Texas’ future at running back already looks loaded, but Landen Williams-Callis is giving the Longhorns another reason to dream big about 2027.
The five-star commit opened his senior season at Richmond Randle in a big way, torching South Oak Cliff for 32 carries, 227 yards and two touchdowns. It was the kind of performance that turns a Friday night into a statement.
For Williams-Callis, there was also a little payback mixed in. He said South Oak Cliff players had been chirping after last season, and he answered with production.
“They were talking all that mess after the game, posting me crying, saying ‘Black Jesus had to see me.’ Shoot I told ‘em what I was gonna do, the next year I was gonna kill ‘em," Williams-Callis told Jordan Scruggs of OnTexasFootball.
That opener put him within striking distance of two Texas state records, both of them owned by his cousin Jacquizz Rodgers, who played eight seasons in the NFL. Williams-Callis needs 465 more rushing yards and two more rushing touchdowns to pass those marks.
The timing matters for Texas, which has spent the offseason reshaping its running back room. The Longhorns brought in new running backs coach Jabbar Juluke and added transfers Hollywood Smothers from NC State and Raleek Brown from Arizona State, while also landing freshman Derrek Cooper.
That group gives Texas plenty of buzz heading into the 2026 season, but Williams-Callis may end up being the prize of the next wave. Texas beat out Texas A&M for his commitment, one of the staff’s biggest wins in this cycle.
And he’s not the only headline name in the class. Texas also holds pledges from five-star wide receiver Easton Royal and five-star offensive tackle Ismael Camara, plus four-star defensive tackle Kasi Currie, edge rusher Cameron Hall, tight end Brock Williams, wide receiver Briceson Thrower Jr., cornerback Montre Jackson and more.
For now, Williams-Callis is still a high school senior with a season to finish and a title to chase. If his opener was any indication, he’s bringing elite confidence and the numbers to match.
In Other News...
Texas Fans Will Notice A Few Surprises On This NFL Roster List
All 32 NFL teams have set their 53-man rosters for the 2026 season, and the latest roundup includes a healthy Longhorns presence across the league. There are the expected names from Texas, but also a few roster developments that should catch the eye of Longhorn fans keeping tabs on former players as they settle into their pro careers.
Among the more notable moves, the Dallas Cowboys waived running back Jaydon Blue, while undrafted defensive end Ethan Burke landed on the Baltimore Ravens roster. The full list of former Texas players who either made active rosters or ended up on injured reserve offers a useful snapshot of how the program continues to spread through the NFL, even if a few of the most interesting storylines are still unfolding. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Soccer Has Plenty To Celebrate After Another Dominant Showing
Texas kept rolling at Mike A. Myers Stadium with a 6-0 win over Incarnate Word, another performance that showed just how balanced and relentless this group has been to start the season. Five different Longhorns found the net, with Amalia Villarreal, Ava McDonald, Audrey Bryant, Kennedi Cotter and Callan Harrington all getting in on the scoring, while an own goal added to the margin in a night that never really felt in doubt.
The larger takeaway for Texas may be the way it controlled the match from start to finish, outshooting Incarnate Word 21-9 and collecting its fourth clean sheet in six matches. Those are the kinds of numbers that suggest more than a hot streak, especially for a team that is spreading the offense around and making life difficult on both sides of the ball. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Fans Are Mourning A Key Big Man From The Final Four Era
Texas basketball lost one of its familiar big men this week when Jason Klotz, a former Longhorns center, died at 44, according to Texas officials. Klotz spent five seasons in Austin and was part of a memorable stretch that included three straight Sweet 16 trips and the programs Final Four run, making him a recognizable piece of that era for fans who followed the team closely.
After his college career, Klotz continued playing professionally overseas and later spent time in the Orlando Magic summer league. For Longhorns supporters, his death is a reminder of how many important figures from that Final Four group remain tied to the programs history, even as the details surrounding his passing have not been made public. [Read more 🡒]