Here are some quick notes we've gathered from Tuesday practice after getting to check in with a few sources:
- It was the 13th practice of the spring; it was full pads and likely the last full-pads practice before the Orange-White game. The team could go shorts, shoulder pads and helmets for a lighter, more walk-through-ish 14th practice before the spring game.
- However, it's hard to picture the new offense taking a "walkthrough" as much as it would seem like a "sprint-through". Everything we've heard says that it moves super-fast. New OC Sterlin Gilbert's offense was only getting installed in the practices open to the media (No. 1 and No. 3) and it was already clear even then. Texas fans have wanted a new spread offense for what feels like ages and they're about to see one, if nothing else. Anyway ...
- Safeties Jason Hall and Dylan Haines are still limited, and at this time, we'll likely just have to wait for word from the school as to their availability for the scrimmage. Fans will surely get to see a large dose of sophomore Deshon Elliott with the first-team any way you slice it. He had a big day on Tuesday. Elliott's going to be tough for Haines and/or Hall to hold off much longer.
- Multiple people have said backup OG Alex Anderson won't play in the spring game. He's been in the pit for "the last week or two" per one source. Anderson is not a player who factors in to spring OL depth until at least three starters are injured anyway.
- RBs Roderick Bernard and Tristian Houston both returned to practice Tuesday and both "are fine."
- LB Anthony Wheeler had a big TFL on a play where he apparently blew by a walk-on offensive lineman (likely Alex Anderson's LG replacement with the two's). The source said Wheeler and Malik Jefferson rotate in together as a pair with the first group, with the other group being Tim Cole and Edwin Freeman.
- Yet another source made mention of QB Shane Buechele's ability to run the football. I've always thought he's a little too small to subject himself to a bunch of hits at this time, but for what it's worth, people in attendance at practice pretty consistently say that he looks good as a runner. It's my guess that fans will likely see at least a flash of this in the spring game with all the mention of it lately.
- One person said the distribution of reps are "the same" between QBs Tyrone Swoopes and Shane Buechele which surely means it remains a near-even-split in first-team work with the edge in number of snaps still going to Swoopes.
- WR Deandre McNeal got banged up at the end of the day (after another reportedly nice practice where he caught a TD) on a contested ball with nickel CB P.J. Locke. I'd be surprised if John Bonney has taken a snap at first-team nickel all spring. With all the substituting and messing around with personnel and injuries (on both sides of the football), Locke has been a staple in the defensive backfield along with CBs Holton Hill and Davante Davis this spring. He's turning into a very nice player for Texas by all accounts. It doesn't sound like anything major for McNeal injury-wise, but we'll keep our ears open.
- It was the 13th practice of the spring; it was full pads and likely the last full-pads practice before the Orange-White game. The team could go shorts, shoulder pads and helmets for a lighter, more walk-through-ish 14th practice before the spring game.
- However, it's hard to picture the new offense taking a "walkthrough" as much as it would seem like a "sprint-through". Everything we've heard says that it moves super-fast. New OC Sterlin Gilbert's offense was only getting installed in the practices open to the media (No. 1 and No. 3) and it was already clear even then. Texas fans have wanted a new spread offense for what feels like ages and they're about to see one, if nothing else. Anyway ...
- Safeties Jason Hall and Dylan Haines are still limited, and at this time, we'll likely just have to wait for word from the school as to their availability for the scrimmage. Fans will surely get to see a large dose of sophomore Deshon Elliott with the first-team any way you slice it. He had a big day on Tuesday. Elliott's going to be tough for Haines and/or Hall to hold off much longer.
- Multiple people have said backup OG Alex Anderson won't play in the spring game. He's been in the pit for "the last week or two" per one source. Anderson is not a player who factors in to spring OL depth until at least three starters are injured anyway.
- RBs Roderick Bernard and Tristian Houston both returned to practice Tuesday and both "are fine."
- LB Anthony Wheeler had a big TFL on a play where he apparently blew by a walk-on offensive lineman (likely Alex Anderson's LG replacement with the two's). The source said Wheeler and Malik Jefferson rotate in together as a pair with the first group, with the other group being Tim Cole and Edwin Freeman.
- Yet another source made mention of QB Shane Buechele's ability to run the football. I've always thought he's a little too small to subject himself to a bunch of hits at this time, but for what it's worth, people in attendance at practice pretty consistently say that he looks good as a runner. It's my guess that fans will likely see at least a flash of this in the spring game with all the mention of it lately.
- One person said the distribution of reps are "the same" between QBs Tyrone Swoopes and Shane Buechele which surely means it remains a near-even-split in first-team work with the edge in number of snaps still going to Swoopes.
- WR Deandre McNeal got banged up at the end of the day (after another reportedly nice practice where he caught a TD) on a contested ball with nickel CB P.J. Locke. I'd be surprised if John Bonney has taken a snap at first-team nickel all spring. With all the substituting and messing around with personnel and injuries (on both sides of the football), Locke has been a staple in the defensive backfield along with CBs Holton Hill and Davante Davis this spring. He's turning into a very nice player for Texas by all accounts. It doesn't sound like anything major for McNeal injury-wise, but we'll keep our ears open.
