Father of Bru McCoy Says “Texas is Back”

– Super K

After the Red River Rivalry game I caught up with Horace McCoy, the father of 2019 5-star ATH, Bru McCoy. I asked him for his impressions on Texas and their performance.

Horace said, “Texas is back! Super impressed with their play on both sides of the ball. Coach Herman knows how to win!”.

I’ll be in California later this week to see among other players, Bru McCoy as Mater Dei takes on St. John Bosco. So, we plan on having plenty more on where Texas is in this race for McCoy.

Recruits Reactions to Red River Shootout

– Will Baizer

We’ve already given you the reactions from Texas’ main two targets (Bru McCoy and Trey Sanders) to Texas taking back the Golden Cowboy Hat.

Here are some more reactions from across Texas’ targets and commits.

2019 CB Marques Caldwell (Alvin, TX)

“Loved what I saw. It was an all-around team win. We worked together throughout the whole game. It wasn’t a one-sided offensive/defensive win. This was a TEAM win.”

2019 DE Peter Mpagi (Richmond, TX)

“OU SUCKS and that team is something special.”

2019 LB DeGabriel Floyd (Westlake, CA)

“It went exactly how I wanted it to.”

2020 OL Chad Lindberg (League City, TX)

“Awesome to see them win over what is likely to be their toughest in-conference game… Texas’s defense looked good for the most part. The offense was rolling and getting better each week.”

2020 WR Troy Omeire (Houston, TX)

“Everybody played their hearts out.”

2021 OT Reuben Fatheree (Richmond, TX)

“It was very exciting and getting better as the season goes on. Impressive win.”

2021 OT Hayden Conner (Katy, TX)

“The game was amazing. Major statement by the Horns. The line continues to step up. Really happy for Coach Hand.”

Monday Injury Report

– Will Baizer

No major updates from Tom Herman on the injury report. Only addition is that Kyle Porter was withheld from the OU game for an undisclosed reason.

Out for Season

– LB Malcolm Roach (Broken Foot)

– TE Max Cummins (Surgery)

Out

– OL Patrick Hudson (Medical)

Redshirt Watch?

– RB Kyle Porter (Undisclosed)

Good to Go

– RB Keaontay Ingram (Knee)

– DB Jamarquist Durst (Shoulder)

– WR Brennan Eagles (Knee)

– DB Montrell Estell (Concussion)

– DB BJ Foster (Concussion)

– Tim Beck

Javonne Shepherd Visiting TAMU | Quick-Hitter

– Super K

Spoke with a source close to Texas commit, Javonne Shepherd, and am told that Shepherd visited Texas A&M Monday.

I asked whether the visit was an indication of renewed interest in Texas A&M and was told, “He’s solid to Texas. He’s just going because he’s out of school and bored”.

– UPDATE: I was just told that Shepherd is planning to visit Texas this weekend when the Longhorns host Baylor. So getting him back on campus right after he visits Texas A&M is good news. – (Andrew)

Lewis Cine | Quick-Hitter

– Super K

Won’t come as a huge surprise to you all, but I’m hearing that Texas will not be the choice for 2019 4-star DB, Lewis Cine. Texas made it closer than I had originally expected them to, but it wasn’t quite enough.

4-Star ATH To Officially Visit Texas

– Andrew King

I spoke with Odessa Permian (TX) ATH Peyton Powell.

He told me he is going to be in Austin this weekend for an official visit. There was some speculation he was going to commit last week between TCU, Ohio State, and Oklahoma. Looks like Texas will get a shot here.

Powell is a guy that could end up at a number of spots in college. He plays QB at Permian, but could end up at QB, WR, or DB. He told me Texas is saying they’ll give him a shot at QB, which could be appealing to him.

Five Thoughts | Post OU Game

– Andrew King

Saturday’s game could very well end up being the game of the year for Texas as they knocked off #7 Oklahoma 48-45. Here are some of my thoughts on the game.

1. Texas is for real.

I think most of us have still been a bit pessimistic on the Longhorns even after they beat USC and TCU. This was the real game where we could see if Texas can contend for the Big 12 title this season. And the answer is yes. For over three quarters, Texas dominated the game. Then Oklahoma scored 21 straight as Texas went conservative on both sides of the ball. A win vs a Top 10 team and your biggest rival is a win though.

2. A QB with confidence is huge, and Sam Ehlinger has it.

QB Sam Ehlinger played his best game as a Texas Longhorn on Saturday when his team needed it the most. It was a massive performance, but it wasn’t something that came out of the blue in my opinion. Over Texas’ 5-game win streak Ehlinger has been getting better and better and he’s been gaining confidence along the way. It’s hard to find a bigger key to a winning team than a QB with confidence.

3. Collin Johnson and Lil’Jordan Humphrey backed up the offseason hype.

Every year we have a few offensive guys that coaches and people behind the scenes rave about. Then the season starts and they make a very small impact. Jerrod Heard, Collin Johnson (in past years), and John Burt are some of the more recent guys that come to mind. This offseason it was all Lil’Jordan Humphrey with talk that this was finally going to be Johnson’s breakout season. They’re backing it up. They are the clear top guys on this team at WR. They make big plays, but more importantly, they’ve become very reliable 3rd down security blankets for Ehlinger.

4. Who would’ve guessed Texas would be here after the Maryland game?

After Texas fell to Maryland, I looked at the upcoming part of the schedule. Tulsa was the only game I saw as a win through week 6. 2-4 and 3-3 looked like the most realistic possibilities. I knew Texas was better than the team that played vs Maryland, but the early season schedule was tough. Turning around and going 5-0 and winning three vs ranked teams is something I think very few expected. That leads me to my final note….

5. Will Texas play like a Top 10 team every week?

Texas has shown in the past that they can play with schools like USC and Oklahoma when they’re ranked in the Top 10. But they’ve also shown they play down to the level of schools like Tulsa and Maryland. Texas is ranked #9 in the country right now. I think that’s a tad high but Texas is a Top 12 team in the nation in my opinion. SO now the biggest question is this: Can Texas play like a top 10 team every week? We’ll see. They have their first shot vs Baylor this weekend. Do they take care of business and dominate the Bears? Or are they looking ahead to a road game vs Oklahoma State and a possible Top 10 match up vs WVU in a few weeks? Is this team mature enough to bounce back from an emotional win vs Oklahoma and have a business-like performance vs Baylor? That’s what I’ll be looking at this weekend.

Complete Four Quarter Performance Still Missing | You Worried?

– CJ Vogel

Texas is 5-1, ranked 9th in the country and looks light years ahead of the embarrassment that was the Maryland game week one.

But still, it feels like a complete game has yet to be played by the Horns.

Sure Texas has been able to get the job done at the end of the day, but the close, nail-biting finishes are at times unnecessary.

A look back at the 4th quarter of games so far this season provides reason for worry moving forward for the Longhorns.

Maryland : Texas is outscored 10-0 in the 4th quarter. Ehlinger throws two INTs and the Longhorns fall 34-29.

: Texas is outscored 10-0 in the 4th quarter. Ehlinger throws two INTs and the Longhorns fall 34-29. Tulsa : Texas is outscored 14-7 in the 4th quarter, (21-7 in second half). First four possessions of second half resulted in three punts and a fumble.

: Texas is outscored 14-7 in the 4th quarter, (21-7 in second half). First four possessions of second half resulted in three punts and a fumble. USC : No points in the 4th quarter, ran out clock for the most part.

: No points in the 4th quarter, ran out clock for the most part. TCU : Good 4th quarter, outscored TCU 7-0. Ran out clock.

: Good 4th quarter, outscored TCU 7-0. Ran out clock. Kansas State: Outscored 14-0 in second half. Totaled 144 yards in second half, no points.

Outscored 14-0 in second half. Totaled 144 yards in second half, no points. OU: Lost 21-point lead in the 4th quarter, very conservative play-calling. Game winning drive & FG by freshman kicker bailed out colossal collapse.

Take out the USC and TCU games, and there has not a performance from the Longhorns that has gone wire-to-wire.

Texas in the 4th quarter this season has been outscored 52-17. Winning a game while taking a lead into the fourth quarter has not been easy for the Longhorns as evident in Maryland, Tulsa, Kansas State and now Oklahoma.

With big offenses coming up on the schedule (Texas Tech, Oklahoma State and West Virginia), this type of trend cannot continue if Texas hopes to reach their goal of winning the Big 12.

Are you at all concerned with the 4th quarter trend through the first half of the season?

Prince Dorbah in Focus | 2020 DE

– Super K

Prince Dorbah is one of the most highly coveted DE/OLB prospects in the 2020 class. I recently stopped by Highland Park to see Dorbah in action and spoke with him about his football background and his recruitment.

But before I get into those notes, here’s something you might like…

True story. Before the #RedRiverRivalry 2020 DE/OLB, Prince Dorbah predicted that #HookEm would win by three points. He hasn’t made a pick on who would win a possible rematch. Both #HookEm & the #Sooners are among the early schools standing out for the 👑 pic.twitter.com/DSmck9xbHG — Super K (@SuperK_TFB) October 9, 2018

Background & Interests

Dorbah was born in Ivory Coast, Africa and came to the United State when he was young. Had he stayed in Africa, he probably would’ve grown up playing soccer but here football and basketball were his choice sports, “Even since I could pick up a football we’d be playing out in the streets at my apartment”. Dorbah says he was interested to football by his brothers but basketball was his true love.

“Growing up I loved basketball. At one point I even thought about quitting football and focusing on basketball. I saw myself as a basketball player. My dream was to make it to the NBA. Now, my dream is to make it to the NFL”.

Once Dorbah found his way into a starting roll at Highland Park as a sophomore, he realized football was his future. “I didn’t realize I was that good at it but people around me saw it”. He picked up his first offer from Oklahoma State, “One that happened I thought, ‘So, I guess I am good at football’”.

Following that offer, Prince could see his dreams coming more into focus, “After that I just started working even harder because I felt like I was one step closer to where I want to be”. Dorbah spent this past summer training with former OU and Green Bay cornerback, Mike Hawkins and it showed. When I saw him play a couple weeks ago, Dorbah was coming off the ball hard even into the fourth quarter.

Recruiting

Following the offer from Oklahoma State, a lot of interest began pouring in. Texas went by to see Dorbah in the spring. Shortly thereafter they made the offer. Dorbah did camp at Texas. He also recently took a visit to Texas for the USC game. It was clear in speaking to him that that game really stood out to him and I think Texas made a big move with him, in part, because of that game.

Prince says that the three schools recruited him the hardest right now are Oklahoma State, Texas and Oklahoma. In terms of contact with the staff, it’s a team effort, “I hear from Herman and coach Giles but really pretty much all of the staff”. It sounds like Texas has made him a priority and seeing his bend and closing speed, I can see why.

In terms of a decision, don’t expect anything to happen anytime soon. Dorbah says he’s taking it slow. He still has offers coming in. But the local schools do appear to have at least one advantage, “Mom doesn’t want me to go far. My dream was to play far away when I was a kid but I don’t know now”.

In-Person | Three Thoughts

***Perfect size for a hybrid DE/OLB. He looks about 6’2 or so. You don’t want those guys too tall, otherwise, you start to get out-leveraged on the edge and you give up some athleticism.

***Fantastic closing speed and good jump off the ball. Dorbah has the twitch you want to see to get a guy on his hheelsand he plays pretty hard. He’s a little inconsistent in his hand usage but when he fires them out, it’s effective. I think he can be way more dominant than he realizes at this point. But it’ll come.

***To the point above, when he’s not thinking and he’s just reacting, he is dominant. In other words, he has the instinct for the game. Wish I had this one on video…

2020 DE/OLB, Prince Dorbah with quick hands. Throws away two would-be-blockers and dives to tackle the ball carrier for a loss. — Super K (@SuperK_TFB) September 29, 2018

That was a play where he wasn’t thinking. He saw blockers coming it at them, quick hands and threw the both away and explodes out to make a tackle. There was no one around. Had he allowed either guy to block him or not made that tackle, the ball goes for plenty of yards.

Favorites

Favorite TV show? Hard Knocks on HBO

Favorite Movie? Avengers: Infinity War

Favorite Artist? Lil Baby and Gunna (Had never heard of them. I felt old…or wise!)

Dream Vacation: Dubai

College Major: Engineering or Sports Management.

Top School: Says he doesn’t have one yet and if he does, he wasn’t ready to divulge it.

2019 DL Myron Warren | Texas Offers | Decommits From TCU

– Charlie S

– 2019 DE Myron Warren, out of Many, LA, was offered by Texas Monday…

Blessed to receive an offer from the University of Texas🐂🤟🏽 #hookem pic.twitter.com/YG7uV0SEaa — Myron Warren ⁶ (@M_warren99) October 9, 2018

At the time he was offered, Myron was committed to TCU.

That has changed yesterday, as he tweeted out his decommitment from the Horned Frogs…

Warren is listed as 6’3″ and 230 lbs.

We are reaching out to Myron and sources around him and will bring you what we get!

4-Star DB Jalen Catalon | Quick Hitter

– Andrew King

Talked to a source regarding Mansfield Legacy (TX) S Jalen Catalon, here are some notes.

*** He’s taken his first two official visits to Oklahoma and Arkansas. He’s expected to visit Texas this weekend, but for an unofficial visit. Texas is trying their best to get him in for an official visit after the season, which I think is a smart move.

*** Everyone is talking about how him wanting to play baseball is going to have a huge impact on his decision. But I would pump the breaks on that statement. Especially after his season-ending knee injury, I think Catalon might be starting to realize he needs to prioritize one sport in college.

*** Everyone seems to be talking about this being a Texas-Arkansas battle. Obviously, Arkansas can sell early playing time over Texas after the Longhorns landed an elite DB class in 2018. I was told the Hogs staff is doing that. But I was also told Texas winning big on the field this year and Arkansas starting 1-5 is counteracting that.

*** TCU seems to be the school most people aren’t talking about when it comes to Catalon’s Final Four. But don’t sleep on the Horned Frogs. I was told last night “His [Jalen’s] parents always talk about how they love how the staff over there treats him.” I’m sure his parents wouldn’t mind him being right down the road from them either.

*** I truly sense that a decision hasn’t been made as Catalon is weighing all the pros and cons of his Final Four right now. I also think winning over his parents could be a key in this recruitment.

Caleb Johnson Decommits From Iowa State

– Charlie S

– 2019 JUCO outside linebacker Caleb Johnson has decommitted from Iowa State.

– Johnson, out of Fullerton College in Murrieta, CA, is scheduled to take an official visit to Texas this weekend

– Our Super K will be visiting him at practice on Thursday and will have much for you then!