Welcome to your daily Board Meeting. Each evening we’ll update you on the day’s hottest topics on the HornsNation forum.
Durant, OKC: Carter Strickland asked who you would rather start your NBA franchise with: KD, LeBron, Kevin Love, Anthony Davis or Blake Griffin.
Lots of different choices between scorers, big men and athletic freaks. Kevin Durant is a scoring machine, but it is hard to go against LeBron James. Yes, he has had trouble being clutch in the fourth quarter, but he is the most physically gifted player in the NBA. He also can carry a team by himself like he did with Cleveland.
Durant, OKC: Carter Strickland asked who you would rather start your NBA franchise with: KD, LeBron, Kevin Love, Anthony Davis or Blake Griffin.
Lots of different choices between scorers, big men and athletic freaks. Kevin Durant is a scoring machine, but it is hard to go against LeBron James. Yes, he has had trouble being clutch in the fourth quarter, but he is the most physically gifted player in the NBA. He also can carry a team by himself like he did with Cleveland.
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NORMAN, Okla. -- Texas coach Mack Brown was the first Big 12 coach to speak out against some of college football's latest rule changes, but Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops and Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy joined him in expressing concerns this week during interviews with ESPN.com.
Stoops' biggest concern was the potential for players to be penalized for continuing to play if their helmet is knocked off during the course of a play.
"It doesn’t make sense," he said. "It’s not anybody’s instinct to stop. I don’t think that’s very fair or very realistic."
Stoops and Brown both brought in officials this offseason to explain the rule change. For example, pass rushers can continue to rush the pocket without a helmet if they're engaged with an offensive lineman, but if a passer escapes the pocket or steps up to run, players must stop. If not, they can be flagged for 15-yard penalties.
"I’m not for that. Any rule that gives the officials or makes the officials have judgment calls is a bad rule because it’s not fair to them either," Gundy said. "Judgment calls make it difficult, and so you always want to take judgment calls out of their hands."
Additionally, players must sit out a play if their helmet comes off, which Brown noted could pose problems late in games. If a helmet comes off and the player's team doesn't have a timeout saved in a game's final minutes, there will be a 10-second run-off.
"They might need to look at that a little bit more," Stoops said.
The nightmare scenario? Being forced to run a game-deciding play with a top talent on the sidelines because a helmet came off.
"You can’t have a game changed because a helmet came off a key player," Gundy said. "That’s not a good thing."
The intent of the rule is to get players, some of whom have grown lazy in correctly buckling helmets, to take safety seriously and wear helmets correctly, which could also prevent concussions.
The question: Will the good intent outweigh controversial side effects?
"They’re trying to get them to tighten up their helmets, which is a good rule," Gundy said. "But those kinds of things have to be taken into consideration."
Additionally, players may call for a fair catch on onside kicks this year if the ball bounces high in the air after just one bounce. If it bounces twice, it's a live ball on an onside kick as it had been previously.
Stoops says he's "fine" with that rule, and Gundy sounded less concerned about the rule change than Brown.
"I am not a big fan of the onside kick. I hold my breath whenever you do it or you’re against it, because three kids, three players on both teams are going to get blown up every time. You’re just sitting ducks. You’re standing there looking in the air and a guy’s blowing you up. If that were my kid, I wouldn’t be real fired up about that," Gundy said. "I know it’s part of football and this and that, but there’s a lot of things that go on in history of life that we change when we think it’s better."
The result for Gundy's Cowboys? He may abandon the onside kick altogether with the new rules.
"Basically that means you have to squib the ball, and if you squib the ball, your percentages go down considerably," he said. "I agree with Mack, it’s not even worth it. Why run in there and blow everybody up for a play that was probably less than 10 percent chance to get, now it’s less than three percent?"
Stoops' biggest concern was the potential for players to be penalized for continuing to play if their helmet is knocked off during the course of a play.
"It doesn’t make sense," he said. "It’s not anybody’s instinct to stop. I don’t think that’s very fair or very realistic."
[+] Enlarge
Jackson Laizure/Getty ImagesOklahoma's Bob Stoops, left, and Oklahoma State's Mike Gundy said that they are concerned with some of college football's rule changes for 2012.
"I’m not for that. Any rule that gives the officials or makes the officials have judgment calls is a bad rule because it’s not fair to them either," Gundy said. "Judgment calls make it difficult, and so you always want to take judgment calls out of their hands."
Additionally, players must sit out a play if their helmet comes off, which Brown noted could pose problems late in games. If a helmet comes off and the player's team doesn't have a timeout saved in a game's final minutes, there will be a 10-second run-off.
"They might need to look at that a little bit more," Stoops said.
The nightmare scenario? Being forced to run a game-deciding play with a top talent on the sidelines because a helmet came off.
"You can’t have a game changed because a helmet came off a key player," Gundy said. "That’s not a good thing."
The intent of the rule is to get players, some of whom have grown lazy in correctly buckling helmets, to take safety seriously and wear helmets correctly, which could also prevent concussions.
The question: Will the good intent outweigh controversial side effects?
"They’re trying to get them to tighten up their helmets, which is a good rule," Gundy said. "But those kinds of things have to be taken into consideration."
Additionally, players may call for a fair catch on onside kicks this year if the ball bounces high in the air after just one bounce. If it bounces twice, it's a live ball on an onside kick as it had been previously.
Stoops says he's "fine" with that rule, and Gundy sounded less concerned about the rule change than Brown.
"I am not a big fan of the onside kick. I hold my breath whenever you do it or you’re against it, because three kids, three players on both teams are going to get blown up every time. You’re just sitting ducks. You’re standing there looking in the air and a guy’s blowing you up. If that were my kid, I wouldn’t be real fired up about that," Gundy said. "I know it’s part of football and this and that, but there’s a lot of things that go on in history of life that we change when we think it’s better."
The result for Gundy's Cowboys? He may abandon the onside kick altogether with the new rules.
"Basically that means you have to squib the ball, and if you squib the ball, your percentages go down considerably," he said. "I agree with Mack, it’s not even worth it. Why run in there and blow everybody up for a play that was probably less than 10 percent chance to get, now it’s less than three percent?"
I've been inspired by the boys at the Big Ten Blog, and this should be a fun walk through each week in the new-look Big 12 next season. I'll pick one game a week during the season that I'd attend if it were entirely up to me. I don't make the call, and things change as games are played, of course. But right now, this is how it'd look if it were up to me. I'll include road nonconference games, too.
Here's the Week 5 slate in the Big 12:
My pick: Texas at Oklahoma State
Once again, no contest here. It'd be my first look at the reigning Big 12 champs, who would be sporting a brand-new look on offense without the team's top two receivers (Justin Blackmon, Josh Cooper) and quarterback Brandon Weeden. My money is on J.W. Walsh as the man to replace Weeden, but he'd face what would likely be the toughest test of his season in Texas' defense.
What a matchup. Last year, the Longhorns provided OSU's offense its toughest test, and this should be a close, classic game. OSU's offense won't be quite as potent and Texas' defense should be much better, as will its offense. Oklahoma State says its defensive tackles are much improved, but they'll get a tough test in the Longhorns' three-headed rushing attack with Joe Bergeron, Malcolm Brown and Johnathan Gray.
Neither team will be among the favorites to win the Big 12, but both teams have the potential to take the lead. Want to prove it? Win this game. Loser will get downgraded in the race for sure, and this one should go down to the wire after OSU beat the Longhorns by double digits in Austin in consecutive seasons.
- Week 1: West Virginia vs. Marshall
- Week 2: Kansas State vs. Miami
- Week 3: Texas at Ole Miss
- Week 4: Kansas State at Oklahoma
Here's the Week 5 slate in the Big 12:
- Baylor at West Virginia
- Texas Tech at Iowa State
- Texas at Oklahoma State
- TCU at SMU
My pick: Texas at Oklahoma State
Once again, no contest here. It'd be my first look at the reigning Big 12 champs, who would be sporting a brand-new look on offense without the team's top two receivers (Justin Blackmon, Josh Cooper) and quarterback Brandon Weeden. My money is on J.W. Walsh as the man to replace Weeden, but he'd face what would likely be the toughest test of his season in Texas' defense.
What a matchup. Last year, the Longhorns provided OSU's offense its toughest test, and this should be a close, classic game. OSU's offense won't be quite as potent and Texas' defense should be much better, as will its offense. Oklahoma State says its defensive tackles are much improved, but they'll get a tough test in the Longhorns' three-headed rushing attack with Joe Bergeron, Malcolm Brown and Johnathan Gray.
Neither team will be among the favorites to win the Big 12, but both teams have the potential to take the lead. Want to prove it? Win this game. Loser will get downgraded in the race for sure, and this one should go down to the wire after OSU beat the Longhorns by double digits in Austin in consecutive seasons.
The statue and the evolving Ricky Williams
April, 6, 2012
4/06/12
10:00
AM CT
By
Carter Strickland | ESPN.com
AUSTIN, Texas -- It’s odd, 17 years after he arrived, that Ricky Williams should be back again and this time inanimate, cast in bronze.
He had, after all, always been the ever-changing athlete. Ricky was not one who could be caught in a pose much less by his opponents. Instead Ricky was a subject tough to get a grip on. The dreads. The visor. The disappearance. The dress. Ricky was all those images. What he wasn’t and never will be is someone who can be captured by a single image or even an 8-foot, 1000-pound statue.
That’s not Ricky. Ricky evolves.
It seems everything these days, from Nick Saban to Tim Tebow’s teary speech after an LSU loss, has to be memorialized. Texas decided Ricky should be. He be the next to have his likeness placed outside Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Right there next to Earl.
To be sure it’s a tribute and honor. Over the top? Sure, but college football must have its heroes. And Ricky, one of only two Heisman winners in Texas history, is the Longhorns.
“It was so funny … I had to take [Williams] down to the running backs meeting. They were just in awe,” Texas coach Mack Brown said. “Just bringing a rock star in and walking him into the running back room. They were sitting up front and I walked in and said, `This is Ricky Williams.’ They couldn't move. They just sat there. They didn't say hello. They didn't shake his hand.”
Fourteen years removed from his playing days at Texas and this is the response Ricky still elicits from people in and around the program. Maybe that is why the statue seems premature. Ricky is still a living breathing entity, still changing, still effecting people.
Even to Ricky the statue seems a tad strange.
“It's going to be funny being a student walking past my statue,” Williams said.
Not that he is going to mind it too terribly much.
“I'm going to walk by it every day,” he joked.
Who wouldn’t?
On the other hand who, at age 35, with money and opportunity who said “I wake up and I say to myself, `What grand and glorious adventure do I want to do today,” would decide that the adventure would be to go back to school?
Ricky would.
“I want to get a “T” ring,” Williams said. “It’s one of the things I wanted to do a long time ago.”
Despite wandering away from what the public perceived his goals should have be on the football field, Ricky is actually all about goals. Setting them and meeting them. It’s how he came to be at Texas. He wanted to have an impact on a program. He wanted to be a part of something.
In the process he became something.
“I remember when he broke the record, we knew he was going to do it in the Texas A&M game, we just didn’t know how he was going to do it,” ESPN broadcaster Brent Musburger, who called the game in 1998, said during the statue ceremony.
He should have known. Musburger had been watching Ricky for more than three years. By that time it was clear nothing Ricky ever did was understated or subtle. So that he went through three tackles for 60 yards and into the end zone should not have been shock to anyone.
Those are the types of memories David Demming has attempted to evoke with this statue. A Texas fan can now look at this piece of art and remember what Ricky did in those four years.
The fans gets a glimpse at the dreads – not nearly as long as they would be, and the player – really at the peak of what he would be – and they are able to remember a few days and plays from the falls of the late 90s.
But not even Ricky believes this statue resembles who he is or much less who he might become now that football is over.
“Close enough,” he said.
Not really. Not at all.
He had, after all, always been the ever-changing athlete. Ricky was not one who could be caught in a pose much less by his opponents. Instead Ricky was a subject tough to get a grip on. The dreads. The visor. The disappearance. The dress. Ricky was all those images. What he wasn’t and never will be is someone who can be captured by a single image or even an 8-foot, 1000-pound statue.
That’s not Ricky. Ricky evolves.
[+] Enlarge
AP Photo/Michael ThomasRunning back Ricky Williams' statue sits next to Texas' other Heisman winner, Earl Campbell.
To be sure it’s a tribute and honor. Over the top? Sure, but college football must have its heroes. And Ricky, one of only two Heisman winners in Texas history, is the Longhorns.
“It was so funny … I had to take [Williams] down to the running backs meeting. They were just in awe,” Texas coach Mack Brown said. “Just bringing a rock star in and walking him into the running back room. They were sitting up front and I walked in and said, `This is Ricky Williams.’ They couldn't move. They just sat there. They didn't say hello. They didn't shake his hand.”
Fourteen years removed from his playing days at Texas and this is the response Ricky still elicits from people in and around the program. Maybe that is why the statue seems premature. Ricky is still a living breathing entity, still changing, still effecting people.
Even to Ricky the statue seems a tad strange.
“It's going to be funny being a student walking past my statue,” Williams said.
Not that he is going to mind it too terribly much.
“I'm going to walk by it every day,” he joked.
Who wouldn’t?
On the other hand who, at age 35, with money and opportunity who said “I wake up and I say to myself, `What grand and glorious adventure do I want to do today,” would decide that the adventure would be to go back to school?
Ricky would.
“I want to get a “T” ring,” Williams said. “It’s one of the things I wanted to do a long time ago.”
Despite wandering away from what the public perceived his goals should have be on the football field, Ricky is actually all about goals. Setting them and meeting them. It’s how he came to be at Texas. He wanted to have an impact on a program. He wanted to be a part of something.
In the process he became something.
“I remember when he broke the record, we knew he was going to do it in the Texas A&M game, we just didn’t know how he was going to do it,” ESPN broadcaster Brent Musburger, who called the game in 1998, said during the statue ceremony.
He should have known. Musburger had been watching Ricky for more than three years. By that time it was clear nothing Ricky ever did was understated or subtle. So that he went through three tackles for 60 yards and into the end zone should not have been shock to anyone.
Those are the types of memories David Demming has attempted to evoke with this statue. A Texas fan can now look at this piece of art and remember what Ricky did in those four years.
The fans gets a glimpse at the dreads – not nearly as long as they would be, and the player – really at the peak of what he would be – and they are able to remember a few days and plays from the falls of the late 90s.
But not even Ricky believes this statue resembles who he is or much less who he might become now that football is over.
“Close enough,” he said.
Not really. Not at all.
Holland could add to UT's hoops class 
April, 6, 2012
4/06/12
8:30
AM CT
By
William Wilkerson | ESPN.com
Class of 2012 shooting guard DeMarcus Holland (Garland, Texas/ Naaman Forest) has a bone to pick.
Not with anyone in particular, really, but for those that slept on his ability as he fought back from a torn meniscus in his right knee during the early part of his junior season.
“I would hear about this guy or that guy and I was just as good,” Holland said. “I know I work harder than them so I deserved the opportunity [to play at big programs] too.”
Not with anyone in particular, really, but for those that slept on his ability as he fought back from a torn meniscus in his right knee during the early part of his junior season.
“I would hear about this guy or that guy and I was just as good,” Holland said. “I know I work harder than them so I deserved the opportunity [to play at big programs] too.”
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Chat Reminder: Sean Adams, 11 a.m. Friday
April, 5, 2012
4/05/12
10:00
PM CT
By HornsNation staff | ESPN.com
HornsNation's Sean Adams will stop by to chat at 11 a.m. CT Friday.
Sean will be live from The Masters, so sneak in a golf question if you'd like. He'll also be talking spring football, recruiting and everything Longhorns.
Submit your questions here.
Sean will be live from The Masters, so sneak in a golf question if you'd like. He'll also be talking spring football, recruiting and everything Longhorns.
Submit your questions here.
Welcome to your daily Board Meeting. Each evening we’ll update you on the day’s hottest topics on the HornsNation forum.
1. More on Justin Manning: Dallas Kimball DT Justin Manning had some interesting things to say about Oklahoma a few days ago in an interview with William Wilkerson. The 2013 recruit said he would have committed to the Sooners by now had they started recruiting him earlier in the process.
For what it’s worth, Manning wasn’t exactly glowing about the Longhorns. Do these kinds of slights help or hurt schools. Maybe for some recruits, but big, elite programs have to take their time and make the correct evaluations. How else will they stay as good.
1. More on Justin Manning: Dallas Kimball DT Justin Manning had some interesting things to say about Oklahoma a few days ago in an interview with William Wilkerson. The 2013 recruit said he would have committed to the Sooners by now had they started recruiting him earlier in the process.
For what it’s worth, Manning wasn’t exactly glowing about the Longhorns. Do these kinds of slights help or hurt schools. Maybe for some recruits, but big, elite programs have to take their time and make the correct evaluations. How else will they stay as good.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
For the third time in three conference series the No. 25 Longhorns will play away from Disch-Falk Field beginning today against Texas Tech.
If the first two series were any indication, then Texas probably can’t wait to get to Lubbock. The Longhorns have won five of six on the road in conference against Oklahoma and Kansas State.
Texas has also played considerably well against Texas Tech, having not dropped a series to the Red Raiders since 2002.
Staff ace Nathan Thornhill (3-2, 3.52 ERA) will try to end Texas’ two-game skid, which it suffered at the hands of Cal last week, by duplicating his effort from the series opener against the Golden Bears last Friday.
In Texas’ 13-3 romp, the right-hander allowed five hits, three runs (two earned) and struck out five in seven innings.
Leadoff hitter Mark Payton was a key component in that win, as he has been in most of Texas’ victories this season. He was 3-for-5 with three runs scored and two RBI on Friday and reached base safely in the next two games to continue his streak of reaching base in every game this season.
Payton, Texas’ rightfielder, has recorded at least one base hit in 22 games and owns a .309 batting average to go along with a .411 on-base percentage.
Texas Tech (17-13, 2-7 Big 12) is coming off a 13-8 victory over Angelo State but has lost 5-of-7 overall. If the Red Raiders are going to build off Tuesday’s win they’ll count on Jamodrick McGruder to lead the way. He ranks in the top 10 of five different Big 12 categories, including triples (third), walks (eighth), stolen bases (eighth), runs (ninth) and on-base percentage (10th).
This will be the second game of a 10-game homestand that the Red Raiders are hoping will lift them from the depths of the Big 12 standings. Texas Tech sits just above Oklahoma State (1-5) in conference. Texas (15-11, 5-1) lies just behind Baylor, which will head to Missouri (3-3) with a perfect 9-0 conference record.
Notables: Corey Knebel moved into the Big 12’s top 10 career chart in saves last week. The sophomore’s 24 saves tie him with former Longhorn J. Brent Cox and Nick Cassavechia (Baylor) for 10th on the list.
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
Thursday, April 5, 2012 - 6:30 p.m.
Texas: RHP Nathan Thornhill (3-2, 3.52 ERA)(vs. Texas Tech: RHP Trey Masek (1-3, 3.22 ERA)((
Friday, April 6, 2012 - 6:30 p.m.
Texas: RHP Parker French (3-1, 4.10 ERA)(vs. Texas Tech: RHP Duke von Schamann (4-3, 1.72 ERA)((
Saturday, April 7, 2012 - 2 p.m.
Texas: RHP Ricky Jacquez (1-1, 6.67 ERA)(vs. Texas Tech: RHP John Neely (2-3, 4.26 ERA)
If the first two series were any indication, then Texas probably can’t wait to get to Lubbock. The Longhorns have won five of six on the road in conference against Oklahoma and Kansas State.
Texas has also played considerably well against Texas Tech, having not dropped a series to the Red Raiders since 2002.
Staff ace Nathan Thornhill (3-2, 3.52 ERA) will try to end Texas’ two-game skid, which it suffered at the hands of Cal last week, by duplicating his effort from the series opener against the Golden Bears last Friday.
In Texas’ 13-3 romp, the right-hander allowed five hits, three runs (two earned) and struck out five in seven innings.
Leadoff hitter Mark Payton was a key component in that win, as he has been in most of Texas’ victories this season. He was 3-for-5 with three runs scored and two RBI on Friday and reached base safely in the next two games to continue his streak of reaching base in every game this season.
Payton, Texas’ rightfielder, has recorded at least one base hit in 22 games and owns a .309 batting average to go along with a .411 on-base percentage.
Texas Tech (17-13, 2-7 Big 12) is coming off a 13-8 victory over Angelo State but has lost 5-of-7 overall. If the Red Raiders are going to build off Tuesday’s win they’ll count on Jamodrick McGruder to lead the way. He ranks in the top 10 of five different Big 12 categories, including triples (third), walks (eighth), stolen bases (eighth), runs (ninth) and on-base percentage (10th).
This will be the second game of a 10-game homestand that the Red Raiders are hoping will lift them from the depths of the Big 12 standings. Texas Tech sits just above Oklahoma State (1-5) in conference. Texas (15-11, 5-1) lies just behind Baylor, which will head to Missouri (3-3) with a perfect 9-0 conference record.
Notables: Corey Knebel moved into the Big 12’s top 10 career chart in saves last week. The sophomore’s 24 saves tie him with former Longhorn J. Brent Cox and Nick Cassavechia (Baylor) for 10th on the list.
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
Thursday, April 5, 2012 - 6:30 p.m.
Texas: RHP Nathan Thornhill (3-2, 3.52 ERA)(vs. Texas Tech: RHP Trey Masek (1-3, 3.22 ERA)((
Friday, April 6, 2012 - 6:30 p.m.
Texas: RHP Parker French (3-1, 4.10 ERA)(vs. Texas Tech: RHP Duke von Schamann (4-3, 1.72 ERA)((
Saturday, April 7, 2012 - 2 p.m.
Texas: RHP Ricky Jacquez (1-1, 6.67 ERA)(vs. Texas Tech: RHP John Neely (2-3, 4.26 ERA)
So, hoops is over? Well, we're three months and a little less than three weeks from the unofficial start to college football season. No worries, everyone.
Big 12 media days are officially scheduled for July 23-24 at the Westin Galleria hotel in north Dallas.
It's the second consecutive year the league's media days were moved away from the drab airport hotel setting and into the swankier setup connected to Dallas' only mall with an ice skating rink. At least a few players snuck out to get a peek at the rink during media days in 2011.
The league will also be welcoming two new members for the first time in the history of the league this year.
Here's the full schedule:
Each team's coach will be in attendance, along with three-to-five players to spend the day previewing the season with media from across the Big 12.
It should be an interesting week. Last year, cheerleaders and mascots inexplicably tagged along to media days. Here's hoping that idea is done away with in 2012. The league will have a new commissioner by then, but interim commissioner Chuck Neinas told me earlier this offseason that the Big 12 is developing a new marketing push with commercials, video messages and print advertisements in what the league is calling a "comprehensive PR strategy."
Get ready to see plenty of that this July, too. The league unveiled its new "How We Play" campaign at last year's media days, but most of the ads were rendered unusable when Texas A&M and Missouri left.
The Big 12 doesn't have to worry about that this time around, but it'll be interesting to see what's in store, along with the usual media frenzy of the week.
Big 12 media days are officially scheduled for July 23-24 at the Westin Galleria hotel in north Dallas.
It's the second consecutive year the league's media days were moved away from the drab airport hotel setting and into the swankier setup connected to Dallas' only mall with an ice skating rink. At least a few players snuck out to get a peek at the rink during media days in 2011.
The league will also be welcoming two new members for the first time in the history of the league this year.
Here's the full schedule:
- July 23: TCU, Iowa State, Kansas State, Oklahoma, and Texas Tech
- July 24: Baylor, Kansas, Oklahoma State, Texas and West Virginia
Each team's coach will be in attendance, along with three-to-five players to spend the day previewing the season with media from across the Big 12.
It should be an interesting week. Last year, cheerleaders and mascots inexplicably tagged along to media days. Here's hoping that idea is done away with in 2012. The league will have a new commissioner by then, but interim commissioner Chuck Neinas told me earlier this offseason that the Big 12 is developing a new marketing push with commercials, video messages and print advertisements in what the league is calling a "comprehensive PR strategy."
Get ready to see plenty of that this July, too. The league unveiled its new "How We Play" campaign at last year's media days, but most of the ads were rendered unusable when Texas A&M and Missouri left.
The Big 12 doesn't have to worry about that this time around, but it'll be interesting to see what's in store, along with the usual media frenzy of the week.
A new era begins this fall for Texas A&M, and the battle everyone will be watching in College Station is at quarterback.
OUT: QB Ryan Tannehill. The Aggies were both explosive and balanced offensively last season, and Tannehill was the guy who made them go. We’ll all be reminded of just how good he was by the midway point of the first round in the NFL draft two weeks from now. Tannehill is expected to be the third quarterback selected and with good reason. He passed for 3,744 yards and 29 touchdowns last season and completed 61.6 percent of his passes. He also ran for 306 yards and four touchdowns and was one of those quarterbacks who could beat you in a number of different ways. Those guys don’t come around very often, and when they’re gone, they’re never easy to replace.
IN: Jameill Showers, Johnny Manziel, Matt Joeckel or Matt Davis. The race for Tannehill’s replacement is wide open, and further mystery is added by the fact that the Aggies will be running a new offense with Kevin Sumlin taking over as head coach. Whoever can handle the fast-paced tempo the best while taking care of the ball and also making enough plays to keep the defense honest is going to win the job. The Aggies just opened spring practice last Saturday, so there hasn’t been enough time for any real separation. But offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury likes the way all four have picked up things. Showers, a sophomore, was Tannehill’s backup last season, but only threw four passes. Manziel, a redshirt freshman, is a terrific athlete and one of those guys capable of extending the play. Joeckel, a sophomore, is more of a pocket passer, while Davis, a true freshman who enrolled early, is also versatile enough to be effective as a passer and a runner. Kingsbury said they recruited all four quarterbacks when he was at Houston with Sumlin, so the Aggies already have a good feel for all four.
OUT: QB Ryan Tannehill. The Aggies were both explosive and balanced offensively last season, and Tannehill was the guy who made them go. We’ll all be reminded of just how good he was by the midway point of the first round in the NFL draft two weeks from now. Tannehill is expected to be the third quarterback selected and with good reason. He passed for 3,744 yards and 29 touchdowns last season and completed 61.6 percent of his passes. He also ran for 306 yards and four touchdowns and was one of those quarterbacks who could beat you in a number of different ways. Those guys don’t come around very often, and when they’re gone, they’re never easy to replace.
IN: Jameill Showers, Johnny Manziel, Matt Joeckel or Matt Davis. The race for Tannehill’s replacement is wide open, and further mystery is added by the fact that the Aggies will be running a new offense with Kevin Sumlin taking over as head coach. Whoever can handle the fast-paced tempo the best while taking care of the ball and also making enough plays to keep the defense honest is going to win the job. The Aggies just opened spring practice last Saturday, so there hasn’t been enough time for any real separation. But offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury likes the way all four have picked up things. Showers, a sophomore, was Tannehill’s backup last season, but only threw four passes. Manziel, a redshirt freshman, is a terrific athlete and one of those guys capable of extending the play. Joeckel, a sophomore, is more of a pocket passer, while Davis, a true freshman who enrolled early, is also versatile enough to be effective as a passer and a runner. Kingsbury said they recruited all four quarterbacks when he was at Houston with Sumlin, so the Aggies already have a good feel for all four.
Welcome to your daily Board Meeting. Each evening we’ll update you on the day’s hottest topics on the HornsNation forum.
1. Quick but important Torrodney Prevot note: William Wilkerson reported on a tweet from Prevot stating that he has decided to wait until possibly October to announce his commitment.
Is that a good thing for Texas? Tough to say. It’s going to be a fight to the finish for Prevot between Texas, A&M and LSU, but the Longhorns can afford to dig in here and commit to getting his commitment. As Wilkerson points out, Texas class is loaded as is and the staff is prioritizing its targets. They’ve started reaching out to DBs and an offer could go to Vincent Taylor, but if Prevot stays interested in becoming a Longhorn, Texas will stay after him.
1. Quick but important Torrodney Prevot note: William Wilkerson reported on a tweet from Prevot stating that he has decided to wait until possibly October to announce his commitment.
Is that a good thing for Texas? Tough to say. It’s going to be a fight to the finish for Prevot between Texas, A&M and LSU, but the Longhorns can afford to dig in here and commit to getting his commitment. As Wilkerson points out, Texas class is loaded as is and the staff is prioritizing its targets. They’ve started reaching out to DBs and an offer could go to Vincent Taylor, but if Prevot stays interested in becoming a Longhorn, Texas will stay after him.
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ABOUT HORNSNATION
Sean Adams
Sean Adams has covered the Texas Longhorns and college football for the last 12 years as a writer and radio host. Sean co-hosts "The Big Show" with Erin Hogan each afternoon on ESPN Austin 104.9 The Horn. He lives with his family in Round Rock, Texas. Email him at thisean@gmail.com.
Max Olson
Max Olson joined ESPN in 2012 after covering the University of Nebraska for the Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald and high school and college sports for the World-Herald and Rivals.com. Olson is a University of Nebraska graduate and lives in Austin, Texas. Email him at maxolsonespn@gmail.com.
Carter Strickand
Carter Strickland joined ESPN.com in 2011 after covering the University of Georgia for Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the University of Oklahoma for The (Oklahoma City) Oklahoman and Washington State University for The (Spokane, Wash.) Spokesman-Review. Strickland lives with his wife and family in Austin. Email him at cstrickland70@gmail.com.
William Wilkerson
William Wilkerson joined ESPN.com in 2011 after covering high school sports, college sports and the Texas Rangers over four years at the Fort Worth (Texas) Star-Telegram. William is a University of Texas graduate and lives in Austin. He can be reached at wilkerson.espn@gmail.com.