Texas' four most hard-fought recruiting battles in the 2023 cycle
In order to to sign the No. 3 recruiting class according to the On3 Consensus Team Rankings, Texas had to recruit some of the top prospects in the nation. In recruiting the top prospects in the nation, Steve Sarkisian had to sell his program versus the likes of Texas A&M, Oklahoma, TCU, and LSU in region plus Alabama, Georgia, USC, Tennessee, and others nationwide.
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The No. 3 ranking indicates the high level of success the Longhorns had on the trail throughout the cycle. Some of that success didn’t manifest itself until just before the first national signing day, but those wins were just as sweet as commitments gained mid-cycle.
Inside Texas take a look at the four most hard-fought recruiting battles on the trail in the 2023 cycle.
Arch Manning
Remove the Manning factor for a moment and just consider the implications of this recruitment. Not only was it the pursuit of the next in line at a position Sarkisian believes is the most important in sports, but it also was the recruitment of the top overall prospect in the nation.
Then add the Manning factor, a name that has cachet with every single football player or fan, and this one became a recruiting battle unlike any other this century.
Texas’ successful pursuit of Arch Manning wasn’t just a Steve Sarkisian accomplishment. It was an AJ Milwee accomplishment. It was a Kyle Flood accomplishment. It was a Terry Joseph accomplishment. That type of group effort, especially coming off of a 5-7 2021 campaign, was the baseline of what was needed to contend with Nick Saban’s Alabama and Kirby Smart’s Georgia.
Whether it was his handful of game visits, summer pool party trips, or his spring 2022 official, that group went above and beyond with Arch, Cooper, and the Manning family to defeat current SEC powers for the commitment the next Manning QB.
Arch’s recruitment does differ from the ones that follow, because once he made his choice there was no going back. To be his choice in the first place was a win that rewarded what truly was a relentless effort from all involved.
Malik Muhammad
Cover corners are hot commodities in the current football landscape with the proliferation of vertical passing. That’s why the arguable anchor of South Oak Cliff’s secondary that led the Golden Bears to back-to-back state titles was in such high demand.
Muhammad, a member of a strong football family himself, received offers from over 40 schools. As the process carried on, Texas, Texas A&M, and Alabama stood out for the DFW standout.
The Longhorns earned his commitment on July 20, 2022 after he took trips to College Station, Tuscaloosa, and Austin
The recruitment didn’t end there, however. Muhammad continued to listen to the pitch from Saban, understandably so. The Aggies continued their pursuit of Muhammad, even hosting him on an official visit in October.
Texas had to stay on Muhammad throughout the process. Adding SOC teammate Billy Walton a month before Muhammad’s commitment certainly gave Texas a nice card to play, but the continued effort from Joseph, Sarkisian, and all involved to sign a player at a crucial position made this recruiting win one of the most satisfying for the Longhorn program.
Anthony Hill Jr.
Recruiting wars between Texas and Texas A&M are about as old as the programs themselves, and Hill’s was one of the more heated in recent memory.
National powers pursued Hill but local programs like Oklahoma, Texas A&M, and Texas emerged as the final three as the process wore on. Hill took his official visits in June, including his trip to Austin in the 24th. However, he never used his A&M official, saving it for later down the road.
Eventually, Hill named a top two of A&M and Texas. When both programs had dueling summer recruiting events, where Hill went became the story to track as it would indicate where he was leaning.
He went to College Station and committed to the Aggies on his visit.
Then, A&M’s season fell apart. Hill wasn’t on hand for the A&M loss to Appalachian State, but was at Kyle Field the next week for the Aggies’ win over Miami. After a close win over Arkansas, Hill watched A&M lose six straight. The On3 Consensus five-star saw enough after the fifth-consecutive loss and decommitted on November 7.
Throughout the process, Sarkisian and Jeff Choate remained in contact with Hill and his family. He visited Texas in the days following his decommitment, evidence of that continued effort.
It culminated with Hill surprising Texas coaches with his commitment during his in-home visit, the finishing blow in the heated recruiting battle with Jimbo Fisher and the Aggies.
Colton Vasek
It always seemed like Vasek was trying to branch out, as many high schoolers are inclined to do. Vasek, the son of a former Longhorn defensive end and an Austin resident, put Texas in his top five along with Oregon, Clemson, Oklahoma, and Texas Tech.
During the official visit process, Texas’ date hosting Vasek was set in the middle of the week while trips elsewhere were placed on weekends. That seemed to indicate where the Longhorns stood in his process, and eventually he chose Oklahoma.
Like with Hill, the Longhorns created their own luck. Of course, lackluster defensive performances by the Sooners following his August 1 commitment to OU played a huge role, but Texas had to be in position to capitalize. Improvement at EDGE from both Ovie Oghoufo and Barryn Sorrell, along with the benefits of a 49-0 domination of the Sooners, gave Vasek plenty to think about. He visited Texas for the Iowa State game on October 15 along with Manning, and less than a month later he made the clean flip in favor of the Longhorns.
