2023 Longhorns Football Offseason News and Notes

[Vertigo 20298]

56 minutes ago, D3zii said:

I may be in the minority but recently in our championship years we had RB by committee! We didn’t have a Bijan or Jamal Charles In either years 05 or 09 so I’m really not worried about having an every down back 

That committee in 05 had Jamal Charles and Ramonce Taylor in it..

[Mother mopar 3321]

Cross-posting...  
 

Article is paywalled

[JFKFC 4891]

5 hours ago, D3zii said:

We didn’t have a Bijan or Jamal Charles In either years 05 or 09 so I’m really not worried about having an every down back 

 

[LTtxfan 49314]

3 hours ago, Mother mopar said:

9 hours ago, LTtxfan said:

Cross-posting...  

Article is paywalled

 

 

Edited February 21, 2023 by LTtxfan

[LTtxfan 49314]

Here's paywall...

Texas football: Eight assistants set to receive contract extensions

Nick Moyle, Staff writer

AUSTIN – The University of Texas System Board of Regents next week will approve contract extensions for eight Texas football coaches.

When the board convenes Feb. 22 and 23, it will authorize a one-year contract extension for strength coach and director of football performance Torre Becton, co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Jeff Choate, running backs coach Tashard Choice, safeties coach Blake Gideon, offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Kyle Flood, defensive passing game coordinator and secondary coach Terry Joseph, defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski and quarterbacks coach AJ Milwee.

Becton will receive a one-year extension that runs through February 2025. His annual base salary will remain at $550,000.

Choate will receive a one-year extension that runs through February 2025. His annual base salary will increase by 8.7 percent annually, rising to $625,000 in 2023 and $675,000 in 2025.

Choice will receive a one-year extension that runs through February 2025. His annual base salary will remain at $550,000.

Gideon will receive a one-year extension that runs through February 2025. His annual base salary will remain at $475,000.

Flood will receive a two-year extension that runs through February 2026. His annual base salary will increase by 6 percent annually, rising to $1.33 million in 2024 and $1.4 million in 2025.

Joseph will receive a one-year extension that runs through February 2025. His annual base salary will remain at $800,000.

Kwiatkowski will receive a one-year extension that runs through February 2025.His annual base salary will remain at $1.7 million.

Milwee will receive a one-year extension that runs through February 2025. His annual base salary will increase by 13.3%, rising to $425,000 in 2023 and 2024.

Defensive line coach Bo Davis and assistant head coach/special teams coordinator/tight ends coach Jeff Banks both received a raise and one-year extension last offseason. Their current employment agreements run through February 2025.

Additionally, Texas on Jan. 24 hired former Jacksonville Jaguars assistant Chris Jackson as its new passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach. Details of Jackson’s contract have not yet been released.

 

Edited February 21, 2023 by LTtxfan

[NoName 16364]

8 hours ago, D3zii said:

I may be in the minority but recently in our championship years we had RB by committee! We didn’t have a Bijan or Jamal Charles In either years 05 or 09 so I’m really not worried about having an every down back 

Jamaal Charles was on the 05 team and i don't remember exactly but not giving him more carries was borderline coaching malpractice. was 5th highest in the country (in what is one of the more crazy stats i've ever seen Reggie Bush got 200 carries that year and averaged 8.7 YPC, i knew he had a ton but 8.7!) - there were 2 dudes who there were 2 dudes ahead of him who averaged .2 more YPC or he would have been in the top 3. he should have gotten the ball more, period.

Henry Melton got 87 attempts despite Charles having a 2.4 YPC higher average. Ramonce was what he was, but giving 99 carries to Melton and Chris O was way too many.

[BornOrange 1441]

7 minutes ago, NoName said:

Jamaal Charles was on the 05 team and i don't remember exactly but not giving him more carries was borderline coaching malpractice. was 5th highest in the country (in what is one of the more crazy stats i've ever seen Reggie Bush got 200 carries that year and averaged 8.7 YPC, i knew he had a ton but 8.7!) - there were 2 dudes who there were 2 dudes ahead of him who averaged .2 more YPC or he would have been in the top 3. he should have gotten the ball more, period.

Henry Melton got 87 attempts despite Charles having a 2.4 YPC higher average. Ramonce was what he was, but giving 99 carries to Melton and Chris O was way too many.

Melton only got carries in short yardage situations and still averaged 5 ypc.

Ogbonnaya got carries in garbage situations.

There's only one football. I think they did a great job distributing carries among Young, Charles, and Taylor.

[D3zii 3708]

8 hours ago, Vertigo said:

That committee in 05 had Jamal Charles and Ramonce Taylor in it..

 

23 minutes ago, NoName said:

Jamaal Charles was on the 05 team and i don't remember exactly but not giving him more carries was borderline coaching malpractice. was 5th highest in the country (in what is one of the more crazy stats i've ever seen Reggie Bush got 200 carries that year and averaged 8.7 YPC, i knew he had a ton but 8.7!) - there were 2 dudes who there were 2 dudes ahead of him who averaged .2 more YPC or he would have been in the top 3. he should have gotten the ball more, period.

Henry Melton got 87 attempts despite Charles having a 2.4 YPC higher average. Ramonce was what he was, but giving 99 carries to Melton and Chris O was way too many.

 

3 hours ago, JFKFC said:

 

I know Charles was on the 05 team. What I’m saying is unlike last year with Bijan and 07 like Charles or even with D Foreman we didn’t have a featured back on those years we went to the Championship . We had a stable of RB’s who could all tote the rock. So I’m not to much worried that we don’t have a featured back. 

[Rip76 4946]

https://247sports.com/college/texas/Article/Texas-Longhorns-AD-Chris-Del-Conte-says-OU-rivalry-game-is-staying-at-Cotton-Bowl-wants-afternoon-kickoff--205064916//?~=1&fbclid=IwAR3KIidnLEeNWLLHi8MQsuLgwwQEvIwFp43Llm5ap_3HnQl2t6edIUvMzQU
 

About time.  F 11am games.

[closetojumping 62763]

35 minutes ago, D3zii said:

 

 

I know Charles was on the 05 team. What I’m saying is unlike last year with Bijan and 07 like Charles or even with D Foreman we didn’t have a featured back on those years we went to the Championship . We had a stable of RB’s who could all tote the rock. So I’m not to much worried that we don’t have a featured back. 

I agree that anyone worried about not having a featured back is probably looking for something to wring their hands over. A great workhorse isn’t a detriment to competing for a title, as there is recent history supporting title contenders/winners with a featured back, but the opposite is also true. 

Gun to my head, give me the star TB, but that’s as much for entertainment purposes as anything. Pundits and fans thinking that Texas won’t be better this year because Bijan is gone haven’t been paying attention to the rest of the roster. 

[Red Five 40877]

38 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

Gun to my head, give me the star TB

"Take my wallet, take whatever you want, just put the gun down!"

"No! What I want to know is, would you prefer a featured running back or running back by committee??"

[D3zii 3708]

9 minutes ago, Red Five said:

"Take my wallet, take whatever you want, just put the gun down!"

"No! What I want to know is, would you prefer a featured running back or running back by committee??"

Give me the committee! Yes I would love a Bijan but having a #1 true RB allows teams to plan for him. Having a committee of RB’s give DC’s more to plan for and not just key on one player like Last year with Bijan which just proves how great he was, cause they still couldn’t stop him 

Edited February 21, 2023 by D3zii

[NevaLost 284]

23 minutes ago, D3zii said:

Give me the committee! Yes I would love a Bijan but having a #1 true RB allows teams to plan for him. Having a committee of RB’s give DC’s more to plan for and not just key on one player like Last year with Bijan which just proves how great he was, cause they still couldn’t stop him 

Are you aware that in 2022 we had another running back who will likely get drafted and averaged close to 8 carries per game? 

[Codaxx 5802]

3 hours ago, D3zii said:

 

 

I know Charles was on the 05 team. What I’m saying is unlike last year with Bijan and 07 like Charles or even with D Foreman we didn’t have a featured back on those years we went to the Championship . We had a stable of RB’s who could all tote the rock. So I’m not to much worried that we don’t have a featured back. 

All depends on how it plays out. Those teams had great QB play. IF Ewers and the OL take steps forward, RB will not be a big issue. IF they dont, we will all be miserable missing Bijan...Though I think the biggest positive change will be in the WR room this year. 

Edited February 21, 2023 by Codaxx

[Bevo 13590]

42 minutes ago, Codaxx said:

 I think the biggest positive change will be in the WR room this year. 

If Ewers sees the field better. I forgot who we were playing: Thompson had his man beat by 10 yards but Ewers threw the pass out of the back of the end zone towards Worthy. We wasted way too many attempts trying to hit Worthy deep. Utilize Neyor, Mitchell and Whittington and we will be golden.

[D3zii 3708]

3 hours ago, NevaLost said:

Are you aware that in 2022 we had another running back who will likely get drafted and averaged close to 8 carries per game? 

 

I was just answer the question, no one forgot about Johnson 

[Hornbeliever 712]

6 hours ago, BornOrange said:

 

There's only one football. I think they did a great job distributing carries among Young, Charles, and Taylor.

Umm, with that kind of attitude, you can't bitch about the greatest offense we have and will ever see as Longhorn fans.  What is wrong with you? 

[TheMailBox357 213]

New Nahlin winter S&C notes: https://www.on3.com/teams/texas-longhorns/news/three-interesting-notes-from-texas-strength-conditioning/

 

@OB3 @Wizlon

[texifornia 57032]

 

[Had Enough 2083]

If Ewers sees the field better. I forgot who we were playing: Thompson had his man beat by 10 yards but Ewers threw the pass out of the back of the end zone towards Worthy. We wasted way too many attempts trying to hit Worthy deep. Utilize Neyor, Mitchell and Whittington and we will be golden.

Unless it happened another time, that was versus OU.

[Fondren & Main 6726]

Connor Stroh appears to be that motherfucker.

[OB3 3629]

3 hours ago, TheMailBox357 said:

New Nahlin winter S&C notes: https://www.on3.com/teams/texas-longhorns/news/three-interesting-notes-from-texas-strength-conditioning/

 

@OB3 @Wizlon

Spoiler

Inside Texas was able to gather some intel from the strength and conditioning side of the program. The importance of S&C goes beyond the title, as those coaches spend more time with the players than anyone else. This is the foundation of program culture, with culture meaning accountability, mental and physical toughness, hard work, and team cohesion. A soft team either has issues in their S&C program, player evaluation, or both. 

Torre Becton received his share of blame after Steve Sarkisian’s inaugural season. Some of it was deserved to be sure, but there were problems all over the place which made it much more difficult to accurately assign blame. I think it’s fair to say S&C overcorrected from Yancy McKnight’s more ‘pure strength’ approach. Becton seemed to prioritize mobility at the expense of strength in his first season.

Becton’s second year seems to have gone much better, but things improved nearly across the board so it’s hard to assign credit. We do know he altered his approach toward a more fundamental strength building program which gives credibility to the original concerns.

A friend of IT’s recently interacted with the program and came away thinking Becton was more of a ‘fundamentals’ than ‘cutting edge’ S&C coach who consistently tries to re-invent the wheel. That was a bit surprising to me.

Things we’re certain of, Becton is widely liked by the players. Considering the position he’s in, he’s a pretty laid back guy. Often these coaches are more drill sergeant than player’s coach. 

On to some notes (remember, these are just about S&C):
1. The most physically ready true freshman is O-lineman Connor Stroh. Stroh is already said to be one of the strongest players on the team across the myriad lifts: squat, dead lift, bench, military press, cleans, etc. With Stroh they’re focusing more on mobility and flexibility. This isn’t to say Stroh would be ready to play as a true freshman but strength won’t be a limiting factor.

2. The most athletically ready true freshman is Anthony Hill. It was relayed to IT, “a lot of guys can jump high, are quick, or are fast. Hill has all of it and usually those guys end up in the NFL.” 

Along these physical/athletic lines, sentiment from the program was some guys can play early because they’re physically ready and others because they’re athletic marvels. The two examples used were Cole Hutson being physically ready and Kelvin Banks being an athletic rarity. (That’s not to take away from their other attributes)
 

3. All of the 2022 offensive line signees are at least 20% stronger than when they arrived last May. All of them are squatting over 500 pounds. 

It’s going to be fun to hear how improved strength translates to the field. Hopefully the O-line gets a better push against the D-line this spring than last August.

 

[Mitch Cumsteen 18550]

Physically ready is the new coach on the field. 

[BurntOrangeBlooded15 1566]

5 hours ago, Fondren & Main said:

Connor Stroh appears to be that motherfucker.

I watched him play week 1 vs Grapevine.   That fucker is ginormous and has some good movement for his size.  Might take him a few years to package it all together but damn he is a giant human 

[Eskimohorn 5642]

Jamaal Charles was on the 05 team and i don't remember exactly but not giving him more carries was borderline coaching malpractice. was 5th highest in the country (in what is one of the more crazy stats i've ever seen Reggie Bush got 200 carries that year and averaged 8.7 YPC, i knew he had a ton but 8.7!) - there were 2 dudes who there were 2 dudes ahead of him who averaged .2 more YPC or he would have been in the top 3. he should have gotten the ball more, period.
Henry Melton got 87 attempts despite Charles having a 2.4 YPC higher average. Ramonce was what he was, but giving 99 carries to Melton and Chris O was way too many.

Charles got injured in OU game (sprained ankle or something). It was clear early on he was massively talented. Selvin Young probably should have gotten Henry Melton short yardage carries. Chris O was part of the 2008 backfield.

Ramonce was also a special talent. He stepped up later in the season when he learned the position better. Ridiculously good hands.

Great group but lets not pretend VY and the great oline didnt add 2ypc to their stats.

USC and Texas offenses were all-time great.

[campcrunk 2503]

3 hours ago, BurntOrangeBlooded15 said:

I watched him play week 1 vs Grapevine.   That fucker is ginormous and has some good movement for his size.  Might take him a few years to package it all together but damn he is a giant human 

There's a lot to like about his Sr. HUDL (for whatever a highlight reel is worth). He clearly gets a lot of mileage out of being the biggest, strongest guy on the field by far, which won't work in college. But he moves much better than I thought he would and, damn, that kid is mean

http://www.hudl.com/video/3/14443484/6369dd77b023a304c804f34f

[BrazilHorn 6623]

8 hours ago, Eskimohorn said:

Charles got injured in OU game (sprained ankle or something). It was clear early on he was massively talented. Selvin Young probably should have gotten Henry Melton short yardage carries. Chris O was part of the 2008 backfield.

Ramonce was also a special talent. He stepped up later in the season when he learned the position better. Ridiculously good hands.

Great group but lets not pretend VY and the great oline didnt add 2ypc to their stats.

USC and Texas offenses were all-time great.

Defense having to respect the QB run is a huge plus for RB. No D is worried about Ewers keeping. Sark hardly ever had him on designed runs or even going as run option on a RPO (I get from injury fear perspective).

[cmontexas 3272]

On 2/21/2023 at 7:40 AM, NoName said:

Selvin and his 98 carries 8 tds and 4.8 avg got left off

 

 

Edited February 22, 2023 by cmontexas

[LTtxfan 49314]

 

[LTtxfan 49314]

 

[Hookem2147 21345]

Gerry Hamilton mentioned this morning that Jaray Bledsoe is closing in on 275 pounds which is a good sign. They have been needing him to add weight.

Kris Ross on the other hand continues to drop weight and is hovering around 250 which is not what the staff wants.

[Reynolds Woodcock 4787]

48 minutes ago, Hookem2147 said:

Gerry Hamilton mentioned this morning that Jaray Bledsoe is closing in on 275 pounds which is a good sign. They have been needing him to add weight.

Kris Ross on the other hand continues to drop weight and is hovering around 250 which is not what the staff wants.

Hate to beat a dead horse, but our interior defensive line depth chart is about to be scary (not in a good way) after this year, right in time for the SEC. We are really banking on low 4 stars massively out performing their ranking, and it seems like we probably missed on Ross.

[ousux 5601]

Hate to beat a dead horse, but our interior defensive line depth chart is about to be scary (not in a good way) after this year, right in time for the SEC. We are really banking on low 4 stars massively out performing their ranking, and it seems like we probably missed on Ross.

Yeah, I'm thinking we're gonna need to hit on a couple portal DL after the '23 season.

[Elmer_Fudd 22305]

2 hours ago, Hookem2147 said:

Gerry Hamilton mentioned this morning that Jaray Bledsoe is closing in on 275 pounds which is a good sign. They have been needing him to add weight.

Kris Ross on the other hand continues to drop weight and is hovering around 250 which is not what the staff wants.

Have they said what Swanson is up to?  A picture was posted maybe around bowl practice and he looked like he had put on some good weight.

[Viper 12109]

2 minutes ago, Elmer_Fudd said:

Have they said what Swanson is up to?  A picture was posted maybe around bowl practice and he looked like he had put on some good weight.

[texifornia 57032]

2 hours ago, Reynolds Woodcock said:

Hate to beat a dead horse, but our interior defensive line depth chart is about to be scary (not in a good way) after this year, right in time for the SEC. We are really banking on low 4 stars massively out performing their ranking, and it seems like we probably missed on Ross.

Well, and Sydir Mitchell being the monster that he's projected to be - that ranking is really strange. It was a three way fight between three of the best DL recruiters in the country (Texas, aggy, UGA) and most analysts raved about him. Still, would rather have more than one serious bluechip guy.

Edited February 24, 2023 by texifornia

[MuellerHorn 4256]

2 hours ago, ousux said:

2 hours ago, Reynolds Woodcock said:

Hate to beat a dead horse, but our interior defensive line depth chart is about to be scary (not in a good way) after this year, right in time for the SEC. We are really banking on low 4 stars massively out performing their ranking, and it seems like we probably missed on Ross.

Yeah, I'm thinking we're gonna need to hit on a couple portal DL after the '23 season.

Yeah, I'm concerned, but I'm assuming this will be addressed in the portal.

Also, the starting interior lineman should be really good with (presumably) Murphy (Sr) and Mitchell (So). Serviceable depth is where it gets challenging (at least from the present POV).

[Reynolds Woodcock 4787]

28 minutes ago, texifornia said:

Well, and Sydir Mitchell being the monster that he's projected to be - that ranking is really strange. It was a three way fight between three of the best DL recruiters in the country (Texas, aggy, UGA) and most analysts raved about him. Still, would rather have more than one serious bluechip guy.

I get that, and it’s certainly a great data point. But Georgia and A&M are absolutely fucking stacked at defensive line, as you know. They can afford to take a flyer on a .92 behemoth from New Jersey, whereas our entire depth chart hinges on him being a rock star. Hopefully he’s great. If not, oof….

[NoName 16364]

3 hours ago, Reynolds Woodcock said:

Hate to beat a dead horse, but our interior defensive line depth chart is about to be scary (not in a good way) after this year, right in time for the SEC. We are really banking on low 4 stars massively out performing their ranking, and it seems like we probably missed on Ross.

from the great work done by @AP101S

[NoName 16364]

50 minutes ago, texifornia said:

Well, and Sydir Mitchell being the monster that he's projected to be - that ranking is really strange. It was a three way fight between three of the best DL recruiters in the country (Texas, aggy, UGA) and most analysts raved about him. Still, would rather have more than one serious bluechip guy.

no kidding.

[Hookem2147 21345]

If Bledsoe gets up to 280ish+ and ends up inside that will help.

I can't see Murphy going pro after this year unless he just has a monster year. He will get dinged for his size at the NFL level just like he was as a recruit at the college level. 

Would be nice if Aaron Bryant flashed some this year. But yes, probably gonna be portal shopping for at least one next offseason unless we just unexpectedly sign 3 war daddies from SEC country this cycle.

Edited February 24, 2023 by Hookem2147

[BornOrange 1441]

Maybe the staff is counting on Goram-Welch to be a big contributor...

(ducks)

[gmr548 16590]

“Interior DL will be fine. They will move JT Sanders to three tech, his quickness makes him a natural fit.”

- Ian Boyd, probably

[Codaxx 5802]

5 hours ago, Reynolds Woodcock said:

I get that, and it’s certainly a great data point. But Georgia and A&M are absolutely fucking stacked at defensive line, as you know. They can afford to take a flyer on a .92 behemoth from New Jersey, whereas our entire depth chart hinges on him being a rock star. Hopefully he’s great. If not, oof….

This is just wrong. Sydir is in no way a flier. He is probably one of the safer DL prospects that Texas has taken in quite some time. He projects to an excellent run stuffing tackle with upside as an interior pass rusher. Probably sounds similar to Coburn’s outlook as a prospect. There is a reason Georgia pursued him to the end. The rating agencies place far too much on pass rushing potential on interior DL prospects. It’s why a guy like Broughton was so highly rated. They saw the athleticism and drooled over a 300+ pound DT/4i DE and missed the fact he wasn’t very physical and played too high. If you can’t play vs the run as a IDL, you pretty much can’t stay on the field 

[Codaxx 5802]

4 hours ago, Hookem2147 said:

If Bledsoe gets up to 280ish+ and ends up inside that will help.

I can't see Murphy going pro after this year unless he just has a monster year. He will get dinged for his size at the NFL level just like he was as a recruit at the college level. 

Would be nice if Aaron Bryant flashed some this year. But yes, probably gonna be portal shopping for at least one next offseason unless we just unexpectedly sign 3 war daddies from SEC country this cycle.

 Bledsoe is a freak. JMO, he is the most physically gifted DL on the roster. He came in very raw, so hopefully he puts it together.
 

Portal is a long shot. You don’t find many high level interior DL there, you can say that about the DL in general. Those guys are just too rare and coveted. 

[LTtxfan 49314]

2 hours ago, gmr548 said:

“Interior DL will be fine. They will move JT Sanders to 3tech, his quickness makes him a natural fit.”   - Ian Boyd, probably

Spoiler

 

[Bevo 13590]

10 minutes ago, Codaxx said:

 Bledsoe is a freak. JMO, he is the most physically gifted DL on the roster. He came in very raw, so hopefully he puts it together.
 

Portal is a long shot. You don’t find many high level interior DL there, you can say that about the DL in general. Those guys are just too rare and coveted. 

You need to entice them into the portal. It makes things easier.

[LTtxfan 49314]

 

[Reynolds Woodcock 4787]

1 hour ago, Codaxx said:

This is just wrong. Sydir is in no way a flier. He is probably one of the safer DL prospects that Texas has taken in quite some time. He projects to an excellent run stuffing tackle with upside as an interior pass rusher. Probably sounds similar to Coburn’s outlook as a prospect. There is a reason Georgia pursued him to the end. The rating agencies place far too much on pass rushing potential on interior DL prospects. It’s why a guy like Broughton was so highly rated. They saw the athleticism and drooled over a 300+ pound DT/4i DE and missed the fact he wasn’t very physical and played too high. If you can’t play vs the run as a IDL, you pretty much can’t stay on the field 

I’ll take your word for it, as I don’t pretend to be able to scout high school players. I just rely on the statistically predictive nature of composite rankings, and in that department we are woefully behind if we expect to have anything more than a pedestrian defensive interior after 2023.

[Hookem2147 21345]

A few team notes from IT (including a note on Gary Patterson)

Spoiler

Spring ball is rapidly approaching and it seems there’s a fair amount of excitement within the program. A lot of that excitement centers around wanting to see the freshman put the pads on. Coaches and fellow players alike are looking forward to see what the new guys can do. If there wasn’t a decent amount of talent already in the program we would be talking more about how many freshman impact players there are in the program. As it sits, though, there aren’t a lot of clear paths to playing time despite their talent. That’s a good problem to have and a sure sign of program health.

One of the most talented players in the 2023 class is Derion Gullette, but of course he’s on the mend after tearing his ACL last summer. He was wise to enroll early and have his rehabilitation overseen by those with his best interest in mind. Gullette has been cleared to fully lift with the team. That said, they still don’t want to rush him back to the field even though he’s probably able to go full steam ahead. They’re taking a similar tact with Isaiah Neyor who was injured last August. About two months separate their injuries. Gullette, along with Anthony Hill and Liona Lefau, have the coaches excited about the future of linebacker.

Another freshman who tore his ACL is tight end Will Randle. Randle is not yet on campus but his rehab is going well. He thinks he’ll be cleared by August despite tearing his ACL during the season. He’s lifting now but not going heavy. He’s regained full range of motion and actually has Newman’s juggs machine in his backyard. Randle is excited as ever to get to Austin and rejoin his good friend Arch Manning. When checking on Randle we learned Arch is having a good time. That Texas suits him and Austin is home. People back at Newman are happy for him.

Speaking of Arch, the quarterback position at Texas is looking quite strong. There is a lot of confidence in Quinn Ewers taking a big step next season. That confidence is shared by Steve Sarkisian. The signs Ewers was showing in early December have only grown. Of course Sark is looking forward to seeing what Arch can do, but he is as excited to work with Maalik Murphy as he is anyone else. Privately Sark sings Murphy’s praises and rants and raves about his talent level. From a pure talent regard, Murphy takes a back seat to nobody in the QB room. That’s just something to file away.

Transitioning to the defensive side of the ball, we do not expect Gary Patterson to remain in his formal role. He’s likely already left that position. We do believe he’s open to consulting with Texas, but he’d also like to consult with other programs. Sources have been appreciative of Patterson’s influence on the program but have also been careful not to give him too much credit. The feeling is they’d be fine either way but it was a good experience having him around.