IT stuff:
Some Saturday afternoon quick hitters for you. The team will take to the practice field at 5:30 again today before being off on Sunday.
Star
This has probably been the position of greatest mystery the last couple of months. Wardell Mack and Graceson Littleton played Star (nickel) a lot during the spring and continue to do so. But, sources and logic lead us to the opinion that a more experienced veteran will get the start against Ohio State. Enter…Michael Taaffe.
The senior second-team All-American safety first made waves in the program at the position and he’s been there a pretty decent amount in the first three practices. He has looked good at the spot (one of the first players mentioned), though he has also worked at safety. While at safety he’s with Jelani McDonald. When Taaffe goes to Star, McDonald has been paired with Derek Williams, Xavier Filsaime, and Jordon Johnson-Rubell.
On the surface, it seems unlikely Taaffe would play Star outside of certain looks—he’s the main communicator, after all, and he’s unlikely to play the position in the NFL. But, he has the experience, intelligence, and selflessness to do it.
We’ll continue monitoring to see how it plays out.
Ryan Wingo and DJ Campbell
The sophomore wide receiver and senior offensive guard participated in the first practice but missed the second and third. Smart money says they won’t be back until Monday. While the issues aren’t something that should hamper them long term, they could each use a very productive August to springboard into the season.
They are two of the most important players to Texas’ success this year.
CJ Baxter is turning heads
The third-year running back looks pretty damn healthy. I haven’t heard he’s 100% but did hear he impressed in Friday’s thud tempo practice. Just him being out there is a big win. Not only does he appear healthy after his significant knee injury, he’s also carrying his weight as well as can be expected given the layoff.
Should we have expectations for him against Ohio State? Based on the first three practices, a trusted IT source believes Baxter will be available and play in Week 1.
Two Friday standouts
Junior linebacker Liona Lefau was mentioned for his ability in coverage. He’s a smart player who is always where he’s supposed to be. “When they’re in zone he’s like having another DB out there.”
Redshirt freshman quarterback Trey Owens had one of his best practices ever. When Sark brought in Matthew Caldwell he challenged the other quarterbacks to beat him out. Owens apparently took that to heart.