Tag: Charles Omenihu

Texas Longhorns Team of the Decade: Defense and Special Teams

The breakdown of the defense and special teams Texas Longhorns of the decade.

As Longhorns Wire continues their team of the decade, the defense and special teams are up next. Much like the offense recap, each position group will have links to the original post.

Defensive Line

Alex Okafor

Mandatory Credit: Brendan Maloney-USA TODAY Sports

Okafor played for the Longhorns in the early part of the decade from 2009-12. During that time he recorded 23 sacks, 34 tackles for loss and 150 total tackles. He added seven forced fumbles. Okafor is currently a member of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Jackson Jeffcoat

Jeffcoat is the son of former NFL chamption Jim Jeffcoat. He played on the defense along with Okafor. During his four-year college career from 2010-2013, Jeffcoat recorded 172 total tackles with 26 sacks and five turnovers forced. He was an All-American in 2013 when he was also named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. Jeffcoat is currently playing in the Canadian Football League for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Poona Ford

The man in the middle of the defense, Ford played in Austin from 2014-2017. During that time he recorded 133 total tackles, 20.5 tackles for loss and four sacks. He also forced three fumbles. He was named Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year in 2017. Ford is currently one of a few Longhorns with the Seattle Seahawks.

Charles Omenihu

Omenihu is the final member of the defensive line. From 2015-2018, Omenihu racked up 115 total tackles, 30 TFL and 16.5 sacks. He forced four fumbles during that four-year span. Omenihu was named All-Big 12 and Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year in 2018. He is currently a member of the Houston Texans.

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Texas Longhorns team of the decade: Defensive line

Shifting to defense in the team of the decade, we begin on the LOS. Throughout the 2010s, Texas has produced some monsters on the d-line.

Shifting from offense to defense in the Texas team of the decade, we begin on the line of scrimmage. Throughout the 2010s, the Longhorns have produced some monsters on the defensive line. Producing a few guys good enough to make it into the NFL, all four of these players were recruited by former coaches Mack Brown and Charlie Strong.

The first two players are Alex Okafor and Jackson Jeffcoat, who shared the field for three years. Between the two of them, they have a combined 49 sacks. Jeffcoat’s 26 career sacks are good enough for eighth in Longhorn history. The two players benefitted off each other, with 36 of their 49 sacks coming when the two played together.

Poona Ford played defensive tackle for Texas and did not rack up the kind of sacks the other three players got. At 6 foot, 300 pounds, Ford was an aminal for the Longhorns. Taking up space on the defensive line, he was able to make physical plays at the line of scrimmage to stop runners getting behind him.

The most recent of the players is Charles Omenihu, who graduated in 2018. Playing in 48 career games, Omenihu was in the backfield a lot. His best season came in his 2018 senior year when he recorded 9.5 sacks and 18 tackles for loss. Currently playing for the Houston Texans, Omenihu was selected in the fifth round. Playing all four years, Omenihu is one of the best defensive players Texas has produced in recent years.

Here are the Longhorn defensive lineman of the decade:

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Charles Omenihu Impressing Texans Coaching

The Houston Texas may have found a diamond in the rought when they drafted Charles Omenihu,.

The Houston Texans are looking for pass rush help this year and they are having to find production from within. The Texans traded Jadeveon Clowney earlier this season and then lost All-Pro and former three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year to a torn pectoral muscle. That left a team looking to make a deep run in the playoffs without a premier pass rusher. Could a former Longhorn and day three draft selection provide a boost?

“I mean that was a good pick, and he’s done a lot of good things,” O’Brien told reporters Tuesday. “He’s a hard worker. He’s young. He’s still learning.”

Omenihu entered the league at a tweener. He’s a bit big to be a full-time edge rusher and not big enough to be a full-time interior one. Considering he’s received most of his snaps on the inside and works with defensive line coach Anthony Weaver, the Texans appear to be priming him to be a defensive end.

Bill O’Brien on Charles Omenihu via Texans Wire

In the NFL, very few rookie defensive pass rushers rarely come into the league and dominate with several exceptions but not the rule in most cases. Omenihu is definitely the rule in this case. He has appeared in 12 games this year and recorded three sacks, five quarterback hits, 11 total tackles and two forced fumbles.

With Watt unlikely to come off the injured reserve list, especially given the depth at the position, Omenihu has every opportunity to earn a spot among the starters. With the Tampa Bay Buccaneers next up on the schedule for Houston Omenihu is going to have opportunities to gain some momentum heading into the playoffs.

The Bucs and Jameis Winston have allowed 43 sacks this year, which is the worst of Jameis career. Building the confidence of the young pass rusher can only help him as he continues his good start to the year. The Texas prepare for a Saturday matchup with the Tampa Bay Bucs.

Texans’ Bill O’Brien a fan of picking up Charles Omenihu in the fifth round

Houston Texans coach Bill O’Brien likes the draft value the club got when they took rookie DE Charles Omenihu in the fifth round.

With the Houston Texans scouring their roster for pass-rushing help amid J.J. Watt’s recovery from a torn pectoral, younger, less experienced players are getting a shot at extended playing time.

One such player is rookie defensive end Charles Omenihu. While playing limited snaps, the fifth-round pick from Texas has flashed versatility and power both inside and on the edge. He has three sacks, two of which were accompanied by forced fumbles, 11 combined tackles, two tackles for loss and five QB hits.

Coach Bill O’Brien likes the production from Omenihu, praising him as a plus draft pick for his team.

“I mean that was a good pick, and he’s done a lot of good things,” O’Brien told reporters Tuesday. “He’s a hard worker. He’s young. He’s still learning.”

Omenihu entered the league at a tweener. He’s a bit big to be a full-time edge rusher and not big enough to be a full-time interior one. Considering he’s received most of his snaps on the inside and works with defensive line coach Anthony Weaver, the Texans appear to be priming him to be a defensive end.

Since the early days of training camp, Omenihu has displayed a work ethic that should help him stick. In training camp, he would stick to Watt.

“He’s actively trying to get better at his craft and he is on 99 [Watt] like a sponge, to the point where I’m sure he’s probably tired of hearing his voice,” said Weaver on Aug. 13.

O’Brien wants the rookie to keep the same yearning he had in training camp now that it is late in the season.

“I think it’s important for Charles to stay humble and hungry,” O’Brien said. “Stay humble and hungry, Charles. Because if you don’t, it’s a tough league. So I think if he does that, he’ll stay on the right track.”

If Omenihu, otherwise known as “Big O” in the locker room, stays on that right track and develops his pass-rush moves, the Texans could have found a building block on the defensive line.

Former Longhorn Malik Jefferson waived by Cleveland Browns

Former Texas Longhorns linebacker Malik Jefferson was waived by the Cleveland Browns on Tuesday

On Tuesday, former Texas Longhorns linebacker Malik Jefferson was waived by the Cleveland Browns.

Jefferson is in just his second year as a pro. He was drafted in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals.

With the Browns in 2019, Jefferson only made an appearance in one game, and that game came in week one against the Titans. In that game, Jefferson recorded just one tackle.

Hopefully, we see Malik find a new home soon. After all, he was a third-round pick last year for a reason.

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WATCH: Quandre Diggs gets first interception with Seahawks

Watch as Seattle Seahawks defensive back Quandre Diggs gets his first interception with his new team

A few weeks ago, former Texas Longhorn defensive back Quandre Diggs was traded from the Detroit Lions to the Seattle Seahawks. Last night, Diggs saw his first action with Seattle in a clash between the San Francisco 49ers.

The 49ers went into this Monday Night Football matchup as the only remaining undefeated team in the NFL. The Seahawks were able to stun the 49ers in San Francisco, winning in overtime by a score of 27-24.

About midway through the 3rd quarter, Diggs was able to intercept 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo with the score being 10-7 in favor of San Francisco. This interception led to a Seahawks touchdown, giving them the lead.

On the night, Diggs was able to tally two tackles, one of which was solo, a pass defense, and this interception.

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4 Texans who have to step up after the bye

With the bye week done, the Houston Texans will rely on a few players to get to the playoffs, including Gareon Conley and Charles Omenihu.

The bye week is behind the Houston Texans. With a week of rest in the books, Harris County’s finest now have their eyes set on the playoffs, and potentially more. However, getting there won’t be easy.

With the Texans’ defense a shell of what it used to be, Houston has reverted to becoming an offensive team. While Deshaun Watson and Co. can put up points in bunches, the defense must have some sort of reliability to backup the dynamic offense. Therefore, there are four Texans who have to step-up after the bye, with an emphasis on defense.

1. CB Gareon Conley

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(AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

With the offensive line no longer acting as Houston’s kryptonite, the cornerback room becomes a prime position group in-position. The Texans, before the trade deadline, addressed the issue by bringing in 24-year-old and former Raider Gareon Conley in via trade.

The Texans have seen better cornerback play in Conley in the mix. In his two weeks of defending opposers’ No. 1 wide-outs, he has allowed a 50% completion rate, 136 yards, a touchdown and a 93.7 passer rating, per Pro Football Reference — stark improvements from his days in Oakland.

Houston needs a true lock-down cornerback. That only gets emphasized considering their lack of pass-rush with J.J. Watt out for the year. Conley is their top-option to do so. Though they don’t need Darrelle Revis, he can’t be Kevin Johnson either.

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