Texas O-line talk

[LTtxfan 49392]

70 DAYS  🤘

[LTtxfan 49392]

Today is 70 days until kickoff. No. 70 for the Longhorns this season will be worn by Christian Jones, a senior offensive lineman

Christian Jones season outlook

The switch to right tackle was just what Jones needed in his fifth year on the Forty Acres. Kelvin Banks surging at left tackle allowed for Jones to go to the right side and man a position he found far more comfortable.

Jones and Banks created one of the most formidable tackle tandems in the entire country. Jones, a senior from Cypress (Texas) Cy-Woods, made strides in his pass blocking ability and continued to be one of the best run blockers in Kyle Flood’s position group.

This year, Jones will be relied upon for continued all-conference level play at the tackle spot as he tries to be a shining example of Texas’ ability to develop rawer prospects into NFL talents. Another year like 2022 for Jones should see him selected in the 2024 NFL draft.

Jones has played in 48 games with 35 starts in his first five seasons on the 40 Acres and is using his additional year of eligibility. He was an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection in 2022 by the league’s coaches, the same year he started all 13 games at right tackle for the Longhorns and was named to the Academic All-Big 12 Second Team.

Jones earned Academic All-Big 12 First Team honors in 2021after garnering a spot on the Academic All-Big 12 Second Team in 2020. He is a six-time member of the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll (spring 2020, fall 2020, spring 2021, fall 2021, spring 2022, fall 2022).

Christian Jones as a recruit

Jones was ranked as the No. 740 overall prospect, the No. 55 offensive tackle, and the No. 101 player in Texas in the 2018 On3 Industry Ranking.

 

[LTtxfan 49392]

 

[horn4life 3794]

This season for the first time in a very, very long time I think we are at the point where we truly have a serviceable two deep on the OL.  Since what the mid 2000's?

For you old farts, I remember way, back when in a land far, far away, when Nebraska as a dominant football force, and the foundation?  A bunch of 4th and 5th year senior linemen.  Imagine if we could eventually load up on the depth so much that a true freshman playing becomes the exception, rather than the necessity it has been for nearly two decades.   

Now Sark has us being mentioned among the best OL's in the country.  Without a great OL, it doesn't matter how great the plays are you create, because you cannot effectively stop the other teams disruption.  Now we are sort of like are Arby's advertisement, where we know who has the beef, and it's Texas, thank the Lord!

[Mitch Cumsteen 18615]

Say what you will about Sark, the roster building on the offensive line has been phenomenal in just two years, now going on three. It wasn't that long ago that this team could barely find five live bodies up there. Even when Mack was at the height of his recruiting powers, the offensive line never stacked talent like at other positions. And they sure as shit weren't coached as well. Very excited to see what this line will do this year, and it's still mostly underclassmen. Lots of runway before this group really hits its stride.

Edited June 26, 2023 by Mitch Cumsteen

[pyrohornIII 4824]

Quietly impressive is how so many of these guys are on academic honor rolls, repeatedly.    I would guess that would make them more coachable and quicker to adapt in game.  

 

[GoldAppleCorps 625]

I think Kyle Flood is one of, if not the, best in the business. Him following Sark to Texas was huge.

Other schools have to scheme. They have to react to the defense, block to their strengths, and paper over the deficiencies. Schools like Texas should get to pick the large, strong beasts, train them in proper footwork and hand placement, and dictate in a violent manner how the play will be run.

Nobody replaces a generational talent like Bijan Robinson. However, two seasons training with Flood, and executing as a group, will let whomever gets the honor of playing behind them experience contact past the LOS instead of dodging behind it.

[Jkwellborn 6868]

Just need to keep loading up on big mother fuckers that are mean as hell.

[futureman 22562]

6 hours ago, Jkwellborn said:

big mother fuckers that are mean as hell.

[LTtxfan 49392]

 

Today is 67 days until kickoff. No. 67 for the Longhorns this season will be worn by Malik Agbo, a redshirt freshman offensive lineman. 

Malik Agbo season outlook

Texas rarely heads to Federal Way, Wash. for a recruit, but the Longhorns and Kyle Flood saw something in the 6-foot-5, 320-pounder and there was mutual interest early. Agbo and Maalik Murphy were at the same 7-on-7 event in early 2021, and that probably kept Texas in Agbo’s ear.

Agbo, one of the most energetic recruits Texas sought after last cycle, enjoyed the recruiting process and was part of the late-yearsurge for Flood that helped him land one of the top classes in the country. Agbo came in willing, but he needed to reshape his body.

He did just that over the course of the summer, and while he didn’t land as much playing time (Texas lists him at two but it did not track his appearance in the ULM game) he worked to prepare for opportunity in his second, third, and fourth seasons.

During the spring, Agbo was behind DJ Campbell at right guard. He remained with the second team during the Orange-White Game, and will look to make the two-deep this year competing with some of his 2022 classmates.

Agbo is officially listed as having played in two games last year as a true freshman against Oklahoma and Kansas.

Malik Agbo as a recruit

Agbo was ranked as the No. 364 overall prospect, the No. 19 offensive tackle, and the No. 5 player in Washington in the 2022 On3 Industry Ranking.

[LTtxfan 49392]

Quote

The 2022 Texas offensive line featured the same five starters for all 13 games, but that doesn’t mean that younger players were deprived of in-game opportunity or that there aren’t some questions outstanding in the trenches ahead of the Longhorns’ final year in the Big 12.

With all five of those starters back, there remain intriguing storylines for Kyle Flood’s position group ahead of the 2023 season.

Inside Texas looks at some of the biggest questions facing the Longhorn O-line ahead of training camp.

How high is the ceiling for Kelvin Banks and Christian Jones?

Last season, Banks’ first and Jones’ fifth, the true freshman left tackle took home second-team All-Big 12 honors while the fifth-year senior right tackle was named an All-Big 12 honorable mention. They provided solid play on an offensive line primarily tasked with paving the way for Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson.

Their tasks may be a bit different this year with the two standout backs off to the NFL and the offense likely to ask more of Quinn Ewers and a loaded pass-catcher corps. That may serve the Texas tackle tandem well considering how PFF graded their season last year.

Jones had a pass blocking grade of 73.1 and a run blocking grade of 68.6 at his more comfortable position of right tackle. Banks, who along with Jones had to face several first-round EDGE talents, was graded at 77.9 in pass blocking and 64.9 in run blocking.

Those strong suits are likely to be accentuated this year as the Longhorns look for more consistency in the pass game.

What will training camp tinkering look like?

Last year, Junior Angilau received some opportunity at center before he suffered his season-ending injury in preseason camp. Angilau’s absence meant that Jake Majors was to man the center position in 2022 with Hayden Conner and true freshman Cole Hutson alongside him at the left and right guard positions.

Could that change this year? Maybe preseason tinkering includes opportunities for another player at center so Connor Robertson, coming off of a spring wrist procedure, could be an option. Maybe the tinkering is giving other guards first-string reps in place of Conner and Hutson. Though unlikely, maybe it’s moving Jones inside if Flood and Steve Sarkisian believe a dual-upgrade is available at right guard and right tackle.

There are a lot of players for Kyle Flood to choose from in finding an interior trio that will have to protect Ewers in the pocket often.

Who’s next from the 2022 class?

Banks and Hutson led the way last year with DJ Campbell getting late-season opportunities at right guard as part of a rotation with Hutson. Campbell and Hutson, along with Conner, will be a part of the competition at guard.

As mentioned, Robertson could create a more heated competition at center for Majors or whoever Flood elects to put in that position. But what about others like Neto Umeozulu, Malik Agbo, or Cam Williams? That trio saw action at guard during the spring game, with Williams gaining opportunities at right guard in the absence of Hutson and Campbell.

2022 class members are more likely to see action than any of the young freshmen from the 2023 class, who still have similar physical development ahead of them like their second-year counterparts had one year ago. Whether some players earn their first chances at the top of the depth chart is something to track in camp considering it will reveal a small smidgen of information about their development.

 

[LTtxfan 49392]

Today is 65 days until kickoff. No. 65 for the Longhorns this season will be worn by Jake Majors, a junior offensive lineman.

Jake Majors season outlook

At the end of the 2020 campaign after Derek Kerstetter went down with a leg injury, Jake Majors stepped into the center position and was a significant part of Bijan Robinson‘s burst onto the national scene. Majors held the center position in 2021 and, even though some preseason tinkering in 2022’s training camp had others repping at the position, Majors got the nod in the middle of the line for the entire campaign.

Kyle Flood may tinker during the summer again, but Majors will be tough to unseat from a spot he’s held for two full seasons. According to PFF, Majors was a far better pass blocker than run blocker. He had a season-long grade of 81.3 pass blocking while his run blocking grade was 58.5. Improvement by Majors in the run game for 2023’s stable of unproven backs will be integral to the success of Steve Sarkisian‘s offense.

Another PFF stat that showed Majors’ prowess in pass pro was the amount of pressures he surrendered in 2022. Only nine all year times did someone get through the middle of the O-line to affect the quarterback. That’s not only a testament to his ability physically, but also mentally as the “quarterback of the O-line” in making calls and identifying stunts that gave Texas problems in previous seasons.

A leadership figure on the team, Majors will be an important part of Texas’ successes this year barring someone(s) making a preseason camp surge that knocks him off of the first five. How much he excels will be determined by his run blocking ability.

Majors has played in 28 games with 27 starts including all 13 games last season at center. The early enrollee was an Academic All-Big 12 First Team selection in 2021 and 2022 and is a six-time member of the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll (spring 2020, fall 2020, spring 2021, fall 2021, spring 2022, fall 2022).

Jake Majors as a recruit

Majors was ranked as the No. 259 overall prospect, the No. 10 interior offensive lineman, and the No. 38 prospect in Texas in the 2020 On3 Industry Ranking, a proprietary algorithm that compiles ratings and rankings from all four primary recruiting media services.

[LTtxfan 49392]

 

[LTtxfan 49392]

Article yesterday...

 

No. 62 for the Longhorns this season will be worn by Connor Robertson, a redshirt freshman offensive lineman.

Connor Robertson season outlook

Kyle Flood prefers to recruit a player specifically for the center position, and in the star-studded 2022 class Connor Robertson was that player. Robertson utilized the four-game redshirt rule in 2022 and gained valuable in-game experience in the middle of the O-line.

While Jake Majors is at the top of the depth chart at the position, and while Flood could look to tinker and deploy other interior offensive lineman at center during the preseason, Robertson is being groomed to be the quarterback of the offensive line should anything happen to the top of the depth chart.

Robertson played in four games last season, including against Washington in the Valero Alamo Bowl.

Connor Robertson as a recruit

Robertson was ranked as the No. 444 overall prospect, the No. 32 interior offensive lineman, and the No. 71 recruit in Texas according to the 2022 On3 Industry Ranking.

[LTtxfan 49392]

Today is 61 days until kickoff. No. 61 for the Longhorns this season will be worn by Sawyer Goram-Welch, a junior offensive lineman.

Sawyer Goram-Welch season outlook

Goram-Welch arrived at Texas as a defensive lineman, and played the position in-game on several occasions. Following the 2021 campaign, Steve Sarkisian and staff elected to move Goram-Welch to the offensive line in order to see what he could offer on the interior.

There’s been a multitude of highly-touted offensive linemen added to Kyle Flood’s position group since that time, but Goram-Welch may have carved a niche for himself at center. During spring practices with Connor Robertson on the shelf, Goram-Welch took plenty of reps at a position where experience is a necessity.

Playing time may not result from the switch, but Goram-Welch presents another option at center should the Longhorns need one. Not to be overlooked, the fourth-year economics major from Longview has done everything asked of him (and more) by two different coaching staffs.

Goram-Welch converted to offensive lineman from the defensive line prior to the 2022 season after he played in five games on defense in his first two seasons on the 40 Acres. He was an early enrollee who earned Academic All-Big 12 First Team honors in 2021 and is a two-time member of the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll (spring 2020, spring 2021).

Sawyer Goram-Welch as a recruit

Goram-Welch was ranked as the No. 1197 overall prospect, the No. 108 defensive lineman, and the No. 146 player in Texas in the 2020 On3 Industry Ranking.

 

[LTtxfan 49392]

Today is 56 days until kickoff. No. 56 for the Longhorns this season will be worn by Cameron Williams, a sophomore offensive lineman.

Cameron Williams season outlook

No player encapsulated Kyle Flood‘s “big humans” philosophy in offensive line recruiting more than Williams. A late flip from Oregon after Mario Cristobal left the Ducks for Miami, Williams was one of the biggest reasons why Duncanville took home a state championship in 2021 under longtime head coach Reginald Samples.

Arriving at Texas at over 370 pounds, Williams is now listed at a more svelte 6-foot-5, 360 pounds. Similar prospects typically maul people in the run game but have work to do in pass protection. Williams was a bit different in that he showcased quality technique in his pass protection but needed some polish in run blocking to do more than just leverage his weight on unfortunate opponents in the 6A classification.

Despite some appearances at guard, including during the 2023 Orange-White Game, tackle is Williams’ long term destination. Playing time may be difficult to come by this season with classmate Kelvin Banks on the left side and the veteran Christian Jones on the right, but Williams is likely next in line behind the top tandem. He could also factor into the offense in other unconventional ways.

Williams played in 13 games last year, primarily on the field goal unit.

Cameron Williams as a recruit

Williams was ranked as the No. 243 overall prospect, the No. 15 offensive tackle, and the No. 41 player in Texas in the 2022 On3 Industry Ranking, a proprietary algorithm that compiles ratings and rankings from all four primary recruiting media services. On3 ranked Williams as the No. 85 overall prospect, the No. 7 offensive tackle, and the No. 20 prospect in Texas.

[LTtxfan 49392]

Today is 54 days until kickoff. No. 54 for the Longhorns this season will be worn by Cole Hutson, a sophomore offensive lineman.

Cole Hutson season outlook

Hutson was the only member of the seven-man 2022 offensive line class to enroll early, and he reaped the benefits of arriving before his classmates by carving out a spot in the starting lineup at right guard.

As is typical for freshmen offensive linemen, there were plenty of times when Hutson’s lack of experience was apparent. But also as is typical, Hutson regularly showcased why Kyle Flood elected to trust him with significant responsibilities during his debut season.

Hutson had a season long average run blocking grade of 53.4 and a pass blocking grade of 34.7, according to Pro Football Focus. His pass blocking especially dipped toward the end of the season, a time when Hutson often traded reps with DJ Campbell.

Hutson missed spring drills due to a shoulder injury but is working to remain in the starting lineup, whether it be at his regular right guard spot or even elsewhere on the line.

No matter what spot he occupies, he has the experience of 13 games from his freshman season under his belt. That experience, in-game opportunities some of his classmates and teammates lack, will give Hutson a leg up in the competition for playing time on the interior of the offensive line.

Hutson played in and started all 13 games for Texas in his freshman season in 2022. He was named to the ESPN 2022 Preseason True Freshman All-American Team and selected to the 247Sports Preseason True Freshman All-American Team for 2022.

Hutson, an early enrollee, is a two-time member of the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll (spring 2022, fall 2022).

Cole Hutson as a recruit

Hutson was ranked as the No. 413 overall prospect, the No. 29 interior offensive lineman, and the No. 63 player in Texas in the 2022 On3 Industry Ranking, a proprietary algorithm that compiles ratings and rankings from all four primary recruiting media services. On3 ranked Hutson as the No. 44 interior offensive lineman and the No. 112 prospect in Texas

[LTtxfan 49392]

Bumping this from last year... 🤘

[LTtxfan 49392]

 

[LTtxfan 49392]

1. michigan
2. jawja
3. beavers (oregonSt)
4. bama
5. trojans
6. fightin' irish
7. Texas
8. geaux tigers
9. aggy
10. florida state

 

7. TEXAS LONGHORNS

Texas is the only school on this list that returns all five starters from a year ago. However, it was a unit that finished just 73rd in the country last season in PFF grade (61.6), so improvements are needed.

There are bright spots, though, particularly at offensive tackle. Kelvin Banks Jr. is a top-10 tackle in the country and was stellar as a true freshman in 2022. His 3.5% pressure rate allowed on true pass sets ranked sixth among Power Five tackles. Christian Jones will once again start on the right side and finished third among Big 12 tackles last year with a 2.7% pressure rate allowed.

Jake Majors is entering his third season as the Longhorns’ starting center and was seventh among Power Five ones last year with an 81.9 pass-blocking grade. The weakness of this group is at guard, as both Hayden Conner and Cole Hutson earned sub-55.0 grades in 2022. Hutson was just a true freshman, to be fair. If he and Conner don’t take a leap, though, Texas could turn to DJ Campbell, a five-star recruit in the 2022 class who earned an 83.1 pass-blocking grade on limited snaps last season.

 

https://www.pff.com/news/college-football-top-10-offensive-lines-2023

[LTtxfan 49392]

Hmm... will Jake even start all this year ??

 

[LTtxfan 49392]

 

[LTtxfan 49392]

Texas Longhorns OL Christian Jones named to Wuerffel Trophy watch list

By Caleb Yum, Austin American-Statesman 

2 hours ago

Sometimes, sports are not all about what's done on the field. Texas super senior OL Christian Jones' off the field activity is what earned him a spot on the Wuerffel Trophy watch list on Thursday. The award goes to the college football player that best combines exemplary community service with academic and athletic achievement.

A sixth-year offensive lineman, Jones has played in 48 games with 35 starts. He started all 13 games at right tackle for the Longhorns on the way to earning honorable mention All-Big 12 honors. He was a big part of a unit that paved the way for Falcons RB Bijan Robinson, who ran for 1,580 yards on 258 carries (6.1ypc) and 18 touchdowns in 2022.

The Statesman also has UT's offensive line as the best in the Big 12 heading into the 2023 season, though depth remains a concern in the upcoming season.

Jones' has plenty of off the field contributions, including speaking at Kid’s Day at the George Washington Carver Museum, participating in Habitat for Humanity building projects, and assisting with cleanup efforts following Hurricane Harvey. In addition, the offensive lineman has made visits to Dell Children’s Medical Center and taken part in the Children’s, Inc. Parade and the Austin ISD KidsFest Festival.

[LTtxfan 49392]

Christian Jones 

[LTtxfan 49392]

3rd practice... DAMN WHAT AN OL GROUP 🤘

OL DJ CAMPBELL

 

OL KELVIN BANKS JR.

 

OL CAMERON WILLIAMS

 

OL NETO UMEOZULU

 

OL MALIK AGBO

 

OL ANDRE COJOE

 

OL TREVOR GOOSBY

 

OL COLE HUTSON

 

OL CONNOR STROH

 

OL CHRISTIAN JONES

 

OL PAYTON KIRKLAND

 

OL JAKE MAJORS

 

OL CONNOR ROBERTSON

 

OL MAX MERRIL

[Coach pop a bitch 5611]

Agbo looks like he lost some of that sloppy fat. 

[LTtxfan 49392]

[futureman 22562]

Beast mode!

[LTtxfan 49392]

On Texas Football video

• DJ Campbell a lot of 1st team reps 
• DJ is extremely athletic and powerful
• DJ is high effort and might have a little Kasey Studdard to his game

Text Gerry rec'd on Banks

"Kelvin Banks is blocking every thing and everybody" 😂

[LTtxfan 49392]

Article on Jake Majors found by Saty

 

Edited August 17, 2023 by LTtxfan

[HtownHorn 14831]

Jones looks like an athlete that plays OL.

[LTtxfan 49392]

🚨🚨 Ian Boyd Warning 🚨🚨

Video starts talking about Jake Majors/O-line

Aug20:  On Texas Football | Better Defense than Offense in 2023? | Jake Majors Importance

Starts video by defending Jake Majors.  Guards have to get better at combo blocks and handling stunts bettter...

Decent amount of time discussing O-line

[LTtxfan 49392]

 

[Coach pop a bitch 5611]

 

[Zeus 6358]

when our O line couldn’t get it done we had this guy last year. 
 

im praying we can pass a lot better and free up the running game because we ain’t got Bijan to bail us out this year

[Zeus 6358]

On 8/5/2023 at 8:01 PM, LTtxfan said:

3rd practice... DAMN WHAT AN OL GROUP 🤘

OL DJ CAMPBELL

 

OL KELVIN BANKS JR.

 

OL CAMERON WILLIAMS

 

OL NETO UMEOZULU

 

OL MALIK AGBO

 

OL ANDRE COJOE

 

OL TREVOR GOOSBY

 

OL COLE HUTSON

 

OL CONNOR STROH

 

OL CHRISTIAN JONES

 

OL PAYTON KIRKLAND

 

OL JAKE MAJORS

 

OL CONNOR ROBERTSON

 

OL MAX MERRIL

I showed my 3 year old these pictures he said he’s ready to see them do tricks and hug

[LTtxfan 49392]

 

[Tex Long 4495]

On 8/28/2023 at 11:18 PM, Zeus said:

I showed my 3 year old these pictures he said he’s ready to see them do tricks and hug

NTTAWWT

[Coach pop a bitch 5611]

 

[Cairn Horn88 8360]

Do we stack up with this Bama group?

Alabama's top 6 offensive linemen heights and weights

Posted on 8/31/23 at 9:15 pm

441

quote:

---

Proctor: 6'7, 360 (+4 lbs)
Booker: 6'5, 352 (+17 lbs)
McLauglin: 6'4, 305 (NA)
Dalcourt: 6'3, 320 (+10 lbs)
Ferguson: 6'4, 322 (+3 lbs)
Latham: 6'6, 360 (+25 lbs)

---

They ain't fat, and they can move. Get ready for Joyless Murderball.

[Cairn Horn88 8360]

Is that Brock in there?

[Coach pop a bitch 5611]

9 minutes ago, Cairn Horn88 said:

Do we stack up with this Bama group?

Alabama's top 6 offensive linemen heights and weights

Posted on 8/31/23 at 9:15 pm

441

quote:

---

Proctor: 6'7, 360 (+4 lbs)
Booker: 6'5, 352 (+17 lbs)
McLauglin: 6'4, 305 (NA)
Dalcourt: 6'3, 320 (+10 lbs)
Ferguson: 6'4, 322 (+3 lbs)
Latham: 6'6, 360 (+25 lbs)

---

They ain't fat, and they can move. Get ready for Joyless Murderball.

Last year this defense had young scared. They whooped the bama line so bad they had to call in the ref.

[Reese Bennett 3621]

40 minutes ago, Cairn Horn88 said:

Is that Brock in there?

LOL at the puny XXL on Brock.

[LTtxfan 49392]

1 hour ago, Cairn Horn88 said:

Do we stack up with this Bama group?

Alabama's top 6 offensive linemen heights and weights

Posted on 8/31/23 at 9:15 pm

441

quote:

---

Proctor: 6'7, 360 (+4 lbs)
Booker: 6'5, 352 (+17 lbs)
McLauglin: 6'4, 305 (NA)
Dalcourt: 6'3, 320 (+10 lbs)
Ferguson: 6'4, 322 (+3 lbs)
Latham: 6'6, 360 (+25 lbs)

---

They ain't fat, and they can move. Get ready for Joyless Murderball.

 

 

[futureman 22562]

1 hour ago, Cairn Horn88 said:

They ain't fat, and they can move. Get ready for Joyless Murderball.

they’re going to suck the life out of this fanbase next weekend. it’s gonna be a bloodbath.  

[tbone_ 14236]

Haven’t followed this thread: Is our oline not going to be a horrible liability this year for the first time in forever, or are we gonna get more of the same?

[dcbc 14566]

19 minutes ago, futureman said:

they’re going to suck the life out of this fanbase next weekend. it’s gonna be a bloodbath.  

[gmr548 16618]

5 minutes ago, tbone_ said:

Haven’t followed this thread: Is our oline not going to be a horrible liability this year for the first time in forever, or are we gonna get more of the same?

I'd push back on last year's OL being a horrible liability but they should be at least serviceable, definitely a plus pass blocking unit, with a very high ceiling. There are two main questions, really:

1.) Is the interior, particularly the two guard spots improved? If they aren't, Texas is going to struggle to run on the better fronts on the schedule.

2.) Can head scratching assignment busts from Campbell be limited to a handful, or is that the reason there's a competition at RG and probably going to get Ewers hurt?

[tbone_ 14236]

I'd push back on last year's OL being a horrible liability

Fair point. Still though…

[Coach pop a bitch 5611]

Vs bama last year the rb pass blocking was superb.  Dont think these rbs are half the pass blockers Bijan and RJ were.