Tag: Texas Longhorns

Everything Dabo Swinney had to say about Texas ahead of Saturday’s playoff game

Dabo Swinney talks Texas Longhorns ahead of the CFP matchup.

The Texas Longhorns will host the Clemson Tigers at Darrell K. Royal on Saturday in the first-round of the College Football Playoff. It will be the first time the two programs meet. On Monday, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney addressed the media in his usual Monday press conference. Here’s everything he had to say about the No. 5 Texas Longhorns.

Texas on the surface:

“Texas has had an outstanding year, Sarkisian has done a great job. They’ve been in the play-off the last two years. They have an outstanding quarterback, they’re good in the trenches, and have explosive players. They put it all together offensively. Defensively, they don’t give up any points. It’s like 12 points a game. They’re big up front. They have athletic linebackers and they’re very skilled in the secondary. It’s a complete team. It’s a great challenge. We’re looking forward to it.”

On the secondary talent:

“They’re really talented and skilled. They have elite corner and safety play. They can all run. They know their scheme and they’re very committed to it. It all goes back to their dudes up front. They can get pressure with four. They’re usually better than most up front.”

On Arch Manning playing more:

“They obviously trust him, he’s got some wheels on him, man. He’s a strong runner.”

Texas Longhorns DT Re-Enters Transfer Portal for 2nd time in 4 days

Sydir Mitchell enters the portal once again following decision late last week to stay.

Texas Longhorns redshirt freshman defensive tackle Sydir Mitchell initially announced his intention to enter the transfer portal, a day later he reversed his decision the following day and decided the Forty Acres was still home. Reports now indicate that he has entered the transfer portal once again.

Mitchell, a former four-star prospect from New Jersey, has made five games this year. In 2024, he had a total of four tackles for loss as a backup. Although he didn’t play this season, Mitchell adds depth and veteran experience to a position group that will appear quite young next season.

In the 2023 recruiting class he ranked as the No. 205 player nationally and the No. 25 defensive lineman, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. Mitchell had 20 offers during his original recruitment, including Arkansas, Florida State, LSU, Michigan, Ole Miss, Tennessee and USC.

Mitchell separated himself from his teammates celebrating at Kyle Field after the Texas A&M game. For some this is when assumptions about his future at Texas started.  In total, Mitchell played 36 snaps across six games in 2024, recording two tackles and two defensive stops. It’s unclear a destination for the former 4-star prospect.

Who does ESPN Analytics favor in Texas vs Clemson CFB Playoff game?

ESPN Analytics have projected the winner of Texas vs Clemson.

ESPN Analytics predict an 84.4% chance of the Texas Longhorns defeating the Clemson Tigers in the College Football Playoff game on Saturday, December 21st, at Darrell K. Royal Stadium in Austin, Texas.

Texas, coming off a 22-19 overtime loss against Georgia in the SEC championship, will face Clemson, who won 34-31 against SMU in the ACC championship. Saturday could be the last-home game for Quinn Ewers, who said on Monday that “I’m (he’s) just trying to win these games.” When asked his thoughts on this being his last home game he said “Maybe. We’ll see.”

The Texas Longhorns and Clemson have never matched up before in history, the two share elite-level of focus, with Texas having four national championships compared to Clemson’s three.

Kickoff from Darrell K. Royal is slated for 3:00pm CT on TNT.

Duke women’s basketball to join South Carolina, Texas, and UCLA in 2025 tournament

The Duke women’s basketball team will face South Carolina, UCLA, and Texas in the 2025 Players Era Women’s Championship, per a Monday release.

The Duke Blue Devils will be part of one of the biggest events on the 2025-26 women’s basketball calendar, according to a Monday release.

Duke will join the defending national champion South Carolina Gamecocks, UCLA Bruins, and Texas Longhorns in the Players Era Women’s Championship, a tournament set for next November in Las Vegas.

While the first Players Era men’s tournament took place this season, with the Oregon Ducks defeating the Alabama Crimson Tide in the title game, 2025 will mark the first women’s edition of the event. Each of the four programs will play the other three in a round-robin format.

“This is the premier regular season tournament in women’s college basketball,” head coach Kara Lawson said in a release about the tournament.  “The brands and the talent combined create an elite showcase of our sport. I have a lot of respect for these programs and their willingness to challenge each other.”

The Blue Devils have won nine of their first 11 games in 2024-25, but the other three programs involved all currently sit above Duke in the USA TODAY Sports women’s basketball coaches poll. The four schools in the Players Era field have a combined record of 39-4 so far this season.

Two Longhorns leave transfer portal, will stay at Texas for the CFB Playoff

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian says two Longhorns that entered transfer portal will stay with the Longhorns for the college football playoff.

Texas Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian has announced two Longhorns that had entered the transfer portal will instead stay with UT through the college football playoffs.

Defensive linemen Justice Finkley and Tiaoalii Savea will remain with the team for now. Sark adds that a couple other guys in the portal might make the same choice.

“A couple of the guys that have gone in the portal that are going to stick around and stay throughout the remainder of the playoffs,” Sarkisian said. “Tia Savea is going to do that, Justice Finkley is going to do that. I think we have a couple other guys that are still trying to decide how they want to go about it.”

The fifth highest ranked prospect in Texas’ 2022 recruiting class, Finkley enrolled early at Texas in January of 2022 after selecting the Longhorns over Alabama, Colorado, and Michigan amongst 26 other offers. Finkley saw his snap count diminish in 2024, only appearing in six games.

Savea, a former top-10 prospect from Las Vegas transferred to Texas from Arizona in the spring of 2024. As a Longhorn, he had two tackles against UTSA and assisted on one against ULM for a total of three tackles for the season. At Arizona, Savea had 36 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, one fumble recovery, and a blocked kick in two seasons.

Texas and Clemson will kick off from DKR on Saturday at 3 p.m. CT on TNT.

Texas hopes transfer portal signee Cole Brevard of Purdue makes instant impact at DT

While his statistics may not jump off the page, he was a solid player for Purdue and produced when called upon

Former Purdue defensive lineman Cole Brevard has found a new home for the final season of his college career. The Indiana native will reportedly transfer to Texas giving the Longhorns another weapon on defense. He spent the three seasons in West Lafayette, after transferring from Penn State following the 2021 campaign.

During the 2024 season, Brevard appeared in 11 games and recorded a career-high 19 tackles. He also added 1.5 sacks and 5.5 tackles for a loss to his resume. While his statistics may not jump off the page, he was a solid player for Purdue and produced when called upon.

In Brevard, the Longhorns are getting a player who should be able to make an immediate impact. He finished his Purdue career with 38 tackles, including nine stops for loss. He also had 2.5 sacks and recovered two fumbles during 2023. While the expectations will be higher, the newest Longhorn is ready for the challenge.

After finishing the first year in the SEC with an 11-2 record, Texas has been busy adding talent for the 2025 campaign. They also landed former Utah punter Jack Bouwmeester in the transfer portal. With this new talented duo in the mix, the Longhorns should be able to build on their success.

While Brevard’s role is still to be determined, he will be an exciting player to watch for the Longhorns.

Longhorns host two big Transfer Portal targets Monday, including No. 1 prospect

With three players already signed from the transfer portal, the Texas Longhorns host two players Monday, including the No. 1 portal prospect.

So far, the Texas Longhorns have been active in the Transfer Portal. UT has signed three players so far, but they are aiming for two more big targets. Both will be on the 40 Acres on Monday.

Texas top target and the No. 1 rated overall player in the Transfer Portal according to 247Sports is Georgia Tech WR Eric Singleton. The Yellow Jackets standout has narrowed his list down to Auburn, LSU, Miami, Ole Miss, and Texas. Singleton, who is also the No. 1 transfer portal prospect on On3, visited Ole Miss this weekend.

The 5’11, 190-pounder has two seasons of eligibility remaining. Part of GT’s 2023 recruiting class, the out of Douglasville (Ga.) Alexander was a 3-star prospect and the the No. 149 wide receiver, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.

Singleton was a track start at Alexander with 10.69 speed in the 100-meter dash. He outperformed his recruiting ranking from Day 1, earning Freshman All-America honors and finishing second in voting for ACC Offensive Rookie of the Year and third in voting for the conference’s overall Rookie of the Year by leading Georgia Tech and ranking among the ACC’s leaders in receiving yards, catches and TDs.

Only three freshmen nationally ranked ahead of Singleton’s 59.5 receiving yards per game. His six touchdown receptions ranked fourth nationally among wide receivers. In 2024, Singleton’s touchdown production dropped to three scores, but he still recorded 56 receptions for 754 yards.

Defensive tackle Lee Hunter is transferring form Central Florida. In 2024 as a redshirt junior, Hunter had 45 tackles, 9.5 sacks and six QB hurries. In 2023, Hunter had 69 tackles –  the most by a defensive tackle in the nation, according to Pro Football Focus. Hunter also had three sacks. In 2022, he had 17 tackles and one sack. He spent the 2021 season at Auburn, where he did not play in a game.

Texas Dominates Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Sets Scoring Highs at Moody Center

It was a career day at the Moody Center for the Texas Longhorns.

Freshman forward Nic Codie achieved a career-high of 20 points, while graduate guard Julian Larry recorded a double-double with 11 points and a career-high 13 assists, leading Texas to a resounding 121-57 victory against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Sunday afternoon at Moody Center.

Notably, the 121 points marked the eighth-highest total in program history, while the 64-point margin of victory was the ninth-largest.

Codie led eight Longhorns in double figures, shooting 8-of-10 from the field, including 2-of-2 from beyond the arc, in a career-best 16 minutes. Junior Jordan Pope added a season-high 17 points and a career-high four steals, while junior Chendall Weaver contributed 14 points and eight rebounds.

Texas held the game from the start, using a 10-0 run to build a 13-3 lead just three minutes into the game. They further extended their advantage to 27-5 with a 14-0 run and never gave up control. In the first half alone, Texas shot an impressive 69.4% from the field and secured a 66-26 lead at halftime.

The second half witnessed more of the same mantra, as Texas stretched their lead to an impressive 65 points. Larry’s three-pointer midway through the second half capped off a standout performance, where the Longhorns came within one three-pointer of tying the program record of 18, which was set in 1997.

Despite the absence of their leading scorer, Tre Johnson (due to a hip injury), Codie and Larry stepped up to fill the void. Larry’s 13 assists marked the most by a Longhorn in a single game since 2017.

Texas will resume its season on Thursday, December 19, hosting New Orleans at Moody Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. Central, and the game will be streamed live on SEC Network+.

Texas Longhorns land Utah punter in the Transfer Portal

Texas Longhorns land commitment from Utah punter Jack Bouwmeester in the Transfer Portal. Punting was a UT weakness this season.

The Texas Longhorns have massively upgraded a position with the commitment of Utah Utes punter Jack Bouwmeester from the Transfer Portal. Bouwmeester has also already signed his paperwork with the Longhorns, according to 247Sports.

The Australian native entered the NCAA Transfer Portal as a grad transfer on Dec. 6, three days before non grad transfers could enter. Bouwmeester has one year of eligibility left. He started his career at Michigan State, but after a coaching change, Bouwmeester went back to Australia for a couple of years. He returned in 2022 and signed with Utah.

The 6-foot-3, 197 pound kicker has 60 punts in 2024 for 2,682 yards on an average of 44.7 yards per punt. 13 of the 60 punts went for 50+ yards and 9 landed inside the 20-yard line.

The Aussie, who punted well all three years at Utah, arrived in Austin Thursday and visited the Forty Acres for a couple of days before choosing Texas as his third and final stop of his collegiate career.

Texas’ longest punt this season was 52 yards. Bouwmeester had 3 games this year where he had a 60+ yard punt.

Report: Quinn Ewers plans to enter NFL Draft, Arch Manning to start in 2025

A new report says Longhorns QB Quinn Ewers plans to declare for NFL Draft after 2024 season is over, Arch Manning to start for Texas in 2025.

Over the past few weeks we’ve heard rumors about Quinn Ewers declaring for the NFL Draft. There have also been rumors that Ewers would transfer at the end of this season.

With both reports out there for a couple weeks, there seems to be confusion in Ewers camp about what to do after the season is over. The junior QB’s up and down play this season could be the major culprit.

Ewers looked outstanding through the first two and a half games of the season. Especially in the Michigan game, where he shredded the vaunted Wolverines defense in Ann Arbor.

But the Southlake product hasn’t looked the same since his oblique injury against UTSA in Week 3. Ewers was out two games and then possibly rushed back for the Oklahoma game. Quinn didn’t look great against Oklahoma, but did enough in the second half to secure the win over the hapless Sooners.

The next game against Georgia was Ewers worst game of the year. It was followed by a two interception performance against Vanderbilt that Texas barely won. Ewers started playing better, but then got a high-ankle sprain against Kentucky and has struggled at times since.

It’s all led to the uncertainty about Ewers future.

A new report from Anwar Richardson of OrangeBloods.com suggests Ewers still has plans to try for the NFL. On Twitter, Richardson says, “Sources say Quinn Ewers still plans to declare for the NFL Draft after this season, paving the way for Arch Manning to take over in 2025. Manning is locked in with Texas and coach Steve Sarkisian, with no plans to transfer. Right now, both are dialed in on Clemson.”

In fact, NFL agent Luke McMurtrey refutes the transfer rumors on Twitter calling them “Fake News.” McMurtrey is with Sportstars Inc. and part of Ewers’ team.

McMurtrey was responding to a Tweet by NFL Rookie Watch, who said in another Tweet, “Quinn Ewers reportedly ‘has a deal on the table’ from a team in the Big 10 for $4 million to transfer next season and forgo the NFL Draft. Ewers is reportedly debating on transferring and staying in college for another season or entering the draft. Several NFL scouts reportedly have Ewers ranked “outside” of their Top-4 QB’s in this year’s draft.”

If you try to boil it all down, it sounds like this is what’s actually going on. Ewers’ camp isn’t sure where he’ll be drafted. They probably have a target in mind, similar to that report about wanting to be in the top four quarterbacks in the draft.

If Ewers NFL Draft feedback isn’t what they want, they will explore transferring and make a few million of NIL money next season before trying for the NFL after 2025.

The problem with that plan is how it impacts Texas. It seems, behind the scenes, the Texas staff are going to go with Arch Manning in 2025 regardless. I’m sure Ewers knows this and probably had an indication from the staff before the year even started that they it was Ewers team in 2024 and then move on to Arch. It’s logical that promises have been made to the Manning camp, which has been a big reason Arch has not considered transferring.

So what will happen is Ewers and Texas will play out the season. If Texas makes a deep run in the college football playoffs and Quinn plays well, the NFL Draft will probably await him. If he plays poorly and Texas is bounced early against either Clemson or Arizona State, Ewers will consider transferring to play another year of college football.

Either way, it seems the Longhorns are set to name Manning the starter in 2025.