Texas Announces Decision On Reese Leitao (He's In)

[prosfromdover]

I'm not sure how often this happens that an AD gets this involved, but Perrin was in Jenks, Okla., to visit with Reese's coaches (mainly Alan Trimble) before a decision was made. After a lengthy meeting with Trimble, it was Perrin's decision that Texas honor the scholarship. Reese was not allowed back on the Jenks campus following the arrest and finished the last class he needed online. If Texas had pulled the scholarship, another college would have stepped in. I'm glad Texas did this because there have been cases in the recent past were players at Texas were wrongfully accused of things and still were not allowed to return to the team even after their cases were ruled in their favor. Leitao is a good kid and no one here knows all the details of what happened, and likely never will. I'm fortunate to have a coaching friend at Jenks who I've known a long time and greatly respect who answered a lot of my questions and shed a lot of light on why this was given a downward departure from felony to misdemeanor. So put me on the pro-Leitao side, but with the aforementioned short leash. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, kick me in the a$$. Or something like that. 

Yep. Perrin going signals it's not a normal situation. It's not just the coach but the AD. Yes if this keeps happening and kids turn out to be bad then we have to stop. But before we start worrying about looking bad, we have to look at situations individually and be flexible in our approach to them. If the kid was a thug, or had priors, or wasn't a good student, or wasn't well liked, then those give you pause. But when he's not any of those things, plus the situation may have had some very grey areas, well, not giving a kid a chance feels way more dishonorable than taking a chance on him. 

 

[Brandon17]

I really can't believe they let an admitted drug dealer on Campus. After all the stuff that has gone on in college sports. Why would you ever put yourself in that position.

 

[Sirhornsalot]

I'm torn. I think we've all made mistakes in our youth. And almost none of us had it waved in front of so many people as a kid like this has. I believe in second chances because I think in some cases, the kid takes advantage of it and gets their life back together. If there is a chance for that, I'm all for it.

My alter-ego says the table was set for this young man. He had a scholarship in hand to one of the most prestigious universities in the world where he will have it all paid for in exchange for playing a game. IMO, once that scholarship was landed, everything in his life should have pointed to the day he arrived in Austin. And he put all that on the line for what?

I have to think about this more.

 

[dillohorn]

I think we should have passed on this problem child. Most of the time when schools have a problem recruit it doesn't end well. Usually the problems just multiply. Just my opinion.

 

[UTfish]

I agree with all the previous posts, especially Bear's.

On the face of it, it smells, but we do not have all the facts.

As SHA said, we all have made mistakes and I also believe in second chances.

IMO, he got that when the judge reduced the charge to a misdemeanor. He could still play college football and straighten out his life at another university.

Smells kinda like Johnny Manziel to me.

Horrible mistake, but I hope the young man learns the right thing from it.

 

[texasdalton]

We have all made at least one bad decision in our lives. Im not a fan of drugs, my wife is a teacher in a not so good area of florida so i understand the gravity of this. She deals with this on weekly basis and still tells me, who is of another opinion, that kids these days need every opportunity to succeed in life and to never give up on them.

We have a coaching staff that understands that they are in a position to mold these kids into young men and feel capable that it can be done. Winning keeps them from losing their jobs but that doesnt take away from the responsibility that they are taking on to help these kids stay on the right track. If Herman feels that this kid can succeed as a player and person than im in favor of the decision.

 

[North Texas Golfer]

This is from a from a poster over on the Shag. I'll go on record and I say I pretty much agree with everything he says.

This actually has nothing to do with Reese Leitao, drug dealing versus possession, what he plea bargained to, versus what actually occurred. 

What this is about is how much does Texas want to have the right coach who can get Texas to an elite level to be the head of the football program? I'm not saying Tom Herman is a sure thing. I'm saying there aren't that many elite coaches out there. Urban Meyer and Nick Saban are the only two active head coaches with more than one national title. Does anyone think either one of them doesn't bring Leitao on board given the circumstances? 

The point is, there aren't that many of them out there. And the ones that are capable of it aren't real interested at doing it for a program where they have to have one arm tied behind their back, even if it's Texas. This isn't armed robbery. It's not sexual assault. The kid screws up like this in Austin he's not going to get another chance. Bring him on and let's see how it works out. If it doesn't work out - even if it goes spectacularly wrong, which I don't believe it will - then I'm not going to get on a retroactive tree stump and start shouting about moral opprobrium. 

Tom Herman looks to Ohio State and Bama for his moral compass. That's who he's gunning for. If as a program we're not going to give him the tools he needs to compete with those two programs, what exactly are we doing? Why have the big budget? Why pour all the time, money, people and other resources into all of this? To brag about being #1 in revenue? Who gives a $#@!? The time for nice guys who win with class and run things squeaky clean is done. We now have a guy who is relentless at seeking out every edge. Who takes shots at rivals. Who has a fundamental driving desire to win that's arguably not healthy in everything he does. 

But some pills of Xanax in high school and carrying $1300 in cash is not the equivalency for me. Hiring Casey Horny is getting there, but the situation wth Leitao seems like just a part of the package to accept when you hire a coach who wants to bring in the best talent in the country. He's going to expect a certain amount of leniency when it comes to his recruits. Getting it pled down to a misdemeanor and no jail time is enough for me. I'm not going to second guess this by issuing ambivalent statements that allow me to be right down the road regardless of what happens. To me that's the position a big pussy would take.

 

[Coal Harbour]

I don't agree with honoring the scholarship offer and don't believe this falls into "second chances".  If a young man makes a stupid mistake that hurts himself due to a reckless, spur of the moment decision, then I see the point that a number of posters are making.  However, this seems like a thought out, intentional act that can bring harm to others for your own personal gain.  I personally don't need that lack of character on my football team whether he turns into O.J. Howard or not.

I believe this decision is a mistake and Perrin will be held responsible due to his personal involvement.  In large part, the damage has been done as this story is circulating around the country online and in print.  I want to be clear, I'm not actively cheering against the kid now that the decision has been made, but will never agree with the university's stance.

 

[paymerick]

I'm all about second chances, whether you're an athlete or not, so I'm good with this, especially seeing it was a crime of the "victimless" variety (not here to argue about that. "Drugs have a victim" okay I get it whatever).

But, he's on a short leasH, and he has earned that short leash. I'll be extremely disappointed if he screws up again and is allowed to continue on. We're not there yet, so good luck to the kid. 

 

[Grandpa Zorro]

If it doesn't work out - even if it goes spectacularly wrong, which I don't believe it will - then I'm not going to get on a retroactive tree stump and start shouting about moral opprobrium. 

Just wondering...did anyone else have to look up moral opprobrium?

 

[Bear19]

He lost me at "moral".

 

[North Texas Golfer]

Just wondering...did anyone else have to look up moral opprobrium?

I rarely look up the definition of word(s). It's more fun just making up my own definition in my head. I'm rarely right but that's nothing unusual. 

 

[tejasrulz]

I tell my kids, sometimes experience comes from learning from your failures. Let's hope this young man learns from his.

 

[Embrey]

I don't like this decision because it doesn't make UT look any better than other programs who overlook criminal behavior - say, OU.

Having said that, my hope is UT keeps him on a very short leash since he was charged with a misdemeanor and is serving a probationary sentence. Is our new mantra, "Just win baby!", Tom?

SHAME

 

[Bevostuntdouble]

I was against this... but after a lot of thought and reflection of my own life... I am happy he's getting a second chance. Sounds like UT and the powers did their due-diligence and decided not to turn him away. Everybody, and I mean everybody, needs a second shot at some point. Regardless the size of do-over.

Also, he's a 3 star TE. Not some blue chip kid that will come in and immediately be a stud. So I think it's safe to say the "win at all costs" talk is a bit overblown.

I don't at all condone what he did but it wasn't a violent crime and he admitted to the wrongdoing immediately. Time will tell if it was a bad decision... but for now, I support the kid. Hook em!

 

[Bevostuntdouble]

1000% agreed.

This is from a from a poster over on the Shag. I'll go on record and I say I pretty much agree with everything he says.

This actually has nothing to do with Reese Leitao, drug dealing versus possession, what he plea bargained to, versus what actually occurred.

What this is about is how much does Texas want to have the right coach who can get Texas to an elite level to be the head of the football program? I'm not saying Tom Herman is a sure thing. I'm saying there aren't that many elite coaches out there. Urban Meyer and Nick Saban are the only two active head coaches with more than one national title. Does anyone think either one of them doesn't bring Leitao on board given the circumstances?

The point is, there aren't that many of them out there. And the ones that are capable of it aren't real interested at doing it for a program where they have to have one arm tied behind their back, even if it's Texas. This isn't armed robbery. It's not sexual assault. The kid screws up like this in Austin he's not going to get another chance. Bring him on and let's see how it works out. If it doesn't work out - even if it goes spectacularly wrong, which I don't believe it will - then I'm not going to get on a retroactive tree stump and start shouting about moral opprobrium.

Tom Herman looks to Ohio State and Bama for his moral compass. That's who he's gunning for. If as a program we're not going to give him the tools he needs to compete with those two programs, what exactly are we doing? Why have the big budget? Why pour all the time, money, people and other resources into all of this? To brag about being #1 in revenue? Who gives a $#@!? The time for nice guys who win with class and run things squeaky clean is done. We now have a guy who is relentless at seeking out every edge. Who takes shots at rivals. Who has a fundamental driving desire to win that's arguably not healthy in everything he does.

But some pills of Xanax in high school and carrying $1300 in cash is not the equivalency for me. Hiring Casey Horny is getting there, but the situation wth Leitao seems like just a part of the package to accept when you hire a coach who wants to bring in the best talent in the country. He's going to expect a certain amount of leniency when it comes to his recruits. Getting it pled down to a misdemeanor and no jail time is enough for me. I'm not going to second guess this by issuing ambivalent statements that allow me to be right down the road regardless of what happens. To me that's the position a big pussy would take.

 

[Lukus Alderman]

Great news! We really need as many warm bodies at TE that we can get!

 

[oldhorn2]

I really can't believe they let an admitted drug dealer on Campus. After all the stuff that has gone on in college sports. Why would you ever put yourself in that position.

Not to pass judgement either way.....but where do you get "admitted drug dealer"? I think (strictly speaking) he is an admitted drug possesser.

 

[North Texas Golfer]

Tom Herman looks to Ohio State and Bama for his moral compass. That's who he's gunning for.

The time for nice guys who win with class and run things squeaky clean is done. We now have a guy who is relentless at seeking out every edge.

It's about damn time we have a head coach with this attitude!

 

[utparothed]

Just wondering...did anyone else have to look up moral opprobrium?

Nope, I have a friend who had it once...a round of penicillin and some Gas-X cleared it up.