Jeff Howe

Fifth round-ish.

In a perfect world, Lefau and Moore would be back at Texas as seniors in 2026. Unfortunately, that's not the way college football is operating right now.

Monday’s news of Liona Lefau’s departure from the Texas football program, along with DeAndre Moore Jr.’s intention to declare for the 2026 NFL Draft, is collateral damage amid the persistent roster volatility permeating throughout college football. The Longhorns planned to use the transfer portal to bolster the linebacker position before Lefau’s decision to enter the transfer portal went public. With Lefau’s production over 42 career games played and 22 starts gone, Texas will look for proven commodities to overhaul the second level of Pete Kwiatkowski’s defense. Moore, who wasn’t expected back on the Forty Acres in 2026, according to what team sources told On Texas Football in recent weeks, will join Lefau, Ethan Burke, Jaylon Guilbeau, Anthony Hill Jr., Trey Moore, Malik Muhammad and Michael Taaffe in opting out of the Citrus Bowl against Michigan in just over two weeks. Lefau’s decision to head into the portal, and Hill and Moore focusing on the draft, leaves Texas thin at linebacker for the bowl game, to say the least. The short-term pinch means a bigger role for Ty’Anthony Smith against the Wolverines, who lead the Big Ten with 32 rushing touchdowns, are second in the conference in yards per rushing attempt (5.51) and rank 16th nationally in rushing yards per game (213.2). Brad Spence could log more playing time at linebacker instead of as a pass rusher off the edge and, potentially, there could be more snaps available for Bo Barnes and Marshall Landwehr. For better or worse, that’s the price Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns are willing to pay to ensure they’ve got their ducks in a row long before the transfer portal officially opens for business on Jan. 2. Sarkisian didn’t want to outright say during his signing day press conference on Dec. 3 that following “an NFL draft model” is the best way to approach roster construction. Still, he laid out why the need to be fiscally responsible leads to tough calls on which players to acquire and retain. “You can only have so much money,” Sarkisian said. “There’s rules, there’s caps and we play within the confines of what the rules (are) that they put in place, so you’ve got to decide what’s the value at the position and what’s the value of certain players. When School B offers more money that’s outside of the value — it’s not endless. You can’t just keep throwing money on top of money on top of money. “We have to be very specific in (addressing) what are our needs, looking long term as well as short term, of where do you allocate that money?” Viewing the early signing window as the equivalent of the NFL draft (presumably, that would make the February signing period college football’s version of the supplemental draft, which is a fair comparison because it's becoming less relevant from one recruiting cycle to the next), Sarkisian said Texas landed some “elite first-round picks” in the 2026 class (Tyler Atkinson, Dia Bell, Jermaine Bishop and Richard Wesley are among those who look the part). He also made note of the Longhorns welcoming “high-level second, third and fourth-round picks” into the program ahead of his sixth season as head coach. Eventually, the newcomers become veterans on various career trajectories. Like NFL rookies, when their contracts are winding down and franchises must decide whether to extend them on longer, more lucrative second contracts or let them become unrestricted free agents, the rising third and fourth-year college players must accept their role for the coming season (even if it’s diminished and comes with a pay cut) or bet on themselves, either as a transfer or in the draft. Those are the discussions Texas and every other Power Four program eying a championship run are in the process of having with their players. The freedom of movement from which players benefit is the same mechanism that allows coaches to dictate the terms and conditions a player must accept to remain a part of the program. Between defections to the portal and NFL draft departures, only 10 of the 25 high school signees from the 2023 recruiting class are on track to be a part of the 2026 squad. Trevor Goosby, Jelani McDonald and Quintrevion Wisner are among the 10, meaning the number will go down should any of them declare for the draft. While the staff has a group of young players they’ll look to develop behind the scenes, the bulk of the roster movement ahead of what figures to be Arch Manning’s last season with the Longhorns will be moves the organization makes with an all-in mindset. It’s not ideal, and it can lead to decisions neither side of the table wants to make, but it’s the nature of the beast given college football’s current structure (or lack thereof). View full news story

Texas received eight first-place votes, which weren't enough to overtake No. 1 UConn. Sunday's 89-54 rout of No. 13 Baylor moved the Longhorns to 12-0 on the season. Vic Schaefer's team will be back in action at Moody Center on Wednesday against Northwestern State (8 p.m., SEC Network).

What makes the Simmons snub indefensible Is that the AP actually distinguishes between edge rushers and interior defensive linemen. I refuse to believe there are six better edge defenders in America than Colin Simmons.

Anthony Hill was a second-team selection at linebacker. Taaffe was a third-team selection at safety. Colin Simmons was not named to the AP All-America team.

Seemed like Patrick Hudson couldn’t catch a break.

Texas comes up one win shy of the Final Four. Wisconsin wins the regional final at Gregory Gym, 3-2. Texas ends the season with a record of 26-4.

https://ontexasfootball.com/forums/topic/10250-sunday/

The team here is growing something special. I can't thank everyone enough for welcoming me over here. I'm proud to be a part of helping OTF own a piece of a highly competitive market.

FINAL: (2) TEXAS 89, (13) BAYLOR 54

Brilliant outing for Coach Schaefer and his club today!

Baylor hasn't had a loss this bad in almost 20 years! The last loss this bad was an 88-57 road loss to LSU on Jan. 30, 2006. That was the height of the Kim Mulkey-Pokey Chatman blood feud. It was a rematch of the national semifinal from the year before (a win by Baylor over LSU on their way to Mulkey's first title).

Texas 81, Baylor 48 4:44 to go, 4Q

Texas is up by 35 (81-46) with about five and a half minutes to go in Fort Worth.

Texas has scored 38 points off 28 Baylor turnovers.