Since Mack Brown left Texas, the Longhorns have sent all of five players in two years to the NFL Draft. Even in 2015, observers of Charlie Strong's team frequently comment that its best players are its underclassmen. Not many more draftees are expected to come out of Austin this year. The top Longhorn on CBS Sports' big board is No. 344.
Mack Brown actually inherited a loaded roster at Texas, despite not leaving one for Charlie Strong
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But coaching transitions are like that, right? Not exactly, and especially not at Texas. Texas Monthly looked at the rosters left behind during every Texas coaching change since 1976. Here’s what Brown inherited when he took the job, with the list for Strong less than half as impressive:
The Heisman Trophy winner in Ricky Williams, another top five or 10 Longhorn of all-time, and one who got to run behind three first or second team All Big 12 linemen. A pair of NFL defensive tackles in Shaun Rogers and Casey Hampton, the latter a Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, five-time Pro Bowler and anchor to a Super Bowl-winning Pittsburgh Steeler defense. Hampton is in the debate as the greatest nose tackle in Longhorn history, Major Applewhite, an elite college QB, one trailing only Colt McCoy, Vince Young and Bobby Layne in Longhorn annals. Two future All Big 12 receivers in Kwame Cavil, the future all-time leading Longhorn single-season pass-catcher and Wane McGarity, another record-setter. Mammoth Leonard Davis, a future first-round draft pick and All-American offensive tackle who played 12 seasons in the NFL, including three as a Pro Bowler. Quentin Jammer, a future first-round draft pick and All-American cornerback, and member of the San Diego Chargers All 50th Anniversary team. D.D. Lewis, a decent NFL linebacker and one of the best LBs Texas has had since the early 1980s. (To his credit, Brown moved him there from running back.) Hodges Mitchell, still one of UT's top 10 leading rushers.
Surely those shadowy figures working against Strong have taken all this into consideration.
No beer, just loathing. We went to the BYU-Utah Las Vegas Bowl, learning a whole lot about the intersection between faith and rivalry.
THERE WILL BE BLOOD. The Michigan State battle plan against Derrick Henry is deathly simple, and that’s what’s so wonderful about this matchup.
All hail the Miami Beach Bowl, which followed up on its debut brawl with WKU outblasting USF. This fourth-and-goal punt was a masterpiece.
Actually, every bowl is good. We went to the Cure Bowl and lived to smile about it, because everyone else was, too.
Today’s bowls included! Bill Connelly previews the Temple-Toledo Boca Raton, a top mid-major showcase, and the Akron-Utah State Potato, an underprivileged person’s Boca Raton Bowl!
Robert Nkemdiche’s legacy at Ole Miss isn’t about sacks. It’s about putting Oxford back on the map. See the current recruiting rankings? (And see the three Rebels in the top 18 of our latest mock draft?)
Georgia State is buying the soon-to-be-old Atlanta Braves stadium and turning it into maybe football stuff, despite the squalor and disrepair haunting all those who venture into the ruins.
Missouri is beginning to target the state of Texas more in recruiting under new coach Barry Odom. Texas is a loaded state, but it's also loaded with teams looking to recruit its players. But this makes sense because of the Texas ties on the new staff.
In Die Hard, a security guard is watching Notre Dame-USC on Christmas Day. This cannot be. Except it actually kind of almost can?
“USC star cornerback Adoree’ Jackson will be excused from spring practice, so that he can focus on his pursuit of qualifying for the 2016 Rio Olympics in track and field.”
Texas not interested in A&M transfer QB Kyler Murray, you say?
Georgia Tech has a shot at a local DB recruit who decommitted from Louisville.
WOLF SHOES. NC State is wearing WOLF SHOES in the Belk Bowl.
A 5-year-old with a life-threatening blood disease and his family are going to the Fiesta Bowl, with Urban Meyer delivering the surprise.
Auburn has a strong group of early enrollees who could help to turn around the Tigers' SEC fortunes.
A Northwestern QB played in the NFL?! Inside NU goes to the tape to break down his performance, which was handling the victory formation.
Added to the Les Miles Holiday Explanations Tracker is Les Miles on Christmas shopping.
Of course, Jim Harbaugh is a Darth Vader fan.
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