If you are wondering why Nebraska and Colorado jumped ship from the Big 12 for greener pastures besides money then you might need to look at some of the details in regards to the new Longhorn Network which is set to take over the Big 12 starting August 26th. According to SportsByBrooks that is the date in which the Longhorn Network, run by ESPN programming VP Dave Brown, will start televising high school football games in Texas and other states with specific Longhorn recruits in them. If you got your panties in a bunch when Notre Dame signed a deal with NBC a while back you should be screaming bloody murder over the recruiting advantage and major influence Texas will now have by televising their recruits games on "The Longhorn Network."
Brown did an interview with an ESPN Austin radio station and revealed his master plan for Texas to rule the college football recruiting landscape:
“We’re going to follow the great [high school] players in the state. Obviously a kid like [unsigned Texas verbal commit] Johnathan Gray. I know people [Longhorn Network subscribers] are going to want to see Johnathan Gray, I can’t wait to see Johnathan Gray.
“Feedback from our audience is they just want to see Johnathan Gray run whether it’s 45-0 or not, they want to see more Johnathan Gray. So we’re going to do our best to accomodate them [Longhorn Network subscribers] and follow the kids who are being recruited by a lot of the Division I schools. Certainly some of the kids Texas has recruited and is recruiting and everyone else the Big 12 is recruiting.
“One other thing, you may see us, I know there’s a kid [unsigned Texas verbal commit] Connor Brewer from Chapparal high school in Arizona. We may try to get on one or two of their games as well so people [Longhorn Network subscribers] can see an incoming quarterback that’ll be part of the scene in Austin.“
So you may be asking yourself "what's the big fucking deal?" The big fucking deal is that it gives the Longhorns major influence over recruits decisions into which school they choose. In a way the Longhorn Network is a big bad booster who is giving cash to these high schools to broadcast their games. The Longhorn Network is essentially paying the high school to televise their football program on their network and the sidelines will be decorated in burnt orange. Sorry Oklahoma. Sorry Texas A&M. You guys could be fucked. The coaches of these high school programs will now encourage their kids to go to Texas in order to get their football team on The Longhorn Network.
In conclusion: Texas and coaches like Mack Brown don't need to recruit as heavily as they once did. They got ESPN and The Longhorn Network doing their dirty work. If you are Texas A&M the next move is to jump ship to the SEC Conference. As for Oklahoma a Sooner Network might be the best way to battle back.
The rest of the Big 12 woke up this morning singing this ditty in their head with the thoughts of Texas dominating the recruiting world....
Via SportsByBrooks
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