After signing so many top recruiting classes, Texas coach Mack Brown faced a new challenge: holding one together after the first losing season in 13 years and an offseason of turmoil.
Brown said Wednesday he was astonished that Texas would hold on to and sign 22 recruits in a class rated -- once again -- among the best in the country.
No day was tougher than Dec. 11 when Texas was hosting 14 recruits and their families. Defensive coordinator and coach-in-waiting Will Muschamp met the group at breakfast. Just before dinner, the news broke that Muschamp was leaving to be the head coach at Florida.
Muschamp was one of six assistants to leave in the offseason.
Brown's message to the recruits: "Trust me. I'll hire people you like."
David Ash, qb, 6-3, 215, Belton (Texas) HS
Joe Bergeron, rb, 6-1, 220, North Mesquite HS, Mesquite, Texas
Malcolm Brown, rb, 6-0, 215, Steele HS, Cibolo, Texas
Josh Cochran, ol, 6-6, 275, Hallsville (Texas) HS
Quandre Diggs, db, 5-10, 190, Angleton (Texas) HS
Taylor Doyle, ol, 6-5, 270, Lake Travis HS, Austin, Texas
Steve Edmond, lb, 6-3, 235, Daingerfield (Texas) HS
Sheroid Evans, db, 6-0, 185, Dulles HS, Sugar Land, Texas
Sedrick Flowers, ol, 6-3, 290, Galena Park North Shore HS, Houston
Garrett Greenlea, ol, 6-7, 290, Klein Collins HS, Spring, Texas
Marcus Hutchins, ol, 6-5, 260, DeSoto (Texas) HS
Desmond Jackson, dl, 6-1, 280, Westfield HS, Houston
M.J. McFarland, te, 6-6, 245, El Dorado HS, El Paso, Texas
Chet Moss, lb, 6-2, 235, Cedar Park (Texas) HS
Miles Onyegbule, wr, 6-4, 210, Arlington (Texas) HS
Cedric Reed, dl, 6-6, 240, Cleveland (Texas) HS
Quincy Russell, dl, 6-3, 285, Sam Houston HS, San Antonio
Leroy Scott, db, 5-10, 187 South Houston HS, Pasadena, Texas
Jaxon Shipley, wr, 6-1, 183, Brownwood (Texas) HS
Kendall Thompson, lb, 6-3, 230, Carthage (Texas) HS
Mykkele Thompson, db, 6-2, 183, Stevens HS, San Antonio
Josh Turner, db, 6-0, 175, Millwood HS, Oklahoma City
