- Obviously no practice this week, the players are on spring break. The team will re-convene spring practices Monday with 12 remaining prior to the spring game. At least two and possibly three of these practices will be "scrimmages" in a game setting.
- One person said that the sense of optimism and better-looking practices have as much to do with the coaching changes as anything else. Not for the difference in scheme, but for the personalities. Everyone knows that former OL coach Joe Wickline was a pretty bitter pill to swallow day after day but apparently hardly anyone on the team liked WR coach/OC?/half-season playcaller Jay Norvell, either. Coach Tommie Robinson was actually well-liked on the team, but new RBs coach
Anthony Johnson is reportedly every bit as likable and energetic as a presence. In all, there seems to have been made a major upgrade in the work atmosphere for Texas football and I'm sure Charlie Strong wishes he had made the changes sooner.
- I've heard from two people this week who mentioned one name that was interesting, because he's not even taking part in spring practice: sophomore RB
Kirk Johnson. One person, when I asked about thoughts on possible RB run distribution in 2016 said that he was a "beast, an animal," and another said of Johnson (unsolicited outside of asking about the running back group in general) that the Texas Tech game (in which D'Onta Foreman and Johnathan Gray were both injured) would have been a Kirk Johnson monster instead of a Chris Warren monster had Johnson not been injured early-on after a hot start.
It's just interesting that people are so excited about his return since he's thought of by most fans as third on the depth chart. Certainly something to keep on the radar. With all the recent buzz about his true-freshman brother (WR Collin), Kirk Johnson is another player we should be on the lookout for this summer and fall once he's out of the pit (right knee). I noticed Johnson at the open practice last Thursday and he was walking fine and looked perfectly stout and in-shape so he should be more than ready to go before fall camp.
- Speaking of
Collin Johnson, apparently he truly is being thought of by some people around the program as being a probable day one starter at wideout. One person with knowledge of the situation said he believed that
John Burt, Collin Johnson and Armanti Foreman seemed basically locked in to the starting roles in three-WR sets. As we know, there will be more true four-WR sets this season than last, possibly in as many as 35-40 percent of offensive snaps if install practices and Tulsa tape mean anything. The players in legitimate contention to emerge in the fourth role at inside receiver are
Ryan Newsome, Lorenzo Joe and Deandre McNeal, it seems.
- Everyone you talk to still thinks
Tyrone Swoopes will eventually be named the starting QB, it's not exactly breaking news at this point. Worries continue about
Jerrod Heard's arm among some sources and some seem to think that
Shane Buechele is more of a player of the future than the present. One person said that Buechele would be the best QB on campus once he put on some size, but wasn't sure if it would only take a few months before the start of 2016, or if he'd need a whole year. (Dunlap)
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I was able to connect with a couple football team sources this week for quick conversations on the first few spring practices.
Nothing earth-shattering came up, but a couple notes ...
I've mentioned in our Ticket City OB podcasts that the thing that has stood out the most to me is how smoothly the offensive installation has gone. Even in the first practice, it seemed from the sidelines that the players and coaches all had a really good grasp of what
Sterlin Gilbert is trying to do, and there weren't a lot of noticeable mental mistakes. In my mind, I'd wondered if even those on the team were a little surprised at how quickly everyone had picked things up.
"It's gone well but there's still a lot to learn. Some guys are still a little confused but that's pretty normal in the first few days," one source said. "But overall, yes, I'd say things have gone very well and everybody has picked it up pretty quickly."
The other big takeaway in my observations from the first week was the tempo at which the offensive coaches are running practice. It's hard to describe unless you've actually seen it, but the pace is so fast and there's so little time between snaps it can be pretty hard to keep up.
It sounds like the coaches are only scratching the surface, based off what I was told this week.
"It can still get a lot faster. And it will," a source said. (Suchomel)
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Texas will resume its quarterback competition next week. All eyes will be on Tyrone Swoopes, Jerrod Heard and Shane Buechele. Those are the three quarterbacks battling to be named a starter this spring. Longhorn observers will eventually learn if Swoopes can prevent Heard or Buechele from taking his job. This battle will likely determine the immediate future of Texas football.
It may determine backup quarterback
Kai Locksley’s future, too.
Locksley was expected to be a contender for playing time this season, but is either the fourth of fifth-string quarterback right now. During Texas’ practices last week, Locksley did not receive a team rep. In fact, Matthew Merrick received a team rep during practice last week, but Locksley was shut out. Locksley is definitely on the outside looking in, and it may be hard for him to recover.
Prior to spring practice, Texas coach Charlie Strong said the staff expected to figure out who might lead this team pretty quickly. They believed there would be a person who excelled, and are optimistic a starter will be named during the spring. So far, Swoopes has a slight edge. He has the strongest arm of any quarterback, plus he has experience. He is viewed as a safe option, even though Swoopes has not won the job.
Meanwhile, Heard is playing from behind for a second consecutive spring. Heard was unable to win the starting job during the 2015 offseason, but was given the opportunity to play after Swoopes struggled in the season opener. From what I have been told, Heard will be given more opportunities to win the job after spring break.
Buechele has a lot of potential, but is still young. Strong redshirted Heard and Locksley, and unless Buechele looks like the second coming of Teddy Bridgewater, or injuries hit the quarterback room, he will likely spend this season on the bench.
Then there is Locksley.
Right now, Locksley is fighting an uphill battle. He wants to play quarterback, but there are three passers in front of him right now. There is a chance things might change. However, that scenario seems unlikely if Swoopes, Heard and Buechele stay healthy. If the staff did not believe Locksley needed one rep during the first week of practice, it is hard to foresee him having a bigger workload between now and the spring game.
The easiest solution for Texas is to movie Locksley to receiver if he is not in the top three after the spring game. Swoopes, Heard and Buechele could serve as the primary passers, with Merrick as the emergency quarterback. Locksley could share the same emergency role receiver Lorenzo Joe had last season if he is switched positions. There are people in the building who believe Locksley could have an immediate impact as a receiver this season. The thought of John Burt, Deandre McNeal, Collin Johnson and Locksley as Texas’ primary receivers could arguably make this the most talented group of pass-catchers in the Big 12.
However, from what I have been told, Locksley is not interested in switching positions.
Locksley switched his commitment from Florida State to Texas before signing day because he was sold on the opportunity to play quarterback with the Longhorns. After quarterback Zach Gentry switched his commitment from Texas to Michigan, Locksley became the only quarterback signee in last year’s class. He was disappointed about not being given the opportunity to play after Heard struggled last season, and many people within the building were not pleased with how he communicated his dissatisfaction. As a result, Locksley did not travel with the team toward the end of last season.
Locksley is not receiving the playing time he envisioned this spring, and people within the building believe he needs to have a different demeanor when practice resumes. Instead of seeing Locksley's disappointment during practice, they want to see him engaged and eager to participate. Locksley runs the risk of alienating himself from the decision makers if he does not show a different attitude when practice resumes next week.
The good news for Longhorns fans is Locksley does not appear to be considering transferring to another school – right now.
From what I have been told, Locksley is still focused on finding a way to become relevant in the quarterback competition and catching up to Heard. He may not catch Swoopes by the end of spring practice, but would like to be in the top three. It does not appear Locksley is entertaining backup options because he still believes in himself as a quarterback. Time will tell if that belief keeps him at Texas, or causes Locksley to pursue playing quarterback at another school.
Longhorn fans just need to know this year’s quarterback battle will not only determine the future of their program, but Locksley’s fate at Texas. (Richardson)
Christmas-Giles putting in work so he can make an impact as a true freshman
The Texas Longhorns signed a terrific recruiting class in February, with Charlie Strong and staff bringing in a group that ranked among the best in college football.
It was a talented group overall, but the class may prove to be even more valuable than its ranking due to the fact that Texas signed a number of players at positions where the Longhorn program has very little depth. No position was more important than defensive tackle, where Texas loaded up with five signees.
It's a safe bet that more than one of those commitments will see the field in 2016, and
D'andre Christmas-Giles is confident he'll be one of the true freshmen making an impact.
A Rivals100 member, Christmas-Giles played at about 290 pounds as a senior (on a 6-4 frame). He's been utilizing the workout plan and diet sent to him by the Texas strength and conditioning staff, and Christmas-Giles has seen quick results.
"I feel like I'm gaining more muscle," Christmas-Giles said. "I did gain some muscle. I'm at 305 pounds now, but still slim. I got faster too. I tested it. I ran a 5 flat, but the second time was a 4.9. I was running like a 5.1 or 5 flat before."
Christmas-Giles goes through the UT workout plan five days a week. Some of the exercises are things he had been doing previously, but he admits there are other elements to the workouts that are new to him and pretty difficult to master.
With five incoming defensive tackles, the battle for early playing time could very well come down to who puts in the most work in the off-season. Christmas-Giles stays in touch with the other UT signees but said he's only focused on his own efforts.
"I'm working hard right now. I'm not sure how hard the other guys are working. Nobody is really pushing each other, but we're all working," Christmas-Giles said. "I talk to them a lot though. I'm just going to come in there and work hard. I'm ready for it. I'm going to give it all I've got."
A four-star prospect, Christmas-Giles ranked as the nation's No. 83 prospect overall. The New Orleans St. Augustine product was ranked as the No. 3 overall prospect in the state of Louisiana.
Originally, Christmas-Giles made an early commitment to Tennessee but when his stock shot through the roof during his senior season, he decided to open up his recruitment. Despite heavy interest from a long list of schools, including LSU, Texas A&M and TCU (he took official visits to all three), Christmas-Giles had a pretty good idea all along that he'd wind up signing with Texas.
"I pretty knew for a while after I decommitted from Tennessee," Christmas-Giles said. "When I took my official visit (to Texas, it was so different, unique. I liked it. The coaches and players were really cool. I got really close with them. It's a nice city, a nice campus, a nice place to be."
Blessed with a quick first step to go along with his impressive frame, Christmas-Giles recorded 5 sacks and 49 total tackles in 11 games last year. He's hoping to carry that productivity over to the Forty Acres when he reports in late May.
"I'll bring a good attitude on the field. My style of play, my strength is my pass rush. I'm in the backfield a lot," Christmas-Giles said. "I don't know how it's going to be in college, but hopefully it will be the same at Texas."
