Signing Day

by RolloTamasi on Feb 3, 2010 10:00 AM CST

It's signing day and the class of 25 seems to be complete.

Traylon Shead has a nice feature up over at the statesman. He sounds like a back who has both the talent to play well at this level, and the physical intelligence (like Newton) to make the right cut at the right speed. However, he's behind Tre Newton, Cody Johnson, Fozzy Whittaker, Vondrell McGee and Chris Whaley whom Applewhite claimed to be looking better after cutting some weight.

I actually like what I'm hearing about Shead and his abilities more than several of those options and it seems that he is physically ready so it's possible he plays as a freshman. If we hear about some of those guys rocking spring drills though it's likely the staff will keep him off the field.

GhostofBigRoy has kicked off his great recruiting spotlight series wasting no time in getting to Jeffcoat and Hicks. Because he can take on linemen so well at a low weight it sounds like Jeffcoat may take on more of a Sergio Kindle role on the defense as a stand-up rusher and DE/LB hybrid. But again, he probably already is more skilled than Kindle as a pass-rusher. We might see him used on the strongside with Okafor coming off the edge at RE. All in 2 years though since Sam Acho and Eddie Jones probably aren't giving up the 2 starting spots this year.

Hicks probably won't play as a freshman unless the coaches decide to use him on Special Teams or in particular pass-rush packages. It's hard to see exactly where he projects since he excels as a blitzer and in coverage. If he can add the necessary strength and maintain the speed and agility he might make for a middle linebacker but it's still a good bet he ends up at WLB and cracks the 2-deep in his sophomore year when Keenan Robinson is on his way out.

Another statesman article on early enrollment details Gideon's rise. Connor Wood, Case McCoy and Adrian White are the early enrollments this year. The quarterbacks are a no-brainer, particularly McCoy who is about as small as his brother coming in. While White is not one of the higher ranked DBs coming in there's a chance to crack the depth chart at Corner. After the starting 3 of Curtis Brown, Chykie Brown and Aaron Williams there isn't much else in the way except Eryon Barnett and the other incoming freshman, none of whom are enrolling until the summer. Although White has the short-area speed you would like to see from a zone-corner or a robber safety like Thomas played last year.

As most of us now know the Aggies lost prize linebacker Corey Nelson as well as another top player they tried to poach from Louisiana, potentially the dirtiest state for recruiting in the country.

Will check in later with the Mack-Brown press conference when we get to hear Mack's vision for all these guys.

Tweet Comment 30 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

5 stars don’t sign to redshirt unless they play QB or OL. Hicks will play, and on more than just special teams. Muschamp will happily rotate LBs if he’s got enough that can play. He did it early this year and next year they’re going to be deeper.

by CloseToJumping on Feb 3, 2010 10:25 AM CST reply actions

Sure, I didn’t think he would be redshirting, but I don’t know that he’ll get a lot of meaningful snaps at his eventual position in the first season, barring an injury of course. ST and situational packages could feature him and it wouldn’t surprise me. Actually I think he could play now if not for Keenan’s presence ahead of him. DJ didn’t have to deal with that, it was necessary to involve him immediately.

by Nickel Rover on Feb 3, 2010 10:35 AM CST reply actions

Of the three LB’s only Benson has a chance to RS and I highly doubt that. Benson and Jackson are going to wreck shit on ST’s. I think Jackson plays a bunch in the two deep next year also. We are extremely deep at LB next year.

1st Team: E. Acho, Norton, Robinson
2nd Team: Hicks, Earnest, Jackson

Extras: Allen, Roberson?, Benson? Just sick.

by magnusbleuveigner on Feb 3, 2010 11:05 AM CST reply actions

Hicks will definitely play. Tevin Jackson will definitely play too.

by bigdukesix on Feb 3, 2010 11:07 AM CST reply actions

Nelson flipped.

by bigdukesix on Feb 3, 2010 11:08 AM CST reply actions

Has Nickel Rover replaced Scipio Tex?

Quantity<Quality

I'm just sayin…

by CoachBoomismycopilot on Feb 3, 2010 11:08 AM CST reply actions

And then there’s Nkowpara, who knows where he fits in. I’ve heard he’s everywhere in practice and swarms to the ball.

by Nickel Rover on Feb 3, 2010 11:10 AM CST reply actions

Nkowpara is probably a ninja.

by Trips Right on Feb 3, 2010 11:12 AM CST reply actions

Tevin Jackson is the Smoke Monster on Lost.

by Mr Eko on Feb 3, 2010 11:17 AM CST reply actions

I think Nkwopara is the kind of guy Muschamp thrived with at Auburn, I don’t know if he’ll need him here when he’s been able to get access to so many blue-chippers. If he turns out to have a knack for playmaking though maybe he’ll see the field in some capacity besides Special teams.

by Nickel Rover on Feb 3, 2010 11:17 AM CST reply actions

Tevin Jackson = Terry Tate

by magnusbleuveigner on Feb 3, 2010 11:21 AM CST reply actions

“Nkowpara is probably a ninja.”

I like it. Like Shipley as ghost. I’ve actually never seen him either.

by Eskimohorn on Feb 3, 2010 11:36 AM CST reply actions

I’m kind of worried about safety for next year. Both Gideon and Scott seem like more center fielder/run stuffer type safeties than a rover like Thomas. Do we have anyone in the pipeline to address this? I guess Wells is the best bet but he hasn’t shown much so far.

by NY Horn on Feb 3, 2010 11:50 AM CST reply actions

Sounds like we need to go to a 3-4 base.

by Name (required) on Feb 3, 2010 11:51 AM CST reply actions

With the personnel we have we could easily go to a 34 defense but why switch? I don’t think it’s worth the teaching time to switch.

NY, if we can keep Vaccarro away from playing basketball con abogados he’ll be our sniper. He plays a lot like Earl, just not as fast. Maybe as instictive though.

by magnusbleuveigner on Feb 3, 2010 12:00 PM CST reply actions

We already use a lot of 3-4 I think it’s highly like we’ll see more of it this year in lieu of a developed 3-tech. Randall at nose with acho and jones at the 5-tech.
I’m not really worried about safety next year because there is a lot of talent there.
If Gideon stays on the field we’ll probably stick with the cover-1 man we’ve been running. If he is surpassed we might use more 2 deep coverages and rely on aggressive play from Scott and Brewster/Vaccaro/Wells to get some interceptions.
I haven’t really seen enough of Vaccaro to know if he’s up for playing robber like Thomas did but he’s definitely fearless in run support. I think we might hear something from Wells who has looked a lot better in mop-up duty and might have finally caught on to the program.

by Nickel Rover on Feb 3, 2010 12:20 PM CST reply actions

What time is Mack’s presser and where do you connect with it?

by Confused and Dazed on Feb 3, 2010 12:40 PM CST reply actions

3:30 pm, I think ESPN Austin will be airing it, and you can watch it live on mackbrown-texasfootball.com I think.

by Burnt Orange Wookiee on Feb 3, 2010 12:43 PM CST reply actions

Sorry about the double “I think”s. It’s definitely on mackbrown-texasfootball.com

by Burnt Orange Wookiee on Feb 3, 2010 12:45 PM CST reply actions

I think we get more athletic at linebacker, Muschamp will be able to adjust his schemes to fit Scott/Gideon. It would be nice to see Ben Wells step up.

by Eskimohorn on Feb 3, 2010 1:02 PM CST reply actions

Texas signed a pride of fuck lions for a DL class.

by dedfischer on Feb 3, 2010 1:17 PM CST reply actions

Allsome, ded.

by Sailor Ripley on Feb 3, 2010 1:23 PM CST reply actions

Going to a 3-4 means fewer spots for all the stud DEs and DTs we just signed. Probably not worth it. Has anybody heard how Tariq Allen looked in practices this past year? He was a guy lots of people were excited about last year, but he’s fallen off a lot of people’s radar during his redshirt year.

by llogg on Feb 3, 2010 1:31 PM CST reply actions

ded makes a good point and the reason we won’t go to a 3-4 as base defense. It will take time to develop the young DT’s but it is time worth spending.

by hopefulhorn on Feb 3, 2010 2:39 PM CST reply actions

In most 3-4’s, our DE recruits would be outside linebackers. I think the bigger question is do we have the personnel at ILB? In the Big XII, with more coverage responsibilites, I’d say yes.

Since Muschamp is multiple, does it really matter?

by Eskimohorn on Feb 3, 2010 3:08 PM CST reply actions