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(PLEASE NOTE: This story was posted before the report broke that Duane Akina was likely to accept a job on the new Arizona coaching staff. It will remain as originally posted, because the main theme is still the same)We still don't know what's going to happen in the 2024 class with DT D'Antre Robinson, who has reportedly at least begun to rethink his pledge to Texas upon learning that former DL coach Bo Davis opted to make a lateral move to LSU. We don't know if similar things are going on with DE Melvin Hills, who, for reasons we'll get into, is less important to this conversation. Houston transfer Jamaree Caldwell was looking like an option to come in and help Texas in 2024 as well, and while his academic stuff threw a spoke in the wheel with his possible transfer, it was Davis' departure that probably ultimately shuffled Caldwell away to Oregon.
What we do know is that Bo Davis is gone, along with Byron Murphy and T'Vondre Sweat and that the Texas defense, whether Davis would have stayed or left, was going to need to embrace a new identity in 2024.
So much occurred over the weekend that gives us more information as to what the new identity could actually look like. Jahdae Barron announced he'd be returning to fill the star/nickel CB role he's held down for the past two seasons, and also being mixed into the DB ethos is the infamous architect of Texas' "DBU"-era of secondary play, Duane Akina. He'll be returning in an analyst role. And this will all get back to D'Antre Robinson and the interior defensive line, I promise, but the larger picture should be painted first:
While Duane Akina will not be running alongside his stud DBs at practice like we got used to seeing in the halcyon days of Mack Brown, he'll be a more important analyst than most others for a few reasons: 1) the secondary was a unit last year that didn't communicate well and played with soft cushions; Akina's secondaries were more physical and in-your-face, better in press and great communicators; 2) I understand that new co-DC Johnny Nansen is now in play for the Arizona HC job, but if he stays, Akina will certainly have his ear after working with him last year, helping to turn around the Wildcats defense. Plus, if you don't think safeties coach Blake Gideon is going to go to Akina with any question he has and take in anything that man says that may improve his group, I don't know what to tell you; and 3) Texas finally now has truly high-profile potential difference-makers on the back end than it has had in recent seasons past: Muhammad, Black, Filsaime, Mukuba, Williams, JJR, Wilson, Brooks ... now Barron, etc.
Again, Akina is just an analyst, but look at the dudes he's put in the draft:
ARIZONA DB/DC
Chuck Cecil - RD4
Darryl Lewis - RD2 - Thorpe Award
Daryl Morrison - RD7
Keshon Johnson - RD7
Mike Scurlock - RD5
Chris McAllister - RD1
TEXAS (DBs coach/co-DC, etc)
Quentin Jammer - RD1
Rod Babers - RD4
Nathan Vasher - RD5
Michael Huff - RD1 - Thorpe Award
Cedric Griffin - RD2
Michael Griffin - RD1
Aaron Ross - RD1 - Thorpe Award
Tarrell Brown - RD5
Earl Thomas - RD1
Aaron Williams - RD2
Curtis Brown - RD3
Chykie Brown - RD5
Kenny Vaccaro - RD1
Mykkele Thompson - RD5
Qundre Diggs - RD6
(For Comparison, look at what Texas has done putting DBs in the draft since Akina left in 2014 through today)
Deshon Elliott - RD6
Kris Boyd - RD7
Brandon Jones - RD3
Caden Sterns - RD5
STANFORD (DBs)
Jordan Richards - RD2
Alex Carter - RD3
Justin Reid - RD3
Paulson Adebo - RD3
Kyu-Blue Kelly - RD5
Kendall Williamson - RD7
He's coached 3 Thorpe award winners, six finalists, 41 DBs who've played in the NFL and seven eventual pro-bowlers.
You're adding at least some piece of THAT ELEMENT to a defense that is going to have enough pass-rush talent that we may even have to see Ethan Burke move over to the strong-side defensive end and split time with Barryn Sorrell just to ensure that guys like Trey Moore and Colin Simmons can get enough run at the buck end --- and that's before we even mention a guy like Colton Vasek who should be coming into his own in Year 2. Texas will be better rushing the passer from both sides, it's basically a guarantee. What does that have to do with the DBs? Well, what allows those DBs to play in a more physical and in-your-face manner ... a less "keep-the-offense-in-front-of-us" type of scheme? It is a consistent pass rush. Those pass-rush pieces are finally falling into place up front along with solid pieces on the backend to actually execute.
Which brings us back to the defensive line's interior via today's winding road. It's becoming a concern and clearly, the opening up of portal windows due to the coaching carousel could help in answering it, but it feels like the unit was in a little bit of danger even prior to the wavering of D'Antre Robinson. And even if Robinson sticks on board, it's more for his future prospects, anyway. What about 2024? Alfred Collins is by far the best option Texas has for the 3-technique, but what about the nose? Everyone expects Vernon Broughton and Alfred Collins to handle the two interior DL positions, but that assumption brings with it two problems: 1) Brouhgton has not been good yet at Texas and has not held up well against the run; and 2) Neither guy projects as a true nose tackle/1-shade. They are both more suited to play 3-tech.
So, now our eyes turn to two younger players on the roster: Sophomore Aaron Bryant and RS FR Sydir Mitchell. Both are highly suited to play nose via their body types. Regardless if Texas adds any more interior line prospects, one -- or maybe even both -- of these guys will have to pitch in much more than they did in 2023 (10 regular season snaps for Sydir Mitchell and 46 for Aaron Bryant). What did they do on those snaps? Well, it's a minuscule sample for Mitchell, but on his 10 regular season snaps, he found the football and he clogged run lanes. He had two tackles and created one separate run-stuff. In the Big 12 championship game, he played only 4 snaps but added one more tackle and one more separate run-stuff. Aaron Bryant played 46 snaps in the regular season, and ended up with no net production even though he had one (1) solo tackle the whole time because he also had a missed tackle. He didn't generate any production on his 3 snaps in the championship game, either.
Bryant could improve -- heck, Texas needs him to improve -- and the sample size really is very small, but this whole exercise has taken a circuitous route to bring attention to the fact that Sydir Mitchell has a real shot to be a much bigger part of this defense in 2024 than some may be anticipating.
