Message-ID: <26802143.1075857346057.JavaMail.evans@thyme> Date: Mon, 4 Dec 2000 04:27:00 -0800 (PST) From: truorange@aol.com To: truorange@aol.com Subject: True Orange, Dec. 4, 2000, Part 2 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ANSI_X3.4-1968 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable X-From: TruOrange@aol.com X-To: TruOrange@aol.com X-cc: X-bcc: X-Folder: \Clint_Dean_Dec2000\Notes Folders\Discussion threads X-Origin: Dean-C X-FileName: cdean.nsf Part 2 The Blue Chips Here's my updated list of the top Texas football recruits. The ones in bold type are my Fabulous 40. I have placed * * * * to separate the Fabulous 40 from the Elite 80 at every position. The Elite 80 Recruits Quarterback (6) Matt Nordgren, 6-5, 225, 4.7, Dallas Bishop Lynch (UT Commitment) Jason Carter, 5-11, 180, 4.5, Caldwell (A&M Commitment) * * * * Tye Gunn, 6-4, 200, 4.62, La Grange (TCU Commitment) Kevin Ford, 6-0, 188, 4.5, Madisonville (Rice Commitment) Mike Pankratz, 6-3, 200, 4.8, Katy Taylor (A&M, UCLA, OU, KSU, ND) Davon Vinson, 6-3, 185, 4.5, Kilgore (A&M, Ark, OU, Bay) Running Back (8) Cedric Benson, 5-11, 200, 4.5, Midland Lee (UT Commitment) David Underwood, 6-0, 220, 4.38, Madisonville (Michigan Commitment) Anthony Johnson, 5-11, 195, 4.4, Jefferson (UT Commitment) Donta Hickson, 5-9, 180, 4.4, McKinney (FSU, Neb, A&M, OU, Mich, Tenn, TT) Eron Haynes, 6-1, 195, 4.4, Borger (TT, A&M, ASU, Kan, Wash) * * * * David Williams, 5-11, 180, 4.4, Carrollton Smith (FSU, A&M, Colo, OU, Mia) Anthony Evans, 5-9, 195, 4.5, Pearland (Bay, A&M, Az, KSU, UCLA) Cody Thibodeaux, 6-1, 200, 4.5, Winnie East Chambers (A&M, Neb, Ok St, LSU) Fullback (2) Darnell Sims, 6-2, 230, 4.7, Aldine (A&M, UH, LSU) * * * * Mark Pierce, 6-2, 215, 4.6, Weatherford (TCU Commitment, but taking visits) Tight End (1) James Moses, 6-3, 225, 4.7, GP North Shore (UT, Colo, Az, Mia, OU, A&M) * * * ** Wide Receiver (10) Armon Dorrough, 6-1, 168, 4.4, Lancaster (Texas Tech Commitment) Brandon Jones, 6-3, 205, 4.4, Texark. Liberty-Eylau (TT, Ky, Ark, A&M, FSU) Bennie Brazell, 6-2, 168, 4.4, Houston Westbury (LSU, UCLA, Ark, Ky, LSU, M= ia) Thomson Omboga, 6-2, 175, 4.5, Grand Prairie (OU, ND, Ga, A&M, Mo) Cedric Williams, 6-0, 170, 4.4, Jefferson (KSU, FSU, LSU, Neb, A&M, OU) Keith Mills, 5-11, 175, 4.4, Garland (A&M, FSU, Fla, Ark, TT, OU) * * * * Terrence Thomas, 5-9, 175, 4.4, Houston Washington (A&M, Mia, UCLA, A&M, UH= ) Corey Roberts, 6-4, 190, 4.4, Carthage (LSU, A&M, SMU, TCU) Jesse Woods, 6-4, 190, 4.5, Katy Taylor (A&M Commitment) Kenneth Shelton, 6-1, 175, 4.4, Port Arthur Jefferson (A&M, OU, TT) Offensive Line (13) Jonathan Scott, 6-7, 290, 4.9, Dallas Carter (UT Commitment) Jami Hightower, 6-4, 305, 5.2, Jacksonville (UT, A&M) Ben Wilkerson, 6-4, 265, 4.9, Hemphill (Tenn, LSU, UCLA, OU, Ark, A&M) Abe Robinson, 6-6, 270, 4.9, Jersey Village (UT Commitment) William Winston, 6-6, 330, 5.3, Houston Madison (UT, A&M, UCLA, LSU, Mia) Mike Garcia, 6-5, 280, 5.2, Galena Park (UT Commitment) * * * * Will Allen, 6-5, 300, 5.2, Cypress Falls (UT Commitment) Terrance Young, 6-6, 330, 5.5, Longview (UT Commitment) Bryan Kegans, 6-6, 305, 5.2, Stephenville (Texas Tech Commitment Shane Simms, 6-2, 300, 4.9, Tomball (TCU Commitment) Roman Reeves, 6-6, 295, 5.2, Livingston (UT Commitment) E. J. Whitley, 6-5, 290, 5.3, Texas City (Kentucky Commitment) Clint O'Neal, 6-6, 290, 5.2, Weatherford (Colorado Commitment) Defensive End (8) Jonathon Jackson, 6-4, 222, 4.56, GP North Shore (UT, A&M, Mia, Colo, Az) Kevin Everett, 6-5, 225, 4.6, Port Arthur Jefferson (UT, Pur, ND, Colo, Mia= ) * * * * Simeon Jones, 6-3, 240, 4.7, Houston Jones (A&M, UH, Colo, Bay) Lawrence Hooper, 6-4, 255, 4.7, Aldine (A&M, LSU, Colo, Fla, OSU, UCLA) Jamie Jackson, 6-3, 225, 4.7 Andrews (TT, OU, A&M) McKenzie Tilmon, 6-3, 235, 4.7, Irving MacArthur (KSU, A&M, Tenn) Colin Allred, 6-3, 225, 4.7, Dallas Hillcrest (Neb, TT, TCU, Mich) Quintene Newhouse, 6-2, 250, 4.7, Emory Rains (A&M, Ky, Mich, Bay, TCU) Defensive Tackle (8) Tommie Harris, 6-3, 280, 4.8, Killeen Ellison (OU, UT, FSU, A&M, Mia, LSU) Thomas Derricks, 6-0, 275, 4.9, Dallas Jesuit (PSU, ND, Neb) Fred Thwreat, 6-3, 300, 4.9, Midland Lee (TT, A&M, Az) * * * * Clayton Harmon, 6-6, 260, 5.1, Stephenville (Texas Tech Commitment) Bret Rayl, 6-7, 265, 4.9, Lewisville (A&M, FSU, OU, PSU, TCU) Sharod McGowan, 6-2, 250, 4.7, Waco (A&M, TT, NC, OU, NC) Brandon Goodlett, 6-2, 280, 5.1, Conroe (Ky, OU, Neb) Jeremy Calahan, 6-3, 260, 5.0, Pflugerville (ND, A&M, OSU, Stan, TCU, Van) Outside Linebacker (4) Derrick Johnson, 6-3, 205, 4.5, Waco (UT, FSU, A&M, Ark, OU) Lance McFarland, 6-1, 225, 4.6, Jefferson (UT Commitment) * * * * Lee Foliaki, 6-2, 200, 4.5, Euless Trinity (A&M, FSU, Neb, KSU, TCU) Shawn Willis 6-2, 215, 4.6, Flatonia (A&M, FSU, Bay, TT) Inside Linebacker (2) Yamil Lebron, 6-2, 240, 4.7, Killeen Ellison (UT Commitment) * * * * Jeff Billings, 6-2, 232, 4.7, Pasadena Rayburn (A&M, Ky, Az, ASU, NW) Cornerback (7) Byron Jones, 5-10, 180, 4.4, Bay City (A&M Commitment) Cedric Griffin, 6-1, 180, 4.4, San Antonio Holmes (UT Commitment) Danielle Manning, 5-11, 187, 4.4, Corsicana (A&M Commitment) Aaron Ross, 6-1, 180, 4.42, Tyler John Tyler (UT Commitment) * * * * Bryant Singleton, 6-0, 175, 4.4, Galveston Ball (LSU, Tenn, A&M, Ark) Moses Harris, 6-1, 170, 4.4, Dallas Carter (FSU, OU, Mia, TCU, Gramb) Courtney Sterling, 5-7, 170, 4.4, Dallas Carter (Arizona State Commitment) Safety (5) Dewayne Brandon, 6-3, 198, 4.46, Temple (UT, FSU, Colo, A&M, Tenn, Ky) Rufus Harris, 5-11, 180, 4.4, LaPorte (A&M, LSU, Az, Mia, UT) Kendal Briles, 5-10, 175, 4.5, Wolfforth Frenship (UT Commitment) * * * * Jarvis Mayes, 6-2, 180, 4.45, Dallas Kimball (A&M, LSU) Jaxson Appel, 6-0, 190, 4.5, Friendswood (A&M Commitment) Athlete (6) Joseph Addai, 6-1, 195, 4.5, Hstn Sharpstown (UT, Neb, KSU, TCU, LSU) Quan Cosby, 5-10, 180, 4.4, Mart (UT, A&M, UCLA, FSU, Bay) Gainus Scott, 5-9, 170, 4.4, La Porte (FSU, Az, Tenn, Mia, ASU, Ky) Ryan Gilbert, 5-11, 180, 4.4, Dallas Hillcrest (Mich, Neb, Mia, Tenn, FSU) * * * * Braden Johnson, 6-2, 200, 4.5, Euless Trinity (UT Commitment) Brian Carter, 5-11, 180, 4.5, The Woodlands (UT Commitment The 25 "Difference Makers" These are Texas' top 25 players, in my opinion: 1. RB Cedric Benson, Midland Lee (Texas) 2. DT Tommie Harris, Killeen Ellison 3. OL Jonathan Scott, Dallas Carter (Texas) 4. OL Jami Hightower, Jacksonville 5. LB Derrick Johnson, Waco 6. S Dewayne Brandon, Temple 7. RB David Underwood, Madisonville (Michigan) 8. C Ben Wilkerson, Hemphill 9. QB Matt Nordgren, Dallas Bishop Lynch (Texas) 10. OL Abe Robinson, Jersey Village (Texas) 11. OL William Winston, Houston Madison 12. Ath Joseph Addai, Houston Sharpstown 13. DE Jonathon Jackson, Galena Park North Shore 14. WR Armon Dorrough, Lancaster (Texas Tech) 15. RB Anthony Johnson, Jefferson (Texas) 16. WR Brandon Jones, Texarkana Liberty Eylau 17. Ath Quan Cosby, Mart 18. CB Byron Jones, Bay City (Texas A&M) 19. RB Donta Hickson, McKinney 20. CB Cedric Griffin, San Antonio Holmes (Texas) 21. DT Thomas Derricks, Dallas Jesuit 22. CB Danielle Manning, Corsicana (Texas A&M) 23. LB Lance McFarland, Jefferson (Texas) 24. CB Aaron Ross, Tyler (Texas 25. WR Bennie Brazell, Houston Westbury * * * * UT Commitments The Longhorns have 19 commitments, including 17 high school players and 2 J= C players. They are: OFFENSE (10) QB Matt Nordgren, 6-5, 225, 4.7, Dallas Bishop Lynch RB Cedric Benson, 5-11, 200, 4.5, Midland Lee RB Anthony Johnson, 5-11, 195, 4.4, Jefferson OL Jonathan Scott, 6-7, 290, 4.9, Dallas Carter OL Abe Robinson, 6-6, 270, 4.9, Jersey Village OL Mike Garcia, 6-5, 280, 5.2, Galena Park OL Will Allen, 6-5, 300, 5.2, Cypress Falls OL Terrance Young, 6-6, 330, 5.5, Longview OL Roman Reeves, 6-6, 295, 5.2, Livingston OL Alfio Randall, 6-6, 300, 5.1, Blinn JC DEFENSE (9) DE Eric Hall, 6-2, 240, 4.5, Clarksville, Tenn LB Lance McFarland, 6-1, 225, 4.6, Jefferson LB Yamil Lebron, 6-2, 240, 4.7, Killeen Ellison CB Cedric Griffin, 6-1, 180, 4.4, San Antonio Holmes CB Aaron Ross, 6-1, 180, 4.42, Tyler John Tyler Ath Kendall Briles, 5-10, 175, 4.5, Wolfforth Frenship Ath Braden Johnson, 6-2, 200, 4.5, Euless Trinity Ath Brian Carter, 5-11, 180, 4.5, The Woodlands P - Brian Bradford, 6-2, 210, Trinity Valley JC Horns 12th in Both Polls Texas is ranked 12th in the final regular season polls by the Associated Press poll and USA Today/ESPN. Three other Big 12 teams are in the AP top 25 =01) No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 9 Nebraska and No. 11 Kansas State. Texas' bowl foe, Oregon, is No. 8 in the AP poll. If the Longhorns beat Oregon, they will be almost certain to finish in the = AP top 10 for the first time since 1983. Longhorn Women Win, Go to 7-1 Sophomore guard Tai Dillard led six Longhorns in double-figure scoring with= a team-high 15 points to pace the Texas women's basketball team to a 96-60 wi= n over Denver Saturday at the Erwin Center. Texas improved to 7-1 to match its best start since the 1989-90 season when the Horns opened 9-1. It marked the Longhorns' second win over Denver (3-2) in seven days following UT's 74-70 victory on Nov. 28 in the Torneo Cancun = de Basquetbol championship game in Cancun, Mexico. UT held a commanding 52-20 scoring advantage in the paint, thanks to the solid play of its young frontcourt. Freshman Stacy Stephens had 12 points i= n just 13 minutes, hitting six-of-seven of her shots from the floor, while he= r replacement, freshman Annissa Hastings scored 11 points and had five reboun= ds in 20 minutes of action. Texas shot a season-best 54.7% from the floor. Texas had beaten Sam Houston State, 98-51, last week behind junior forward Tracy Cook's 15 points. Texas jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first six minutes of the game and dominated the boards. The Horns return to action Wednesday when they battle No. 24 Illinois in Champaign, Ill. Tip off is slated for 7 p.m. Swimmers Win Meet The No.1-ranked Texas mens swimming and diving team ran away with a first-place finish at the Texas Invitational Sunday, scoring 751 points, an= d beating a who's who in college swimming. Trailing the Longhorns were No. 7 California (563), No. 5 Arizona (554), No= . 25 Wisconsin (493), No. 22 Harvard (398), No. 9 Michigan (321), No. 19 SMU (250), No. 12 Arizona State (210), TCU (149), Nebraska (131), No. 3 Stanfor= d (89) and Kansas (39). The Texas women's team placed third with 501.5 points, behind No. 2 UCLA (553.5) and No. 3 Stanford (501.5). Following the Longhorns were No. 3 Arizona (495.50), No. 12 Wisconsin (398.50), No. 5 California (367), No. 13 Michigan (362), No. 15 SMU (290), Rice (152), No. 18 Minnesota (130), No. 1= 6 Arizona State (128.50), TCU (71), Nebraska (47) and Harvard (2). UT Recruits Play in Austin All the Austin area Longhorn football fans will have a great opportunity th= is weekend to see two top players who have committed to play football at Texas next year. One of them is Cedric Benson, the awesome running back from two-time defending state champion Midland Lee, and the other is The Woodlands' Brian Carter, a wide receiver, defensive back and kick returner. The teams meet in the Class 5A Division I state semifinals at 2 p.m. Saturd= ay in Royal Memorial Stadium. Evans Leads UT Men Maurice Evans scored 21 points and led Texas out of its offensive doldrums = in a 90-60 romp past Southwest Texas State Saturday in Austin. The Longhorns, who improved their record to 5-1, shot 53 percent and held Southwest Texas to 39 percent. Freshman James Thomas had his first career double-double at Texas with 14 points and 14 rebounds. Chris Owens had 20 points for the Longhorns and and freshman Brian Boddicker added 10. Evans also paced the Horns past Texas-San Antonio, 70-51, last week, scorin= g 23 points. The Longhorns won despite 24 turnovers. Owens had a double-double, hitting eight of ten free throws to finish with = 10 points and 11 rebounds. Thomas had 3 points and 11 rebounds. Freshman Brandon Mouton had 12 points for the Longhorns and Brian Boddicker added 11 on three-of-six 3-point shooting. The Longhorns cracked the USA Today/ESPN top 25 this week, coming in at No. 25. Former Swim Coach Dies Hank Chapman, an All-American diving champion at Texas who returned to coac= h the Longhorn swimming and diving team from 1951 through 1970, died last Thursday. He was 82. An All-American and Southwest Conference diving champion in 1940 for the Longhorns, Chapman returned as the program's head coach in 1951 and guided = UT to three SWC titles and 15 runner-up conference finishes over his 20-year tenure. A native of California, Chapman also served for several years on the NCAA Swimming Rules Committee and was named the Team USA diving coach for the 19= 64 Olympic games in Tokyo - which he did not attend due to a heart ailment. Among his pupils, which included 23 All-Americans and 78 individual conference champions, was the late David "Skippy" Browning, who was a three-time SWC diving champion and two-time NCAA Champion on both the one-meter and three-meter boards, and also became the Longhorns' first Olympian diver and gold medalist during the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki. Women Sign Top Swim Class Texas women's swimming co-head coaches Jill Sterkel and Mike Walker have signed seven top prospects. Two transfers also are joining the team. The signees are Kim Bercen of Austin Westlake, Elizabeth Hoffman of Houston Cypress Fairbanks, Kaela Humphries of Chaska, Minn., who also competed at Paradise Valley HS in Phoenix; Michelle Molina of Scottsdale Chaparall HS = in Phoenix, Rebecca Rice of Kingwood, Alisa Schuknecht of Bend, Oregon and Sar= ah Wanezek of Brookfield, Wis. Joining the team in January are Helen Denman of Dalkeith, Australia, a transfer from Western Australia University, and Joscelin Yeo from the Republic of Singapore, who transferred from the University of California. Denman is a foreign exchange student, while Yeo, a junior transfer, will si= t out the season under NCAA transfer rules. "Our goal this year in recruiting was to sign great student-athletes who could add depth and versatility to our swimming ranks," Walker said. "This class accomplishes each of these goals and also gives us even more. They ar= e great swimmers who have wonderful attitudes and strong work ethics." "We are extremely blessed with this year's signings," Sterkel said. "We definitely wanted to bring in versatile swimmers who could compete in sever= al events." Bercen is the defending state champion in the 100 breaststroke. She won the 100 breaststroke at the 1999 Junior Nationals and qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials in the 100 and 200 back, as well as 100 and 200 breaststroke events. Hoffman is a 15-time high school All-American who has placed first in the 5= 00 freestyle and 200 IM at the Texas district and regional championships for t= he past three years. She also won back-to-back state championships in the 500 freestyle. She also placed 17th in the 800 freestyle (8:52.10) at the 1999 Junior Nationals and competed in four events (200 free, 400 free, 800 free and 400 IM) at the 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials. Humphries is the 2000 Wisconsin state champion in both the 100 breaststroke and 100 IM, and led her high school to three-consecutive state championship appearances. She also is a four-time All-State selection and six-time high school All-American. She was second in the 100 free and 100 butterfly at th= e=20 2000 Spring Junior Nationals. Molina is a two-time state champion in the 200 freestyle where she also was named the 1998 and 1999 Arizona High School Swimmer of the Year. A two-time All-American, she placed first in the 200 freestyle at the 1999 Junior Nationals. Rice is a four-time high school All-American and three-time All-State selection in the 100 breaststroke, 200 IM and 200 medley relay events. She was the state runner-up in the 100 breaststroke. Schuknecht is a three-time Oregon state champion in the 200 individual medl= ey and a two-time champion in the 100 breaststroke. She swam a state record 2:02.65 in winning the 200 IM. She also won state in the 100 butterfly as a freshman and was fifth-place finish in the 400 IM (4:52.00) and seventh in the 200 breaststroke (2:34.00) at the 1999 Junior Nationals. Wanezek is a three-time Wisconsin State Champion in the 100 backstroke and 100 fly and posted a state record time of 54.55 in the fly. She also has garnered eight All-American honors and was named the 1999 Wisconsin High School Swimmer of the Year. She won the 1999 Junior National title in the 1= 00 freestyle (50.91) and qualified for the 2000 U.S Olympic Trials in the 100 fly and 100 backstroke. Denman was a 1996 Olympian and captured a silver medal as a member of Australia's 400 medley relay team in Atlanta. She finished first in the 100 breaststroke at the 1998 Commonwealth Games while also placing second in th= e 100 breaststroke at the 1998 World Championships. Yeo is a six-time All-American junior transfer from the University of California and a three-time Olympian for Singapore. She set a world record = as a member of Cal's 2000 NCAA Champion 200-meter medley relay team (1:49.23). She also was a part of the winning NCAA 200 free relay in a U.S. Open-recor= d time of 1:40.18. She won the 200 IM (1:57.14), 200 medley (1:39.27) and 400 medley relay (3:35.71) at the 2000 Pac-10 Conference Championships. She has been a member of the Singapore National team since 1990. A True Orange Subscription Is The Gift You Can Give Every Year for Your Longhorn Friends A subscription to True Orange is the perfect gift for any occasion for a Longhorn who has everything else. It's only $45 ($35 by e-mail) and I'll send an attractive card announcing your thoughtful gift. The only thing better is a gift of True Orange and the True Orange Fax = =01) and you can give both for just $130 a year ($99 if they take both by e-mail= ). o I am enclosing $45 for a gift subscription ($35 e-mail) o I am enclosing $130 for a gift subscription to the newsletter and the fa= x ($99 e-mail) Name of Recipient Address (& fax no., if applicable) City, State, Zip Your Name Any Message You Want on Card Next Issue December 19 The next issue will be e-mailed Tuesday, December 19, and will cover the Longhorns' early practices for the Culligan Holiday Bowl in San Diego again= st Oregon on Dec. 29. I expect some commitments from the Dec. 15 football banquet, which is why I am delaying publication the following week until Tuesday. I'll also have ne= ws on men's and women's basketball. Tell Your Friends About True Orange If you like True Orange, be sure and tell your Longhorn friends about it. I can always use more subscribers. The more subscribers I have, the more resources I have to call recruits and coaches and do all the other things that give you an inside view of Longhorn sports. Subscription Form I want to subscribe. I am enclosing $45 for the next year, which will inclu= de 26 issues. A two-year subscription is $85. For a one-year subscription via E-Mail, send $35. Name Street Address or Box Number or E-Mail Address City, State and Zip Code Remit to True Orange, P O Box 26530, Austin, TX 78755 Foreign Rates Available on Request. Phone 512-795-8536 E-Mail Address: truorange@aol.com Gift Subscription Form I want to give a gift subscription to True Orange. I am enclosing $45. Please send an appropriate gift card. For a gift subscription via E-Mail, send $35. Name of Person Receiving Gift Street Address or Box Number or E-Mail Address City, State and Zip Code Your Name