In the Pipeline | QB & RB

[CJ Vogel]

Wanted to introduce a series for the week that will take us position by position on the Texas roster and how it stacks up for the 2024 season and beyond. We will begin today with the quarterback and running back positions, two of the deeper positions in the Texas program.

For each position, we will take a look at what the expected look will be for the 2024 season then a peak behind the curtain for what the position will gain and/or lose beyond the upcoming season.

Quarterback

On Roster: Quinn Ewers, Arch Manning, Trey Owens

Coming Soon: KJ Lacey

For 2024: It was never any secret what the position was going to look like when word around Quinn Ewers started to turn towards No. 3 returning for another season in Austin. The job is his, but he is going to be pushed very hard behind the scenes by a redshirt freshman Arch Manning and the incoming freshman, Trey Owens. Texas is entering the SEC with a top five quarterback in the country and a more than capable QB2. 

Beyond: Quinn Ewers is in the conversation for being the top quarterback off the board for the 2025 NFL Draft. Should Ewers depart, as is the consensus thought right now, Texas is expected to begin the Arch Manning era in Austin. The former No. 1 overall player in the 2023 class got a little taste of game action last fall where he had some 'wow' moments, but in very limited setting. KJ Lacey will join the fold as well, battling with Trey Owens for that QB2 role. I would expect to see Manning on campus for at least two years before departing for the NFL Draft.

Running Back

On Roster: CJ Baxter, Jaydon Blue, Savion Red, Tre Wisner, Christian Clark, Jerrick Gibson

Coming Soon: 2025 commit(s), 2026 Raycine Guillory Jr. 

For 2024: Talent is bountiful in the running backs room at the moment. Perhaps the deepest position room on the entire roster going into the 2024 season. The 1-2 punch of Baxter and Blue is very encouraging and figures to be a massive part of the Texas offense next fall. An extra year in the weight room should be noticeable for Baxter next year as he takes over the bell-cow role. The change of pace component in Jaydon Blue's game excites me; he possesses a level of speed that might not be matched by the rest of the room. Question is, what role does Savion Red play for the upcoming year? Can Tre Wisner scrap out a piece as well? Do the freshman lap anyone ahead of them? All good questions which we will get an idea about beginning in March.

Beyond: Tashard Choice has set this group up to be in the conversation for the best running back room in the country. It is likely the Longhorns could  run back the same unit in 2025, with Baxter entering his draft eligible season and Blue coming back for his senior season. What then happens to the backs behind them? Regardless, Texas has two freshmen backs in Jerrick Gibson and Christian Clark that already have folks buzzing inside of the facility. Texas should not be dry of talent at the running back spot any time soon.

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[Shane]

Great work again ! 

[CJ Vogel]

10 minutes ago, Shane said:

Great work again ! 

Thanks for reading, @Shane

[SpaceCityWrangler]

Between you and Gerry… I just call everything “nuggets for my pipe”.  

[CJ Vogel]

1 minute ago, SpaceCityWrangler said:

Between you and Gerry… I just call everything “nuggets for my pipe”.  

To quote the famous philosophical group called Fall Out Ball, it's time to light it up, up, up.

[BurntOrangeCrush]

Great stuff CJ, thank you!

[GoHorns1]

Great new feature 😍 

Edited February 5, 2024 by GoHorns1

[Nate Russ]

What a time to be a fan! Good stuff...It would be very entertaining to see Red in wildcat on occasion with some variable tempo. DCs might just give up at that point 🤣

[gus fleener]

Just now, Nate Russ said:

What a time to be a fan! Good stuff...It would be very entertaining to see Red in wildcat on occasion with some variable tempo. DCs might just give up at that point 🤣

Too bad we don't have a running back named White. We could run the wildcat with Red White and Blue.

[Gerry Hamilton]

Like that a lot

[Red Five]

14 minutes ago, gus fleener said:

Too bad we don't have a running back named White.

Hey take that to Tiger Droppings or Texags! Oh wait I see what you did there.

Any chance that room thins out a little post spring? Sometime between November and January I became the world's biggest Jaydon Blue fan, and I want him to get as many touches as possible. All those dudes deserve a role but there is only one football.

[CJ Vogel]

Just now, Red Five said:

Hey take that to Tiger Droppings or Texags! Oh wait I see what you did there.

Any chance that room thins out a little post spring? Sometime between November and January I became the world's biggest Jaydon Blue fan, and I want him to get as many touches as possible. All those dudes deserve a role but there is only one football.

It's a possibility. RB has been a spot that has flirted with portal entrants for several seasons now, though credit to Tashard Choice, he has kept everyone in the fold for now. Going into spring, it would be a position I am monitoring for a potential portal departure.

[ArchMania]

Great stuff CJ…y’all are crushing it on all fronts brother. Thanks for all the great content! HookEm 

[Texas fan in Georgia]

To think that Texas had the doak winner in Bijan, followed by what would’ve been a doak winner in brooks- on top of that Bijan was a top 10 pick and a finalist for rookie of the year, whereas brooks is still viewed as the top RB in this years draft class . This speaks to how important keeping tashard choice on the coaching staff is and also shows the value of waiting your turn. I would be preaching that to guys like Gibson and Clark, and possibly the RB outta mater dei that Texas is high on if he was to come to Texas. 

[Gerry Hamilton]

13 minutes ago, Texas fan in Georgia said:

To think that Texas had the doak winner in Bijan, followed by what would’ve been a doak winner in brooks- on top of that Bijan was a top 10 pick and a finalist for rookie of the year, whereas brooks is still viewed as the top RB in this years draft class . This speaks to how important keeping tashard choice on the coaching staff is and also shows the value of waiting your turn. I would be preaching that to guys like Gibson and Clark, and possibly the RB outta mater dei that Texas is high on if he was to come to Texas. 

I really really like the RB room next year.

CB4 in year two is going to look totally different.

Jaydon Blue will be a very valuable space player in the SEC 

Tre Wisner can find a role 

It won’t surprise me if Christian Clark is in the mix for the goal line back. Probably the most violent cutter between the tackles of any RB 
 

Jerrick Gibson has a Power 5 ready body. He can take Power 5 with that compact, 215 pound body 

 

Savion Red is a wild card for me.

[Texas fan in Georgia]

8 minutes ago, Gerry Hamilton said:

I really really like the RB room next year.

CB4 in year two is going to look totally different.

Jaydon Blue will be a very valuable space player in the SEC 

Tre Wisner can find a role 

It won’t surprise me if Christian Clark is in the mix for the goal line back. Probably the most violent cutter between the tackles of any RB 
 

Jerrick Gibson has a Power 5 ready body. He can take Power 5 with that compact, 215 pound body 

 

Savion Red is a wild card for me.

If there’s a RB to enter the portal after the spring I think it would be Red. I say that not bc I don’t think red is capable of finding a spot but out of all the guys in that room he’s the only one I believe that’s not a natural RB. If Wisner was to move up to RB3 or one of the incoming freshman was to just blow the coaches away from the start- Red could just fall down the depth chart and not see a path to the field other than special teams. Thats just something I’ll be keeping an eye on in the spring game. 

[Gerry Hamilton]

1 minute ago, Texas fan in Georgia said:

If there’s a RB to enter the portal after the spring I think it would be Red. I say that not bc I don’t think red is capable of finding a spot but out of all the guys in that room he’s the only one I believe that’s not a natural RB. If Wisner was to move up to RB3 or one of the incoming freshman was to just blow the coaches away from the start- Red could just fall down the depth chart and not see a path to the field other than special teams. Thats just something I’ll be keeping an eye on in the spring game. 

That would be my opinion on the portal too, if something were to happen. 

[Burntcowboy]

I have a question about Arch and number of starts. It has been said that Quinn’s camp has done the research and a college QB should have X amount of starts, does the Arch camp have that same thought?

[Bobby Burton]

3 hours ago, Red Five said:

Hey take that to Tiger Droppings or Texags! Oh wait I see what you did there.

Any chance that room thins out a little post spring? Sometime between November and January I became the world's biggest Jaydon Blue fan, and I want him to get as many touches as possible. All those dudes deserve a role but there is only one football.

I think it thins out *some* in April/May.

[Bobby Burton]

2 minutes ago, Burntcowboy said:

I have a question about Arch and number of starts. It has been said that Quinn’s camp has done the research and a college QB should have X amount of starts, does the Arch camp have that same thought?

Have not heard. But the number was supposed to be 25. Arch , if he starts two full years, would be right at that number or above it.

[Stackcity]

5 hours ago, CJ Vogel said:

Thanks for reading, @Shane

This site hits in all 3 phases of the game! Nice work! 🤘🏾

[Real Papi]

Great job gentlemen.  Blue has earned additional touches with his play.  Excited to see what he and Wisner can bring to the game plan.  These guys are game changers in my opinion, love the way they attack when given opportunities.  Let’s go TEXAS! 

Edited February 6, 2024 by Real Papi

[CastleHorn88]

I’m a big fan of Blue. I remember his senior year and recrutintg sites essentially giving up on him and @Gerry Hamiltonwas just thinking everyone’s a fool for doing so. 
I hope he has a monster year and gets his shot at the next level. 🤘

[CJ Vogel]

21 minutes ago, CastleHorn88 said:

I’m a big fan of Blue. I remember his senior year and recrutintg sites essentially giving up on him and @Gerry Hamiltonwas just thinking everyone’s a fool for doing so. 
I hope he has a monster year and gets his shot at the next level. 🤘

I am very happy Blue has stuck around this far at Texas. In 2024 especially, he is going to reap those benefits of waiting his turn.

[David Edwards]

Sark needs to run a two back set... using Baxter and Blue and with the right WRs and TE... this package should be powerful and hopefully this will help solve the red zone issues.