Mack Brown Encouraged Recruits to Look Around At Other Schools
The widespread exodus with the 2014 class might have something to do with encouragement to explore other programs from the former head coach.
Imagine being a teenage football recruit taking your official visit to the University of Texas. You're excited to finally get on campus and experience everything that Austin has to offer. You're an emotional mess, expected territory with your age, and all of your excitement about committing to Texas and your future is curb-stomped when Mack Brown announces his retirement.
That's what happened to Texas safety commit John Bonney, a Houston product who has wavered on his commitment ever since Mack Brown stepped down. The four-star safety has taken recent visits to Auburn and Baylor, and with two weeks left before the official signing day, it is very possible the Bonney ends up at another program, potentially one that is competing with Texas year after year for conference championships. So what happened with the Longhorn recruits during the awkward 'Awards Banquet Weekend' that made them start dropping like flies? Bonney shed some light on what he was told during his official visit:
I was at my official visit when Mack Brown resigned and he told us all to go look around. He said he'd even talk to other coaches for you and everything because he really just wanted the best for us as players...
http://www.statesman.com/feed/sports/mack-brown-encouraged-recruits-to-…
February 2nd, 2014 at 5:15 PM ^
With the way Texas kicked Brown to the curb it makes sense he would do this.
February 2nd, 2014 at 7:32 PM ^
February 3rd, 2014 at 9:43 AM ^
of UT in the AD? If so, UT should fire him.
February 3rd, 2014 at 6:19 PM ^
It would allow him to go seek another head coaching gig. Not that he couldn't now, but it would change the way people percieve a departure from UT.
February 2nd, 2014 at 5:15 PM ^
February 2nd, 2014 at 5:21 PM ^
February 2nd, 2014 at 5:43 PM ^
February 2nd, 2014 at 5:50 PM ^
sig sounds dirty
February 2nd, 2014 at 6:13 PM ^
Or
I could skip all the bull shit and say I forgot to put IT in my original post. You also knew exactly what I said. Now relax, everything is going to be ok!
February 2nd, 2014 at 6:40 PM ^
February 3rd, 2014 at 9:52 AM ^
Apparently many moons ago.
February 2nd, 2014 at 6:16 PM ^
You obviously know absolutely nothing about that situation, considering Lloyd Carr was the freaking man who first contacted Rich Rodriguez about the Michigan job. Smh.
February 2nd, 2014 at 6:42 PM ^
February 3rd, 2014 at 4:38 AM ^
Ryan Mallett was not a recruit. He was a freshman going into his second year of college football.
February 3rd, 2014 at 10:32 AM ^
As I recall, Lloyd Carr also suggested Ryan Mallett should consider leaving the Michigan football program while Carr was still coach.
Mallett was a classic "toss the transfer papers on the desk" situation and it's not so clear anyone could have salvaged it if they'd tried, or that they'd have been glad they did so.
February 2nd, 2014 at 9:37 PM ^
Because it's against the laws of physics to recruit one guy to be head coach and still advise players to leave if they came here strictly to play for you. /people's eyebrow
February 2nd, 2014 at 5:17 PM ^
WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH THE PUPPY/KITTY/STUPID/IWANAASMOKEA BOWLS GOING ON RIGHT MEOW??????????????????
And didn't the same thing happen here.
February 2nd, 2014 at 5:22 PM ^
This is familiar.
February 2nd, 2014 at 5:28 PM ^
I'm sure this will be elucidated in the new book about his coaching career, "Sixteen and Out"
February 2nd, 2014 at 5:46 PM ^
I'm probably in the minority on this, but I don't see anything wrong with it. If I were in Mack Brown's position, the people I'd be most concerned about serving right now are my players and committed recruits. I'd be far less concerned about saving my former program from a few decommitments. These recruits committed to Texas believing that they would play for certain coaches in a certain system, etc. If the new circumstances make it unlikely that they're making good decisions, then the right thing to do is to support them if they want to look around.
The guy I hear mentioned most often with respect to Carr is John Wienke. We can debate whether Wienke made a good decision about his final destination, but Carr knew that Wienke was a terrible fit for what Rodriguez was bringing in. If I were in Wienke's shoes - or this John Bonney kid's shoes - and I had real trust in the person I thought would be coaching me, I'd really want him to be supportive and honest with me rather than just protect his former program. For us, losing a few kids sucks because our favorite team might lose an extra game or two. For the recruits, this is the type of decision that can define their lives.
February 2nd, 2014 at 5:53 PM ^
February 2nd, 2014 at 5:54 PM ^
Lloyd before Rich Rod was one of the best dramatic comedies I've ever had the pleasure of seeing.
February 2nd, 2014 at 5:55 PM ^
February 2nd, 2014 at 6:07 PM ^
I don't remember that scene. Could you find a youtube clip or something?
February 2nd, 2014 at 6:11 PM ^
February 3rd, 2014 at 4:40 AM ^
It's a silly statement. Lloyd Carr continued the program that is allowing Michigan to recruit well to this day, including the likes of Jabrill Peppers, who has talked about wanting to do a little bit of everything like the Carr-coached Charles Woodson.
February 3rd, 2014 at 9:53 AM ^
...except after ehh...
February 2nd, 2014 at 5:53 PM ^
February 2nd, 2014 at 6:02 PM ^
February 2nd, 2014 at 6:10 PM ^
He may have talked to current players in addition to recruits. It doesn't say either way.
February 2nd, 2014 at 6:29 PM ^
I don't know what you're referring to, but what's the difference? If I were a retiring coach, I'd feel a real obligation to my players. If I felt that one of them would have a clearly more promising future if he transferred, then I'd explain the situation to him and let him know that I'd support him in whatever he wants to do. I'd do that even if I loved my school and loved the new coach coming in.
Again, for the program you're leaving and the incoming coaches, the worst that can happen is they lose a few players. For the players, this kind of thing can be life-altering.
February 2nd, 2014 at 7:35 PM ^
The story was he called a meeting with the team and said he would sign the transfer papers for anyone who wanted to leave.
http://mgoblog.com/content/post-release-three-and-out-qa-part-i
February 2nd, 2014 at 8:23 PM ^
TF related not what Carr is reported to have done?
February 2nd, 2014 at 9:12 PM ^
If I felt that one of them would have a clearly more promising future if he transferred, then I'd explain the situation to him and let him know that I'd support him in whatever he wants to do.How is that like calling a team meeting and inviting everyone to transfer if they like?
February 3rd, 2014 at 10:42 AM ^
if someone decides to tell it that way.
We know that Carr called a meeting to discuss the hiring of a new coach, who ran a completely different offensive system than the one Carr had run. And we know that he said he would be willing to sign papers if anyone decided to transfer.
We don't know what else happened in that meeting, but we do know that he didn't sign any papers. That fact has always made it seem unlikely to me that he was actively encouraging transfers (well, except for Mallett which was kind of a unique case). That room would have had a lot of offensive players worried about the transition, wondering if they needed to get out now to save their careers. Maybe he encouraged them not to make any hasty decisions, reminding them that he'd still be around to sign if they made the decision later instead of pulling the trigger before they'd met the new coach and thought it through?
That version fits the reported story just as well as "he invited everyone to transfer." I'm not sure why the other version has become MGoGospel.
February 3rd, 2014 at 2:37 PM ^
some excellent points. +1 to you, sir.
February 2nd, 2014 at 6:45 PM ^
February 2nd, 2014 at 7:02 PM ^
The old argument again: do you commit to the university or to the coach?
February 2nd, 2014 at 7:54 PM ^
the whole "Lloyd Carr told players to transfer" crap is way overblown. In the case of Mallet, not only was it completely in his best interest to transfer, but RR even told the guy he didn't want him.
The point is that when coaches recruit players, they imply that they'll actually coach them.
February 2nd, 2014 at 10:53 PM ^
Gotta call bullshit on this one. Pretty much every source says that one isn't true. But it doesn't really matter if your just making shit up.
February 3rd, 2014 at 10:46 AM ^
I always suspected that Carr and RR discussed Mallett, in particular the discipline problems Carr had had with him.
Am I the only one?
February 2nd, 2014 at 8:13 PM ^
I don't think there's anything wrong with this. Kids commit for a myriad of reasons, including coaches and philosophy. Mack and Strong likely have very different football philosophies and Mack was probably letting them know that and encouraged them to make certain of their commitment.
February 2nd, 2014 at 9:29 PM ^
It happened 3 weeks before Texas hired Strong. It sounds like sour grapes more than anything.
February 2nd, 2014 at 8:39 PM ^
They have their own Lloyd Carr...
February 2nd, 2014 at 9:18 PM ^
According to some when he left North Carolina for Texas he encouraged all his recruits to stay at NC.
February 2nd, 2014 at 9:55 PM ^
February 2nd, 2014 at 10:41 PM ^
Lloyd Carr did the same thing, it's not unheard of.
Does this mean Texas is going to suck for 3 years trying to change the culture and then fire Strong and hire Will Muschamp to restore the glory? You know, because They Are Texas. FerChristsSake.
February 2nd, 2014 at 10:24 PM ^
If there are any 2014 recruits that thought Mack Brown would be at Texas for the next four years they were ignorant of all media reports and speculation.
February 3rd, 2014 at 9:57 AM ^
Because you can always trust media reports.
February 2nd, 2014 at 11:33 PM ^