Who said the off-season is boring? Looking at the latest updates of the 2026 recruiting trail, no one can say that. 5-star Jared Curtis kept the Oregon Ducks and Michigan Wolverines on their toes. But ultimately went back to Kirby Smart’s Georgia months after decommitment. On the other hand, 5-star EDGE Richard Wesley had a grand celebration after his commitment. He and Dan Lanning jumped into the pool, only to decommit from the Ducks a few days later. As per the On3 2026 Industry Rankings, Steve Sarkisian’s Texas Longhorns sit at No.13 with 13 recruits. Yet, they are still not over the trauma of some of their big misses like the 4-star running back Tradarian Ball, who hopped on the Ducks’ wagon. Forget ranks. Even holding the No.1 rank in the list, Lincoln Riley’s USC Trojans lost out on landing the 5-star wide receiver Chris Henry Jr., who committed to Ohio State. But looks like it’s time for Sarkisian and Riley to feel some more pain. And who are the ones to inflict the pain? SEC rivals Kalen DeBoer and Kirby Smart. What will be the modus operandi? Yet another snatching mission. Right now, the player who has the eyes of the programs is none other than 4-star EDGE Khamari Brooks. On June 11, Hayes Fawcett came up with fresh intel on Brooks’ race that leaves DeBoer and Smart on cloud nine. “ NEWS: Four-Star EDGE Khamari Brooks is down to Alabama and Georgia, he tells me for @on3recruits.” If USC and Texas were still knitting some hope in their hearts for Brooks, here came a reality check. Fawcett reported, “The 6’4 235 EDGE from Bogart, GA has cancelled his remaining OVs to Texas and USC.” Brooks has already visited both this summer, beginning with a trip to Athens on May 30, then Tuscaloosa on June 6. But now his calendar holds two cancelled dates, as he was expected to make stops at USC and Texas this summer as well. Now, this might come off as a big shock. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Hayes Fawcett (@hayesfawcett3)The Trojans have developed a strong recruiting footprint in Georgia over the past few recruiting cycles. They signed two players in the 2024 cycle in sophomore defensive end Kameryn Fountain and redshirt freshman tight end Walter Matthews. Same goes for Sarkisian’s Longhorns. They landed a high-profile 5-star defensive tackle, Justus Terry, in the 2025 class, despite Georgia being the perceived favorite. But looks like in Brooks’ case, this did not work.Coming back from Athens, Brooks was in all praise about Smart’s squad. “The football talk was great and the words they said were very good. They walked me through the defense with showing me plays that they believe I can make on the field.” Contrary, if things turn out in DeBoer’s way, it’s just going to make their 2026 concoction better. Alabama already holds commitments from two 4-Star prospects at the position in Kamhariyan Johnson and Jamarion Matthews. DeBoer’s 2026 class looks kind of weak with only six recruits. They have most recently added 4-Star offensive lineman Sam Utu from Orange, California. Now, if the final fight is going to be between Smart and DeBoer, where do the head coaches stand walking into 2025?Kalen DeBoer has no room for mediocrity in 2025 Definitely recruiting wins are a priority. But head coaches need to save their seats first. ESPN ranks Smart the No. 1 coach in college football for 2025. So, we can assume that the Georgia head coach’s seat is all cool. In that list, DeBoer has been ranked at No.7. The reasons? Well, we are all aware. Filling GOAT Nick Saban’s shoes got a bit too much on the head coach. The Alabama Crimson Tide just had their first nine-win season since 1993.While DeBoer must be planning a big turnaround, he might be fighting to keep his biggest distraction at bay. That’s recreating Saban’s six Natty magic. After all, he got to whitewash his image as DeBoer’s boys came with a number that Alabama fans have never seen in the last 16 years under Saban. The worst the GOAT went was 7-6 in 2007. While DeBoer fortifies his fortress to pounce back, something is beyond his control. So, what might hold Kalen DeBoer back from achieving a second-season charm? A brutal schedule. Alabama’s SEC foes- Tennessee, South Carolina, LSU, and Georgia are going to give them a hard time. Now, how much leniency can DeBoer be offered? Joel Klatt shared, “He’s in place at a place that is expected to win, and not just win, but win big and win at the highest level of college football. Can’t miss the playoff in particular … And I think that it could get a little uncomfortable for Kalen DeBoer when you look at that schedule.” So, DeBoer got to juggle things like a champ- reel in top recruits while readying his squad for a gauntlet of a season.The post Steve Sarkisian, Lincoln Riley Learn Alarming Update as SEC Rivals Close In on Elite Defensive Target appeared first on EssentiallySports.