The Texas Longhorns are getting closer to kickoff against Texas State on September 5th, and Saturday’s fall scrimmage may be the clearest look yet at how the roster is starting to settle.
The first camp scrimmage came with a few notable absences. Rasheem Biles, Ty'Anthony Smith, and John Meredith III all sat out because of the flu, and Texas is hoping to have those players back in action this time around.
This is also the final dress rehearsal the media will see before the opener, which gives the second scrimmage a little extra weight. The biggest question isn’t about effort or energy.
It’s about roles. Texas has seen several players catch the coaching staff’s attention during camp, but Saturday could help reveal who the actual starters are.
One of the most watched spots is on the offensive line, where Trevor Goosby’s recent knee injury has opened the door for someone else at left tackle. Steve Sarkisian is still sorting through the right combination up front, and the first scrimmage offered a starting five of Goosby, Laurence Seymore, Connor Robertson, Brandon Baker, and Melvin Siani from left to right.
That group may remain mostly intact, with the exception of left tackle. Whoever lines up there will have a major job, especially with Goosby’s availability for week one still in question. He could be ready, but Texas still needs to know who steps in if he isn’t.
Running back is another spot worth watching. Hollywood Smothers and Raleek Brown are clearly the top two options, but Saturday could sharpen the pecking order even more. Derrek Cooper has been one of the more intriguing names of camp, though his rise also means he may be fighting for a smaller slice of the workload.
Jonah Williams has also stood out this fall. The safety has moved well after offseason shoulder surgery, and Sarkisian said the staff has noticed the progression.
"And we knew early on there might be some hesitation," Sarkisian said. "Any time you have a shoulder surgery it's like, can I trust this thing to tackle and to be physical in the way I need to play? And early on I think we felt some of that hesitation, but the trajectory has looked like this, and that's a positive."
The question now is whether Williams has done enough to push himself into a starting job or whether he remains part of the depth behind the first group. That’s the kind of answer Texas may get from Saturday’s scrimmage as it moves toward locking in the depth chart.
In Other News...
Texas Suddenly Has A Fall Camp O-Line Problem
A Texas offensive line that looked settled enough to build around has been forced into a quick reset during fall camp. Trevor Goosby, one of the projected starters at tackle, suffered a bone bruise in his knee during practice, while Laurence Seymore also dealt with a minor injury hiccup in the first scrimmage. The result has been extra movement up front, including Dylan Sikorski getting extended work with the first-team offense.
Both Goosby and Seymore were out of a recent practice, leaving Texas with a different-looking starting five than it expected at this point in camp. For a team trying to get its protection and run-game combinations ironed out before the opener, the injuries are a reminder that the offensive line remains one of the most important positions to monitor between now and kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Jonah Williams Could Force A Big Texas Secondary Decision
Jonah Williams has spent more of his early Texas life making noise on the baseball side than on the football field, but the Longhorns have reasons to keep a close eye on the safety talent they landed in the 2025 class. With Will Muschamp taking over as defensive coordinator and installing a pattern-match coverage system, there should be more chances for a player with Williams athleticism and versatility to carve out a real role.
The interesting part is that his path may not be tied to one spot at all. Texas could use him in different safety alignments as he gets on the field more often, and that kind of flexibility can open the door to a three-safety look. For a defense trying to find the right fit under a new coordinator, Williams might end up being one of the more important pieces in how the secondary gets sorted out. [Read more 🡒]