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Texas football has been releasing video clips of each coach that Steve Sarkisian has hired, where they express their coaching styles.
There’s no doubt that first-year head coach Steve Sarkisian has put together an impressive coaching staff at Texas. Continue reading “WATCH: Get to know Steve Sarkisian’s coaching staff at Texas”
Texas football has been releasing video clips of each coach that Steve Sarkisian has hired, where they express their coaching styles.
There’s no doubt that first-year head coach Steve Sarkisian has put together an impressive coaching staff at Texas. Continue reading “WATCH: Get to know Steve Sarkisian’s coaching staff at Texas”
Texas safety Tyler Owens struggled to see the field last season. On Wednesday, he hinted at a potential move to linebacker on Twitter.
Juwan Mitchell’s entrance into the transfer portal, again, has left a hole in the middle of Texas’ defense. Last season’s leading tackler and starting middle linebacker will not be returning to the team this time, and Pete Kwiatkowski and Jeff Choate will be looking for a replacement.
In our bold predictions for the spring, Longhorns Wire mentioned that Mitchell’s loss will not hurt the team too badly — for good reason.
Based on last season’s depth chart, Jaylan Ford or David Gbenda both seem reasonable options. Each was recruited as a linebacker and each is in position to compete for Mitchell’s starting spot. However, could there be another safety to linebacker transition?
DeMarvion Overshown was moved into the box last season, thriving as an outside linebacker and becoming a real leader of Texas’ defense. On Wednesday, safety Tyler Owens hinted at the possibility of him making a similar move, joining Overshown at linebacker.
Me n @AGENT0__ In the box…đ
— TO (@tylerkowens) April 7, 2021
Owens was a hard-hitting safety coming out of Plano East High School. Even better, he is one of the fastest players on the field. Owens’ personal-best 100-meter time in high school was 10.29, but he ran a 10.38 to finish second in the state at the 6A level in 2019. Good luck to opposing offenses on finding a player who can outrun Owens.
Overshown seemed to enjoy the idea as well…
Scary sightđš https://t.co/B2JQDVaSMI
— DeMarvion Overshown (@AGENT0__) April 7, 2021
Agent Zero is correct, seeing him and Owens in the same box would be a scary sight for offenses. Linebackers with coverage skills as former defensive backs are a plus, especially with how often Kwiatkowski drops eight.
Owens has struggled to see the field during his two seasons. B.J. Foster and Chris Brown have held down the strong safety spots, with the former projected to start there this season. A switch to linebacker would be a fast track to playing time for Owens.
Texas updated their spring roster on their first day of practice, with Brenden Schooler’s transition to safety made official.
When Steve Sarkisian stepped foot on campus and evaluated the roster, he noticed the wide receiver room was overcrowded. Even with Tarik Black and Brennen Eagles on their way out, Texas was going to have to clear a few people out.
On the flip side, safety is where the Longhorns lacked quality depth. To make up for the problem, Brenden Schooler will be making the move from wide receiver to safety.
Texas updated their spring roster on their first day of practice, with Schooler’s transition made official. During his freshman season at Oregon, he played in 10 games, recording 74 tackles and four interceptions.
On the updated Texas spring roster, graduate transfer Brenden Schooler is listed as a defensive back. Schooler played WR last year, but started his Oregon career at S, starting 10 games as a freshman and recording 74 tackles and four INTs.
— Wescott Eberts (@SBN_Wescott) March 23, 2021
Jerrin Thompson and J.D. Coffey are free safeties, while B.J. Foster and Tyler Owens are at strong. Schooler projects as a free safety and will compete with two upperclassmen for a starting spot.
As a receiver last season, Schooler caught 12 passes for 40 yards and two touchdowns. He was a backup X-receiver when Tom Herman insisted on rotating players, no matter the situation. Switching to safety will not only give Schooler more playing time, but also help Pete Kwiatkowski’s secondary.
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Leading up to the season in September, Longhorns Wire will project what the depth chart could look like for Texas.
Steve Sarkisian’s defensive coordinator hire was no doubt the most important decision that he had to make while building his coaching staff in Austin. Continue reading “Texas football 2021 projected depth chart, pre-spring defense”
Leading up to the season in September, Longhorns Wire will project what the depth chart could look like for Texas.
Steve Sarkisian’s defensive coordinator hire was no doubt the most important decision that he had to make while building his coaching staff in Austin. Continue reading “Texas football 2021 projected depth chart, pre-spring defense”
According to Inside Texas, Ben Davis has transferred to Texas. He is the third player at the ‘Jack’ position the Longhorns have welcomed.
Joseph Ossai’s emergence was one of the most encouraging aspects of Texas’ 2020 season. The former linebacker transitioned into a hybrid outside linebacker/defensive end role called the Jack and produced 5.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for a loss.
With Ossai off to the NFL, the position was going to have a question mark surrounding it going into the season. Especially with Pete Kwiatkowski’s defensive scheme. At times, a Jack and an X, which have similar roles, can both be on the field. The Longhorns lacked depth at the position but may have brought in another player to fix the issue.
According to Inside Texas, Ben Davis has transferred to Texas and joined Steve Sarkisian’s roster. A former five-star recruit, Davis joins LSU‘s Ray Thornton and Notre Dame‘s Ovie Oghoufo as new additions at the Jack position.
Davis spent five years in Tuscaloosa, redshirting his freshman year in 2016. He appeared in 23 games and recorded eight tackles, one sack, and one pass breakup. Here is Inside Texas’ breakdown of Davis:
Over the weekend, Steve Sarkisianâs staff added yet another outside linebacker transfer to the roster. This time it was a former 5-star recruit, Alabama âJackâ linebacker Ben Davis, a 6-foot-4, 250-pounder. Davis never cracked the top of the depth chart in Tuscaloosa but was solid for the Tide in mop-up duty as a boundary 9-technique who could rush the edge, stunt, or drop into coverage.
OrangeBloods reported back in February that Davis was “taking his time” with his transfer decision. Over a dozen schools have shown interest in him since entering the portal on Feb. 15.
Per a conversation with @AnwarRichardson this morning, Alabama senior linebacker Ben Davis (Class of 2016) is taking his time in his re-recruitment process. Plans to have a top 5 in March. Taking his time.
Texas is among about a dozen schools that are showing interest.
— Geoff Ketchum (@gkketch) February 28, 2021
Stay tuned for more updates.
According to AL.com, Texas defensive lineman Marqez Bimage has entered the transfer portal. He was expected to compete for a starting spot.
According to Matt Zenitz of AL.com, Texas defensive lineman Marqez Bimage has entered the transfer portal. He is the latest Longhorn to enter the portal, joining Ayodele Adeoye, Jalen Green, Keaontay Ingram, Reese Moore, and Willie Tyler.
Bimage opted out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 concerns. In three seasons with the Longhorns, he recorded 19 tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, two pass breakups, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery.
Defensive end/Jack has been identified as a position of weakness for Steve Sarkisian and Pete Kwiatkowski early on. Texas has taken on three transfers at the position in Ray Thornton, Ogie Oghoufo, and reportedly Ben Davis. Bimage was expected to compete for one of the starting spots.
Have learned that Texas defensive lineman Marqez Bimage has entered the transfer portal
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) March 4, 2021
Out of high school, Bimage was a three-star prospect on the 247Sports composite. He ranked as the No. 34 weakside defensive end and the No. 70 player in the state of Texas.
Contact/Follow us @LonghornsWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas news, notes and opinions.
Longhorns Wire Roundtable discusses which assistant coach will make the biggest impact in year one on the Forty Acres.
Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian has formed an impressive group of assistant coaches. Continue reading “Texas Football: Which new hire will make the biggest impact in year one?”
Former player turned analyst, Emmanuel Acho, released a video on Twitter discussing how excited he is about the team.
It isn’t just the media that seem excited or in approval of the hiring of Steve Sarkisian and his staff. ESPN gave the Texas Longhorns a grade of A- for the hiring. Also, a former player in Emmanuel Acho spoke about his excitement level in a tweet.
The now analyst was once roaming the confines of Darrel K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Acho joined the Longhorns in the 2008 recruiting class as a four-star and the No. 23 ranked player in the state of Texas. He would go on to play in the NFL for the Cleveland Browns and Philadelphia Eagles, but is now a member of Fox Sports.
In the opening of his video, Acho spoke to the fact that the Longhorns got it right with the hiring of Sarkisian. Even went as far as to say that he hasn’t “been more excited about Texas football in a decade.” That would date back to the end of the Mack Brown era of Texas football that saw a string of nine or more wins in 12 consecutive years. Brown also was responsible for nine-straight seasons with 10 or more wins.
Acho spoke specifically about the hire of Sarkisian as the best offensive coordinator in the SEC. He mentioned the best special teams coach from the SEC in Jeff Banks. The Fox analyst also couldn’t go on without mentioning his former teammate in Blake Gideon. He was the best special teams coach in all of college football during the 2019 season. Acho would point to the fact that special teams are vitally important to championship level teams.
He finishes up by discussing the additions of Kyle Flood who helped his offensive line with the Joe Moore Award and defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski. His defenses have produced first-round talent for the NFL, something Texas hasn’t seen in five years. Not to mention, Kwiatkowskiâs defense has finished top 15 in scoring every year since 2015.
To be a great head coach, you have to be a great delegator of responsibility. And Steve Sarkisian has assembled a miraculous staff. Texas football, get excited.
Acho is bringing the same level of excitement in his tweet that has been seen on most social media platforms.
Wow @TexasFootball, you nailed every single coaching hire. Letâs go!!!
SECâs best OC: â
SECâs best OL coach: â
PAC 12âs best DC: â
Nations best ST coach â19 & â20: â pic.twitter.com/iOEq4AjkNV— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) January 23, 2021
Nobody wins the offseason quite like the Texas Longhorns.
