Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy is polarizing. It’s not because Worthy seeks controversy or displays attention-seeking behavior. His 2022 struggles simply divide the fanbase on his ability to play.
Worthy is still a dominant player, and his impact is evident in several ways. If there were no Worthy in 2021, Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers might not be wearing burnt orange right now. His first impression could have played a significant role in Ewers opting to leave for Austin.
The big time receiver broke onto the scene in a huge freshman campaign that saw him catch 62 passes for 981 yards and 12 touchdowns. Despite his 2022 falloff, the upside is still present.
“He is one of one, two or three smartest guys on our offense. … We put a lot of burden on him to make plays because of lack of depth at that position early on in his career. … The moment you realize the burden on you, then you can press. .,, I think that’s where some of the mental work that he’s done will be very helpful for him.”
Worthy’s role will be different this year. He probably won’t be force fed downfield shots in 2023. What is likely is fellow wide receiver AD Mitchell could take the burden of being the primary Texas receiver. From there we could see Worthy flourish like he did in his freshman season with lower expectations.
In today's presser, coach Sark spent a minute and a half praising the growth of @XavierWorthy on and off the field.
"What sometimes gets missed is how hard he works. He is the first guy at every practice, he's the first guy at every walkthrough"#HookEm | #Texas pic.twitter.com/DOPgHsNDdi
— Cory Mose (@Cory_Mose) August 11, 2023