Fall Camp 2022

Xavier Worthy hasn't let up

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Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy re-wrote several pages in the Longhorn record books last year. No freshman in school history caught as many passes, touchdowns, or recorded as many receiving yards as Worthy did in year one on the Forty Acres.

“This guy works like he’s got something to prove every day,” Sarkisian said. “For example, we track our Catapult numbers from how much yardage a guy runs, high velocity yardage, explosive movements, all those things, top-end speed. We’ve got I think 18 receivers in camp right now. He was at the top of every one of them.”

His level of play stayed close to elite all season. He finished 2021 with an overall offensive grade of 79.2 according to PFF College, and had a receiving grade above 95 for all of his targets on routes 10 yards or further down the field. Perhaps most importantly, he was charged with only three drops on 103 targets.

[More at IT]
 
Quinn Ewers tabbed as QB that will ‘demand attention’​

A piece from Chris Hummer of 247Sports released on Aug. 9 continued to include Ewers in the speculation for what’s to come from him for the 2022 season. This piece from 247Sports listed the redshirt freshman around college football that will “demand your attention in 2022”. And Ewers was the first name to pop up on the list.

It is hard to overlook the presence that Ewers brings to the table heading into the 2022 season. This 247Sports list mentions that he is the “most high-profile redshirt freshman” in the country, which is a hard point to dispute.

Here’s more on what this 247Sports piece had to say about the placement of Ewers on this list.

He’s a former No. 1 overall recruit and ranked as a five-star transfer this offseason, exiting Ohio State for Texas. Currently, Ewers is locked in a QB battle with Hudson Card to be Texas’ starting QB. Nothing is certain, but Ewers is very likely to win that battle by the end of fall camp. And if he’s the starter, Ewers will front an offense with those like Bijan Robinson and Xavier Worthy as weapons and Steve Sarkisian as his offensive coordinator.

Ewers is clearly going to have plenty of weapons at his disposal this fall, [which also include] redshirt sophomore wide receiver Isaiah Neyor, redshirt junior wide receiver Jordan Whittington, and senior running back Roschon Johnson, among many other standouts.

The sky really is the limit for this Texas offense in 2022. If Ewers comes even close to living up to the massive hype that followed him as a perfect-rated recruit out of Southlake Carroll High School, then Texas is definitely going to have one of the most explosive offenses in the entire country this fall.

[More at Hook'Em]
 
Godz40acres said:
This guy works like he’s got something to prove every day,” Sarkisian said. “For example, we track our Catapult numbers from how much yardage a guy runs, high velocity yardage, explosive movements, all those things, top-end speed. We’ve got I think 18 receivers in camp right now. He was at the top of every one of them.”
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I find this portion very interesting. And I’d be incredibly curious to see the numbers and how they are used.

There’s always a fair amount of discussion on who should be playing over whom. Such and such is talented versus his counterpart who has so little talent they can’t wipe their own backside. One would think that large disparities in these numbers would result in less playing time/opportunities for some.

I’ve seen them posted but does anyone have access to the top end speed charts for the past two years.
 
When is it gonna be too late to jump on the bandwagon?

Get on it now. DMO never been more prepared. JWhitt never been more prepared. The Oline is simple in a way. Everyone’s level of play is being elevated. Find one dude out of a half dozen. The floor elsewhere was the best run blocking line we’ve had in over a decade. RB depth is stacked. Lose your AllAmerican Big 12er? 2nd teamer go get you 2 bills on the ground. If everyone on D steps up a little, it’s very workable. Coburn found life in his last game. Maybe Ovie too. Jamison knows. Now or never. Kicker? Well, not sure.
 
TFB had a source tell them Quinn Ewers is leading the QB race, and it's his job to lose.

One big reason being is he's better in the RPO game and gives the staff the ability to open up the playbook.
 
3 players feeling the most pressure in fall camp​

David Gbenda, LB

Gbenda is a little bit undersized at 5-foot-11. But his quickness, overall explosiveness, and strength at the point of attack make Gbenda a special linebacker physically.

The problem that Gbenda has continually faced during his three seasons at Texas thus far was his inability to diagnose plays and find the ball at times. Gbenda’s tackling grade has consistently gotten worse in each of the last three seasons. He’s missed 10 tackles in the last two seasons while coming up with just over 40 combined tackles. That missed tackle rate just a little shy of 25 percent can’t happen for an off-ball linebacker in the role that Gbenda would be asked to play.

Quinn Ewers, QB

We are mostly hearing good things about the progress of Ewers in terms of how he is getting accustomed to the reads in this offense and utilizing his tremendous arm talent to make the necessary throws. Ewers just needs to keep making these strides in the next couple of weeks to ensure that he’s ready to get off to a good start this season.

But it does seem like junior quarterback Hudson Card is putting up a more formidable battle in this position battles in fall practice than many Texas fans originally anticipated. Card is also making some of the necessary strides to really push Ewers in this quarterback competition.

Alfred Collins, DL/EDGE

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[T]he very fact that we’re still hearing that Collins is not getting regular first-team reps in fall practice is pretty concerning.

At this point of his collegiate career, Collins just seems too talented not to be getting consistent first-team reps in fall camp. This likely signals that Texas is either still trying to find the right schematic fit for Collins, or someone else is proving to be more effective in picking up the defensive scheme in the spots Alfred played last fall.

There are some ideas flying around in the midst of fall camp that Collins could come off the edge or line up in the three-technique as a true defensive lineman early this season.

[More at Hook'Em]
 
Your Wrong said:
When is it gonna be too late to jump on the bandwagon?

Get on it now. DMO never been more prepared. JWhitt never been more prepared. The Oline is simple in a way. Everyone’s level of play is being elevated. Find one dude out of a half dozen. The floor elsewhere was the best run blocking line we’ve had in over a decade. RB depth is stacked. Lose your AllAmerican Big 12er? 2nd teamer go get you 2 bills on the ground. If everyone on D steps up a little, it’s very workable. Coburn found life in his last game. Maybe Ovie too. Jamison knows. Now or never. Kicker? Well, not sure.
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This post was awesome because I couldn’t tell if you were serious or sarcastic.
 
Entering his fifth-year, Junior Angilau brings versatility
and leadership to the Texas O-line

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Junior Angilau has been a consistent presence on the Longhorn offensive line. Of the 35 games in the last three seasons, Angilau has started 34 of them at either right or left guard....

UT head coach Steve Sarkisian said Monday he sees a sense of urgency in not just in how Angilau handles his day-to-day responsibilities, but how he helps his teammates do the same.

“He’s an excellent leader,” Sarkisian said Monday. “He understands what it takes. I think he’s a guy, going into his senior season, that wants to have a great team season. He wants it for the team, and is willing to do what it takes for the team.”

It’ll be tough for anyone to fully unseat Angilau at guard, even for talented freshmen like Cole Hutson, DJ Campbell, or Malik Agbo. However, the possibility exists that Angilau lines up at a different spot this season.

During a media viewing portion at last Thursday’s Texas football practice, Angilau was taking reps exclusively at center. He was situated behind incumbent starter Jake Majors and third-year lineman Logan Parr. That shift further inside isn’t a permanent change quite yet, as Inside Texas noted on Tuesday that Angilau is still on the first-team line at his familiar right guard spot.

But even if Angilau’s snaps at center are a fleeting training camp event, those experimental reps speak to what Angilau can offer to the 2022 O-line.

“His versatility is important that way, whether it’s guard, whether it’s center, when his number is called, that he can go do those things,” Sarkisian said. “He’s a very smart player.”

[More at IT]
 
Way too much invested to feel otherwise. Legit 10 wins including post season is my prognosis.

But not totally serious about the lead in.

We are more talented depthwise at every offensive position. On defense, we are not less experienced. We’re probably more physically gifted at DB.

To me the oddest lack of discussion is any potential of the frosh DLine guys to make an impact. I think DMOs lack of a spring was impactful not only in his learning of his position/new scheme but working with the other LBs.
 
Don’t sleep on WR Tarique Milton this fall​

ISU Coach Matt Campbell: "Speed is probably the #1 strength that I would say he had. Honestly, my favorite part about Tarique isn't that he was just this incredible football player, because he was and he made big plays for us, but really who he is as a human."


(Have the mute button ready to press - the music is... well...)​


This Texas wide receiver room looks so impressive that it could be the best at the position for the program in the last decade.

The Iowa State grad transfer and super senior Milton could be a sneaky good addition for the Longhorns this fall.

Since arriving on campus, we keep hearing that Milton has made a very positive impression in the locker room and on this staff thanks to his speed and work ethic. It sounds like he’s bringing that gritty and tough mentality to the table that this Texas team needs....

Milton is apparently one of the more impressive wide receivers in fall camp, showing off the speed that made him so elusive and dangerous in the open field at Iowa State.

Practice notes from Orangebloods on Aug. 8 (paid content) indicate that Milton has actually started to form a really nice connection with redshirt freshman quarterback Quinn Ewers.

Despite filling a backup role out of the slot behind redshirt junior wide receiver Jordan Whittington this season, there will be ample opportunity for Milton to get significant targets in the passing game.

If you had any questions pertaining to how Milton looks in camp, he’s apparently making one of the strongest impressions on the offensive staff thanks to the speed and elusiveness he’s put on display.

If Texas is able to get the ball in Milton’s hands in space, he’s going to put those tools to use and make good things happen.

[More at Hook 'Em]
 
Roschon Johnson named to The Athletic's Freaks List​

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Every year, longtime college football reporter Bruce Feldman of The Athletic releases his annual Freaks List. Feldman’s ever-expanding list of college football players spotlights “players who generate buzz inside their program by displaying the unique physical abilities that wow even those who observe gifted athletes every day.”

Texas running back Roschon Johnson checked in at No. 26 on Feldman’s Freaks List.

“This guy is just an outstanding all-around football player,” Feldman wrote. “He breaks tackles to pick up third downs, taking direct snaps out of the Wildcat, can run away from linebackers or take on defensive ends.”

Feldman also explained Johnson packed on five additional pounds of muscle, but hasn’t lost any footspeed. He reported Johnson hit 22.6 mph during offseason workouts, one of the top marks in the program.

[More at IT]
 
Your Wrong said:
Way too much invested to feel otherwise. Legit 10 wins including post season is my prognosis.

But not totally serious about the lead in.

We are more talented depthwise at every offensive position. On defense, we are not less experienced. We’re probably more physically gifted at DB.

To me the oddest lack of discussion is any potential of the frosh DLine guys to make an impact. I think DMOs lack of a spring was impactful not only in his learning of his position/new scheme but working with the other LBs.
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Gonna come down to oline, QB play, and penetration by the dline
 
i am trying to figure out which is our deepest/best position. is it the wr corp( including slot but not TE) or the rb corp?
i feel like if we lost the top two at each of those positions we still have players that can make plays. This is incredible to me because we haven't had depth like this in a long time.
i am leaning to the receiver group.
 
Godz40acres said:
Roschon Johnson named to The Athletic's Freaks List​

​


Every year, longtime college football reporter Bruce Feldman of The Athletic releases his annual Freaks List. Feldman’s ever-expanding list of college football players spotlights “players who generate buzz inside their program by displaying the unique physical abilities that wow even those who observe gifted athletes every day.”

Texas running back Roschon Johnson checked in at No. 26 on Feldman’s Freaks List.

“This guy is just an outstanding all-around football player,” Feldman wrote. “He breaks tackles to pick up third downs, taking direct snaps out of the Wildcat, can run away from linebackers or take on defensive ends.”

Feldman also explained Johnson packed on five additional pounds of muscle, but hasn’t lost any footspeed. He reported Johnson hit 22.6 mph during offseason workouts, one of the top marks in the program.

[More at IT]
Click to expand...

Slacker. Usain Bolt hit 27.6 mph in the Olympics.
 
Texas football projected to have one of
10 best offenses in 2022​

Sark and the Longhorns definitely boast one of the most talented offenses in the entire country.

A projection of the 10 best offenses in the country for the 2022 season by Brad Crawford of 247Sports on Aug. 10 highlighted how good Texas could be on this side of the ball.

This ranking/preseason projection... pegged Texas as having the ninth best offense for the 2022 college football season. That pegged Texas as the second-best offense in the Big 12, behind the Sooners who rang in at No. 7 on the list.

Here’s more on what this piece had to say regarding the placement of Texas at No. 9 on the list of best offenses in college football this year.

If the offense line performs, this Texas offense should challenge Oklahoma for the Big 12’s most prolific unit as a scoring machine this season. Between Hudson Card and Quinn Ewers at quarterback, the Longhorns have two options they’re comfortable with as playmakers under center and the weaponry on the outside is impressive following Xavier Worthy’s spectacular freshman campaign at wideout and the addition of Isaiah Neyor and Jahleel Billingsley from the transfer portal.

There was more mentioned regarding the strength of the Texas running back room thanks to the presence of star junior Bijan Robinson, senior Roschon Johnson, redshirt junior Keilan Robinson, etc. Texas’ overall versatility and lethality of the skill position weapons in this offense were also emphasized in this piece.

It is interesting to note, though, that the major x-factor for the offense seems to be the play of the offensive line.

[More at Hook 'Em]

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The good news.is that as a Longhorns fan, I'm feeling very optimistic about what we will accomplish this season. The bad news.is that sometimes my Longhorns optimism has been wrong.
 
Playing good man to man defense will dramatically improve the defense for two reasons. With man, the spots the quarterback has to hit are obviously much smaller than zone, And secondly playing man is very simple...there’s no confusion..the defensive back just sticks to his man. A downside will be late developing running plays and particularly QB scrambles, because as a man on man defender if you look away from the receiver than you’ll lose him. Defensive Backs can’t play run support until they receivers start trying to block you. But the simplicity of playing man outweighs the run support deficiency. Without a decent pass rush naturally any pass defense will fail. I’m brimming with gruntledness about the new man on man plan
 
While UGA and Bama are kind of the outliers in terms of defensive production, one of their biggest strengths is not tipping if they're going zone or man.

Iowa played zone 93% of the time, and they had the #17 defense in the country. People knew it was coming, with all those 3-star recruits, and they still couldn't pick it apart unless it was the B1G championship.

While playing man simplifies responsibilities, it's not the best way to win in today's game. A pass rush combo with zone seems to be the winner unless there's some freaky things going on with individual talent or weather or whatever. We didn't flounder because of playing zone in 2021... we had no pass rush.
 
Horns11 said:
While UGA and Bama are kind of the outliers in terms of defensive production, one of their biggest strengths is not tipping if they're going zone or man.

Iowa played zone 93% of the time, and they had the #17 defense in the country. People knew it was coming, with all those 3-star recruits, and they still couldn't pick it apart unless it was the B1G championship.

While playing man simplifies responsibilities, it's not the best way to win in today's game. A pass rush combo with zone seems to be the winner unless there's some freaky things going on with individual talent or weather or whatever. We didn't flounder because of playing zone in 2021... we had no pass rush.
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Today’s game is beyond my pay grade. There are a few more positive aspects to man that I would have you consider applying to any time period.

With zone a large and fast receiver or tight end can get up a head of steam and run you over. That’s how corners get hurt. It’s much easier to tackle a receiver when you’re right there as they catch it. In fact the little corners can easily inflict damage on the bigger player by using their own weight against them as they fall.

Secondly since the one thing a defensive back can never do is to let a receiver get behind you...it’s easier if you’re right there to prevent big plays by keeping everything in front of you at all times.
With zones quarterbacks can hit the receivers in a seam.

Corners can’t be real tall in general due to the fact that they have to change directions just after the receiver. You have to be under 6’2” to do that, in general. So if you’re covering big receivers You had better be right there in their hip pocket.

As you mentioned with high wind or wet field conditions zones can be great. Or if your defensive backs are slower than the opposing receivers. And finally if you are opposing a run oriented team then zones have more advantages for defensive back run
support.

I’m worried about our large corner Watts. Can he change direction fast enough with his 6’4” frame in order to play lockdown corner?
 
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Horns11 said:
While UGA and Bama are kind of the outliers in terms of defensive production, one of their biggest strengths is not tipping if they're going zone or man.

Iowa played zone 93% of the time, and they had the #17 defense in the country. People knew it was coming, with all those 3-star recruits, and they still couldn't pick it apart unless it was the B1G championship.

While playing man simplifies responsibilities, it's not the best way to win in today's game. A pass rush combo with zone seems to be the winner unless there's some freaky things going on with individual talent or weather or whatever. We didn't flounder because of playing zone in 2021... we had no pass rush.
Click to expand...
 
Perhaps then there is something freakish going on with talent since the coaches have declared more man. One possible indication that we will indeed play more man is that we have a former corner starting at safety, Cook. Then our other safety is Crawford..one of the fastest longhorns.
 
Jordan Whittington's efforts, on and off the field,
have him hopeful for a standout junior season

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In his three years as a Texas Longhorn, Jordan Whittington has suffered three injuries that either derailed his season or cut it short altogether.

Exiting 2021 and entering 2022, Whittington made a concerted effort to take better care of his body. He practices yoga and does other workouts with the purpose of physical maintenance. He improved his diet. He is constantly in Moncrief receiving treatment that will help him remain a threat to opposing defenses.

Through the first week of UT’s training camp, his hard work has drawn praise from coaches and teammates alike.

Growing up in a family of athletes had Whittington around weights from a young age. He said Tuesday he was doing lifts like the bench press when he was 10-years-old.

Those years of training near the Texas Coastal Bend and the rigors of carrying the load for the Cuero Gobblers took a toll.

When Steve Sarkisian arrived in Austin in 2021, he brought with him Torre Becton to implement a new strength and conditioning philosophy for the former top-50 player in the On3 Consensus. They had a plan for Whittington from the start.

“I would say the difference would be more mobility, not as much strength and stuff like that,” Whittington said of their blueprint for him. “Me, I had a lot of operations, so just staying open, staying loose, staying mobile is something that we worked on.”

That change helped him avoid soft tissue problems through the first six games of 2021, but football is a violent sport and collisions happen. Treatment and conditioning doesn’t do a whole lot when it comes to collarbones, and a broken clavicle is what cost Whittington four games last season.

Whittington said Tuesday he shows up early prior to practice in order to get treatment, almost living in the UT training room. Recent facility renovations have helped in this regard, as some of the treatments Texas players used to have to go off campus to receive are now in the fully redone Moncrief athletic facility.

Expectations for Whittington are high, and no one has higher expectations than Whittington himself. On Tuesday, the fourth-year junior said he was especially motivated because this is his “last year,” hinting at his professional aspirations.

[More at IT]
 
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