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  • Texas Longhorns News

    A place for any Longhorn Fan to get the latest news from the On Texas Football team.
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    Jeff Howe
    Texas associate head coach/recruiting coordinator Nolan Cain interviewed for the vacant head coaching job at the University of Houston, On Texas Football has learned. Both parties decided to go in different directions; Cain was one of 10-plus targets on the Cougars’ radar to replace long-time head coach Todd Whitting, who parted ways with the school after 16 seasons.
    OTF has also learned that other schools are interested in Cain as a head coaching candidate. Houston isn’t expected to be the last program to try and poach Cain from Jim Schlossnagle’s staff, a group of coaches currently preparing for Friday’s SEC Tournament quarterfinal against a to-be-determined opponent.
    Cain, who also serves as the team’s third base coach on game day and works with the program’s catchers, followed Schlossnagle to the Forty Acres after three seasons at Texas A&M (2022-24). Cain helped assemble a 2025 recruiting class that brought 2026 SEC Freshman of the Year Anthony Pack Jr. and first-team All-SEC relief pitcher Sam Cozart to Austin.
    Pack and Cozart were instrumental in helping Texas (40-12, 19-10) finish the regular season in second place in the conference standings. The Longhorns also concluded a 52-game campaign with a No. 5 national ranking in the D1Baseball.com Top 25.
    Thanks to Cain’s efforts on the recruiting trail, Texas became the first SEC program since Florida in 2009 and 2010 to produce the SEC Freshman of the Year in consecutive seasons, with Dylan Volantis claiming the honor in 2025.
    Jeff Howe
    Published Monday morning, Jordan Scruggs’ first contribution to OTF listed the 10 most wanted recruits left on the board for Texas in the 2027 cycle.
    In the transfer portal/NIL era of college football, four of the 10 prospects jumped out as arguably the most important remaining targets for the Longhorns:
    — Ismael Camara, OL, Gilmer
    — Marcus Fakatou, DL, Chatsworth (Calif.) Sierra Canyon
    — Jabaarrius Garror, EDGE, Mobile (Ala.) Vigor
    — Bryan Swanson, OL, Dallas South Oak Cliff
    Understanding how championship-caliber rosters are built in college football today highlights the importance of these four prospects, especially when looking at how Steve Sarkisian’s organization constructed the 2026 squad.
    While the Longhorns had the resources to get virtually everything they needed during the transfer portal window, high school recruiting taking care of three premium positions (quarterback, offensive tackle and edge rusher), with Arch Manning, Trevor Goosby and Colin Simmons occupying those roles, allowed the staff to focus on other areas of need.
    Including defensive linemen, players at four of the five most lucrative positions in the NFL come with a steep price tag in the transfer portal. Texas has the wherewithal that few other programs have to acquire talent. Still, if the Longhorns’ must-have list included a top-tier, premium-position talent other than Cam Coleman, they might not have had the luxury of souping up the running back room with Raleek Brown and Hollywood Smothers. If Goosby had left for the NFL, it would’ve driven up the price for Melvin Siani (or another tackle on the open market) or, potentially, caused the pool at another position of need to shrink until the tackle need was fulfilled.
    There’s no guarantee that the high school pipeline will always be the answer to filling premium positions. Nevertheless, if Texas uses high school recruiting to prioritize quarterbacks and players on both sides of the line of scrimmage who disrupt and protect the most important position on the field at an elite level, Sarkisian’s program has a good chance to remain a step ahead of the pack when future portal windows open.
    ***
    DeShon Elliott's name probably wouldn't jump to the top of the list of all-time great Longhorns worthy of induction into the College Football Hall of Fame when his time comes to enter the pool of candidates, even though he meets the criteria (an NCAA-recognized first-team All-American honor).
    With that said, Elliott’s 2017 season is in the record books as arguably the best season by a Longhorn defensive back routinely omitted from the discussion for such an honor.
    Only six Texas defenders have intercepted more passes in a single season than the six Elliott snagged in 12 games (he was one of several players who opted out of the Texas Bowl against Missouri, which was a win at the end of Tom Herman’s first season as coach). A Jim Thorpe Award finalist, Elliott is in an exclusive group of Texas defensive backs to be named a unanimous All-American, joining Johnnie Johnson (1978 and 1979), Jerry Gray (1984), Quentin Jammer (2001) and Michael Huff (2005).
    Whether Elliott joins what's likely three-fourths of DBU's Mount Rushmore in the Hall of Fame down the road or not (Johnson was inducted in 2007, Gray in 2013 and Huff in 2025), the fact that he has a chance to be an active NFL player when he’s 10 seasons removed from the end of his collegiate career (the other requirement for a player to be considered for induction) is an accomplishment in and of itself.
    Elliott was offered early by Charlie Strong’s staff, one of two tremendous early evaluations on defense in the 2015 cycle (the other was Charles Omenihu, who, like Elliott, is still an active NFL player). At the time, it wasn't certain if Elliott would stay at safety or eventually spin down from safety to linebacker, but he made plays on the back end when he was healthy enough to see the field.
    After battling through injuries in two seasons under Strong, Elliott blossomed in his lone season as a safety in Todd Orlando’s defense. I’ve enjoyed Elliott’s career arc immensely after getting myself into hot water at 247Sports for circumventing the chain of command to ensure he finished the 2015 cycle as a four-star recruit. I believed in Elliott as a prospect enough to stick my neck out (which, in hindsight, was a reckless move) and, after departing the Forty Acres with a bang, he’s become a quality NFL player as he enters the last season of a $12.5 million extension he signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers last summer.
    ***
    Anthony Pack Jr. was named SEC Freshman of the Year on Monday, a well-deserved honor for what’s on pace to go down in the record books as one of the best freshman seasons for a position player in the history of the Longhorn baseball program.
    Texas has had four players named Baseball America’s National Freshman of the Year (Greg Swindell in 1984, Kirk Dressendorfer in 1988, Brooks Kieschnick in 1991 and Dylan Volantis in 2025), all of whom were full-time or part-time pitchers. The only thing Pack has done on the mound is torment whoever has toed the rubber for the opposition, entering the SEC Tournament leading the Longhorns in batting average (.360), doubles (16) and stolen bases (20).
    He’s on pace to be the first freshman to lead the Longhorns in batting average since Erich Weiss hit .348 in 2011. Pack is also in the running to be the first Texas freshman to hit .360 or better (minimum two plate appearances per game) in a season since Omar Quintanilla hit .367 in 2001.
    He’s six doubles shy of Quintanilla’s freshman school record (22). Eight stolen bases ahead of Adrian Rodriguez for the team lead, Pack is likely to be the first freshman to lead the Longhorns in stolen bases with 20 or more since Drew Stubbs swiped 28 bags in 2004.
    “Fearless” is the word Jim Schlossnagle has most used to describe how Pack has approached his first season of college baseball. It’s appropriate, considering Pack’s steady ascent throughout the season, which saw him be consistent enough to lead all SEC hitters in batting average (.400) and on-base percentage (.511) during conference play.
    Bobby Burton
    On Texas Football is excited to welcome Jordan Scruggs to our team. Jordan joins us from Horns247, where he was the lead recruiting and portal reporter.
    Jordan will expand our recruiting and portal coverage with more in-person footage, interviews, and insider knowledge from across the state and the country.
    He has a deep passion for the Texas Longhorns (he grew up going to games with his dad, who still has season tickets) and for Texas high school football.
    Please join us in welcoming Jordan to the team!
    **
    With Jordan’s addition, I want to make something very clear: Nobody in the Texas market comes close to our recruiting coverage or our commitment to it. No one.
    Some outlets will break a story or two here or there. OTF won’t be first on everything—there’s simply too much information out there. Some will continue to lean on “national” resources within a larger network, or even rely on Twitter and pass that off as their own information.
    But when it comes to Texas football recruiting and the portal, there is no better source than On Texas Football.
    As someone who helped start this industry, I can say that with unequivocal authority. With Gerry Hamilton, Hank South, CJ Vogel, and now Jordan, no other group even comes close. Split our group in half and we’d still be Nos. 1 and 2 (and possibly 3 with one of them alone, in my book).
    Others can (and will) still posture. But we’re the only ones committed to actually doing the work AND devoting the resources to prove it.
    **
    When we started On Texas Football as a stand-alone company, I said we wanted OTF to be best in class: to be the product that serious Texas fans wanted and deserved.
    I promised that my goal would be to produce the very best video, podcast, and website content, and to build a welcoming, respectful, and insightful gathering place for all Texas fans.
    While we're not all the way there yet, just two years in, I think we’re well on our way.
    **
    With the addition of Jordan, don’t think we’re stopping either. People thought we were done after adding Hank. Or maybe after adding Jeff, CJ, or Marcus before that.
    We’ll have more announcements in the coming weeks and months. I think you’re going to want to be along for the ride.
    We will never stop in our quest to build the best digital media company for Longhorn fans to enjoy. That's our pledge to you. We're not trying to squeeze blood from a turnip, we're building something special here.
    **
    As part of our ongoing community-building effort, I’d like to invite those of you who have not subscribed to OnTexasFootball.com to become OTF OG members. We’re making a special offer to new members.
    Beginning later today, new subscribers can join for 3 months for just $3 total for a limited time. That’s a heavy discount from our normal pricing, but it reflects how much we want you to join us—and the faith we have in our product.
    Over those three months, you’ll get wall-to-wall recruiting coverage in June and July, plus our best-in-class preseason camp coverage from late July into August.
    If you’re already an OTF OG, please tell a friend. We’re committed to being the best gathering place for true Texas fans the world over. We need your help to keep building it.
    Here is the link:
    https://ontexasfootball.com/store/product/4-3-months-for-3/
    **
    Welcome to the team, Jordan!
    Hook ’Em!!!
    Jeff Howe
    Texas will have to go through the postseason without right-handed relief pitcher Max Grubbs, who will miss the remainder of the 2026 season after undergoing arm surgery, the school announced Saturday.
    Wednesday’s availability report released by the SEC office ruled Grubbs out of action for the Longhorns’ regular-season-ending series with Missouri. Jim Schlossnagle said during his Wednesday media availability on the eve of the series opener that Grubbs has been dealing with arm soreness.
    A veteran bullpen hand with 67 career appearances and starting experience under his belt (15 starts over the last three seasons, including 12 in 2024), Grubbs has a 2-0 record with a 5.52 ERA in 18 appearances (two starts) as a senior. For his career, Grubbs is 15-6 with a 4.00 ERA in 168.2 innings, with 146 career strikeouts.
    Grubbs was outstanding on the mound in Schlossnagle’s first season, helping Texas capture the SEC regular-season championship with a 6-2 record, setting career highs for single-season appearances (22), ERA (2.84), saves (five) and strikeouts (61). Opponents hit just .238 against Grubbs in 2025, which was also the best single-season mark of his career.
    What does this mean for the Longhorns?
    A healthy Grubbs could've been Max Weiner’s Swiss Army knife in the postseason. Grubbs would’ve been capable of starting a conference tournament game if Schlossnagle and Weiner wanted to rest one of the regular weekend starters, or he could be used as a fourth starter, which would’ve been massive if Texas found itself in the loser’s bracket of the regional.
    If available, Grubbs would've been the team’s best right-handed long-relief option.
    How does this change things for the postseason?
    The goal late in games is to get the ball to Sam Cozart (6-0, 1.59 ERA), who has been a force out of the bullpen as a freshman. The 6-foot-6-inch, 260-pound hard-throwing righty has recorded a team-high eight saves this season, while firing 66 strikeouts, posting a 0.64 WHIP and holding opponents to a .112 batting average.
    Schlossnagle and Weiner trust Brett Crossland (1-2, 3.22 ERA) and Haiden Leffew (4-1, 3.60 ERA) in their respective roles. Leffew will enter the postseason as the Longhorns’ only left-handed reliever capable of throwing multiple innings in an outing; Ethan Walker's (1-0, 3.00 ERA) role is that of the team's situational lefty, likely entering the game to get the team out of a jam with traffic on the bases against a left-handed hitter.
    It felt like Thomas Burns (0-0, 6.87 ERA) was turning a corner in recent weeks after a rough stretch. Unfortunately, Burns failed to record an out during a six-run seventh inning by the Tigers in Friday’s 11-6 series-clinching win, walking one and allowing a hit while getting charged with two earned runs.
    Brody Walls(2-0, 5.54 ERA), who is next in line to see his workload increase in Grubbs’ absence, struck out three Missouri batters in 1.1 scoreless innings on Friday.
    Schlossnagle has talked about using next week’s SEC Tournament to audition other Longhorn pitchers for postseason roles. Schlossnagle has previously mentioned veteran right-hander Cody Howard (0-0, 6.00 ERA) and southpaw Kade Bing (1-1, 6.00 ERA) as potential pitching options in Hoover, Ala., with the team’s first game coming in the conference quarterfinals next Friday.
    Texas (39-12, 18-10 SEC) clinched a double bye in the SEC Tournament with its win on Friday and Alabama’s loss to Ole Miss in Tuscaloosa. The Longhorns conclude the regular season against Missouri at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Saturday (2 p.m., SEC Network+), with a series locking them into the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament and likely securing a Top 8 national seed for the NCAA Tournament.
    Jeff Howe
    The commitment of Brock Williams to Texas on Friday gives Steve Sarkisian the most complete tight end prospect he’s recruited during his time on the Forty Acres.
    If that sounds out of pocket, consider that Sarkisian inherited Gunnar Helm and Ja’Tavion Sanders from the previous staff, as both signed with the Longhorns a few weeks before Sarkisian was hired. Jeff Banks deserves credit for developing them into productive players who went on to become NFL draft picks, but Helm and Sanders needed time to develop and weren’t ready to contribute the way the staff needed them to from the jump.
    That shouldn't be the case with the 6-foot-5-inch, 230-pound Williams. Whereas Helm joined the Longhorns as a raw prospect and Sanders had to learn to play with his hand on the ground, Williams will arrive at Texas as an accomplished receiver who won’t have to learn a new position.
    Since Michael Masunas entered the program with one season of eligibility remaining, the Longhorns needed to land a tight end with instant impact potential in the 2027 cycle. Williams could join a room in which Spencer Shannon, Nick Townsend (a tremendous athlete with a ton of potential if he can put it all together) and Emaree Winston make it tough for him to break into the rotation, or he could be in the position Jermaine Bishop and Derrek Cooper found themselves in this spring, as true freshmen who seized opportunities to start working toward a solidified role.
    Townsend is as physically gifted as any player at any position in the program. Still, Townsend wasn’t as polished as a tight end coming out of Spring Dekaney as Williams will be after his time at Libertyville (Ill.) is finished and he makes his way to Austin, which means a lot to the Texas offense in 2027 and beyond.
    Sarkisian, who has said time and again that the tight end position is the most important part of his offense other than the quarterback, and Banks have done what injuries prevented Mack Brown from doing, and what Charlie Strong and Tom Herman couldn’t quite figure out. The current regime has developed tight ends physically and inserted them into an offensive scheme that highlights the position when the right guy is on the field, which accurately describes how Helm and Sanders were used.
    Williams, however, is special because he's not a position conversion or an athletic project. Those types of tight end prospects have had varying levels of success on the Forty Acres for nearly two decades, all while multiple staffs tried to find a five-tool answer from the prep ranks.
    Jared Wiley was a high school quarterback who Herman converted to tight end. After transferring to TCU and enjoying a successful two years with the Horned Frogs, the Temple product was picked in the fourth round of the 2024 draft by the Kansas City Chiefs.
    Cade Brewer was solid for parts of five seasons with the Longhorns after making the transition from high school wide receiver to college tight end.
    Andrew Beck was a converted linebacker who developed into an ideal H-back at the college level, with skills that translated nicely to a career as an NFL fullback.
    A junior college gem and ferocious in-line blocker turned NFL draft pick, Geoff Swaim (a seventh-round selection by the Dallas Cowboys in 2015) was unearthed by Bryan Harsin.
    Devonaire Clarington was likely never making it to campus after signing as a part of Strong’s 2015 class.
    Texas couldn’t hang onto future Notre Dame and NFL tight end Durham Smythe when it had the Belton product’s commitment in the 2013 cycle.
    Considering those situations, along with sifting through the sea of for naught efforts to turn oversized wide receivers into the next Jermichael Finley, it can be argued that Williams is the best pure tight end prospect out of high school to suit up for the Longhorns since Blaine Irby, who appeared destined for stardom before wrecking his knee early in the 2008 season.
    Regardless, after swinging and missing on multiple blue-chip, out-of-state tight ends in recent cycles, Sarkisian and Banks have landed a prospect in Williams who has the potential to be everything they’ve been looking for and appears capable of making an impact sooner rather than later.
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