Horn1....you need to quickly get to someone inside the coaching staff and give them all of your reasons as to why Swoopes would be the wrong choice. I am sure they have not thought of any of those. Quick man, Quick!!...before it is too late.
2016 Season Running Thread
- Thread starter CoachEmUp64
- Start date
No need, they can watch film and see the same things we all have over the past two years. He lost this job last year. He was then given a package of plays and not allowed to throw.
If you guys want to be optimistic that Swoopes is all of a sudden a good QB, more power to you. Maybe Gilbert is a miracle worker. I guess that's all I can hope for if he is the starter.
If you guys want to be optimistic that Swoopes is all of a sudden a good QB, more power to you. Maybe Gilbert is a miracle worker. I guess that's all I can hope for if he is the starter.
Same system that turned Boykin into a QB that made shit happen, he sucked before they changed.
It was awesome to see him gain confidence last year throughout the season and he was willing to do whatever it took to help. Heck, he was the leader at QB for the last game.
It was awesome to see him gain confidence last year throughout the season and he was willing to do whatever it took to help. Heck, he was the leader at QB for the last game.
Actually, it's not the same system. TCU uses the air raid from the Leach tree, whereas Gilbert uses the veer 'n shoot from the Biles tree.
System change being the focus, they're both simple systems and OU changed as well when they brought in the new OC. Amazing what that little Tweak/Change produced.
Last edited:
A few things that stood out from Strong's press conference after this weekend's scrimmage:
-he will not name a QB starter publicly, but the team will know.
-Jerrod Heard caught a 50 yard TD during the scrimmage.
-QB Kai Locksley is getting work returning punts.
-Erick Fowler will start backing up Malik Jefferson at Mike LB.
24/7 expects WR Armanti Foreman to return to practice today after injuring his ankle recently.
OT Tristan Nickelson should be back later in the week, but still no timetable for C Zach Shackelford.
-he will not name a QB starter publicly, but the team will know.
-Jerrod Heard caught a 50 yard TD during the scrimmage.
-QB Kai Locksley is getting work returning punts.
-Erick Fowler will start backing up Malik Jefferson at Mike LB.
24/7 expects WR Armanti Foreman to return to practice today after injuring his ankle recently.
OT Tristan Nickelson should be back later in the week, but still no timetable for C Zach Shackelford.
Inside Scoop (J Wells):
Quarterback talk, scrimmage notes, freshmen standouts, recruits we're watching, and a look at a key target from the next three classes is on tap for Monday's Inside Scoop. Pull up a chair and have a drink. You might need it.
TEAM
The quarterback situation seems pretty clear at this point, even if it doesn't make all that much sense to many. A good example of it not making sense to people was yesterday when I was at a birthday gathering that featured heavy Longhorn fan representation.
"Swoopes isn't really going to start, is he?" I replied that it appears most likely at this point, to which my wife almost spit out her beer.
The thing to keep in mind is that Tyrone Swoopes is doing anything but running away with the job. An indication of this is the even reps each are getting, also we continue to hear that Shane Buechele looks better overall.
So why are we here after Buechele had the better spring? It's important to keep in mind Swoopes didn't have a bad spring; he showed real improvement in the up-tempo offense. At this point Strong just appears more comfortable starting the player with experience, even if that experience is likely a negative.
I can tell you the team's faith is largely restored in Swoopes from where it was after Notre Dame last year, which is a testament to both Tyrone and Sterlin Gilbert. If Swoopes makes the right reads and plays with confidence, Texas can still win the game but if I had to guess, we'll see him get the start and then give way to Buechele a series or two later. From there it's entirely up to Shane.
"Both Shane and Tyrone are going to play against Notre Dame. Shane is better and will be number one eventually, he just needs more time. Tyrone getting the 1st reps because he's older and has earned the respect of team and coaches, but overall the position is shared. Shane has more talent and is consistently better but Tyrone still has those big plays and money throws."
Overall the scrimmage was "very good" but zero sum caveat applies. The defense is still getting the better of the offense and it certainly doesn't help that 2/5 of the offensive line has been shuffled due to injuries.
Jake McMillon and Terrell Cuney are the current centers. Behind the injured Nickelson is Denzel Okafor and Jean Delance. We made mention of Delance last week as someone who's quietly having a really good camp.
His senior film exhibited more ability to play as a freshman than his previous reputation. That said, we'd anticipate Okafor getting the start if Nickelson's ankle isn't better.
Speaking of injuries, Chris Warren is nearly 100%. His ailment was a nerve issue in his lower back and leg but they have it figured out.
The freshmen new arrivals continue to be the most interesting players to learn about because they'll be forced to play a lot. Names I continually here are Okafor, Devin Duvernay, Jordan Elliott, Malcolm Roach (of late - he looked the part to me as well when I saw him), Lil' Jordan Humphrey, Brandon Jones and Kyle Porter. I realize there's some chatter elsewhere about others but these are the guys I hear about the most.
MORE FROM A SOURCE
We caught up with someone who said the two most talented position groupings on the field are OL and DB. The defensive backfield is certainly to be expected, but this person raves about the future of the offensive line with the addition of Okafor and Hudson specifically. Those two are monsters in the making.
Like DB play last year, we can expect some ups and downs from the OL but overall the future is very bright.
This source also said the DL's main strength is depth and ability to rotate guys to keep them fresh. "Jordan Elliott is the alpha, and Chris Nelson is underrated."
This is noteworthy because it's from someone entirely different than who was previously speaking similar of Elliott and Nelson.
Don't be surprised if Brandon Jones gets on the field at Nickel some. He's pushing for snaps at both safety and nickel and is making plays all over the field. Interesting, we've been hearing the same about Deshon Elliott.
Young talent pushing for playing time is the story of camp for the second year in a row.
Keep an eye on Anthony Wheeler. Everyone talks about Malik Jefferson but Wheeler is playing exceptionally well. Wheeler and Jefferson have struck quite the friendship. Those two should lack for chemistry.
QUOTABLE QUOTE:
"Little Jordan was a special player for us at Southlake Carroll. Started for us for three years. His senior year we played him at RB, slot, outside WR, and TE - all four spots. He was one of our best protectors blocking; he could do it all. He's put himself in great position to do really big things at Texas and coach (Jeff) Traylor is excited about him being down there. We've discussed that when he's come through Tyler recruiting. With Jordan, the Longhorn fans got a good one and he'll do some really special things down there in Austin." - Tyler Lee HC Clayton George, on newly inked Longhorn, Lil' Jordan Humphrey
Quarterback talk, scrimmage notes, freshmen standouts, recruits we're watching, and a look at a key target from the next three classes is on tap for Monday's Inside Scoop. Pull up a chair and have a drink. You might need it.
TEAM
The quarterback situation seems pretty clear at this point, even if it doesn't make all that much sense to many. A good example of it not making sense to people was yesterday when I was at a birthday gathering that featured heavy Longhorn fan representation.
"Swoopes isn't really going to start, is he?" I replied that it appears most likely at this point, to which my wife almost spit out her beer.
The thing to keep in mind is that Tyrone Swoopes is doing anything but running away with the job. An indication of this is the even reps each are getting, also we continue to hear that Shane Buechele looks better overall.
So why are we here after Buechele had the better spring? It's important to keep in mind Swoopes didn't have a bad spring; he showed real improvement in the up-tempo offense. At this point Strong just appears more comfortable starting the player with experience, even if that experience is likely a negative.
I can tell you the team's faith is largely restored in Swoopes from where it was after Notre Dame last year, which is a testament to both Tyrone and Sterlin Gilbert. If Swoopes makes the right reads and plays with confidence, Texas can still win the game but if I had to guess, we'll see him get the start and then give way to Buechele a series or two later. From there it's entirely up to Shane.
"Both Shane and Tyrone are going to play against Notre Dame. Shane is better and will be number one eventually, he just needs more time. Tyrone getting the 1st reps because he's older and has earned the respect of team and coaches, but overall the position is shared. Shane has more talent and is consistently better but Tyrone still has those big plays and money throws."
Overall the scrimmage was "very good" but zero sum caveat applies. The defense is still getting the better of the offense and it certainly doesn't help that 2/5 of the offensive line has been shuffled due to injuries.
Jake McMillon and Terrell Cuney are the current centers. Behind the injured Nickelson is Denzel Okafor and Jean Delance. We made mention of Delance last week as someone who's quietly having a really good camp.
His senior film exhibited more ability to play as a freshman than his previous reputation. That said, we'd anticipate Okafor getting the start if Nickelson's ankle isn't better.
Speaking of injuries, Chris Warren is nearly 100%. His ailment was a nerve issue in his lower back and leg but they have it figured out.
The freshmen new arrivals continue to be the most interesting players to learn about because they'll be forced to play a lot. Names I continually here are Okafor, Devin Duvernay, Jordan Elliott, Malcolm Roach (of late - he looked the part to me as well when I saw him), Lil' Jordan Humphrey, Brandon Jones and Kyle Porter. I realize there's some chatter elsewhere about others but these are the guys I hear about the most.
MORE FROM A SOURCE
We caught up with someone who said the two most talented position groupings on the field are OL and DB. The defensive backfield is certainly to be expected, but this person raves about the future of the offensive line with the addition of Okafor and Hudson specifically. Those two are monsters in the making.
Like DB play last year, we can expect some ups and downs from the OL but overall the future is very bright.
This source also said the DL's main strength is depth and ability to rotate guys to keep them fresh. "Jordan Elliott is the alpha, and Chris Nelson is underrated."
This is noteworthy because it's from someone entirely different than who was previously speaking similar of Elliott and Nelson.
Don't be surprised if Brandon Jones gets on the field at Nickel some. He's pushing for snaps at both safety and nickel and is making plays all over the field. Interesting, we've been hearing the same about Deshon Elliott.
Young talent pushing for playing time is the story of camp for the second year in a row.
Keep an eye on Anthony Wheeler. Everyone talks about Malik Jefferson but Wheeler is playing exceptionally well. Wheeler and Jefferson have struck quite the friendship. Those two should lack for chemistry.
QUOTABLE QUOTE:
"Little Jordan was a special player for us at Southlake Carroll. Started for us for three years. His senior year we played him at RB, slot, outside WR, and TE - all four spots. He was one of our best protectors blocking; he could do it all. He's put himself in great position to do really big things at Texas and coach (Jeff) Traylor is excited about him being down there. We've discussed that when he's come through Tyler recruiting. With Jordan, the Longhorn fans got a good one and he'll do some really special things down there in Austin." - Tyler Lee HC Clayton George, on newly inked Longhorn, Lil' Jordan Humphrey
Excuse me? Most fans, pay sites, and news outlets rated his performance in the spring game as "Meh..." at BEST. Look again at the stats from the Longhorns' own site:
4 / 16 / 1 INT / 71 yards / 0 TDs
As opposed to Boo:22 / 41 / 0 INT / 299 yards / 2 TDs
SMBH after pulling my hair out.
Here's a good interview of Coach Strong by SBNation. I've included part of the first part; the rest is more serious.
If the sport’s Tiffany job opens after the 2016 season, how many other national coaching jobs would be impacted? Texas is always the largest domino. Another rebuild of the most powerful program in the sport’s most powerful state would both cost and create influential jobs all over the country.
Texas football, like or not, is more than a single college athletics program. It’s a brand considered so valuable it green-lit its own network, now possibly an ill-fated endeavor for ESPN, thanks in large part to the Horns’ failure to finish in the top 10 of any poll since 2009.
If Texas fires Strong, any prolonging of the program’s malaise during another transition could further damage the Big 12 Conference’s valuation.
So how can Strong, 11-14 in two seasons, pilot another impossibly young roster against this backdrop and this pressure? How can —
Hang on, someone’s at the door to his office.
"Oooooh," says 2015 quarterback Jerrod Heard, opening the door and pointing at Strong. Next to him is fellow QB Tyrone Swoopes.
"Aye man, you OLD!" Swoopes says to Strong.
Strong, 56 years old, tries not to laugh, but it overtakes him. He’s wearing a burnt orange Nike coaches polo and khaki shorts. This is the uniform for Texas’ local media day, plus a bit of personal flair: white tube socks and khaki Birkenstocks sandals.
News of this ensemble has been quickly texted around the facility. Heard and Swoopes reach for their phones.
Swoopes: "You so old."
Heard: "Oh my goodness."
Swoopes: "My goodness."
Heard: "I thought you was younger."
Strong rolls his eyes.
Strong: "I just look young. Black don’t crack."
This sends the pair into stitches and out of the room.
"Normally, they just walk in here like that. That door is never shut," Strong says.
So ...
If the sport’s Tiffany job opens after the 2016 season, how many other national coaching jobs would be impacted? Texas is always the largest domino. Another rebuild of the most powerful program in the sport’s most powerful state would both cost and create influential jobs all over the country.
Texas football, like or not, is more than a single college athletics program. It’s a brand considered so valuable it green-lit its own network, now possibly an ill-fated endeavor for ESPN, thanks in large part to the Horns’ failure to finish in the top 10 of any poll since 2009.
If Texas fires Strong, any prolonging of the program’s malaise during another transition could further damage the Big 12 Conference’s valuation.
So how can Strong, 11-14 in two seasons, pilot another impossibly young roster against this backdrop and this pressure? How can —
Hang on, someone’s at the door to his office.
"Oooooh," says 2015 quarterback Jerrod Heard, opening the door and pointing at Strong. Next to him is fellow QB Tyrone Swoopes.
"Aye man, you OLD!" Swoopes says to Strong.
Strong, 56 years old, tries not to laugh, but it overtakes him. He’s wearing a burnt orange Nike coaches polo and khaki shorts. This is the uniform for Texas’ local media day, plus a bit of personal flair: white tube socks and khaki Birkenstocks sandals.
News of this ensemble has been quickly texted around the facility. Heard and Swoopes reach for their phones.
Swoopes: "You so old."
Heard: "Oh my goodness."
Swoopes: "My goodness."
Heard: "I thought you was younger."
Strong rolls his eyes.
Strong: "I just look young. Black don’t crack."
This sends the pair into stitches and out of the room.
"Normally, they just walk in here like that. That door is never shut," Strong says.
So ...
Per FoxSports' The Audible radio program: 12 minutes of the lastest nostrum damas news including players' troubles, roster impacts, angry quarterbacks, and season predictions.
The Audible continues with 3½ minutes of personal/professional insights into Shane Buechele by QB Coach Jordan Palmer.
The full 57 minute program is available here.
The Audible continues with 3½ minutes of personal/professional insights into Shane Buechele by QB Coach Jordan Palmer.
The full 57 minute program is available here.
As the season nears we will lead off with team notes. The quarterback discussion is dominating the minds of Texas fans, so we will address the latest on that front, in bullet-point format:
- A few weeks ago, Anwar Richardson of Orangebloods.com reported that Tyrone Swoopes was the favorite to be named starter. After taking a lot of punishment on twitter, it appears a lot of people will owe Anwar an apology. Our sources have been bullish on Shane all off-season, but we were told that the coaches are leaning towards going with the more experienced player in Tyrone Swoopes.
- Throughout practices and scrimmages, the competition has been very close. Neither QB has been able to pull away with the position, but it appears seniority will likely win out here. Take this as no knock on Shane, he’s done a great job and is doing better every day in practice. While he might not trot out onto the field to start the game against Notre Dame, the notion of Swoopes running away with the battle was laughed at by several of our sources on campus.
- We talked to some current players to poll them on their thoughts and the consensus was that they believe Shane is the better player, but Swoopes is working hard to win the job and improve daily. The knocks on Swoopes from practice include waiting too long to get rid of the ball and struggling on throws into tight windows. Shane is money on a lot of those throws, but he’s struggled a bit with his deep accuracy and arm strength when going to the opposite hash.
- We’ve said it before and will standby the thought, that the most important thing for this quarterback battle is who runs out onto the field after halftime. From what we were told we should expect a short leash if mistakes are made early.
I love how close to the players CS appears to be. He keeps being interrupted during interviews by players popping in. It usually ends in CS cracking up about something. The telling thing about the above story is that the two players are Heard and Swoopes, two guys who have lost the Texas QB job. Two guys who could be ticked off at CS clearly are not. We saw this with Deandre Mcneal as well. He could have been ticked at strong but instead he posted to Twitter how thankful he was.
CS is a class act, and I really hope we keep him around for a while.
I couldn't agree more. I know he has to produce wins to keep his job, but I wish there were more coaches like this in college football that are more interested in the person that they are putting on the field than the athlete. I wouldn't be surprised at all, that when any of his players get married CS gets a wedding invitation because of the way they feel about him. I know at my local college (granted it is D2 and not a HUGE money maker) but I would rather be in the top 3rd of the conference every year, graduate players, and make honest men who can contribute in society, than win a national championship every year with criminals. I would rather have a coach who never wins a NC but is never under question regarding if he broke rules, than a coach who wins NC's but is constantly under fire for breaking rule. Too bad big time college football is too much of a money maker for that to happen.
You are right, at a school like Texas he has to put up some Ws. My hope is that TPTB have enough patience to stick with him even if this year doesn't prove to be successful. It would take a very small number of wins for me to want CS sacked after this year. A.) He is a class act and very respected around the nation and loved by his players B.) He has a lot of momentum behind this football team. To change coaches after this year would kill a lot of that momentum. I am of the belief that college coaches should get at least 4 years (if not 5) in a program, time to recruit their guys. I am hopeful that it isn't even a discussion after a 8+ win season. The sky is the limit in 2017 and beyond...
The debacle with the baseball hire will give him more room. I think the admin would prefer a full time AD to make the next football hire, if it is necessary. 8 wins I think would make him safe. 7 he's probably safe as long as there isn't a TCU or ISU type game there.
I have to say though, from a perception standpoint, he is shooting himself in the foot if he makes Swoopes the guy and loses a bunch of games. Not many people believe he should be starting, and are going to view failures with him at the helm more critically.
I have to say though, from a perception standpoint, he is shooting himself in the foot if he makes Swoopes the guy and loses a bunch of games. Not many people believe he should be starting, and are going to view failures with him at the helm more critically.
Malcolm Roach/Erick Fowler: HC Charlie Strong said on Saturday that freshman linebacker Erick Fowler will start his career at Texas at ILB. While I’ve said a major reason for that is due to the lack of quality depth at LB right now, another reason is the emergence of Malcolm Roach at FOX. I stated earlier during camp that Roach and sophomore Breckyn Hager had been doing a great job of pushing senior Naashon Hughes. While I expect Hughes to start, Roach will play. I was told by one source after Saturday’s scrimmage, “Roach is a dude, he’s always in the backfield.”
At 6’1 Fowler doesn’t have ideal height for a pass-rusher in the four man front but Charlie has played both three and four man fronts. Fowler can be a menace playing a stand up position with three down-linemen. That front masks his height deficiency. I expect him to be back at FOX, likely in 2017. I say this because I expect to see more varied fronts next year. Also, Naashon Hughes will be gone, Malcolm Roach could very likely be moved to SDE as he’s already north of 260 lbs, and Breckyn Hager is, in my opinion, a pass rush specialist, not an every down player at FOX. That’s where Fowler slides in. Just some stuff I’ve heard over the weekend.
Jeffrey McCulloch: I was chatting with someone close to the Texas program over the weekend and one of the players mentioned was freshman linebacker, Jeffrey McCulloch. How much the young linebacker plays this year remains to be seen but in this person’s opinion, he has a very bright future. “Jeff is going to be special. You don’t find guys that big move like that. He moves like a ‘db'.”
[TFB]
At 6’1 Fowler doesn’t have ideal height for a pass-rusher in the four man front but Charlie has played both three and four man fronts. Fowler can be a menace playing a stand up position with three down-linemen. That front masks his height deficiency. I expect him to be back at FOX, likely in 2017. I say this because I expect to see more varied fronts next year. Also, Naashon Hughes will be gone, Malcolm Roach could very likely be moved to SDE as he’s already north of 260 lbs, and Breckyn Hager is, in my opinion, a pass rush specialist, not an every down player at FOX. That’s where Fowler slides in. Just some stuff I’ve heard over the weekend.
Jeffrey McCulloch: I was chatting with someone close to the Texas program over the weekend and one of the players mentioned was freshman linebacker, Jeffrey McCulloch. How much the young linebacker plays this year remains to be seen but in this person’s opinion, he has a very bright future. “Jeff is going to be special. You don’t find guys that big move like that. He moves like a ‘db'.”
[TFB]
What we’ve heard:
- Nothing new on center Zach Shackelford, but we’ve been told if there’s hope of him playing for Notre Dame they’d like to see him back at practice this week.
- We expect Tristan Nickelson to be back and healthy. In the meantime, Denzel Okafor and Brandon Hodges have done a good job taking first team reps at right tackle. Hodges has never been able to take control of a starting position, but he might be able to turn into a utility man on the offensive line. Hodges is learning multiple positions, and he could be a plug in guy throughout the season.
- We hear the running backs are rounding back into form, and their days off were largely a result of a conservative approach from the training staff.
- One name you haven’t heard from receiver reports is Davion Curtis. We checked in on him this week and were told to be prepared for him to play quite a bit this season. Curtis has been the leader among the young receivers when it comes to learning the offense, and he often assists others with getting up to speed. He’s working on both sides in the slot position, and he’s doing very well against a talented secondary group in practice.
- While guys like Jacorey Warrick and Jake Oliver will get some early time in the slot, expect the young group of Curtis, Devin Duvernay, and Lil’Jordan Humphrey to all push them. If Foreman is healthy he should be in right away, but the young guys have all had some great moments during camp.
- We’re hearing the transition of Jerrod Heard to receiver is going very well. Expect him to play early and often in some packages, because his athleticism is just too good to keep off the field.
- Speaking of quarterbacks switching to receiver, a little birdie told us that Kai Locksley might be warming up to the idea. A great indication of that is the fact that he was working on punt return in practice per Charlie Strong.
- On the defensive side of the ball we are told that Anthony Wheeler is really having a great camp. If Wheeler can take the next step, he and Malik Jefferson could combine for a scary duo.
- Word from the weekend scrimmage is that Malcolm Roach is providing an early surge at the Fox position. Roach is already over 260 pounds, but he’s playing with some nice pass rush ability and disrupting plays.
- Jason Hall is still holding on to his starting position, but DeShon Elliott is having a marvelous camp from what we know. Elliott put in a lot of work this offseason, and his natural playmaking ability is starting to show up.
Reports coming out that QB Kai Locksley is taking some WR reps.
Also, that DE Quincy Vasser is getting a look at TE.
Also, that DE Quincy Vasser is getting a look at TE.
Kai Locksley: I was told that Kai Locklsey worked extensively at WR on Tuesday. I had previously stated that I believed Locksley would have a smoother transition to WR than Heard would, but with this switch so close to the season opener, the impact Locksley will have in 2016 it is truly unknown.
Remember that Locksley played WR at the 2015 Under Armour All-America Game and held his own vs some of the best DBs in the nation. Additionally, his knowledge of the offense should help his transition.
Armanti Foreman: Foreman had been held out of practice for awhile due to an ankle injury. I was told last night that he was back working out with the team during practice. While he was working in individual WR drills, he wasn’t out there as much during 11-on-11 period. It sounds like Foreman should be back at 100% by next week.
Zach Shackelford: I was told last night that while freshman center Zach Shackelford hasn’t returned to practice yet due to an ankle injury, he is out of a walking boot which is a positive sign. The staff is still optimistic he will be able to return before the Notre Dame game. Right now RS sophomore Jake McMillon is taking the first team reps at center followed by RS sophomore Terrell Cuney.
[TFB]
Remember that Locksley played WR at the 2015 Under Armour All-America Game and held his own vs some of the best DBs in the nation. Additionally, his knowledge of the offense should help his transition.
Armanti Foreman: Foreman had been held out of practice for awhile due to an ankle injury. I was told last night that he was back working out with the team during practice. While he was working in individual WR drills, he wasn’t out there as much during 11-on-11 period. It sounds like Foreman should be back at 100% by next week.
Zach Shackelford: I was told last night that while freshman center Zach Shackelford hasn’t returned to practice yet due to an ankle injury, he is out of a walking boot which is a positive sign. The staff is still optimistic he will be able to return before the Notre Dame game. Right now RS sophomore Jake McMillon is taking the first team reps at center followed by RS sophomore Terrell Cuney.
[TFB]
I don't see this as "Temporary" for Kai. The move will be the best thing he can do for his future and it will help the team, he is talented and WR is his natural position. It's too bad it has taken him this long to warm up to the idea.
Longhorns Offense
Running Back
Foreman and Warren top the depth chart as they had at the start of camp, but the pair has gone in different directions since July. At that time, it sounded as though Foreman was carrying a few extra pounds while Warren looked like a Greek God at 255. Over camp Foreman got back into the 230’s and looks to be running with plenty of speed, burst and violence. Reports have Warren going as high as 265 – with probably less than 7% bodyfat, but he may be running into a place where physics and precedent start saying you’re not going to survive as a high-touch running back.
Fortunately, Texas looks to be rocking a legitimate four-deep at the position for the first time in a long time. Kirk Johnson has shown the explosive speed and dirty cuts that we expected – he’s had to limit his reps to deal with swelling in his surgically repaired knee, but it seems structurally good to go and he should be able to handle 8-10 touches a game in the near term when called upon.
Kyle Porter has been shifty, explosive and tough to tackle while taking the lion’s share of late-camp reps as the other backs nursed nicks and bruises.
Wide Receiver
John Burt has been nigh-uncoverable throughout camp, even for proven specimens like Holton Hill and Davante Davis. He’ll make a legitimate run at first-team All-Conference if he gets effective service from the quarterback position.
With Armanti Foreman missing time with an ankle injury, Collin Johnson has likely locked himself into the starting spot opposite Burt. While he’s still adding nuance to his game as a route-runner, he’s reportedly been good for at least one long TD a day in camp and has been doing a good job attacking the ball on hitches and underneath throws when corners bail back into Cover Three looks. Foreman will hopefully be back for ND and figures to rotate between the outside and the slot once he does.
Maybe the most exciting development amongst the wideout corps has been the emergence of Jerrod Heard as a legitimately scary weapon in the slot. He has shown more route-running savvy than we probably had a right to expect from a new convert to the position.
Devin Duvernay is still moving along the learning curve, but offers instant and obvious danger out of the slot on fly routes, posts and switch fades along with the ability to house a bubble screen. That’s all he’ll need to serve as an early-season weapon with much more to come.
Two more guys in the slot who have garnered praise have been Jacorey Warrick and Jake Oliver. I like Foreman better than Warrick as a slick underneath option with some verticality, but Warrick has reportedly acquitted himself well and should log solid snaps in four-wide looks. Oliver’s been money on quick outs with Buechele.
Dorian Leonard has improved his hands and overall consistency and should earn himself some snaps on the outside.
Tight End
Blueitt remains the man, and there’s optimism that he’ll do a more effective job of working the seams and open hook zone spaces than we saw in the Spring Game. Beck has taken some steps as a receiver, but it still figures to be tough for him to earn his way onto the field in anything other than short yardage/18-Wheeler situations rather than just simply playing a third receiver.
Offensive Line
Connor Williams, Patrick Vahe and Kent Perkins have been the rocks of the OL as expected. Perkins has taken to his natural position at guard like a duck to water and is the OL’s most potent in-line person-mover.
There’s still hope that Tristan Nickelson makes it back in time to line up at right tackle against the Irish, but if not the Longhorns won’t be bereft of options. Brandon Hodges, Denzel Okafor, Patrick Hudson and Jean Delance have all taken reps on the right side. Some reports have Hodges as the leader to start against ND if Nickelson can’t go, but we’re still putting our money on Okafor to grab the job and hump it into submission.
Center is...interesting. Zach Shackelford is still out with no word on his return, and the staff has been content to roll with Jake McMillon as the sole backup (discounting, as always, Terrell Cuney) rather than cross-training anyone else at the position. Even if that can be read as optimism that Shack will be back for ND, he’ll still be a true freshman who missed out on more than two weeks of important camp reps.
[BC]
Longhorns Defense
Defensive Tackle
Paul Boyette and Poona Ford have been your top two interior performers throughout camp and each guy is poised to have a very solid season – the problem is that their skill sets are more overlapping than complementary. Poona is a born 3-tech Poonatrator who also has the agility to cross a guard’s face into the A gap, but he’s still got a tough row to hoe against double teams or an upper-echelon guard who locks on head-up and drives him back. Boyette is more suited for a 1-tech role than Ford, but he’s still more consistent when he shoots gaps than when he’s asked to stand strong against the double team. Both these guys should take a step forward from last season and they’ll hang tough and win their share of battles, but don’t expect a Hampton & Rogers redux.
Chris Nelson appears to have opened a few eyes and improved his conditioning. He still seems like a bit of an odd-body athlete, but he’s got some potentially unique movement skills and could be a disruptive dude on the interior.
Jordan Elliott appears to be leading the charge among the true freshmen and may already bring the best combination of gap-shootin’, two-gappin’ and double-team survivin’ of anyone on the depth chart.
DeAndre Christmas brings the best one-gap skill set of anyone in the freshman class and could be a surprisingly effective pass rusher as the season goes along. It wouldn’t be shocking to see him catch or pass Ford for overall 3-tech effectiveness by November as his experience catches up to his superior frame.
Reports have been more variable on Gerald Wilbon – there’s some degree of consensus that he’s the functionally strongest member of the interior DL right now, but some reports have him immovable on double teams while others portray him as a mixed bag at best.
Chris Daniels seems to have opened eyes here and there in the last week or two, but his conditioning remains a major question mark and in the No Huddle Era that’s a severe obstacle to playing time.
I still have no more idea what to make of Marcell Southall than I did when practice opened.
Defensive End
As opposed to the poisonous upperclass vs young bucks dynamic that threatened to completely submarine the 2015 season, it looks like many of this year’s juniors seniors have fully bought in and accepted the challenge of being pushed by the young ‘uns. Two cases in point are Bryce Cottrell and Naashon Hughes. Cottrell appears to have held on to the nominal starting role on the strong side, while Hughes may be turning the light on when it comes to translating his impressive athleticism into consistent production. I’d have a hard time taking the over on 5.5 sacks for either dude this year, but if they can serve as physical edge-setters with a bit of pass-rush pop then we’re reasonably well ahead of where we were last season.
Charles “The Omen” Omenihu remains the highest-ceilinged and most intriguing guy in the DE rotation. He’ll probably serve as the primary pass rusher from the strong side, and he’s got the bend and burst to challenge left tackles as well.
Bryce [sic] Hager has taken to the weakside end position like a duck to water, and he’s got solid athleticism for the position to go along with a relentless demeanor. Figure him for significant question marks in the head-up run game, but he’s shown the ability to chase things down from the backside and use his arms well enough to okey-doke a left tackle and dip around him on the pass rush.
Malcolm Roach is currently running as your third-team Fox and offers physical potential that could lap the guys ahead of him once things start clicking. He probably grows into a strongside end in the next year or so, but should be able to contribute 7-10 aggressive snaps a game this season if called upon. It’s kind of nifty that this year’s third-team weakside end is already more physically impressive than last year’s starting strongside end.
Quincy Vasser – haven’t heard much about him throughout camp. It’s been largely quiet on the Andrew Fitzgerald front.
Linebacker
lt remains the Malik Show at linebacker, and #46 remains on track to be this defense’s most crucial difference-maker. He’s nominally the Mike while Anthony Wheeler is listed as the Will, but Malik often finds himself in either a strong-side overhang role or lined up between the DT and DE on one side with Wheeler mirroring that position on the other. They’ll both have to fill a variety of roles this year, but don’t fret that the #FreeMalik campaign is dead because he’s nominally playing the same position as Steve Edmond. Malik should be improved-not-outstanding at meeting the guard in the hole, but his pass drops have improved dramatically and he remains a pure terror as a detached edge rusher.
The buzz about Anthony Wheeler was going strong in the Spring and hasn’t really abated. He’s packed on muscle and developed a newfound confidence in diagnosing and attacking runs between the tackles. His primary job was to offer enough head-knocking potential to give Jefferson more freedom of movement, and he looks to have met that brief. He’ll look like a different guy in the run game this season while also capably dropping back into hook zones.
Edwin Freeman is probably your starting SLB, and it’s not out of the question that he’d be the first man up if either Malik or Wheeler went down. While his game is still more speed than power, he’s coming along the Wheeler Physicality Curve at a decent clip and figures to play 20+ snaps a game one way or the other.
Cam Townsend has added some good weight and continues to fly around – his path to significant playing time isn’t immediately clear, but he’s the kind of guy you could get creative with in some Dime-type looks given his elite wheels.
DeMarco Boyd just keeps on making plays – knocking guys on their back in practice. He’s likely the Longhorns’ most physical between-the-tackles run defender. He’d be limited to a (traditional) MLB role and probably given the simplest of pass coverage assignments if pressed into duty this year.
Erick Fowler looks to be starting life on the 40 as a Malik-style Mike. He’s got the physicality and aggression to stand up against the interior run game while offering terrifying potential as an interior blitzer. There will be plenty of chances for a nominal Mike to come off the edge.
I’d have pegged Jeffrey McCulloch to make an early move behind the starters but it seems like Boyd’s instincts and physicality might make him more likely to see time early. Still think Shark has a fantastic future but don’t know if we’ll see much of him at least early on this season.
Cornerback/Nickel
Holton Hill and Davante Davis remain the men on the outside, and while either is likely to have the better practice on any given day both dudes have burgeoning lockdown potential and the length to survive when singled up down the sideline.
Kris Boyd would be starting in a lot of places already, but the staff has elected to have him focus on outside corner rather than cross-training at nickel. His athleticism is off the charts but he’s still grasping some positional nuances, so it’s understandable that they don’t want to overload his plate just yet.
Sheroid Evans continues to have some rusty moments and get caught peeking in the backfield, but nobody’s running past him once he’s up to gear and he’s showing a Mykkele Thompson-esque senior year affinity for contact.
P.J. Locke has remained the unchalleged #1 option at nickel corner since Spring Ball and hasn’t given the coaches any reason to question their decision. His coverage has been all-in-all impressive at what can be the toughest coverage spot on the field.
Perhaps the most interesting recent news in the secondary has been 5* freshman safety Brandon Jones cross-training at nickel. The staff obviously puts a premium on both physicality and cover skills at the position, so it speaks volumes to Jones’ feet that he’s getting work here.
Antwaun Davis has bounced around a bit but has also gotten some work at backup nickel. It seems like he’s been recruited over at every likely starting spot, but he should provide quality depth.
Eric Cuffee and Chris Brown have shown reasonably well but figure to make their mark on special teams if at all this season.
Safety
As of now, Dylan Haines and Jason Hall still look like your starting safeties against ND. Both guys kind of are who they are at this stage of the game. Haines continues to get everyone lined up well, find himself in the right spot for INTs and find himself on the wrong end of the stick if he’s singled up with speed in space.
DeShon Elliott and Brandon Jones are pushing both guys, but with Jones cross-training at nickel we’re likely to see Elliott logging more snaps at safety over the course of the year. Strong has commented on Elliott’s physical ability as well as his need to play smart and keep everything in front of him. He’s a dream box safety with reasonable cover skills when he’s got his assignment down.
[BC]
The national media all say Buchele is starting, because its seems obvious. The Longhron media doesn't seem so convinced, because their sources are telling them otherwise. I agree that we know what we have with Swoopes. Three and out. That doesn't mean the coaches won't let him run a few plays before Buchele finally "earns" the position.
After being cooped up in the dorm with all his players during Fall Camp,
Charlie Strong spots his wife at practice.
(Photo: Don Bender/Horns Illustrated, 247Sports)
Last edited:
