Defense notes from Jeff Howe and 247:
(I don't know how to spoiler shit on mobile)
AUSTIN, Texas — Football is back on the Forty Acres as Texas hit the field at the Wright Whitaker Sports Complex for the first preseason practice of 2019. As Tom Hermanput his squad through the paces in helmets, jersey tops and shorts on Friday morning, media outlets (including Horns247) were on hand to watch roughly an hour of the Longhorns go through stretching, special teams, one team period and individual work.
The following is a roundup of notes from the defensive end of the practice field:
— When the No. 1 defense lined up for pursuit drill (the one period the media gets to see where the entire defense is on the field together) the starting cornerbacks were Jalen Green and D'Shawn Jamison. It’s been widely throughout the offseason that Green and Anthony Cook would open camp as the starters replacing Kris Boyd and Davante Davis, but as Horns247 has been reporting Jamison shouldn’t be sold short in the competition.
— Cook was on the No. 2 defense opposite of Kobe Boyce with Kenyatta Watson II and Donovan Duvernay running with the third team.
— You’ll probably hear or read reports about DeMarvion Overshown lining up at either B-backer or Rover. Indeed, when the second group on defense took the field for pursuit drill Overshown was lined up where typically the B-backer would be. However, there were three linebackers on the field (Caleb Johnson, Juwan Mitchell and Marcus Tillman Jr.) along with Overshown, Josh Thompson in the nickel spot and Chris Brown and Montrell Estell were back deep at the safety positions. Include the No. 2 defensive line of Marqez Bimage and Jamari Chisholm at the end positions with Gerald Wilbon at nose and with Boyce and Cook at cornerback and that’s 12 defenders. Overshown was working with the safeties in individual, so this wasn’t a position change as much as it might suggest he’s got the inside track on the Joker role when the Longhorns start installing the dime package (the Joker replaces the B-backer in those situations).
— The base nickel look in pursuit drill featured Caden Sterns and Brandon Jones back deep at safety with B.J. Foster on the field as the nickel defender. As long as health isn’t an issue, it’s hard to envision anything but that group being on the field together in 29 days for the Louisiana Tech game.
— As for what the safeties did in individual, Craig Naivar always has his guys working on ball skills and finishing the play. Naivar’s group does go through drills that mimic movements and techniques for playing over the top or in deep coverage, but they also work a lot on man coverage, perhaps because the nickels and safeties work together.
— Cornerbacks were on the opposite side of the field from the safeties and linebackers, but Jason Washington was putting his guys through work on the chutes. Those drills are all about keeping a low pad level while making good transitions in and out of breaks.
— Todd Orlando had his group work on bags for foot quickness and speed and leading the way in drills were the three linebackers who lined up with the No. 1 defense: Ayodele Adeoye at Mac, Jeffrey McCulloch at Rover and Joseph Ossai at B-backer. Johnson, Mitchell and Tillman were working behind them, but a guy to watch in camp might be Byron Vaughns. Based on how he carried himself through drills and how he attacked his work, it feels like he could be getting ready to make a push for playing time (even though he lined up with the No. 3 group today).
— After watching guys go through bag drills a couple of times, you can tell why the three starters have separated themselves from the pack. They were the only guys not stepping on or kicking bags as took their turn, which was impressive for a guy like Adeoye, who spent his summer working on and improving his lateral quickness and athleticism.
— There were no surprises along the defensive line. Working in front of the aforementioned second group was a No. 1 line of Keondre Coburn at nose guard with Ta’Quon Graham and Malcolm Roach lined up as the ends.
— Oscar Giles had his group working a lot on ball get-off, along with engaging and separating from a one-man sled. With it being a non-contact setting, that’s pretty much the extent of what the defensive linemen can do.
— Among the notable names not already mentioned on the No. 3 defense were Daniel Carson and Jacoby Jones at the end positions, David Gbenda at linebacker and Tyler Owens at safety. Walk-ons Hank Coutomanos at safety, Luke Brockermeyerand Cort Jaquess at linebacker, and Troy Torres at nose guard were lined up with the third group.