Thanks, but its late summer now... and this thread is still at the top... sooo... hi?

I'd say it's a Texas Red Oak (Quercus buckleyi) (listed as Quercus texana in most texts older than 7 or 8 years old and probably still listed that way in recent Texas publications). The leaf doesn't match up, nor does the trunk and growth habit with Shumard Oak and the acorn looks more like Texas Red Oak to me. There are hybrids between Shumard and Texas Red Oaks which occur often in North Texas (especially in and around the Dallas-Fort Worth area) which can complicate things a bit. Could you see any tufts of hairs in the vein axils on the underside of the leaves? If the undersides of the leaves look completely hairless, then it's definitely Texas Red Oak. Also, did your FNL plant this tree himself, and hence did he find it growing wild locally? If he found it growing wild near San Antonio, it's Texas Red Oak, since Shumard Oak's native range heads Eastwards as you go South in Texas, while the native range of texas Red Oak heads Westwards as you go South in Texas(clipping the San Antonio area).

9 days later, those buds have lengthened to about 3.5" for the top one, and around 2" for those below, with small leaves unfolding quite nicely However, the presumptive "leader", The bud on the upper left, is still growing straight out at a 40 degree angle and showing no signs of curving upward yet. Will it continue growing this way for a while or will it start to turn up before the growth hardens off? Most other trees I have done a heading back cut on, the new leader starts curving upward almost immediately.

Great point on the containers of top soil. My son and I got some free oak saplings at an Arbor Day event. White oak, pin oak, and a swamp oak for different parts of our yard and soil/light conditions. The park district told me to put the trees in the ground as soon as possible, but we are finishing up a gut rehab and will redo all of the landscaping, so I am keeping the trees on standby. I did add some brown mulch on top of the soil yesterday to help moderate the moisture level of the soil. Will the rough break heal itself?