Texas opened fall camp with a scrimmage Saturday, and the first look came with a few familiar camp wrinkles. Several players were out with the flu, but that isn’t viewed as a long-term issue. Even so, Steve Sarkisian said Will Muschamp’s defense looked sharp and a little “ahead” of the offense, which makes the next three weeks feel especially important.
That backdrop puts a handful of Longhorns squarely on the spot as camp rolls on.
At linebacker, Ty'Anthony Smith entered the offseason as the expected answer to Texas’ departures at the position. That picture has changed.
Florida State transfer Justin Cryer has been solid in camp, and there’s now real competition to start next to Rasheem Biles. Smith missed the first scrimmage, and his hold on a starting job is far from secure.
The same kind of pressure is building at receiver for Daylan McCutcheon. He was also unavailable Saturday, and the room around him is crowded with Cam Coleman, Ryan Wingo, and Emmett Mosley V. Add in Sterling Berkhalter and the emergence of Jermaine Bishop, and McCutcheon has limited runway to make his case.
Nick Townsend is another player with buzz around him, but buzz only goes so far in August. He underwent a physical transformation this offseason, and the staff now needs to see that turn into production.
The tight end should already help as a blocker, but the bigger step is becoming a passing-game threat. With the position wide open, Townsend has a clear opening to seize.
Saturday also gave Jonah Williams a moment that could matter. He intercepted Arch Manning in the end zone, a play that fits the idea that his breakthrough might finally be coming.
Williams arrived as the highest-ranked safety in the 2025 recruiting class, and there’s a path for him to back up Jelani McDonald. He doesn’t need to be a headline player right away, but these practices matter for him.
Kobe Black is in a different kind of proving ground after moving from cornerback to safety. Any player changing positions has to show it in camp, and Sarkisian has liked what he’s seen so far.
"Kobe's been a nice addition for us there because he gives us position flexibility," Sarkisian said. "His versatility to obviously plan man coverage, be a corner.
I think he's a very smart player. He's savy.
He's got good instincts..."
With open competition in the secondary, Black has a chance to turn a strong scrimmage and solid practices into more playing time this season.
In Other News...
Jordan Shipleys Return To DKR Gave Texas Fans A Needed Smile
Jordan Shipleys return to Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium offered Texas fans a welcome reminder of how much one of the programs most beloved former receivers still means to them. Shipley, who was critically injured in a farming accident in January, has been in recovery ever since, and his appearance at the Longhorns fall camp scrimmage in Austin showed how far he has come after an ordeal that sent him to the ICU for 11 days.
Shipley has already spoken publicly about the accident and the progress he has made, including in a May podcast appearance where he walked through the recovery process. Even with the long-term complications that remain part of the picture, seeing him back at DKR gave the Texas faithful a reason to smile and a little perspective in the middle of camp. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Scrimmage Hinted At The Offensive Change Fans Have Wanted
Texas has been using fall camp to send a clear message about where its offense needs to grow, and a behind-closed-doors scrimmage offered a small but useful look at that push. The Longhorns released highlight clips from the session that leaned heavily on the offense, with wide receiver Cam Coleman showing up alongside a trio of running backs as the staff continues to spotlight a rushing attack that lagged badly last season. New faces in the backfield and up front have been part of that effort, and the program seems intent on making sure the ground game is not an afterthought this time around.
Steve Sarkisian also made it clear the scrimmage was not meant to be a full showcase for the top of the depth chart. Some of the biggest names were kept to limited live work, which leaves the public view of the day intentionally incomplete even as the clips offer a hint of what the offense can look like when it starts to click. For a Texas team trying to turn a familiar weakness into a strength, the encouraging part is less about the fireworks than the direction of the work. [Read more 🡒]