Texas vs. Alabama: Numerous homegrown recruits set to return this weekend

Many, many years ago, and on a different site, I wrote how Nick Saban was trying desperately to break into Texas recruiting. For a long time Mack Brown’s success at Texas, or the promise of a return to prior glory, was enough to keep most of the cross-over targets home. But Saban kept winning and kept chopping wood in Texas and in the process he’s pulled more than his fair share out of the Lone Star State.

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Chances are if you follow recruiting close enough you’ve seen Saban take pictures with Texas recruits in front of a painting depicting the 2009 National Championship game. It’s knife turning, gut-wrenching, calculating, and, ultimately, hilarious.

Coach Saban said he wants a Hero!!!! pic.twitter.com/VWS407UziS

— Brandon Collier (@BCollierPPI) June 5, 2021

Here’s a look at Alabama’s current roster and players who selected Alabama over UT. Not all of them are from Texas, but most are and some were even committed to UT before flipping.

Jase McClellan, RB, Aledo (Texas) – 2020: Texas and OU have something in common in this thread — having a prized running back poached late in a cycle. McClellan was OU’s loss after being committed for two and a half years. Early in his recruitment McClellan appeared headed to the school that pressed him first between OU and Texas. That was OU, and by a good margin. McClellan did take an official visit the week before Bijan Robinson in June 2019. It’s debatable whether UT had a genuine chance to flip him, but after Robinson committed in August of that year it didn’t matter. McClellan has shown promise in Tuscaloosa but had his sophomore season cut short. He was listed on second-team in Alabama’s season opening depth chart.

Jalen Milroe, QB, Katy (Texas) Tompkins – 2021: Milroe was an early Texas commit and undisputed class leader for what would eventually become a transition class for Steve Sarkisian. The overlap is interesting given Sark helped flip Milroe to Alabama. Milroe really liked Tim Beck and no longer felt wanted when Mike Yurcich took the OC reins. He was justified in feeling that way. One of the first things Yurcich did upon arrival was look for more quarterbacks. That’s well within his right, but it’s useful insight into why Milroe flipped. Even after he committed to Texas, Alabama stayed on him. Milroe is currently Bryce Young’s backup.

Trey Sanders, RB, Port Saint Joe (Fla.) IMG Academy – 2019: Texas probably finished 3rd or 4th in this one. This was an absolute dog fight between Georgia and Alabama that swung wildly a few times in the final week. He has been injured a lot but also hasn’t looked like a five-star when healthy.

Jojo Earle, WR, Aledo (Texas) – 2021: This one certainly hurt. If there’s one position Tom Herman should have been able to sell with ease it’s slot receiver. On top of it, Texas was one of his first offers, so Herman didn’t lose this recruitment for reasons he lost many others — being late. At various points, Earle liked Texas and Oklahoma State, but initially picked LSU on the heels of their National Championship. But, similar to McClellan, Bama stayed on him and got the clean flip during the early signing period. Earle broke his foot in mid-August and was in a boot versus Utah State. Kobe Prentice playing in his place may be even better.

Henry To’oTo’o, LB, Tennessee via Sacramento (Calif.) De La Salle: After allegedly getting his Happy Meal from Tennessee, To’oTo’o departed Knoxville amid scandal. Texas wanted him but he chose Bama rather quickly and just as quickly became a rock in the middle of the Bama defense.

Shazz Preston, WR, St. James (La.) – 2022: There was some interest in Texas because of Sark’s success in Tuscaloosa, but UT was likely running third the whole time behind LSU and Alabama. As we suspected and later learned definitively, Texas had issues recruiting the position in that cycle.

Kendrick Law, WR, Shreveport (La.) Captain Shreve – 2022: The explosive athlete had interest in Texas, especially as a wide receiver in Sark’s offense, but Alabama provided much more stability. Turnover in Baton Rouge may have helped Bama’s case, too.

Jamarion Miller, RB, Tyler (Texas) Legacy – 2022: Maybe he was always going to flip but running a hot and cold process sure didn’t help. Questionable processes yield questionable results and Texas had a questionable process here dating back to the Herman staff. He had 7 carries for 32 yards in his first game.

Kendrick Blackshire, LB, Duncanville (Texas) – 2021: Very respectfully called Michael Clarke Duncanville because of his cartoonish muscularity, Blackshire looked more like an Edge than off-ball linebacker. They’ve leaned him up some and he’s already become a reliable special teamer. He was also listed as the second-team Mike linebacker behind To’oTo’o.

James Brockermeyer, OL, Fort Worth (Texas) All Saints – 2021: There’s a persistent theme stating Texas lost the Brockermeyers because they didn’t offer James soon enough. That’s not true based on conversations I’ve had. Texas missed on the Brockermeyers because it was believed the program was spinning its wheels with Tom Herman at the helm, which was true. James redshirted his freshman year.

Damieon George, OL, Houston (Texas) North Shore – 2020: Many people initially assumed Alabama wanted George to help with Zach Evans, but what we now know of Kyle Flood, George fits the profile Flood looks for. George was not only a mammoth but also young for his grade, similar to current commit Andre Cojoe. George is listed as the second-team right tackle.

Tommy Brockermeyer, OL, Fort Worth (Texas) All Saints – 2021: Like his brother, he redshirted and isn’t listed on the Alabama two-deep. They both have a lot of football ahead of them.

Jaeden Roberts, OL, Houston (Texas) North Shore – 2021: The Bama roster has him listed at 302 pounds. That’s incredible if so. He was about Cam Williams‘ size when we saw him at North Shore a couple years back.

Longivew (Texas) wide receiver Jalen Hale took an official visit to Alabama this past weekend and will now do the same to Texas. He’ll get to see Alabama in consecutive weeks, but he’ll also get to see the UT passing attack versus Alabama’s defense. Whether that’s good or bad remains to be seen.