I mean this particular ambassador/head coach/ace recruiter, just two years ago, was collecting prospects like a hot-shot assistant D.A.-turned-defender collects clients...
A couple of the pioneers in early recruiting were Joe Paterno and Tom Osbourne. But it did not take long before Brown took the torch and carried early recruiting to new heights. College football analysts and fans alike have witnessed that over the years, especially two seasons ago. But what the crafty Brown did then and what he's doing now is entirely different.
Seventeen Texas Top 100-type commitments in just a couple of months isn’t what you'd necessarily call insane. It's called Mack Brown. Tha Man has academics, facilities, a recent Rose Bowl win and the city of Austin to sell. But face it. Dude is smooth, and a ton of credit goes to him.
Just last year, Virginia's head coach Al Groh was filling up his 2005 class faster than cars lining up for $1.99-a-gallon gasoline. But a Top 5 class for the Cavaliers in the end was a pipe dream. Recruitniks could see that. What I'm simply trying to tell you is the class UT (Brown/Bruce Chambers/Bobby Kennedy) is stockpiling is long on top-of-the-line blue chips...
Scout.com (U.S. Army All-American selection partner) has already sized up and personally evaluated most of the 2006 Horns. Folks, committed prospects named J'Marcus Webb, Eddie Jones, Sergio Kindle, Dustin Earnest, Emmanuel Moody, Derke Robinson, Kenneth Beasley, Phillip Payne, Montre Webber, Vondrell McGee and Lawrence Hunter are slated to challenge for top honors at their respective positions in the Lone Star State, a state producing more D-I talent than any other in the Union...
What Groh did last year with early commits was in fact impressive. But it wasn't a haul full of 3-star, or higher, talent. And, it wasn't as heavy on probable 4 star prospects and potential 5-star contenders. Brown shows the recruiting analysts and college football fans, again, why he's the Mack-Daddy of Recruiting...