Austin, TX
DeAndre Moore Jr. Reflects on Turning Practice Into Production
Despite being a top-20 player at his position in 247’s 2023 CFB recruiting rankings, now sophomore wide receiver DeAndre Moore Jr. barely played in his freshman year, recording zero catches while playing mostly special teams.
Despite this, Moore was seen as one of the hardest workers in the offseason, catapulting himself from the bottom of the WR depth chart to a starting role. Still, the receiver struggled to find a spot in the first two weeks, recording zero catches against Colorado State and Michigan even with him starting as the primary slot receiver.
But Saturday’s game against the UTSA Roadrunners saw a blossoming performance from the young receiver, capped off with a touchdown on redshirt freshman quarterback Arch Manning’s first play in the game after starter Quinn Ewers’ injury.
“To see the work that we all put in, come to life on Saturdays in front of the big DKR crowd under the lights, it was a really exhilarating moment,” Moore said.
Even with his struggles to find the ball in his hands the first two weeks, Moore relayed his emphasis on practicing how you play at all times.
“We see it every day in practice,” Moore said about the touchdown catch. “It was really nothing new for us, because we’ve already been prepped for the game, you know it really comes easy for us.”
Moore finished the afternoon with three catches and a touchdown, both tied for third most on the team. While the sophomore still isn’t the number on target like transfer Isaiah Bond, Moore brings an element that many others lack: the ability to run-block nickel cornerbacks like a pro.
Moore worked under future NFL Draft pick Jordan Whittington this last year, learning the traits that made the veteran one of the most beloved players on the team throughout his Texas career. One of the hardest-to-teach abilities for a wide receiver is the skill of run-blocking, something many star recruits deem less necessary as they try to turn into the best pass-catchers in the nation. Moore, however, has shown already his ability to help in the running game, even despite head coach Steve Sarkisian’s problems with his teams blocking on the boundary.
“Something we challenged the receivers on this morning in my meeting was, I think we need to block better on the perimeter,” Sarkisian said. “We need to get we need to get hands and hats on safeties, and we got to give our runners an opportunity to create really big runs.”
If Moore were to stay as the top blocker of the group, playing time would be assured with Sarkisian’s love for the ground game. With efficient running comes the ability to throw the ball at will and take the top off of the defense, leading to more plays near the goal line, enabling Moore to be a threat.
“The biggest thing is to want to,” Moore said about blocking. “Do you want to go put your face on that man’s face? You know what I’m saying? And for me, I love football, so every little aspect of it I’m going to go do to the best of my ability. And if it’s blocking and having to shield that man off, I’m going to go do that. “
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas’ highway system dropped two spots since 2025, and now ranks at No. 27 in the country for its cost-effectiveness and overall conditions, according to the Reason Foundation’s 2026 Highway Report.
The report assessed pavement conditions, fatalities, deficient bridges, infrastructure costs and congestion levels across the United States. Texas earned the following rankings:
- 33rd in urban interstate pavement conditions
- 21st in rural interstate pavement conditions
- 39th in urban arterial pavement conditions
- 12th in rural arterial pavement conditions
- 3rd in structurally deficient bridges
- 26th in urban fatality rate
- 42nd in rural fatality rate
- 41st in traffic congestion
“More than 42,000 of the nation’s 618,923 highway bridges, nearly 7%, are still structurally deficient. Arizona, Nevada, and Texas reported the lowest percentages of deficient bridges,” the report said.
The full report can be found online.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Small hail peppered the Austin area as strong thunderstorms moved through Saturday.
A few of the storms dropped rain and up to pea-sized hail in San Marcos, Dripping Springs and the Austin metro area.
A Severe Thunderstorm Warning was issued for Williamson County around 8:15 p.m., and then canceled shortly after. However, it was enough for the Two Step Inn music festival in Georgetown to cancel shows for the rest of the evening. Event organizers say the festival will run as planned Sunday.
KXAN’s First Warning Weather team is monitoring the storms. We will update this post as the evening continues.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Governor Greg Abbott and the Texas Society Sons of the American Revolution unveiled a new monument at the Texas State Cemetery on Saturday, dedicated to Texas Revolutionary War soldiers.
“We must educate every generation about why it is that America grew from a tenuous 13 colonies into the most powerful country in the history of the world,” said Governor Abbott. “This monument here is an enduring testament to the heroes who fought for the freedom that is unique to America.”
The monument was dedicated to 69 soldiers who fought in the American Revolutionary War and later settled in Texas, according to a press release.
Among those that were honored, Abbott recognized:
- José Santiago Seguín, grandfather of Texas Revolutionary hero Juan Seguín.
- Peter Sides, who fought in the 2nd Battalion of the North Carolina Regiment of the Colonial Army, and was later killed in the 1813 Battle of Medina, fighting for Mexican independence against Spain.
- Antonio Gil Y’Barbo, the founder of Nacogdoches.
- William Sparks, who fought as a mounted rifleman in the American Revolution and later settled in Texas. He had two sons and two grandsons who fought in the Texas Revolution.
“This year marks the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, which not only gave freedom to the British colonies of North America, but inspired movements for freedom and liberty all over the world,” said TSSAR President Mel Oller. “Texans played a role in the war too, and it’s important to recognize them, and the sacrifices they made for our freedom.”
At the monument unveiling, Abbott was also inducted into the Sons of the American Revolution and received its Silver Good Citizenship Medal.
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