And today I would like to thank Longhorn Wealth Management Group for sponsoring the show!

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New Texas defensive line coach Kenny Baker made a trip to Lafayette (La.) Friday to meet with signee Melvin Hills. 

Hills, 6-3 and 280-pounds, had been eager for the first conversation since Baker was announced January 30.

“I talked to Coach Baker Friday,” Hills told OnTexasFootball. “He came to see me. We were talking about how the program will be with him.”

Baker told the Lafayette Christian Academy standout what the plans would be for him early on at Texas.

“He told me that I’m an important factor with my pass rush. He said I would play end most likely to start, and then move into the interior depending on how much weight I put on.”

The first impression of Baker was a positive one. 

“I like his attitude and energy. When I talked to him, he seemed like a real guy. A God first guy.”

Up next will be a discussion with Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian. That could happen this week.  

Hills remains in the fold for the Longhorns headed into the conversation with Sarkisian. 

Melvin Hills by the numbers

Hills played his senior season 265-270 pounds. Since the season ended, he’s been locked in on adding quality weight to his frame. 

He finished his three year varsity career with 168 tackles, 36.5 tackles for loss and 20.5 sacks. That included 80 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss and 14.5 sacks as a senior. 

DALLAS – Dave Campbell’s Texas Football and Whataburger are proud to honor the best and brightest stars in Texas high school football with the announcement of the 2023 Whataburger Super Team. Texas high school football fans across the state cast more than 1.7 million votes on TexasFootball.com, and 40 outstanding athletes from all parts of Texas rose to the top to be named with this unique honor.

The Texas Longhorns 2024 class had five players make the list: 

Colin Simmons, DL, Duncanville (Texas) High

Xavier Filsaime, DB, McKinney (Texas) High

Kobe Black, DB, Waco (Texas) Connally

Tyanthony Smith, Utility, Jasper (Texas) High

Freddie Dubose, Utility, Spring Branch (Texas) Smithson Valley

Armstrong, 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds, attended Texas Junior Day January 20. He also received a school visit from head coach Steve Sarkisian and tight ends coach Jeff Banks in January. 

“Coach Sark told me to go out there and handle my business,” Armstrong said today. “And keep developing.”

Former Jasper High teammate and good friend Tyanthony Smith has had a strong message for Armstrong since getting settled in at Texas. 

“He likes it a lot,” Armstrong said. “He told me Texas is where he needs to be.”

Texas A&M Junior Day visit

Armstrong attended Junior Day at Texas A&M January 13. Getting to spend time on campus with the new staff was key. 

“I liked it a lot,” he said. “Being able to be around the new staff. How they treat me and that they will try to develop me as a person and not just a football player.”

Visit plans in March

Armstrong is expected to make an unofficial visit to Texas March 22 prior to a 7v7 tournament in Round Rock the 23rd and 24th. 

A visit to Texas A&M in March is also a possibility. 

Armstrong currently has 28 offers. That includes SEC programs Texas, Texas A&M, Alabama, LSU, Oklahoma, Auburn, Florida, Ole Miss, Arkansas and Mississippi State. 

Gerry and CJ get together to discuss the Texas draft class and talk about who goes first and why.

1. Texas will likely have no fewer than eight players picked in the 2024 NFL Draft.

2. Even with that level of attrition, most national media types are suggesting the Longhorns should have as good or better season in 2024.

Those things typically don’t square with one another.

Heavy attrition, the kind Texas faces going into this season, means the team - any team - will take a step back.

Yet folks don’t see it that way.

So why is that the case?

It’s about the offense more so than the defense.

On offense:

- Quinn Ewers returns for a third year starting.

- The RB room should be fine. Texas blew out two of its last three opponents without Jonathon Brooks already.

- Despite heavy losses at receiver and tight end, the Horns nabbed two starters from Alabama (Isaiah Bond and Amari Niblack), a starter and playmaker from Oregon State (Silas Bolden) and perhaps the country’s best kick returner from Houston (Matthew Golden).

- The OL returns its stellar left tackle, only loses one starter, and has multiple younger players pushing to get into the lineup.

But the defense…

- The Horns must replace the strength of the D up the middle. Not just T’Vondre Sweat and Byron Murphy but also Jaylan Ford.

- Yet the Horns should be better in both the secondary and at edge. And potential superstar linebacker Anthony Hill is a year older.

I don’t know exactly how I feel yet about Texas being ranked so highly this far away from the start of football season.

I want to see more from spring ball before I jump out there with Texas being a top 5 team in 2024.

Is it possible they are? Yes, absolutely.

But let’s see if they mix together like last year’s squad first.

“Culture” was a big word for 2023. In my opinion, it needs to be in 2024 as well.

***

First off, one of the names I have heard that is making an early impression is freshman cornerback Wardell Mack. The 6-foot corner has been someone that has really adjusted to the world of college football and gotten off to a hot start.

Next is DT Alex January, who has slimmed down about 10 pounds since he arrived to campus. Something to watch as Texas monitors its defensive tackle room, right now, it looks like January is taking the necessary steps to get onto the field early. We will see how that develops in the spring.

I have heard freshman EDGE Colin Simmons has added about 15-20 pounds of muscle since Christmas. Word is he is right around 240 pounds after being right around 220 when I last saw him in person in Orlando for the Under Armour All American Game.

If Simmons is able to carry 240 pounds at the moment, that would be massive for the Longhorns on the EDGE moving into the spring and into the fall from there.

Last freshman I have heard positive remarks about is Ty'Anthony Smith. The Jasper prospect has taken an impressive approach to college football as the only linebacker in the class. Smith was a late addition but has quickly adjusted to the world of college football. A bit of a slimmer lower body, but a wide open approach to body development is going to be something that might get Smith on the field earlier than expected. Positives all around. 

Ryan Fodje is someone to keep a very close eye on for the time being in regards to a potential OU class addition.

Texas hosted Fodje on the Junior Day where they offered for the first time on January 20. 

OU was Fodje’s first offer and Bedenbaugh has been pushing heavily to get the talented offensive tackle prospect into the class. Right now, I am expecting OU to find success with this recruitment. 

Really interesting trends in the state of Texas, plus a look into where the staff can create deeper inroads across the rest of the country.