Shepard to LSU
Russell Shepard committed to LSU last night.
Money quote:
“There were certain schools that were going to give me the opportunity to play quarterback and LSU was one,” Shepard said.
I’m glad we were able to help LSU recruit in Houston. They certainly needed it coming off a national championship and all.
Les Miles can’t believe his luck.
March 4, 2008 at 7:19 am
So what. Show me one piece of evidence that says we need a super-mobile QB running the zone read offense in order to win championships.
March 4, 2008 at 7:20 am
It’s going to really suck if he convinces Jamarkus McFarland to join him.
March 4, 2008 at 7:30 am
We dodged a bullet. Dude has too much ‘Tellus in him.
March 4, 2008 at 7:37 am
Classic Mac - biggest recruiting mistake ever!
March 4, 2008 at 7:38 am
So let me get this straight. We picked the 16 year old kid whose shoulder is already worn out over the guy who everyone agrees will play some position in college and be a star, and who grew up a lifelong Longhorn fan, and who just wanted a chance to TRY for qb? Sounds about right.
March 4, 2008 at 7:40 am
Best of lck to him.
I won’t secod guess Mack in the least bit. Number dictated us taking one QB this year, and the curent crop on campus dictated us taking a prospet with as little risk as possible.
Say what you want about the kind of QB that RS MIGHT end up being, but it’s anything but a lock at this point.
At the end of the day, he was offered as an Athlete with the chance to compete for QB. Despite comments to the contrary, he wanted to be offered exclusively as a QB (more than he wanted to be a Longhorn). He’s the one that is gong to have to live with that decision.
March 4, 2008 at 7:41 am
I hate my keyboard.
March 4, 2008 at 7:45 am
“Number dictated us taking one QB this year”
I don’t get this. We can have 40 WR’s and RB’s, but can’t make room for one Russell Shepard?
March 4, 2008 at 7:47 am
Remember when Sunshine pumpers declared that Ramonce was a better fit for our offense after we whiffed on the longtime fan Adrian Peterson?
This is an absolute disaster. What does it say about GG that he doesn’t want competition? If he is the better QB, Shepard was willing to move to another position. Also, Shepard could have opened the door to Loston who appears to be the best safety prospect this state has seen in a long time. His video is unbelievable.
No worries, along as we get commitments in February from the likes of Barrett Matthews and Brock Fitzhenry. Does anyone know if we lead for Ryan Swope? I sure miss Brett Robin on third down situations.
March 4, 2008 at 8:04 am
“…We picked a kid whose shoulder is already worn out…”
Not according to some medical people.
http://www.ejbjs.org/cgi/content/abstract/81/10/1357
By all accounts RS is a great kid but you do have to wonder if he really wanted to come to UT (as he put it, a life long fan). If he was given the chance to be in the QB mix then why not take the challenge. I don’t believe for a minute that Mack didn’t offer him a opportunity to prove himself at QB. Mack may not have gone about it like some would have wanted but in the end the kid didn’t want the challenge.
It is not over till it’s over. He has many months to ponder his commitment.
March 4, 2008 at 8:29 am
8straight: It is common knowledge that he would not be given a chance to compete at QB as they promised GG that he would be the only QB offered. Shepard stated that all he wanted was a shot and if he lost the battle he would be happy to move to another position. What do I know because I’m happy we got Ramonce instead of Adrian Peterson.
March 4, 2008 at 8:46 am
common knowledge is rarely all that accurate.
March 4, 2008 at 8:48 am
Too bad we make promises to players that cripple us later - can you say “Chris Simms?” QB’s, as any position should have to compete to play. We’re Texas, we should take 2 or 3 bluechip QB’s when we have the chance, not just 1.
What a waste!
March 4, 2008 at 8:58 am
“So what. Show me one piece of evidence that says we need a super-mobile QB running the zone read offense in order to win championships.”
Don’t you remember Matt Nordgren’s run and dribble against Baylor? Yeah, we won it all that year.
March 4, 2008 at 8:59 am
It seems that it’s always the big programs that pull the “committed to our QB of the future” card, while the Baylors of the world will recruit two or three evenly-ranked prospects and let them duke it out.
I can see how you guys would be frustrated.
March 4, 2008 at 9:04 am
Did someone just play the “promises made to Chris Simms” card in a thread about the state’s best player choosing LSU over Texas?
It’s times like these I wish I still lived in Texas, because a lot of people down there have guns and one of them could shoot me now.
March 4, 2008 at 9:08 am
Mack overthinks decisions way too often.
He is more concerned about how his pristine reputation (i.e., Mack doesn’t tell recruits what they want to hear) than he is about winning.
incredible incompetence to fuck this one up
March 4, 2008 at 9:16 am
If you’re slamming Mack for being honest with a kid about where he sees them getting on the field, you might want to find a new team to cheer for until he leaves. The man isn’t going to bullshit a 16 year old kid just to get a signed LOI.
That’s going to work in his favor more often that not. Most kids want to hear the truth. RS just isn’t one of them.
March 4, 2008 at 9:28 am
Shit like this is the difference b/w 10-win seasons and championships.
March 4, 2008 at 9:36 am
I can only hope that MB could see a serious issue w/ RS himself. This is not far from telling a bluechip RB “we’re only taking 1 RB this year so you can’t compete for that position if you come here - and we really want you to come here…”
I’m just going to tell myself Mack had a good reason to eschew RS the next 6 years and just have to have faith, …, that & a lot of alcoholic beverages when I’m watching the BCS championships for the next few years.
March 4, 2008 at 9:38 am
The implications on Houston area recruiting are what hurts the most. Loads of good players in the Houston area this year, and Shep is potentially a Pied Piper.
March 4, 2008 at 9:40 am
Take it easy on Mack. He was always honest with me from the start and it worked out great.
March 4, 2008 at 10:29 am
Hey, at least he didn’t go Aggy on us.
March 4, 2008 at 10:29 am
Mack has become such a…. He’d better get in there and do some serious fucking damage control ASAP.
March 4, 2008 at 11:24 am
I just don’t believe that Mack told the kid that he wouldn’t get a chance to at least make a run at QB. Just like I don’t believe that he told the Gilberts that Garrett would be the only QB. What I do believe is that Gilbert and Shepard were the only ones on the board. If RS didn’t take the challenge then they would not go after another QB.
That is why it is disappointing that Russell doesn’t seem confident enough in his game to come in and go mano y mano with Garrett. If he was such a UT heavy lean then it wouldn’t have mattered who who or how many competitors were coming to Texas. It looks like egos got in the way. Luckily competition doesn’t always scare kids away. Colt didn’t seem to mind the potential showdown with Perrilu.
March 4, 2008 at 12:05 pm
You people are f…ing hilarious (or mindless). Have any of you mental giants actually looked at RS’s passing stats ? If it is possible, try understanding that high school football is not even the same game as the college level game. VY had tremendous passing numbers in HS and still needed 2 years to get it just right. The fact is that RS is a no doubt a freak on his feet, but so are almost all college level defenders. Mack has rarely made bad recruiting decisions, and GG was the right chioce here as well!
March 4, 2008 at 12:09 pm
Nobody is arguing he’ll be a great quarterback.
March 4, 2008 at 12:16 pm
Good point, those idiots over at LSU!!! WTF do they know about winning a G–Damn NC!! Dumbasses probably totally ignored RS’s passing stats.
GG gets hurt, happens in the college game, what then from class of 2009?
March 4, 2008 at 12:41 pm
8straight,
I’m taking it from the horses mouth. Shepard said he would have committed if the coaches had given him a chance at QB. Even the guys who cover UT Football for a living have confirmed what went down. GG was only going to commit if he was the only QB taken in this class. That makes me more concerned about a player who didn’t want competition than a player that said give me a chance and if I don’t win the position at QB I’ll play DB or WR. Don’t forget that we would have had a fairly good chance at Craig Loston as well.
March 4, 2008 at 1:06 pm
Isn’t this why UT pays Mack the big bucks, though? To go out and get the other good players from Houston despite RS’s commit to LSU? Shouldn’t Texas be better at drawing in recruits than depending on a commit from an 18 y/o guy? (And we all know how mature and foresighted 18 y/o boys are.)
I’m just saying…
Here’s to hoping, at any rate.
March 4, 2008 at 1:06 pm
Well look at the bright side, I just read GG is going to work hard to get his 40 time down to 4.6. So if he can’t pass he’ll probably be able to outrun most Big 12 defenses. We don’t face anyone who can run near that fast do we?
March 4, 2008 at 1:43 pm
Groundhog,
You’re selectively quoting RS. Yes, he did say that all he wanted was a shot. He also told at least 2 different recruiting sites (Inside Texas and some Michigan site) that Mack DID tell him he would get his shot.
I’m assuming that RS went to Texas with the expectation that Mack and staff would ride his jock and beg him to be our QB. When that didn’t happen, he got disappointed and started to spin.
Jilted lover syndrome and shit.
March 4, 2008 at 1:56 pm
Speaking of the SEC, an Auburn player sprained his vagina in spring drills: OUCH
And, no I wasn’t really set up for that. I just really wanted to use it.
March 4, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Brandon Cox’s ova are legally protected from stem cell research.
March 4, 2008 at 2:33 pm
My only expertise is that I stayed at Holiday Inn Express last night but what I hear is closer to what Rich is saying. I know of a player who plays in the NFL today who visited on the same Saturday as VY. This is a great kid but got his panties in a big wad because VY got all the attention (and they didn’t even play the same position). Who knows what tipped the scales for this kid to go else where?
It doesn’t make sense that Mack and company would tell the kid that he would never get the chance to play QB at UT (even the slightest chance). What is likely is that he was told that there is one hell of a QB already committed and he would have to be at least that good to play. What does sound more likely is exactly what Rich and I have said. Maybe he got VYed by GG. I wouldn’t know Russell Shepard if he walked through the door but from what I hear he would have given Gilbert a heck of a run for the starting job some day. Of course it is many months until next Feb. so who knows how all this ends. If he was as committed (as big a fan) to UT as he says he was then all that couldn’t have disappeared in one weekend.
March 4, 2008 at 2:55 pm
Then you’d be completely wrong in your assumption.
March 4, 2008 at 3:06 pm
I think he has a lady friend at LSU and his best friend (his high school’s RB - top 20 in Texas) is likely to commit there. I don’t think he will end up at LSU when all is said and done. Seems similar to Brantley’s committment to us.
March 4, 2008 at 4:21 pm
HJ,
Such insightful, biting commentary on your part. Thanks for “setting me straight”.
I’d ask you to share your insight, but I know better.
March 4, 2008 at 7:15 pm
Let’s forget about Shepard and focus on the failed recruitment of Ryan Swope. Our third down offense hasn’t been the same since Brett Robin left. Wait, did you guys hear we got the next Wes Welker?
March 5, 2008 at 9:02 am
GG is the real McCoy!
March 5, 2008 at 9:36 am
GG will be good. Hopefully he will have a good WR crew. How does the triplets part deux sound?? Say bye-bye to the zone read!!! And embrace the greg davis 5 wide and occasional I formation. (We like to run out of singleback and shotgun three wide?!?!?)
Were just gonna have to wait for another player to WILL us to a championship!!!
March 5, 2008 at 9:53 am
GG is going to be great, assuming Davis isn’t here. He likely won’t be. Major or any other competent coach will have a lot of success with him.
The issue is that, at least at the moment, an awesome 5 star athlete who wanted to come to Texas is committed to LSU.
March 5, 2008 at 10:22 am
RS got duped by Leslie. Saying he’s a “QB” also helps them recruit Randle. He gets moved to WR by the tiggers once all the signatures are in.
March 5, 2008 at 10:29 am
For the record, I think GG is an outstanding QB prospect. The kid has a great release, he sees the field, and though his arm strength is not top notch, I’ll take his accuracy and poise to the bank.
This is also the best QB class in Texas high school history.
Message delivery and saving face is as important to prideful athletes as Lil Debbie cakes are to Fran. There are a lot of times in life when someone who cared about you was able to tell you the things you needed to hear even though you both knew where things will probably go.
Life doesn’t have to be a zero sum game.
March 6, 2008 at 2:03 pm
Ho! Ho!! Ho!!! It is to laff when y’all lose a big-time recruit cuz yer staff offers a year ahead, in such a rush to win next year’s MNC in recruiting!
Thought the big, bad-ass Whorns got ever’one they wanted jes by crookin’ their little finger in a recruit’s di-reck-shun!
Maybe that’s just a myth, eh?
March 8, 2008 at 7:29 pm
Gilbert is going to be a real bad-ass and I’m not worried at all. Next year there will be another Russell Shepard to recruit.