The ‘Horns currently sit at No. 12 nationally in
Scout.com’s team rankings. That’s respectable, but if recruiting season ended today, it’d be largely disappointing. Whenever a new coach takes over at a marquee program, he cleans up in his first full class. See Urban Meyer’s No. 1-rated
Ohio State class in 2013 or Jimbo Fisher’s No. 1 class at
Florida State in 2011.
Both those coaches wound up winning national championships shortly thereafter. Like those two, Strong, formerly
Louisville’s head coach and Meyer’s
Florida defensive coordinator before that, has a reputation as a strong recruiter.
The good news for Texas, though, is that number could soar dramatically by next Wednesday. Even at this late date, Strong’s program remains in the hunt for four five-star prospects -- more than all but two schools,
Alabama and FSU, have committed in their entire class to this point. Another five-star, Malik Jefferson, the nation’s No. 1 linebacker, has already enrolled at Texas.
“They’re not going to finish as high as [No. 1] Alabama or [No. 2]
Georgia, but they have a chance to get in the top three,†Scout.com national analyst Jamie Newberg said of the ‘Horns. “There’s just a ton of momentum behind the program right now.â€
Whether Texas finishes fifth, seventh or 11
th would be largely symbolic. But with Strong coming off a bumpy 6-7 debut season and attempting to reenergize a fan base that won’t tolerate a long rebuilding process, the pending decisions of a handful of teenagers could do wonders for his program’s perception. Especially given whom Texas is competing with for several players -- in-state nemesis
Texas A&M.
