'12 TX LB Dalton Santos (Texas Commit)

[ArrogantTexasFan]

\I will say this, the university of Texas is where talent goes to get wasted, I have never thought that much of MB as a coach. Vince Young was so athletically gifted, that he saved his coaching career.

A lot of Texas fans agree with you. I don't think Mack sucks as a coach but he certainly isn't an elite Xs & Os guy. However, he has the 2 best technical coordinators of his career now and Mack is an elite recruiter and CEO of a program. I expect Texas to win one more national title before Mack shuts it down.

but the one thing you will not change is the lies

Mack is a lot of things and he isn't perfect but he isn't a liar.

In the past 15 years, A&M's overall record is 107-80. TCU is 135-50, so if you're going by overall record, you would be correct. However, during this same period, TCU played a total of 14 games against Big 12 opponents, including Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa State, A&M, Nebraska (before they switched), Texas Tech, Baylor, and Texas. TCU's record in those games was 6-8. I would say that would put them as an average, at best, team in the big 12.

Think about TCU's undefeated season where they beat the Big 10 Champ (Wisc) in the Rose Bowl and finished #3 just a year or so ago. A&M hasn't come close to a single season like that post WWII and you have to go back to leather helmets and no facemasks to even try to make a comparison. I'm not saying TCU is Bama but you guys are vastly over-valuing A&M. In the modern era of football, this is a nothing program.

If it really is his dream school I don't blame him. I grew up in NE Tn and if I was committed to TX for a year and on signing day I had the pen in my hand and was about to put it to my LOI to TX and Fulmer had pulled up at my school and said "DON'T sign that, we want you to be a VOL." I would have promptly torn up that piece of paper and signed with the Vols.

That is all this is......

I hear what you're saying but objectively wouldn't you agree that Santos stands a much better chance of getting more meaningful playing time as a Vol than he would in a UTex roster that's cram packed with 4-star and 5-star talent?

Elite athletes don't think that way. Santos is convinced he will be a starter and a contributor at Texas in the near future.

 

[The Waco Kid]

I hear what you're saying but objectively wouldn't you agree that Santos stands a much better chance of getting more meaningful playing time as a Vol than he would in a UTex roster that's cram packed with 4-star and 5-star talent?

The odds are pretty good that he would see the field much earlier in his career at Tennessee than he would at UTex, and that gives him more of an opportunity to reach those next level goals.

In any case, if he signs with the Longhorns, so be it. We would love to have him as a Vol but in the end it's his choice and we will move on and be fine. He would be a fantastic piece of this class but if we miss on him it's definitely not going to break the '12 class.

Naw, I hear ya............and in past years perhaps so. But UT the last 2 years is 13-12.......not exactly what Texas standards have been the past decade, and any position on a team 13-12 the last 2 years is open for competition.

the same stuff used to be said about UF. "You'll never play there", etc......when we are dying for kids to come to Florida because look at our record the last 2 years as well.

Some kids aren't afraid of the competition either.

 

[sanddune50]

I love how if he goes to texas he will sit the bench and never become anything, but if he goes to Tennessee he will be an All-SEC player and an NFL draftee.

Who would want to go to a program that has won games 10 games 80% of the time the last 10 years, and played for 2 national titles in the last 6 years?

Kid is an idiot.

How did the last 2 years go for Texas? Face it, they are on the decline. Their conference is on the decline. And to be honest, yeah, he will be mired in mediocrity going to a program that wastes an insane amount of talent.

 

[The Waco Kid]

That's really worked out well for him.... has he played a down at UF?

Clearly spoken by someone who doesn't follow Florida football.

he starts on special teams and is 2nd string LB. Registered the highest amount of tackles for a non-starter on the team.

He has played alot.

 

[eyebleedorange]

Honestly I would rather lose him to Texas over any of the other schools rumored so far.

A&M, OSU, Ark and UGA.

If it really is his dream school I don't blame him. I grew up in NE Tn and if I was committed to TX for a year and on signing day I had the pen in my hand and was about to put it to my LOI to TX and Fulmer had pulled up at my school and said "DON'T sign that, we want you to be a VOL." I would have promptly torn up that piece of paper and signed with the Vols.

That's just the way it is sometimes.

I would do the same

 

[Hyperion]

Can't blame him at all if he switches. Grew up a fan. Being a former Texas player opens up many doors in that state after college.

I hope he sticks true with Tennessee because he seems to have the intangiables and badass attitude we've been missing but I won't hold it against him if he heads to Austin.

 

[The Waco Kid]

These last several posts are what you need as a fan base................classy people wishing the kid well regardless of where he goes to school.

Kudos.

 

[tennrich1]

Even if Santos comes to the Vols surely he would have to go thru serious conditioning and workouts to be even close to ready to play immediately, dont you think? As much as I would like to have the kid I really think he's one we can recover from if we dont get him....I just hope our Defensive Front can "come of age" in the spring and fall and we can be tough there...LB is in good shape, I think...

 

[Wolfeman_Vol]

Personally, I think a&m is just as big a turd historically as tcu. I still say the big reasons we took them are the Texas money viewing market, and to try to pull Texas talent out of the big12 cesspool that it gets wasted in. Other than that, the aggies and mizzou suck.

 

[The Waco Kid]

How did the last 2 years go for Texas? Face it, they are on the decline. Their conference is on the decline. And to be honest, yeah, he will be mired in mediocrity going to a program that wastes an insane amount of talent.

So is Tennessee on the decline too, based on the last 2 years?

Using your comparison, they most certainly are.

 

[AirForceVol74]

Good point UTwild82 and a valid argument that a school took time to recruit for six months and now my local school comes in and offers late and expects to me to jump.

 

[AirForceVol74]

I have to say, if the shoe was on the other foot and Texas had been recruiting me for a while, and at the last minute Tennessee shows up and wants me as a back up, I'm going hook 'em horns. Texas took the time to get to know me, spent all of this time with me and made me feel really wanted as someone who can play right away. Tennessee only wants me as a back up when other plans fell through.

I still think this kid signs here. Call me crazy, but surely he would not go to Texas, even if it is his favorite school. This is a business decision and what is best for his business is coming to UTn and getting to see the field as a freshman and developing his skills for the NFL. JMO

I see your point as well. GBO!

 

[1982Alum]

Woulda, shoulda, coulda. We never can predict how this kid will mature and play if he does come to UT. At this point this is all rants and raves with no substantiation. If he doesn't want to be here, we don't want him and should move on. The coaches can only sign and coach the kids that want to be here.

 

[thunderduck17]

Big 12 Championship Game Wins

Texas - 3

A&M - 1

That is not an overwhelming difference in 15 years of the game. I think those are rather close to each other. Now, if you want to add Oklahoma to the equation, neither team can contend with the 7 wins they accumulated.

 

[Scotty's Flat Top]

So is Tennessee on the decline too, based on the last 2 years?

Using your comparison, they most certainly are.

You are extra sensitive and annoying today

 

[The Waco Kid]

You are extra sensitive and annoying today

Just today?

i've lost my touch.

 

[Scotty's Flat Top]

Just today?

i've lost my touch.

You have your work cut out for you

 

[UTwild82]

Woulda, shoulda, coulda. We never can predict how this kid will mature and play if he does come to UT. At this point this is all rants and raves with no substantiation. If he doesn't want to be here, we don't want him and should move on. The coaches can only sign and coach the kids that want to be here.

Very true, but that is what makes it fun

 

[ArrogantTexasFan]

Big 12 Championship Game Wins

Texas - 3

A&M - 1

That is not an overwhelming difference in 15 years of the game. I think those are rather close to each other. Now, if you want to add Oklahoma to the equation, neither team can contend with the 7 wins they accumulated.

A&M's conference title win was 13 years ago. Post WWII, they have zero national titles to 4 for Texas. Texas is 2nd all time in wins. No top 5 finish for A&M in almost 60 years. There is a massive gulf between Texas and A&M.

I didn't mean to derail the thread with the WVU/TCU vs A&M/Mizzou conversation. It only came up because one poster said the Big 12 was one of the worst conferences when in reality it is the 2nd best conf behind the SEC. If you guys think A&M is a top notch football program, I'll let it go.

 

[SpeedyVOL]

I can't fault a kid for wanting to play for the school that he grew up rooting for. Last night, I tried to put myself in the Santos situation. My son is a huge UT fan and bleeds orange. What if he committed to someone like Clemson and 2 weeks before signing day, he got an offer from UT. I would want him to go where his heart was. I would LOVE to have him at LB for the Vols, but I won't hold it against him if he chooses Tx.

 

[Hyperion]

Think about TCU's undefeated season where they beat the Big 10 Champ (Wisc) in the Rose Bowl and finished #3 just a year or so ago. A&M hasn't come close to a single season like that post WWII and you have to go back to leather helmets and no facemasks to even try to make a comparison. I'm not saying TCU is Bama but you guys are vastly over-valuing A&M. In the modern era of football, this is a nothing program.

Agreed. A&M is basically South Carolina with a ton of untapped potential. Hypothetically they could be really strong but they've never come close to reaching it. I don't think there's a dropoff between TCU and A&M.

TCU's recruiting will probably improve greatly by playing Texas and Oklahoma on an annual basis.

 

[ETNVol]

If he loves UTx, can't really blame him. Hopefully, Mack Brown won't pull a Saban on him right before NSD.

 

[The Waco Kid]

You have your work cut out for you

BTW, that is the greatest television title belt of all-time in your profile pic.

"The Enforcer" was a great one too.

 

[Cooleyvol]

The facts are on my side. TCU and A&M have the same # of titles (1) and both are ancient. TCU has a much, much better current history the past 15 years. WVU > Mizzou under any objective analysis.

Look, my feelings about A&M don't matter. No top 5 finish in almost 60 years. One old title. Those aren't my opinions, those are facts.

Historical facts mean nothing with regard to the worth of programs today and what the B12 replaced the lost schools with.

Ask yourself this:

If given the choice, which pair would the B12 rather have?

 

[jim43]

He may love Texas, but should he not consider that Texas did not give him a look until he got all that attention after Tennessee had commited to him as well as his commitment to Tennessee?

Texas did not have him as a priority - Tennessee did! He should think about that.

I would love for him to come to the real UT, but if he wants to play in an inferior conference, and feels good about being the last one asked to the dance, then that is where he should be. As for me, I had rather be where I new I was wanted when there was a big selection still out there.

The only people who will tell he played against good competition will be the people at Texas. At Tennessee, the whole country will tell him he played against the best!