OT: TT shopping hard

[acco40]

All the money in the world doesn't make make way west Texas a great place to live.

I went to a job interview once in Abilene, Texas. And I was offered the job, but after visiting that middle of nowhere town, I turned it down. And never looked back.

Affordability: Abilene boasts a cost of living significantly lower than the national average, especially regarding housing costs. This makes it easier to afford a comfortable lifestyle and enjoy the city's amenities without financial strain.

Family-Friendly: Abilene has a reputation for being a welcoming place for families. It offers numerous parks, recreational activities, and family-oriented events like the Abilene Zoo and the Children's Art & Literacy Festival. The city also emphasizes education with good schools and family-friendly neighborhoods.

Community: Residents often describe Abilene as having a strong sense of community, where neighbors know each other and local events bring people together.

Cultural Scene: While not a huge metropolis, Abilene has a thriving cultural scene with museums, a designated cultural district for the arts, and events like the Western Heritage Classic.

Outdoor Recreation: Abilene offers plenty of opportunities for outdoor activities, including parks, a state park, and access to hunting and fishing.

Convenience: Abilene is known for its short commute times, which can be a major perk for residents.

National Recognition: Abilene has been recognized as one of the best places to live in the United States by Livability.com for the past two years, further validating its quality of life.

Now Texas is still Texas (hot, dry or humid depending on location) but I'd still prefer Abilene over Dallas, Houston and slew of other Texas locations.
Your alternative to Abilene was where?

[edwin drood]

IF they are putting huge part of their NIL budgets to a couple of Olinemen what's left for the skill guys on O. Or more important the Defensive players? Makes little sense unless it's going to be the wild west where everyone who has a billionaire or two in their pocket ignores all this and loses their ever loving minds and simply tosses bags o cash around just like it always has been just under the table.

The cream of the crop offensive linemen ride the pine as true freshman and get redshirted an more than likely don't see the field until their reshirt sophomore year (3rd year). Then they are the weak link on the offensive line.

So even with tens of millions of dollars spent on offensive linemen, they likely won't reap benefits (wins) in three years or so.

I think NIL and revenue sharing are going to change that paradigm. I predict that Felix Ojo (Texas Tech, $5.2 million over 3 years) and Jackson Cantwell (Miami, $2 million per year for 3 years) will both start in game #1. Teams won't want to pay that kind of money for a kid to lift weights and eat for a year or 2.

[acco40]

IF they are putting huge part of their NIL budgets to a couple of Olinemen what's left for the skill guys on O. Or more important the Defensive players? Makes little sense unless it's going to be the wild west where everyone who has a billionaire or two in their pocket ignores all this and loses their ever loving minds and simply tosses bags o cash around just like it always has been just under the table.

The cream of the crop offensive linemen ride the pine as true freshman and get redshirted an more than likely don't see the field until their reshirt sophomore year (3rd year). Then they are the weak link on the offensive line.

So even with tens of millions of dollars spent on offensive linemen, they likely won't reap benefits (wins) in three years or so.

I think NIL and revenue sharing are going to change that paradigm. I predict that Felix Ojo (Texas Tech, $5.2 million over 3 years) and Jackson Cantwell (Miami, $2 million per year for 3 years) will both start in game #1. Teams won't want to pay that kind of money for a kid to lift weights and eat for a year or 2.

I don't understand your logic. Paying a kid more money doesn't make them a better football player. Coaches will still start who they think gives them the best chance to win.

Felix Ojo Slips In Recruiting Rankings
After an update to the 2026 rankings, a new Texas Tech five-star falls.

[edwin drood]

IF they are putting huge part of their NIL budgets to a couple of Olinemen what's left for the skill guys on O. Or more important the Defensive players? Makes little sense unless it's going to be the wild west where everyone who has a billionaire or two in their pocket ignores all this and loses their ever loving minds and simply tosses bags o cash around just like it always has been just under the table.

The cream of the crop offensive linemen ride the pine as true freshman and get redshirted an more than likely don't see the field until their reshirt sophomore year (3rd year). Then they are the weak link on the offensive line.

So even with tens of millions of dollars spent on offensive linemen, they likely won't reap benefits (wins) in three years or so.

I think NIL and revenue sharing are going to change that paradigm. I predict that Felix Ojo (Texas Tech, $5.2 million over 3 years) and Jackson Cantwell (Miami, $2 million per year for 3 years) will both start in game #1. Teams won't want to pay that kind of money for a kid to lift weights and eat for a year or 2.

I don't understand your logic. Paying a kid more money doesn't make them a better football player. Coaches will still start who they think gives them the best chance to win.

Felix Ojo Slips In Recruiting Rankings
After an update to the 2026 rankings, a new Texas Tech five-star falls.

Plenty of freshmen start, on day 1. Orlando Pace started for Ohio State game 1. Luther Burden started 10 games for Mizzou as a freshman. Here in Lincoln, Dylan Raiola started every game at QB. If a school is paying a freshman seven figures, he, almost by definition, is not a typical recruit. Why even consider paying that kind of money if you don't think he can start? All these high dollar players will be gone in 3 years anyway so why only get 2 years of performance?

[winonsports]

Affordability: Abilene boasts a cost of living significantly lower than the national average, especially regarding housing costs.

That just means the supply outweighs the demand

[3-2 Fastball]

All the money in the world doesn't make make way west Texas a great place to live.

I went to a job interview once in Abilene, Texas. And I was offered the job, but after visiting that middle of nowhere town, I turned it down. And never looked back.

This response is really strange. I've spent some time in Lubbock and it's just fine. It isn't Miami Beach. But guess what? 99.9% of college football players don't play in Miami and they seem to be okay with that.

You're wrong if you think high level college recruits value the sunsets, average rainfall totals, the commute, or the property taxes. Is the money good? Is it high level football and do they feel the program will set them up nicely for pro football opportunities? That is what matters. West Texas does those two things as well or better than most in today's college football. That is why they are pulling more recruits.

[acco40]

IF they are putting huge part of their NIL budgets to a couple of Olinemen what's left for the skill guys on O. Or more important the Defensive players? Makes little sense unless it's going to be the wild west where everyone who has a billionaire or two in their pocket ignores all this and loses their ever loving minds and simply tosses bags o cash around just like it always has been just under the table.

The cream of the crop offensive linemen ride the pine as true freshman and get redshirted and more than likely don't see the field until their reshirt sophomore year (3rd year). Then they are the weak link on the offensive line.

So even with tens of millions of dollars spent on offensive linemen, they likely won't reap benefits (wins) in three years or so.

I think NIL and revenue sharing are going to change that paradigm. I predict that Felix Ojo (Texas Tech, $5.2 million over 3 years) and Jackson Cantwell (Miami, $2 million per year for 3 years) will both start in game #1. Teams won't want to pay that kind of money for a kid to lift weights and eat for a year or 2.

I don't understand your logic. Paying a kid more money doesn't make them a better football player. Coaches will still start who they think gives them the best chance to win.

Felix Ojo Slips In Recruiting Rankings
After an update to the 2026 rankings, a new Texas Tech five-star falls.

Plenty of freshmen start, on day 1. Orlando Pace started for Ohio State game 1. Luther Burden started 10 games for Mizzou as a freshman. Here in Lincoln, Dylan Raiola started every game at QB. If a school is paying a freshman seven figures, he, almost by definition, is not a typical recruit. Why even consider paying that kind of money if you don't think he can start? All these high dollar players will be gone in 3 years anyway so why only get 2 years of performance?

Offensive linemen are the least likely to start as freshmen. They need to be physically mature to handle the strength and explosiveness of college-level defensive ends, tackles and edge rushers. They need to develop the advanced footwork, hand placement, and blocking schemes necessary for success which takes time and extensive repetitions. Offensive linemen need to be able to identify defensive fronts, stunts, and blitzes and adjust their blocking assignments accordingly, which is often difficult for freshmen.

Let's look at Mizzou's last premier offensive lineman: Armand Membou - taken in the first round of the draft and was the highest-drafted offensive lineman since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970! Did he start as a freshman? Well, yes and no. He did start three games as a true freshman Kentucky, Tennessee, New Mexico State during the "regular season" plus he had a start against Wake Forest in the Gasparilla Bowl. The offensive linemen starters for Mizzou during Membou's freshmen year were Javon Foster and Bobby Lawrence at tackle, Xavier Delgado and Luke Griffin at guard, and Connor Tollison and Richard Taylor at center. Membou was a backup at right tackle.

So the highest drafted lineman in college football for the past 55 years essentially wasn't penciled in as first string until his sophomore season. I rest my case.

[edwin drood]

IF they are putting huge part of their NIL budgets to a couple of Olinemen what's left for the skill guys on O. Or more important the Defensive players? Makes little sense unless it's going to be the wild west where everyone who has a billionaire or two in their pocket ignores all this and loses their ever loving minds and simply tosses bags o cash around just like it always has been just under the table.

The cream of the crop offensive linemen ride the pine as true freshman and get redshirted and more than likely don't see the field until their reshirt sophomore year (3rd year). Then they are the weak link on the offensive line.

So even with tens of millions of dollars spent on offensive linemen, they likely won't reap benefits (wins) in three years or so.

I think NIL and revenue sharing are going to change that paradigm. I predict that Felix Ojo (Texas Tech, $5.2 million over 3 years) and Jackson Cantwell (Miami, $2 million per year for 3 years) will both start in game #1. Teams won't want to pay that kind of money for a kid to lift weights and eat for a year or 2.

I don't understand your logic. Paying a kid more money doesn't make them a better football player. Coaches will still start who they think gives them the best chance to win.

Felix Ojo Slips In Recruiting Rankings
After an update to the 2026 rankings, a new Texas Tech five-star falls.

Plenty of freshmen start, on day 1. Orlando Pace started for Ohio State game 1. Luther Burden started 10 games for Mizzou as a freshman. Here in Lincoln, Dylan Raiola started every game at QB. If a school is paying a freshman seven figures, he, almost by definition, is not a typical recruit. Why even consider paying that kind of money if you don't think he can start? All these high dollar players will be gone in 3 years anyway so why only get 2 years of performance?

Offensive linemen are the least likely to start as freshmen. They need to be physically mature to handle the strength and explosiveness of college-level defensive ends, tackles and edge rushers. They need to develop the advanced footwork, hand placement, and blocking schemes necessary for success which takes time and extensive repetitions. Offensive linemen need to be able to identify defensive fronts, stunts, and blitzes and adjust their blocking assignments accordingly, which is often difficult for freshmen.

Let's look at Mizzou's last premier offensive lineman: Armand Membou - taken in the first round of the draft and was the highest-drafted offensive lineman since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970! Did he start as a freshman? Well, yes and no. He did start three games as a true freshman Kentucky, Tennessee, New Mexico State during the "regular season" plus he had a start against Wake Forest in the Gasparilla Bowl. The offensive linemen starters for Mizzou during Membou's freshmen year were Javon Foster and Bobby Lawrence at tackle, Xavier Delgado and Luke Griffin at guard, and Connor Tollison and Richard Taylor at center. Membou was a backup at right tackle.

So the highest drafted lineman in college football for the past 55 years essentially wasn't penciled in as first string until his sophomore season. I rest my case.

Well, your post is a bit confusing. The final statement about "the highest drafted lineman" surely you meant to say "the highest drafted lineman from Mizzou". That, I believe, is true. But limiting the sample to only Mizzou players makes for a pretty small sample size. Membou wasn't even the highest drafted O- lineman in 2025. That was Will Campbell who started every game while he was at LSU. The Rams drafted Orlando Pace #1 overall after he started every game at THE Ohio State University. I believe another OT, Kelvin Banks, from Texas started every game while at Texas (drafted 2 spots after Membou). So, it's not a rarity. But... None of those players were making $1,000,000+. Only time will tell, but I think Jackson Cantwell will start every game in college (hopefully not all at Miami)..

[JW]

Tech's benefactor(s) are at it again...

https://x.com/Rivals/status/1953540990121521358

@Rivals
BREAKING - 2027 5-star EDGE LaDamion Guyton has committed to Texas Tech

Guyton is the No. 1 overall recruit in the Rivals300.

https://www.on3.com/rivals/news/texas-t ... ke-family/

[jcgmoi]

Guyton is expected to receive a three-year deal worth up to $3.5 million . . . $900,000 in Year 1, $1.2 million in Year 2 and $1.4 million in Year 3.

I bet the package is bigger by the time he enrolls, probably at TT but who knows?

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/654102 ... yton-2027/