Is there a world where Robert Griffin III plays for Texas instead of Baylor? He actually confirmed there were two: in today’s college football landscape, and in 2007 — during his recruitment process.
Appearing on the “Joel Klatt Show,” Griffin revealed how Texas messed up his recruitment, and he also divulged that if he were a modern-day quarterback, he likely would have transferred to Texas even after finding success early at Baylor.
Griffin was a talented multi-sport athlete at Copperas Cove High School, describing himself as “world-class” in track. But the top schools recruiting him — Texas, Texas A&M, and more — were skeptical his slight frame fit for track and field could “translate over to playing quarterback at (the college) level.”
Baylor didn’t have the same doubts. Griffin’s decision was simple.
Then, when Baylor and Texas matched up on Nov. 8, 2008, toward the end of Griffin’s freshman season, a 3-6 Baylor team stuck close to the No. 5-ranked Longhorns during the first quarter. A touchdown run from Griffin and a 55-yard connection with Kendall Wright tied the score at 14.
Texas eventually imposed its will and broke away for a 45-21 win. But then-Texas head coach Mack Brown was impressed. When the final whistle blew, he made a b-line to meet Griffin at midfield.
“If you want to transfer to Texas right now, we will take you,” Griffin recalled Brown telling him. “We really messed it up in your recruiting. We shouldn’t have asked you to play safety, we should have asked you to play quarterback.”
In 2008, Griffin didn’t want to go through a transfer process that entailed sitting out a full year to be able to play at Texas. He also valued Baylor’s decision to recruit him as a quarterback. So Texas made the first mistake. But, in transparency, he continued on the “Joel Klatt Show”, “if that happened now, you’re looking at a situation where that’s probably RGIII not playing at Baylor.”
Robert Griffin III playing for Baylor in 2011. (Photo by Greg Nelson /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
Griffin conceded, even despite Texas’ original oversight, he would have heavily considered transferring had it been 2026, where it’s widely popular, and has no consequences attached.
Regardless, the Longhorns won the 2009 BCS National Championship and Griffin won the Heisman Trophy in 2011. Both were successful, but the fun question remains: What could Texas and RGIII have accomplished together if they had been partnered in the modern-day transfer portal era?
