Fall camp is nearly wrapped, and Texas is starting to look like a team with a real shape to it.
The Longhorns have seen plenty of movement over the past few weeks. Ty'Anthony Smith was dismissed from the team, while players such as Justus Terry, Jermaine Bishop Jr., Kobe Black and Jonah Williams have climbed the ladder.
Others have simply stayed right where they were expected to be. With Week 1 approaching, this is the clearest projection of how Texas could line up.
At quarterback, Arch Manning is the starter, with KJ Lacey behind him and Dia Bell third. Bell put together a strong final stretch of camp and made real progress, but Lacey still looks like the obvious No. 2 behind Manning, who is expected to be a star.
The backfield could be more fluid. Hollywood Smothers OR Raleek Brown are projected to open as the starter, with Derrek Cooper backing them up and Michael Terry III third. Smothers is the likeliest candidate to lead the team in carries and yards, though Brown will get his chances, and the starting designation could swing depending on the game plan.
Texas has plenty of options at receiver, starting with Cam Coleman, who is pegged for a huge year. Sterling Berkhalter is next up, followed by Kohen Brown. Coleman is viewed as a full-route-tree threat and exactly the kind of player the Longhorns wanted him to be.
Ryan Wingo is listed as the starter opposite that group, with Kaliq Lockett behind him and Jermaine Bishop Jr. third. Wingo has turned in an excellent camp and looks far ahead of where he was a year ago, though he still has to show the drop issues are behind him. Lockett, meanwhile, has kept trending in the right direction.
In the slot, Emmett Mosley V is the starter, with Jermaine Bishop Jr. again in the mix and Daylan McCutcheon third. Mosley is described as a vital piece of the offense because he gives Texas exactly what it needs inside.
Bishop is going to play a lot, though the staff still has to settle where he fits best. McCutcheon is also part of the rotation.
Nick Townsend also had a standout camp and looks poised for a breakout season.
At tight end, Spencer Shannon OR Michael Masunas are projected as the starters, with Charlie Jilek behind them. Both Shannon and Masunas are expected to see the field, and both are considered better receivers than they get credit for.
Up front, Trevor Goosby is the starter at tackle, with Andre Cojoe backing him up and Jordan Coleman third. Goosby dodged a major injury scare and could miss Week 1, but Cojoe has shown almost no drop-off in practice and is clearly the third tackle.
Laurence Seymore is projected to get the first shot at starting, with Dylan Sikorski behind him and Cole Hutson third. All three have worked with the starters, and all three could end up starting at some point.
At center, Connor Robertson has the job locked down, with Jackson Christian behind him and Cole Hutson third. Robertson is firmly in place, Christian is seen as the future at the spot, and Hutson’s experience gives Texas another emergency option.
Brandon Baker is the starter at right guard, with Cole Hutson backing him up and Jaydon Chatman third. Baker has settled in naturally at the position.
Melvin Siani is projected as the starter on the other side, with Andre Cojoe behind him and Jonte Newman third. Siani has been more than Texas expected, while Cojoe remains the third tackle in the mix.
The edge and defensive front are loaded. Colin Simmons is the starter, with Colton Vasek OR Richard Wesley behind him. Wesley is expected to be a real factor, Vasek will play too, and the position is described as very deep.
At the next spot, Lance Jackson OR Zina Umeozulu are listed as starters, with Jamarion Carlton third. Umeozulu has made a serious push for playing time, and both he and Jackson are expected to see plenty of action.
Ian Geffrard is the starter in the middle, with Maraad Watson behind him and Josiah Sharma third. Geffrard is described as a massive presence who is nearly immovable, while Watson has also been tremendous. Texas is big and deep there.
Hero Kanu OR Alex January are projected to start at the next spot, with Justus Terry behind them and Myron Charles third. Kanu and January are both starter-level players, Terry has been one of the best camp performers on the roster, and all three will play.
At linebacker, Rasheem Biles is the starter, with Jordon Johnson-Rubell behind him and Tyler Atkinson third. Smith’s dismissal hurts, but Johnson-Rubell’s versatility after moving from safety gives Texas a workable answer, and Atkinson will also be in the rotation.
Justin Cryer is the clear starter at one linebacker spot, with Brad Spence behind him and Rocky Cummings third. Cryer owns the job, and Spence can step in there if needed.
Spence is also listed as the starter at SAM, with Markus Boswell behind him and Kosi Okpala third. He fits naturally there, while the players behind him are still developing.
Bo Mascoe is projected to start at corner, with Warren Roberson behind him and Hayward Howard Jr. third. Mascoe is said to have First Team All-SEC potential, and Roberson has also made plenty of noise.
Kade Phillips is the starter at another corner spot, with Wardell Mack backing him up and Samari Matthews third. Phillips is expected to finish the year as one of the SEC’s best corners, while Mack has shifted from nickel to full-time corner and gives Texas useful depth.
Graceson Littleton is the starter in the slot, with Xavier Filsaime(?) behind him and Jonathan Cunningham third.
Littleton is one of the top defenders on the roster and the job is clearly his. Bo Mascoe can also play there if needed, but Littleton owns the spot.
Derek Williams Jr. is listed as the starter with Kobe Black behind him and Xavier Filsaime third. Williams and Black battled all camp, and Williams ended it with a slight edge, though that could still change.
Jelani McDonald is the starter at the final listed spot, with Jonah Williams behind him and Zelus Hicks third. McDonald is projected for an All-American-type season, and Jonah Williams has made a push to get on the field.
On special teams, Spetic was brought in to take over the job and did. Raleek Brown could be a gamebreaker there, and Niblett gives Texas another dangerous option. The message is simple: you do not want to kick a fieldable ball to Texas.
Niblett is also viewed as one of the best in the country in his role.
Longsnapper, as always, is one of those jobs nobody wants to think about.
In Other News...
Texas Camp Concern May Actually Be Great News For Sark's Defense
Fall camp has offered an early hint that Texas may have found the kind of edge Steve Sarkisian needed on the other side of the ball. With new coordinator Will Muschamp steering the defense, the Longhorns have looked sharper than the offense in practice, and the emphasis has clearly changed from merely surviving drives to forcing opponents out of rhythm and off the field.
Muschamps approach is a noticeable departure from the old bend-but-dont-break mindset, leaning into more man-press coverage and a more aggressive posture overall. For Texas, that is not just a schematic tweak. It lines up with the offensive plan and could give the Longhorns a more complete identity if the defense keeps turning camp concerns into something closer to a strength. [Read more 🡒]
Vic Schaefer Just Added Another Piece To Texas Loaded Roster
Texas womens basketball keeps stocking up with familiar-looking international flair, and the latest addition brings a different kind of rsum to Austin. Jayda Clark, an Australian guard with professional experience and time spent in the countrys youth national-team pipeline, has signed with Vic Schaefers program, giving the Longhorns another perimeter option to plug into a roster already heavy with overseas talent and a highly ranked recruiting class.
Schaefer has made clear he values Clarks scoring touch and versatility, and those traits should only deepen the competition once Texas gets into the thick of its season. The appeal here is obvious for a program already built to win now: another proven guard, another layer of depth, and another sign that the Longhorns are assembling a roster with plenty of ways to keep opponents guessing. [Read more 🡒]
Former Longhorns Give Texas Fans A Real Reason To Watch Week 0
Texas wont be on the Week 0 schedule, but Longhorns fans still have a few familiar names worth tracking when the season gets underway. Four former Texas players, Tre Wisner, Jordan Washington, Daniel Cruz and JaMond Tapp, are expected to make their debuts with new college football programs, giving observers in Austin at least one early reason to tune in even without the Longhorns taking the field.
The most intriguing watch is likely Wisner, who landed at Florida State and is expected to be the former Longhorn drawing the most attention from Texas fans. Washington, Cruz and Tapp are also in line to open their new chapters this week, though their availability and roles may vary depending on how their respective teams handle the first game of the season. [Read more 🡒]