Football:

Rico Gathers will participate in the Cowboy’s Rookie Minicamp. From Mike Fisher of Scout:

The Dallas Cowboys have arranged for young tight end Rico Gathers to participate in the team’s rookie minicamp, coach Jason Garrett tells me, a helpful step in his progress to earn a roster spot … and maybe much more.

Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller lists Matt Rhule #6 when considering the most impressive coaches on the recruiting trail:

The arrival of former Temple head coach Matt Rhule has already turned Baylor back into a school that the local talent is willing to consider. In addition to Scout's No. 260 Josh Fleeks of Cedar Hill, Texas, the Bears have signed 10 3-star recruits from the Lone Star State in the past three months.

Dennis Dodd noted some reasons the Big 12 may not collapse in a longer article on the state of the league:

Bowlsby said Texas makes more from its "media properties" than any school in the country.

Either school probably won't leave anytime soon given that revenue windfall and a Big 12 binding grant of rights. But the biggest reason is competition itself.

Despite the downturn, the Big 12 remains the best place for Texas and Oklahoma to win championships. They simply wouldn't wield their Big 12 power elsewhere.

If OU left today for the SEC, its officials would walk into conference meetings with Alabama, Auburn, LSU, Florida, Georgia and Tennessee (among others). Think of Texas in the Big Ten. Michigan and Ohio State have been the big dogs there for decades.

Basketball:

Baylor made the top seven for top 30 prospect Gerald Liddell:

I think he’s going to end up at Texas. But Baylor should have an excellent 2018 class. Scott Drew, Jerome Tang and Alvin Brooks III have been active in building the 2018 and 2019 groups. Baylor will lose Jo Lual-Acuil, Terry Maston, Manu Lecomte and Nuni Omot after next season. That makes this class vital.

Motley looks good, as always:

Michael Nichols will have a fantastic article on Matt Rhule’s recruiting philosophy up this morning. I have the mailbag scheduled to go up at noon. And be on the lookout for Matt to have another interview with a Baylor basketball player.

Sic ‘Em!