Tag: Big 12 Football

Report: Graham Harrell Extended At USC

Graham Harrell was a name that Tom Herman could have brought in as offensive coordinator but he signs an extension with USC.

There were two names that were circulating as potential candidates to fill the offensive coordinator position after the demotion of Tim Beck. One of those such names can now be crossed off the list. Former Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell who turned coach after a brief stint in the NFL was among the names that could be part of the new look Tom Herman staff but it has been reported by Bruce Feldman that he will be staying with the Southern California Trojans after signing a three-year extension.

With Harrell out of the fold, the other name on most lists involved Joe Brady who is currently the offensive coordinator for the Louisiana State Tigers. Brady is currently prepping for a matchup with the Oklahoma Sooners in the Peach Bowl for the opportunity to play for the National Championship. Brady has previously stated that his future was absolutely with the Tigers.

Now the question becomes what is next for Tom Herman as he tries to find the next play caller for the Texas Longhorns.

Collin Johnson Has Opportunity To Improve Draft Stock

With the bowl game and Senior Bowl ahead, Texas Longhorns wide receiver Collin Johnson has time to impress NFL scouts.

When you look at Collin Johnson he has what NFL Scouts will fall in love with. He has the size to be a serious red zone threat and makes some miraculous catches that will leave your jaw on the floor. After posting career best numbers in every statistical category, the sky was the limit for Johnson. Unfortunately for the former four-star recruit, injuries have limited his season. Head Coach Tom Herman has said that Johnson will be available for the Alamo Bowl, and that could be the start that helps his draft stock rise.

Collin Johnson will have two games left to impress scouts ahead of the pre-draft workouts and team visits. Johnson has accepted an invite to the Senior Bowl in Mobile Alabama in which he will get to work with a NFL coaching staff, another opportunity to show what Johnson does best.

His frame is more on the slender side but Johnson shows off that huge catch radius that coaches will love. He has very reliable hands as evident with some of the circus level snags he is able to come down with. During the Senior Bowl practices, Johnson has an opportunity to get coached up on his techniques to help him off the line. He can struggle with separation at the line but with a big frame, Johnson is still able to bring down his fair share of passes. Johnson needs to show that he can beat press coverage off the line if he wants to make it at the next level.

Unfortunately enough, Jaylon Johnson who has declared for the draft won’t play in the Alamo Bowl against Texas. Johnson was named to the 2019 Associated Press All-American second team and it would have been quite the challenge for Collin. Utah still has other playmakers on the defensive side of the ball to challenge the 6’6″ wide receiver.

There is still a long way to go before the NFL Draft but Collin Johnson has all the opportunity to rise up draft boards and it starts in the bowl game.

Texas Quarterback of the decade: Sam Ehlinger

Ever since Colt McCoy left Texas in 2009 consistent play from their quarterback has lacked. Sam Ehlinger has been the guy starting in 2017.

Ever since Colt McCoy left the 40 acres at the end of the 2009 season, one thing has been lacking for Texas. Consistent play from their quarterback. Starting last season for the Longhorns, Sam Ehlinger has been the guy, taking over the signal calling for the offense under Tom Herman.

While he split snaps with Shane Buechele in his freshman season, Ehlinger won the starting job before the opening game against Maryland in 2018. From that point on, Texas has been ride or die with Ehlinger, with him starting in all 26 games played over the last two seasons.

His sophomore season was his best, leading Texas to their first 10 win season since the 2009 National Championship season. He also took Texas as far as the Sugar Bowl, getting a crucial victory against Georgia to end the season. That year only had their first Big 12 championship appearance since the 2009 win against Nebraska.

Other quarterbacks in the 2010s included Garrett Gilbert, David Ash, Case McCoy, Tyrone Swoopes, Jerrod Heard, and Shane Buechele. The only one of those who comes relatively close to what Ehlinger has done for this program is Buechele. Even then, it is not close, with the junior quarterback from Austin getting the nod as the best quarterback to play for Texas this decade.

Years played: 2017, 2018, 2019

Passing Stats: 63.1 completion percentage, 8,669 passing yards, 65 touchdowns, 21 interceptions

Rushing stats: 430 rushing attempts, 1,453 rushing yards, 24 touchdowns

Best game: vs Oklahoma, 2018. 24-35 with 314 yards, two passing touchdowns, no interceptions. 19 rushing attempts for 72 yards and three rushing touchdowns

Best moment: Second touchdown run against Oklahoma in 2018

Accomplishments: 2019 Sugar Bowl MVP

More than likely coming back for his senior season, Ehlinger has made a huge impact on Texas in his first three. He is already up there statistically with the all-time UT quarterback greats like Vince Young, Colt McCoy, and Major Applewhite, but is just missing one thing. Some form of championship. Ehlinger brought the Longhorns close in 2018 with a Big 12 championship appearance but will need to win one to cement himself as a Longhorn legend.

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Former Longhorn Alex Okafor Done For The Year

Former Texas Longhorn defensive end Alex Okafor is done for the season with a torn pectoral muscle.

Former Texas Longhorn and current Kansas City Chiefs’ defensive end Alex Okafor is likely done for the season. Okafor left the game against the Broncos with what was reported as a chest injury when he sacked Denver Broncos quarterback Drew Lock in the first quarter.

Okafor is in his seventh season in the NFL. This year he has recorded 22 total tackles, five tackles for loss, five sacks, one forced fumble and nine quarterback hits. This marks Okafor’s first season with the Chiefs after spending his first four years with the Arizona Cardinals and the last two with the New Orleans Saints. Okafor was enjoying the best season of his career since 2014.

The fear of this injury was that Alex Okafor sustained a torn pectoral muscle and the team was awaiting MRI results. The team later announced that they would place Okafor on the injured reserve to make room for Terrell Suggs, who was claimed off waivers.

 

Three star defensive tackle Sawyer Goram-Welch commits to Texas

Texas has landed another defensive tackle commit in the 2020 class with Sawyer Goram-Welch. He is a three star prospect out of Longview, TX.

Texas has landed three-star defensive tackle Sawyer Goram-Welch out of Longview, Texas. It was a quick change of events for Goram-Welch, who flipped from Oklahoma State two months after announcing he would be committing.

When Goram-Welch decommitted from the Cowboys on Dec. 7, the Longhorns had already offered him a scholarship five days earlier. Making his official visit to Texas this weekend, Goram-Welch made the decision to join the No. 7 ranked 2020 recruiting class on Sunday night.

 

Goram-Welch is listed at 6 feet 4 inches and 278 pounds. Coming out of Longview High School, he had 64 tackles in his senior season. 15 of them were for losses, including eight sacks. While he did not force any turnovers this year, he forced three fumbles in his junior season in 2018.

Joining Vernon Broughton as the other defensive tackle in the 2020 class, the Longhorns are now up to six defensive commits. Gorman-Welch plans on signing with Texas during the early signing period, enrolling in the University in the spring.

Early period signing day is on Wednesday, Dec. 18. Texas currently is the highest-ranked Big 12 team in the 2020 class, with Oklahoma being the closest to the Longhorns at No. 10.

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Watch: Kenny Vacarro Touchdown Saving Interception

Former Longhorns safety Kenny Vacarro makes an interception early in the first quarter against the Houston Texans.

Former Texas Longhorns safety Kenny Vacarro is already making his mark early on with Sunday’s action in the early slate of games. Early in the first quarter the Houston Texans were driving deep in Tennessee territory when the former Texas product stepped in to end the drive in the red zone.

Chip Brown Reports Chris Ash Expected To Join Longhorns Staff

Chip Brown of Horns247 is reporting that Chris Ash will take over as defensive coordinator. Ash has a history with head coach Tom Herman.

Following the dismissal of defensive coordinator Todd Orlando after three years at the University of Texas and a two-year stint with Tom Herman in Houston, the Longhorns are expect to name former Rutgers coach Chris Ash to run the defense. Chip Brown of Horns247 reported the story Sunday morning.

Ash has familiarity with Herman much like Todd Orlando did. Ash was with Herman at Iowa State as the defensive backs coach and again with him at Ohio State in 2014 when they won the National Championship with the Buckeyes.

Ash takes over a defense that struggled down the stretch. The Longhorns defense ranked 108th nationally in yards per game surrendered. Their turnover margin (+6) was 26th nationally but given the talent on this team, it could be better and Ash can bring some new ideas to help them get to where Texas football should be.

A huge focus on this defense needs to be getting off the field on 3rd downs. This year the Longhorns allowed a first down conversion on 3rd downs at 40%, that was 74th nationally. The hiring of Chris Ash should bring optimism for a team in dire need that needs some positive news going into the offseason after a disappointing season by Longhorns standing. With Ash in the fold, Tom Herman now will be looking to make a hire on the offensive side of the ball.

Former Longhorn Jordan Hicks’ Play Stands Out

Former Longhorns linebacker Jordan Hicks is having a big season and chasing a franchise record for the Arizona Cardinals.

Former Texas Longhorns linebacker and current Arizona Cardinal is having a big year for their defense. Following a stint with the Philadelphia Eagles where Jordan Hicks help that team win a Super Bowl, he joined the Cardinals this offseason. His play has been big in a season that been mostly forgettable for the Cardinals. After five seasons for the horns, Jordan Hicks posted a huge senior season that tallied 116 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks to go with his two interceptions. That season earned him a 3rd-round selection in the 2015 NFL Draft.

This year Jordan Hicks is near the top in most defensive categories for linebackers. Hicks is currently tied for fifth-most passes defended with three other linebackers including 2018 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Darius Leonard. He also is currently 2nd to Leonard and Joe Schobert in interceptions with three. The numbers don’t stop there.

Jordan Hicks is currently third in the NFL for total tackles with 121 combined tackles, that puts him just three ahead of teammate Budda Baker. Baker leads the league in solo tackles with Jordan being tied for fifth most at 74. Statistically Jordan Hicks is up near the top in most defensive categories and he is proving that he deserved every penny and more of the four-year deal that he signed this offseason.

Jordan Hicks has an opportunity to set the Cardinals record for most sacks in a single season. He sits 26 tackles away from tying Ronald McKinnon who set the mark in 2000. That season McKinnon and Pat Tillman combined for 312 tackles. Hicks and Baker currently sit at 239 with three games remaining.

Former Longhorn Quandre Diggs Proving His Worth

Former Texas Longhorns’ defensive back Quandre Diggs proving his worth with a new opportunity.

They can’t overcome bad coaching, I know that – Bill Belichick in response to Randy Moss statement that Good players can’t win if they don’t have good coaching.

A simple statement but a true statement. In the NFL some of the best college talent don’t work out but it is a true system. If you don’t set your players up to succeed they won’t find success very easy. Quandre Diggs is proving that this season.

Diggs was coming off one of his best year’s as a profession being named a Pro Bowl alternate after a 78 tackle season with three interceptions (career high) and eight passes defended. Through the first five games of the 2019 campaign, Diggs wasn’t have the same level of production. The Seattle Seahawks were struggling in their secondary following the loss of Earl Thomas to Baltimore so they made the move that blindsided Diggs.

Motivation. A team trading a playing when they aren’t at their best could be one reason why the former Longhorn is having success, the other being the system he now plays in. The big names are gone from the defense that was once heralded as the “Legion of Boom” but they still have the core philosophies in place. Diggs is taking full advantage. After back-to-back seasons with three picks after not recording a single one in his first two seasons, Diggs has matched that number again.

With three games left in the regular season, Diggs has an opportunity to reach a career high in interceptions and turnovers forced. The former Longhorn is thriving in Seattle and he can thank the Seahawks for allowing him the opportunity to showcase his skills that were being wasted in Detroit.

Another Texas Longhorn Chasing History

Devin Duvernay is just another Texas Longhorn looking to chase history against Utah in the Alamo Bowl.

The Texas Longhorns have another offensive player that is looking to chase history in their matchup with the Utah Utes. On top of junior quarterback Sam Ehlinger looking to break Colt McCoy’s single-season mark for touchdowns and passing yards, senior wide receiver Devin Duvernay is looking to eye the mark set by McCoy’s childhood friend Jordan Shipley. The duo is aiming to break the records that have stood for the last 10 plus years.

Duvernay is looking to make the move to the NFL following their bowl game and he can make a little noise on his way out. He currently sits second for receptions in a single season, just 13 behind Shipley. Twice this year Duvernay has hit 12 in a game against Louisiana State and Oklahoma State. His game against Texas Tech where the first-team All-Big 12 receiver caught six passes for 199 yards put him in striking distance. Should Devin Duvernay catch Shipley that would tie him with Roy Williams for the 3rd most in a single game, he currently has the mark for fourth most receptions tied with Eric Metcalf.

Another outing like the one against Tech would allow Duvernay to pass Jordan Shipley’s single-season mark for the most receiving yards in a single season for the Texas Longhorns. He is 191 yards away. He would need a big game against the Utah Utes defense. That would be a tall task due to the fact that Utah has the 3rd best team in total defense and pass efficiency defense. The Texas Longhorns offense will have their work cut out for them but its a great opportunity for Duvernay to make his mark and impress the NFL scouts prior to the pre-draft festivities.