Tag: Texas Longhorns

Former Texas WR Jordan Pouncey announces his transfer

Former Texas wide receiver Jordan Pouncey has announced he will be playing football Florida next season. Pouncey had two career catches.

Former Texas wide receiver Jordan Pouncey and his younger brother Ethan Pouncey have announced they will be playing football at the University of Florida next season. Ethan tweeted out a YouTube video where they said playing together “feels like their dreams have been manifested.”

Jordan is a 6’2, 205-pound wide receiver that committed to playing for the Longhorns in February 2017. He announced he would be leaving Texas in October 2019 so he could get more playing time.

Ethan is a 2020 4* corner that had offers from 21 different schools, including Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Michigan, and Texas. His commitment to Florida moved them into the top 10 in the 247 2020 rankings.

You can watch their commitment video here:

Jordan Pouncey had a career two catches for Texas, with both coming this season. One was for against Louisiana Tech for 11 yards, the other against Rice for eight yards.

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Texas football’s coaching re-set could save Tom Herman’s job, but it may cost him recruits first

Tom Herman’s decision to oust all three of the coordinators he brought in to Austin will dramatically re-shape the Texas coaching ranks and system, but will it negatively impact the team’s recruiting efforts?

Tom Herman was the big actor on college football’s Black Sunday, firing his defensive coordinator and one of his offensive coordinators while demoting the other. It only took a matter of hours for that move to have its first trickle down impact, sparking a decommitment from a four-star defensive lineman.

RELATED: Tim Beck removed from OC role, demoted | Longhorns defensive coordinator Todd Orlando fired

Van Fillinger, a four-star defensive end from Corner Canyon High School (Draper, Utah) announced he was decommitting from Texas. The 6-foot-4, 250-pound All American Bowl player made his decision public shortly after word of Orlando’s firing became public.

Fillinger’s decommitment was the first domino to fall after Herman’s Bloody Sunday took out all three of the coordinators he hired when he arrived in Austin. While there may have been philosophical reasons behind their dismissal, there’s little question that Texas’ lackluster, 7-5 2019 regular season played a significant role in Herman’s decision to move on.

That could ultimately rejuvenate both Texas’ recruiting efforts and game planning on both sides of the ball, but in the immediate aftermath of the decision it threatens to undermine Texas’ Class of 2020. Despite four decommitments from the class since mid-October alone (the same number as Florida State, which actually fired its head coach), Texas’ class is still ranked among the nation’s top-10, with a chance to move back into the top-5 should the Longhorns close on a handful of key recruits.

Of course, all that assumes Texas is able to hold on to the pledges it currently has. Whether that’s easier or harder to do with virtually an entirely new coaching staff remains to be seen, but Herman apparently felt the program had to take that chance.

Four-star CB Ethan Pouncey stays close to home, commits to Florida

Texas graduate transfer Jordan Pouncey will be joined by his brother, 4-star cornerback prospect Ethan, at Florida after the pair committed to the Gators over the holiday weekend.

One of Florida’s top uncommitted prospects, four-star cornerback Ethan Pouncey, picked the Florida Gators on Sunday, shortly after Florida’s victory against in-state rival Florida State.

Pouncey — who was previously committed to Texas — chose the Gators alongside his brother, Jordan Pouncey, who is currently a Texas wide receiver. The younger Pouncey took multiple visits to Gainesville even as a Texas recruit, and the two brothers visited campus together last week before both deciding Florida was their future home, per 247Sports.

One of the key factors to landing the younger Pouncey? The presence of Assistant Director of Player Personnel Keiwan Ratliff, who was Ethan Pouncey’s 7-on-7 coach:

“My 7on7 coach, Coach Rat [Keiwan Ratiff], he’s been like a family friend for a while so I know he will look out for me there,” Pouncey told 247Sports. “It helps a lot having him there. For me, it’s all about being comfortable and the people there. Coach Rat will be there for me so it’s easier to relax.”

The two brothers will be able to play again from Day 1, thanks to Jordan Pouncey’s impending graduation. A graduate transfer, one Pouncey brother could face off against the other in practices next year in Gainesville … something that once seemed possible in Austin.

Tim Beck removed from offensive coordinator role, reassigned

Texas has relieved Tim Beck of his offensive coordinator role. He will remain on the staff, being reassigned to a different role on the team

After firing defensive coordinator Todd Orlando, more coaching changes were expected to be made. Those changes have now been made as Tim Beck has been relieved of his role as offensive coordinator according to Anwar Richardson of Orangebloods.com.

There were earlier reports that Beck would have the opportunity to keep his role as offensive coordinator until Texas’ bowl game and possibly keep it after that. Instead, Head Coach Tom Herman decided to make the move now, reassigning Beck to a non-offensive coordinator role on the team.

While the offense was not the issue that caused Texas to go 7-5 this year, it struggled in the second half of the season. After only throwing two interceptions in his first six games, quarterback Sam Ehlinger threw seven interceptions in the second half of the season. Texas ranked sixth in the Big 12 in rushing this year, relying on Ehlinger in most games.

Excluding the Texas Tech game, the Longhorns only averaged 17 points per game down the stretch. Going 1-3 in those games, when Texas’ offense did not play well, they struggled to win games.

Beck has been on the coaching staff since Herman took the head coach role in 2017. LSU’s Joe Brady and USC’s Graham Harrell are seen as the favorites to take over the position.

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Texas has fired defensive coordinator Todd Orlando

Texas has officially fired defensive coordinator Todd Orlando. After three seasons in Austin, the defense has regressed in all three years.

According to Pete Thamel, Texas has officially fired defensive coordinator Todd Orlando. There were rumors of this happening before the Texas Tech game, but it seems like it will be official.

The Longhorn defense has struggled this year, allowing 29 points per game. Allowing 21+ points in every single Big 12 and against LSU, the defense allowed 30 or more points in six different games.

Ranking second to last in the Big 12, Texas allowed 306 passing yards a game. The rush defense ranked well in the Big 12, only allowing 140 yards per game, but Big 12 offenses exploded in the air against the Longhorns.

Orlando had been the defensive coordinator for Texas since Tom Herman’s first season in charge. They have regressed every single year, allowing more and more points.

Even though Texas only returned three starters on defense, a lot more was expected from the unit. An injury-riddled season also contributed to the poor season, but it was not enough to save Orlando’s job.

Craig Naivar is expected to take over for the bowl game. Anwar Richardson of Orangebloods.com is reporting that former Rutgers head coach Chris Ash is the top candidate to take over the position in the future.

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WATCH: Justin Tucker hits game winning field goal for the Ravens

Justin Tucker hit a game-winning field goal to give the Ravens a win over the 49ers. He has made all but two kicks for Baltimore this year.

Two of the best teams in the NFL played on Sunday when the San Francisco 49ers traveled to Baltimore to face the Ravens. Tied at 17 with 0:03 left in the game, Baltimore had the opportunity to win the game with a field goal.

From 49 yards out, former Longhorn kicker Justin Tucker drilled a game-winning field goal. giving the Ravens the 20-17 win. It put the Ravens at 10-2 and with a chance to be in first place in the AFC.

Tucker also made a 30-yard field goal in the first half, while adding two extra points.

You can watch the field goal here:

Tucker has made 95% of his field-goal attempts, going 20-21. He has made all but one of his extra points, making him one of the best kickers in the NFL.

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Former Longhorn Charlie Strong fired from USF

Former head coach Charlie Strong has been fired from the same position at USF. A career 21-16 with the Bulls, they went 4-8 this season.

Former Texas head coach Charlie Strong has been fired from USF after his third season in charge. The Bulls lost to arch-rival UCF 34-7 on Friday night to drop them to a 4-8 record in 2019.

Strong was a career 21-16 at USF, but his last two seasons have been poor. After going 10-2 in his first season in 2016, the Bulls started the 2017 season a perfect 7-0, including wins over two Power 5 teams. They then went on to lose their final six games by an average of 18.8 points per game. 2019 was the final straw for Strong, going 2-6 in the American Conference.

Texas will open its 2020 football season with USF and will be going up against a brand new head coach. While a reunion with Charlie Strong would have been nice, it will not be happening anymore.

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Texas remains unranked in the Amway Coaches Poll

Even after an impressive win against Texas Tech, the Longhorns remain unranked in the latest Amway Coaches Poll. Texas ends the season 7-5.

Even after an impressive win at home against Texas Tech, the Longhorns remained unranked in the latest Amway Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports.

With Oklahoma State losing to Oklahoma on Saturday, the sixth-ranked Sooners and No. 8 Baylor are the only other Big 12 teams. The Cowboys (40), Kansas State (24), and Iowa State (3) all received votes.

Below is the latest Amway Coaches Poll in its entirety, voted on by 65 FBS head coaches.

1) Louisiana State

2) Ohio State

3) Clemson

4) Georgia

5) Utah

6) Oklahoma

7) Florida

8) Baylor

9) Alabama

10) Wisconsin

11) Penn State

12) Auburn

13) Oregon

14) Notre Dame

15) Minnesota

16) Memphis

17) Boise State

18) Michigan

19) Iowa

20) Appalachian State

21) Cincinnati

22) Virginia

23) Navy

24) Southern California

25) Air Force

Schools dropped out

No. 21 Oklahoma State; No. 23 Virginia Tech

Others receiving votes

Southern Methodist 65; Oklahoma State 40; Kansas State 24; UL Lafayette 21; Indiana 14; Hawaii 7; Central Florida 7; Arizona State 6; Tennessee 3; San Diego State 3; Iowa State 3; Virginia Tech 2; Temple 1.

Look: Texas A&M Twitter reacts to getting trounced by LSU 50-7

Texas A&M Aggies Twitter reacts to getting the doors blown off by LSU 50-7

It seems like just yesterday that the LSU Tigers barely scraped by the Texas Longhorns 45-38 in the second game of the season. Fast forward to this Saturday night and LSU is facing off against one of the other Texas teams, but this time it was no contest. The Texas A&M Aggies just got absolutely demolished by LSU 50-7 in a game that was so uncompetitive it would have been boring to watch if not for all the Twitter reactions. The Aggies put up a whopping 169 total yards and one score on the Tigers’ defense after Sam Ehlinger and Co. went for 530 yards and 38 points.

Enjoy diving into the salt mine.

Yes, thank goodness!

Who was the MVP in Texas’ convincing win over Texas Tech?

There are more than a few deserving names, but who was the Offensive MVP in the Texas Longhorns’ win over the Texas Tech Red Raiders?

After walloping the Texas Tech Red Raiders 49-24, the Texas Longhorns are closing out a disappointing season on a high note. Any team that puts up 49 points in a game will have a bevy of options for MVP, and that is not untrue here. Quarterback Sam Ehlinger had an efficient 431 total yards and 3 total touchdowns on 19/27 passing, and former third-string QB-turned-RB Roschon Johnson had 105 yards and three touchdowns on the ground in the best performance of his career.

While both Johnson and Ehlinger are valid choices, my pick is wide receiver Devin Duvernay. Duvernay has stepped up in a big way as a senior, posting monstrous season totals of 103 receptions for 1294 yards and 9 total touchdowns. Saturday’s performance was the cherry on top of a great season, as the speedy wideout went for 199 yards and a touchdown on 6 catches, including this beautiful 75-yard touchdown from Sam Ehlinger:

While Duvernay was questionably snubbed from the final watch-list for the Biletnikoff Award, which is given each year to the best wide receiver in college football, he has definitely seen a rise in draft stock. Duvernay’s top-end speed, reliable hands, and quick feet will make him a very useful tool in the NFL from day 1.