Message-ID: <15863337.1075852131982.JavaMail.evans@thyme> Date: Mon, 18 Jun 2001 09:55:23 -0700 (PDT) From: truorange@aol.com To: truorange@aol.com Subject: True Orange, June 18, 2001, Part 1 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-From: TruOrange@aol.com@ENRON X-To: TruOrange@aol.com X-cc: X-bcc: X-Folder: \CDEAN (Non-Privileged)\Dean, Clint\Info X-Origin: DEAN-C X-FileName: CDEAN (Non-Privileged).pst Part 1 of 3 Jerry Scarbrough's True Orange The newsletter and e-mail/fax service for the True Texas Longhorn Faithful Volume 11, No. 18, June 18, 2001 Most Football Forecasters Rank Longhorns High Nationally, See OU Game as Key to Season Most of the good national football magazines are out and so is the one that serves as an every-year staple for fans in Texas - Dave Campbell's Texas Football - and all of them agree on two things: 1. The Longhorns are going to be very good this 2001 season, with coach Mack Brown's most talented team at Texas poised to claim its place among the nation's elite once again. 2. Defending national champion Oklahoma is going to be very good, too, so mark October 6 on your calendar and plan to be in Dallas on that date for the clash of Big 12 South titans. With apologies to the other Big 12 South teams, I think the Longhorns and the Sooners will be so far above their division rivals that the winner of that October 6 Dallas showdown will win the Southern Division and have a chance for national honors. The Longhorns have other dangerous games, and so do the Sooners, but it's hard to see either of them stumbling more than once when they aren't playing each other, so look for the Cotton Bowl winner to emerge as a big player on the national scene. Of course, as Longhorn fans know exceeedingly well, to their chagrin, bad things happen quite often through the course of a season. Remember Stanford last year and North Carolina State the year before? Of course you do. We all do. They are sad memories for all Longhorns. But Brown's teams have also won great victories - over Nebraska twice in three tries, Oklahoma twice in three years and A&M twice in three seasons, plus a decisive Cotton Bowl victory over Mississippi State and Jackie Sherrill. Brown's first team at Texas went 9-3 after a 1-2 start and Ricky Williams won the Heisman Trophy. Coming on the heels of a 4-7 team that ended the John Mackovic era, it was an impressive start for the Brown era. His second team at Texas was rolling along at 9-2 when its wide receivers started getting nicked and then the best one (Kwame Cavil) got suspended. It lost its final three games to wind up 9-5, but it was a very good team until those last three games. When you only have three good wide receivers and two of them get hurt and the third one misses the bowl game, it's tough to operate successfully when you are primarily a passing team. Some fans were disappointed in that 1999 team, and it is understandably disheartening to lose three games to close the season, but those 1999 Longhorns did some very good things like handing Nebraska its only loss, rallying from a 17-0 deficit to beat Bob Stoops' first Oklahoma team and hammering Stanford, 69-17. That Stanford team went on to win the Pac 10 and earn a Rose Bowl berth. Brown's third team at Texas was last year's unit, which finished 9-3. Frankly, when I saw superb young TE Bo Scaife go down with a season-ending knee injury during two-a-days, I would have settled for 7-4. The Longhorns had only three scholarship tight ends and the other two also suffered injuries that ended their seasons. And that wasn't all. DT Shaun Rogers missed some games and was never at full speed after an early season injury. Ditto for both starting guards - Antwan Kirk-Hughes and Derrick Dockery. Then there was the so-called quarterback controversy. It really wasn't that much of a controversy because Major Applewhite simply didn't look like the same great quarterback after his knee injury and Chris Simms simply didn't have enough experience to play well early in the year. I think the coaches were just trying to find one quarterback who could play at a winning level, not playing some game with their quarterbacks. Neither quarterback played as well last season as the pre-injury Applewhite, but Simms did improve as the season progressed and he is the unquestioned No. 1 guy heading into this season. There were two reasons for this brief review of Mack Brown's three seasons at Texas. The first was to say three nine-win seasons in a row with the kind of problems that hit the team in 1999 and 2000 are pretty remarkable and all Longhorn fans should be thanking their lucky stars every day that the leaders of a school that would hire John Mackovic would get smart enough to hire Mack Brown the next time around. The second was to say that injuries, while always a point of concern, shouldn't be quite as worrisome this season because the superb recruiting classes Brown and his staff have signed will be three deep this season. He actually will have four classes on campus, but he got a late start his first year and his first class was good, but not great. The last three have been great. There are some questions to be answered, particularly at running back, but there are talented players at virtually every position, and that is something now many college teams can say. The receiving corps, including the wide receivers and tight ends, will be the best in the Big 12 and maybe in the country and the secondary might be the best in the Big 12, too, although Oklahoma fans and coaches would dispute that. If Simms is the best passer in the league, as all the football magazines attest, and if Cedric Benson is as good as we all think, look out everyone because the Longhorns will be for real. Don't worry about all that talk about our defensive tackles. The Big 12 is a passing league and these tackles are quick to the passer. But you should worry some about the place kicking. Unless one of the returnees gets better or one of the walk-ons steps up, the same thing that knocked Bobby Bowden out of a couple of national titles at Florida State could jump up and bite the Longhorns. Benson Will Mix Football, Baseball; Cosby Drops Football Two super Longhorn recruits have signed pro baseball contracts, but only one of them - and it is not Cedric Benson - is giving up college football to concentrate on professional football. Benson, who led Midland Lee to three straight Class 5A state titles, signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but he signed a contract like the one Ricky Williams signed out of high school. It lets him play college football and use pro baseball as a highly paid summer job. "I want to play college football at Texas," Benson said. "Someday I want to play both sports professionally, but I want to play college football first." But Mart's Quan Cosby, a nationally recruited athlete who was ticketed to play wide receiver at Texas, signed a five-year baseball contract with the California Angels and said his football playing days are over. It came as a shock to the Longhorn coaches and to me and most other Longhorns. You just don't expect a sixth-round draft choice to get enough money to give up football. But Cosby told me he got close to first-round money. "I told them what it would take for me to give up football, and that's what they came up with," he said, but he declined to give a hint about his signing bonus. Cosby said baseball is "easier on the body, so I probably will be able to play baseball longer than I could have played football." Asked if he might return to Texas to play football if his baseball career doesn't work out as planned, he said, "That's a possibility, but I'm figuring on playing baseball for a long time." The Blue Chips Here's my updated list of the state's top 100 junior prospects. The ones above the * * * * at each position are my Fabulous 50. Early favorites are listed where available. The Top 100 Recruits Quarterback (10) Vincent Young, 6-5, 200, 4.5, Houston Madison (UT, FSU, Mia, LSU, Tenn) Reggie McNeal, 6-3, 180, 4.4, Lufkin (Ark, A&M, FSU, LSU, UCLA, OU) Billy Don Malone, 6-2 1/2, 4.7, Paris North Lamar (UT Commitment Jamie Beeghley, 6-2, 190, 4.6, Midland Christian (TT, A&M, Colo, ND) Chad Schroeder, 6-1, 165, 4.45, Austin Westlake (A&M, TCU) * * * * Ricky Lay, 6-2, 190, 4.6, Southlake Carroll Zac Dahlman, 6-2, 182, 4.6, Keller Fossil Ridge Wes Bankston, 6-3, 200, 4.7, Plano East (LSU, A&M, OU, LSU) Jeff Ballard, 6-2, 195, 4.6, Friendswood (A&M, TT, Bay, Ky, UCLA) Dane King, 6-1, 180, 4.8, Gonzales (A&M, Bay) Running Back (7) Albert Hardy, 5-11, 225, 4.5, Galena Park (UT, ND, Mich) * * * * Phillip Fuller, 5-10, 185, 4.4, Irving Nimitz (OU, UT, KSU, Mo, LSU) Selvin Young, 5-10, 190, 4.5, Jersey Village (OU, FSU, OSU, PSU, UT, Mich) Lonta Hobbs, 5-10, 195, 4.5, Clarksville Matt Linton, 6-1, 195, 4.4, Arlington Scott Ballew, 6-0, 185, 4.5, Austin Westlake Dominique Owens, 5-10, 185, 4.45, Fort Bend Kempner (A&M, UT, Neb, LSU, FSU) Fullback (1) Lawrence Vickers, 6-2, 210, 4.6, Forest Brook * * * * Tight End (6) Eric Winston, 6-6, 275, 4.9, Midland Lee (A&M, UT, ND, Mich, Neb, OSU) David Thomas, 6-3, 215, 4.7, Wolfforth Frenship (UT, OU, LSU) * * * * Gabriel Hall, 6-4, 225, 4.7, Lubbock Coronado (TT, A&M, OU) Chad Jorgensen, 6-6, 220, 4.8, San Marcos Baptist (A&M, Bay, TCU) Maurice Bouldwin, 6-4, 240, 4.8, La Grange (OU, UT, Az, TCU) Daniel Vega. 6-3, 235, 4.7, Seguin (A&M, UT) Wide Receiver (11) Robert Timmons, 6-2, 185, 4.4, FM Marcus (FSU, Tenn, A&M, KSU, GT) Anthony Wright, 6-3, 210, 4.5, Klein Forest (UT, A&M, LSU) Damien Collins, 6-3, 195, 4.4, Dallas Bryan Adams (Tenn, UT, Colo, OU, FSU) J. T. Perry, 6-2, 180, 4.4, Allen (West Virginia Commitment) Wardell Starling, 6-3, 190, 4.55, Fort Bend Elkins (Baseball) * * * * Travis Wilson, 6-2, 190, 4.5, Carrollton Creekview (A&M, OU, UT, UCLA, LSU) James Elliott, 6-4, 185, 4.5, Sonora (ND, LSU, KSU, TCU) Xavier McGuire, 6-5, 212, 4.6, Dallas Carter (OU, OSU, LSU, Ala) Will Gulley, 6-4, 180, 4.5, Newton (OU, Bay, A&M) Dustin Miksch, 6-0, 167, 4.4, Round Rock Westwood (UT Commitment) Chad McCullar, 5-10, 170, 4.5, GP North Shore (Az, A&M, FSU, UT, LSU, PSU) Offensive Line (10) Bob Morton, 6-4, 300, 5.2, McKinney (A&M Commitment) Justin Blaylock, 6-3, 330, 5.0, Plano East (UT, Mich, FSU, Neb, A&M) Brett Valdez, 6-4, 310, 5.2, Brownwood (UT Commitment) Jeff Lebby, 6-5, 275, 5.1, Andrews (Oklahoma Commitment) Tony Ugoh, 6-4, 275, 5.1, Spring Westfield (A&M, UT, OU, Ark, UCLA, Fla) Neale Tweedie, 6-5, 265, 5.0, Allen (UT, A&M, OU, ND, Clem, UCLA) * * * * Josiah Vinson, 6-4, 290, 5.1, Irving (KSU, A&M, UT, OU) LaQualon McDonald, 6-3, 330, 5.3, Waco (A&M, OU, LSU, FSU) Kyle Williams, 6-6, 260, 5.0, Dallas Highland Park (OU, A&M, USC, Stan, UCLA) Cody Douglas, 6-3, 320, 5.3, LaMarque (A&M Commitment) Defensive End (6) Travis Leitko, 6-6, 250, 4.7, The Woodlands (ND, UT, Stan, Mich, A&M, NW) Larry Dibbles, 6-2, 275, 4.8, Lancaster (OU, UCLA, UT, A&M, ND, FSU) Dontriel Coates, 6-3, 270, 4.8, Anahuac (UT, Ky, Ark) Hosea Atkinson, 6-4, 230, 4.6, Houston Washington (OU, Mich, FSU, Fla) * * * * Nick Owino, 6-2, 225, 4.7, Alief Elsik (UT, A&M, LSU) Danny Ellis, 6-3, 260, 4.7, Cleveland (A&M, OU, LSU) Defensive Tackle (10) Rodrique Wright, 6-5, 315, 5.0, Alief Hastings (UT, A&M, OU, KSU) Earl Anderson, 6-3, 265, 4.8, San Marcos (UT Commitment) Marco Martin, 6-3, 310, 4.8, Mesquite (FSU, UT, A&M, Tenn, Neb) Joseph Edwards, 6-2, 260, 4.9, Dayton (LSU, OU, UT, A&M) * * * * Tully Janszen, 6-4, 260, 4.8, Keller (A&M, OU, UT, KSU) Quintin Echols, 6-3, 275, 5.0, Fort Worth Wyatt (A&M, OU,Tenn, GT) Fred Jackson, 6-4, 280, 5.0, Hallsville (OU, Iowa, Az, Wash, Syr, TCU) Tauren Brown, 6-4, 265, 4.9, Katy Cinco Ranch Brian Patrick, 6-4, 270, 5.0, Pasadena Sam Rayburn (Texas A&M Commitment) Travis Upshaw, 6-2, 280, 5.0, Mansfield Outside Linebacker (8) Marvin Byrdsong, 6-3, 235, 4.6, Longview (A&M, Miss St, Ark, UT, FSU, LSU) Garnett Smith, 6-2, 210, 4.5, Arl. Lamar (UT, A&M, Neb, LSU, UCLA, Tenn) Brian Robison, 6-3, 243, 4.6, Splendora (UT, A&M, OU, LSU, Ark, PSU) Glenn Jackson, 6-2, 220, 4.6, Carrollton Turner Nurahnda Manning, 6-2, 222, 4.7, Bay City (A&M, LSU, UH) Cassius Anderson, 6-2, 220, 4.6, Baytown Sterling * * * * Ed Jackson, 6-3, 215, 4.6, LaMarque (A&M, UT) George Babineaux, 6-2, 220, 4.7, Houston Westbury Inside Linebacker (6) Aaron Harris, 5-11, 225, 4.7, North Mesquite (A&M, UT, Roman Taylor, 6-0, 230, 4.7, Diboll (UT, A&M) Archie McDaniel, 6-1, 215, 4.7, Bay City (A&M, LSU, UH) * * * * Micah Woods, 6-0, 230, 4.7, Houston Sterling (LSU, PSU, KSU, Ky, Tenn) Andy Matakis, 6-3, 225, 4.6, CC Flour Bluff (A&M, UT, PSU, Pitt, UCLA) Troy Thompson, 6-2, 220, 4.7, Sweeny Cornerback (8) Edorian McCullough, 5-11, 175, 4.3, North Garland (UT, OU, A&M) Donald Burgs, 6-0, 180, 4.4, Houston Madison (UT, A&M, Ore St, LSU, TCU) Michael Hawkins, 6-1, 180, 4.4, Carrollton Turner (Colo, OU, Mich, Fla, WV) Kendrick Muckelroy, 6-0, 180, 4.4, Hallsville (OU, A&M, LSU) Willie Andrews, 5-9, 170, 4.4, Longview (A&M, OU, UT, ND, PSU, OSU) * * * * Ricky Wilson, 5-9, 170, 4.4, Port Arthur Lincoln (FSU, UT, OSU, UCLA) Marques Walker, 5-9, 170, 4.4, Arlington Houston Krys Williams, 5-9, 165, 4.5, Mesquite (A&M, Syr, Bay, UT, TT) Safety (9) Vickiel Vaughn, 6-2, 183, 4.5, Plano West (UCLA, USC, Stan, UT, A&M, Ark) Michael Cuba, 6-2, 185, 4.5, Taylor (UT, UCLA, A&M) Bam Harmon, 6-1, 180, 4.5, The Colony (Basketball) * * * * David Lott, 6-1, 175, 4.5, Aldine Eisenhower (A&M, FSU, UT, LSU) Matthew Melton, 6-0, 180, 4.5, Tyler (Neb, ND, UCLA, A&M, UT) Matt Fawley, 6-0, 200, 4.5, Richardson Pearce (UT, A&M, OU, TCU) Thomas Wright, 6-0, 180, 4.5, Sweeny (LSU, A&M, Rice, UT, Wash) Elvis Gallegos, 6-2, 180, 4.5, Fort Worth Richland James Todd, 6-1, 175, 4.5, Marshall Athlete (8) L'Tydrick Riley, 6-4, 218, 4.5, Crockett (A&M Commitment) DaBryan Blanton, 5-11, 165, 4.3, Forney (UT, A&M, OU, Ark) Brandon Grandberry, 5-11, 175, 4.46, Crowley (FSU, Wash, Minn, UT, A&M) David Lofton, 6-3, 185, 4.5, Plano West (Stan, UT, Neb, Ala, Wash) Clint Haney, 5-11, 190, 4.27 Smithson Valley (UT Commitment) * * * * Paul Thompson, 6-4, 190, 4.6, Leander (UT, OU, OSU, A&M, Bay) LeKeldrick Bridges, 6-1, 175, 4.3, Dallas Hillcrest (Basketball) Vance Washington, 6-0, 170, 4.4, Hstn Clear Brook (Fla, Mia, Syr, Tenn, UCLA) The 25 "Difference Makers" These are Texas' top 25 juniors, in my opinion, and I have seen all of them play, either on tape or in person: 1. QB Vincent Young, Houston Madison 2. DT Rodrique Wright, Alief Hastings 3. DT Earl Anderson, San Marcos (Texas Commitment) 4. DE Travis Leitko, The Woodlands 5. QB Reggie McNeal, Lufkin 6. RB Albert Hardy, Galena Park 7. OLB Marvin Byrdsong, Longview 8. CB Edorian McCullough, North Garland 9. DE Larry Dibbles, Lancaster 10. TE Eric Winston, Midland Lee 11. DT Marco Martin, Mesquite 12. S Vickiel Vaughn, Plano West 13. C Bob Morton, McKinney (A&M Commitment) 14. LB Aaron Harris, North Mesquite 15. CB Donald Burgs, Houston Madison 16. LB Garnett Smith, Arlington Lamar 17. LB Brian Robison, Splendora 18. OL Justin Blalock, Plano East 19. WR Robert Timmons, Flower Mound Marcus 20. Ath L'Tydrick Riley, Crockett (A&M Commitment) 21. DE Dontriel Coates, Anahuac 22. Ath DaBryan Blanton, Forney 23. OL Brett Valdez, Brownwood (UT Commitment) 24. LB Roman Taylor, Diboll 25. CB Michael Hawkins, Carrollton Turner Out-of-State Prospects These out-of-state prospects say they are considering Texas: DT Kasey Studdard, 6-2, 265, 4.8, Highlands Ranch, Colo (UT, Colo) DE Chase Pittman, 6-5, 255, 4.7, Shreveport Evangel (UT, LSU) WR Marquis Johnson, 6-3, 195, 4.4, Champaign, Ill. (UT, Ill, Mich, Mia, Colo, MSU) DE Bryan Pickryl, 6-6, 230, 4.6, Jenks, Okla. (UCLA, UT, OU, ND, Neb) FB-LB Brandon Hancock, 6-2, 235, 4.55, Clovis, Cal., West (USC, UCLA, UT, Mich) DT Fred Matua, 6-2, 280, 4.8, Wilmington, Cal., Banning (ND, Neb, USC, UCLA, UT) TE John Doucette, 6-2, 240, 4.8, New Orleans St. Augustine (Ark, Mich, Mia, UT) DE Zack Latimer, 6-4, 220, 4.5, Aurora, Colo., Gateway (Mia, Fla, Colo, ND, UT) 900 Number Updated Frequently I update my 900 number nearly every day with football and football recruiting news. The number is 1-900-288-8839. It costs $1.59 a minute. You must be 18 or older to call.