Kobe Black’s path to a breakout 2026 season may run right back through a familiar face.
At Waco Connally, Black and Jelani McDonald were a problem for opposing offenses in more ways than one. McDonald handled quarterback duties on offense, Black worked at receiver, and both of them lined up at cornerback on defense. The combination gave their coach, Terry Gerik, a front-row view of just how disruptive they could be together.
"When we put Jelani [McDonald] at one corner with Kobe Black out there on the other side, both 6-foot-2 and can run, opposing teams had a hard time getting the ball to their main players in the passing game," said Terry Gerik, who coached McDonald and Black at Waco Connally.
Now, heading into the 2026 season, Texas could be looking at that pairing again - only this time in the secondary at safety.
McDonald is already the clear anchor there after leading Texas with 80 tackles and three interceptions last season. He steps into the role once held by All-American Michael Taaffe, who is now with the Miami Dolphins.
"Jelani has always looked out for Kobe like a little brother," said Kobe's father, Keith Black, a starting cornerback on Kansas State's 1998 11-2 team that featured Heisman Trophy finalist Michael Bishop at quarterback (Keith Black's roommate). That K-State defense held Ricky Williams to 43 yards rushing (1.7 yards per carry) in a 48-7 rout of the Longhorns that year.
For Kobe Black, the offseason is about getting his spot back and making sure 2025 doesn’t define him. Groin and ankle injuries slowed him down, and his season took a hit in a 29-21 loss at Florida, where he was credited with allowing two touchdown passes to freshman receiver Dallas Wilson.
Keith Black said the turning point came when Texas pulled him after that Florida game.
"They sat him down after the Florida game, which was good, because he finally got healthy and then came back against Texas A&M and had a big game," said Keith Black, who still holds the school record at Waco Connally in the 400 (46.1) and ran track professionally after finishing at K-State.
In Other News...
Texas OL Trevor Goosby Turned Personal Pain Into Something Bigger
Trevor Goosby has turned a personal journey into a public mission, using his platform as a senior Texas offensive lineman to bring attention to the Childrens Heart Foundation. He hosted a football camp for kids at Hyde Park High School, with the event designed to raise funds and awareness for the organizations work supporting research on congenital heart defects.
For Goosby, the effort is about more than putting on a good day of football. He wants to help children facing similar heart conditions and make sure the need for research funding stays in the conversation, while also planning to match the proceeds from the camp. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Commit Just Sent Texas Tech Fans A Rivalry Reminder
A Texas commit has already found a way to stir up one of the programs oldest rivalries before he even arrives in Austin. John Meredith, a 2027 cornerback pledge, recently expressed interest in seeing the Longhorns line up against Texas Tech again, a nod to a matchup that still carries plenty of weight even in the offseason chatter surrounding both programs.
The last meeting came in 2023, when Texas handled the Red Raiders decisively, and that result has only added to the confidence around the Longhorns side of the rivalry. For now, there is no future game confirmed, but Merediths comments serve as a reminder that the Texas-Texas Tech conversation never really goes away for long. [Read more 🡒]