Tag: Texas Football

Texas’ Murphy, Mitchell, Worthy look to be selected in first round of NFL Draft

The NFL Draft starts Thursday with round one in Detroit. Texas could have three players selected on the opening night.

The 2024 NFL Draft starts Thursday with round one in Detroit. Continue reading “Texas’ Murphy, Mitchell, Worthy look to be selected in first round of NFL Draft”

Arizona transfer DL Bill Norton commits to Texas

Texas began to address its defensive tackle depth with the addition of Bill Norton.

The Texas Longhorns had a need at defensive tackle exiting spring football. They addressed that need on Monday.

Arizona transfer defensive lineman Bill Norton announced a transfer portal commitment to Texas. He joins former defensive line teammate Tiaoalii Savea in Austin. Both players were once four-star composite prospects as recruits.

Both Norton and Savea were part of a defense led by Texas linebackers coach Johnny Nansen last season. The then Arizona defensive coordinator led a Wildcats defense that allowed 21.1 points per game and 5.4 yards per play. The defense was particularly good against the run where Savea and Norton helped Arizona hold opponents to 118.2 rushing yards per game.

Norton’s frame is a positive as Texas looks to add big humans in the trenches. At 6-foot-6 and 325 pounds Norton should not only be able to hold his ground but bat down passes at the line of scrimmage. The defensive lineman would be able to work in concert with fellow 6-foot-6 player Ethan Burke at edge. That length could create issues for quarterbacks with side arm deliveries.

The addition fills a need for the Longhorns to a certain degree but the team might not be done at the position. Texas has been a favorite to land UCLA transfer defensive lineman Jay Toia as well. Norton’s addition doesn’t eliminate the possibility of adding Toia.

Texas is on its way to building a formidable defensive line after losing two All-American caliber defensive tackles in Byron Murphy and T’Vondre Sweat. Look for Norton to make an impact in 2024.

CFB analyst Gerry Hamilton says Texas has five starting receivers

Steve Sarkisian might need a receiver rotation to get all the best players on the field.

In what will likely come as a surprise to those expecting a falloff at wide receiver, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian might have more starter quality receivers than starting spots.

On Texas Football’s Gerry Hamilton discussed the depth of the Texas wide receiver room.

“Here’s the biggest compliment I can give the wide receivers this year. (Offensive line coach) Kyle Flood says he’s got seven starters, essentially seven players who are good enough to start for him. I think Texas has five guys that are good enough to be starting receivers. … Everybody better put in work this summer because Ryan Wingo’s a special talent. And he’s still young, and it’s a hard scheme to pick up for a wide receiver, but watch out.”

Hamilton also discussed the emergence of wide receiver DeAndre Moore who has gone from darkhorse starter candidate to a potential favorite to start at receiver. Moore and freshman five-star Ryan Wingo have impressed in the spring. They proved to be standout players in the Orange-White game.

Fellow receivers Isaiah Bond, Johntay Cook and Matthew Golden looked like starter caliber players in the game as well while Silas Bolden is set to join the group this offseason.

Exiting the spring, the Texas receiver room inspires perhaps as much offseason confidence as any past Longhorns receiver corps in recent memory. The performance by this group was more impressive than the 2023 receiving corps’ spring showing. The 2023 unit could send two receivers to the first two rounds of the upcoming NFL draft.

Texas loses three elite talents in Xavier Worthy, Adonai Mitchell and tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders. Somehow the receiver room doesn’t seem to be hurting from the high volume of talent it lost.

Many viewed the wide receiver room as a question mark for Texas this offseason. The question now is how Texas will get all its starter quality players on the field.

WATCH: Texas DT Alfred Collins scores on an Ethan Burke tipped pass

The Texas defense looked much sharper than the offense in the first two drives.

The Texas defense line played like they heard the offseason doubters in the early going of the spring game. They dominated the first two drives.

The early highlight of the spring game came on a tipped pass from Texas edge Ethan Burke. Defensive tackle Alfred Collins caught the pass and took it to the end zone for six points.

Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers had a poor showing. The plan heading into the day was for Ewers not to play very long. He played like it with a lackadaisical performance. The defense had a hand in his tough day.

The Texas interior defensive line surprisingly had its way in the early part of matchup. What wasn’t a surprise was Burke and Collins stepping up to make plays.

The Texas defense is an underrated part of what the Longhorns bring back for 2024. The highlight play from Collins and Burke is one of many reasons to be excited about the product the team will put on display in the upcoming season.

Orange-White Game: Prepare to see plenty of Texas QB Arch Manning

Arch Manning should see plenty of reps in the spring game.

The Orange-White Game is set to begin on Saturday barring weather disruption. Texas backup quarterback Arch Manning could see plenty of playing time.

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian is expected to limit how many reps starting quarterback Quinn Ewers is allotted. Ewers has something to prove on the field, but nothing related to whether or not he should be the starter. After a series or two, Arch Manning could see the majority of reps at quarterback.

Fellow reserves Cole Lourd and Trey Owens should get their opportunity to play, but Manning is the player whose reps benefit the team most. Arch is now an injury away from playing after Maalik Murphy transferred to play quarterback at Duke.

Manning has the ability to lead the team, but what he lacks is experience and reps at the college level. Expect to see the signal caller get some semblance of college caliber reps when the Longhorns take the field on Saturday.

Could Texas have interest in Colorado CB Cormani McClain?

Cormani McClain says Texas is one of 11 schools that have contacted him since entering the portal.

One of the nation’s top cornerback prospects has entered the portal. Colorado defensive back Cormani McClain is looking to transfer and Texas is said to have expressed interest in bringing him to Austin.

McClain says he’s heard from 11 schools since he went to the transfer portal. Texas is one of those programs.

Should Texas bring McClain to the Forty Acres, it could be as much of a long term move as an immediate impact addition. That’s not to say that the former top cornerback recruit would not make an immediate impact, but rather that the Longhorns wouldn’t have to count on it.

Texas is in a good place at cornerback with Malik Muhammad, Jahdae Barron, Terrance Brooks, Jaylon Guilbeau and Gavin Holmes. The cornerback room has the starters and depth to compete in major college football. Albeit, McClain adds an upside that few players have at the college level.

The Longhorns don’t have to add McClain, but the move could make sense. The 2023 five star player ranked as the No. 1 cornerback and No. 13 overall player in the 247Sports composite. The Florida talent had 13 total tackles and two pass breakups as a freshman.

We’ll see if Texas adds any players who can play at Texas past the 2024 season.

Texas trending for UCLA DL Jay Toia, Arizona DL Bill Norton

Could Texas bring in multiple defensive tackles in the post-spring transfer portal?

Texas is trending for two of the top defensive tackles in the spring transfer portal opening. The Longhorns have long been the favorite for Arizona defensive tackle Bill Norton, but now trend for another former Pac-12 talent.

Texas is reportedly hosting UCLA defensive tackle Jay Toia in the early going of the portal reopening. Horns247’s Jordan Scruggs and Hank South have entered crystal ball predictions for the Longhorns to add Toia to the fold.

It’s early, but Texas faithful have to like where the team is positioned in the recruitment. It doesn’t appear that the Longhorns are opposed to taking more than one defensive tackle.

Presently, the interior defensive line is incomplete. Veteran defensive tackle Alfred Collins is primed to lead the position, but there are questions about the position as a whole. Adding Toia and Norton to Collins, Tiaoalii Savea and Vernon Broughton could solidify the defensive tackle position for Texas.

We’ll keep an eye on how the recruitment unfolds.

Sarkisian on leaving Texas for Alabama: ‘I’m not doing that’

“It took me all of about 60 seconds to say, ‘Yeah, I’m not doing that.’”

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian isn’t going anywhere. He shared why Alabama’s head coach vacancy didn’t move the needle for him in an interview with ESPN.

Sarkisian explained his brief contemplation of leaving for Tuscaloosa.

“Naturally, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think about it. But it took me all of about 60 seconds to say, ‘Yeah, I’m not doing that.’ I had an awesome two years at Alabama and loved my time under Coach Saban, but ultimately you want to reap what you sow.

We’ve poured a ton into this program for three years, and we’re on the cusp, I think, of going on a run that will be epic. I believe that. Our staff does, and our players do, too, just the support we have and the culture we’ve created here. Why leave something like that?”

As could be the case with anyone, you listen to your mentor. Clearly, Sarkisian has great respect for former Alabama head coach Nick Saban. That Saban might consider him as his replacement likely meant a lot to Sarkisian. Nevertheless, it didn’t take long for Sarkisian to think it over. He rhetorically asks himself why he would leave.

Some are attempting to frame it as a close call. Sarkisian’s 60 seconds of contemplation make it clear he wasn’t anywhere near packing his bags for Tuscaloosa. He was unmoved.

Aside from the inherent disadvantages Alabama could have in matching Texas monetarily and in recruiting proximity to elite talent, Sarkisian would have had to start over in building his culture and instilling his schemes with the Crimson Tide. He concluded, “Yeah, I’m not doing that.”

Sarkisian believes his program is “on the cusp” of breaking through to the top of college football. Texas will look to get there in 2024.

What positions should Texas add in the transfer portal?

Where can Texas upgrade or add in the portal?

The Texas Longhorns have one of the five best rosters in college football for the 2024 season. It’s why so many outlets ranked them so highly in preseason. The Longhorns can still improve.

There aren’t many positions where Texas can get much better through the transfer portal. Offensively, I am skeptical there’s a position worth considering an upgrade. The positions worth watching are on the defensive side.

Texas is good at cornerback. Malik Muhammad was billed as the best player on the field recently in spring practices leading into his second college season. Jahdae Barron, Jaylon Guilbeau, Terrance Brooks and Gavin Holmes are all impact players in their own right.

Clemson transfer Andrew Mukuba is set to start at safety opposite Michael Taaffe or Derek Williams Jr. All three should be better options than last year’s expected starters Jalen Catalon and Jerrin Thompson.

Edge is perhaps the strength of the defense led by UTSA transfer and 14 sack pass rusher Trey Moore and returning playmakers Barryn Sorrell and Ethan Burke. If there were any question of depth, five-star freshman Colin Simmons is added to blue chip talents Justice Finkley and Colton Vasek.

Texas will need to add a punter, but the above positions appear settled. That leaves two defensive positions: Defensive tackle and linebacker.

Defensive lineman Alfred Collins and linebackers Anthony Hill and David Gbenda are reliable options. Morice Blackwell is dependable as well at linebacker. Behind those players are questions.

Arizona transfer Tiaoalii Savea was added at defensive tackle in early portal action, but whether or not his game transfers to the SEC will be worth watching. Vernon Broughton II belongs on the field and can make plays, but doesn’t seem to be the right fit at nose tackle barring improvement in run defense and staying rooted in the turf.

Behind the above two players are more questions. Texas would benefit from adding at least one defensive lineman but could add more.

At linebacker, Anthony Hill is primed for a breakout season after putting up 67 total tackles and five sacks in limited time last year. His role is different, so a veteran presence like Gbenda is optimal. The Longhorns can still add another impact player at the position.

Depth matters. Even if Texas is confident in its top three options with Gbenda, Hill and Blackwell, they will need depth at linebacker. Several collisions are on the way at the position and this season against more SEC offensive linemen and running backs. Even after adding Alabama linebacker Kendrick Blackshire, adding another proven player raises the ceiling for the team.

With all the above stated, a winning principle overrides complacency at any position: Always add talent. If Texas can find an upgrade outside of a position of need, it can add those players. Nevertheless, the Longhorns plan of attack should be to first address defensive tackle. They look to be on the way to doing that through the portal.

TCU DT Damonic Williams to visit Texas

Williams is set to visit Texas after Oklahoma on April 23.

TCU defensive tackle Damonic Williams is set to visit six schools. Texas is one of them.

Williams has a visit set for four teams beginning with the Oklahoma Sooners on April 20-21. Oklahoma has emerged as the early favorite for Williams and the fact that the lineman is opting to visit Norman for the team’s spring game is telling.

Next is Texas, who some believe to be the next highest priority for Williams. He’s set to be in Austin on April 23 and 24.

Colorado and LSU are next on Williams’ schedule of visits. Colorado’s inclusion speaks to the continued respect for head coach Deion Sanders and his staff after a poor showing in 2023. Williams will visit there on April 26 and 27 before going to Baton Rouge on April 30.

LSU and Texas likely need defensive tackle more than Oklahoma, but could be starting the recruitment trailing. Even so, expect the Tigers to do everything they can to bring top defensive line talent to repair their broken defense from a year ago.

Missouri and Oregon round out the list with expected visits.

Texas will look to make an impression and get into the race when Williams visits on Tuesday and Wednesday.