Athlon Sports released their 2020 All-Big 12 team. With four different teams, the Texas Longhorns walked away with 16 total selections.
Athlon Sports has released their 2020 All-Conference teams with the Texas Longhorns have the third-most selections. Oklahoma (18) and Iowa State (17) were the only teams with more than Texas’ 16 selections. Cornerback D’Shawn Jamison was selected three different times by Athlon.
There is absolutely no surprise with Sam Ehlinger leading the charge as the top quarterback in the conference. The senior quarterback will be looking to lead the Longhorns back to the top of the conference and cement his legacy much like Vince Young and Colt McCoy did before him.
Sam Cosmi is viewed as a first round draft pick and fringe top 15 selection. With no question he is the top offensive tackle of the conference and might be the best lineman as well. He will make himself a lot of money with another stellar season in 2020.
Joseph Ossai is listed at linebacker although he will be playing closer to the line of scrimmage at the “Jack” position. Ossai showed just what time of impact he can have in the Valero Alamo Bowl against the Utah Utes. When asked to rush the passer, Ossai can be a disruptive force.
D’Shawn Jamison shows up on the list three different times. Once as a cornerback and twice as a return specialist. Jamison led the team a year ago with three interceptions. He also led the team in kick return and punt return yardage in 2019.
Texas Longhorns wide receiver states that he won’t player another snap due to civil rights of black Americans being violated.
There have been a lot of statements released in light of what is going on in the world today. So many black athletes have stepped up to speak out against police brutality and mistreatment aimed toward African Americans in our country. The latest to speak out was Texas Longhorns wide receiver Brennan Eagles who said that he “won’t play another snap knowing what is going on in our society.”
“Okay so for all my brothers out there that are student athletes, do you really think athletics should be a man focus right now during this time that we live in? At the end of the day if that is the main focus i [sic] find you blind to the fact that your platform can change this,” Eagles tweeted. Thousands of people come to watch for Entertainment, revenue is built from that, money is generated from us. If it wasn’t for athletics we would’t have coaches/trainers. Doctors wouldn’t perform as many surgeries, etc. the list goes on. I’ll be damned if you think I’ll play Another snap with the platform i have that effects majority of people that contribute to the sport who don’t actually play. Know your value is all I’m saying. Athletics brings people together all over but at the end of the day I’m not going to play another snap knowing what’s going on in our society due to color and the system being broken… i just can’t…….let’s look at the bigger picture. Don’t care if you yellow or blue that goes for every athlete/Supporter out there.
Current linebacker DeMarvion Overshown commented that he stood with him and Juwan Mitchell also voiced his support for Eagles’ comments.
— Paul B. Livengood II (@IamLivengood) June 4, 2020
Brennan Eagles is their top returning wide receiver from last season after Devin Duvernay and Collin Johnson made their way to the NFL. Eagles was the 6th ranked player in the state of Texas and 10th wide receiver according to 247Sports composite rankings in the 2018 recruiting class.
According to 247Sports, Herman was recently on the HERD with Collin Cowherd and showed his support for his players.
“I told our players I don’t have their back, I have their front. ‘You tell me what to do, what wall to run through, I’ll run through it, I’ll make a hole so big that you guys can walk through it.’ Because that’s how passionately we feel, because when you love somebody the way we love our players and you see them hurt and you see them angry and you see them frustrated, much like a parent, you want to take all of that off of their heart and you want to put it all on yourself and be there for them and provide some guidance for them,” Herman said. “Hopefully us here at Texas we won’t be forgotten on our message on this topic. In a short few weeks, hopefully us a program and our individuals within our program can help truly affect real change in the system.”
ESPN has released their preseason FPI rankings for the upcoming 2020 season, the Texas Longhorns come in the top 12.
Recently ESPN released their recent FPI (Football Power Index). For those unfamiliar with the FPI, here is the explanation on ESPN’s model.
The Football Power Index (FPI) is a measure of team strength that is meant to be the best predictor of a team’s performance going forward for the rest of the season. FPI represents how many points above or below average a team is. Projected results are based on 10,000 simulations of the rest of the season using FPI, results to date, and the remaining schedule. Ratings and projections update daily.
Following the Longhorns victory over the Utah Utes in the Valero Alamo Bowl ESPN released their postseason FPI. They listed Texas inside the top 20. Their FPI at that time was 13, just a few months down the road and now the Longhorns find themselves ranked 11th with a FPI of 19.6. That number is just 0.5 behind their bitter rivals, Oklahoma.
Oklahoma (10th) FPI-20.1
Oklahoma State (17th) 13.7
TCU (20th) 12.0
Iowa State (27th) 9.9
Kansas State (32nd) 8.2
Baylor (34th) 7.8
Texas Tech (41st) 6.3
West Virginia (45th) 5.2
Kansas (98th) -6.7
The Longhorns will also play the LSU Tigers this upcoming season who ranked 6th in the FPI poll at 23.7.
Texas has a projected win total of 9.5 according to their simulations. There are a multitude of reasons that their FPI would increase over a four month span which could include a whole new staff essentially and the influx of another top ten recruiting class in 2020. This seems to fall right in line where most media outlets have Texas projected when it comes to their way too early top 25 rankings.
ESPN has released their preseason FPI rankings for the upcoming 2020 season, the Texas Longhorns come in the top 10.
The preseason FPI rankings have been released for the 2020 college football season. The FPI (Football Power Index) is a way to measure the strength of a team with how they are projected to finish the season. The Longhorns come in ranked in the top 10.
The Football Power Index (FPI) is a measure of team strength that is meant to be the best predictor of a team’s performance going forward for the rest of the season. FPI represents how many points above or below average a team is. Projected results are based on 10,000 simulations of the rest of the season using FPI, results to date, and the remaining schedule. Ratings and projections update daily.
ESPN preseason FPI top 10:
1) Clemson 2) Ohio State 3) Oklahoma 4) Alabama 5) Penn State 6) Wisconsin 7) Texas 8) Texas A&M 9) Notre Dame 10) Georgia
The Longhorns come in ahead of the defending National Champions, LSU Tigers. Texas has revamped their staff in hopes of making a run at the Big 12 Championship in 2020. The Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners are the only Big 12 teams in the top 10.
The Longhorns Wire writers discuss their top five returners on offense in the latest roundtable discussion.
Three Longhorns Wire authors rank their top returners on the offensive side of the ball.
Cami:
Sam Ehlinger – QB – He has complete control over this offense, everything starts and ends with him. He’s also poised to have a Heisman finalist season as a senior.
Samuel Cosmi – OL – The 6-7, 300-pound left tackle will anchor the offensive line this season, if it weren’t for Ehlinger behind center, he’d be the top returner on offense.
Jake Smith – WR – His versatility as both a receiver and returner are key here. With Collin Johnson and Devin Duvernay both leaving for the NFL, Smith is bound to have a breakout season.
Tim Warner/Getty Images
Keontay Ingram – RB – With the nation’s best running back Bijan Robinson joining the roster this summer, Ingram will have to produce significantly in order to retain his starting role. It’s his job for the taking, but the running back room is now loaded with talent.
Brennan Eagles – WR – He hasn’t been able to showcase his full potential yet, but Texas desperately needs a big-bodied receiver on the outside.
Cade Brewer will lead the 2020 Texas Longhorns at tight end heading into the spring but who could be on the horizon?
The tight end position hasn’t been one that has been used much in Austin over the past several years but his year under Mike Yurcich could be different. In the past, Yurcich has used them on offense to help spread out a defense. For the Longhorns there are several to keep an eye on this spring as they battle it out for playing time.
Brewer comes into 2020 as the incumbent starter, he required ankle surgery during the 2019 campaign. Brewer would appear in seven games with 11 receptions for 159 yards and a touchdown. With so much uncertainty surrounding the wide receiver position in 2020, Brewer could be in for a big senior campaign in 2020.
Malcolm Epps:
For the Longhorns, Epps could make an impact in multiple spots on offense. Epps was recruited as a tight end but made the switch to wide receiver last season. With Yurcich’s affinity for multiple tight end usage on offense he could find himself back at his original position in some capacity for the Longhorns.
Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports
Reese Leitao:
Leitao found his way into two games during the 2019 season, mostly due to the injury to Brewer. Much like Epps, Leitao could work his way onto the field in 2020. Brewer will be a season in 2020 and the Longhorns need to have some development into the next tight end in Austin.
Jared Wiley:
Wiley is a young tight end who signed as part of the 2019 recruiting class as an early signee. The 6’6″ tight end caught one pass against Texas Tech in 2019 for 15 yards. He will likely battle it out with Leitao and Brayden Liebrock for backup duties to Brewer in 2020.
Brayden Liebrock:
Liebrock should be the dark horse of the entire group. He has all the makings of a great tight end at the University of Texas. The four-star prospect was named to the USA Today All-American second team and participated in the Under Armour All-American game. He appeared in the Rice and Texas Tech games but did not register a reception. Liebrock is the one player outside of Epps who could really give opposing defenses fits in coverage and the tight end to watch this spring.
The Texas Longhorns spring battles among the wide receivers will be an interesting one to watch. Jake Smith and Brennan Eagles are two keys.
In the ongoing series for the upcoming spring battles, the wide receivers take center stage. The Longhorns will be looking to replace the production they lost with Collin Johnson and Devin Duvernay graduating and heading to the NFL in 2020. Our series started with the quarterbacks and the running backs.
Jake Smith
Smith is coming off a solid freshman season. In his first season on the Forty Acres, Smith appeared in nine games and hauled in 25 passes. Of those 25, six were for touchdowns. Smith tied Eagles for the second-most receiving touchdowns in 2019 just behind Duvernay who hauled in nine. Smith is likely first up to take over the slot receiver role left vacated by Duv. The receiver that quarterback Sam Ehlinger called “freaky fast” should be a big weapon in 2020. Smith’s 274 yards receiver was fourth-most on the team.
Brennan Eagles
Much like Smith, Eagles made an impact on the passing game with his six touchdowns. He was forced into the starting lineup due to the injury to Johnson that cost him six games overall in 2019. Brennan finished third on the team with 552 yards receiving but his 16.3 yards per reception was best on the team. Eagles is likely going to be the outside receiver in 2020.
Joshua Moore
Moore seems to be the forgotten man in Austin among the wide receivers group. After serving an indefinite suspension for a gun charge, Moore will be looking to get back into the good graces of Tom Herman and the offensive staff this spring. Moore played in six games as a freshman in 2018 before an injury shortened his season. He caught seven passes for 53 yards and a touchdown.
Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports
Malcolm Epps
After registering just one catch as a freshman, Epps had a much larger role at wide receiver in 2019. Epps finished with 20 receptions, 232 yards and two touchdowns. Epps could be playing tight end in 2020 and used as a red zone weapon at times. Until others get acclimated, don’t forget about Epps outside. He can use that 6’5″ frame to his advantage.
Jordan Whittington
Whittington could be fit into a lot of roles in 2020. He appeared in one game before he was shutdown due to injury with two receptions for 17 yards. Jordan could play running back but with the loaded running back room and Bijan Robinson coming in the fall, Whittington might be better suiting to play wide receiver. The Longhorns could use more weapons outside and Whittington is a candidate to make his impact there.
Marcus Washington
Washington appeared in just four games this past season. According to sports-reference.com he is credited with three catches for 33 yards. Washington should be in the mix during the spring as the Longhorns try to figure out who will be catching passes from Ehlinger this fall.
As far as the incoming class, Troy Omeire will be part of the spring camp. He enrolled early after signing with Texas. The four-star wide receiver accounted for 2,452 yards and 31 receiving touchdowns in high school. The Longhorns also added Kelvontay Dixon will join in the fall after signing with Texas. Dixon accounted for 1,223 yards and 20 touchdowns this past season with Carthage (TX).
In 2020 the Texas Longhorns wide receiver Brennan Eagles will be looking to lead the offense.
In 2020 the Texas Longhorns offense will have a different look on the outside without Collin Johnson. The player who stepped up in his absence will be looking to be the man next season. Brennan Eagles was a four-star recruit out of Houston, Texas. Eagles had offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia and Clemson among others but chose to stay home with the Longhorns.
The former participant in the US Army All-American Bowl, is a big bodied receiver who can use his frame in a similar fashion to Johnson. Eagles can block out smaller defenders much like he is going up for a rebound. At 6’4″ he is a prime red zone target who can get up and snag the ball over defenders. Eagles is able to catch passes outside of his from with a huge catch radius, that makes him a weapon for quarterback Sam Ehlinger.
Given his size, his agility is a bit of a surprise for receivers his size. He can create separation beyond the line of scrimmage, if defenders lose track of Eagles he will make you pay down the field. Just ask Oklahoma State how true that is.
Sam Ehlinger to Brennan Eagles for the 73-yard TD — the longest TD pass of Ehlinger's career! 🔥
Eagles has played 11 games in each of the last two seasons, starting six games this past season due to injuries to Johnson. Going into 2020, expect Brennan Eagles to get more passes his way with no Devin Duvernay to lead the way. He finished third on the team in yards (522) with a 16.3 yards per reception average and six touchdowns (second on team).
With a huge season on the horizon for Brennan Eagles, he could be another Longhorn who will be on the radar for NFL scouts heading into his junior year.
If these players can take a step up, Texas is going to be sitting well next season. Here are five players that need to step up in 2020.
The win over Utah in the Alamo Bowl was a great way to end a rather lackluster 2019 season. The minute that game was over, the focus was onto the 2020 season. Much like this time last year, there is a lot of hype and speculation as to what type of team will show out for the Longhorns next season.
While it will more than likely be better than the 7-5 season from this year, there is a lot of room for improvement to take that next step up. New offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich and new defensive coordinator Chris Ash should be able to bring that improvement, but when it comes down to it, the players must execute.
In a season that Texas will return a lot of talent, some of the same players that were critical in the 2019 season will need to continue to do what they are doing. Especially on the defensive side of the ball, where Texas struggled for most of the season. If these players can take a step up in 2020, the Longhorns are going to be sitting well next season.
Here are five players that need to step up in 2020:
The Texas Longhorns finished the year 8-5 but here are five areas to get even better in 2020.
Even with the Texas Longhorns victory over the Utah Utes to cap off a 8-5 campaign, there are plenty of areas where the team can improve upon in 2020. The Longhorns will be looking to get to double digit wins for only the second time since 2009 that ended a run of nine consecutive 10-win seasons under Mack Brown.
Defense Needs To Create Turnovers
For any offense, creating turnovers is their best friend. It gives the offense some advantages in that they deal with short fields and the Longhorns could do well to put pressure on the opposing offense that really can play right into the hands of the defense.
Joe Robbins/Getty Images
The Longhorns created 22 turnover opportunities under Todd Orlando and with the recent hire of Chris Ash, Texas needs to continue to create more opportunities for Sam Ehlinger and the offense. D’Shawn Jamison led the team with three picks in 2019.
Chris Ash will be looking to bring some of that 2014 Ohio State magic to the Longhorns defense. That season, the Buckeyes tallied 25 interceptions. Ash has a big opportunity to create a defense that Texas has been missing for the last several years.
