The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Charlie Strong Signing Day press conference transcript
02.03.2016 | Football
A transcript of Texas Football head coach Charlie Strong's signing day press conference.
Video: Charlie Strong signing day press conference [Feb. 3, 2016]
Opening Statement: It was a great day today, and it was a great finish. Our coaching staff, players, and intermediate staff did an unbelievable job. I know we were shorthanded, and I think about [tight ends/special teams coach] Jeff Traylor over in east Texas and the job he did. [Defensive line coach] Brick Haley did an unbelievable job in Louisiana, [linebackers coach/recruiting coordinator] Brian Jean-Mary and [wide receivers coach] Jay Norvell in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. [Defensive coordinator/secondary coach] Vance [Bedford] was down east where he had Beaumont and a piece of Houston, and you look at [defensive backs coach] Chris Vaughn. The thing that [offensive coordinator/quaterbacks coach] Sterlin [Gilbert] and [offensive line coach/running game coordinator] Matt [Mattox] did is that they were able to go on some of the home visits and just make their presence felt, just being able to talk about the offense.
The best salesmen were our players. Today, even around the office, they were just all around. We had workouts this morning, and when I called them up they all said, "Hey Coach, big day today. Are we going to get it done?" I said, "You guys know more than I know, so you should know more about it." They kind of formed a group message, and they had all the recruits inside this group message. We are talking about [LB] Malik [Jefferson], [DB DeShon] Elliott, [DB] P.J. [Locke III], all those guys. They were just so involved. Just the other day, Malik called me and said, "Hey Coach, what's wrong with [Jean] Delance?" I said, "What do you mean?" He said, "He's out of our group message." I said, "Ok, well what does that mean?" He said, "Something's got to be up. He's out of the group message." Then a minute later another player calls and says, "Coach, what's wrong with Delance?" I said, "I just got the same call from Malik. Let me call [Brian Jean-Mary] and ask him what's going on." Then Elliott hits me back and says, "He's going to A&M." I said, "Oh, here we go." So I called [Brian] back and told him to let me call Delance. I had to get his mom on the phone, and I hear him laughing in the background. He said, "Coach, I'm only kidding with those guys. They take this stuff way too seriously." I said, "You can't play like that right now. We're down the stretch."
The Texas high school coaches did an unbelievable job. So much is being said about the relationship, and you look at the players we've signed from this state and just getting into high schools and building that relationship. At the end of the day, that's what it's all about. The parents are unbelievable, the coaches are unbelievable. We had 32 players take official visits here, and we signed 24 of them. We had one big weekend where it was 19 on campus. Thanks to our faculty and staff, once you get them here you don't have to do much. Once you get them here, you can just let our faculty and our staff go to work. Whatever major it is, they come to breakfast and are around them all day. Whatever needs to be done, they go out of their way to make sure it's done. A lot of the student-athletes we're talking about, it's all about academics for them. When you talk about academics and you have those parents sitting there, they want to hear it. The number one thing we talk about is to get a degree, and those parents want to know who they need to talk to and what field of study they are going into, whatever it may be. Our faculty will reach out to us and do whatever it takes. We had one come in on a Sunday because it was so important to visit one of our recruits and their family. It was special.
On QB Shane Buechele: It was fun recruiting him. His dad being [former MLB player] Steve Buechele, and he has two sisters at Oklahoma. For that visit, I ended up going for breakfast, and it was all laid out not knowing that both sisters went to Oklahoma. They came down and they said, "Coach, can we take a picture with the 'Hook 'Em' down?" I said, "No, we're not going to take that picture." I took a picture with them, but we had to make sure it was 'Hook 'Em' up. They were so proud of their brother, as well as the dad and mom. Everyone was involved. Shane is so eager to learn. He's here right now, always around the office, always around Coach Sterlin just trying to learn right now.
On RB Kyle Porter: I will tell you this. I told our coaches that when you bring kids in here on a visit, it's overrated. He didn't want to do anything. That's just who he is, and what he's all about. When he was watching the basketball game, and I said, "You and I can go, and I'll take you back to the hotel. We can sit and watch the game." He said, "Seriously?" I said, "Yeah." I also told him, "Listen. Don't call me unless you're calling to commit. So my phone rings on Tuesday or Wednesday, and I looked down and saw Kyle Porter. I looked at the coaches and thought, "Oh, this is going to be interesting." So I answered the phone and said, "Kyle, what's going on." He said, "Well, you told me not to call you unless I'm ready to commit. I'm coming." So we all jumped up and started screaming. For two years, I had the chance to watch him coming from an unbelievable program. You look at Katy High School and the championships they win, so you know what type of player you're going to get there.
On WR Davion Curtis: Curtis is a young man that had committed to Georgia, but we were able to get him to stay home and come here. It's amazing. Sometimes we don't realize the magnitude and just how important it is for some of these young men. I was sitting there with Curtis and he said, "Coach, I'm going to Texas. I would never have thought I'd be going to Texas." He was so proud of it, and he kept repeating it. I said, "Yes, you are. You can't sign yet, but you're going to be signing on signing day."
On WR Reggie Hemphill-Mapps: He is an unbelievable player from Manvel. He was committed when I first got here. I had to reconfirm his commitment, and he also runs track. He's got great speed and is a guy who can get outside, get down and stretch the defense.
On WR Lil'Jordan Humphrey: He probably has the best name of them all. I got to watch him play basketball the other night, and I had to yell at him and tell him to shoot the ball. He has good height, six-four, 210 pounds. Wide receiver, and he's going to play outside. So athletic.
On WR Collin Johnson: Collin is another receiver with good height, six-five. The good thing about him is his father was a great, unbelievable player here, and now his brother Kirk is here. I told Collin if he does what Kirk can do then he's going to playing right away.
On TE Peyton Aucoin: The good thing about Peyton is that he's a big tight end coming out of New Orleans. The thing he did, and I told him today, "You stuck with us the whole time and committed early." A really good blocker, and I know he can capture the edge of a defense for us and let us run the ball.
On OL Jean Delance: So athletic. Six-five, 300 pounds. A guy so light on his feet, and he can do lots of things at the tackle position.
On OL Tope Imade: Very strong. If our linemen want to see someone who's really strong, all they have to look at is Tope. Six[feet]-four[inches], 322 pounds. I went to see him, and he was just so excited when I walked in. I was sitting there in the coaches' office and he said, "It's really you, Coach." I said, "Unless I'm a ghost, I think it's me." He brought all of his friends in there, and they all wanted a picture. He's just so proud to be a part of it.
On OL Denzel Okafor: If you look at Denzel and just see how much he has developed at Lewisville High School. He's got unbelievable talent.
On OL Zach Shackelford: He's already here. He was committed to Kansas State, but he's already working hard.
On the defensive side: We had to really store up on defense because that was an area that really needed to be addressed. You look at our front, once we lost Hassan Ridgeway and then Tank Jackson, so we had to get some guys inside.
On DL Andrew Fitzgerald: Six[feet]-four[inches], 255 pounds. I say this guy right here will be the dark horse of this class. He's a guy that goes hard all the time. He has one speed, and he's going to go hard. Up in the Fort Worth area, he was the defensive player of the year there. He's fun to watch. When we turned the tape on, I said, "Oh god, I don't need to see anything else. If he's going to play like that, we have to have him."
On OLB Erick Fowler: He shocked everyone today. He was committed to LSU, and he's a guy we can move around. He can play outside, inside, get his hand down, and go rush. We're really excited about getting big "E".
On OLB Malcolm Roach: You look at Malcolm Roach - his dad is a high school coach there at his school. Also, he is a very good athlete that can also move around, can do a lot of things for us.
On DL D'Andre Christmas-Giles: The thing about this one here is it was eight questions every night with him. "Coach what is this? What position is this? What number can I have?" Every day it was the same ones. I said that I can't wait to get you to Texas. If you look at him, he is a force in the middle, six[feet]-two[inches], 292.
On DL Chris Daniels: Six[feet]-four[inches], 328, was committed to Oklahoma. We go in there the day before he committed to Oklahoma. I called him and said, "Listen, I know that you are going to commit to Oklahoma tomorrow but I am going to keep recruiting you. It is going to be hard for you to tell me no because I am going to stay on you. [Brian Jean-Mary] is going to do a really good job on you. We are going to flip you somehow." We were able to get that done.
On DL Jordan Elliot: He was committed to four or five different places, but at the end of the day we were able to get him. He is six[feet]-three[inches], 322. I told him, "You are for sure now that this is where it's going to happen?" You talk about guys that are 17 and 18 years old and it is so hard. It is hard that they have to make that decision, but when you start talking about distance, the closer that it gets that's when you are start recruiting them hard because now you are saying okay, you are going to have to get on a plane and fly to wherever you need to or you can get in a car and drive two and a half hours? He lives on this side of Houston, close to the Katy area. I said to him, "You can be in Austin in two hours and forty five minutes, but you are going to get on a plane. In case you get stuck you are going to have to fly out here to play." Those things come into play.
On DL Marcel Southall: From Duncanville, also a young man that came in late for us. The good thing about Southall is he is 6'1", 287. He had a really outstanding year. A guy that can hold a point for us.
On DL Gerald Wilbon: He committed early to us, also a good take for inside. But if you are looking at those guys inside you talk about Wilbon at 327, Southall at 287, and guys at 322, 328, 290… you have big bodies inside now and guys that can hold the point and don't get moved out of there. And once they get in the system with [strength and condition] Coach Moorer, they are just going to get bigger and stronger, and then they can really play well inside.
On LB Demarco Boyd: Kris's brother, an outside linebacker, a good position for us that is really going to do an outstanding job for us. He can play a lot of different places for us. He is here right now. He is an early enrollee. I gave him a call earlier today, he was really big. He is a very athletic linebacker guy that can run downhill, that can hold a point for you, and can really do an outstanding job.
On DB Eric Cuffee: He's a corner. He can play safety. He can play middle. He can do a lot of different things for us. Another big corner for us, you are talking about a 5'11", 183.
On DB Chris Brown: I told him, "You know the thing that I like about you, you have a chip on your shoulder. You are going to prove to everybody just how good you are." It is good that he comes in with the right attitude.
On DB Brandon Jones: You look at him coming out of Nacogdoches. It was important for us to get out into East Texas, and to go into East Texas and get us one. He is going to be a really unbelievable player for us. It was one of other deals that came down. I told Traylor that last year you were on the other side because you had Kris Boyd and we kept calling you "What's he going to do? Now you have Brandon [Jones] and now you try and what's he going to do?" The only thing you need to do is calm down, you will be fine. You sat there and it never ends for you. I called him probably about 12:30 or 1:00 last night and said, "Where you at?" He said, "I don't know coach, I don't know if I am going to be able to sleep tonight." I said, "Well you better try and do something because we need to have early workouts in the morning so you need to get in bed and don't worry about it."
On the recruiting process as a whole: Our coaches did unbelievable job. It was just fun to watch them work and just go through it. We knew this. We knew we had to put together a good class. We need to meet last year's class. I think we did a good job of it, not only matching it but getting our needs, defensive tackle, and getting those guys inside. You talk about our offensive line, big body guys is how you win. When you talk about it, when you combine the offensive and defensive line together I think it's eleven big guys. We signed 24, so you talk about 11… so almost 50%. That's what you really wanted to do. Like I said there were so many people involved to help get this done. I think about it, I asked the president [Greg Fenves] to come by one day and our athletic directors, just to address the parents because they had questions they had to answer. They did an unbelievable job. I was just standing there and some of them were tough questions to ask but they didn't back away from it at all. When you have that support and the parents see that, and then you go win five games, people wonder, "How did they get it done?" It's because of the support that we have here. The people knowing that we are going to work. We worked as a staff to get them here. That's our job and we had to go finish it off. We ended up finishing it off and finishing it off the right way.
On having this big recruiting day: I always say this, national signing day is always the first Wednesday in February, and so you can talk about where were are. But you know when you have an unbelievable university like we have right here that we can sell, the academics and athletics side of it, then all you had to do was work because at the end of the day it is The University of Texas. You are right. We can go and win five games, but our coaches went to work. When players see that they have a chance of coming and that they can contribute early, they know that even if they don't start, they know they are going to play. A lot of times that is what they are looking for, where can I go play and they have been in this state and have been in it for so long that you just really have to go to work and sell it and find a way for them to come.
On whether he was nervous going into today: I told our guys not to commit to me. I always say this. I think I was reading something the other day that there are 380 players that decommitted, where they made a commitment and then decommited from it. Usually when you make a commitment then they know who to attack because of the season we had. I didn't want them to come off and attack us. I said "You are going to come, already." Some of today was a big day for us but you kind of have a feel it, okay. Like the one that hit us the other day when we were talking about Kyle Porter. He was one that you kind of hit, you were almost there, that was icing on the cake right there. We just didn't know where we were with him, but a lot of the other one we kind of knew that didn't just start putting it together. Our coaches were just grinding it out where when I went to their home to say, "Just tell me are you coming or not so that we can just move on." A lot of them were just like, "Hey coach, on signing day we would like to have our day." I said you can have your day as long as you stand up there and put that Texas hat on. You can do whatever you want up there, backflips or something, as long as it's Texas.
On the key to being that successful late in the process: I don't want to take anything away from Coach [Mack] Brown because he was so successful in the way that he did it, and he did a great job doing it the way he did. But you look at it now, it is just so different when you walk in and approach them. They are 17 and 18, and you look at 380 decommited so when they make a commitment it's like "Okay, let's slow down here. He has just committed so I don't know if he really is on board." I say that to him. You have to keep pressing them, you are still in and then they ask since I'm committed can I come take a visit? Well, now it is a good chance that you are not going to get him because once he takes a visit because then he is going to want to take another visit. And now he is all cloudy now, he doesn't know what he really wants to do. "But you were committed, son. Well, Coach, I know it but I like this place or this place." So then it gets all foggy for you. I just try and tell them that I don't need a commitment right now, you go ahead and visit where you want to, we are still going to be here and we are still going to recruit you hard and if their visit is different than ours you need to tell me what we need to do to get back in position to get you. And, like I said, 32 came in here and we got 24 of them. But you have to know what you are dealing with, your approach, who you really want to get, and do they really fit the mold of your team right now. So we bring them in here, and it's very important you place them with the right person, like Malik [Jefferson] or even Connor Williams or [Patrick] Vahe, once you get them here. So you are trying to figure out a way of how we can match them up with the right people.
On perception of program changing: You have two seasons. You have to win football games and you have to win the recruiting process, and today was a big step forward for our program. We needed to have a good day today, and that's why I kept saying during this whole process that it will take care of itself. We are going to continue to recruit, and I knew once the season was over we could go full steam ahead. Coaches went about it where its "fourth-and-one." We have to get these guys here and the drama today doesn't bother me. I kind of liked it because it got everyone's attention, and that's what I want is everyone paying attention to this program.
On if people should relax and let him just run his program: I don't think they are ever going to relax here about winning, but I have some unbelievable coaches and we know how important winning is and we know we have to win some football games. We just have to continue to work, continue to build and continue to put them in the right place.
On winning over a recruit: One of the key things is there is no need to ever talk about another university. I can only sell you what's here at the University of Texas, what we can do for you and what a degree can do for you. I allow the family to talk and you want to know what's on their mind. You have to put them in a position where they are very comfortable with you.
On having 19 recruits visit during one weekend and having enough time for each one: That was a tough weekend for us. What we tried to do, if someone was close was we tried to bring them in on Friday, so that way I had a chance to sit down on Friday to meet with the families. We try to say, "Hey listen, is there any way you can get here at two o'clock today? I would like to get you here at two o'clock and I would like to meet with you." So what we try to do is get some knocked out on Friday. And then on Saturday some of them have already visited so they had heard the academic presentation and been down to the weight room and training room. So those I pulled out of the group so I could sit down in the office and visit with them. And then Sunday morning we had a big rush with a long line of them, but we just had to find a way to space them out and it was such a long day. It was a basketball game that day at five o'clock that day, so we were able to take them to the basketball game for a half and then take them to dinner.
But when you have that larger group, even with our faculty, who was so involved, we knew that we got to get them here and get them in position, because there were so many tables now with so many faculty members. Just to hear another voice because they hear the coaches all the time. So now when they come on campus just to give them a different voice where they are hearing the same thing is critical when you get them here on those visits. But we had that many and it was a chore. Our players did a great job because some of them had previous relationships so now they can come in, talk to them, keep their time, and keep them drawn where we could go work somebody else. Because we kind of had an idea of we were going to get this guy, this guy, this guy - but these guys over here on the fence let's attack them now. Let's put all of our attention on these guys. Not neglect these guys - speak, say hello, and be nice, but let's work these guys over here.
On the toughest challenges in particular to meeting with high school coaches: Well, I think that more than anything it is just building the relationship, because when you come in from out-of-state you have to find out who they are and what they are all about. Once you find that out it is like anything else. You are the new guy then it is hard for you to really crack it because you are sitting there trying to figure the person out yourself. I think hiring Jeff [Traylor] and putting him in east Texas was big because Coach [Sterlin] Gilbert knowing that whole area there and then [Brian Jean-Mary] and those guys did a great job of building those relationships. When Jay [Norvell] came from Oklahoma, he had recruited this area so now he was able to establish those relationships. What I try to do is that even this past week I forgot how many high schools I was actually in, but I may go see [Denzel] Okafor and then try to hit four or five high schools that day before I went back to see him. That way I was getting in those schools, and now I have the time, let's buzz by here to stop by to say hello to you, and you are more than welcome to come down and visit us anytime you would like. But this is where you can continue to try building it because when we have some time - that is when I try to get in those different schools - and then we are able to see some of the juniors and sophomores also.
On the recruiting process for OLB Erick Fowler: I tell you what, he is an unbelievable young man. He doesn't say much at all - very quiet. Sometimes you don't force the conversation on him and just let him open up and let him talk. So we got him in here on a visit, and that is what we allowed him to do. But we didn't know until today when he walked up to the podium because I told him last night I said, "I called you and then your brother told me you were in the shower and then I called back and he said you were asleep." I said, "You weren't asleep because you didn't fall asleep that quick." He goes, "I know it Coach, my bad." But we didn't know. We didn't know until today just like everyone else. We had an idea. We knew we were in it, and we were in the strong. And that is another one of those situations where he has a chance to stay home and make an impact and listen to his mom and dad and his whole family there. It was unbelievable.
On "dabbing" following Fowler's commitment: The players were down there and said, "Hit it, Coach. Do it one time." But we were all excited. I didn't know what the dab was, myself. I was at [Chris] Daniel's and he said, "Hey coach, we got to dab." I said, "Dab?" And he said "Yeah, we got to do the dab." And that was when I was peaking. Then when I got home my daughter Hope told me, "Dad this is the way you dab. Don't do it like that anymore." So I let her teach me how to do it.
On a sense of renewed excitement about the offense: The good thing about that is that if you look at a lot of the schools within the state that is the type of system that a lot of them run. So now it is easy because now you are looking at players like [Davion] Curtis. Sterlin [Gilbert] had been at Temple so that offense is still intact for them, so he knows. He already knows what to do and all the calls, so it was easy with him now being here and the impact that he will have will make a difference.
On getting so many quality athletes to work together: Well, that is the thing because they know this. In order for them to be really good they have to have some help. And so them getting involved and making sure that everyone is on board and, like I said, it has been fun to watch because they were all asking this morning, "Is this guy coming? Is this guy not? It is going to be a big day today." But they were all excited about it. So that is what makes it fun when the players really get involved, and down the hallway there they were grouped up all over the place just seeing what was happening. And then I hear, "Coach, we're having a big day. We are all over the place." I said, "Yeah, we are." But it is because of the work that they have put into it.
On recruiting five defensive linemen: I would have taken six or seven if I could have gotten them. I would have kept going if I could have gotten them, but they start counting and ask, "Who all are you recruiting, Coach?" But it was a need and we would have. If I could have gotten another defensive end I would have taken it. If I could have gotten another tackler I would have. I just don't think that you have enough that you could have enough big body guys. If it was up to me I would have signed 20 big body guys. You just have to be up-front with them and just be honest and say, "Listen, these are the guys that we are looking at right here. If you are afraid of competition you have to let me know because we may up getting three or four of these guys." Some of them say, "I'm good, coach." And until that day comes that is why you try to get that scholarship and try to get those papers in as soon as you can so that don't start counting and start falling.
On Shane [Buechele] and the quarterback position: The thing about that position, Shane he is going to have a chance to compete. But with Sterlin and the new offense you are going to be able to know right away whether a guy can do it or not. And they are going to be given a chance to go out and compete, so we will see. It will be easy. You have two guys that played with [Tyrone] Swoopes and [Jerrod] Heard, so you like to see what really happens now with Buechele in there. But it will be a very competitive position.
On bringing 19 recruits on campus at the same: What we try to do is, if you look at it, there's always a big weekend somewhere. So that was our weekend. And we had 19, and if I could have brought 23 or 24, I would have brought them in that weekend. And we just kept adding to the list. At first we thought it was too big, and then it turned out being one of our better weekends. So you're always trying to find one. It's important, because if you can get them all in there on one weekend, then usually you end up getting a high percentage of them because they all start talking to each other. The recruits end up building relationships because they already know one another. Now when they spend a weekend together, then it's not hard.
On the impact LB Malik Jefferson and S DeShon Elliott had in the recruiting process: Our whole team, they get so involved in the recruiting. I said it earlier, it used to be a time when you asked somebody to host, and then they would give you 30 different reasons why they couldn't. Now we have them asking, "Hey coach, who am I hosting? What position does he play? Where's he from?" So they're all willing to do it. You talk about Malik and those guys because every weekend you give those guys someone. And sometimes you try to split it up where you rest a guy this weekend and give a guy this one the next weekend. But whomever we ask, they're all on board and they're willing to do it.
On having competition at each position: Well, you have competition, but you're building depth also. So now that allows you to go and compete and have enough guys there. And that's what you just want to continue to build. However many you end up at one position, guys know that if you want to play you got to go compete. And then it'll make us a better football team.
On coaching new recruits and how good he expects them to be: Better. You have to make them better, and once you get them here, now it's all about coaching them. And we said that they're talented and they are talented enough now, and now it's all about us getting them coached up and putting them in a position where they can be successful. They may come in at a certain position, but we just have to make sure that they have a chance to enjoy their success. And that's why they came here, because they wanted that.
On recruiting getting easier: Once you have a chance to, and just because you're the University of Texas, then you're going to be able to get good classes. And now it's just about you working it and building relationships, because if you're working and building relationships then you're going to get the players because their parents understand that it's a Texas degree and that you have a chance to compete at the highest level. All of those things are here and they're in place. But now it's all about us putting in our work and making sure that we get the right ones. And that when they come in, we understand what they're looking for and what we want it to be all about also.
On which of the newcomers has chance to play right away: It's hard to say exactly who it's going to be, because even though we were young last year, you still have to address some of the needs. You're still going to have some of the depth at some of those positions. You look at the defensive front right now, you look at the inside and even on the outside, you look at the offensive line, we still have to address the needs. I don't really talk to players about redshirting because if they're good enough, we're going to play them.
On the impact coach Jeff Traylor had recruiting in east Texas: Brandon [Jones] is from Nacogdoches, and he's right there in east Texas where Jeff grew up in that area. I don't know if it's so much if he knew the family, but he knew enough people that did know the family. But he did an outstanding job. Also, you look at Chris Vaughn being involved and Vance [Bedford] being involved because he's a secondary player, but they both did a good job. All of our coaches did an unbelievable job in this recruiting process. I think last week me and [Brandon] were together and I started with Jeff, and then went to [Brandon], then I went back to Jeff, and went back to [Brandon], and then I ended up with Brick [Haley]. And every time, I was getting in all of these different cars and we're going to all these different places, and I said, "Can you guys stay in one place?" And they said, "You're the one happy to move around everywhere!" And I said, "Yeah, but it's easier for you." But it was just fun to see how our coaches went to work.
On the status of his coaching staff: Well, I haven't addressed it, but just because I'm trying to get through recruiting. And now that recruiting is over, I'm probably going to give these guys a couple of days off, and then we're going to sit down as a staff and go to work and get everybody in place. We need to get that done so we can move forward.
On if last two recruiting classes will translate into a Big 12 championship: I knew that question was coming. Let's see what we got. We'll put it together and see what we got.
On former Longhorns influencing the recruiting process: I think those guys follow it, because everyone is on social media. So I think that that would take a hit and say, "Hey, we're looking forward to you and we want you to be a part of the family." [Detroit Lions CB] Quandre [Diggs] was here yesterday sitting in my office, so when you have those guys around it just lets you know how special it was for them to be here and they want everyone else to get on board.
On recruiting in Louisiana: Well, it's all about ties, and Brick [Haley] has some ties there in New Orleans. It was good, and he did a really good job with [D'Andre] Christmas-Giles. I told Brick, I think we flew in there to Slidell early and we went to this restaurant to eat, I think it was Ky's, where they had these old bicycles. And I told him that it was a burger that helped him get Christmas, because Christmas ended up telling us that night that he was coming. But Brick knows that whole area coming out of Baton Rouge, and that's why it's easier for him to get around and know everyone.
On positive vibes coming from fans: We needed some positive vibes just because of the way we ended the season. We didn't play well, and there was just so much negative energy around the program and you're trying to dispel it. And the way you dispel it was going out and having a class and putting it together the way that we did. And then just looking at the national exposure, the way it just took off, with everybody asking about what's happening in Austin. It became big time news just because of the way it was falling for us today. We needed that, and now we just need to continue to build on it and get through the offseason, have an unbelievable spring, install an offense, see how well that comes together, and then get this group here in June and just continue to work and build on it.
On how much doubt crept into his mind as he got closer to signing day: Maybe, because I had a feel for who we were going to get. When I lead the home visit, then I kind of have an idea and I tell the coach whether we're in or we're out. I say, "Oh, we have no chance," or "Hey, we'll get him, we just got to keep working him." Like today, maybe we had three or four guys that we weren't for sure on, Fowler being one, because he probably wasn't for sure himself. It's one there we weren't for sure about. But most of them we had a pretty good idea about where he was going to land.
On having reservations about social media: I'll always say that about social media, but our guys use it to their advantage. It's a different thing.
