Good evening gang, here's a quick update on a few things as of Friday evening. Wanted to share some of this earlier, but I'm a little late getting home and to my office.
Coaching Updates
I know it's been talked about hear and I just wanted to pass along some of what I have heard over the last few days. I heard from a pretty good source earlier this week that Kendall Briles was a likely candidate for Houston's vacant offensive coordinator position. I know he's a guy that has been discussed here and I think this this is starting to gain a bit of traction over the last few days. I was able to confirm through other sources that Kendall Briles has indeed been mentioned and or discussed about the vacant position, but what I have not been able to confirm is whether or not he was or will be offered the position. Still trying to do more digging on that, but things have been very tight lipped around the Houston camp.
While head coach Lane Kiffin gets most of the credit, many credit FAU's 2017 turnaround to the offense that Briles amassed at FAU. So he's become a name linked to many positions around the country.
Here's where things could get iffy if Briles is indeed one of Houston's top targets or the top target. It might behoove them to move quickly as I have heard his name linked to other potential openings as well. One of my LSU contacts says he's heard his name mentioned as a possible replacement to Matt Canada who appears to be departing LSU after just one season as offensive coordinator for the Tigers. Similar to the Houston situation although completely different things have been pretty tight lipped on the LSU front as well because of the sensitivity of the Matt Canada situation. So I'm not quite sure how serious the Kendall Briles talks got around Baton Rouge, just that his name has come up.
Another interesting nuggett I have heard from one contact in regards to the coaching search and potential assistants is another name that was mentioned here in the Den. This is kind of where things get a little interesting and by no means is any of this a done deal, just some chatter I heard, so please take this for it's worth I'm only passing along what I have heard not confirming anything one way or another.
One contact tells me that he's heard Houston offensive line coach Chris Scelfo is moving on which was discussed by @CoogOL in a thread earlier this morning.
The above info is doubly interesting when you factor in that former Baylor assistant Randy Clements was reportedly taking a job at SMU, then for whatever reason that job fell through. Clements coached the offensive line and was on staff with Kendall Briles at Baylor under Art Briles and one contact I spoke to recently believes that Clements would join Kendall Briles in Houston if indeed Briles is the eventual hire. It's pure speculation at this point as I've not confirmed anything but it's interesting that he was reported as taking a job with SMU and now he's not near the time that Kendall Briles to Houston is picking up a lot of traction and if the rumors about Scelfo moving on are indeed true, based on some of the other info I've heard it all makes too much sense, but again take it for what it's worth.
If and when I hear more on the situation I'll pass along things I'm hearing and if I get any concrete confirmation of course, I'll share that as well.
Recruiting
Don't expect much to happen for the remainder of the 2018 recruiting cycle. I did have a conversation with someone close to the situation that told me a week ago to keep my eye out for some possible JUCO linebacker targets as well as a quarterback to fill the final spots. With the expected transfer of Miami linebacker Darrion Owens which was brought to the Den by @joprior23 in a thread a few days ago.
Rivals.com's Matt Shodell of CaneSport.com reported of Owens Transfer on Tuesday citing a possible reuniting with Mark D'Onofrio. Owen’s mother, Robynn Scott, told CaneSport on Monday that “He’s transferring to Houston, I believe, but nothing for sure yet.”
A lot of the Houston staff is still out of the office so I've not yet confirmed it from the UH side of things, but a few others from the Miami side have indicated Houston is the landing spot. This somewhat confirms some other information I heard that indicates the JUCO LB plan is now basically an afterthought as Owens would essentially fill that void.
For those not familiar with Owens
He's a former three-star prospect out of Orange Park (FL) Oakleaf. He signed with Miami as a member of the 2014 signing class.
The veteran linebacker has played in 38 career games with one start and has 79 career tackles. He had 35 tackles, 4.5 for losses for the Canes, this year.
If my numbers are correct that will leave Houston with just one spot for 2018 and based on what I've heard it's all hands on deck for Clayton Tune as we previously reported a few days ago.
If you haven't read it yet, we gave a full update with thoughts from Tune on his recruitment and exactly where Houston stands heading into his January 12th official visit. You can read that story here.
Based on the full court press and red carpet treatment he will receive from Houston and the fact that the staff is now basically all in on Tune, the timing of his visit and the fact that he will enroll early wherever he signs I fully expect the Cougars to close out the 2018 recruiting cycle with the addition of Tune. It's not a done deal, but I would be surprised if he didn't pull the trigger on his visit the weekend of January 12th.
For those not familiar with Tune, be sure to check out the story linked above and check out his highlight tape below.
Coaching Updates
I know it's been talked about hear and I just wanted to pass along some of what I have heard over the last few days. I heard from a pretty good source earlier this week that Kendall Briles was a likely candidate for Houston's vacant offensive coordinator position. I know he's a guy that has been discussed here and I think this this is starting to gain a bit of traction over the last few days. I was able to confirm through other sources that Kendall Briles has indeed been mentioned and or discussed about the vacant position, but what I have not been able to confirm is whether or not he was or will be offered the position. Still trying to do more digging on that, but things have been very tight lipped around the Houston camp.
While head coach Lane Kiffin gets most of the credit, many credit FAU's 2017 turnaround to the offense that Briles amassed at FAU. So he's become a name linked to many positions around the country.
Here's where things could get iffy if Briles is indeed one of Houston's top targets or the top target. It might behoove them to move quickly as I have heard his name linked to other potential openings as well. One of my LSU contacts says he's heard his name mentioned as a possible replacement to Matt Canada who appears to be departing LSU after just one season as offensive coordinator for the Tigers. Similar to the Houston situation although completely different things have been pretty tight lipped on the LSU front as well because of the sensitivity of the Matt Canada situation. So I'm not quite sure how serious the Kendall Briles talks got around Baton Rouge, just that his name has come up.
Another interesting nuggett I have heard from one contact in regards to the coaching search and potential assistants is another name that was mentioned here in the Den. This is kind of where things get a little interesting and by no means is any of this a done deal, just some chatter I heard, so please take this for it's worth I'm only passing along what I have heard not confirming anything one way or another.
One contact tells me that he's heard Houston offensive line coach Chris Scelfo is moving on which was discussed by @CoogOL in a thread earlier this morning.
The above info is doubly interesting when you factor in that former Baylor assistant Randy Clements was reportedly taking a job at SMU, then for whatever reason that job fell through. Clements coached the offensive line and was on staff with Kendall Briles at Baylor under Art Briles and one contact I spoke to recently believes that Clements would join Kendall Briles in Houston if indeed Briles is the eventual hire. It's pure speculation at this point as I've not confirmed anything but it's interesting that he was reported as taking a job with SMU and now he's not near the time that Kendall Briles to Houston is picking up a lot of traction and if the rumors about Scelfo moving on are indeed true, based on some of the other info I've heard it all makes too much sense, but again take it for what it's worth.
If and when I hear more on the situation I'll pass along things I'm hearing and if I get any concrete confirmation of course, I'll share that as well.
Recruiting
Don't expect much to happen for the remainder of the 2018 recruiting cycle. I did have a conversation with someone close to the situation that told me a week ago to keep my eye out for some possible JUCO linebacker targets as well as a quarterback to fill the final spots. With the expected transfer of Miami linebacker Darrion Owens which was brought to the Den by @joprior23 in a thread a few days ago.
Rivals.com's Matt Shodell of CaneSport.com reported of Owens Transfer on Tuesday citing a possible reuniting with Mark D'Onofrio. Owen’s mother, Robynn Scott, told CaneSport on Monday that “He’s transferring to Houston, I believe, but nothing for sure yet.”
A lot of the Houston staff is still out of the office so I've not yet confirmed it from the UH side of things, but a few others from the Miami side have indicated Houston is the landing spot. This somewhat confirms some other information I heard that indicates the JUCO LB plan is now basically an afterthought as Owens would essentially fill that void.
For those not familiar with Owens
He's a former three-star prospect out of Orange Park (FL) Oakleaf. He signed with Miami as a member of the 2014 signing class.
The veteran linebacker has played in 38 career games with one start and has 79 career tackles. He had 35 tackles, 4.5 for losses for the Canes, this year.
If my numbers are correct that will leave Houston with just one spot for 2018 and based on what I've heard it's all hands on deck for Clayton Tune as we previously reported a few days ago.
If you haven't read it yet, we gave a full update with thoughts from Tune on his recruitment and exactly where Houston stands heading into his January 12th official visit. You can read that story here.
Based on the full court press and red carpet treatment he will receive from Houston and the fact that the staff is now basically all in on Tune, the timing of his visit and the fact that he will enroll early wherever he signs I fully expect the Cougars to close out the 2018 recruiting cycle with the addition of Tune. It's not a done deal, but I would be surprised if he didn't pull the trigger on his visit the weekend of January 12th.
For those not familiar with Tune, be sure to check out the story linked above and check out his highlight tape below.
