Beyond the Numbers
Beyond the Numbers
Massive roster changes puts Charlie Strong vision in focus
To the total of twenty-nine players noted in the article, I would add Alex Anderson to the Transfers list (now 13) and Kevin Shorter to the Injuries (8). Dismissed is 10. Thirty-one total.
Of the Injured who went on medical scholarships:
David Ash - head injuries, retired
Josh Cochran - Recurring Shoulder injury, retired
Dominic Espinosa - multiple ankle surgeries, retired
Eric Huhn - career-ending ACL injury in high school, unable to play, Texas honored his scholarship
Nick Jordan (K) - Did not play much of last year, injury unknown
Alex Norman - Multiple injuries, did not play last year, ends career
Kendall Thompson - Multiple concussions
Kevin Shorter - neck injuries, at risk for paralysis
Ash and Cochran were starters. Jordan and Norman were just announced prior to spring practice and were Redshirt Seniors.
Some of the dismissals (10) included arrests for Sexual Assault (2), felony assault (1), failing a third drug test (1), substance abuse (2). The rest of the Dismissals were for "Violation of team rules". One of those was accused of stealing. another had academic problems, etc. But a few were unspecified, but probably due to Strong's emphasis on discipline.
So, of the thirty-one, I can only wonder about Jordan's injury and would give Strong a pass on the few "violation of team rules". That leaves the twelve transfers. Three of the twelve transfers were graduate transfers in this offseason.
On attrition overall for whatever reasons, the article says:
Coaches like to say if you hit on 50 percent of a class, you did a good job. The success rate of Texas' recruiting from 2012-13, at least when it came to producing future starters, is currently closer to 40 percent.
It goes on to compare Strong's attrition rate to Saban's and Briles's.
Also, an article on one of the dismissals noting Strong's "five core values":
Bergeron among players dismissed from UT's football team
They were tamer during the Hoke/RichRod years though.
