Philip Barber

The Ty Anthony Smith saga—whether he is sick, gone, or somewhere in between—has exposed what may be the Achilles’ heel of the 2026 Texas team: linebacker, particularly the MIKE position. Start with experience. Biles brings experience, but he isn’t really a prototype MIKE. Spence has been more of a Swiss Army knife than a true linebacker. Smith has talent but very little experience. Then there is Cryer. How significant was his role at Florida State? Did Texas land a proven starter, or a backup from a bad football team who happens to fit what Texas needs physically? Behind them are three talented freshmen. And we all know how that goes at Texas: every freshman is a future All-American until he actually has to play SEC football. They may eventually be outstanding, but right now they are still freshmen. That brings us to the first problem: depth. If Smith is unhappy because he can’t beat out Cryer—or if something else is going on—Texas could be playing true freshmen at linebacker sometime during a brutal SEC schedule. With the schedule Texas faces, I’m not comfortable going into the season with what amounts to 4½ dependable linebackers. But there may be an even bigger issue, and “bigger” is the key word. Smith is not a natural MIKE. Neither is Biles. Cryer may be winning the job partly because he actually looks like one. He has the size and build Texas needs in the middle. Now comes the question: Has Cryer suddenly developed into an SEC-quality starting MIKE, or is he winning the job because he is the only veteran linebacker who truly fits the position? We may find out quickly when Ohio State tests the middle of this defense with Bo Jackson running behind a very good offensive line. Texas has excellent interior defensive linemen, but can they consistently keep the linebackers clean? And if they can't, do we have a MIKE who can take on SEC-caliber blockers, shed them, and make the tackle? That brings us to how Texas got here. Recruiting matters. You can't sign everybody, but it is worth noticing that Ohio State has former, highly rated Texas H.S. linebackers on its roster, including Riley Pettijohn and Payton Pierce who should play a major role in the middle. Then there is the portal. Remember Ohio State again? Both programs pursued Allegro. Why? Because he fit the profile of a true MIKE. Texas took Biles, who was very productive, while Ohio State apparently wasn't as interested because of his size—or perhaps because they had already invested elsewhere and liked their young linebacker room. Either way, Ohio State's young depth isn't built entirely around true freshmen who we're being told are going to be stars someday. And perhaps the strangest part of the Texas portal situation is this: Texas allowed a young, supposedly talented, true MIKE to leave for Kentucky. Maybe I'm overreacting. But judging by the reaction on the Texas boards yesterday, I'm certainly not the only one asking these questions. Hopefully Smith simply has the flu and is back on the field soon. But even if he is, the larger concern doesn't disappear. Texas has championship talent almost everywhere. But with this murderous schedule, linebacker depth—and especially the lack of a proven, prototype MIKE—may be the position that determines just how far this team can go. The defensive line may be good enough to protect the linebackers. The young players may grow up quickly. Cryer may prove to be exactly what Texas needs. But right now, linebacker looks like the position every Texas opponent will want to test—and the position every Texas fan should be watching.

Big boy recruiting

I don’t watch him and will not watch Bobby if he has him on, but that is me.

Sounds great until I read the views of the other guy.

SMU got ripped off in the 80’s. They should have bought a local Dallas judge, As crooked as they were they followed the NCAA’s death penalty ruling. SMU makes Campbell look like the crook he is .

Really? This has you upset? Please get a life.

Off with your head. At least to start with

Please be real. Would any, I mean one, Longhorn fan ever overhype a player? The answer is yes!!!

You silly people. It will happen. How can you turn down the money? I imagine you like being the top financial program I the country.

We all talk about the ills of CFB and one is players changing teams at the drop of the hat. This young man just won the greatest team prize in the game, the National Championship and he was a starter. This is something he will share with his teammates for as long as he lives. There will be days recognized by his university in the future. He is a Hoosier forever. Going back to your high school hometown to play at UT just doesn’t cut it. As much as I love Austin, I get it.

I get it but to be the biggest money maker, we have to.

Two things would help a lot and is possible with 105 scholarships. 5 years to play. Two to three year contracts, scholarships.

The vibe disappeared

Something told you? Can you name this something?

I thought PK was doing okay but that Georgia debacle when receivers were running wild open in the fourth quarter was sickening. Blame it on Akina but he wasn’t the DC, and if PK can’t coach both ends then, we need an upgrade. Vandy’s comeback? Florida was pitiful. I was traveling back from NYC that day and watch enough to know the defense was not up to par. I don’t know if Muschamp is the guy about like Ohio State fans did not know if their new hire was the guy. It worked out for them.

I agree but they have a persecuted complex. They use it to prove they are right.

ND considers themselves Christians. That statement wasn’t for football reasons. Mormons crave to be considered Christan in its truest form. They know the church won’t accept them so they want society to do it for them.

As long as there has been CFB, your win loss record is what counts first and foremost, not strength of schedule. Then, with all things being equal, whose name is the most famous moves to the front of the line such as Notre Dame first, Ohio State second, then perhaps Bama. There is a pecking order. But strength of schedule means very little. Check out BYU’s national championship or Georgia Tech’s UPI’s 91 NC vs Colorado’s, even the coaches leaned toward GT win-loss record vs CU playing a greatb non-conference schedule. 1st

Niblavk was who you thought of? He was a non factor everywhere. I can’t imagine a Bama fan giving him a thought. He is just a young man.

Why not choose Klein? He is the OC of the number three team in the nation and from the Bill Snyder coaching tree. He was a hard-nosed football player, and he knows how to win with a KSU type roster. For over a year, some of you kool aid drinkers ranted and raved that Klein didn’t have what it took. Well, he has turned Reed into more than functional QB and with two very good portal WRs has turned the Aggy offense formidable even w/o their best RB. Nothing against Kinne or Traylor.

That won’t last long, not at Florida. What he has done at Mississippi has been amazing, with the talent in Florida and the NIL, he will win and win big. USC was an aberration because of probation.

That makes me sick.

It wasn’t good at all last year, not against good teams that you had to beat to win championships. Stupid us wanted a running QB, not a running back. Well. we got one, He isn’t slippery Mateer or Manizel type nor is he Josh Allen either. Since his confidence is shot to hell, the SEC will spy him and stop that. I wonder what all these insiders slipping info to the Mods of all these Texas boards really saw.

The problem with this team is upfront. They make OU’s look all SEC, and we know they are not. What has Flood wrought? What happened to the weight room? The lack of real talent upfront is glaring or is it the lack of development? Is D.J. even a draft prospect? He looks no better than his freshman year. Sark and Flood missed it at Center. The wrong guy is there. Not sure who should be but not Hudson. They wasted a Spring and Fall practice and never figured that out. They can’t fix Arch because the parts around him are broken. Texas should have been able to run the ball against UTEP with running backs, not needing Arch to be the run game. Who in the hell did Choice turn down to get this running back room? I blame Sark for being enamored with Wingo. We needed another Mitchell, Bond or Golden type from the early portal period. No, he went through Spring and whatever they saw there made them go get Mosley. Looks like a little late. And he is no Singleton, Auburn, or Concepcion, Aggies, just to name a couple. It appears every SEC team except Kentucky on our schedule is ahead of us on the offensive side if the ball. Yes, we have a good defense with some depth, but we play some talented offenses, and they drive better with no brakes than we do.

Accountable by whom? He has to win or he is fired. You have no clue what you are saying.