Tag: jack

Steve Sarkisian announces where Ja’Tavion Sanders will play

Five-star ATH Ja’Tavion Sanders was the crown jewel of the 2021 class. Steve Sarkisian said Sanders is going to start his career on offense.

As big of a disappointment the 2021 recruiting class was for Tom Herman and his former staff, five-star athlete Ja’Tavion Sanders was the crown jewel. He ended up as the Longhorns’ top-rated recruit on the 247Sports composite and the only five-star.

The Denton Ryan product showed his ability on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball throughout high school. Because of that, nobody was quite sure where he would line up in Austin. Both Herman and Steve Sarkisian have said he will be tried and tested on both sides.

During the Orange and White game, the Longhorn Network broadcast asked about Sanders and where he will fit into the lineup. Sarkisian mentioned both he and defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski have been looking for a way to fit him into their schemes.

Sarkisian said Sanders is going to start his Texas career on the offensive side of the ball. Whether wide receiver or tight end will be the position is still yet to be seen.

Jack was considered a position of concern going into the season and possibly a place Sanders could be plugged in. However, Ray Thornton has come in from LSU and excelled throughout spring practice.

Freshman tight ends Gunnar Helm and Juan Davis played a big role in the spring game as well. Watching Sarkisian find ways to implement Sanders into the offense will be one of the main storylines of fall camp.

Sanders was listed at 6-foot-3 and 235 pounds on 247Sports. His run toward a 6A-DI state championship with Denton Ryan saw an impressive one-handed catch. No wonder Sarkisian wants him to aid his brand new starting quarterback.

Texas Football: Joseph Ossai makes FWAA’s All-American first team

Joseph Ossai was named to the FWAA All-America First Team. He finished with 15.5 tackles for a loss, 5.5 sacks, and three forced turnovers.

Going into the 2020 season, there was one player who was a home run on Texas’ defense, Joseph Ossai. The junior broke out during the 2019 Alamo Bowl game against Utah when he moved from outside linebacker to Jack. Throughout the year, he was consistently the best player for the Longhorns.

Ossai was named to the Football Writers Association of America All-America First Team. He finished with 15.5 tackles for a loss, 5.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery before opting out of Texas’ bowl game to prepare for the NFL Draft.

JaQuan Bailey of Iowa State was the only other Big 12 player to make the first team. He and Ossai were two of the best pass rushers within the conference this season, combining for 28.5 tackles for a loss and 12.5 sacks.

Here is the full first-team defense:

DL JaQuan Bailey, Iowa State 6-2 261 Sr Jacksonville, Fla.
DL Tarron Jackson, Coastal Carolina 6-2 260 Sr Aiken, S.C.
DL Daviyon Nixon, Iowa 6-3 305 Jr Kenosha, Wis.
DL Rashad Weaver, Pitt 6-5 270 Sr Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
LB Zaven Collins, Tulsa 6-4 260 Jr Hominy, Okla.
LB Joseph Ossai, Texas 6-4 253 Jr Conroe, Texas
LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Notre Dame 6-1 215 Sr Hampton, Va.
DB Ahmad Gardner, Cincinnati 6-2 188 So Detroit, Mich.
DB Kyle Hamilton, Notre Dame 6-4 219 So Atlanta, Ga.
DB Tiawan Mullen, Indiana 5-10 176 So Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
DB Patrick Surtain II, Alabama 6-2 202 Jr Plantation, Fla.

Along with the Football Writers Association of America, Ossai was named to the AP’s first-team All-American team. Even when the Texas defense was struggling early in the year, the future first-round draft pick was able to excel against team’s best pass blockers.

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Three defensive key players for the Texas Longhorns on Saturday

For the Texas Longhorns to stay on track to challenge for a Big 12 Championship, they will need these defenders to guide them Saturday.

A week ago in a hostile environment, the Longhorns defense rose to the occasion. They faced one of the top teams in the country with a three-headed monster on the offensive side of the ball. Chuba Hubbard, Spencer Sanders and Tylan Wallace were ready for their biggest challenge on the year with Texas coming to town. It didn’t go their way.

Wallace was able to do what he wanted against the Longhorns secondary, every one of his 11 catches went for either a first down or touchdown. Texas and Chris Ash didn’t provide much help on the backend as they focused on slowing down Hubbard and the rushing attack. It worked as they allowed only 2.5 yards per rushing attempt with zero rushing touchdowns.

They need to be geared up for this game against West Virginia and Leddie Brown. He is another Big 12 running back that can fill out a stat sheet. Last week against Kansas State they rushed for over 200 yards between their two explosive backs. If the Longhorns are able to slow them down, it will likely be due to three players on defense as the keys.

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Report: Texas Longhorns pass rusher to enter the transfer portal

The Longhorns talented pass rusher Byron Vaughns has entered the transfer portal per a report. This is Texas’ fifth player to do so.

It has been a rough year for the Texas Longhorns. Sitting at 3-2, they are nowhere near where many thought they would be at this point in the season. They had opportunities to win all five games they have played so far, only the Baylor and UTEP games were decided well before the fourth quarter. Not only have they had issues with bonehead plays and poor decisions, but their roster has been an issue as well.

Prior to the season even getting underway Juwan Mitchell, Anthony Cook and Myron Warren each entered the transfer portal. In each case they decided to ultimately stay with the team. After the UTEP game it was reported that B.J. Foster quit the team over frustrations but again cooler heads prevailed. Most recently Kenyatta Watson II entered the portal but unlike the previous three he transferred to Georgia Tech.

It was reported by Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle that Vaughns would enter the transfer portal.

Vaughns was expected to be one of the contributors at the new ‘Jack’ position for Chris Ash’s defense. He played 18 snaps against the UTEP Miners in the opener but has been used sparingly since. Most of which on special teams. He played nine snaps on special teams in the Texas Tech game and just six against Texas Christian. He hasn’t seen the field since.

When Joseph Ossai went down with his injury against Baylor, Vaughns was one of the players who should have played some snaps against the Baylor front. It never happened, instead the team went with former walk on Jett Bush and Reese Leitao. It has likely become another issue where a talented player is getting overlooked.

Byron Vaughns was the 28th ranked outside linebacker in the country when he committed to Texas.

 

Longhorns Profile Snapshot: No. 50 Byron Vaughns

LonghornsWire will be looking at each scholarship player listed on the Texas roster. Today, we will be looking at soph. Jack Byron Vaughuns.

Going into the 2020 football season, LonghornsWire will be looking at each scholarship player listed on the Texas roster.

Over the summer, each profile will cover where the player is from, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for Tom Herman this season.

Today, we will be looking at sophomore Jack Byron Vaughuns.

Bryon Vaughns, Jack

Height: 6-4 / Weight: 225

Class: Sophomore

Hometown: Fort Worth, Texas

High School: Eastern Hills

HS ranking (247Sports): Three-star / No. 31 position / No. 55 in-state

Analysis: A new position in Chris Ash’s defense, the Jack position could change Texas’ defensive line struggles. Joseph Ossai is the no-doubt starter but his backup will be sophomore Byron Vaughns.

Coming out of Fort Worth, Texas, Vaughns played in the final 10 regular-season games. He had 14 tackles throughout the year and 10 of them were solo tackles. Unfortunately, Vaughns did not get to participate in the bowl game against Utah as he was sent home.

The defensive line was the downfall of the Longhorns’ defense last season. With Chris Ash implementing the Jack position, the pass rush will significantly improve. When Ossai is on the sidelines getting a rest, Vaughns will have to fulfill a key position for Texas.

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Longhorns Profile Snapshot: No. 46 Joesph Ossai

LonghornsWire will be looking at each scholarship player listed on the Texas roster. Today, we will be looking at junior Jack Joseph Ossai.

Going into the 2020 football season, LonghornsWire will be looking at each scholarship player listed on the Texas roster.

Over the summer, each profile will cover where the player is from, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for Tom Herman this season.

Today, we will be looking at junior Jack Joseph Ossai.

Joseph Ossai, Jack

(Tim Warner/Getty Images)

Height: 6-4 / Weight: 253

Class: Junior

Hometown: Conroe, Texas

High School: Oak Ridge

HS ranking (247Sports): Four-star / No. 191 overall / No. 12 position / No. 18 in-state

HS ranking (Rivals): Four-star / No. 14 position / No. 31 in-state

Analysis: In 2019, Joesph Ossai led Texas in tackles, tackles for loss, and sacks. All of this was while he was playing outside linebacker. After the hiring of Chris Ash in the offseason, Ossai will be switching to the Jack position and will be primarily rushing the passer.

Ossai showed a glimpse of what was to come next season in the Alamo Bowl win against Utah. He recorded nine tackles, six which were for a loss, and added three sacks, a season-high. On most plays, the sophomore was in the backfield causing havoc.

If the Utah game translates into a full season, Texas’ pass rush could become one of the best in the Big 12. Ash has a history working with great pass rushers during his times at Ohio State and Wisconsin. If he can continue to develop Ossai, the Jack will trend towards a first-round pick in the NFL Draft.

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Third-round pick Julian Okwara sits atop defensive depth chart

Examining how third-round pick Julian Okwara will likely sit atop the Detroit Lions defensive depth chart at the JACK linebacker position.

The Detroit Lions finally got themselves an EDGE rusher.

One of the few remaining holes on the roster, the team had done nothing to bolster the position group this offseason. That changed in a major way with third-round pick Julian Okwara.

He played the JACK linebacker role at Notre Dame, but his size and strength could land him a spot as a pure defensive end instead. Detroit will have a choice to make, but you can never go wrong with a versatile defensive playmaker like Okwara.

If he goes the JACK linebacker route, he will immediately unseat 2019 fourth-round pick Austin Bryant for that role, and allow newly-signed Jamie Collins and 2019 second-round pick Jahlani Tavai to move around the defense a little more.

If he finds himself lining up as a hand-in-the-dirt defensive end, his older brother, Romeo Okwara, may lose his role on defense. Romeo played more than half of the Lions’ defensive snaps in 2019 at the defensive end position. Starting alongside whichever Okwara brother wins the job is Trey Flowers.

Matt Patricia’s “multiple” defense makes the projected defensive line depth chart hard to sort out. Flowers and Julian Okwara would likely be the starters in Week 1, with Romeo Okwara and “tweener” defensive lineman Da’Shawn Hand rotating in often.

Defensive end Jonathan Wynn has the most to lose from the selection of Okwara, as his chances of surviving through roster cuts have diminished immensely. Defensive tackles Frank Herron and Kevin Strong, who have been used as pass rushers on occasion, will see a decrease in snaps as well.

All in all, drafting Okwara is a great move for either position group that he plays in. The Lions have earned themselves a talented and versatile starter on the edge.

Updated Report: Lions to release EDGE Devon Kennard, QB Kyle Sloter

NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo is reporting that the Detroit Lions are planning on releasing JACK linebacker Devon Kennard and QB Kyle Sloter.

NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo is reporting that the Detroit Lions are planning on releasing JACK linebacker Devon Kennard and reserve quarterback Kyle Sloter.

When the Lions hired coach Matt Patricia, the first free agent the organization targeted and signed was Kennard. After two seasons, both as a team-captain, Kennard’s time in Detroit is over.

Kennard set a career-high in sacks (seven) in 2018, then replicated those numbers in 2019 but overall he underperformed as a pass-rusher. Kennard is position flexible and has several elements of his game that are appealing, but at the end of the day, his primary job was to create consistent pressure on the quarterback and he fell short.

After the Lions came to a contractual agreement with Jamie Collins, who is now poised to take over the Lions JACK linebacker role, making this move easier on the team.

Kennard was set to earn $7.42 million this season, but after his release, the Lions (only) absorb a $1.75 million cap hit, and in turn, free up $5.67 million in salary-cap space.

After signing quarterback Chase Daniel, it pushed Sloter into the fourth quarterback position and made him expendable. Sloter had no guaranteed money on his contract and the Lions will not incur a penalty for releasing him.

Both Kennard and Sloter are immediately free agents who can sign with any NFL team.

UPDATE

Ian Rapoport is amending his college at NFL network’s report that the Lions are releasing Kennard at this time and suggest the Lions are attempting a trade. This will be difficult now that teams know the Lions are considering releasing Kennard, but not unprecedented.

Tom Herman Announces Position Changes for the 2020 Season

Tom Herman announced position changes for the 2020 season. Significant on both offense and defense, they will impact UT big time next year.

In his first time talking to the media since wrapping up the 2020 recruiting class and completing his coaching staff, Tom Herman spoke about both sides of the ball. When asked about players moving positions, Herman named seven different players that will be in new spots next season.

On the defensive side of the ball, there are a few changes starting with Anthony Cook. The junior will be the nickel corner, coming in to give the defense five defensive backs. In 18 career games for the Longhorns, he has made five starts, with his best moment coming in this year’s Red River Shootout, causing a fumble from Jalen Hurts.

The biggest jump will be former defensive back DeMarvion Overshown moving to the linebacker position. Listed at 6 feet 4 inches and 210 pounds, Overshown has the size to play the position. Herman said he is “excited” about the switch.

Alamo Bowl MVP Joseph Ossai will be moving to the jack position with Byron Vaughns, primarily rushing the passer. That was a huge problem for Texas last season, being in the bottom half of the Big 12 in sacks. Ossai proved against Utah how disruptive in the backfield he can be, totaling three sacks and six tackles for loss. Vaughns, who will be a redshirt sophomore, only played in six games last season, securing 12 tackles.

Flipping over to offense, there are some significant changes that have the chance to make the Longhorn offense even better than it was last season. Beginning with former five-star prospect Jordan Whittington, he will be playing slot receiver, a move that has been anticipated. His athletic ability gives him the option to play anywhere on the field, but a loaded running back room makes it too difficult to get him touches.

Part of the reason the backfield will be so crowded next season will be because former third-string quarterback Roschon Johnson will be sticking to running back going forward. Making the move last season after the position was thin, he played at a high level. Rushing for 649 yards and seven touchdowns, Johnson will now be competing with junior Keaontay Ingram and true freshman Bijan Robinson for snaps.

Another significant move for the offense is Malcolm Epps moving to tight end. It was a position that produced nearly nothing last season, with Cade Brewer having 11 catches for 159 yards. While Brewer will be returning in 2020, he will now have another body competing for his spot. Epps is a huge 6 feet 5 inches that has the chance to be a big target for Ehlinger next season.

Each change will bring a dynamic change to both sides of the ball for Texas next season. With new offensive coordinator Mike Yurich and new defensive coordinator Chris Ash, it will be their responsibility to make sure the players produce. If they can, the Longhorns will be one of the best teams in the Big 12 next season.

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