40 Acres Sports

• RT @InsideTexas: Future Longhorn Marquise Goodwin sets national high school long jump
  record: http://bit.ly/1q5rn5 4:13 PM Jun 28th from Tweetie
• Former #UT recruit, Arky circus, and current 3rd string #USC QB Mitch Mustain is now apparently having grade issues: http://tr.im/q03B 1:13 PM Jun 28th
• Good article on #UT baseball’s 2010 pitching staff from @aTrubow: http://tr.im/q4rv Never too soon to start towards another #CWS run. 1:03 PM Jun 28th from Tweetie
• Ex-Longhorn Brian Robison is pushing for increased playing time & a starting spot in Minnesota: http://tr.im/pZMP #UT #NFL
• RT @nytimes: Farrah Fawcett Dies of Cancer at 62 http://bit.ly/FQ0dz Fawcett was discovered as a #UT student. 2:21 PM Jun 25th from Tweetie
• Connor Rowe strikes out swinging to end it. #UT season over, 1 game short of the promise land. Lose in #CWS 11-4. 9:54 PM Jun 24th
• Jungmann’s 126th pitch is a beauty to end this thing #UT 5, #LSU 1. Horns force a deciding game 3 tomorrow night. #CWS 8:56 PM Jun 23rd
• Maybe I’ve lost my mind, but Hershiser is an idiot right? A balk is an immediate dead ball. #UT #CWS 8:54 PM Jun 23rd
• ESPN hyperbole: “we can say without question that Jared Mitchell is the fastest player we’ve ever seen at #CWS.” Really? Time them? #UT #LSU 6:24 PM Jun 23rd
• During rain delay, ESPN showing last night’s #CWS game. Maybe they can stop it after 8 innings this time?? #UT #LSU 4:07 PM Jun 23rd
• Another good one from Dr Saturday: apparently Miami coaches were relying on Internet msg boards for recruiting decisions: http://tr.im/ppDi 8:30 AM Jun 23rd
• RT @RalphieReport Josh Smith’s Appeal for an Open Transfer Denied, Buff Fans Left to Wonder What’s Next? http://sbnation.com/e/685688 6:43 AM Jun 23rd
• Horns face uphill battle after heartbreaking game, can they rebound and win 2 straight? We’ll find out tomorrow night at 6pm. #UT #CWS 8:22 PM Jun 22nd
• ESPN announcers appear to believe 1-seed #UT is a 3 touchdown underdog in this thing. #CWS #LSU 4:49 PM Jun 22nd

Rumors started swirling Wednesday and on Friday Ahmad Dixon made it official by announcing he had decided to switch his commit from Texas to the Baylor Bears. The 4-star 2010 safety prospect is from Waco and made the decision that he wanted to stay and play for his hometown school. Baylor coach Art Briles was able to convince that he could be a part of turning the Bears into a legit competitor in the Big 12. In an interview with Jason Suchomel of Orangebloods.com Dixon said, “I wanted to be a part of a humongous change that Baylor is about to have in the next couple of years. I wanted to go down as one of those guys in history to go down with these great teams that Baylor is about to produce.”

Dixon’s decommit is a surprising one and hurts the Horns’ 2010 class. Fortunately defensive back has been a team strength and both the 2009 and 2010 classes have been great at the position. It will be interesting to see how the Texas coaching staff uses the freed up scholarship. There are several other 4-star safety prospects that they could pursue in-state or they could hold onto it and go after a national blue chipper. Come back to The 40 Acres for updates on this story and on other Longhorns recruiting news.

After starting talented but diminutive guards DJ Augustin and AJ Abrams and struggling against teams such as Memphis due to their length. That won’t happen again.

The Austin American-Statesman is reporting that Rick Barnes’ incredible recruiting freight train has continued with the commitment of 2011 guard Sheldon McClellan. The 6-foot-5 guard/forward from Houston Bellaire joins point guard Myck Kabongo as the second member of the 2011 class. He has great length and athleticism which he uses above the rim on offense and as an active on the ball defender. Scouts, Inc. gives McClellan high praise when they state that at times he reminds them of Scottie Pippen. In the 2009, 2010, and 2011 classes Barnes has now landed four guards over 6-foot-2 and three wingmen over 6-foot-7.

Congrats to Sheldon and welcome to the Forty Acres.

Scouting Reports

From the Statesman’s Bevo Beat:

McClellan averaged 18.5 points a game as a sophomore. The Louisville-based HoopScoop rates him the 44th-best prospect in the class of 2011. NCAA rules allow McClellan to sign with Texas in November 2010, when he is a senior. “He’s a top-50 type talent,” said Gerry Hamilton of BurntOrangeBeat, who has watched McClellan play several times. “Right now his biggest strength is creating shots for himself and his teammates. He can also catch and shoot three-pointers.”

From his ESPN profile:

McClellan is a long and athletic play maker from the wing position. He attacks the rim in transition where he can finish above the rim with his great length. In the half court he can score off the catch or dribble from three and he also has a strong mid range game with one or two dribble pull ups. McClellan can stop and pop while he elevates over smaller defenders. Making moves off the dribble and defensive rebounding are areas of improvement that are very evident but he is young with time to add this to his game. He is a good on ball defender and plays hard on a consistent basis.

Future Longhorn Avery Bradley has been all over the country and all over your television the last few weeks during the McDonald’s All-American Game, slam dunk contest and leading his team to the NHSI tourney victory. He didn’t fail to impress, playing very well in practice and the Mickey D’s game and taking home the NHSI tournament MVP. The experts at ESPNU/Scouts Inc. certainly noticed, they’ve made Bradley their number one overall player.

ESPNU’s analysis of Bradley’s ascension to the top of the rankings is below:

In our eyes, explosive athlete Avery Bradley has emerged as the No. 1 player in the land. He was named the MVP of the National High School Invitational in Washington, D.C. He guided Findlay to victories over Mountain State Academy, No. 8 Montrose Christian and No. 1 Oak Hill Academy. In each of those games, it was evident that Bradley was the difference.

Bradley is the most complete player in the class and is a difference-maker both offensively and defensively, which is rare. This young man has steadily risen up the rankings since last season. Initially it was his defensive play that propelled him. Bradley plays with great intensity each and every possession, and from a defensive standpoint he is an absolute lockup on-the-ball defender, the best in his class. He uses his length with superior quickness and intelligence to force the offensive player into bad situations. He is committed to keeping his man out of the lane, chasing him off screens and contesting jump shots.

While Bradley built his reputation as a defender, the strides he made on offense are what enabled him to ascend to the top of our rankings. He excels in the open floor, often grabbing a rebound, running with it and finishing with a dunk. In the half court, he works hard to get open and takes what is given without hunting down shots. His midrange game is outstanding, both off the dribble and off the catch. Of late, he has hit the 3-point shot with regularity, which would make him hard to guard with an already strong dribble drive and pull-up jumper. This young man scores, defends and makes everyone around him better. He leads his team to wins and, more importantly, championships.

Bradley may already be one of my favorite Longhorns and he’s not even on campus yet. He’s an incredible athlete who loves the game and it shows in his effort on both ends of the court. Having a star player who is also a leader and an excellent defender instantly will make the Horns a 2009-2010 title contender.

The three Texas 2009 signees are listed below:

Name	Pos.	Stars	Rank	Ht	Wt	Hometown
Avery Bradley	SG		1	6-3	175	Henderson, NV
Jordan Hamilton	SF		8	6-7	210	Los Angeles, CA
Shawn Williams	SF		53	6-7	215	Duncanville, TX

• Full 2009 ESPNU 100

Update

• Bradley scores 21 against the world in Nike Hoop Summit (04/12/2009)

Future Longhorn track star and possible slot receiver Marquise Goodwin won this week’s 100m at Texas Relays with a blazing fast 10.38 time. Watch the race below:

The 2008-09 basketball season isn’t over yet but Texas fans can get started being excited for next year already. The 6-foot-3 guard had a great week at the McDonald’s All-American basketball game including showing great things in practice, 15 points in the game, and a slam dunk contest win. Check out high quality video of the dunk contest win below:

Haltom City defensive end Reggie Wilson is the latest 2010 recruit to add his name to one of the most impressive recruiting classes in recent memory, and he may also be the most exciting. He’s only been playing football for a few years but he’s already a dynamic pass-rushing end who strikes fear in opposing quarterbacks. Check out some of his highlights below to learn exactly why you probably don’t want to be a Big 12 QB for the next few years:

Mack Brown’s 2010 Texas football recruiting class just keeps getting better. Top defensive end Reggie Wilson made a surprise visit to Austin Thursday and yesterday word trickled out that Wilson had committed to the Longhorns. He is the 21st commit for the 2010 class.

Wilson is a 6-foot-4, 240 pound pass rushing defensive end from Haltom City, TX. He hasn’t been around football his entire life but he is an incredible talent with one of the biggest upsides in the entire country. He is one of the top players in the entire state, ranked number 4 in the LSR and number 1 by Inside Texas. He has a very good chance to end the season as a 5-star recruit if he puts up a strong senior season.

Wilson’s personal story is an incredible one, an excerpt from InsideTexas.com:

Wilson’s parents fled Liberia at the start of the country’s Civil War while Reggie’s mother was pregnant with him. The family moved to The Ivory Coast to a compound where Reggie’s parents cared for their seven children and other children that had were affected by the war.

When Reggie was seven, his parents, amid financial difficulties, moved to the United States with the hopes of making a better life for their children. Needing the older children to stay and take care of the younger children that could otherwise not take care of themselves, seven year old Reggie Wilson lived without his parents on the Ivory Coast for three years.

When Wilson was 10 his parents had saved enough money to bring him to the United States and after a short stay in New York with some relatives, Reggie was reunited with his parents in Fort Worth.

Congrats to Reggie and welcome to the 40 Acres. Make sure to check out all the commits and stay tuned to the site for all the latest recruiting news.

The Longhorns just got their 2009 recruits to sign on the dotted line earlier this month, but the coaching staff has already convinced 12 new high school blue chippers to come on board for 2010. Lufkin defensive back Carrington Byndom is the latest commit in what is already shaping up to be another top class of recruits.

The second Junior Day of the year is this weekend and it should be another big haul for Horns. Check out the full list of 2010 commits and stay tuned to @40acressports on Twitter for breaking news on all UT sports.

The Longhorns didn’t finish off the 2009 recruiting class with the bang some fans were hoping for, but the class is still one of the top in the nation. Rivals.com ranks Texas as fifth overall class overall, but is with Florida and USC for best average rating per prospect. Check out a brief video feature on the entire top ten below:

We’ll have a post up when the dust settles, but 2010 recruiting is underway and the Texas coaching staff has hit the ground running. The first 2010 Junior Day was today and since last night six commits have pledged to play for the Longhorns. Make sure you’re following @40acressports and you’ll always be up to date on the latest Longhorn news including this huge recruiting weekend.

Here’s the breaking news and commits you might have missed in the last two days:

• Another 2 big defensive pickups confirmed today. Waco Midway S Ahmad Dixon and Cedar Hill LB Aaron Benson are commits 9 & 10. #UT 12:35 PM Feb 9th
• Two more commits from Garland (GHS this time) were confirmed last night. Athlete/safety Adrian Phillips and linebacker Tevin Jackson. #UT 8:02 AM Feb 9th
• Several other rumored #UT commits on Orangebloods, go check it out if you want the scoop: http://tr.im/fce6 ($) 8:26 PM Feb 8th
• DeSoto WR Darius Terrell also committed to #UT last night. Another big (6′3″) WR like Harris, Terrell has impressive offer list. 6:31 PM Feb 8th
• Another top state DT has committed to #UT: Alief’s DeAires Cotton. According to Orangebloods, Cotton and Bible are the state’s top guys. 6:06 PM Feb 8th
• Horns 4th commit of 2010 is a familiar name: QB Case McCoy. Just like in his bro’s class, #UT likely looking to bring in 2 QBs this yr. 6:02 PM Feb 8th
• Denton Guyer DT Taylor Bible is the Horns’ 3rd commit. He is Orangebloods’ top DT in the state. Big pickup. #UT 7:32 PM Feb 7th
• 2nd commit is WR John Harris from Garland. Should be more to come and we’ll have a recap of what is sure to be a big haul tomorrow. #UT 6:30 PM Feb 7th
• Orangebloods was reporting 2 weeks ago #UT might not take any OL recruits this yr, instead Trey Hopkins is the 1st commit of the 2010 class 6:24 PM Feb 7th

Round Rock Stony Point defensive end Tevin Mims was the last recruit to join Texas’ 5th ranked 2009 recruiting class but he’s excited to be a Longhorn. Mims exploded during his senior season and went from a relative unknown to a highly sought after 4-star player. When he finally got the offer in January from his boyhood favorite he jumped on it quickly.

Watch Tevin discuss his commitment to UT on National Signing Day below:

Wednesday is National Signing Day and we’ll have frequent updates throughout the day on the 40 Acres. This is the first day high school senior recruits can sign a binding letter of intent to play college football. The Longhorns have 20 commits in the 2009 class with 8 already on campus and 12 expected to send in their LOI tomorrow. We’ll have updates when those letters come in as well as the important news on the two remaining targets, linebacker Jarvis Jones and corner Dre Kirkpatrick.

Follow @40AcresSports on Twitter (after the jump) and keep track of other #signingday news as well.

(more …)

The 2005 recruiting season was an up and down one for the Texas Longhorns full of hits and big misses. Nothing had a bigger impact on the future of Texas football than the roller coaster ride that was Ryan Perrilloux. Perrilloux eventually decommitted (after months of lies) leaving the Horns with only a unheralded 3-star QB named Colt McCoy. Guess that turned out alright after all.

Stewart Mandel of Sports Illustrated takes an interesting look back at the 2005 quarterback class and finds a lot of busts and only a few stars, of course including our own McCoy. Bill Walsh and Greg Davis have a hypothesis on why QB recruiting is full of so many misses, too much focus on arm strength:

Texas offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Greg Davis says most talent evaluators put too much emphasis on a quarterback’s arm strength. Several years ago, while coaching in the East-West Shrine Game in San Francisco, Davis got to sit with 49ers legend Bill Walsh at a dinner. He asked Walsh the most important qualities he had identified in the many successful QBs he drafted.

“He didn’t hesitate,” said Davis. “No. 1, he said: ‘Accuracy.’ Then he talked about athletic ability, intelligence. Way, way down on the list was arm strength.”

Davis knows well the importance of digging beyond the recruiting rankings. During his and head coach Mack Brown’s 11-year tenure in Austin, the Longhorns have signed two QBs who were No. 1 in their class — Chris Simms (1999) and Vince Young (2002) — and originally received a commitment from Perrilloux.

However, they found their current star quarterback — three-year starter and 2008 Heisman runner-up Colt McCoy — tucked away at a small school in rural Tuscola, Texas. In the ‘05 class, McCoy — then listed at 6-foot-1, 180 pounds — was ranked just 15th among pro-style QBs, behind Pittsburgh’s Bill Stull, Notre Dame’s Evan Sharpley and Wisconsin’s Dustin Sherer, among others.

Source

Another day another high school all-star game full of future Texas Longhorns. Tonight five Texas commits will play in the Under Armour All-America Game live on ESPN at 7pm Central. Fans will be able to see a large chunk of the future Texas offensive unit as quarterback Garrett Gilbert and tight end Barrett Matthews will also have three big hogs blocking for them up front in linemen Mason Walters, Paden Kelley, and Thomas Ashcraft. Gilbert, who won two state titles and broke Texas state passing records as the quarterback of Lake Travis High School, is ESPN’s number one ranked quarterback prospect.

The positions and numbers of the Texas commits and targets are listed below:

Name	Number	Position	Commit?	Ranking
Thomas Ashcraft	75	Offensive Tackle	Yes
Garrett Gilbert	7	Quarterback	Yes
Paden Kelley	70	Offensive Tackle	Yes
Barrett Matthews	89	Tight End	Yes
Mason Walters	72	Offensive Tackle	Yes

View the full Under Armour rosters.

We’ll have thoughts on players from both all-star games later this week.

Today’s US Army All-American Bowl is the first of two high school all-star games this weekend that will give Texas fans the opportunity to see some future Texas Longhorns play against elite competition. Back in 2002 this game was our first chance to see how special a young man named Vincent Young might be. Today, seven commits and a few possible blue chip targets will play at noon today on NBC for the West squad.

The defensive line will be full of Horns with tackle Calvin Howell and ends Alex Okafor and the uncommitted stud Devon Kennard likely spending a lot of time in the East backfield. I also want to see how running back Chris Whaley looks and if a big back can fit into Texas’ spread offense.

Here are the Texas commits and targets to keep an eye on during the game:

Name	Number	Position	Commit?	Ranking
Tariq Allen	43	Linebacker	Yes
Marcus Davis	28	Cornerback	Yes
Calvin Howell	99	Defensive Tackle	Yes
Devon Kennard	42	Defensive End	No
Dre Kirkpatrick	13	Cornerback	No
Alex Okafor	80	Defensive End	Yes
Garrett Porter	78	Offensive Tackle	Yes
Greg Timmons	81	Wide Receiver	Yes
Chris Whaley	25	Running Back	Yes

View the full US Army rosters.

We’ll have thoughts on these guys and the rest of the game this weekend.

ESPN has posted several good videos and articles on the future Longhorns participating in this weekend’s Under Armour All-America Game. Players like Garrett Gilbert and Mason Walters are getting the chance to impress on a national stage and according to Bobby Burton of Rivals.com Gilbert in particular has done so. With five future Longhorns in the game they’re also getting an early opportunity to hang out together, something that will help the group hit the ground running once they get onto the 40 Acres.

ESPN got each of the guys to say a few things about the experience of playing in this game and about choosing to go to Texas. In the first few seconds of the video future LSU athlete Russell Shepard (who seems like a really good kid) passes by and tells the interviewer that future Horn Gilbert is the best QB in the country. I guess the Texas coaches got it right at quarterback after all. Watch below:

The players seem to get along well, which is particularly key for the three offensive lineman. It’s also great to hear that they’ve already got their eyes on a national title:

Mason Walters is 6-foot-7 and nearly 300 pounds. Still, the physically imposing offensive tackle is dwarfed by the larger-than-life expectations that constantly surround the football team at the University of Texas.

As one of five Texas commits participating in Sunday’s Under Armour All-America Game (ESPN, 7 pm), Walters is a principal member of a Longhorns recruiting class that is tall on talent. He says despite each individual’s ability, the group puts a single goal — a collective goal — at the top of its New Year’s resolutions.

“We want a ring,” Walters said. “That’s not a question. We don’t care about awards and stuff individually. I think that the guys want the team to win a national championship in the future. It’s something you can say, but it’s a lot of hard work.”

Under Armour All-Americans Garrett Gilbert, Paden Kelley, Thomas Ashcraft and Barrett Matthews will be joining Walters in Austin next year. Together, they constitute the core of a class that has nine players in the ESPNU 150 and was ranked third in ESPN.com’s most recent breakdown of the top recruiting classes.

Walters also shared his quick personal New Year’s resolutions which include his Halo 3 rank and getting fellow future UT linemate Paden Kelly to cut his hair. Mason certainly looks and sounds like a man already. Watch Mason below:

Love to see the kids bonding as this group of guys along with the players at the US Army All-American Game will make up the core of future Texas teams. You can catch Under Armour practices on ESPNU this week and the game will air live Sunday night at 7pm.

Rivals has posted an interview from new Orangebloods.com editor Jason Howell with three of the Texas commits participating in the US Army All-American Bowl this Saturday at noon. Jason talks to Alex Okafor, Tariq Allen, and Greg Timmons about their experience preparing for the game, going up against top competition, and being part of the Longhorn family.

Man I love Timmons hair, definitely a look that should never have gone out of style. All three players look like they’ll represent the University well, and Allen and Okafor in particular are very well spoken young men.

Less than a month after reeling in 5-star guard Avery Bradley the Texas basketball program continued their ascension to national power with another top 10 commit. Yesterday 5-star small forward Jordan Hamilton committed to Rick Barnes and the Longhorns after long considering them his favorite. Hamilton is a 6-foot-7 small forward from Los Angeles who is considered one of the top players in the 2009 class by every major recruiting site. Rivals.com has Jordan as their fifth best player in the country and their top overall small forward.

Hamilton is an excellent scorer with the ability to shoot the three. He’s got great size and athleticism and should be able to take the ball to the hoop and finish. He has the ability to play anywhere from shooting guard to power forward depending on the type of lineup Barnes wants to put on the court.

Rivals.com expert Jerry Meyer gives the following scouting report on Hamilton:

“Hamilton is a physically imposing wing player with a multidimensional game which is effective anywhere on the court. Beyond his ability to score at all three levels, Hamilton is a tremendous rebounder and a lethal passer in the open court. His unique size, skill package and feel for the game make him a legitimate four position player.”

Hamilton’s commitment gives the Longhorns three of the top players and one of the top 2009 classes in the country. Barnes may not be done yet as he and his coaches are still pursuing several other elite recruits for this class. Hamilton, Bradley, and 4-star forward Shawn Williams will help make the 2009-10 Longhorns a national contender if they can be mixed with some experienced leadership and depth. It should be exciting to watch.

Watch highlights of Jordan below:

Go check out some more videos of Josh over at YouTube, you’ll be impressed.

Wow. Future Longhorn Garrett Gilbert led his number one ranked and defending state champion Lake Travis team to a huge win over the Hutto Hippos. Hutto was considered to be the biggest challenger for Lake Travis in district play. If Hutto truly is the best team not led by Gilbert in district 25-4A, then Lake Travis is on their way to another state title.

Gilbert did anything and everything, going 14 of 16 for 274 yards and six touchdowns. The five star recruit made every throw in the passing tree, using touch and zip to shred an overmatched group of defenders. The highlight of the night came when Gilbert was flushed from the pocket, rolled to his right, and hit a streaking receiver down the sideline on a perfect pass that flew at least 50 yards in the air. The pass couldn’t have been delivered better if Gilbert ran the ball down the field and handed it to the receiver himself.

Colt McCoy is a great quarterback, but there is no doubt that the junior can not make every throw possible. McCoy will be a great college quarterback, but not much else because of his limitations on the passing tree, much like current coach Major Applewhite. Gilbert has no such limitations. He can throw the 15 yard out, the 40 yard post, and the out route from the opposite hash mark. His timing was spot on, and his pocket presence appeared to be beyond his years.

Gilbert impressed even the opposing coach.

“Number 7 [Gilbert] is a freak,” said Hutto head coach Lee Penland after his Hippos lost 55-20. “I mean that in a good way. I’m an ex-Longhorn, and I’m so glad he is going to UT. I just wish he went last week. I would not be surprised to see him play on Sundays.”

Before Friday Cedric Benson was the most dominant player I had seen in person at a high school football game (remember I’m only 23). But after the performance that only saw two balls hit the ground, one being a drop the other a throw away, “EL CED” could have been replaced. The guy is huge; he looks like a man playing against boys. And he is a winner. After only watching one game it is clear who the leader of the football team is as Gilbert involves himself in sideline talks with the special teams, the defense, as well as his offense.

I am also a Longhorn, and like coach Penland, I think Texas has found their quarterback of the future.

(Image courtesy of Statesman.com)

Texas made a huge splash in national basketball recruiting by gaining the commitment of top-10 ranked 2009 guard Avery Bradley. Bradley chose Texas over UCLA, creating one of the biggest “gets” in the Rick Barnes era. While Bradley lived in Dallas for a stint, the fact Barnes and the Longhorns could get a Californian kid out of the Pac-10 is huge for this program. New assistant, and ex-player Chris Ogden did the recruiting of Bradley who has moved up national lists with his strong performances in tournaments throughout this summer.

Bradley is 6′2″, but his long arms and tremendous athleticism makes him the premier perimeter defender in high school basketball. His size and defense will make him an instant impact player when he gets on campus. He’s not a polished outside shooter however his midrange game gives him the potential to be an elite scorer at shooting guard.

Rivals.com expert Jerry Meyer gives the following scouting report on Bradley:

“There might not be a better midrange scorer in the class nor a better on the ball defender than Bradley. He does have room for improvement as a rebounder and passer, but his niche as a scorer and defender make him one of the top shooting guards in the country. His wing span and heart allow him to play bigger than his height.”

Bradley is the second commit in the 2009 class, joining four-star small forward Shawn Williams out of Duncanville who committed back in early August. Add the commitment of arguably the top player in the 2010 class in Tristan Thompson and Longhorn hoops has a great future.

The fact that Bradley will play for the Horns may not even the best part of the deal, Bradley’s good friend, and top 5 player in the 2009 class Jordan Hamilton was already a Texas lead and the two have expressed desire to play at the same school. With Bradley, Hamilton, Williams, and Thompson on the same team, Texas should become a fixture at the top of college basketball.

Check out a video clip of Bradley below:

The academic progress of top 2008 basketball recruit J’Covan Brown was always a concern but it is now official. Brown won’t be enrolling at the University of Texas this fall and still has work to do to hopefully be ready for the spring semester. Brown and Varez Ward were the only two signees in the 2008 class so this leaves a big hole if he can’t get in.

From the Fort Worth Star-Telegram:

Texas basketball coach Rick Barnes said Thursday that recruit J’Covan Brown could possibly join the program for the spring semester after it was announced that Brown failed to qualify academically.

“He could still make it,” Barnes said.

Brown, a star combo guard from Port Arthur Memorial, reiterated his vow to play at Texas.

“I will work as hard as I can to make sure that I am able to earn a spot at the University of Texas as soon as possible,” Brown said in a statement.

Rick Barnes is blazing the 2009 recruiting trail and is a player or the possible leader for several top national recruits. Two players rumored to be leaning to playing for the Horns are small forward Jordan Hamilton and guard Avery Bradley.

Both players are incredible five-star prospects and they showed everybody why against FMP-Serbia this weekend. The 6-foot-7 Hamilton uses his quickhands to poke the ball use and then after leading the break dishes back to the 6-foot-3 Bradley for the facial on the Serbian player. Check out the video below:

Both guys look incredible and are reportedly Texas’ to lose. If Barnes can pull them both in they’ll team with recent commit Shawn Williams to possibly make a deep tourney run in 2009-2010. I’m excited already.

(via)

Matt Barkley not alone in talented ‘09 class. Talk about top quarterback recruits including Garrett Gilbert.

DJ Monroe impressive in THSCA All-Star game. Future Horn cornerback had 66-yard touchdown run and was game’s MVP.