Texas edge rusher Colin Simmons has been named to the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy watch list, putting the Longhorns sophomore in the mix for an award that spotlights the sport’s top community leaders.
The Wuerffel Trophy is handed out each season to recognize college football’s most impactful leaders away from the field. Texas had a winner last year in former safety Michael Taaffe, whose work with Texas Against Fentanyl earned him the honor. Before Taaffe, Sam Acho brought the trophy to Austin in 2010.
Simmons’ inclusion adds another Longhorn to a list that has recently been friendly to Texas. The award continues to track players whose off-field work stands out as much as their play on Saturdays.
Elsewhere around Texas football, the early camp buzz has centered on several familiar themes. Reports from the Austin American-Statesman have asked why an NBA coach was brought in to address the team, noted three backup options that could matter in Texas’ 2026 rushing attack, and highlighted the question of who can match Will Muschamp’s intensity on the staff.
247Sports reported on four players whose stock is climbing in training camp and on Texas running the ball 16 straight times in a practice Monday, with Steve Sarkisian explaining the approach. Inside Texas pointed to four Longhorns with the most to gain from padded practice.
The recruiting trail has stayed active, too. Austin High volleyball’s Camille Presley officially joined Texas with the 2026 class, while 247Sports reported that nation’s No. 1 2028 receiver Brysen Wright has set two in-season SEC visits.
Texas also made the top three for elite offensive tackle Austin Attalah, and Inside Texas reported that 2028 defensive back Jalen Flowers has locked in seven game day visits. The Longhorns also remain in the mix for more elite talent, including another five-star prospect.
Around the broader SEC landscape, Texas women’s basketball road opponents in conference play include LSU and Oklahoma, according to the Austin American-Statesman. The Dallas Morning News also examined ticket prices for the 2026 Red River Rivalry meeting between Texas and Oklahoma. Other conference-related previews and notes continue to roll in across the league, with Texas football’s Ole Miss opponent among the teams drawing fall camp questions.
On the opinion and feature side of the Texas beat, recent coverage has focused on Arch Manning, Kyle Flood, the tight end room in 2026, Texas opening preseason camp with needed physicality, and Steve Sarkisian’s comparison of Cam Coleman.
In Other News...
Former Texas Receiver Is Already Adding Fuel To Red River Tension
Texas spent the offseason reshaping its wide receiver room, bringing in Cam Coleman, Sterling Berkhalter and Jermaine Bishop Jr. after losing Parker Livingstone and DeAndre Moore Jr. to the transfer portal. The turnover has only added another layer to the buildup around the Red River Rivalry, a game that already carries plenty of emotion and even more when familiar faces end up on opposite sidelines.
Livingstones move to Oklahoma has given this matchup an extra edge, especially after his name surfaced in the kind of back-and-forth that tends to follow players who switch sides in a border rivalry. With Texas and Oklahoma meeting again in a setting where roster changes and personal familiarity matter, the conversation around Octobers showdown is starting to feel less like preseason noise and more like part of the game itself. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Is Getting Serious National Respect Before Its SEC Test
Texas is carrying uncommon preseason weight into its first SEC grind, and ESPNs latest All-American team is another sign of how far the programs national profile has risen. The Longhorns led the country with five first-team selections, a group that spotlights the kind of talent Texas expects to lean on when the schedule tightens: wide receiver Cam Coleman, left tackle Trevor Goosby, edge rusher Colin Simmons, linebacker Rasheem Biles and return specialist Ryan Niblett.
What stands out just as much is what was left off the list. Arch Manning was not named to ESPNs first or second team, even after the kind of statistical season that put him among the more closely watched players in the sport. For Texas, that creates an interesting backdrop heading into SEC play, where the Longhorns are being recognized for their depth and star power, but still have a quarterback whose national placement remains a talking point. [Read more 🡒]
Adonai Mitchell Is Finally Giving Texas Fans A Reason To Smile
Adonai Mitchells first few seasons in the NFL did not exactly match the promise that came with his second-round billing in the 2024 draft, but the former Texas wideout is at least giving Longhorns fans something to track again. After beginning his pro career with the Colts and then moving on to the Jets last year, Mitchell posted his best season so far and has worked his way into a spot where he matters in New Yorks passing game.
Now projected as the Jets No. 2 receiver behind Garrett Wilson, Mitchell is also entering a contract year, which only adds to the pressure and the opportunity in front of him. Reports around the team point to growing chemistry with quarterback Geno Smith, and for Texas supporters who have been waiting for his game to catch up to his talent, this feels like the kind of stretch that could finally change the conversation. [Read more 🡒]