Texas

Texas Football: Midseason awards for seven players

Published

9 months ago

October 12, 2023

Texas Football: Midseason awards for seven players

The No. 9 Texas Longhorns are 5-1 through the first six weeks of the season. Believe it or not, Texas still has a great chance to make the Big 12 conference championship game and the College Football Playoff.

The Longhorns are scoring an average of 35 points per game while allowing only 16.3 points on the defensive side, a significant improvement from last year’s nearly 23 points per game.

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Over the past six weeks, we have seen significant improvements in the team’s mindset and performance on the field compared to last year.

This Texas team feels different, and although they were handed their first loss last week, the Longhorns still control their own destiny and will look to achieve a conference championship in December.

From monsters on the defensive line to newcomers, here are my midseason awards for seven Texas players.

Defensive MVP: T’Vondre Sweat

Texas’ defensive line has been anchored by T’Vondre Sweat, who currently leads all interior linemen in college football with a PFF defensive grade of 91.1. Opposing teams have had a difficult time dealing with his on-field abilities.

Honorable mention: Jaylan Ford

Offensive MVP: Jonathon Brooks

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Jonathon Brooks has proven to be a dominant force this season, leading all Power Five running backs with 726 rushing yards. Despite preseason doubts about replacing Bijan Robinson’s production, Brooks has put those concerns to rest with his impressive performance. As a result, Brooks has emerged as one of the nation’s top running backs.

Honorable mention: Ja’Tavion Sanders

Most improved: Christian Jones

Chris Jones-USA TODAY Sports

Christian Jones’ development under Kyle Flood has been significant. This season, he has achieved an impressive 82.0 PFF passing grade, almost 10 points higher than his previous score last season. Jones has been an absolute force on the field, having not allowed any sacks, and only permitting three pressures on the quarterback.

Honorable mention: Quinn Ewers

Newcomer of the year: Anthony Hill Jr

Anthony Hill Jr, the freshman five-star from Denton, has already made an impact on the dominant Texas defense with 19 tackles, three sacks, and eight pressures on the quarterback. Hill had originally committed to Texas A&M but ultimately decided to join the real flagship program of Texas.

Honorable mention: CJ Baxter

Best unit: Defensive line

. © Mikala Compton/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Texas Longhorns’ defensive line, led by standout T’Vondre Sweat, has been impressive this season, holding opponents to just over 100 rushing yards per game. With Byron Murphy II, Barryn Sorrell, T’Vondre Sweat, and Alfred Collins anchoring the line, opposing offenses will have their work cut out for them.

Honorable mention: Offensive line

Top transfer: Adonai Mitchell

Texas added Adonai Mitchell last offseason, who previously won the national championship with the Georgia Bulldogs. Mitchell has already made a significant impact for Texas just six weeks into the season, showing his playmaking abilities with 354 receiving yards and four touchdowns. It is expected that he will continue to contribute to the stat sheet as the season progresses.

Honorable mention: Jalen Catalon

Surprise player: Malik Muhammad

As a freshman on one of the most prominent college football programs, Muhammad has exceeded expectations so far. While it can be challenging for a freshman, he has embraced the opportunity. Despite allowing 134 yards, Muhammad is only playing a small portion of his full potential, and he is expected to improve with more playing time.

Honorable mention: Ethan Burke

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Texas

Reports: Texas A&M baseball hiring Washington head coach Jason Kelly as next pitching coach

Published

3 hours ago

June 30, 2024

Press Room

Reports: Texas A&M baseball hiring Washington head coach Jason Kelly as next pitching coach

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) – Texas A&M baseball is set to hire Washington head coach Jason Kelly as its next pitching coach, as first reported by The Eagle.

Kelly’s hire comes hours after former pitching coach Michael Earley signed to become the Aggies’ head coach.

Other reports are out that A&M is targeting Texas pitching coach Caleb Longley to join the staff.

I would expect former @TexasBaseball assistant Caleb Longley to end up on Michael Earley’s staff at @AggieBaseball. Another spot is expected to be a Power 5 head coach.
— Kendall Rogers (@KendallRogers) June 30, 2024
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Kelly spent the past two years as the head coach for the Huskies after seven seasons as the Huskies’ pitching coach.

In Kelly’s first season at the helm of the UW program, Washington had a 17-12 league record was good for third in the standings. The Huskies garnered a 35-20 overall record, earning the 12th NCAA Regional bid in program-history. The 35 wins were the second most by a first-year head coach for the Huskies.

Six players from Kelly’s inaugural UW squad were selected in the 2023 MLB Draft, the second time Washington has had at least five players drafted since 2014. Kiefer Lord, taken 86th overall by the Baltimore Orioles, became the highest-drafted Husky since 2015. Case Matter (Texas Rangers), Stu Flesland III (Colorado Rockies), Johnny Tincher (Cleveland Guardians), Will Simpson (Oakland Athletics) and Coby Morales (New York Yankees) also heard their names called.

In 2024, Washington had a 19-31-1 record and missed the postseason.

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Peyton Manning Reveals His Relationship with Texas Longhorns QB Arch Manning

Published

10 hours ago

June 30, 2024

Press Room

Peyton Manning Reveals His Relationship with Texas Longhorns QB Arch Manning

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning is set to begin the 2024 college football season as the backup to Quinn Ewers. More than likely, fans will have to wait until next season to see him in action.

Despite being a backup quarterback, Manning is one of the most popular names across the nation.

A lot of his popularity comes from him being the nephew of former NFL superstars Peyton and Eli Manning. However, he has also shown massive potential for the future.

Many fans are curious about just how much the young Manning works with his uncles. Peyton Manning, especially, is viewed as one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play football.

In a recent quote during the Manning Pass Academy, Peyton opened up about his relationship with Arch.

“I’m well-documented on how proud we are of Arch. I try to be a resource to him. He and I worked out several weeks ago together.”

Clearly, Peyton has been a key mentor for the young quarterback. While he has been a mentor and a resource, he doesn’t seem to be taking a very active role in Arch’s development.

At this point in time, no one knows exactly what to expect from Manning’s future. Until he’s on the field and playing, no one knows if he will live up to the hype.

Even though he hasn’t played much as a college football player, he has found plenty of success.

His success has come off-the-field, in the form of the NIL market.

Right now, Manning ranks No. 3 among all NIL athletes. The only two athletes ahead of him are Shedeur Sanders and Livvy Dunne.

Currently, the young quarterback has received an NIL valuation of $2.8 million. That is an insane number for a player who has only thrown five passes as a college quarterback.

All of that being said, Manning is staying ready for an opportunity to play. He knows it likely won’t be this season, but he’s one injury or a slow start from Quinn Ewers away from possibly seeing playing time.

Expect to see the young quarterback continue racking up impressive NIL money. He has stayed the course and has handled his situation perfectly. A bright future awaits him with the Longhorns when his number is finally called.

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UGASports – Scouting the Opponent: Three questions about Texas

Published

18 hours ago

June 30, 2024

Press Room

UGASports – Scouting the Opponent:
Three questions about Texas

SCHOOL: Texas

HEAD COACH: Steve Sarkisian (25-14, 4th year)

2023 RECORD: 12-1 overall, 8-1 (1st in Big 12)

RETURNING STARTERS: Offense – 5; Defense – 7, Special Teams – 1

PLAYERS TO WATCH: QB Quinn Ewers, RB Jaydon Blue, WR Silas Bolden, WR Isaiah Bond, LT Kelvin Banks Jr., Edge Ethan Burke, LB Anthony Hill, S Andrew Mukuba

VERSUS GEORGIA: October 19 (Darrell K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium)

Quarterback Quinn Ewers leads what should be an explosive Texas offense. (USA Today)

Will the Texas offense just reload?

Last year’s Longhorn offense averaged 36 points. Can Texas keep that up in its first season in the SEC?

The fact quarterback Quinn Ewers is back after a year that saw him complete 69 percent of his passes for 3,479 yards and 22 touchdowns bodes well.

So does the fact Texas returns four of its starting offensive linemen.

The team has to replace Jonathan Brooks – the first running back taken in last April’s NFL Draft – but features some excellent returnees in CJ Baxter and Jaydon Blue, who combined for 1,057 yards last season.

There are some questions at wide receiver, but only because so many are new to the program.

Otherwise, Alabama transfer Isaiah Bond, Houston transfer Matthew Golden, and Oregon State transfer Silas Bolden accounted for 140 receptions for 1,818 yards and 15 touchdowns combined for their former teams.

Can Texas replace some key losses on its defensive front?

Gone are defensive tackle Byron Murphy II and T’Vondre Sweat, selected in the first and second rounds of the NFL Draft.

As they did at wide receiver, the Longhorns dipped into the transfer portal to hopefully fill the voids, adding former Georgia player (Bill Norton via Arizona), Tia Savea (Arizona), and Louisville flip Jermayne Lole.

The Longhorns also hope fifth-year player Alfred Collins will be able to make a jump, and if he can, then the unit may be able to do the job.

Still, it might be a bit unfair to expect the same production as Sweat and Murphy provided a season ago.

How will the Longhorns do in their first year in the SEC?

A Week Two trip to defending national champion Michigan will give the Longhorns an excellent early test before hosting Mississippi State in its first game as an SEC member on Sept. 28.

The two weeks that follow, however, will tell the tale.

Texas and fellow SEC newcomer Oklahoma in Dallas on Oct. 12, followed on the 19th by the highly-anticipated game with Georgia.

If the Longhorns can survive that, the rest of the conference schedule is certainly manageable.

Home games against Florida and Kentucky highlight the remaining part of the conference schedule, before closing at arch-rival Texas A&M on Nov. 30.

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