Late decisions break Horns’ way.
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AUSTIN — The fireworks that once accompanied national signing day have been doused by December’s early signing period.
It’s a reality that still requires some getting used to only two years after an NCAA panel and the Collegiate Commissioners Association approved and authorized an earlier signing window.
Coaches used to rise long before the sun and race to the office. They’d await faxes and hope their school’s hat would be the one picked at ceremonies around the country. It was madness.
Texas coach Tom Herman arrived at the office around 8:15 a.m. Wednesday and spent most of the morning watching footage of 2020 recruits. Only one player, four-star North Forest offensive tackle Javonne Shepherd, threw on a Longhorns hat on national signing day.
For UT, most of the legwork for its 2019 class had been done prior to Wednesday.
Twenty-two players signed national letters of intent with Texas from Dec. 19-21. Nine enrolled last month, including five-star Cuero receiver/running back Jordan Whittington. The remainder will join this summer.
“I am really, really proud of the diligence of the methodical nature in which we have gone about our business in recruiting in the last couple years in our operation,” Herman said Monday. “I’m proud of our evaluation process and the thoroughness of our system to evaluate these young men.”
With few noteworthy targets left unsigned, most of the hullabaloo these past few weeks centered on the journey of five-star athlete Bru McCoy.
Talk of his flip from USC to Texas, precipitated by the abrupt departure of transient Trojans offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, who now coaches the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals, has dominated the college football landscape.
No one is yet certain whether the former Mater Dei (Calif.) wunderkind will be granted a waiver to play in 2019. UT’s compliance department will take the lead in the appeals process.
“I applaud Bru and his courageousness to say hey, this is not where my heart is, and I’m going to do something to change that,” Herman said. “But as far as timetable, I have no idea. I would assume before the season starts.”
Either way, McCoy’s arrival was a windfall for a recruiting class already projected to be among the country’s best. His inclusion boosted the Longhorns’ class to No. 3 in the nation, according to 247sports..
“You know, he could be a big slot like LJ Humphrey was for us,” Herman said of the 6-3, 205-pound McCoy. “He could be an outside receiver and try to have, you know, some mismatches on some smaller corners. So just the size/strength aspect of it, coupled with the body control.”
As for Shepherd, he reveled a bit in the pageantry of it all. Texas was never truly concerned he would flip, though he kept more than a few fans on edge as Texas A&M made a late push.
But Shepherd’s allegiance became clear as soon as he placed a row of hats ahead of his signing ceremony. The Texas hat was bright and fresh, brim sticker still attached. The A&M hat looked as if it had been scavenged from a Goodwill bin.
“He’s got a size-to-athleticism ratio that we don’t even currently have on our roster right now,” Herman said. “You’re talking about a high school senior that’s 318 pounds and 6-6 that can really, really, really move his feet. Just the sheer size and athleticism of a high school senior like that is pretty unique.”
Herman also praised the group of preferred walkons who will join Texas this summer.
That collection includes two Longhorn legacies in Austin Westlake linebacker Jake Ehlinger — quarterback Sam Ehlinger’s younger brother — and Austin St. Michael’s quarterback Sam Saxton, who held scholarship offers from Southern Mississippi and Rutgers among others.
Saxton’s grandfather, James, was an All-America running back for Texas in the 1960s, and his father, Jimmy, quarterbacked the Longhorns in the 1980s.
“Thrilled at the crop of walk-ons that we got in,” Herman said. “Multiple walk-ons that are going to be joining our program this summer had Division I offers. Some even committed to Division I schools.
“So the tie to Texas certainly helps, because I think when you bleed burnt orange, it’s a lot easier to take that path as a walk-on.”