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    CJ Vogel
    By now I am sure most of yall have seen Bill Norton’s post on Twitter: 
    Well, unfortunately, it is not a return to Austin for a second season with the Longhorns. 
    I have confirmed that Norton is out of eligibility and is off to the pros. Right now, Norton’s focus is on the Texas Pro Day, not a return to Texas for 2025.
    Jeff Howe
    AUSTIN, Texas — Riding a three-game losing streak and their NCAA Tournament hopes fading fast, the Texas men’s basketball team needed Saturday’s 82-78 win over No. 15 Kentucky in the worst possible way.
    Coach Rodney Terry watched his club battle back from a five-point deficit with 3:51 remaining to end the skid. Texas (16-10, 5-8 SEC) also got one step closer to the likely magic number of eight conference wins needed to feel good about its March Madness chances on a night when freshman phenom Tre Johnson set career highs with 32 points and nine rebounds, while Tramon Mark poured in a season-high 26 points (9-for-14 from the field and 3-for-5 from 3-point range).
    “I thought our guys really guarded really hard tonight, played probably as hard as we've played all year long, defensively, and found a way to grind this one out,” Terry said. “This is a grind-out game, and I give these guys a lot of credit for working the game really hard and working it for 40 minutes.”
    I’ve got three key takeaways from watching the Longhorns finish off the Wildcats down the stretch en route to a much-needed win in front of 11,060 fans at Moody Center.
    — Johnson’s big night came despite going 1-for-8 from beyond the arc. What helped his cause and lifted Texas to the victory was the combination of Johnson and Mark going a combined 12-for-14 from the foul line in the second half.
    Kentucky (17-8, 6-6) overcame a 1-for-11 shooting slump to take a 65-60 lead with 5:35 to play when Terry called a 30-second timeout.
    Coming out of the timeout, Mark was fouled by Koby Brea on a 3-pointer. While he couldn’t convert the four-point play, it halted the Wildcats’ momentum and was the counterpunch the Longhorns needed to get back in the game.
    The team's sense of urgency down the stretch was palpable. Once Texas got into the double bonus, the intent was clear: either get Johnson or Mark to the basket or get the ball into the paint to force the issue and get to the foul line.
    When the dust settled, the Longhorns were 17-for-21 from the stripe in the second half. It was a stark contrast from a 2-for-2 showing in the first half.
    — No two Longhorns exemplified the gritty nature of the win than Kadin Shedrick (five points, five rebounds, two blocks and two steals) and Jayson Kent (six points and eight rebounds).
    Amari Williams, the Wildcats’ 7-foot center, was a problem for Texas, scoring 18 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. Still, Shedrick and Kent stayed in the fight, with Shedrick getting a tip-in and a clean block of Williams on the other end to extend the lead to four points, 74-70, and preserve inside of the game's final 90 seconds.
    “The first 35 minutes of the game, I was kind of struggling to get things going. I wasn't playing up to my expectations. I was getting frustrated with myself,” said Shedrick, who threw down a two-handed slam with 4.5 seconds left on the clock for the exclamation point on the win. “I give credit to my teammates and my coaches for keeping me locked in and helping me remember that I'm going to make a play down the stretch to help us win the game.”
    The play down low wasn’t a masterpiece, but the Longhorns won the rebounding battle (41-40) and had a plus-4 edge in points in the paint (38-34). On a night when, as Terry said, "[Texas] just had to find a way,” the Longhorns did.
    — The 1-for-11 slump contributed largely to Kentucky’s 37.9-percent shooting performance in the second half (11-for-29 from the field). The Wildcats committed 10 of 15 turnovers after halftime, with the Longhorns stringing together enough stops to overcome their dismal 1-for-9 stretch from the field in the second half.
    Kentucky coach Mark Pope pointed to his club's lack of execution late in the game as the difference between the Wildcats and Texas on Saturday. Part of that was the job the Longhorns did, using their aggressiveness on defense as fuel to get things going on the other end of the court and close out a quality opponent in a must-win situation.
    “If it's the last few minutes and the game [is] close, we're thinking we’re going to win regardless, even if we're down by a lot,” Johnson said. “When all five guys are locked in on defense, I have no problem, no doubt in my mind that we can make any comeback.”
    Jeff Howe
    For Texas baseball coach Jim Schlossnagle and the Longhorns, the benefit of opening the 2025 college baseball season in the Shriners Children’s College Showdown at Arlington’s Globe Life Field is getting their flaws exposed right out of the gate.
    After Friday’s 4-3 loss to Louisville in 10 innings, Schlossnagle didn’t sugarcoat the sting No. 19 Texas felt while processing the unsavory lessons learned.
    The Longhorns were one out away from a season-opening victory, but the Cardinals got a two-run, pinch-hit single from Garret Pike in the bottom of the ninth, sending the game to extra innings. Center fielder Lucas Moore completed the comeback victory for coach Dan McDonnell’s club with a bases-loaded, two-out single off of Andre Duplantier II in the bottom of the 10th.
    “We're not opening the season with some school from the north that hasn't played much baseball. We’re opening the season in this tournament,” Schlossnagle said during his postgame, on-field interview with Keith Moreland. “We'll learn from this, but it certainly hurts right now, that's for sure.
    Texas scored its only runs through nine innings in the top of the second on Will Gasparino’s two-run home run. Schlossnagle tipped his cap to a Louisville pitching staff that fired 16 strikeouts and limited the Longhorns to a 2-for-17 night with runners on base and a 1-or-5 outing with runners in scoring position.
    “They pitched awesome,” Schlossnagle said of the Louisville arms.
    Starting pitcher Patrick Forbes bounced back from serving up Gasparino’s home run with a vengeance, striking out 11. The righty fanned Gasparino in the top of the third with two outs and the bases loaded, wiping out a golden opportunity Texas had to break the game open.
    The Longhorns committed two errors, while the bullpen couldn’t close the door on the Cardinals in the late innings. Regardless, a few new faces on the Forty Acres provided bright spots.
    Lefty Jared Spencer surrendered four hits and struck out six over 5.2 shutout innings in a successful starting debut. The Indiana State transfer’s slider befuddled the Cardinals, helping Spencer get through his outing on just 67 pitches (48 strikes).
    Ruger Riojas was charged with Louisville’s two ninth-inning runs. Still, the right-handed UTSA transfer struck out four in 2.2 innings of work, including punching out right fielder Eddie King Jr. with two outs and runners in scoring position in the bottom of the sixth.
    Freshman Adrian Rodriguez wasn’t rattled by a three-strikeout debut, coming through in the top of the 10th with a solo home run to right field.
    There were more than a few things to like in a losing effort, but Schlossnagle wants a different result when Texas takes on Ole Miss on Saturday (7 p.m., FloSports).
    “We're a work in progress, like most teams,” Schlossnagle said. It's just tough we had to go down tonight.”
    CJ Vogel
    Welcome to the Round Up. 
    It's a blistering 14º in Chicago currently where I am up for the weekend, but the cold won't stop me!
    Anyways, a quick rundown on some coaching candidates for the open Texas RB position and updates on some Longhorns recovering from injury during the winter conditioning months.
    ***
    RB Candidates
    Texas Special Assistant to the HC Chris Gilbert – A man already in Austin, Texas with plenty of understanding of the current recruiting sphere insdie of Moncrief, this hire makes sense when you also consider Gilbert also comes with on-field coaching experience while at North Texas (TE). 
     
    Ole Miss RB Coach Kevin Smith – Perhaps my favorite option when considering the three major factors I am looking for when replacing Tashard Choice: Development, Recruiting, Presence in the South. Smith has all three.
     
    Baylor RB Coach Khenon Hall – I have heard a lot of positives in regard to Khenon Hall at Baylor. He has great ties to the state of Texas and has been considered a recruit-favorite from coaches I have talked to recently.
     
    Florida RB Coach Jabbar Juluke – One of the more well-known coaches at the running back position, Juluke has been the RB Coach at Florida since 2022 and helped produce Dameon Pierce of the Houston Texans. Of course, he also has huge ties to the state of Florida as well, a place Texas has had plenty of success recently when recruiting the position.
     
    Oregon State RB Coach Ray Pickering – A former staffer of Steve Sarkisian's and now RB coach at Oregon State, Pickering has ties to Mississippi and connections to 5-star WR Tristan Keys already. He would help in the southeast
     
    Nebraska RB Coach EJ Barthel – Barthel comes with ties to the NFL having spent two seasons with the Carolina Panthers, but also some ties to the northeast. Of course, he is currently at Nebraska where he has been tied to the hip of Matt Rhule since the Panthers tenure. 
     
    Oregon RB Coach Rashaad Samples – Of course, what list would be complete without the mention of Samples. One of the hottest recruiters in the country with plenty of ties to the state of Texas. Will Texas go this route? I tend to lean it is unlikely, but of course I won't count out anything with Steve Sarkisian.
    ***
    Quick Injury Updates
    – Texas RB CJ Baxter has been recovering well from his knee injury suffered in fall camp of 2024. I have heard the progression has gone very well and there is a chance Baxter sees some on-field work towards the backend of spring ball. That won't mean he will be 100% as a contributor for those spring practices, but cleated up and running on the side field would be a great sign for his ultimate return in 2025.
    – It was reported by CBS that Texas EDGE Colton Vasek would undergo shoulder surgery towards the backend of January. Right now, his status for the spring is a bit up in the air, though I have heard he has been very active in his recovery. I don't expect to see Vasek fully cleared and ready to return to the field by then, but some light working out would be a great sign. I will dig a bit more to see what else I can find, but right now, a bit of a question mark in terms of overall expectations for Vasek this spring.
     
    Bobby Burton
    Program-record 14 Longhorns invited to NFL Combine
    For the second-consecutive year, the Longhorns shatter their program record of players invited to the NFL Combine.
    AUSTIN, Texas – A program-record 14 Texas Football players were invited to the 2025 NFL Combine, the NFL released Thursday morning. The list of Longhorns invitees includes OL Kelvin Banks Jr., DB Jahdae Barron, RB Jaydon Blue, WR Isaiah Bond, DL Vernon Broughton, DL Alfred Collins, OL Hayden Conner, QB Quinn Ewers, WR Matthew Golden, TE Gunnar Helm, OL Jake Majors, DB Andrew Mukuba, EDGE Barryn Sorrell and OL Cameron Williams.
    It bests the previous program-record of 11 players, which was set in 2024. Texas has had 25 players invited to the NFL Combine the past two years, tied with Georgia for the most in the nation during that stretch. The 14 players invited to this year’s Combine are tied with Georgia for second-most nationally (Ohio State/15).
    The Longhorns’ 11 players selected in the 2024 NFL Draft were a program best for a seven-round draft and second-most nationally (Michigan/13). All 11 were taken in the first six rounds, which was most of any program.
    The NFL Combine will take place in Indianapolis from Feb. 24-March 3. Live coverage of the combine will begin Feb. 27 on NFL Network and NFL+. Executives, coaches, player personnel staffs and medical personnel from all 32 NFL teams will be on hand to evaluate more then 300 individuals who are eligible for the 2025 NFL Draft (April 24-26, Green Bay, Wisc.).
    Tentative Combine Schedule
    Defensive Linemen / Linebackers – Thursday, Feb. 27 – Watch
    Defensive Backs / Tight Ends – Friday, Feb. 28 – Watch
    Quarterbacks / Wide Receivers / Running Backs – Saturday, March 1 – Watch
    Offensive Linemen – Sunday, March 2 – Watch
    Banks became the 25th Longhorn (28th time) to be selected as a unanimous First-Team All-American. The 2024 Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award recipient, Banks was named a first-team All-American by the AFCA, Associated Press, FWAA, The Sporting News and Walter Camp Football Foundation. A three-year starter at left tackle for the Longhorns, Banks was a key member of the Texas offensive line that was tabbed a finalist for the Joe Moore Award which goes to the nation's most outstanding offensive line unit. Individually, he also won the SEC’s Jacobs Blocking Trophy for the top offensive lineman in the conference and was a first-team All-SEC selection. He played in and started 43 games during his three-year career on the Forty Acres.
    Barron became the third Longhorn to win the Jim Thorpe Award with safety Michael Huff (2005) and cornerback Aaron Ross (2006) having taken it home in back-to-back years. Also a finalist for the 2024 Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Barron was tabbed a consensus All-American by the five All-America teams on Dec. 19. During his five-year career on the Forty Acres, Barron played in 57 games with 39 starts. Last season, he led the Longhorns in interceptions (5) and pass break-ups (11) to go along with 67 total tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack, two quarterback hurries and a fumble recovery.
    Blue played in 39 games with five starts during his three-year career on the Forty Acres. Prior to the 2024 season, Blue landed on the preseason watch lists for the Doak Walker and Paul Hornung Awards. In his final season, Blue proved to be one of the nation’s most explosive playmakers in the backfield after tallying 134 carries for 730 yards (5.4 ypc) and eight touchdowns. He also added 42 receptions to account for 368 receiving yards and six scores, accounting for 1,098 yards of total offense. He posted two 100-yard rushing efforts on the season, including a 124-yard, three-touchdown performance vs. ULM on Sept. 21 and a career-high 146-yard, two-touchdown day vs. Clemson on Dec. 21.
    In his lone season with Texas, Bond showcased his elite playmaking ability at wide receiver despite being limited for a significant stretch due to injury. He reeled in 34 catches for 540 yards (15.9 ypc) and five touchdowns and registered four rushing attempts for 98 yards and a score. The Buford, Ga., native played in 14 games with 12 starts (missed Vanderbilt, Clemson games due to injury). He had a 100-yard receiving performance vs. UTSA on Sept. 14, pulling in five receptions for 103 yards and two touchdowns.
    Broughton had a five-year career as a Longhorn, seeing action in 56 games with 17 starts. The Houston product was a mainstay on Texas’ defense in 2024 and started all 16 games. He logged 39 tackles (24 solo), 4.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, two pass break-ups, two forced fumbles and recovered three fumbles.
    A native of Bastrop, Texas, Collins had a five-year career as a defensive lineman who started all 16 games during the 2024 season and earned Second-Team All-America selection from the Associated Press. Last season, Collins registered 55 total tackles (27 solo), 5.5 tackles for loss, one sack, seven pass break-ups, one quarterback hurry, one forced fumble and one blocked kick. Following Texas' 20-10 road win at Arkansas on Nov. 16, Collins was lauded as the SEC's Defensive Lineman of the Week. As a Longhorn, Collins played in 64 games with 27 starts.
    Conner played four seasons for the Horns, competing in 52 games and making 44 starts. He was part of a Texas offensive line that was named a finalist for the 2024 Joe Moore Award and a semifinalist for the 2023 Joe Moore Award. He started all 16 games at left guard for the Longhorns in 2024 and was named to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, along with being a semifinalist for the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy.
    A second-team All-SEC performer and finalist for the Manning Award, Ewers completed 293-of-445 passes (65.8 percent) for 3,472 yards and 31 touchdowns while averaging 248.0 yards per contest in 14 starts this season. He was also a semifinalist for the Maxwell Award, Davey O’Brien Award and Walter Camp Award. Ewers finished sixth in the FBS in passing touchdowns (31), 14th in passing yards (3,472), 14th in points responsible for (202), 25th in passing efficiency (149), 26th in passing yards per game (248.0), 26th in completion percentage (65.8 percent), and 27th in completions per game (20.93). Ewers closed his time as a Longhorn on a 27-game passing touchdown streak – the longest active streak by an FBS quarterback and the second-longest streak in program history behind Colt McCoy's program-record 29 games. The Southlake, Texas, product finished third in the program's record book in both passing touchdowns (68) and passing yards (9,128), and second in most 300-yard passing games in a career (11).
    In his lone season with Texas, Golden powered the Horns’ receiving corps while doubling as the team’s kick returner. The Houston native started all 16 games this season and led the team in receiving yards (987) and receiving touchdowns (9) while ranking second on the squad in receptions (58). Golden averaged a team-high 17.03 yards per catch and recorded two 100-yard receiving games. In the SEC Championship vs. Georgia on Dec. 7, he gathered eight receptions for a career-high 162 yards. He also corralled seven receptions for 149 yards and a score in the CFP Quarterfinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl against Arizona State on Jan. 1. As the team’s primary kick returner, Golden amassed 285 return yards on 14 attempts (20.4 ypr).
    Helm burst onto the national scene during the 2024 season, starting in all 16 games and earning semifinalist status for the John Mackey Award and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award and Second-Team All-SEC recognition. During his four-year career, he appeared in 55 games with 26 starts. The Englewood, Colo., native paced UT in receptions with 60 to go along with 786 receiving yards (13.1 ypc) and seven touchdowns. In Texas’ win vs. Michigan on Sept. 7, Helm led the Horns with seven receptions for 98 yards and a touchdown. He also snared six catches for 77 yards and a score in the CFP First Round vs. Clemson on Dec. 21.
    Majors played in 58 games with a program record 57 career starts during his five-year career at Texas. A 2024 Joe Moore Award finalist and a CSC First-Team Academic All-America honoree, Majors was named the Outland Trophy National Player of the Week on Sept. 10 and SEC Co-Offensive Lineman of the Week on Sept. 9 following UT's road victory at Michigan. He was selected as a finalist for the 2024 William V. Campbell Trophy on Oct. 23 and received an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the 2024 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments. He started all 16 games at center for the Horns during the 2024 season.
    Mukuba joined the Horns for the 2024 season after a three-year playing career at Clemson. Starring in the secondary, Mukuba garnered 69 tackles (41 solo), four tackles for loss, five interceptions, six pass break-ups, one quarterback hurry and one forced fumble. He, along with Barron, paced Texas with his five interceptions, including a game-securing one in double overtime of the CFP Quarterfinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl against Arizona State. The Austin, Texas, native garnered the Jim Thorpe Award’s National Player of the Week on Sept. 9 following UT’s win at Michigan.
    Sorrell, a four-year player from New Orleans, racked up 40 starts in 49 career games. Sorrell recorded 44 tackles (16 solo), 11 tackles for loss, six sacks, one pass break-up and a team-leading 12 quarterback hurries. He went on to have a stellar Senior Bowl, being named the American Team’s Top Defensive Lineman.
    Williams, who played in 38 games with 17 starts in three years at Texas, held down the starting right tackle spot in 2024. Part of a 2024 Joe Moore Award finalist offensive line, Williams was named Co-SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week after Texas’ season opener against Colorado State. Williams started 15 games in 2024, missing the CFP Quarterfinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on Jan. 1 due to injury.
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