Texas and LSU are two of the biggest recruiting powers in the world of college football and they are currently at odds. Pete Thamel of Sports Illustrated that the Longhorns were set to participate in a satellite camp, in conjunction with Belhaven University, in both Baton Rouge and Hammond (La.) later this week. However, the report indicates that LSU worked behind the scenes to essentially squash the event.
Local high school coach Mike Roach indicated that "Louisiana home cooking" may have had something to do with the camp floundering and, later, he went on the record in more expansive fashion.
"I guess we let the optics of college football influence the ultimate goal, educating young men and exposing them to a better life. The optics of college football has gotten in the way of what the mission of this thing is all about. I don't have any allegiance to anyone. I have an allegiance to these kids in my community."
In addition, Belhaven head coach Hal Mumme (who was formerly an SEC head coach at Kentucky) reportedly indicated that LSU was behind the issue and said the following.
"If you are the head coach at LSU, you should want the other kids in your state to have an opportunity. Ed needs to think about those kids that aren't going to get a scholarship to LSU. I've been in the SEC as the coach of the (flagship) university of the state. You have show respect to those other kids as well."
Per the report, this is the third such camp that was directly influenced by LSU trying to keep Texas out of Louisiana from a recruiting standpoint and that is huge news. The budding rivalry emerging between Ed Orgeron and Tom Herman is also quite interesting given that, well, Herman reportedly had the opportunity to take the LSU job before ultimately landing in Austin as the head coach of the Longhorns in the offseason.
This story almost certainly isn't over and, given the magnitude of the two programs, fireworks may emerge again in the very near future.
