Anyway, back to Sugar Bowl talk:
There have been football practices recently.
Texas vs. Georgia in the Sugar Bowl is 19 days away.
The Texas Longhorns held practice last week on Friday and Saturday, and are slated to have two practices this week. From what I can tell, everyone associated with the program is happy with the intensity level and tempo of practice.
A year ago, this was the time when the relationship between players and coaches strengthened. Everyone said the bowl preparation led to team unity, which contributed to a victory in the Texas Bowl. That unity was evident during the game, especially as players celebrated the win with Herman. It was a moment that turned into a movement, and it carried over to this season.
It is still early, but Sugar Bowl preparations by the Longhorns appear to be going well so far.
--- There are a lot of high-rep guys on the team. One person told me there are multiple players on this team who have received at least 1,000 game snaps this season. He attributed that to the number of close games Texas was involved in this season. As a result of that high number of reps, the sense of urgency to make sure starters receive a large number of practice reps to improve is nothing like this time last season. In other words, there is a better comfort level this year within the staff.
--- So far, players have practiced in shorts and shoulder pads. There has been a Thud tempo during practice.
--- Even though coaches are on the road recruiting, I am told Herman has attended every practice. This past Friday, the practice was run by Herman and his coordinators, while his assistants were on the road. That is the same plan for the first practice this week. I was told there will be a lot of thud scrimmages and ones versus twos during practice this week.
--- At the end of each practice, the third-teamers and low-rep players have participated in live scrimmages. Those guys are in full pads and allowed to tackle to the ground. This has allowed the staff to get a better look at those players during bowl practices, and help those athletes develop through more intense coaching.
--- The young players who have caught the attention of this staff so far have been freshman defensive lineman Moro Ojomo and freshman defensive lineman Keondre Coburn. I was told both guys have played well in those settings. Considering Texas will have to replace its defensive line with the impending loss of Breckyn Hager, Chris Nelson and Charles Omenihu, it should be an encouraging sign to Longhorn fans to hear Ojomo and Coburn are doing well.
Prior to this season, I was told there were high hopes Coburn would have an impact this season. Everyone in the building believes in Coburn's potential, and this is a positive step toward him meeting their expectations.
--- Speaking of young players, I heard a lot of positive things about freshmen quarterbacks Cameron Rising and Casey Thompson. I was told both quarterbacks have looked good at practice. The most impressive thing about Rising and Thompson is they have a grasp of the system, which has caught the attention of multiple people in practice.
--- This past Saturday was a big individual day during practice. The Longhorns had 40 minutes of individual drills, participated in 7-on-7, another thud scrimmage with the older guys, and then a live scrimmage with the young players. That is the plan for practice this week (Friday and Saturday).
--- The practice plan is to get into the Georgia game strategy next week. Right now, the emphasis is individual work.
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If you were looking for some good news in the War Room, this section is definitely for you.
Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger’s shoulder has looked good during practice. Ehlinger initially injured his AC joint in the first quarter of a victory over Baylor. He left that game and recovered in time to start in Texas’ next game Oklahoma State. Nevertheless, Ehlinger aggravated his AC joint during a victory against Iowa State.
That being said, I was told Ehlinger was impressive during practice, and it appears, “he needed the time off.” Ehlinger was never in danger of not playing against Georgia. The only question associated with Ehlinger was would he be at 100 percent during the bowl game?
The good news, for Longhorn fans, is it appears Ehlinger is trending in a positive direction.
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I have been asked by multiple people this week about the possibility of Longhorn players missing the Sugar Bowl because of poor grades.
Right now, that does not appear to be an issue.
I was told there are a few borderline players, but nobody associated with the program is worried about the possibility of players of missing Georgia.
In addition, nobody is slated to miss the game due to a suspension.
Considering things may change at any time, I will keep an eye on both situations until the bowl game.
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The target date for Texas offensive lineman Patrick Hudson to resume participating in football practice was during bowl practice this month.
Unfortunately, for Hudson, it is not going to happen.
Hudson had two heat-related incidents this year, and the last one resulted in a hospital stay for the offensive lineman. He still has not been medically cleared to participate in practice.
In fact, from what I was told, nobody is expecting Hudson to be medically cleared prior to the Sugar Bowl.
There is some optimism Hudson might be able to participate in spring football practice, but I get the feeling there might be more to this story than anybody is willing to say. To be fair, Hudson clearly has a significant problem, and nobody wants to talk about anything specific as it relates to the offensive lineman. Hudson definitely deserves to have medical privacy.
I think it is safe to assume Hudson may not play football again. If he does, it should be viewed as an unexpected surprise. If not, Hudson’s health is more important than anything else right now.
