Tag: Xavier Worthy

Threat Assessment: 4 dangerous Longhorns the Sooners will face in the Red River Showdown

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. A deep look at the Texas Longhorns before the Red River Showdown

As the Oklahoma Sooners get set for their Red River Showdown with the Texas Longhorns, they’ll look to extend their 13-game win streak that dates to last season. At 5-0 and the highest-ranked member of the Big 12, the Sooners come into this game as favorites, if by a small margin.

The Longhorns will have something to say about the outcome of this game; they boast talented players on both sides of the football.

To get you ready for the Red River Showdown, let’s take a look at the Texas Longhorns and four players the Oklahoma Sooners should be concerned with heading into Saturday’s matchup of top 25 teams.

Opponent

Texas Longhorns

Opponent Record

4-1 (2-0 Big 12).

All-time Series

Texas leads 62-49-5

Recent Trend

Oklahoma has won three straight. However, four of the last five meetings have been determined by a single score.

Threat Level (1-10): 8

Everything Steve Sarkisian said during Monday’s press conference

Offensive success, pending injuries, and kickoff times were all discussed.

There must not be a better feeling for Steve Sarkisian than walking into a Monday press conference off a win. Especially after dropping 70 points on Texas Tech in the Big 12 opener.

Sarkisian had a plethora of players to compliment after the 35-point win, mainly on the offensive side of the ball. Bijan Robinson and Xavier Worthy were the main points of conversation.

Now, all attention is being shifted to Texas’ bogey team throughout the past nine seasons, TCU.

Gary Patterson has dominated the Longhorns since joining the Big 12 back in 2019, winning seven of nine. The losses have come in heartbreaking fashion, with a two-point loss from last year and in 43 point thumpings in 2015.

Luckily, Sarkisian and his staff are 0-0 and will be looking to turn around the losing trend. Continuing to prepare the same way will be a big point of emphasis. Nothing should change just because TCU is on the schedule.

Injuries heading into the week and kickoff times were discussed by the head coach as well. Check out everything Sarkisian said during Monday’s press conference here.

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Texas WR Xavier Worthy is 247Sports’ True Freshman of the Week

Well deserved!

One of the biggest recruiting wins for Steve Sarkisian throughout his brief stint at Texas thus far was bringing in Michigan signee Xavier Worthy. Continue reading “Texas WR Xavier Worthy is 247Sports’ True Freshman of the Week”

Texas Report Card: PFF grades from the Texas Tech game

Which Longhorns graded well?

Texas’ offense was unstoppable against Texas Tech in Week 4. Continue reading “Texas Report Card: PFF grades from the Texas Tech game”

Texas Football: Six notes on the initial depth chart for Louisiana

Shortly after Steve Sarkisian’s press conference, the depth chart was released by Texas. Here are six notes on the initial three deep.

Steve Sarkisian’s first game week press conference was on Monday where Hudson Card was officially named the starting quarterback. Shortly after, the entire depth chart was released by Texas.

There were few surprises from the top to bottom. Since the Longhorns are returning a lot of talent from last season, many of the starters from last season will play similar roles.

Here is the full depth chart:

At the end of the day, the depth chart released could be completely different from what Sarkisian and his staff end up doing. In-game adjustments could be made based on matchups or a player could prove he has earned playing time throughout the practice week.

Until Saturday, all we have is a three-deep roster at all 29 positions listed. Sarkisian has proven via the quarterback battle he is going to play something closer to his chest.

Here are six notes on Texas’ initial depth chart for Saturday’s matchup against Louisiana:

Top 10 players for the Texas Longhorns heading into 2021 season

On offense and defense, Texas has first-team All-Big 12 caliber players. Here are the top 10 players heading into the 2021 season.

Year 1 of the Steve Sarkisian era and the pressure is already on. Texas is in a scenario where winning double-digit games is a must for a multitude of reasons. Rarely does a first-year head coach have immediate expectations with little wiggle room.

Ever since the 2009 national championship loss, the on-the-field product has been below standard. Getting some of the best players in the country on campus has never been an issue, despite the struggles. Every single season, the blue-chip ratio gets posted online and Texas is near the top, but without all of the winning.

Sarkisian took the job to take an already talented roster and turn it into a winner. Not even Oklahoma has as good of a roster as Texas when it comes to the 247Sports composite. Maybe Lincoln Riley would have a national championship if the two schools flopped rosters.

On offense and defense, there are first-team All-Big 12 caliber players. A few come from the 2018 recruiting class, while a bunch of youngsters are ready to break onto the scene.

Here are Texas’ top 10 players heading into the 2021 season.

Texas WR Xavier Worthy did not participate in Wednesday’s practice

Fans weren’t able to witness speedy freshman Xavier Worthy at Wednesday’s open practice to the public.

Texas was without one of their best receivers on the roster during Wednesday’s open practice.

In what was the first time that the public has been able to watch the Longhorns in person since the spring game, freshman wide receiver Xavier Worthy was not present.

The former Michigan commit and four-star prospect has been the talk of the offseason, and has been widely considered one of the most dynamic playmakers on the roster without even playing a game.

It seems that every time the media asks a Texas coach or player about who has stood out the most, the speedster Worthy is typically the first name out of their mouth.

Worthy has understandably garnered high praise, and could realistically claim a starting role as a true freshman. Special teams coordinator Jeff Banks was one of the latest people to talk up Worthy, as he complimented how cerebral Worthy is.

Fans will have to wait until the season opener on Sept. 4 to see Worthy in action. The school stated that he was held out of the open practice due to a non-COVID-19 related illness.

Three Longhorns make ESPN’s top 50 newcomers in college football

ESPN recently ranked the top 50 newcomers in college football.

For every star that leaves the college football ranks, there are new faces that come in and capture the attention of fans across the nation.

ESPN recently ranked the top 50 newcomers in college football, whether they be recruits, transfers, or simply players who did not start the season prior. With Texas having a new coaching staff, the whole roster essentially started with a fresh slate. The Longhorns also had a major haul of transfers that they hope will help add playmakers and depth to both sides of the ball.

Texas had three current players and one former player (Keaontay Ingram) make the list. It’s interesting to note that much of the chatter this offseason surrounded the players that the Longhorns added to their defense, but all three of the newcomers on ESPN’s rankings are on the offensive side of the ball. It does make sense, however, considering Steve Sarkisian is one of the best offensive minds in the nation and has utilized his talent to perfection regardless of what school he has been coaching at.

Let’s take a look at the three Texas players that ESPN expects to have major impacts in their first year of being a full-time contributor.

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Roschon Johnson names freshman WR Xavier Worthy as a camp standout

One of the most under-the-radar recruiting wins was Texas picking up Xavier Worthy. Roschon Johnson has already noticed the four-star WR.

One of the most under-the-radar wins late in the 2021 recruiting cycle was Texas picking up Xavier Worthy. After some problems getting enrolled early at Michigan, the four-star wide receiver switched his commitment and headed down to Austin for spring camp.

On the 247Sports composite, Worthy was the No. 62 prospect and No. 8 wide receiver in the country. He slid in as the second-highest-rated player in the Longhorns’ class, just behind Ja’Tavion Sanders.

Speed is the main reason Steve Sarkisian brought the wide receiver in. Texas was lacking what most people would consider real SEC speed. Worthy instantly brings that to the locker room and it’s already caught the eye of teammates.

One of the main leaders on the team, Roschon Johnson, says the first thing he noticed with Worthy was his quickness. He thinks Sarkisian’s offense can be even more explosive with him in the lineup.

As things stand, Jordan Whittington, Troy Omeire, and Joshua Moore are expected to be the starting wide receivers. If Worthy wants to get on the field, he is going to have to earn his playing time. Different than Tom Herman’s philosophy of rotating players in and out.

“You earn the right to play and the best players ultimately play,” Sarkisian said after practice.

Hardly do true freshman wide receivers ever make an impact in offenses. However, Worthy will get his opportunity to play if he continues to show out in practice.

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Five key non-starters for Texas football this season

Five key Texas football players that may not have a starting role this season, but will be relied on heavily.

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian inherited an extremely talented roster in Austin that has often been misused and underachieved by program standards.

On Sunday, the team practiced in the stadium after dark to give the newly turfed Campbell-Williams Field a test run. Media members were able to track the order in which players were getting reps.

Something that many people disregard is that reserve/depth players are critical to a teams success and oftentimes provide a needed spark or big play off the bench. Just look at Casey Thompson in the Alamo Bowl.

The Longhorns added plenty of young talent in their 2020 recruiting class, while also gaining the services of several talented transfers that just need an opportunity to shine. It’s resulted in numerous position battles on both sides of the ball, but there’s only so many starting roles available.

With the season starting in exactly 25 days, the starting roles for Texas will begin to be solidified over the next two weeks. Here is a look at five depth players who may not secure a starting role, but will still be key contributors for the Longhorns this year.