Longhorn Nation what has happened to our football program?  In 2008 and 2009 our Horns compiled a 26-2 record and without a drop or two (yes I'm looking at you Gideon) and bad play call here or there (GD) I would argue we could have easily won one NC and played in another.  But today we sit at 4-2 and there's talk of progress from playing a strong Oklahoma State team we have completely dominated the past decade.  So who's to blame?  To me it's obvious, the coaches.  But did the coaches fail in not evaluating these kids properly in high school or has the failure come more since they've gotten to campus and failing to develop?  Both!  Let's take a look at the 2009 class as this is their third year in the program and should not be getting passed up by freshmen, unless the freshman behind you is Malcolm Brown.

I want to evaluate the coaches on who they brought in and what they have attributed and who they passed on.  Let's start with Will Muschamp, Defensive Coordinator and linebacker coach.  In 2009, Muschamp sent out two early offers to Tariq Allen and Patrick Nkwopara and received commitments and shut it down.   A little ways down I-35 a linebacker by the name of Tom Wort began making noise as the spring evaluations got under way and committed to Oklahoma soon after without receiving much attention at all from Texas, the school 45 minutes from his high school in New Braunfels.  Wort had offers from everyone, including USC whose linebacker coach at the time was Ken Norton Jr, and it's safe to say he has an eye for talent.  This was a huge miss for Muschamp as neither Allen or Nkwopara are in the program any longer and Wort is on his way to becoming an All-American and is a RS sophomore.  Guarantee Jeremy Smith doesn't break those long TD runs this past Saturday with Wort in the middle.  With Muschamp and his linebackers he chose to bring in this is clearly an evaluation problem.  I understand the quick offer to Allen as he was a high recruit but there's no reason not to slow play Nkwopara as he wasn't even holding offers from Conference USA schools. 

Defensive line has been a problem this year and last. Especially at the tackle position.  In 2009 we brought in two tackles in Derek Johnson and Calvin Howell.  Both of these kids were highly recruited by Big XII schools and both had offers from OU.  Johnson is no longer in the program and Howell has been an occasional starter and seems to be getting better.  But he's no Lamar Houston or Roy Miller for that matter.  Not yet at least.  There was one high profile recruit at DT that we lost out that year to OU by the name of Jamarkus McFarland.  His career is about the same as Howell.  Somewhat disappointing with glimmers of being really good.  McFarland is a junior and Howell a RS sophomore.  Jury still out on this one.  Disappointing Johnson left the program so quickly.

I don't remember the class of 2009 being well stocked at wide receiver but it is a glaring weakness in that we are relying on a true freshman and true sophomore. We offered two receivers and received commitments from them both in Marquis Goodwin and Greg Timmons.  Goodwin's best year was undoubtedly his freshman season and Timmons is no longer in the program.  This is made all the more glaring on the misses of two of Austin's own Emory Blake of Auburn and Ryan Swope of A&M.  The Blake offer was perplexing.  He broke his clavicle six games into his junior year, but there was still evidence from his sophomore film and his work during track season.  At the very least, once he got healthy and started putting together a good senior season an offer should have gone out.  The no offer to Swope also didn't make any sense but I trusted the coaches. Especially after the 2009 season I thought we made a good decision on taking Goodwin over Swope (if that's what the coaches were thinking) but two years later and Swope is an infinitely better receiver.  2009 was a disaster in evaluating receivers.  Have fun in Boulder Bobby Kennedy!

Running back has been the elephant in the room for too long.  I love me some Malcolm Brown and can't wait for J. Gray, but what the heck is up with the evaluations.  In 2009 we offered one running back and received a commitment shortly after from Chris Whaley.  Looked like a solid running back and big enough to handle the jump from 2A ball to Big XII.  But the kid blew up, literally.  Rivals.com noticed how much bigger he had gotten and took him off there running back rankings and moved him to "athlete."  But does Mack?  Not only does Mack want him as a RB but he wants only him.  Why?  Just imagine 2009 MNC against Alabama and Colt goes down and we have Christine Michael to hand off to.  Imagine 2010 with GG struggling to find a passing game, but he's always got Michael to rescue him.  If he had been offered, he WOULD have committed on the spot.  His father used to wear Texas gear to all of his high school games and would tell anyone who would listen that his son was going to Texas.  Problem?  Evaluation and that's on you Mack!

I don't want to discuss QB, we all know who we offered. I will say I always wanted Russell Shepard as well.  I love running quarterbacks.

Lastly let us take a look at the offensive line.  This group was widely thought to be the best recruited line in the nation.  We brought in four recruits in Mason Walters, Garrett Porter, Thomas Ashcraft, and Paden Kelley.  The first three were national recruits as they all held offers from major national programs.  Kelley seemed more of an after thought and one who was brought in because of a relationship with Gilbert.  Now as they are in the middle of their third year in the program, we have one starter in the group (Walters), another on the second string (Kelley) and the other two cannot even crack the depth chart.  Clear underdevelopment by McWhorters.  Even the one who is starting hasn't been developed like we hoped.  Only hope is for Searles to coach em up.

I haven't touched on the defensive backs, defensive ends, or tight ends and won't, but there are some huge misses there as well.  In all the class of 2009 consisted of 21 recruits.  14 of which are still in the program.  5 of which are starting.  One who is contributing at a position in which he wasn't recruited.  Of the seven kids no longer in the program they include a 5* Qb, 4* WR, 4* DB, 4* DE, 4* LB, 4* DT, and a 3* LB.  Those were some huge misses mostly in evaluations in the ones who are gone.  In the ones still with us it has been a ton of underdevelopment.  Let's hope these new coaches can right that ship as I think that is the most important aspect to a program.  Exhibit A would be Wisconsin.  Never get elite talent, but have a great system and do a wonderful job developing talent.  What ya think Longhorn Nation?  Do we need to do a better job on the recruiting trail or developing talent?

Bumped. --PB--  Yes, I must admit that it is one of my all time favorite movies, but this post is not about movies.  Football season is near, which mean road trips with family and friends and acquaintances.  These are not just road trips that you take with a few buddies in college to the beach, but these are road trips that will define your autumn and provide you with memories that will last a lifetime. The players change, the coaches change, and even the fans change, but the stadiums remain. This is not professional sports where every 30 years the owner gets a new, flashy stadium that is named after some random company trying to boost its profile.  College football stadiums are landmarks and are therefore Legends of the Fall.  There are ten stadiums that I would like to visit before I pass from earth and into eternity.  

10.  Doak Campbell Stadium, Florida State University:  Not a big FSU fan, but I love the tradition and winning that Bobby Bowden started.  Was in high school in the late 90's and FSU was the gold standard for college football royalty.  Also love the brick stadium.  Ideally would get to see a game against Miami.  

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I read in the Statesman yesterday that spring practice is getting started this Friday and naturally a bit of excitement followed.  It's never a bad time for some football, especially when you combine that with the struggles of our bball team.  I've been searching for a depth chart of some kind, but I guess Mack hasn't released one yet, which leads me to my question: Which RS freshmen/sophomore are you hoping to see in the starting lineup when the depth chart is released?  My answer is DT Calvin Howell from San Antonio.  He has been one of my favorites ever since he was at the Army All-American Bowl and called out Jamarkus McFarland.  I hope to see him explode onto the field this spring and into the fall. I would love to have another nasty defensive tackle to go along with some great ends we got coming back this year.  In a close second, I hope to see Vaccaro filling in at the safety spot vacated by Thomas.  He really brings the hat out there and would love to have an enforcer in the secondary

I saw that Tennessee's new HC Derek Dooley served as Nick Saban's recruiting coordinator while on staff at LSU, before following Saban to the NFL and that Lane Kiffin also served in that role in his first stint at USC and I became curious as to who is in that role at Texas.  Perhaps Mack doesn't need one, but I don't recall hearing anything about a recruiting coordinator on staff.  If anyone on BON knows, please share.

So I was in aggieland on Thanksgiving for the game and I saw all of the usual suspects (except Kiser Sosay) when it comes to disrespecting the horns.  Lot's of saw-em off shirts, beat t.u. shirts and then practically the whole stadium putting the horns down.  So my question to you fellow horns is which bothers you the most? Personally the horns down is the one I dislike the most and the reason is because every school we play regardless of sport and regardless of score does it.  I still remember the Mizzou WR who thought he had a TD towards the end of the 1st half last year at DKR and trailing 35-0 put the horns down only to have the play reversed by replay.  Saw-em off and t.u. don't bother me as much because they are simply an aggie thing and they think somehow it hurts our feelings to refer to us as texas university.

I realize that by my announcing this to the SBNation will only increase the horns down by our opponents, but I say any publicity is good publicity.

Just got back home to Austin from the game in College Station and the one thing on my mind for the majority of the ride home was why did Mack not offer Micheal a scholarship?  This kid is the real deal and is going to be a stud at A&M.  I figured he was going to be a good college back after watching his performance in the Army All American Bowl last year, but I did not expect him to put up almost 100 yards and a TD against our stout rush defense as a freshman.  Which leads me back to why didn't Mack go after him?  This is a kid who wanted to come to Texas and who's own father would wear Texas jumpsuits to his high school games during his senior year down in Beaumont and tell others that his son was going to be a Longhorn.  So what did Mack see in him or more so in Whaley who is redshirting?  Oh well, I guess I need to get over wishing he was in our backfield, especially after  the great performance by Newton.

Not sure how I feel I about this.  Obviously gives the program some recognition on national television and that always helps with recruits, but could hurt us with pollsters if the offense comes out and lays another egg in the first half.  I was hoping for a 2:30 game with regional broadcasts.  This also will give Missouri more of a home field advantage.  See Tech 2008.  But all said I trust our D and we should win this one by double digits and force a few picks by Gabbert.

http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/

When I was a junior in high school back in 1998, I believe that my school's football team was loaded with as much Division 1 talent as you would see at any school across Texas.  From that two year period, my junior year to my senior year we sent 9 kids to big time D-1 schools and this does not include some NFL talent that we had when I was a freshman and sophomore, but I'll get to that at a later point.  The school that I'm referencing is Lufkin High, in East Texas, a school I'm sure you all are familiar with considering we have a 2010 recruit from there and we all know about the one we went after last year from Lufkin.

Now let's get down to who these kids were: ATH Courtnee Garcia, Texas. He ended up transferring to SFA, but when he was here he fielded a few punts and did some special teams work.  DT Miguel McKay, Texas. He actually played OLB in high school, but these two kids were part of Mack's first recruiting class here on the 40 acres.  DB Marcus Jones, North Carolina.  Not sure how his career at UNC turned out, but didn't look like a bad place to go at the time considering Mack had just turned it into a top 5 program and they had just sent Gregg Ellis to the league.  RB Desmond Garcia, Arkansas.  Not too productive at UA, but this kid could fly.  DB Terrance Kiel, Texas A&M. Played all 4 years at A&M and was a part of that Aggie team that knocked off #1 OU back in 2002, quarterbacked by another kid from Lufkin. Played 4 years in NFL for Chargers.  God rest his soul.  WR Sparky Hamilton, Arkansas.  Somewhat productive career, went undrafted, then to Packers training camp and then played arena league.  OT Rex Hadnot, Houston.  Redshirted first year at UH, then played next 4 and is now getting ready for his 6th year in the league.  Currently with the Browns.  C Don Muhlbach, Texas A&M.  Redshirted, then played sparingly over next  4 years, but is now about to enter his 6th year in the league as deep snapper with the Lions.  QB Brian Bradford, Texas.  Turned down offers from Sam Houston and SFA to play quarteback and came to Austin and punted for the horns.

Now the kicker is, that with all this talent we didn't even make the playoffs that year.  Playing in the toughest district in Texas at the time that including Longview, Marshall, Tyler Lee, Tyler John Tyler, and Nacogdoches, and this was back when only the top 3 teams advanced to the playoffs.  

As I mentioned earlier, when I was a freshman we had a WR Brian Gilmore, who went to Midwestern State, then on to an eight year career in the NFL with the Cardinals, Dolphins, and 49ers.  My sophomore year we had a DB Jacoby Shepherd, who went on to Oklahoma State and then to a brief career in the NFLwith Rams and Texans. 

So needless to say there was a ton of talent in Lufkin at the time, especially my junior and senior year.  I can't think of any other high school in the state that has had this much talent on one team.  Galena Park North Shore had a good amount of kids go D-1 back when Bobby Reid was the QB there, but this is a team that won state that year, not one that couldn't even make the playoffs.  

From what I've read Dallas Skyline has plenty of talent this year, with a couple of kids committed to A&M, one to OU and one to LSU, but I would love to hear what you think about the talent in Texas and if you think there's a school with more talent than what Lufkin had.  I use past tense here, because it seems like we're only producing about 1 or 2 kids that go D-1 nowadays.  Although the one we produced a few years back that's now at OSU, is a beast,  and I sure hope we can contain him in Stillwater this fall.