Tag: Steve Sarkisian

Texas A&M HC Mike Elko is excited for the return of the Lone Star Showdown

Texas A&M vs. Texas could determine a playoff spot for both teams this season

In 16 short days, No. 20-ranked Texas A&M will host the 7th-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Saturday, August 31, as head coach Mike Elko’s inaugural season will include the return of the Lone Star Showdown between Texas and Texas A&M for the first time since the end of the 2011 season.

Elko and his staff are focused on the entire season at hand, but it’s hard not to get excited about what’s to come at the end of the season, knowing that both programs could possibly be fighting for a spot in the expanded college football playoff.

This week, Elko sat down with SEC Network’s Marty Smith and Ryan McGee to discuss what he expects once the matchup arrives on Saturday, November 30, as the Longhorns embark on their first SEC season and will face the Aggies in a return to Kyle Field.

“Bringing it back, the way it’s coming back, and obviously with them coming back into the same conference as us, and what that all will mean, the amount of people that are gonna be there, what it’s gonna look like celebrity-like on both sidelines, all the people who are going to try and experience that game, it’s going to feel a little bit like an occasion,” Elko stated.

“That’s what you want, right? That’s what makes college football so special. I glad they’re coming back into our league and I’m glad we get to play them on Thankgiving weekend, and I’m glad we get to settle it on the field. You shouldn’t have two brands like that so close not competing with each other.”

For what it’s worth, Elko, compared to former head coach Jimbo Fisher, has been more open to looking ahead toward key matchups, something the Aggie’s fan base has been receptive to.

Texas A&M will open the 2024 season vs. Notre Dame on Saturday, August 31. The game will air on ABC at 6:30 p.m. CT.

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Texas Longhorns RB Christian Clark out for 2024 season with torn Achilles

Texas has announced freshman RB Christian Clark suffered a torn Achilles tendon. Clark will undergo surgery and miss the 2024 season.

The injury report is back for Texas running back Christian Clark, and it isn’t good. The freshman RB suffered a torn Achilles tendon. In a statement released on Tuesday, school officials said Clark will undergo surgery and miss the 2024 season.

Clark is the second Longhorn RB to suffer a season-ending injury in as many weeks. Last week, starter CJ Baxter tore both his lateral cruciate ligament  and posterior cruciate ligament.

The two serious injuries have cut the Longhorns’ running back depth almost in half. The Texas coaching staff is considering moving players from other positions to bolster the running back room.

Even before Clark’s injury, Steve Sarkisian said: “We’re looking at some different options, and I think we’re looking at it creatively, whether it’s a couple of guys on the offensive side of the ball, a potential player on the defensive side of the ball, or two, for that matter. … So we’re kind of taking it day by day again. We’ve got plenty of time. We’re just trying to get a sense and a feel of how, not only will they play on offense at the runner, but how does that impact us at other positions if we take a player.”

Three names have emerged as possible candidates to move to running back: wide receiver Ryan Niblett,  linebacker Derion Gullette and safety Jelani McDonald.

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Down 2 running backs, Texas considers position changes to bolster RB corps

With injuries to CJ Baxter and now Christian Clark, Texas is considering position changes to add depth to running back corps.

Last week, the Longhorns lost starting running back CJ Baxter to a season ending knee injury. This week, it’s Christian Clark. The freshman RB suffered what has been described as “a serious lower leg injury” during Monday’s practice.  

Late Tuesday, University of Texas officials announced Clark suffered a torn Achilles and will miss the 2024 season.

Before Clark’s injury even happened, the Longhorns coaching staff were considering other options at running back. “We’re looking at some different options, and I think we’re looking at it creatively, whether it’s a couple of guys on the offensive side of the ball, a potential player on the defensive side of the ball, or two, for that matter,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said Monday. ” … So we’re kind of taking it day by day again. We’ve got plenty of time. We’re just trying to get a sense and a feel of how, not only will they play on offense at the runner, but how does that impact us at other positions if we take a player.”

Clark wasn’t expected to be the primary replacement for Baxter. That duty will fall to junior Jaydon Blue. Blue was named to the Paul Hornung Award watch list last week, which is handed out annually to the nation’s most versatile player.

Texas has also brought in two running backs in each of the last two recruiting classes. Behind Blue, Sarkisian can turn to Quintrevion Wisner and Jerrick Gibson. 

But with the loss of Clark, it’s depth at RB that has the Longhorns staff concerned. Anwar Richardson of Orangebloods reports that the coaching staff is considering moving freshman WR Ryan Niblett to running back. 

Niblett is a redshirt freshman from Aldine Eisenhower in Houston. A 2023 All-American Bowl participant, Niblett was ranked No. 77 nationally, No. 12 among wide receivers and No. 16 overall in the state of Texas by Rivals. As a senior at Eisenhower, he caught 55 passes for 1,088 yards and 10 TD with an average of 108.8 receiving yards per game.

Coaches are also considering moving linebacker Derion Gullette to running back. Gullette played some offense in high school and is already taking snaps at RB at Longhorns practice. Texas’ depth at LB makes Gullette possibly more valuable on offense. Gullette could take on the roll of short-yardage power back.

Gullette, another redshirt freshman, went to high school at Teague in Marlin, TX. The former 4-star recruit starred at RB, but was also named first-team 3A All-State as both a WR and punter. 

Another name being considered is safety Jelani McDonald. Out of Connally High School in Waco, McDonald was was a 4-star recruit ranked No. 204 nationally, No. 6 among athletes and No. 35 overall in the state of Texas by Rivals.

Playing on both slides of the ball, he was named the 11-4A Division 2 offensive MVP after running the ball 77 times for 852 yards and nine touchdowns and posting four separate games of 100 yards rushing. 

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Texas Longhorns begin season ranked No. 4 in initial AP Poll

The first AP Poll of the season is out and Texas is ranked No. 4 to begin the highly-anticipated 2024 campaign. 

The first AP Poll of the season is out and the Longhorns are ranked No. 4 to begin the highly-anticipated 2024 campaign. This is the first time Texas has debuted in the AP preseason Top 5 since 2009, when the Horns lost in the BCS Championship game against Alabama at the Rose Bowl.  

The top seven teams in the AP Poll mirrors the top seven in the US LBM Coaches Poll released last week.

Georgia, Ohio State and Oregon rank ahead of Texas in the initial poll. The Bulldogs received 46 first place votes, the Buckeyes got 15 first place votes and the Ducks received 1 first place votes. Texas landed zero first place votes.

As the “super conference” era begins, the expanded SEC and Big Ten dominate the rankings with four teams apiece in the Top 10. Only four conferences are represented in the preseason rankings overall. The SEC leads the conference race with nine teams in the Top 25. The Big Ten has six representatives. The Big 12 lands five in the poll, while the ACC has four.

Texas rivals Oklahoma and Texas A&M also made the list at No. 16 and No. 20 respectively.

Five teams from the preseason AP Top 25 are on the Longhorns’ schedule:

9/7 at No. 9 Michigan

10/12 vs. No. 16 Oklahoma (in Dallas)

10/19 vs. No. 1 Georgia

11/20 at No. 20 Texas A&M

Texas finished the 2023 season ranked No. 3 in the AP Poll after losing the College Football Playoff Semifinal vs. Washington. The Longhorns 2024 season begins on 8/31 vs. Colorado State.

A look at the full preseason AP Poll:

Ranking Team Points
1 Georgia Bulldogs 1,532 (46)
2 Ohio State Buckeyes 1,490 (15)
3 Oregon Ducks 1,403 (1)
4 Texas Longhorns 1,386
5 Alabama Crimson Tide 1,260
6 Ole Miss Rebels 1,189
7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish 1,122
8 Penn State Nittany Lions 1,060
9 Michigan Wolverines 995
10 Florida State Seminoles 971
11 Missouri Tigers 927
12 Utah Utes 887
13 LSU Tigers 804
14 Clemson Tigers 689
15 Tennessee Volunteers 629
16 Oklahoma Sooners 566
17 Oklahoma State Cowboys 538
18 Kansas State Wildcats 526
19 Miami Hurricanes 492
20 Texas A&M Aggies 292
21 Arizona Wildcats 237
22 Kansas Jayhawks 231
23 USC Trojans 172
24 North Carolina State Wolfpack 171
25 Iowa Hawkeyes 140

Others Receiving Votes

Louisville 111, Virginia Tech 77, Boise St. 47, SMU 33, Iowa St. 33, Liberty 32, Washington 23, West Virginia 17, Memphis 16, Nebraska 16, Wisconsin 15, UTSA 6, Tulane 5, Appalachian St. 4, Kentucky 3, Auburn 2, Colorado 1.

 

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Longhorns Freshman Report: Two emerge in fall camp

Two freshman have stood out so far in Longhorns fall camp – WR Ryan Wingo and Edge Colin Simmons. Both should get significant playing time.

Texas Longhorns fall camp has been in full swing for a little over a week in Austin, capped by a closed scrimmage on Saturday. Longhorns fans know all about the returning stars on the team, such as Quinn Ewers and Anthony Hill. But how are the freshmen doing? Have any emerged as true impact players in 2024?

OnTexasFootball’s Bobby Burton and Gerry Hamilton report that two freshman are standing out so far in camp: wide receiver Ryan Wingo and edge Colin Simmons.

“They are guys right now that will be in the rotation we believe when Texas plays Colorado State,” Burton said. “They may not play 50 snaps, but I think they’re going to play 15-25. They’ve booth stood out. I think they both get an A or A-plus as a grade right now.”

Wingo caught four passes for 81 yards and 2 TDs in the Texas spring game. An All-American Bowl participant, the St. Louis native was ranked fifth overall and second among wide receivers in the recruiting class by 247Sports. 

The true freshman from St. Louis has been everything and then some that Steve Sarkisian could want. He made more than one play in Saturday’s scrimmage, including a couple tantalizing catches, as well as the every down catch. He’s just got to learn more than one position. Right now Sark said he’s kinda pigeon-holed as that outside receiver because he’s so young. He’s trying to get everything down in the game. This is as good a receiver prospect, full prospect, as we’ve seen at Texas since Roy Williams out of Odessa Permian now more than 25 years ago. — Bobby Burton of OnTexasFootball

Simmons is a two-time state champion out of Duncanville who was 22nd overall by 247Sports and played in both the 2024 Under Armour All-American Game and 2024 Polynesian Bowl. 

We knew he’d have a role as an edge rusher. We didn’t know if it’d be third downs early in the season. The interesting thing to me is he’s showing versatility. In the NASCAR package they broke out in the scrimmage, he was playing Sam Linebacker. He’s showing beyond his gifts athletically and how he’s built up his frame. He’s showing football intelligence. They feel like they can work him in multiple spots before he’s ever played a game as a freshman in college. — Gerry Hamilton of OnTexasFootball

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Texas A&M is on pace to out-recruit the Texas Longhorns in the 2025 cycle

Texas A&M’s 2025 recruiting class is six spots higher than the Texas Longhorns 2025 cycle

One of the biggest worries Aggie fans had after Texas A&M officially hired Mike Elko late last year was the former defensive coordinator’s ability to match Jimbo Fisher’s recruiting success. Still, within A&M’s 6th-ranked 2025 recruiting class, any previous doubt has all but dissolved.

After a highly successful summer, which included gaining more than seven commitments with 20 overall heading into Elko’s inaugural 2024 season, Texas A&M’s 2025 cycle is currently six spots ahead of rival Texas, who recently received a verbal commitment from 5-star wide receiver Kaliq Lockett earlier this week.

While there’s still time for the Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian to gain momentum, Wednesday night’s news that 2205 4-star DL DJ Sanders, who was heavily predicted to land in Austin, instead committed to Texas A&M after developing a close relationship with Mike Elko and the defensive staff, as Texas’s D-line recruiting issues continued.

However, both programs are in heavy pursuit of 2025 5-star safety Jonah Williams after the Aggies missed out on fellow 5-star safety Trey McNutt committed to Oregon, as Williams is set to announce his intentions on August 24th.

According to On3 recruiting insider Steve Wiltong, 2025 5-star offensive tackle Michael Fasusi was also apart of the Jonah Williams-based conversation. Wiltong stated that while Texas remains the favorite, Texas A&M is right in the mix as the top-ranked tackle has a chance to commit to either program, plus the Oklahoma Sooners based on NIL, distance, etc.

“The Aggies could hit big this month.”

Set to renew their rivalry on the field in the recently discontinued Lone Star Showdown, the recruiting battle is bound to stay heated for years to come in the most talent-rich state in the country.

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Texas A&M vs. Texas tickets are higher than the Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving game

The Lone Star Showdown is back, but attending this year will cost much more than many can afford.

The Lone Star Showdown is back and better than ever. Texas A&M will take on Texas for the first time since the end of the 2011 season after the Longhorns officially joined the SEC in July, renewing the popular rivalry on the gridiron after over a decade.

Even more exciting, both teams are expected to compete for a playoff spot, more so Texas, but as unforgiving as the conference can be, this game could decide either team’s postseason fate as the Aggies will host the Longhorns even though their last meeting was also inside Kyle Field.

Well, for those of you who aren’t currently students at either University, attending this year’s game will cost you a pretty penny. According to updated SeatGeek prices, fans are expected to pay up to $600 more than this season’s Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving game vs. New York Giants, with prices starting at $127 per person.

The hype is real for the 2024 matchup, but expect the prices to likely drop going into next season’s matchup.

Texas A&M fell to Texas in their last 2011 meeting, losing on a Justin Tucker game-winning field goal as time expired.

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2025 recruiting and why Texas moved up in the rankings

A big commitment this week has moved the Longhorns up four sports in ESPN’s rankings, from 18 to 14 overall. Texas landed one of 2025’s top wide receivers in Kaliq Locket. 

Texas has been lagging behind its rivals in the 2025 team recruiting rankings for months. Boasting an already deep roster, the Longhorns worked the transfer portal hard this year to replenish its skill positions. 

But a big commitment this week has moved the Horns up four sports in ESPN’s rankings, from 18 to 14 overall. Texas landed one of 2025’s top wide receivers in Kaliq Locket. 

Locket ranks 23rd overall in the class and fourth among receivers in ESPN’s rankings. 247 ranks the Sachse High School star as the No. 2 WR in the country and No. 12 overall player. 

As a junior, the 6’2, 180 pound wide out had 59 receptions for 1,299 yards and 13 touchdowns. ESPN says, “Locket gives the Longhorns a target with nice length and good speed with the leaping ability to go up and attack the football and win battles for contested balls.” 

“Lockett was a big in-state win as one of top offensive players in the Lone Star state; he is a rangy receiver with good speed that also attacks the ball and can high point and win contested matchups.” 

Texas now has commitments from 17 players in the 2025 class, including nine from the ESPN Top 300. Locket is the highest ranked of the group, that includes QB K.J. Lacey. Haubert says, “The Longhorns didn’t sign an ESPN 300 quarterback in 2024, but K.J. Lacey is one of the more promising signal-callers in the 2025 class. He lacks ideal size at 5-11 and 180 pounds, but he throws a good deep ball, can create and also change arm angles. He threw for over 3,000 yards and 42 touchdowns as a junior.”

Defensive lineman Lance Jackson is Texas’ top defensive commit. Haubert says, “Jackson has coveted size and frame for the position. He could be a disruptive player in the trenches with good initial quickness and agility. Smith Orogbo is an edge defender with an explosive first step, active hands and very good range.”

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Texas QB Quinn Ewers projected to be Heisman Trophy finalist

Can Quinn Ewers become the first UT Heisman trophy winner since Ricky Williams in 1998?

The last Texas Longhorn to win the Heisman Trophy was Ricky Williams back in 1998 with Vince Young (2005) and Colt McCoy (2008) both finishing runner-up for the award.

However, many people think the 26-year drought may be broken in 2024 as quarterback Quinn Ewers returns to the Forty Acres for his third year as a starter. With the Longhorns transitioning to the SEC and boasting one of the best-receiving cores in football, Ewers will certainly be at the center of the Heisman race. Coming out of high school, Ewers was widely regarded as one of the best quarterback prospects of all time and it still feels like there is another level to his game he is yet to tap into.

Going into this season, the Heisman Trophy is open for the taking as the top five finishers from 2023 all moved on to the NFL this off-season.

On3 Sport’s JD Pickell projected his Heisman finalists for 2024 which included Ewers, Georgia’s Carson Beck, Alabama’s Jalen Milroe and Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel. He also included honorable mentions of Ohio State’s Caleb Downs, Ole Miss’s Jaxson Dart, Missouri’s Luther Burden and Miami’s Cam Ward.

When the dust settles, Pickell actually projects that Quinn Ewers wins the Heisman Trophy in 2024 saying,

“I think Steve Sarkisian will go to even another level of this offense with him being his third year in the system. I love the weapons. I love the schedule. I think Quinn Ewers wins the Heisman Trophy.”

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Texas football ranked in the top five by CBS Sports

Texas Longhorns one of four SEC teams ranked in the top six by CBS Sports

Going into the 2024 college football season, the Texas Longhorns are widely regarded as one of the top teams in the entire country.

The Longhorns were Big 12 Champions and Playoff contenders a year ago but after significant losses to the 2024 NFL draft, there are some questions marks. Fortunately, Texas found a ton of success in the transfer portal adding three big-time receivers Isaiah Bond, Silas Bolden, Matthew Golden, and tight end Amari Niblack.

The prevailing question for Texas is how they’ll handle the transition to the SEC. Head coach Steve Sarkisian has established himself as one of the best coaches in the country and quarterback Quinn Ewers returns for his third year as the starter on the Forty Acres. Despite a schedule that includes the Michigan Wolverines, Georgia Bulldogs and Texas A&M Aggies, it’s hard to imagine the Longhorns missing out on the first-ever 12-team Playoff.

With the college football season set to kick off later this month, CBS Sports ranked all 134 FBS programs from worst to first. The Longhorns were ranked No. 4 on CBS’ list behind only Georgia, Ohio State and Oregon. Texas was also one of four SEC teams ranked in the top six with Alabama being ranked No. 5 and Ole Miss No. 6.

Texas will kick off the season on August 31st against the Colorado State Rams from Darrell K Royal Stadium.

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