The junior second baseman left the game after an awkward landing while diving for a ball hit in his direction off the bat of Volunteers second baseman Blake Grimmer. Mendoza tried to shake off what Jim Schlossnagle confirmed after the game is a shoulder injury, but he left the field and was replaced in the lineup by Callum Early.

Schlossnagle didn’t have anything else concrete on Mendoza’s injury, telling Roger Wallace during his postgame radio interview that the injury is to Mendoza’s throwing shoulder (a team source told On Texas Football late Friday that there was no definitive word on the extent of the injury).

“He’s in a fair amount of discomfort. We’ll just have to take it day by day and see if he’s able to — I can’t imagine he’ll be able to throw anytime soon. Maybe, he’ll be able to hit.”

While Early stayed in the game for the second and third innings, he was lifted in the top of the fourth for Josh Livingston. Livingston stayed in the game after beating Tennessee’s shift with a bunt single down the third-base side of the infield, occupying first base, with Casey Borba moving to third base and Temo Becerra sliding over to second. It’s a similar configuration to the one Texas (36-11, 15-9 SEC) utilized when Adrian Rodriguez was sidelined after getting the staple in his surgically-repaired hand removed.

That’s likely the mix the Longhorns will go with as long as Mendoza is out of the lineup. Mendoza, who struck out swinging in his only at-bat of the game, entered the series hitting .278 (50-for-180) with 12 doubles, eight home runs, one triple, 40 RBI and an .844 OPS.

Texas and Tennessee will continue their three-game series in Knoxville on Saturday at 5 p.m. (SEC Network+).

What can’t be disputed is that Steve Sarkisian’s squad is facing a difficult schedule in his sixth season. ESPN’s Bill Connelly and CBS Sports believe the 12-game slate is the toughest in the country, with Texas set to face eight teams included in CBS Sports’ post-spring rankings, six post-spring ranked opponents from USA Today’s too-early Top 25 and eight of the 20 highest-rated teams in Connelly’s most recent SP+ rankings.

The 2025 schedule had a case to be the toughest road slate ever navigated by a Longhorn team. Not including the annual neutral-site tussle with Oklahoma at the Cotton Bowl, the Longhorns faced Ohio State, Florida and Georgia on the road. Two top-10 opponents (Vanderbilt and Texas A&M) also made their way to Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium last season.

Regardless of where the Buckeyes, Gators and Bulldogs rank, visiting Columbus, Gainesville and Athens in the same season is a daunting task, something the Longhorns found out the hard way. Still, becoming the first FBS team since LSU in 2019 to record three regular-season wins over top-10 opponents, with victories over the Sooners, Commodores and Aggies, was the strongest argument Texas had for why it deserved to be included in the College Football Playoff.

This season’s schedule is similarly taxing. The Longhorns will battle Tennessee (Sept. 26), LSU (Nov. 14) and Texas A&M (Nov. 27) on the road, with Ohio State (Sept. 12) and Ole Miss (Oct. 24) coming to the Forty Acres. Throw in the Red River Shootout and Texas has four CFP qualifiers from last season on the schedule, along with two other bowl teams (Texas State and UTSA) in non-conference play and the rest of the nine-game SEC schedule.

As the season unfolds, the schedule's degree of difficulty will be judged by where the Longhorns’ opponents sit in the polls. If Texas manages to see at least seven ranked opponents, the 2026 schedule will set a new program standard for strength of schedule.

In the 2014 regular season, the Longhorns had six foes ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 at the time of the game, the most AP Top 25 clubs on a Texas regular-season schedule since the AP Poll expanded to 25 teams in 1989. Charlie Strong’s debut included losses to No. 12 UCLA in Arlington, No. 7 Baylor and No. 5 TCU at home, No. 11 Kansas State on the road and No. 11 Oklahoma in Dallas, with the lone ranked win of the season coming at home over No. 24 West Virginia.

There have been eight seasons since the start of the AP Top 25 era in which the Longhorns have played five ranked opponents in the regular season, including 2025:

— 2024 (at No. 10 Michigan, No. 18 Oklahoma, No. 5 Georgia, at No. 25 Vanderbilt and at No. 20 Texas A&M

— 2018 (No. 22 USC, No. 17 TCU, No. 7 Oklahoma, No. 13 West Virginia and No. 16 Iowa State)

— 2015 (at No. 11 Notre Dame, No. 24 Oklahoma State, at No. 4 TCU, No. 10 Oklahoma and at No. 12 Baylor)

— 2010 (No. 8 Oklahoma, at No. 5 Nebraska, No. 25 Baylor, No. 12 Oklahoma State and No. 17 Texas A&M)

— 1995 (at No. 21 Notre Dame, No. 13 Oklahoma, No. 14 Virginia, No. 23 Texas Tech and at No. 16 Texas A&M)

— 1993 (at No. 11 Colorado, No. 6 Syracuse, at No. 24 Louisville, No. 10 Oklahoma and at No. 8 Texas A&M)

— 1989 (at No. 14 Colorado, No. 15 Oklahoma, at No. 7 Arkansas, at No. 15 Houston and at No. 16 Texas A&M)

The additional challenge for Texas in 2026, along with the SEC going to a nine-game schedule, is the elimination of multiple bye weeks. Whereas the Longhorns had two last season, the bye week between the Tennessee game and the Oct. 10 showdown with Oklahoma is the only time they’ll be able to put their feet up and catch their breath.

Eight straight conference games to conclude the regular season could make the 2026 schedule the toughest non-stop grind since the 2008 season, when Texas took on the top-ranked Sooners, No. 11 Missouri, No. 7 Oklahoma State and No. 6 Tech in consecutive weeks. The Longhorns successfully refilled the cup against the Tigers and Cowboys, but didn’t have quite enough in the tank to dispatch the Red Raiders, suffering a loss that cost Mack Brown’s team a chance to play for the national championship.

While a 12-team playoff gives Sarkisian’s bunch more margin for error, it won’t lessen the impact that the totality of a historically difficult schedule could have on the Longhorns’ chances of getting back to the CFP and making a run toward the title game.

It will be as long as Dylan Volantis continues to deal as he did in Friday’s 3-1 win over No. 10 Mississippi State. On a cold, windy night at UFCU Disch-Falk Field, Volantis won his third series-opening start in as many tries, putting the Bulldogs in a blender with 12 strikeouts and no walks allowed while scattering three hits in a six-inning, 107-pitch gem.

The Longhorns haven’t lost any of the 11 starts Volantis has made in 2026. Volantis was good in his role as the team’s Sunday starter, but he admitted after his seventh win of the season that getting the ball on Friday night in the SEC carries more weight when he takes the mound.

“It’s just got a different vibe to it,” Volantis said, who felt his curveball, cutter and sinker were working well throughout his outing. “I’m just trying to help the team out in any way to win a ballgame.”

Jim Schlossnagle moved Volantis to the front of the weekend rotation after the canceled game at Blue Bell Park caused the sophomore southpaw to miss what would’ve been his first start since the team’s 4-1 road win over South Carolina April 4. Not wanting Volantis to go 15 days between starts, Schlossnagle gave Volantis the ball for the team’s April 17 series opener against No. 24 Alabama, a 10-2 win for Texas (34-9, 14-7 SEC) en route to series victory over the Crimson Tide.

After striking out 11 while allowing six hits and one earned run in last Friday’s 11-4 road win over Vanderbilt, Volantis befuddled a potent Mississippi State (35-11, 13-9) lineup over six shutout frames. Volantis tied his career high for single-game strikeouts, marking his third consecutive start with at least 11 batters fanned, one of which came when he retired second baseman Gehrig Frei with runners in scoring position and two outs in the fifth inning.

“I thought that Dylan was outstanding,” Schlossnagle said. “What more can you say about him? Had three pitches going — I thought he ran his fastball enough when he needed to and the times where they, I think, we're trying to sit [on his] breaking ball and compete a little bit against him, he snuck the fastball in there, especially against Frei.

“On a 3-2 count, [runners on] second and third, up 1-0 — that was the biggest pitch of the game.”

With Volantis making the transition from a record-setting reliever (an SEC-record 11 saves in conference play in 2025) to a starter, and Ruger Riojas’ tendency to work deep into games, moving Volantis up in the rotation helps Schlossnagle and Max Weiner get a better feel for how to utilize the bullpen. Haiden Leffew, who’s capable of giving the Longhorns multiple innings, hard-throwing righty Thomas Burns and freshman fireballer Sam Cozart finished what Volantis started, tying a season high and a school record for a nine-inning game with 19 strikeouts as a staff.

Texas will send Riojas to the mound on Saturday with a fresh Brett Crossland in the bullpen. Burns (eight pitches) and Cozart (12 pitches) weren’t overworked, which could come in handy if the Longhorns need a late-inning lift with a series victory within their grasp.

The buttons Schlossnagle and Weiner can push to maximize the pitching staff as the postseason draws closer are available to them because of Volantis’ dominance in setting the tone for the weekend. While it’s not a given that Texas will win every time Volantis toes the rubber, it’s clear that the Longhorns walk taller when the 6-foot-6-inch phenom has the ball.

“We definitely trust DV,” said Anthony Pack Jr., who went 1-for-2 with two walks and an RBI single in Friday’s win. “I think, personally, he's the best pitcher in the nation.”

“People are overreacting way too much to this,” Sarkisian said during a live radio interview with Craig Way on Austin’s AM 1300 The Zone. “The guy had a foot issue that we had to get fixed that we didn’t want to do last year, obviously, right before the season and/or during the season. So we waited until after the season. He could’ve been back in spring practice, probably, in week three. But, again, he’s in year four in our system. So him throwing 7-on-7, him throwing routes on air, and that getting KJ (Lacey) and Dia (Bell) and MJ (Morris) more opportunities to get accustomed to playing systematically for us…

“Rest assured, Arch Manning is fine,” he added. “He looks great.”

While Manning’s status heading into the summer doesn’t seem to be in doubt, there are three lingering concerns about Texas with spring practice in the rearview mirror.

1. The running game

Between Manning’s running ability (specifically, the advantage he gives the offense with a run threat the defense has to account for), the elite weapons the Longhorns have on the perimeter spreading opponents out and a deeper, overhauled running back room capable of maximizing runs (picking up yards when the play isn’t blocked perfectly), the conditions are ripe for the Texas running game to leave last season’s lackluster performance in the dust. Still, until we see the offensive line take the field with all of its top hands in the lineup, including Trevor Goosby making a full return from shoulder surgery and Laurence Seymore arriving in the summer as a possible answer at left guard, there should be a shred of doubt regarding the running game’s ceiling in 2026.

Even if Derrek Cooper, Michael Terry III and James Simon had their way with Will Muschamp’s defense in the end-of-spring open practice, the fact that it wasn’t done in a game against an opponent in a different colored uniform would’ve required taking it with a grain of salt. The effectiveness of the offensive line and the ability to establish and play with a physical, hard-nosed mentality on offense (one that allows the Longhorns to move the football on the ground when opponents know it’s coming) will remain a question mark until proven otherwise on the field.

2. Safety depth

If Manning is the player Texas can least afford to lose, a case can be made for Jelani McDonald over Colin Simmons as the next most valuable Longhorn in 2026. At least the edge room has capable players behind Simmons. McDonald headlines a safety group that exited spring practice with more questions than answers when looking at the big picture.

With Xavier Filsaime, Zelus Hicks and Jonah Williams working their way back from surgery, Blake Gideon’s room will look and feel different whenever Texas is back on the field. Although Jonathan Cunningham and Toray Davis flashed throughout spring practice, and Derek Williams Jr. finally looks back to his pre-injury form, the Longhorns need a lot more competition within a position group that didn’t have enough of it during the spring.

3. Special teams unknowns

Ryan Niblett’s presence and prowess in the return game are the only proven commodities to speak of on special teams. Texas went into the transfer portal for help at placekicker, punter and long snapper, but we know as much about those acquisitions at the beginning of May as we did in January.

Gianni Spetic and Mac Chiumento didn’t make an impactful first impression during the open practice on April 18. They’ve both got a decently high bar to clear to give the Longhorns what they had in the steady, reliable legs of Mason Shipley and Jack Bouwmeester.

Special teams can’t be considered a strength or a weakness right now. Like the running game, Jeff Banks’ unit will be under the microscope in the season opener, which is probably the next best glance the public will get of the new-look kicking game.

***

Based off the best of my knowledge. This list will continue to update.

***

AJ Milwee

Milwee has the territory of San Antonio and continues to make rounds down I35. 

• Pieper High – Last Thursday ... 2028 ATH/WR Carson LaCombe
• Smithson Valley – Early this week ... QB Ty Knutson & 2028 DB Hunter Haug

Jabbar Juluke

Juluke started the week out in Houston, likely with a stop to see Landen Williams-Callis out of Richmond Randle High as well. 

• Klein Oak – Monday ... '28 RB Micah Rhodes
• La Porte High – Tuesday ... '28 RB Sean Simon (Top 60 player in composite)
• Frisco High – Wednesday
• Rockwall High – Thursday
• DeSoto High – Thursday Night ... RB SaRod Baker (TTU commit)

Jeff Banks

• Langham Creek – Monday Morning .. '27 LB Jhadyn Nelson (TTU commit).
• IC Catholic (Elmhurst, IL) – Monday Evening ... '28 TE Grant Bowen (Top 50 player in composite)
• Cy Lakes – Wednesday ... '28 OL Chase Mayes, '28 LB Ja'Merce Johnson
• Duncanville – Wednesday Afternoon 

Chris Jackson

• Katy Jordan – Monday 
• La Porte High – Tuesday ... 2028 RB Sean Simon (Top 60 player in composite)

Kyle Flood

• Lovejoy High – Tuesday ... 2028 OL Wyatt Wagner and Mac Horton (both offered)

Will Muschamp

• Langham Creek – Monday Morning ... '27 LB Jhadyn Nelson (TTU commit)
• Atascocita High – Tuesday ... '27 DB Trenton Blaylock & '27 DL Jason Johnson
• North Crowley – Wednesday ... '27 CB John Meredith

Kenny Baker

• Barbers Hill – Tuesday ... '27 Raiden Cook (UH commit)
• Atascocita – Tuesday ... '27 DL Jason Johnson
• Dawson High (Pearland) – Tuesday 
• DeSoto High – Wednesday Evening ... '27 DL K'Adrian Redmond (TTU commit)

LaAllen Clark

• Mansfield Summit ... '27 EDGE Cam Hall 
• Arlington Sam Houston – Thursday ... 
• Atlanta (TX) – Thursday ... '28 EDGE CJ Whaley

Johnny Nansen

• Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.) – Monday ... 
• Hawaii – Wednesday ... '27 LB Toa Satele (visited April 7-11)

Blake Gideon 

• Langham Creek – Monday Morning ... '27 LB Jhadyn Nelson (TTU commit)
• Lamar Consolidated  (Fort Bend County) – Tuesday 
• South Oak Cliff – Wednesday ... '27 DB Isaiah Udom
• North Crowley – Wednesday ... '27 CB John Meredith
• Harlan High – Thursday ... '28 Deshawn Simmons

Mark Orphey

• Dickinson High – Tuesday ... '28 Royce Bimage  (top 200 in composite)
• Angleton High – Wednesday ... '27 DB Kasen Jammer (son of Quentin Jammer)
• Keller Central High – Wednesday ... '28 CB Isaiah Taylor

Texas Coaches stopped by –

• Tomball High on Monday
• Katy Jordan on Monday
• Parish Episcopal on Thursday

It hasn’t been front of mind for many given spring training just closed, but it is really starting to heat up behind the scenes.

Texas sits at nine commitments. That’s a solid amount.

Yet with the month of April coming to an end, we will likely see that number at least double in the next 60 days.

So naturally, recruiting is a primary focus inside the building.

A few recruits will make decisions in the next 15-30 days, while most are targeting a June decision. A few others will take it into the football season.

For Texas over the next month, it will be about closing out a couple of those major recruitments while getting ready for the large recruiting weekends in June.

It’s all about setting things up right and then getting it all to the end.

As of now, I like where Texas sits with this recruiting class. And more importantly, they like where they sit.

**

Many of you have asked about the new indoor facility and the timing of its opening.

The current plan is to have the indoor facility ready for football’s regular season. A grand opening is tentatively planned for the week before the football season opener.

That means the Horns will use the Denius practice fields in August before rotating into the indoor facility come late August, early September.

Texas will be able to show off parts of the new facility during recruiting weekends.

Campbell, a former five-star recruit from Arlington (Texas) Bowie, started 43 games over the course of his career at right guard, providing the veteran presence on the O-line after roster turnover ahead of the 2025 season. 

Campbell is the fifth offensive lineman drafted from the Longhorns in recent years, joining Kelvin Banks, Hayden Conner and Cam Williams in 2025, and Christian Jones in 2024.

Hank South contributed to this report.

The former walk-on turned All-American put together a storybook career in Austin over the course of five years. In all, Taaffe recorded 222 tackles, 9.5 tackles for a loss, three sacks, 21 pass breakups and seven interceptions, including a pair of picks in back-to-back years against Texas A&M, fittingly enough.

Taaffe started 36 games, appearing in 53 overall. He earned Second-Team AP All-American honors for his 2024 efforts. The Austin Westlake product opted to come back for one more season in 2025 to help Texas try and get back to the College Football Playoff.

He’s the fifth Texas defensive back to be selected over the last three drafts, joining Malik Muhammad earlier in the day, Jahdae Barron and Andrew Mukuba in 2025, and Ryan Watts in 2024.

Hank South contributed to this report.

Moore, a product of Smithson Valley High School, split his career between UTSA and Texas, playing his final two seasons with the Longhorns.

In all, Moore had 71 tackles, including 15.5 tackles for a loss, and 9.5 sacks in his two seasons in Burnt Orange.

Moore is the second linebacker to be selected from Texas this draft, after Anthony Hill Jr. was picked by the Tennessee Titans in the second round.

Moore joins Hill, DeMarvion Overshown and Jaylan Ford as the fourth linebacker drafted out of Texas since Steve Sarkisian took over in Austin in 2021.

Hank South contributed to this report.

Muhammad, a three-year contributor for Texas, played in 39 career games, starting two games a freshman, all 16 as a sophomore, and nine as a junior. The Dallas (Texas) South Oak Cliff product compiled 97 tackles, including 3.5 tackles for a loss, a sack, 19 pass breakups, and three interceptions over the course of his career in Burnt Orange.

“Texas has prepared me very well, like overly prepared,” Muhammad said after his Texas Pro Day workout. “The program that Sark runs is like a pro program when it comes to time management, the structure of our day, the way we practice, the way we lift weights, the way we run. And then he just preaches to us about being a great person and a great man, whether you’re a husband, a father, a brother, a teammate, anyway possible, he just preaches about being a great man. Texas has definitely prepared us for these moments.”

The former four-star recruit is the fourth defensive back to get drafted from Texas over the last three drafts, joining Jahdae Barron and Andrew Mukuba in 2025 and Ryan Watts in 2024.

Hank South contributed to this report.