Linebacker Depth?

[Philip Barber]

The Ty Anthony Smith saga—whether he is sick, gone, or somewhere in between—has exposed what may be the Achilles’ heel of the 2026 Texas team: linebacker, particularly the MIKE position.

 

Start with experience. Biles brings experience, but he isn’t really a prototype MIKE. Spence has been more of a Swiss Army knife than a true linebacker. Smith has talent but very little experience. Then there is Cryer. How significant was his role at Florida State? Did Texas land a proven starter, or a backup from a bad football team who happens to fit what Texas needs physically?

 

Behind them are three talented freshmen. And we all know how that goes at Texas: every freshman is a future All-American until he actually has to play SEC football. They may eventually be outstanding, but right now they are still freshmen.

 

That brings us to the first problem: depth.

 

If Smith is unhappy because he can’t beat out Cryer—or if something else is going on—Texas could be playing true freshmen at linebacker sometime during a brutal SEC schedule. With the schedule Texas faces, I’m not comfortable going into the season with what amounts to 4½ dependable linebackers.

 

But there may be an even bigger issue, and “bigger” is the key word.

 

Smith is not a natural MIKE. Neither is Biles. Cryer may be winning the job partly because he actually looks like one. He has the size and build Texas needs in the middle.

 

Now comes the question: Has Cryer suddenly developed into an SEC-quality starting MIKE, or is he winning the job because he is the only veteran linebacker who truly fits the position?

 

We may find out quickly when Ohio State tests the middle of this defense with Bo Jackson running behind a very good offensive line. Texas has excellent interior defensive linemen, but can they consistently keep the linebackers clean? And if they can't, do we have a MIKE who can take on SEC-caliber blockers, shed them, and make the tackle?

 

That brings us to how Texas got here.

 

Recruiting matters. You can't sign everybody, but it is worth noticing that Ohio State has former, highly rated Texas H.S. linebackers on its roster, including Riley Pettijohn and Payton Pierce who should  play a major role in the middle.

 

Then there is the portal. Remember Ohio State again? Both programs pursued Allegro. Why? Because he fit the profile of a true MIKE.

 

Texas took Biles, who was very productive, while Ohio State apparently wasn't as interested because of his size—or perhaps because they had already invested elsewhere and liked their young linebacker room. Either way, Ohio State's young depth isn't built entirely around true freshmen who we're being told are going to be stars someday.

 

And perhaps the strangest part of the Texas portal situation is this: Texas allowed a young, supposedly talented, true MIKE to leave for Kentucky.

 

Maybe I'm overreacting. But judging by the reaction on the Texas boards yesterday, I'm certainly not the only one asking these questions.

 

Hopefully Smith simply has the flu and is back on the field soon. But even if he is, the larger concern doesn't disappear.

 

Texas has championship talent almost everywhere. But with this murderous schedule, linebacker depth—and especially the lack of a proven, prototype MIKE—may be the position that determines just how far this team can go.

 

The defensive line may be good enough to protect the linebackers. The young players may grow up quickly. Cryer may prove to be exactly what Texas needs.

 

But right now, linebacker looks like the position every Texas opponent will want to test—and the position every Texas fan should be watching.

[Red Five]

First world problems: Our biggest issue is that we may have to play our 5-star LB recruit in a game.

[LonghornFan4Ever]

The reps the young LBs will get over the next few weeks will pay dividends during the actual season imo.  Obviously not ideal for it to happen the way it has, but this could be a blessing in disguise for creating more depth in that room.  It seems to have paid off for Lacey and Bell to have as many reps as they did with the 1s in the spring with Manning recovering from foot surgery.

[Jordan Scruggs]

It's definitely a concern. I have confidence in Biles, Cryer, and Smith but anyone after is a different story. Brad Spence and Darius Snow could be huge X factors. More Spence than Snow. The freshmen will flash this fall and the reps they're getting now will help, but they're still freshmen and for them to be fully comfortable and fully playable it's going to take several games at the least. Just think about how dumbed down Anthony Hill's role was in the first few games of his freshman season when he was usually rushing the passer or blitzing. 

[LostCreekLonghorn]

Oh brother, AI message board posts 

[Tim Longoria]

Yes. Riley Pettijohn (9 career tackles) and Payton Pierce (48 career tackes) are answers, but not Rasheem Biles or Justin Cryer. Keep in mind Justin Cryer had about as many tackles last season as Pierce in his career, and Pierce is listed as 1 inch and 1 lb heavier than Biles, who had 100 tackles just last year himself. 

[khardman]

Amazing. Not one mention about LG. Hallelujah