Texas Lands JUCO OT Willie Tyler

[Daniel Seahorn]

This one was over the moment Texas extended an offer. Tyler has four years to play three after spending one year at the JUCO level. He’s a big body with some upside to his game, but he will likely redshirt and he needs it because lack of functional strength stood out to me when I watched his tape. Texas is playing the long game here and solidifying the O-Line for 2020 and beyond. 

 

[primal defense]

OLU

[J.B. TexasEx]

Footwork looked more like a guard's, too, from his HUDL.

But, great to get another coveted BIG BODY for the OL. #fUTure19

[Daniel Seahorn]

3 minutes ago, J.B. TexasEx said:

Footwork looked more like a guard's, too, from his HUDL.

But, great to get another coveted BIG BODY for the OL. #fUTure19

Agreed. I don’t think he sticks at tackle. 

[83Dee]

Redshirt?  On Depth chart in 2019?  

Any prognostications?

[The Tinman]

Herman and coach Hand are the only ones building a wall in the state of Texas....Hook'em

[dillohorn]

I love offensive linemen.

[bevotee]

Given the number of OL we're looking to bring in in 2020 and (especially) 2021, I don't really get this offer.  We already have a number of projects in the pipe.  But here's hoping he pans out.

[dillohorn]

7 hours ago, bevotee said:

Given the number of OL we're looking to bring in in 2020 and (especially) 2021, I don't really get this offer.  We already have a number of projects in the pipe.  But here's hoping he pans out.

You can NEVER have enough OL.

[Bear19]

8 hours ago, bevotee said:

Given the number of OL we're looking to bring in in 2020 and (especially) 2021, I don't really get this offer.  We already have a number of projects in the pipe.  But here's hoping he pans out.

I have come to trust TH/Hand’s evaluations and TH’s roster management.

[Eastexhorn]

1 hour ago, Bear19 said:

I have come to trust TH/Hand’s evaluations and TH’s roster management.

Yes trust the coaches Horns need 17 OL  which they havent had in several years.

[primal defense]

 

 

 

Racine Lutheran graduate Willie Tyler signs with Texas

• PETER JACKEL peter.jackel@journaltimes.com
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Willie Tyler, far right, a former defensive lineman for Racine Lutheran, lines up at left offensive tackle for Iowa Western Community College last season. The 6-foot-7, 325-pound Tyler has signed with the University of Texas

Photo courtesy of Iowa Western Community College

 

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Willie Tyler was in his dorm room in Council Bluffs, Iowa a little after 1 p.m. Thursday when his cell phone rang. The number of Herb Hand, co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach for the University of Texas, was displayed on Tyler’s phone.

Hand informed Tyler that an athletic scholarship from Texas was available to him. Was Tyler, a 2017 Racine Lutheran High School graduate, interested?

Tyler gave it some thought over the weekend and, on Monday, he made his decision. Indeed, he wanted to be a Longhorn. So a national letter of intent was emailed to Tyler, who printed it out, signed it and faxed it back.

 

And one of the most amazing stories involving a Racine County athlete in recent memory became official.

Tyler, who was a full-time starter as a defensive lineman at Lutheran only as a senior and who returned to Racine after a few weeks at Garden City Community College in Kansas in July 2017, is going to be an offensive tackle. And it will be for one of the most illustrious programs in college football history.

“It’s a dream come true, really,” Tyler said. “This is what I’ve worked for since day one. Now that’s coming true, it’s kind of crazy.”

That’s certainly one way of looking at Tyler’s story. He was contacted in January 2018 by Iowa Western Community College about resuming his football career. Furthermore, they convinced Tyler to play offensive tackle, which he had balked at transitioning to during the few weeks he was at Garden City.

The 6-foot-7 Tyler had bulked up from the 270 pounds he played at in high school to 325 by weightlifting during his time back in Racine in 2016-17. And when he became Iowa Western’s starting left tackle beginning with the fifth game last season, he was so impressive that major programs started to take notice.

Two of the colleges he visited this winter were West Virginia last weekend and Texas the weekend of Feb. 15-17. Texas had not officially made Tyler an offer during his visit, but they did last Thursday.

What swayed him to Austin?

“The atmosphere there,” he said. “When I went there, it felt like home, the players welcomed me with open arms and the coaching staff was great, so I just felt I could see myself there for the next three to four years.”

 

 

 

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MuTyler will have plenty of time to make an impact at a program that is on the rise under third-year coach Tom Herman. He will have a red-shirt year available, plus three years of eligibility.

Herman was hired in November 2016 to restore the luster to Texas’ program, which has won four national championships, the most recent of which came in 2005, two Heisman Trophy winners and 60 All-Americans.

He has done that, guiding the Longhorns to a 10-4 record last season — two of their losses were by a total of four points — and a 28-21 victory over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.

 

How popular is this program? It had an average attendance of 92,712 at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium and set a program record with a turnout of 103,507 for a game against USC last season.

“The culture’s crazy,” Tyler said. “Like they eat, sleep and breathe football. I just felt I would fit right in there with that. They take football very seriously. Their fan base is out of this world.”

Tyler plans to report to Austin in June and compete for a starting position. Sophomore Samuel Cosmi started at right tackle last season, but no other returnees are listed on Texax’s depth chart other than senior Denzel Okafor, who was a backup.

Could Tyler see himself starting this fall?

“It all depends on how I come in and adjust to the plays and develop how they want me to,” he said. “The tackle they’re bringing back is that left tackle (where Cosmi is switching to this season). They have one person behind him and I’ll be competing against one more person for the right tackle spot.

“I’m hoping to start. That’s what I’m shooting. It’s really not up to me at the end of the day. Whatever the coaches are thinking of doing with me, that’s what I’ll ride with. And I’ll keep on working.

Until he reports in June, Tyler plans to study a Texas playbook he will be sent and follow a weightlifting program his new program gives him.

“I’m ready to get down to Austin and ready to put in work with my new teammates,” he said.

https://journaltimes.com/sports/football/racine-lutheran-graduate-willie-tyler-signs-with-texas/article_0060a081-dc0d-570d-a0de-03f50905b5c5.html

[North Texas Golfer]

18 hours ago, bevotee said:

Given the number of OL we're looking to bring in in 2020 and (especially) 2021, I don't really get this offer.  We already have a number of projects in the pipe.  But here's hoping he pans out.

You probably should just go with Herman and Hand on this one. And probably Yancey. 

And then go research what our OL depth has looked like over the past 5 years. We played in a damn bowl game 5 years ago with only 6 scholarship offensive lineman. 

 

[RickyFlair]

Just looking at Willie T I believe 300 lbs would be a good weight for him. He could definitely carry 325-330 but McKnight needs to put those 25-30 extra lbs on him. He’s actually mobile when he decides to go. For a team short on legit OT bodies he could be a great get 

[met_man]

On 3/6/2019 at 7:48 PM, RickyFlair said:

Just looking at Willie T I believe 300 lbs would be a good weight for him. He could definitely carry 325-330 but McKnight needs to put those 25-30 extra lbs on him. He’s actually mobile when he decides to go. For a team short on legit OT bodies he could be a great get 

I'll meet you somewhere in the middle with 315.