Tag: texas spring game

“Prove it year” starts Saturday for Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers

Quinn Ewers can inspire plenty of confidence with a good showing on Saturday.

One of the biggest events of the Texas football offseason will take place on Saturday.

The 2023 squad takes the field for its Orange and White game on April 15. The game is big for several players looking to earn starting jobs this season, but the eyes of the fanbase will be on Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers.

Ewers had a roller coaster season last year. The highlights saw Ewers playing at a high level against Alabama and Oklahoma. The low points took place against Oklahoma State and TCU where the Texas passing game went absent without leave.

The Southlake product will look to show fans he’s taken the next step on Saturday. JD PicKell of On3 Sports discussed that topic ahead of the preseason exhibition.

You want to see him look comfortable. … Show me that you have had some more “aha moments” like Steve Sarkisian talked about when he went into the spring. He says it’s starting to make sense more and more for Quinn Ewers.

Inherent in the above sentiment is Ewers needs to improve not only in accuracy but in footwork and reading defenses. If we see him play more consistent football, Texas is set up for a conference title run. We’ll have a firmer grasp on his progression after Saturday’s performance.

Texas Football: Injury report ahead of Orange-White spring game

DJ Campbell and Jalen Catalon are out for Saturday’s spring game.

Texas’ annual Orange-White spring game is set to take place this Saturday. It will be the first opportunity to see the Longhorns on the field until they kick off the 2023 season in the fall.

Steve Sarkisian announced in his media session on Tuesday DJ Campbell and Jalen Catalon will not participate in Saturday’s contest.

Campbell is a second-year offensive lineman who appeared in seven games throughout his freshman season. The former five-star is battling for a starting spot in Texas’ offensive line. Sarkisian highlighted Campbell as a player standing out throughout the spring.

Catalon is a highly touted defensive back transfer from Arkansas. He earned first-team All-SEC honors in 2020 and has since been hindered by injuries. Texas expects Catalon to play a significant role in the secondary this season.

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On3 Sports ranks Texas in Top 10 of most intriguing spring games Saturday

The Texas spring game is perhaps the most interesting scrimmage of the weekend.

It’s game week. The Texas Longhorns football program will give an early look at their 2023 squad on Saturday afternoon. Continue reading “On3 Sports ranks Texas in Top 10 of most intriguing spring games Saturday”

LOOK: Texas QB Quinn Ewers looks confident and loose this spring

It looks like Quinn Ewers is “in the zone” this spring.

Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers is back to his care-free nature this offseason. It’s that nature that helps him improvise and perform at his best. Continue reading “LOOK: Texas QB Quinn Ewers looks confident and loose this spring”

College football analyst leans toward Texas to win the Big 12 in 2023

Texas is the Big 12 favorite, but who is the biggest challenger?

Talking season is ramping up another level as spring football nears its end. The Texas Longhorns are just a week away from the Orange and White game.

Texas is a trending conference title pick for the conference though many will have reservations in choosing the team. As recently as 2020, the Longhorns were tabbed as contenders to unseat the Oklahoma Sooners. Behind veteran stars in quarterback Sam Ehlinger, left tackle Sam Cosmi and edge rusher Joseph Ossai the team looked like a clear contender. Texas started 2-2 and ultimately missed the Big 12 title game.

Unlike that team, there are two identifiable holes (linebacker and edge rusher) for Texas heading into 2023. We anticipate Anthony Hill and David Gbenda to answer the linebacker question. One analyst isn’t too concerned about the Longhorns’ roster either.

Ian Boyd of Inside Texas is leaning heavily toward the Longhorns to win the Big 12 this season. The question is, who will challenge the team from earning the title?

Texas returns 10 of 11 starters on offense. The team now boasts elite talents in wide receivers Xavier Worthy, AD Mitchell and Isaiah Neyor along with two dangerous chains movers in Ja’Tavion Sanders and Jordan Whittington. They can also claim perhaps their best offensive line in a decade and a half.

Here are a few of Boyd’s thoughts on the league.

Texas to settle depth chart, portal entries following spring game

We should know what team Texas is fielding by the end of spring football sessions.

The end of spring football approaches as we inch closer to the Orange and White Game on April 15. That should relatively coincide with the end of portal season barring a handful of disgruntled athletes who spontaneously opt to leave closer to the season.

Steve Sarkisian shared his process for solidifying the roster and allowing players who aren’t viewed as impact players to know where they stand.

I meet with every player at the end of spring and I like to tell them where they’re at. If we were playing next Saturday, this is where you would be on the depth chart. That doesn’t mean that’s the end all be all. Here’s what you need to do to work on to either keep that spot or what you need to do to earn that spot that’s in front of you.

Inevitably, players who don’t make the depth chart will likely be those who consider other schools. If and when that happens, we’ll have a fuller understanding of what team Texas fields for the 2023 season. From there we’ll be able to more accurately predict how the Longhorns match up with their opponents.

Texas Football: What we’re gathering from spring practice reports

We know more about the football team following spring practice reports.

Practice reports can be hit-or-miss in regard to what a team actually brings to the table. We saw that fact bear itself out under past football and basketball coaches.

There was a time when the Texas football coaching staff viewed the team as a playoff contender before falling flat in the regular season. Former starting quarterback Hudson Card, who could be primed to finish in the Top 10 nationally in passing yards at Purdue, was once viewed as an Aaron Rodgers clone. Those predictions were both swings and misses.

There are a few reports that have caught my attention and appear to have merit based on what we’ve observed and what makes logical sense. Here are a few things we’re picking up about the team as we approach the spring game.

Hugh Freeze, Bob Stoops want future spring games to be against opponents

“I’d love it. If not the spring game, give us one that we can meet up and have our own game.”

Spring games are around the corner and like many avid college football watchers we await with great anticipation. There are a few developments we’d love to see and the game should give us answers.

On the other hand, while fans will be rooting for Texas, they will in some ways be rooting against Texas. In this zero sum game, for the Longhorns’ offense to thrive the defense will have to struggle.

Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze floated a potential move from intrasquad to intersquad scrimmages where Tigers would showcase their team against an opponent. Former Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops echoed that sentiment, sharing that facing other teams in the spring would be good for college football.

The move seems like a no-brainer for Texas and one that could stoke offseason enthusiasm and expand interest in the sport. Closer teams like Rice, UTSA, Texas State and Houston make sense for Texas. Even so, having a low stakes exhibition could provide Texas an opportunity for a home-and-home exhibition series with Oklahoma while maintaining the neutral field in-season matchup.

There’s an opportunity to get more insight into where teams stand for upcoming seasons. Texas decision makers should capitalize on the opportunity.

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Texas Football: What we want to see in the spring game

What to watch in the annual Orange-White game on April 15.

Spring football is in full force across college football. And while there’s not much we can glean from the sessions, we would still like to see progress in a few areas.

Some are of the belief that spring practices are wholly unimportant. For the cemented starter that might be true. For those pushing for starting roles, the sessions could have significant bearing on depth chart positioning.

Sophomore offensive lineman Cole Hutson won a starting spot last spring. Hutson won a starting bid in a room that included five-star lineman DJ Campbell and highly regarded freshmen Neto Umeozulu, Malik Agbo, and Cam Williams among others. 2023 early enrollees will look to follow Hutson’s blueprint by putting in the work prior to fall camp.

Here’s a look at what we want to see from Texas’ annual Orange-White game on April 15.

LOOK: Texas RB Savion Red looks the part this spring

Some might have written off Savion Red at running back too soon.

Texas has a loaded running back room. Savion Red could not care less. Continue reading “LOOK: Texas RB Savion Red looks the part this spring”