College Football

Texas Football Recruiting: Tom Herman's first NSD Included Polarizing QB

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 8:17 p.m. ET

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Fansided, James Caldwell/FanSided via Hook'em Headlines

Tom Herman was on the staff for significant Texas Football recruiting classes in 1999 and 2000.

Tom Herman was merely a graduate assistant in 1999 when he took part in his first National Signing Day at the University of Texas.

Herman watched and studied as head coach Mack Brown went for big-time recruits like Chris Simms and Cory Redding. Brown, who was only in his second year as Texas Football head coach, made a big splash when he signed Simms out of New Jersey.

Now, Herman is about to experience his first NSD as the Longhorns coach. Will he be able to make the same kind of waves that Brown did in 1999 that will shift the national perception of Texas Football?

1999 Texas Football Recruiting Class Delivered Mixed Results

The 1999 Texas Football recruiting class never quite reached its potential. Chris Simms spent the majority of his career battling Major Applewhite for the starting QB spot. And, other top recruits did not pan out.

But, a player like Cory Redding helped pave the way for the 2002 Texas Football class, which was led by National Championship winner Vince Young.

There were other significant players in the 1999 Texas Football recruiting class. Roderick Babers, Derrick Dockery, and Marcus Tubbs had great careers under Mack Brown.

Tom Herman was also a GA during the 2000 Texas Football recruiting period. That class included the Triple Threat WRs of Roy Williams, B.J. Johnson, and Sloan Thomas. Also, stud DB Nathan Vasher headlined the defensive recruits.

As for 2017, Tom Herman has some big-time recruits in his first year as Texas football head coach. But, is there a splash player like Chris Simms or Roy Williams who is still out there?

Will Texas Football Get National Attention?

The current 2017 class is looking for that one big headliner to make waves nationally, like Malik Jefferson did two years ago. Texas has prized recruits Sam Ehlinger and Toneil Carter already on-campus. But, will Tom Herman nail down a recruit who is making his announcement nationally on ESPNU?

That would be significant for the Longhorns as Herman tries to shift the perception of Texas Football. The Longhorns have been nationally irrelevant for too many years since the 2009/2010 season.

If Herman can make a big splash on his first National Signing Day at Texas, it would have the type of impact that Mack Brown created in 1999 and 2000. It took Brown several years the reap the rewards of those first classes, but Brown started something by signing Chris Simms.

Texas wants to be a big player again in college football. And, Tom Herman watched Brown set the groundwork nearly 20 years ago. Now, it’s Herman’s turn to do the same with Texas Football recruiting.

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