver DeSean Hales has decided to give up football in an effort to better focus on graduating. The fifth-year senior will stay involved as a student coach for the team.

The Klein Oak product entered the program as part of the 2008 class rated as a four-star prospect and as the top all-purpose back in the country, according to Rivals. He held a handful of offers from Big 12 powers, as well as Georgia.

On paper, his combination of speed and explosiveness, despite his small stature, were always a tantalizing combination, even as far back as 2009, when this author wrote in this space that he could be a home-run threat for Texas in a role similar to that previously occupied by Ramonce Taylor in Austin.

Even last fall, there was some thought, again in this space, that Hales could supplement or usurp DJ Monroe's role on the jet sweep after Hales practiced there during fall camp. Still, nothing. Hales finished his career with no carries and only two catches for 10 yards as a fourth-year junior, despite numerous injuries to the wide receiving corps.

Hales finished his career with 13 receptions for 87 yards, but numerous touchdowns and big plays in spring games over the years that teased as much as his famous run in high school:

DESEAN HALES : THE RUN (via jclancy32)

Sadly, Hales never even came close to replicating that type of play at Texas.

Here's what he had to say about his decision:

Coming to this decision wasn't easy, but I've talked to my family and have decided that it would be best for me to focus on my degree and my career for the future. Football doesn't last forever, and I feel like I could be a help to the team in other ways outside of playing. I always knew that eventually I would like to work with young people, whether it's coaching or training or in some other way, and this will give me the experience of doing that. I've been in the system.

Best of luck to Hales helping to the team this season and in his future endeavors.

Texas Football 2012: Practice Pictures!

Wescott Eberts — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 16:40:54 -0000

Pictures! There are practice pictures! Because I'm just like this, 23 thoughts on 23 pictures from Thursday's practice. My source (MB-TF) is telling me some interesting things. The late-night series for your morning continues:

(1/23) Duane Akina getting his point on -- he's pointing at something. It's a coach thing. Hot sports take: He's good at his job. Also, left Texas, then came back, not less than two years ago. Glad you're still showing off that old quarterback's arm at practice for the 'Horns. How many DB coaches even have an arm like Akina? Baller.
(2/23) David Ash showing the ball to Malcolm Brown. I just have a feeling that Ash is pulling this for the boot, a play that he ran well in the scrimmage, reportedly. Ball-handling skills for a quarterback? Next-level stuff. Ash is about the next-level stuff. Not all there, but it's getting close. That LV phrase, again (don't get the reference, read this).
(3/23) Connor Brewer. Cool. Respect, dude. Don't have much here on this one, cocked and ready to delivery a pass. Uh. Your sister, Ashley, transferred to USC to swim? Not sure what that was all about, but seems like a loss for Texas. Best of luck to Ashley, though.
(4/23) Tim Cole has a big, slightly deflated fitness ball. Like the ones that you use to do crunches. Or buy and then never do crunches on them. Not sure what type of drill that is. There are also cones. So, yeah. Tim Cole, helped bring Malcom Brown to Texas. Yeah, buddy. Fun fact(s): Brown suggested committing first after a visit to TCU, they planned to do it together at the spring game, but Cole committed without his boy Shug (yeah, they call MB2 Shug because he's a sweet dude), while Brown was watching film with Bo Davis. Just don't let Mason Walters call Malcom Shug, or try to convince Walters that Malcom is a sweet guy.

(5/23) Now we got Bo Davis pointing. I want to see all the coaches pointing before this is done. Please, MB-TF? Pretty please? They appear to be in the Bubble, but Davis still has on his floppy hat. So there's that. Tidbits like that are why I do these things.
(6/23) Manny Diaz pointing! Thanks, MB-TF! Rocking the beard. Sweet, but not as sweet as Paul Rhoads' Fu Manchu 'stache. This makes perfect sense to me (ask for explanation if you want to know, I'm moving on now).
(7/23) Blind prediction -- Oscar Giles pointing! Actual photo -- Quandre Diggs in his backpedal, looking svelte in his new no. 6, worn last season by Christian Scott. Note to Quandre (not that you need this, buddy) -- if some chick tries to repossess your car, please do not strike her. Please, for the love of lots of things.
(8/23) Ashton Dorsey going into a drill. Easy to lose him in the shuffle because defensive tackle is so deep and he's been dinged, but he's going to have a good season. Sick depth there, imo. I'm on a limb, I know.
(9/23) The offensive line going through a drill. There are two sets, all of them are on scholarship. Unlike spring 2011! Sweet.
(10/23) Um, Steve Edmond's back side. Moving on. And a walk on. Congratulations to redshirt freshman (shocked on that shirt, yo, he should have played) Trey Gonzales from Friendswood. You have now been mentioned on BON and if Mack Brown decides he wants to let his offense cut defenders, you will be the cannon fodder. Double congrats. Exclamation point redacted -- I've used up a teenage girl's year supply already tonight. At least I'm holding off on the the smiley face emoticons. Barely.
(11/23) Marquise Goodwin. In pads. With the football. About ready to juke somebody. Have you a senior season on the gridiron, Mr. Olympian. Smiley face emoticon.
(12/23) Bryant Jackson. Catching the ball. Coolio. Great thing about practice photos of wide receivers on MB-TF? Never any body catches. Texas wideouts in photo galleries attack the heck out of the football. EVEN DJ MONROE CATCHES PASSES IN PRACTICE PHOTOS. Sorry for all caps. Ran out of exclamation marks, as I said.
(13/23) Cedric Reed from a two-point stance about to go against Josh Cochran, who was practicing. I wanted to use an exclamation mark there so badly. Five exclamation marks.
(14/23) Daje, my boy. That would be Daje Johson, newb. Come on, man. Kid will have himself the football at Texas this year. Hot sports take. You're welcome.
(15/23) Marcus Johnson can attack the football. Every Texas wide receiver can attack the football. Where is DeSean Hales attacking the football? I know he still attacks the football because everyone attacks the football and I've seen him attacking the football in practice photos multiple times. He attacks the football.
(16/23) Alex Okafor, doing a footwork drill. Beast. All-American. Reformed Sixth Street miscreant. Don't mess with the man's pizza.
(17/23) Jalen Overstreet. Kid will play this season. Mark it down. Will help in redzone. Mark it down.
(18/23) Kendall Thompson's got a big workout ball, too. Not much buzz around him this fall. Not really a good sign with Dalton Santos breathing down his neck at middle linebacker. Possibly ahead. Thompson at weaskide 'backer, then?
(19/23) Chris Whaley going against Cochran. My lord, Chris Whaley is big. Best running back in the class of 2009, says Mack Brown. Said Mack Brown. No, that will never die. Not in the big-back trauma it has caused me. Fun fact about Johnathan Gray: He will not turn into a defensive tackle.
(20/23) Hey, speaking of -- Johnathan Gray. Wow. This is a little weird right now. About to break a tackle from Reggie Wilson., methinks.
(21/23) And Reggie Wilson in a footwork drill, a la Okafor earlier. Looks the part. When will the light come on for him? Some time at Texas, hopefully.
(22/23) Darrell Wyatt pointing! Under the gun. That only leaves Searels, Chambers, Applewhite, Giles and Harsin. And Mack. Poor effort, MB-TF. Darrell Wyatt, though, likes to make his receivers block. John Harris obliges. Prediction: Harris will have some pancakes this season. Also in the picture, Daje Johnson, I think. I spent some time trying to figure it out, when I remembered the sleeves, plus I can see the first 2 on the jersey, so that narrowed it down. Yes, these are the things that I do. I would say that I'm a sick man, and I probably am, but would also counter by saying that this is my job, and stuff.
(23/23) Duke Thomas with the ball, running on the left. Mathew Zapata, on the right, long locks flowing. Fun fact: Like Josh Tuner and Demarco Cobbs, Zapata is from Oklahoma, but repping for the 'Horns. With long, flowing lacks. Fun Fact: I did not have to look up the fact that Zapata is from Oklahoma, because he was the starting second-team safety in the spring game and I did a little bit of learning on Mr. Zapata at the time. Fun guess: Height/weight, not looking. Hmm. 6-1, 200 pounds. 6-0, 186, listed. Oof. 15 pounds over. Weak on my part. I will now depart in shame.

Some Guarantees For The 2012 Texas Longhorn Football Season

Vasherized — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 21:49:41 -0000

In case your space/time continuum has been jarred by the dual realities of NASA landing a rover on Mars while NBC remains incapable of airing or streaming live Olympic coverage, then yes, it's August 6th and Longhorn Fall camp is already underway.

And if you had The Longhorn Network, you'd be watching practice live right now. Yet no practices were made available to the public. There are truly no holes left to prick in the Texas Fan Voodoo Doll.

IT'S PREDICATRON TIME. Just pretend there is a pop-up slideshow that ends with SpaceBear crashing into the Cotton Bowl after Texas upsets OU.

Cedric Reed blows up fall camp, solidyfing his role as third DE in the rotation. Forget that Reed and potential manbeast Reggie Wilson play different position on the line. But if we're fantasy drafting Longhorn DEs, they go off the board thusly: Jeffcoat, Okafor, Reed, Wilson, Davis/Ridgeway/Cottrell. That's a pretty athletic bunch but there are only two proven guys. Still, the year end sack total between the returning four could approach 30 and yes, the Texas single-season sack record of 47 in 2008 is in jeapordy. But not just because of these guys...

*Demarco Cobbs will be a fire zone-blitzing, TFL-reaping, blindside poaching witch. *If he can make it through the season without getting injured, which is less likely than Bob Stoops activating a convicted felon that attended OU in the late 80s and has one year of eligibility remaining. We still haven't really seen what Cobbs can do. And the same can be said for ...

Adrian Phillips will make you consider throwing away your Blake Gideon jersey. Or at least taking it out of the regular gameday rotation. I'm not asking you take him off your Longhorn Mount Rushmore so please settle down and consider the potential for improved play at the ~~centerfield~~ safety position. Phillips has been fully cleared by trainers to proceed with his slightly behind schedule ballhawking badassery and I can't wait to see how he thrives while roaming between two lockdown corners and the Machete. If you're new to Austin (there are a few hundred thousand of you based on some recent MoPac adventures), that would be Quandre Diggs, Carrington Byndom, and Kenny Vaccaro. RESPEK!

Throw in freshman super nickel Duke Thomas and Texas will finish in the top ten in forced turnovers, sacks, and overall defense. The fact that these aren't really bold predictions gives you an idea of how great this defense can be if we can avoid injuries at key positions (DE, LB) and sustain even a moderately balanced offense. Our ability to get pressure off the edge will be aided further by having two great cover corners and smart safeties in coverage, who will buy the front 7 (yes, all of them) extra time to get to the QB. Reads 3-4 suddenly don't look so good when you have a microsecond to make a decision that could very well result in a turnover. Take the sack, Landry Jones.

Also, most college football teams only have one capable OT. Or maybe I've just accepted this as fact because of our inability to consistently recruit and develop the position since the early 1970s. Let's assume you're Alabama and have great protection across the line and don't offer a rotation of blocking surfaces at TE. Who do you double on the Texas defensive line? Manny Diaz is not waiting around for the answer. With Whaley, Dorsey, and Jackson in the middle you don't have a true five tool DT like Randall but you do have a mix of pass rushing afoletes. Are any of them Tony DeGrate? No, but just having the ability to get consistent pressure from multiple gaps down the line is a rarity in college football. Many collapsed pockets and the ensuing chaos that unfolds await you in 2012, Texas fan. (This is the part where you run through a wall in your office then wonder if Rhett Bomar's ribs still hurt as much as yours do).

The QB rotation becomes a game of thrones affair befitting Littlefinger and the Spider. Mack's split personalities mortally fear a QB controversy into one microphone while unconsciously exacerbating one into the next mic over just minutes later. I KNOW MY MACKSPEAK WHEN I HEAR IT. Just look at his fuzzy math on McCoy's weight. Coach Brown's head is already pre-scrambled in anticipation of a potential controversy that he would love to avoid but some internally complicated part of him craves. Then he blames it on you.

I'll miss this slick bastard some day...

Case McCoy will still be Case McCoy. The chiseled 200 lb version will just be able to put more velocity and air under jumpballs heaved off his back foot to tandem safeties while a streaking (and noticeably faster!) Mike Davis runs the wrong route 15 yards away. I'm all for having a competent two deep at the QB position and I appreciate McCoy's competitive moxie, but do both guys need to play if one guy clearly has more upside while coming off the best game of his career and earning bowl game MVP honors? Brad McCoy is still in Mack's head. Brown had a chance to squash any chance of a controversy by naming Ash the starter heading out of spring drills (snap allocation confirmed their natural preference) while letting Case fight for the job. Instead we're delivered a false rationale befitting an EU economic summit. Hopefully David Ash gets off to a hot start. Or the defense pitches a shutout in October. I'm not confident Ash even approaches his ceiling this year, but I know it will be higher than last year and the theoretical height surpasses Case's. That's enough for me to stick with one guy for now and let him know he's the man. It's also why I'm a highly paid CoachFan.

Texas will finish second in the Big 12. OU wins its 16th Big 12 title in just 14 years and SpaceBear will have to wait until 2013 when the tables officially turn. Yes, it's official -- look at the depth charts. As for this year, when you shit your pants then sit around in it for two fucking years while ignoring a pervasive stench obvious to everyone but you, the cleansing process takes time. Thankfully we're past the messy industrial wipe clean-up phase and have moved on to securing the Nike SHARTPROOF© training diapers in place. We should be fully potty-trained by October and playing with that confident piss-all-over-the-Sooner-Schooner abandon we knew just three short years ago. Can you tell I 'm spending a lot of time with an infant these days?

The unborn child of Aaron Ross and Sonya Richard-Ross will be on the two deep for the 2034 season. Mack has taken this early recruiting thing to a whole new level. Approved for an offer, pre-embryo, imo. Will we hold him/her until signing day?!

Distributing the carries at RB will require some higher level calculus. Mack already has Daje Johnson on the fast track to the Ramonce Taylor / DJ Monroe flexotronic backfield boogaloo role. Curious to see how these carries all get distributed and Monroe might get Wally Pipped by an equally fast but more willing competitor in Daje. As LonghornScott has tried to drill through your skulls for years, the goal is always to complement speed with power and keep both options well disguised. Simple, right? But how many carries are there behind Malcolm Brown, Joe Bergeron, and Johnathan Gray? Four? As long as two of those carries get taken to the house, Bryan Harsin is cool with that and you should be as well. There is also the possibility that Gray enters Vince Mode at some point in the season and you just give him the ball every damn snap and see what happens, but that's probably a year or two out.

The incoming trio of freshman wide receivers will help win some games for us this year. With only two spots sewn up on the depth chart and Marquise Goodwin's return delayed after competing in the Olympics; Marcus Johnson, Kendall Sanders, and Cayleb Jones all know the opportununity at hand to earn early playing time. One of them busts through and my bet is on Marcus Johnson. He's been tearing up offseason 7 on 7's. More importantly, their collective talents complement eachother perfectly -- red zone possesion guy (Jones), slot master (Sanders) and deep threat (Johnson). I really just typed all that as a disguised DeSean Hales callout. Yeah. What's up.

Wandering the desert for a functional TE will continue for another year or two. Throw ten bodies at a problem with an average position coach and hope it works out, right? The TE conundrum has to be so frustrating for Harsin but some progress HAS to be made by default just from adding MJ McFarland to the mix, right? Please? Hopefully D.J. Grant can stay healthy and Caleb Blueiett bring two arms, two legs, a torso, and one head to the table. With JUCO blocking specialist Geoff Swaim and gaelic language historian Durham Smythe committed for the 2013 class, there is promise of a TE revival but there ain't no Jimmy Graham waiting in the wings, unless you're confident Luke Poehlmann will finally turn the corner.

There are your ten guarantees for the 2012 Texas football season (and one for 2034). This is where you chime in with delusional visions of back-to-back explosive plays and all around undefeatedry. Or, you worry that our running back rotation lacks talent, experience, and depth.

Finally, I'm pleased to report that after reviewing hundreds of applicants, the 2012 Barking Carnival State of the Union features have been assigned (Scipio is writing every one), and you will soon be dunking yourself in a dilaudid bath of Longhorn football content over the next four weeks until the season kicks off Sep 1 against Wyoming on your favorite exclusive cable television network.

Texas Football 2012: Wide Receiver Position Preview

Wescott Eberts — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 12:00:02 -0000

#	Name	Ht	Wt	Class
8	Jaxon Shipley	6-1	192	Sophomore
1	Mike Davis	6-2	193	Junior
84	Marquise Goodwin	5-9	180	Senior
9	John Harris	6-3	218	Sophomore
21	DeSean Hales	5-11	178	Senior
16	Bryant Jackson	6-2	193	Sophomore
19	Marcus Johnson	6-1	189	Freshman
2	Kendall Sanders	6-0	183	Freshman
4	Cayleb Jones	6-3	211	Freshman

With fall camp rapidly approaching, BON is taking a look at the storylines surrounding each position entering the 2012 season. After talking about the quarterbacks on Tuesday and the running backs on Wednesday, it's time to talk about the wide receivers.

Departures: Darius White, Chris Jones

Malcontent White left the program in the middle of December, but not before trashing Texas to super blue Dorial Green-Beckham. While still on the team! A near-beatdown from Demarco Cobbs almost ensued before Cobbs was, apparently, restrained by teammates. I'm not entirely sure why, because being punched in the face seems like a fitting response for such a heinous crime.

And was it a coincidence that Mike Davis "had some personal things come up" during the 2011 season? Personal things. Like perhaps the fact that his roommate, White, had a terrible attitude (this is me putting that as nicely as I can).

White's now at Missouri, wearing no. 8 (so he can be twice the player he was at Texas). Will that happen? Well, uh, he still likes to tweet about how happy he is when he's done with football for the summer. So, yeah.

Ugh. I feel dirty now. Like I need to wash my hands.

At least Chris Jones wasn't a punk prior to his departure, so he's got that going for him as he gets ready to start a year at Navarro College. He took a visit to Houston after he left Texas and there weren't any rumors of grade issues, so the guess here is that he simply wanted to go the JUCO route to have a few more options for his final two seasons of eligibility.

Arrivals: Cayleb Jones (Austin High), Marcus Johnson (League City Clear Creek), Kendall Sanders (Athens)*

*Click the names for the Recruiting Spotlight for each respective player.

During his sophomore and junior seasons, Jones was considered one of the top prospects in his entire class at receiver, but the lack of a true quarterback his senior year, poor testing at The Opening, the fact he didn't exactly light the other top national events on fire, and due to some general exposure fatigue, the buzz surrounding Jones wasn't nearly as positive as it was the night that I left House Park in August 2010 pretty high on Jones following a game against Belton:

As with his performance at the spring game, coming away from House Park, there was no question that Jones is the elite talent he is made out to be and though he could stand to add some strength and improve his speed, it's his fluidity, flypaper hands, and strong leaping ability/body control that makes him a top prospect and an absolutely elite wide receiver. The Real Deal. The Truth. All of that.

After all, that night Jones made two one-handed grabs that are still as good as I have seen from a high school player. My video of them, despite being pretty grainy (it was taken from my digital camera) has nearly 50,000 views. I'll be hard pressed to put another video on there that will draw that many.

The major issue is whether he can create separation at the next level -- his ball skills are elite, but his straight-line speed is not.

The buzz is more positive about Sanders and Johnson. For the latter, a big-time senior season help land his firmly on the radar (63 catches for 1,169 yards and 11 touchdowns, as well as adding 352 rushing yards on 30 rushes and a touchdown). A dedication to his craft has earned him some buzz early this summer. Like Jones, Johnson has remarkable body control -- some of his film included more sideline tough grabs than I've ever seen from any other high school receiver. A niche superlative, but a superlative nonetheless.

Sanders did everything for Athens during his career there and after losing some weight due to an illness late in the season, he blew up to around 190 pounds or so, then dropped back down to 183, as he was carrying a bit of extra muscle in his upper body that probably wasn't helping his explosiveness, his best asset.

Want to know something about Sanders' work ethic? Instead of taking some time off prior to the start of fall camp, he's been working with a trainer in Dallas, former Sooner wideout David Robinson, who sees Sanders as a first- or second-round talent when he leaves Texas, if he can polish his route-running. The Athens product reportedly ran a 4.34 40 while working with Sanders, in case anyone was wondering about his speed. Dude wants to get better -- a good sign that he will under the tutelage of Darrell Wyatt, who is good at what he does.

Starters: When the 2015 season rolls around, there will be no more Shipleys in burnt orange until the next round, if there is one (I hope so). it will be a sad day. Until then, fortunately, Longhorn fans will be able to avail themselves of three more seasons of Jaxon Shipley, the most versatile offensive player on the team.

Can he catch it? Check. He's as sure-handed as they come. Can he run it? He was good enough to earn carries on the jet sweep and was also the triggerman in a triple option Wildcat look prior to his knee injury that derailed his season after it happened during the Kansas game. Can he throw it? How about jokes about him being the best passer on the team after going 4-for-4 with three touchdowns and a game-clinching play against BYU in 2011. In the spring, he showed the intelligence to pull the ball down on designed passe to pick up substantial yardage on a play in the open practice and one in the spring game.

A significant increase in his 44 catches for 607 yards in the air should be in store with a healthy season. Man, I love me some Shipleys.

For junior Mike Davis, his sophomore season could only be categorized as a disappointment. He managed to lead the team in receiving with 45 catches for 609 yards and but a single touchdown, a hallow achievement given the time missed by Shipley. Besides only recording that lone touchdown, Davis went quiet in the late part of the season, failing to record a catch of more than 20 yards in the final five games and not a single reception in the Holiday Bowl win over Cal.

As a freshman, Davis made two more catches and scored two touchdowns, despite missing time with a knee injury. There was some questions whether he would even with the Longhorns in the spring, but he seemed to re-dedicate himself and the reports were all positive from the early practices, though he failed to make a catch in the spring game.

He did, however, show some effort blocking in the run game for the first time in his career. The upside of this group will rest to a great extent with Davis and how he answers the question of being able to fulfill his potential, which has tantalized at times, but hasn't yet come to fruition.

The final wide receiver in the starting group is long jump star Marquise Goodwin, who came up a bit short in the finals at the Olympics, but still has two national NCAA outdoor titles under his belt. He'll also have nearly an entire fall camp of his senior year after missing the entirety of it last season and not deciding to play until before the BYU game.

It took him some time to acclimate, as 23 of his 33 catches, as well as his single touchdown, came after October, while Davis faded into the woodwork. Given the opportunity to actually prepare for the season, Goodwin is another player who should be able to key an improved Texas passing game, in addition to some spot carries in the edge rushing game after gaining 20 or more yards on four of his 22 carries in 2011.

Depth: When the Longhorns want a better edge presence in the blocking game, sophomore John Harris will be the guy. Recall, as well, that he threw a touchdown pass in the Rice game before going down with a foot injury in September destroyed the rest of his season. Before moving to quarterback as a senior, Harris made a lot of plays as a junior making defenders miss on hitches, so he's a strong candidate to be a big-bodied possession guy.

Beyond Harris, there's really only senior DeSean Hales, a strong Gaskamp Award candidate who has always performed well during the spring, but never translated it to the field in the fall, for reasons that are essentially unknown. There's also sophomore Bryant Jackson, a former defensive back who made the move over to receiver last year when numbers got tight. However, Jackson did suffered a foot injury that limited him during the spring, though he should return for fall practice. At this point, he looks like depth and little more.

Recruiting: If the Longhorns aren't able to secure another commitment from Ricky Seals-Jones, it would be hard to feel completely positive about a group that currently includes Dallas Jesuit's Jake Oliver and Cypress Falls' Jacorey Warrick.

All three were at The Opening and though Penn State commit Christian Hackenburg had some issues getting RSJ the ball at times, he looked to these eyes like a guy who could play some at receiver, even at 240 pounds. His ball skills are there and though he needs to work on attack the football every time, it isn't fair to classify him as a body catcher. In addition, he's also extremely physical with defensive backs. If he gets to 250, well, he's probably going to have to end up at tight end. Note: he could be good on defense, but why take the ball out of his hands? Why?

At this point, Texas is in good shape with RSJ, though he has expressed a desire to play in a more high-powered passing attack like Texas A&M. How the Longhorn passing game develops this season could impact his eventual decision. And if the Aggie passing game can take off in the first year under new coach Kevin Sumlin.

Oliver wasn't a big-time factor at The Opening, though it didn't help that he had to sit out the second day with a concussion. His best moments were probably when he was able to use double moves, but on one play when he tried to flat outrun Ohio State commit Cameron Burroughs, it didn't work so well. But he's an excellent blocker, a good route runner, and strong in the air. There's a reason he had a ton of offers.

As for Warrick, he was a bit similar in that he was hardly a star among stars amid the best prospects in the country. In terms of prospects in the state of Texas, though, his suddenness is as good as anyone I saw this summer and when pads are on, he's at his best making defenders miss in space, whether on speed sweeps, screens, or other short passes. In that sense, he helps make up for the loss of Dontre Wilson to Oregon because of his versatility with those edge plays.

The Longhorns also have an early 2014 pledge from Abilene Cooper wide receiver Lorenzo Joe. If you haven't read about Joe, do so here and here. Relieve your unfortunate ignorance. Go ahead, the final part of the preview will still be here.

What to watch for in fall camp: Can Mike Davis continue the positive buzz from spring practice, even though he didn't have a catch in the Orange-White game? Jaxon Shipley will be Jaxon Shipley. How quickly does Marquise Goodwin get back into football shape after the Olympics, and can he build on a strong end to the 2011 season?

Can the freshmen contribute? If so, where and how? Jones could emerge as a guy that David Ash likes in the redzone if they can connect on the type of aerial plays that Ash was on the sideline to see during that 66-63 barnburner in 2010. Sanders could receive a specialty package of plays to take advantage of his speed.

So, Texas fans, what are your thoughts/concerns with the receiving corps. Make y'all's voices heard! We don't typically bite hard around here. Except trolls. Trolls get bitten. I give myself a little rabies booster for them.

Handicapping the Heisman Race: The Big 12's Contenders

Vasherized — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 05:29:02 -0000

The guys over at Heismanpundit.com have been ranking the contenders by conference and the Big 12's list is designed to amuse, baffle, and/or troll depending on your alma mater.

Here's the good news, Texas fans -- four Longhorns are on the list! Unfortunately they're all considered Long Shots. As in, David Ash, Jonathan Gray, Malcolm Brown, or Joe Bergeron could theoretically win the Heisman. Just as I could bed Kate Upton, Huckleberry could someday be understood by an audience greater than three, and you could watch The Longhorn Network right now.

The inclusion of our three talented sophomores and one freshman on this list is amusing given Ash's performance to date and the fact that all three running backs will be sharing carries.

But this is why you take anything said by a pundit with a grain of salt and a tequila chaser.

Here are their primary contenders:

Geno Smith

- I'm pretty certain nobody named Geno has ever won a Heisman. That probably won't change anytime soon just because the guy went Arena League on Clemson's secondary. After all, Manny Diaz now fields an SEC! Defense! It's just in a lesser conference, but don't underestimate it's badassery. Part of the excitement about next season is playing two teams we haven't faced in a long time. It's also about our defense getting the chance to feast on a new crop of quarterbacks. The sacks and blindside hits will come often in many flavors and colors. They will be licensed in real time and sold as a product by Taco Bell at halftime. And you will happily buy the Okaforkinit Burrito and the Jeffcoatofarmsdealer Nachos.

Collin Klein

- If Eric Crouch can win a Heisman, I guess there's hope for anybody (unless his name is Geno). I love Klein's all around game but RG3 just set the bar pretty high and I don't think Collin has passed for as many yards in his career as RG3 threw for against Texas last year. Steve Edmond should have fun when the Horns meets the Wildcats. Klein less so. Of course the fate of that game is up to the dark wizard, Bill Snyder. Eventually the senile voices in his head will start calling plays and Texas will resume beating the shit out of schools from Kansas. Let's see if Klein holds up through another season. If he can, he might be sitting next to the guy that actually wins the Heisman but at least he got to see the real Manhattan for a night.

Landry Jones

- Can't you see Uncle Rico strolling through Times Square completely unrecognized? Awesome. It would be a fun story but we saw what happened to Jones' stats in a Broyles-less Sooner offense. It made me question his breeding more than I already did. Even Kenny Stills, Trey Metoyer and their collection of shitty haircuts can't replace that production, although Sooner fans swear Jaz Reynolds should be a Biletnikoff candidate. I think anybody named Jaz is probably a fag.

Casey Pachall

- Technically it's spelled Pachall but we're a big fan of phonetics and calling things like they is so it's Paw-haul from here on out. Either way, this ginger won't be hauling his paws to the Downtown Athletic Club. TCU is apparently a candidate to win the Big 12 this year. Gary Patterson is also mentioned as a candidate to replace Mack Brown. I mock both theories to anyone who will listen, even if it's just my 14 year-old deaf lab/beagle mutt. Sorry, Otis. It's not on the Napoleon-invading-Russia scale of missteps that is the Aggies joining the SEC West, but we'll call TCU's step up to a big boy conference something akin to the Zulus attacking the Brits at Rorke's Drift. Except in this equation the Zulus are sorority sluts and our tailgating fanbase will be ready for the surprise attack with forked sausage dildos and the kind of liquid courage that only 9.8% alcohol craft beers can deliver.

Joseph Randle

- Yeahhhh, no. Blake Gideon could rush for 1500 yards with Weeden and Blackmon making safeties think twice about run support. They're both gone. Randle is a good tailback and plays in a well-oiled system, but he might as well be splitting carries with Bergeron, Gray, and Brown as far as Heisman chances go. This is a another team I look forward to extracting last minute victory from, as the natural order commands. Texas should never fucking lose to a coach that wears braces. QED.

Tavon Austin

- This dude is still running wild through Clemson's secondary. Tavon is what we thought DeSean Hales might be after watching #3 break 8 tackles in a 10 square foot space before racing up the sidelines for a TD during the playoffs his senior year in High School. It turns out Tavon is basically a bigger DJ Monroe that can catch the ball, but torching Clemson doesn't make him a Heisman candidate. Sodomizing Clemson is an annual rite in the ACC for teams with even a partially functional offense. It just means that Holgo knows how to get Austin the ball in space and he's damn fast. He'll be fun to watch but Sir Carrington Byndom will be up to the task of shadowing this Applachian afolete. I at least know Byndom would win in a daggering competition, which is a component of the Heisman race next year.

Might we be in the company of the next Charles Woodson? /removes monacle, twists mustache, sips absynthe.

So this is what the punditocracy came up with. Like Chris Matthews, I'm unimpressed. Most likely because the skill position talent in the Big 12 is down across the board this year. Or it's just young. But this also means Texas has a shot to win some ugly 17-13 games and get back to double digit wins.

Do you think anybody in the Big 12 realistically has a shot at a Heisman Trophy?

I don't see any from this bar stool.