CJ Vogel

Overs have been crushing so far in these conference tournaments. I will be taking the Texas/Kansas State over as a result. Blindly following my gut.

The end of the 1H from OU and TCU was hilarious. Watch this sequence.

33 came against Texas Tech lol

The rule is up for approval which is scheduled to have its hearing April 18.

Over the last few days we have covered the ins and the outs of both sides of the ball. However, now it is time to take a deeper look behind the curtain with the task of pinpointing which Longhorns might steal headlines over the next month and a half. Five prospects I have my eyes on this spring to make a big time splash for the 2024 Longhorns. *** DL Jaray Bledsoe – Redshirt Sophomore Bledsoe has all of the athleticism you could desire for a defensive lineman. After seeing just 85 snaps in 2023, Bledsoe certainly qualifies into the breakout category for the spring. Texas must find suitable replacements for T'Vondre Sweat and Byron Murphy, can Bledsoe jump into the rotation? Again, the athleticism is there and now that Bledsoe is north of 290 pounds, it feels like the stars are aligning to finally see an increase in on-field role for Texas this spring. WR DeAndre Moore – Sophomore A lot of talk around the Texas wide receiver room is around the transfer portal additions, as well as the incoming early enrollees. However, Moore is entering his second year in the system and is in the conversation for having the most refined routes of anyone on the roster. Of Moore's 92 snaps last fall, 40 came in the slot. DB Jelani McDonald – Sophomore The versatile secondary member is now firmly in the boat at the safety position which is something I am very much a fan of. McDonald was previously split between linebacker, safety and potentially cornerback when he first arrived in Austin, and now Blake Gideon is in charge of molding him into a big-time ballplayer. The 6-foot-2 DB will have the opportunity to crack the rotation Texas has used at the safety spot over the last two seasons. With Andrew Mukuba, Michael Taaffe and Derek Williams looking for a fourth member, McDonald will be tasked with fending off early enrollee Xavier Filsaime for the role. OL Neto Umeozulu – Redshirt Sophomore We have mentioned it here on OTF over the last few months there might be some changes coming to the Texas offensive line. The left guard position will have a lot of eyes on it this spring as Hayden Conner looks to fight off Cole Hutson and Neto. The light flicked on for Umeozulu at the end of the regular season and into bowl practices last fall, now it is time to keep it on full time. If that is the case, the expectations that have risen over time now have the opportunity to come to fruition as the former Allen Eagle enters year three. CB Warren Roberson – Redshirt Freshman Texas returns two starting cornerbacks on the outside with Malik Muhammad and Terrance Brooks. Though, it remains a thin room and if we have learned anything over the last couple of years, the Longhorn staff likes to rotate their DB's. Warren Roberson entered college as an extremely twitchy prospect that Texas had to pry from the grasp of TCU – a program with plenty of history in developing defensive backs. Roberson will have plenty of opportunity to make plays this spring with run against the top unit often, despite just two snaps on the field in 2023. I have a feeling we will hear his name often this spring. View full news

Can I interest the Broncos in a QB named Sam Ehlinger?

The Denver Broncos have signed three free agents since the legal tampering window opened in the NFL offseason. All three are former Texas Longhorns. This time, the Broncos' latest addition to the roster is WR Lil'Jordan Humphrey, who agreed to a one-year deal to return to the Sean Payton offense in the Mile High City. Clearly there is something in the water in Denver that leads that front office to Austin, Texas am I right? Humphrey joins Brandon Jones and Malcolm Roach as the other FA additions so far for the Broncos, as well as PJ Locke and Caden Sterns who were already on roster.

He will certainly be in the mix for a rotational spot. I am eager to see if he eventually gets run at corner as well. CB is where he was used primarily in HS and at the All American Bowl game practices where he held his own against the country's best WRs.

Yes

You will see Conner bumped out to RT to give Texas the best opportunity to cross-train at more positions. Though you can expect LG to be significantly tighter of a battle than RG at the moment. Cam Williams is going to enter as RT1 and I don't see that wavering in the spring.

There are not many true position battles headed into the 2024 spring camp, but there are a number of positions to keep a close eye on. The 2024 Texas roster consists of plenty of talent on both sides of the ball, but it will take some interesting configurations from the staff to maximize the rotations and on-field performance. *** Quarterback: Quinn Ewers & Arch Manning This is not expected to be too much of a battle. Quinn Ewers has the vocal support of Steve Sarkisian and entering year three in the Texas system, Ewers is the man for the Longhorns in 2024. Running Back CJ Baxter vs. Jaydon Blue + Savion Red, Tre Wisner, Christian Clark, Jerrick Gibson At the moment we suspect the first team RB carries to be split into Baxter and Blue for the most part this spring. Though there is plenty of depth which comes with a ton of talent. At 240 pounds, Savion Red provides a build and skillset no other Longhorn possesses at the moment. Either of the freshmen can make a splash as well. Talented room, we will see how the splits work itself out. Wide Receiver Isaiah Bond and Johntay Cook vs. Matthew Golden, Ryan Wingo, DeAndre Moore A completely new room for Quinn Ewers to throw to this spring. Only Johntay Cook has caught a pass from Ewers in a Longhorns uniform before. Outside of theorizing, it is tough to pinpoint the starting three wide receivers for the spring, meaning this group is wide open for Ewers and Sarkisian to adopt into the vaunted Circle of Trust. Right now, my gut tells me to lean on the receivers with experience – Bond and Golden, with Cook being the top returner from 2023. Tight End Gunnar Helm vs. Amari Niblack This is a fun, interesting battle for the Longhorns. There is a clear discrepancy in the skillsets provided by both tight end. Helm has plenty of in-line experience which overshadows his role as a downfield receiver, which is a 180 from what we know of Amari Niblack. To begin the spring, you can expect to see Helm as your TE1. Will that change? We will see, but there will be plenty of competition here. Offensive Line LG: Hayden Conner, Cole Hutson & Neto Umeozulu You can lock in left tackle, center, right guard and potentially right tackle for starting spots in the spring. Though we know there will be some movement at left guard. Can you expect Hayden Conner to fight off Hutson and Umeozulu? A fully healthy Cole Hutson has plenty of talent and experience to make noise here. Plus, the final month of practice from Neto Umeozulu revealed a prospect that has turned the corner here. Left guard is going to be very interesting this spring. Defensive Line Nose Guard Vernon Broughton and Alfred Collins don't necessarily have the ideal bodies for the nose guard spot – someone who can plant their feet and hold their ground on a double team. Tiaoalii Savea is added to the group of Aaron Bryant and Jaray Bledsoe as well. At 372 pounds, I am a bit skeptical of what to expect from Sydir Mitchell this spring. And then of course that leads us to early enrollee Alex January who has lost 10+ pounds and comes in with plenty of hunger. This is my favorite battle of the spring. Defensive End Ethan Burke and Barryn Sorrell vs. Colin Simmons, Trey Moore and Justice Finkley The two returning starters from a year ago are going to be pushed and tested from the moment pads get thrown on this spring. Adding Trey Moore from UTSA will provide the most immediate heat on Burke and Sorrell. Texas has not seen a pass rushing prospect with the hype and talent arrive in Austin with the level of Colin Simmons in over a decade. Plus, we saw spurts of Justice Finkley towards the end of the season, can he turn that corner to become a true contestant for a starting job? Linebacker Mike Position – David Gbenda vs. Kendrick Blackshire, Liona Lefau and Derion Gullette You can lock in Anthony Hill Jr. for a starting spot in the middle of the defense – I believe it is safe to assume it will be at the WILL backer. Now, where does the Robin to Hill's Batman come from? David Gbenda will be the first backer out of the bunch with the Texas starting 11 when spring football gets going. Kendrick Blackshire may not possess the best skillset for a three-down backer, but moving into the SEC his role is significantly larger than it would have been a year ago. Then of course what emerges out of Lefau and Gullette, two ultra-talented backers hungry to crack the starting 11. Nickel Jahdae Barron Jahdae Barron is back and is rocking a new No. 7 at the nickel spot. There won't be too much of a battle here. But the question becomes, when or if Barron sees snaps at outside cornerback, who takes his spot? Austin Jordan and Jaylon Guilbeau will be battling for a third consecutive year. Plus, early enrollee Wardell Mack is getting run at nickel as well. Cornerback Malik Muhammad and Terrance Brooks vs. the rest of the room Ryan Watts departs for the NFL, but luckily for the Longhorns, there were extended snaps in 2023 for guys like Malik Muhammad and Gavin Holmes. The Longhorns leaned heavier to the side of Muhammad than they did Holmes and there is reason to believe it will be the two former DFW stars to begin spring as the CB duo. Warren Roberson will enter year two as a backup and Kobe Black will be a freshman looking to make noise on the outside. Safety Andrew Mukuba, Derek Williams, Michael Taaffe, Xavier Filsaime This unit is significantly more talented than we saw a year ago with the athleticism noticeably more abundant. As a result, the back half of the Texas defense should be able to bring more splash plays to the Texas defense in 2024. Now, we know the Longhorn staff likes to rotate in the backend of the secondary very often. Derek Williams and Michael Taaffe were the two DBs to play the majority of second half snaps against Washington in the Sugar Bowl last year, though it is hard to imagine Mukuba not seeing the field early and often in 2024. Pretty fun battle when you added in what is arguably the early enrollee who has made the most noise in winter conditioning so far. View full news

Join Erin Hogan, Rod Babers and myself tonight for the Tuesday night Longhorn Livestream! View full news

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. View full news

Excited for both. Blackwell has really helped his frame this offseason. He is up to 220 lbs, a 10 pound increase since August. He looks like he could play extended snaps in the middle of the field if needed.

I hope it isn't. I like Hill playing loose and free and without the constraints of being confined to the middle - similarly to what we saw from DeMarvion Overshown here in Austin. Plus with the headset communication now coming into the game, do you really want your most athletic player caught him in calls and coverages before the play or react on instincts and play loose? I would choose the latter.

If it is any consolation, Bryant was one of six DT's to get run vs. Washington. One of three to return as well (Collins and Broughton) we will see a good bit of him this fall.

That was a bit of a surprise when the roster released. I had heard behind the scenes he was having a strong winter conditioning and he looks like he could play immediately if needed. it will be interesting if he gains 5-6 more pounds to get in that 225 range by the time fall camp comes around.

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. View full news

Pretty cool deal. Enshrined forever!

Will Randle is still on the roster, yes. Listed at 6-4 and 238.