---------------------- Forwarded by David M Gagliardi/TTG/HouInd on
08/28/2000 07:41 AM ---------------------------


"Michael Gagliardi" <mggagliardi@duke-energy.com> on 08/28/2000 07:07:55 AM

To:   DGagliardi@reliantenergy.com, David_Ricks@GSDM.com
cc:

Subject:  True Orange Fax/E-Mail #78





---------------------- Forwarded by Michael
Gagliardi/Hou-ComOps/EnergyTrading/PEC on 08/28/2000 07:17 AM
---------------------------


TruOrange@aol.com on 08/25/2000 06:13:45 PM

To:   TruOrange@aol.com
cc:    (bcc: Michael Gagliardi/Hou-ComOps/EnergyTrading/PEC)
Subject:  True Orange Fax/E-Mail #78




True Orange Fax/E-Mail Service
Volume 8, Fax/E-Mail #78,Friday, August 25, 2000
Jerry Scarbrough's True Orange, P. O. Box 26530, Austin, Texas 78755 -
Phone
512-795-8536

Cedric Benson Commits to UT; Brown Says QB Derby Too Close to Call

Record-breaking Midland Lee RB Cedric Benson, 5-11, 200, 4.5, committed to
the Longhorns Thursday night, Lee coach John Parchman said Friday.
Parchman
said Benson called UT assistant coach Mike Tolleson Thursday night and told
him he wanted to play for the Longhorns.
Benson was in El Paso for a scrimmage Friday night, but his mother
confirmed
the commitment. Tolleson, who coaches defensive tackles, is the Longhorn
assistant who recruits West Texas.
Benson is the 13th commitment for the Longhorns this recruiting season, and
he certainly is the most famous after rushing for 3,526 yards and 44
touchdowns last season. He scored seven other touchdowns on pass receptions
for a grand total of 51 TDs. No Class 5A back in Texas has ever accounted
for
as many yards or touchdowns as Benson did in leading Midland Lee to a state
title and an undefeated season in 1999.
Gordon Wood, possibly the greatest high school coach in Texas history after
leading Stamford and Brownwood to multiple state championships before
retiring several years ago, says Benson "is the best running back I have
ever
seen in high school." Wood's teams had some great backs and they played
against some other great backs, so that is high praise indeed.
Benson is on all the national top 100 lists as are fellow Texas pledges
Jonathan Scott of Dallas Carter and Abe Robinson of Houston Jersey Village,
both offensive linemen. OL Alfio Randall of Blinn JC, another Texas
commitment, was a national top 100 prospect two years ago at Houston Yates.
Randall, by the way, had hoped  to enroll at Texas in January, but he needs
24 more hours at Blinn, so he will have to remain at the junior college
through the spring semester to graduate. That will delay his enrollment at
Texas until next fall.
The Longhorns' other early commitment are offensive linement Terrance Young
of Longview,  Mike Garcia of Galena Park, Roman Reeves of Livingston and
Will
Allen of Houston Cypress Falls; middle linebacker Yamil Lebron of Killeen
Ellison, wide receiver-defensive back Brian Carter of The Woodlands,
cornerback Cedric Griffin of San Antonio Holmes, safety Kendal Briles of
Frenship and defensive back-outside linebacker Braden Johnson of Euless
Trinity.
Briles, a great option quarterback in high school, led Stephenville to the
Class 4A state title last year by passing for  3,115 yards and 28
touchdowns
and running for 1,331 yards and 16 more TDs. So, between Benson and Briles,
the Longhorns have early commitments from two young men who accounted for
more than 8,000 yards and 95 touchdowns while leading their teams to the
state championships in the two largest classifications in Texas.
So far, only seven member of  Dave Campbell's Texas Football magazine's
24-man Super Team have committed to colleges, and the Longhorns have six of
them. Benson is the only high school player ever to grace the cover of the
state's top football magazine and he is joined on the Super Team by Briles,
Griffin, Scott, Young and Robinson. The other Super Team  player who has
committed is Madisonville running back David Underwood, who says he will
sign
with Michigan.
* * * *
Coach Mack Brown said Friday QB Major Applewhite appears to be completely
recovered after undergoing off-season knee surgery, and he said he and
Chris
Simms "are both outstanding quarterbacks," adding, "Honestly, I think both
of
them will play in the NFL."
But he said he isn't ready to name a starter for the season opener and
might
not name one until the game starts.
"They are really good," he said. "It looks like Major is going to be
healthy.
We really didn't know how healthy he was going to be, but his knee has held
up fine so far."
Asked when he plans to name one to be the starter against
Louisiana-Lafayette, he said, "I may not." Once, when he was coaching at
North Carolina, Brown didn't announce a starting quarterback until the
season
started and he sent his starting team out on the field for its first
possession. That could happen again this year.
* * * *
INJURY  NOTES: Freshman DT Stevie Lee returned to practice Friday and
looked
fine after suffering a slight leg injury Thursday.
* * * *
PRACTICE  NOTES: Brown has canceled Saturday's afternoon practice. The team
will scrimmage at 9 a.m. Saturday, then take the rest of the day off.
* * * *
My next fax will be whenever events warrant.
* * * *
The True Orange Fax Service includes  at  least  99 faxes  a year and costs
$99 ($79 by E-Mail). The True Orange Newsletter includes  26 newsletters
and
is published weekly during football season and twice monthly during most of
the other months. It costs $45. Save by subscribing to both for $130 (or
$110
if you take the faxes via E-Mail  or $99 if you take the faxes and
newsletter
via E-Mail). Send check  to address at the top of page. I also  update my
900 number

- 1-900-288-8839
- frequently with recruiting news. My E-Mail
address is: truorange@aol.com