CJ Vogel

The expectation is K Mason Shipley takes the field for all field goals on Saturday vs. Ohio State. I don’t know if that is a surprise to anyone, but given there was not a depth chart announced and Sarkisian spoke on the position today, I wanted to make the post. Sarkisian today on the Texas State transfer, “I thought Mason really came on strong the last 2.5 weeks of training camp."

That is all from Sarkisian today.

Sarkisian says he thinks Mason Shipley really came along strong in the last 2.5 weeks of training camp.

"His versatility is something that excites me."

Sarkisian says he is bringing all of his freshmen to Columbus.

Sarkisian says he has the physicality to match the nastiness he has always had at the position.

Steve Sarkisian on C Cole Hutson: "What I love about Cole Hutson is this guy is blue-collar... He is tough ass, he is smart, he has had to grind throughout his career."

For those wondering, it will be Shipley.

Again, Sark says the team's work this week was great. Energy and speed in which the team operated with was to Sark's liking and there is a growing confidence from the team itself.

Sarkisian says he has depth on this Texas team that mirrors some of the better teams he was a part of. Also mentions the personality and leadership of this team helps drive the competitiveness and drive of the unit.

Sark says the biggest thing for Arch pregame is to stay true to his routine. Body language and demeanor will be key in preparations.

Plenty of praise for Lee Corse and the College Gameday team from Sark.

"From our perspective, a really good week of work for our players."

Alright, we are off!

Should get going in the next five minutes...... starting now!

Sarkisian should get going in the next five minutes or so.

Holding out hope for Trey. In that same breath, the returns on KJ and his ability to create with his legs have been spectacular dating back to the spring.

For one final time this weekend, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian will meet with the media to discuss the opening game of the season on Saturday against Ohio State. The Longhorns and Buckeyes kickoff at 11:00 a.m.

I would have liked to have seen the offensive line not jumbled around three days before kickoff for the season, and I don't just mean due to injury. The Stroh/Neto news is great because of competition, but not necessarily instilling a lot of confidence in one or the other and therefore the group. Plus, it's just new. That's what happens when you have minimal turnover no one from 2022-2024. New takes time.

Expect him more off of the EDGE, but LB remains very deep.

Two days ahead of kickoff, I wanted to revisit position room confidence rankings ahead of the season. This was an exercise I posted earlier in the offseason, but given that things have changed since the beginning of fall camp, it is worth revisiting expectations and evaluate where things stand by position group. *** 1. Linebacker Steve Sarkisian mentioned he has four starters at the position and I believe him. Anthony Hill Jr. is the national name, but look for TyAnthony Smith to surprise a lot of folks. Lefau and Moore round out a very talented 2-deep at backer. 2. EDGE Headlined by Colin Simmons, Texas has its healthiest group of pass rushers that I can remember. The room is deep, talented and hungry. 3. Quarterback When your quarterback is Arch Manning, it elevates the room into conversations it otherwise wouldn't be in. Matthew Caldwell has some experience and it appears that the hope for KJ Lacey is rising by the day. 4. Safety Returning a 2nd Team All-American is just the start. Derek Williams Jr. returns to the field and joins 2024 breakout player Jelani McDonald to make for a very sturdy front line. Xavier Filsaime received plenty of praise as fall camp progressed as well. 5. Defensive Line The talk of the offseason was the five portal additions to the Texas defensive line room, and while there isn't any continuity, there is experience and that is my biggest selling point at five. Alex January will start, now pick Cole Brevard or Maraad Watson and high ceiling remains. 6. Running Back CJ Baxter's return to the field has been a revelation in fall camp and for good reason. Texas' running back room looks significantly different from this time a year ago, though they don't crack the top five simply out of the "Go Prove It" aspect for Baxter. Very bullish on this room. 7. Cornerback I feel great about Malik Muhammad taking the next step, though am waiting to see how the opposite cornerback position plays out. Sources have expressed confidence in Jaylon Guilbeau, and his experience should certainly help. Kobe Black had moments, but not much burn. Perhaps the star of the defense is just that, STAR Graceson Littleton. 8. Tight End Adding Jack Endries to this unit allowed for a very firm floor for what to expect in 2025. Now the versatility of Endries, Washington, Shannon and Townsend gives Texas as deep and multiple of a tight end room as Sarkisian has ever had at Texas. The No. 8 ranking comes just as a result of other talent elsewhere. 9. Wide Receiver The glaring question mark right now is what is happening with Emmett Mosley V. Until there is a specific time table for when we will see Mosley on the field, this room takes quite a hit. Two players have receptions in the room, and even with Livingstone's pending emergence, there just is not any other type of production at the moment. 10. Offensive Line Depth is in question and the guys in the film room are still playing musical chairs with the starting five this close to game time. Could the offensive line be better in run blocking this fall? Perhaps, but I have quickly detoured away from this unit being an overall improvement from a year ago when four guys ended up on NFL rosters.

Ohio State will have an offense that is capable of moving the ball and scoring points, which will be the biggest difference.

Just like you, I too am scarred by Tom Herman telling me every Wednesday or Thursday that the week of practice leading up to a big game has been amongst the best the Longhorns have ever had. So if you want to tap out now, feel free, I won't blame you. However, I will tell you that the quarterback at The University of Texas has received extensive praise from the Texas coaching staff during the Longhorns' preparation for the defending National Champions. Even with shuffling on the offensive line, the Texas quarterback has had command of practice and looked incredibly sharp in practice this week. Again, I understand this is often said in lead-ups to big games, but you don't often see your head coach laughing and joking with the media while on the podium if practice went poorly. Also, aside from the practice focus, I have been told Arch Manning is the first in the facility each morning – confirming what CJ Baxter mentioned in his media availability on Monday. We will see how it translates, but a sharp week of practice has folks growingly confident in Austin.

The belief is injury. But there has been no word on official injury from anyone at Texas.