First of all, UT's class is actually pretty good per recruit. The number is small because there simply aren't available scholarships and UT won't oversign. The lost of the two DTs was huge though. Would have shut up a lot of the oohs and ahhs.
Its interesting to read perceptions of UT from around the country. UT isn't Alabama. It isn't Oklahoma. Its isn't even Georgia. There's not a win at all cost mentally from the higher ups, and they have been trying to run off the "money people" for years. Just not the way things are done. The president is far more concerned with getting UT to an elite level academically. Admission requirements are climbing and so is want for the type of facility that will continue the climb up the academic rankings. That's why they don't give a damn about what Dodds does as long as he makes money and keeps the athletic department profitable. Part of that is why you're hearing rumblings about building and on campus med school and tearing down the Erwin Center. Not to mention UT regents and President are at war with the Governor about UTs future. UT is wanting a UC-Berkeley level school, while the Governor(A&M alum) wants the status quo and a cheaper school. Meanwhile A&M has made it their priority all the way from top to bottom to becoming a great football school. So the next time you see UT a consistent winner will be the next time they luck out and get a penny pincher that just so happens to want to win. Otherwise, welcome to 1984 again. Will probably be 20 years before you see anything above mediocre. If that means UT will become the next great public University, then fukk football. Would be nice to be good at sports again though.
This is ridiculous. You make it seem like it's one (academics) or the other (athletics). Why can't they do both? Stanford does it. And they field twice the number of sports we do. Academics has nothing to do with Barnes letting everyone else pick away the growing Texas basketball talent and his inability to coach offensive basketball. Academics has nothing to do with the terrible QB evaluations Mackie has made the last few years. Academics has nothing to do with the lack of home run power on the Texas baseball team. This athletic department has gotten fat and lazy the last few years. It reminds me of the predicament we're in with Jerry Jones. If revenue is up, why change? I know you're on 247, read Bobby Burton's article on what needs to change. Nowhere does it mention academics. Powers can have his little fight with Perry but Dodds/Plonsky should be focused on resurrecting this athletic department. ESPN didn't give us $300 million to build research labs and move up the academic rankings.
