Jeff Howe

Just some food for thought heading into the weekend.

Does Texas need to address the tight end position when the spring transfer portal window opens in April? The answer is nuanced, but I don’t think the Longhorns' strategy will make or break the offense in 2025. Spring practice will be Jordan Washington’s opportunity to emerge as someone who can be counted on when the rubber meets the road in the fall. Steve Sarkisian has coached productive, NFL-caliber tight ends as a college coach (Austin Seferian-Jenkins at Washington, O.J. Howard and Irv Smith Jr. headline the tight ends Sarkisian worked with at Alabama and Ja’Tavion Sanders at Texas, with Gunnar Helm expected to be drafted in April). Washington has a chance to be the most complete tight end to play in Sarkisian’s offense. The 6-foot-4-inch 250-pounder with a basketball background was brought up during Friday’s “Longhorn Livestream” with myself, Rod Babers and Gerry Hamilton. Gerry mentioned how Langham Creek coach Todd Thompson used Washington as an in-line tight end, a sniffer and in the backfield. Sarkisian praised Washington’s ability to stretch the field, ball skills, and length when he introduced the 2024 signees who signed during that cycle's Early Signing Period. With 10.5-inch hands and a tremendous frame that’s already started to fill out, Washington has a chance to be an athletic, physical tight end north of 260 pounds who never has to leave the field. Nick Townsend won’t be on campus for spring practice, but the future in Jeff Banks’ room is bright with the two Houston-area products leading the way. If the staff knew Amari Niblack would move on after the season, Texas might’ve pushed harder for Purdue’s Max Klare, who transferred to Ohio State. The Longhorns could use another tight end on the roster, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of putting a playmaker around Arch Manning. If the Longhorns don’t find the right tight end in the portal, utilizing a sixth offensive lineman (a role Texas didn’t feature in 2024 as much as it did in 2022 or 2023) or Spencer Shannon emerging as a capable in-line blocker would allow Sarkisian to keep 12 personnel (one running back, two tight ends) as one of his featured groupings. Additionally, Sarkisian’s use of two-back sets and multiple-wide receiver packages means the Longhorns could pursue a transfer too good to pass up without feeling like they’re robbing Peter to pay Paul. In short, Texas shouldn’t pass on a proven running back or wideout in place of another tight end. Every offensive personnel decision must be executed with maximizing Manning’s time as QB1 in mind, which is why the Longhorns should approach spring practice and the portal window with an open mind. View full news story

Well, let me tell you about this pig I raised. My pig found itself smart enough to hop over the barrier from his pen to the next pen and eat all of that pig's food, and then go to the next one and eat all of that pig's food, and then the next one and eat all of that pig's food and make his way back in time for when it was my turn my time to feed him, he had already eaten three meals and would just be sitting there waiting for me and I would feed him and he would eat that. That’s why he gained so much weight and got sifted at the fat stock show

The injury really set him back. I can't recall him being a full participant in any practice I've attended since he's been on campus.

They used him as an extra body in short-yardage and goal line, but nowhere near like Karic or Agbo were used in that role.

Right now, I don't think WR3 is currently on the roster.

If there's such a thing as a lean 374 pounds, it's this guy. He carries it very well.

Has the Arch clickbait officially jumped the shark?

My late father's all-time favorite Longhorn.

To your point, DanielOnorato, Rod and I talked on Football Theory this week about using Jelani McDonald and eventually Jonah Williams as the middle safety a the three-high scheme. Those guys are perfect for that role. You'll need to break out the three-high against Jeremiah Smith in the opener.

Very good points, drag worm. Good post.

I could see him in the Silas Bolden role on offense as a jet sweep/catch-and-run guy in the quick game.

One more wouldn't hurt, TTaylor2135. But I don't think they should take one if it means not taking a running back or receiver who could make a difference.

Tight end is interesting because the option of the six-OL package means you can take another receiver or running back rather than settling for a tight end just to get the numbers up at the position. If I'm Sark, I'm looking for playmakers, especially if it means not forcing a replacement for Helm who might not measure up.

I feel pretty good about Black. My only concern with him is as Texas gets away from being a field-and-boundary defense, can he play multiple positions? I think he can, but the staff recruited him to be in the Ryan Watts role. I'm probably overthinking it because Black is a better prospect than Watts.

Thanks, FatherofMinky.

Thanks, Joe Zura!

Thank you, Maddog109. I think that just means I've seen a lot, which means I'm not getting any younger.

Thanks, JMarquette!

He can do either. I don't know where he'll be this spring, but with James Simon and Rickey Stewart on campus, it makes sense to let Niblett go back to receiver.

Thank you, Wabi Sabi. I'm loving my start with OTF!

Thanks, Bunk Moreland!

— I think Texas needs to add another interior defensive lineman in the spring transfer portal window, even after landing Ohio State’s Hero Kanu on Wednesday. Kenny Baker and Pete Kwiatkowski need as many options as possible to adequately replace more than 1,900 snaps with the departures of Vernon Broughton, Alfred Collins, Jermayne Lole and Bill Norton. Of equal importance, for me, is giving playing time to the program’s three true freshmen (Myron Charles, Josiah Sharma and Justus Terry) by choice, not force. For years, the Longhorns were stuck in a vicious cycle of throwing young players into the deep end, hoping they’ll swim. Steve Sarkisian’s regime broke the cycle at quarterback and along the offensive line, and the transfer portal can fill gaps in the talent pipeline at a time when attrition rates are high. Texas signed five defensive linemen in the 2022 and 2023 cycles: Aaron Bryant, Jaray Bledsoe, Sydir Mitchell, Kris Ross and Zac Swanson. None of those guys are on the 2025 roster, but the portal additions of Kanu, Cole Brevard and Travis Shaw means Alex January and Melvin Hills Jr. aren’t solely tasked with making up for the outgoing tackles. It’s easier to be known as a good developmental program when players get an appropriate amount of time to develop. After playing behind four veteran tackles throughout the season, January only logged five snaps (according to Pro Football Focus) in the Cotton Bowl against Ohio State. Still, he made an impact, recording a PFF single-game grade of 67.7, the second-best of his true freshman season. That’s one example, but it’s important because January could be the only defensive line recruit between three recruiting classes (2022-24) considered a hit. Bringing in one more interior defensive lineman would give the Longhorns more time to let January, Hills and the three true freshmen grow into their roles and earn their playing time. — I think the 2024 group of incoming wide receivers (Jaime Ffrench, Kaliq Lockett and Daylon McCutcheon enrolled for the spring semester) can get the position to a point where it becomes much less reliant on the transfer portal. Texas hit a grand slam with Xavier Worthy in the 2021 class. Excluding Worthy, however, how things have played out for the eight other wideouts recruited by the Longhorns over three cycles (2021-23) is why Sarkisian and Chris Jackson will be on the hunt for a difference-maker in the spring portal window. Sarkisian didn’t recruit Jaden Alexis, Casey Cain or Keithron Lee. Nevertheless, they’re three of five wideouts (Brenen Thompson and Savion Red signed in 2022) who joined the program during Sarkisian’s first two seasons. Combining for 16 receptions and 280 yards, three of the five lasted one or fewer seasons on the Forty Acres and none of them occupied a roster spot in 2024. Combine the production of Johntay Cook (16 catches, 273 yards and two touchdowns in 16 games) with what those five did and the numbers (32 receptions for 553 yards and two touchdowns) fall short of what DeAndre Moore Jr. put up in 2024 (39 catches, 456 yards and seven touchdowns). When Sarkisian’s staff hits on a wide receiver recruit, they hit it big. Ffrench, Lockett and McCutcheon will compete with Aaron Butler, Freddie Dubose and Parker Livingstone for roles alongside Moore and Ryan Wingo (and presumably Ryan Niblett) during spring practice. Those odds favor Texas developing a homegrown receiving corps capable of maximizing Arch Manning’s time behind center. — I think the Longhorns need a few pieces besides an interior defensive lineman or a dynamic wide receiver when the spring transfer portal window opens on April 16. Texas could answer some major depth chart questions during spring practice. Still, I don’t want the staff to leave anything to chance if there's an opportunity to improve the roster. Kicker, interior offensive line, cornerback, safety and running back could be addressed in the portal. There might not be upgrades available in the portal, or the NIL price tag could make certain acquisitions unattainable, but those are the areas of concern that need to be addressed if they’re not answered by the end of the spring game. The running game and Manning’s running ability could positively affect the offense’s productivity in the red zone. That said, Sarkisian's lack of trust in the field goal unit by the end of the season compounded the issues (a 79.7 scoring rate in the red zone in 2024 was the program's worst under Sarkisian). Ideally, Bert Auburn or Will Stone grabs the bull by the horns and wins the job outright in the spring. If the answer to the kicking inconsistencies isn’t on the roster, Texas doesn’t need to roll the dice and play with fire in 2025 if there’s a suitable option in the portal. Besides the interior defensive line and wide receiver, the kicking situation might be the most critical area the Longhorns need to assess before the spring window opens. View full news story