Jump to content

  • Texas Longhorns News

    A place for any Longhorn Fan to get the latest news from the On Texas Football team.
    Show all categories
    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.
    Jeff Howe
    No matter how you slice it, Texas had one of the most explosive offenses in the country in 2024.
    Steve Sarkisian’s attack finished among college football’s top 35 offenses last season in yards per play (6.21). No offense generated more plays of 20 yards or more than the Longhorns, leading FBS with 108 while finishing No. 3 in the country in 20-yard gains per game (6.75), trailing only Miami (7.62) and Ole Miss (7.39).
    While the offense’s average yards per play declined from 2023 (6.67), Texas generated more than an additional 20-yard gain per game en route to a 13-3 record compared to the previous season (5.57 20-yard gains per game). A veteran quarterback and an experienced offensive line made the conditions ripe for the Longhorns to torch defenses, but that’s only part of the equation.
    Sarkisian’s offense is designed so that the ball finds different guys at different times. That team-first mentality accounts for the other half of the formula that kept Texas chugging along after losing its top five producers of 20-yard gains from one season to the next with Jonathon Brooks (14), Xavier Worthy (14), Ja’Tavion Sanders (12), Adonai Mitchell (11) and Jordan Whittington (9) counting among the school-record 11 selections in the 2024 NFL Draft.
    Based on the offense’s leaderboard for 20-yard gains in 2024, the Longhorns must replace their four most explosive players: Matthew Golden (22), Gunnar Helm (15), Jaydon Blue (12) and Isaiah Bond. It’s a daunting task, but the returns of DeAndre Moore Jr., Ryan Wingo and Quintrevion Wisner (10 plays from scrimmage of at least 20 yards) cushion the blow, especially when looking at everybody’s production per touch.
    Golden led the Texas offense by recording a 20-yard gain once every 2.64 touches. The next most explosive Longhorn on a per-touch basis was Wingo, who ripped off 20 yards or more from scrimmage on one out of every 3.4 touches.
    Bond (a 20-yard gain once every 3.45 touches), Moore (3.9), Helm (4), Arch Manning (8.33), Blue (14.67) and Wisner (27) rounded out the explosive play production. The scrambling ability of Manning, who had three runs of 20 yards or more on just 25 official attempts, and the potential he’s flashed on designed runs bring an explosive element by way of the quarterback running game in a style not seen on the Forty Acres since Colt McCoy.
    Three of Wingo’s 20-yard gains came on the ground. Until Blue’s 77-yard touchdown secured a first-round College Football Playoff win over Clemson, Manning and Wingo had a hand in the offense’s four longest plays from scrimmage: a 75-yard Manning-to-Wingo touchdown pass and Manning’s 67-yard touchdown run against UTSA; a 56-yard pass from Manning to Bond against ULM; and Wingo’s 55-yard run against Michigan.
    With Wingo, Moore and Wisner back, Manning taking over behind center and C.J. Baxter returning from injury, the Texas offense has plenty of big-play potential. Sarkisian's creation of advantageous situations for the playmakers who must touch the football and those players coming through when called upon will go a long way toward determining whether or not the Longhorns are in the national championship mix again in 2025.
    Jeff Howe
    National Signing Day occurred on Wednesday without fanfare for Texas coach Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns. That’s a good thing, considering the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class in the 2025 cycle was wrapped up before Texas took on Georgia in the SEC Championship on Dec. 7.
    The Longhorns haven’t recruited at their current pace since Mack Brown was stacking one elite class on top of another early in his 16-season tenure. The 1999 and 2002 cycles produced the nation’s top-ranked hauls, setting the foundation for nine consecutive seasons with 10 or more victories, two Big 12 titles and a national championship.
    With that said, Texas fans weren’t on Cloud 9 when Brown and his staff put the 2005 recruiting cycle to bed.
    When Brown sat down for the first time to break down a 14-man class in front of the assembled press 20 years ago, the questions had to do more with who the Longhorns didn’t get.
    Two elite out-of-state prospects — quarterback Ryan Perrilloux (Reserve, La./East St. John) and wide receiver Fred Rouse (Tallahassee, Fla./Lincoln) — spurned Texas at the last minute, choosing instead to stay closer to home and sign with LSU and Florida State, respectively. The Longhorns also lost a hotly-contested battle with Texas A&M for Alief Taylor tight end Martellus Bennett, one of the top prospects in the Lone Star State.
    When the dust settled, Rivals.com ranked the class No. 20 nationally. Scout.com was a little more generous, ranking Brown’s seventh full-cycle class No. 13, but the second-winningest coach in school history had to let it be known that he had “no disappointment in guys that don't come.”
    “Things have a way of working out and guys go to the places they need to go to for whatever reason,” Brown said on Feb. 2, a few weeks after Dusty Mangum’s walk-off field goal lifted Texas to a memorable Rose Bowl win over Michigan on New Year’s Day. “We’re excited about the ones we got.”
    Who the Longhorns got in 2005 made up arguably the best class Brown ever signed. From a pound-for-pound standpoint, it’s hard to argue against a class in which half of the recruits were drafted or played at least one NFL season.
    We’re not talking about fringe players, either.
    Cushioning the 11th-hour blows Texas suffered by losing Perrilloux, Rouse and Bennett were Colt McCoy, Quan Cosby and Jermichael Finley. Twenty years later, they’re still among the all-time best Longhorns to play their respective positions.
    McCoy, Finley, Jamaal Charles and Roy Miller were selected within the first three rounds of the NFL draft. Henry Melton transitioned to the defensive line late in his career and became a Pro Bowler with the Chicago Bears.
    Roddrick Muckleroy was a two-time All-Big 12 linebacker and a fourth-round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals in 2010. Chris Hall and Charlie Tanner were multiple-year starters along the offensive line, while defensive lineman Aaron Lewis started 13 games over the 2007 and 2008 seasons.
    The 2005 class proved that it doesn’t matter how a recruiting class looks on signing day if the signees themselves don’t develop. The program’s culture was at a place in 2005 where the 14 newcomers learned the standard immediately and what must be done to protect it daily.
    Sarkisian and Texas have almost all of the superbly talented 2025 class on campus right now, going through winter conditioning ahead of spring practice. The 22 signees who enrolled early are joining a program that’s made consecutive trips to the College Football Playoff semifinals thanks to outstanding player development.
    The conditions are as ripe as they were 20 years ago for the Longhorns to maximize their recruiting class. If the trend of exceptional player development continues, the 2025 class will have a historical significance long beyond a recruiting cycle.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.