Texas football coach Tom Herman was in a great mood after his team’s first padded practice on Wednesday morning.
Here are the highlights of his media availability:
- Texas running back Tristian Houston bruised his rib while landing on a football. Herman said Houston should be fine in a few days after the bruise heals.
- Longhorns linebacker Jeffrey McCulloch has a pectoral strain and will miss the next few weeks. As a result of McCulloch’s injury, safety DeMarvion Overshown is getting reps at linebacker.
- Herman thought his team had a really good day during their practice in full pads on Wednesday. Herman said, “We’re well ahead of where were this time last year. We’ve got to continue that, obviously. You’re not going to know a lot about your team. They’re still fresh. Everything is still exciting. The groundhog day of training camp really hasn’t set in just yet, but I’ll say it again, I think the NCAA, with the day off once a week, has really helped our energy level and recovery level.”
- To clarify what he meant, Herman said, “We’re executing better on offense. We’re so much stronger on defense, and we don’t get tired as easy. We don’t wear down late in practice. We’re still flying around and hitting people. Those are probably the two biggest areas I see.”
- Texas running back Tre Watson has participated in 7-on-7, individual and non-contact drills, but is being withheld from the tackling portion of practice. Herman said they intend to text the stress levels in his leg on Monday, and hopes the medical staff will give Watson the green light to be tackled.
- Herman said linebacker Marquez Bimage is one of their more explosive pass rushers. The coach expects Bimage to have a role as a pass rusher, and the linebacker could play more this season due to injuries or a lack of production from those ahead of him on the depth chart.
- Herman described his players as a competitive group. They celebrate on both sides of the ball when things go well, and Herman said there is a lot of team-policing.
- Malcolm Epps will stay at the receiver position this season, Herman said. Herman likes Epps’ long/athletic build, but said the receiver can improve at blocking and route-running.
- Herman on the potential South End Zone: “I can’t thank President [Greg] Fenves and Chris Del Conte [athletic director] enough for recognizing the necessity for that. The necessity to give our players as good of a facility to train in as there is in the country. The neat thing about that project is it serves multiple purposes. It improves our game-day atmosphere. It is exciting for the fans, and allows our stadium, at least the initial plans I saw, to be bowled in. It will be exciting from that point of view. More importantly to me, and to us, as a football team, it gives us a facility that should be unrivaled in the country. It’s something that has been needed around here for a while. We feel like at the University of Texas, our players deserve the best. President Fenves and Chris Del Conte made sure they agreed with me, and us, about that. I’m excited about moving forward on that project.” In addition, Herman said he is most excited about the amenities for his players, such as cryo-chambers, nap rooms, recovery rooms, hydrotherapy area with hot and cold pools.
- Texas running back Kirk Johnson is talented, athletic and has tree trunks for legs, according to Herman. However, when it comes to the playbook, Herman said Johnson is like a freshman because the running back has spent most of his time at Texas rehabbing and not taking reps. Herman wants to accelerate Johnson’s learning curve, and expects the running back to contribute this season.
- Herman on the improvement he wants to see from the quarterbacks: “I saw a little bit today. Both guys checked plays on their own, which was really good to see. Got us in some good plays, whatever the play was called versus an disadvantageous look. Didn’t have to look to the sideline. Didn’t need any coaching. They just went up there, saw a look, got us in a good play and executed. The more we can continue to do that, and can put more and more on their plate, the better off we’re going to be. Nowadays, no-huddle has become very difficult. It used to be 10 years ago, you could sit up in the press box, hurry to the line and call the play because you knew what the defense was going to be. Now, defenses have gotten much more advanced in terms of checking plays when you look to the sidelines. You got to put a lot on your quarterback, like we did back in the old days. I think our guys are responding to that.”
- Texas DB/WR D’Shawn Jamison did participate in practice on Wednesday. Coaches disciplined Jamison for an undisclosed reason by having him run laps on the sidelines during the individual portion of practice, but eventually returned.
Here are the highlights of his media availability:
- Texas running back Tristian Houston bruised his rib while landing on a football. Herman said Houston should be fine in a few days after the bruise heals.
- Longhorns linebacker Jeffrey McCulloch has a pectoral strain and will miss the next few weeks. As a result of McCulloch’s injury, safety DeMarvion Overshown is getting reps at linebacker.
- Herman thought his team had a really good day during their practice in full pads on Wednesday. Herman said, “We’re well ahead of where were this time last year. We’ve got to continue that, obviously. You’re not going to know a lot about your team. They’re still fresh. Everything is still exciting. The groundhog day of training camp really hasn’t set in just yet, but I’ll say it again, I think the NCAA, with the day off once a week, has really helped our energy level and recovery level.”
- To clarify what he meant, Herman said, “We’re executing better on offense. We’re so much stronger on defense, and we don’t get tired as easy. We don’t wear down late in practice. We’re still flying around and hitting people. Those are probably the two biggest areas I see.”
- Texas running back Tre Watson has participated in 7-on-7, individual and non-contact drills, but is being withheld from the tackling portion of practice. Herman said they intend to text the stress levels in his leg on Monday, and hopes the medical staff will give Watson the green light to be tackled.
- Herman said linebacker Marquez Bimage is one of their more explosive pass rushers. The coach expects Bimage to have a role as a pass rusher, and the linebacker could play more this season due to injuries or a lack of production from those ahead of him on the depth chart.
- Herman described his players as a competitive group. They celebrate on both sides of the ball when things go well, and Herman said there is a lot of team-policing.
- Malcolm Epps will stay at the receiver position this season, Herman said. Herman likes Epps’ long/athletic build, but said the receiver can improve at blocking and route-running.
- Herman on the potential South End Zone: “I can’t thank President [Greg] Fenves and Chris Del Conte [athletic director] enough for recognizing the necessity for that. The necessity to give our players as good of a facility to train in as there is in the country. The neat thing about that project is it serves multiple purposes. It improves our game-day atmosphere. It is exciting for the fans, and allows our stadium, at least the initial plans I saw, to be bowled in. It will be exciting from that point of view. More importantly to me, and to us, as a football team, it gives us a facility that should be unrivaled in the country. It’s something that has been needed around here for a while. We feel like at the University of Texas, our players deserve the best. President Fenves and Chris Del Conte made sure they agreed with me, and us, about that. I’m excited about moving forward on that project.” In addition, Herman said he is most excited about the amenities for his players, such as cryo-chambers, nap rooms, recovery rooms, hydrotherapy area with hot and cold pools.
- Texas running back Kirk Johnson is talented, athletic and has tree trunks for legs, according to Herman. However, when it comes to the playbook, Herman said Johnson is like a freshman because the running back has spent most of his time at Texas rehabbing and not taking reps. Herman wants to accelerate Johnson’s learning curve, and expects the running back to contribute this season.
- Herman on the improvement he wants to see from the quarterbacks: “I saw a little bit today. Both guys checked plays on their own, which was really good to see. Got us in some good plays, whatever the play was called versus an disadvantageous look. Didn’t have to look to the sideline. Didn’t need any coaching. They just went up there, saw a look, got us in a good play and executed. The more we can continue to do that, and can put more and more on their plate, the better off we’re going to be. Nowadays, no-huddle has become very difficult. It used to be 10 years ago, you could sit up in the press box, hurry to the line and call the play because you knew what the defense was going to be. Now, defenses have gotten much more advanced in terms of checking plays when you look to the sidelines. You got to put a lot on your quarterback, like we did back in the old days. I think our guys are responding to that.”
- Texas DB/WR D’Shawn Jamison did participate in practice on Wednesday. Coaches disciplined Jamison for an undisclosed reason by having him run laps on the sidelines during the individual portion of practice, but eventually returned.
