Alright folks,
As I have said before, I am an Orangeblood for life! If you do not know what that means, I will enlighten you. I am a graduate from The University of Texas at Austin, and I BLEED burnt orange! So, now that we have that out of the way...WHO'S EXCITED FOR SIGNING DAY??? That's be me, my friends! This recruiting class is unbelievable, and it lands Texas at number 2, slightly behind the defending national champs..Alabama. Although Texas boasts 5 five-star high school recruits (Alabama has 3), Alabama gets the nod for landing two number one ranked high school athletes. In a nutshell, The University of Texas and Alabama will most likely be dangerous for quite sometime.
What this proves to me is this: although Texas has had two lackluster seasons in a row (by their standards), it has not deterred top recruits from signing with Texas. The history and tradition of the Texas Longhorns will always remain among the elite in college football programs. Alabama, coming off two national championships in 3 years, is at the top of it's game. Texas, having slipped a bit in the last couple of seasons, still holds sway as it is consistently in the top 5 recruiting.
The fact that these two schools are neck in neck is no surprise. Both teams boast head football coaches that have proven their worth, and have secured their spots among the coaching elite. Mack Brown and Nick Saban have lengthy contracts which provides stability for incoming athletes. Kids want to play for these coaches because of the programs they lead and the way they lead them. It doesn't hurt that Texas and Alabama have a plethora of prospects coming from the south, which is known to be one of the top regions for high school and college football.
When you break it down, Texas has 5 five-star commits, 12 four-star commits, 7 three-star commits, and 1 two-star commit. Alabama has 3 five-star commits, 13 four-star commits, and 11 three-star commits. All of the commits for both schools are nationally ranked. Perhaps the most celebrated recruit for The University of Texas is running back Jonathan Gray (Aledo, Tx). He is ranked number 5 nationally, according to Rivals.com, and number 1 nationally for running backs. He is ranked number 2 in the state of Texas. He posts a 4.4 40, and has unbelievable stats for his senior year. Gray ran for 3,891 yards in 346 attempts, averages 11.2 yards per carry, and scored 65 touchdowns. What this means for Texas: Mack Brown can continue to strengthen the running game which should present a more balances and prolific offense. (If we can settle the quarterback situation) Texas does, in fact, have a four-star quarterback commit in Conner Brewer. Rivals.com has him ranked 10th for his position, and 5th in the state of Arizona. Rivals.com does not have him ranked nationally, but Scout.com has him ranked 11th nationally. This is good news for Texas, as it has struggled to find a quarterback that can comfortably lead this team. I believe that the maturity of the offensive line will enable whomever fills those shoes, to step up and compete on a higher level.
If you are like me, you need numbers. It's all well and good to say you have the number one or number two recruiting class for 2012, but I need to know why. I will start with Texas. After an abysmal 2010 season, the Longhorns finished the 2011 season with a respectable 8-5 record. (mind you, this is Texas, and 8-5 simply will not do) The Longhorns are only losing 13 seniors, meaning the 2012 season has extremely high expectations and potential. Of the 13 seniors lost, five held offensive positions, while the remaining eight held defensive positions. Of the 24 seniors lost for Alabama, thirteen held offensive positions, while the remaining eleven were defensive.Alabama has 11 offensive commits, 15 defensive commits, and one kicker. Texas has 8 offensive commits, 16 defensive commits, and 1 kicker. Both teams are proving to maintain their hold on their respective conferences, with Texas edging out Alabama in longevity of starting players.
It is an exciting time to be a college football fan, to say the least. The level of athletes emerging from high school football teams nation wide, presents the fan with many more unforgettable seasons. So, whether you Roll Tide or Hook'Em Horns, you can bet on outstanding athletes who choose to play for these storied schools, and guarantee these two schools a solid foothold in the arena of college football.
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