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    A place for any Longhorn Fan to get the latest news from the On Texas Football team.
    Gerry Hamilton
    Big 12 Tournament: No. 7 Texas vs. No. 10 Kansas State
    The second round of the Big 12 tournament begins today in Kansas City. And that includes the No. 7 seed Texas Longhorns taking on No. 10 seed Kansas State at 6 p.m. central (Big 12/ESPN+). 
    For Texas (20-11, 9-9), a win or loss won't likely change anything from an NCAA Tournament seeding standpoint. If the bracketology projections are correct, Texas is locked into an 8/9 seed win or lose today. But a win over Kansas State today would send Texas into Thursday against No. 2 seed Iowa State with an opportunity to secure a 7 seed with a win. That makes the Big 12 Tournament meaningful for the Longhorns. 
    Kansas State (18-13, 8-10) enters the Big 12 Tournament playing for their NCAA Tournament lives. Headed into the game, the Wildcats will not make the Field of 68. Not only does KSU need to beat Texas today, but also needs to beat No. 2 seed Iowa State Thursday. 
    OnTexasFootball takes a look at the rankings and scenarios headed into the Big 12 Tournament.
    2024 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Championship
    Tuesday, March 12
    Game 1: No. 12 UCF 77,  No. 13 Oklahoma State 64 (Season over for the Cowboys)
    Game 2: No. 11 Cincinnati 90, No. 14 West Virginia 85 (Season over for the Mountaineers)
    Wednesday, March 13
    Game 3: No. 5 BYU vs. No. 12 UCF (ESPN2), 11:30 a.m.  CT/10:30 a.m. MT
    Game 4: No. 8 TCU vs. No. 9 Oklahoma (Big 12 Now on ESPN+), 2 p.m. CT
    Game 5: No. 7 Texas vs. No. 10 Kansas State (Big 12 Now on ESPN+), 6 p.m. CT
    Game 6: No. 6 Kansas vs. No. 11 Cincinnati (ESPN2), 8:30 p.m. CT
    Thursday, March 14
    Game 7: No. 4 Texas Tech vs. Winner Game 3 (ESPN2), 11:30 a.m. CT
    Game 8: No. 1 Houston vs. Winner Game 4 (ESPN), 2 p.m.  CT
    Game 9: No. 2 Iowa State vs. Winner Game 5 (ESPN2), 6 p.m. CT
    Game 10: No. 3 Baylor vs. Winner Game 6 (ESPN or ESPN2), 8:30 p.m. CT
    Friday, March 15
    Game 11: Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8 (ESPN or ESPN2), 6 p.m. CT
    Game 12: Winner Game 9 vs. Winner Game 10 (ESPN or ESPN2), 8:30 p.m. CT
    Saturday, March 16
    Game 13: Winner Game 11 vs. Winner Game 12 (ESPN), 5 p.m. CT
    Big 12 and the NCAA Tournament 
    The Big 12 is a near lock to be a nine bid league. The most of any conference this year. The record for bids by one conference is the Big East in 2011 with 11. 
    1 seed - Houston
    3 seed - Iowa State
    3 seed - Baylor
    4/5 seed - Kansas 
    5 seed - BYU
    6/7 - Texas Tech
    7/8 seed - Texas
    10/9 seed - TCU 
    10/9 seed - Oklahoma
    Texas NCAA Tournament seeding scenarios
    The Longhorns are going to be a No. 7 or No. 8 seed barring a run to the Big 12 Tournament Championship Game. The majority of bracketology projections continue to have Texas as a No. 8 seed, currently. 
    Joe Lunardi has Texas a No. 8 seed. One projection (Jerry Palm), has Texas a No. 9 seed. 
    The metrics for Texas have the Longhorns as a possibility to be a No. 7 seed
    NCAA Men’s Basketball NET Rankings (March 1)
    Texas is No. 25 in NCAA NET headed into the Big 12 Tournament. The Horns moved up 15 spots in the last two weeks from No. 40 prior to the win in Lubbock.
    The Longhorns are 5-9 in Quad 1 games, 3-1 vs. Quad 2, 5-1 vs. Quad 3 and 7-0 vs. Quad 4. 
    Kansas State is No. 70 in NCAA NET, and would be a fourth Quad 2 win for the Horns.
    Should the Horns advance to Thursday, Iowa State would be a Quad 1 win opportunity on a neutral court. Iowa State is No. 9 in NCAA NET. 
    T-Rank 
    Texas is No. 19 in Bart Torvik’s rankings currently, up from No. 23 prior to the win over Oklahoma. 
    2024 Ken Pomeroy College Basketball Ratings
    Texas checks in at No. 23 after being No. 25 prior to the victory over Oklahoma. 

    Gerry Hamilton
    Updated April 6 visitor list
    The Texas Longhorns April 6 unofficial visitor list will rivals just about any recruiting day or weekend since Steve Sarkisian has been in Austin. 
    The list is already impressive, and more names will be added in the next couple of weeks. The list already includes 17 4-star prospects combined in the 2025 and 2026 cycles. 
    2025 Visitor List
    K.J. Lacey, QB, Saraland (Ala.) High #AllGasNoBrakes
    OnTexasFootball ranking: 4-star
    Note: Will also visit April 6, attend the Texas spring game April 20.
    Rickey Stewart, RB, Tyler (Texas) Chapel Hill
    OnTexasFootball ranking: 4-star
    Spring unofficial visit: Texas April 6
    Kelshaun Johnson, WR, Hitchcock (Texas) High
    OnTexasFootball ranking: 4-star
    Official visit schedule: Penn State May 31-June 2, Texas Tech June 7-9, Texas June 14-16, USC June 21-23
    Jaime Ffrench, WR, Jacksonville (Fla.) Mandarin
    OnTexasFootball ranking: 4-star
    Note: Also making official visit June 21-23
    Kaliq Lockett, WR, Sachse (Texas) High
    OnTexasFootball ranking: 4-star
    Official visit schedule:  USC June 7-9, Texas June 21-23
    Nick Townsend, TE, Dekaney (Texas) High
    OnTexasFootball ranking: 4-star
    Official visit schedule: Arizona State April 19-21, Texas June 21-23
    John Mills, IOL, San Francisco (Calif.) St. Ignatius 
    OnTexasFootball ranking: 4-star
    Official visit schedule: Washington May 31-June 2, Texas June 14-16
    Tyler Thomas, IOL, Dickinson (Texas) High
    Official visit schedule: Texas A&M June 14-16, Texas June 21-23
    Chace Sims, DL, Richmond (Texas) Randle
    OnTexasFootball ranking: 4-star
    Floyd Guidry, DL, Spring (Texas) High
    OnTexasFootball ranking: 4-star
    Official visit schedule: TCU May 3-5
    Xavier Ukponu, DL, Denton (Texas) Guyer
    OnTexasFootball ranking: 3-star
    Official visit schedule: Oklahoma State April 12-14, Florida May 31-June 2, Texas A&M June 21-23
    Hayden Lowe, EDGE, Westlake Village (Calif.) Oaks Christian
    OnTexasFootball ranking: 4-star
    Official visit schedule: Texas June 14-16
    Smith Orogbo, EDGE, Alief (Texas) Hastings
    OnTexasFootball ranking: 4-star
    Elijah Barnes, LB, Dallas (Texas) Skyline
    OnTexasFootball ranking: 4–star
    Official visit schedule:  Nebraska April 26-28, SMU May 10-12, Texas June 21-23
    Jonah Williams, S, Galveston (Texas) Ball
    OnTexasFootball ranking: 4-star
    Kade Phillips, DB, Missouri City (Texas) Hightower
    OnTexasFootball ranking: 4-star
    Official visit schedule:  Texas A&M June 7-9, LSU June 14-16, Texas June 21-23
    2026 Visitor List
    Troy Huhn, QB, San Marcos (Calif.) Mission Hills
    OnTexasFootball ranking: 4-star
    Chris Henry, WR, Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei
    OnTexasFootball ranking: 4-star
    Maden Williams, WR/ATH, Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco
    OnTexasFootball ranking: 4-star
    Bryce Perry-Wright, DL, Buford (Ga.) High
    OnTexasFootball ranking: 4-star
     

    CJ Vogel
    Catch up on the latest recruiting news in the 2025 and 2026 cycles with a little Recruiting Breakdown with Gerry Hamilton and I this morning.
    Plenty of updates on top targets and a breakdown of the March and April unofficial visit dates, as well as June officials.
     

    CJ Vogel
    We have heard all offseason about the new wide receivers and gadgets at the disposal of Quinn Ewers and the Texas Longhorns on offense. However, there have been some mighty important pieces added to Pete Kwiatkowski’s side of the ball as well. Several veteran portalers and a freshman class with plenty of talent as well.
    Texas finished the 2023 season ranked as the No. 12 ranked scoring defense (18.9 PPG). Having to replace Jaylan Ford, Byron Murphy, T’Vondre Sweat and Ryan Watts won’t be easy, but there is promise here.
    One sentence summary of the offense: Plenty of opportunities for folks in the front seven to carve out snap share of their own in 2024, it starts this spring.
    ***
    Defense Line
    Replacing T’Vondre Sweat, Byron Muprhy and even Trill Carter will prove to be a large task for new Texas DL coach Kenny Baker in year one. Luckily, there are bodies here, the question becomes how much will you be able to rely on each individual body? Alfred Collins and Vernon Broughton have the most run time of any in the room. The addition of Tiaoalii Savea is big as well in terms of getting bodies who can defend the run.
    Texas must see Jaray Bledsoe and Aaron Bryant turn into rotational pieces this fall – Bryant was at the end of the year to be fair. Can Alex January impress the staff in his first spring? And for Sydir Mitchell, the question is at 372 pounds, can he play at that weight. I am holding out hope but am not entirely encouraged.
    Last Note: What was the biggest strength of the Texas defense in 2023 is now its biggest question mark.
    Defensive End
    Returning Ethan Burke, Barryn Sorrell and Justice Finkley is very encouraging. But adding UTSA transfer Trey Moore and five-star Colin Simmons can turn this room from a solid department to a strength of the team. This is five-man rotation I am expecting to see in the spring make most of the noise.
    Other questions include what does J’Mond Tapp turn into heading into year three? Is Colton Vasek finally healthy enough to see a full two months of ball? Zina Umeozulu and Billy Walton serve as great depth and developmental pieces as well.
    Last Note: I love the makeup of this room, but now it is about turning pressures into sacks and creating those negative plays off the edge.
    Linebacker
    I won’t lie to you, this is a position that has seen an increase in skepticism since the end of the season for me. Yes, Anthony Hill Jr. has the tools and makings of an eventual All-SEC player, but who else will join him as reliable pieces in this room? I don’t quite know right now.
    David Gbenda had plenty of encouraging moments in 2023 but there is vulnerability in the passing game and teams already targeted him when he had extended snaps a year ago. The Longhorns added Kendrick Blackshire out of the portal, but again, he has his limitations at 263 pounds when dropping into coverage.
    Out of this group, I am the most bullish on Liona Lefau and believe by the end of fall camp we could see him as the second linebacker on the field next to Hill come week one.
    Last Note: I don’t want to overlook S’Maje Burrell or Derion Gullette either. But right now, there are questions marks at the LB spot that I think stretch beyond the depth side of things.
    Nickel
    Jahdae Barron put together a masterclass at the position a year ago and returns for what should be one final go-round as a Longhorn. Luckily for Texas, this position has plenty of depth and could allow for some movement for Barron to other spots on the field. Both Barron and Jaylon Guilbeau have cross-trained at outside. Austin Jordan is back for year three in the system as well and if worse comes to worst you could potentially see Andrew Mukuba spun down from the safety spot.
    True freshman Wardell Mack has been receiving some run here in offseason workouts.
    Last Note: At the end of the day, this spot was a strength on the field with Barron’s intelligence in 2023 and should continue to be reliable for PK’s scheme in 2024 and beyond.
    Cornerback
    Count me in as a huge believer in the Texas cornerback room for 2024. This spring should be very fun for all involved, though most specifically for guys like Malik Muhammad and Terrance Brooks who will be going against an elite WR group. Gavin Holmes will certainly benefit from this as well. Holmes had a solid 2023, and I have been told this offseason he has brought an incredible mindset to offseason workouts to take an extra leap in the spring.
    I am very curious to see how Warren Roberson performs this spring. Roberson is incredibly twitchy and has enough length to be problematic at the line of scrimmage. That then leads me to freshmen bunch of Kobe Black and Wardell Mack and what kind of run they get early. Not expecting a whole lot this early, but I do believe they will benefit from the level of talent they will face on a day to day in camp.
    Last Note: Plenty of talent on to be optimistic about the future of this unit. Big leaps are in order for the two returning starters.
    Safety
    What was probably the most concerning part of the 2023 roster has had a completely face-lift and is now in a position to be the most improved position on the team headed into the SEC. Led by Andrew Mukuba out of the transfer portal and a second year Derek Williams, this unit has significantly more athleticism than a year ago. Add in the ever-so important Michael Taaffe, and I am once again a believer in this position group.
    Early enrollee Xavier Filsaime has arguably made the most noise of anyone who made it to campus at the turn of the semester. There is a lot of promise from the McKinney native. Jordon Johnson-Rubell is up to 190 pounds already. He has a tremendous football IQ which leads me to think he will be a viable option at either the centerfield S spot, or a potential move to nickel later on.

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