Perhaps for the first time since taking over the Texas football program ahead of the 2021 season, head coach Steve Sarkisian has a big problem fitting in with a top-10 program.
What highly talented, top-tier players will have to watch from the sideline while someone else starts in their place?
It’s an unenviable problem, of course. But it will also have to be resolved before the Longhorns open the season Aug. 31 against visiting Colorado State. Texas had 11 players drafted by the NFL in April, the most for the Longhorns in a single draft since the NFL shortened the draft to seven rounds in 1994. That means competition looks fierce in the summer in certain locales, especially with the arrival of several proven veterans. on the portal.
“For us to sit here and say this is the deepest team we’ve had, probably the most talented team we’ve had in my four years here, I can say that unequivocally,” Sarkisian said. “We lost some very good players a year ago, but we have a very strong football team that we are excited about. (We) look forward to seeing them compete this fall.”
This competition within the team begins with the first training session on Wednesday. Let’s take a look at five battles for key positions.
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Left guard: Is Hayden Conner still a starter?
Hayden Conner, a 6-foot-2, 320-pound senior, gives the Longhorns one of the most proven interior linemen in the country who has started all 27 games the past two seasons. But former four-star recruit Neto Umeozulu should have a chance to win the starting spot at left guard. The 6-foot-3, 334-pound redshirt sophomore from Class 6A high school powerhouse Allen earned some snaps with the first team this spring. Expect Conner to enter the season as a starter, but Umeozulu’s emergence could increase the attacking options of Sarkisian and offensive line coach Kyle Flood.
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Wide receiver: many options for a renewed position
Sarkisian certainly has options after a complete overhaul at receiver. Xavier Worthy, Adonai Mitchell and Jordan Whittington entered the NFL after catching 172 of 182 wide receiver receptions last season. Texas responded by signing three wideouts — Alabama’s Isaiah Bond, Houston’s Matthew Golden and Oregon State’s Silas Bolden — into the portal, as well as a five-star freshman in Ryan Wingo. Oh, and second-year players Johntay Cook II, DeAndre Moore Jr. and Ryan Niblett are all eager to shine in what Sarkisian calls “by far our deepest receiver corps we’ve had in four years.” Bond seems like a liability to begin with, considering the goodwill he’s built in two years with the Tide. But how will the other snaps be divided?
Edge rusher: How does Trey Moore fit in?
Barryn Sorrell and Ethan Burke return as starters at defensive end and stand out against the run. But the duo combined for just 9½ sacks a year ago, which helped lead the Longhorns to lure Trey Moore from UTSA. Moore proved to be a pass rushing specialist last season with 14 sacks, 45 tackles and 17½ tackles for loss. But will he be a liability for the Longhorns despite the presence of Burke and Sorrell? And where will five-star freshman sensation Colin Simmons fit in? If Moore proves capable against the run, his ability to make plays out of the backfield could make him a three-down player.
Cornerback: Questions beyond Malik Muhammad
Texas regularly rotated four players at cornerback a year ago, but Ryan Watts left for the NFL and Terrance Brooks entered the portal. That leaves sophomore Malik Muhammad, senior Gavin Holmes and San Jose State transfer Jay’Vion Cole as the top candidates to start on the outside. Muhammad, a 6-foot-2, 180-pound sophomore, flashed star power as a freshman and boasts the length and playmaking ability desired by defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski. But who will start on the other side? Holmes had some issues last season but has plenty of experience with 42 career games played, while the 5-foot-11, 180-pound Cole has shown he can play bigger than his size in his first two seasons.
Security: Who joins Andrew Mukuba?
Another position that has undergone an offseason overhaul, safety spots could bring a surprise or two in fall camp. Senior Andrew Mukuba, an Austin native and LBJ graduate, started three seasons at Clemson and has seemingly assumed the starting role at free safety in what will be his first season at Texas. The strong safety position could get interesting if sophomore Jelani McDonald continues to put pressure on teammate Derek Williams Jr., who played in 13 games as a freshman. And don’t forget Michael Taaffe, the former Westlake walk-on who started nine games last season and helped stabilize a position that had its struggles.
This article originally appeared in the Austin American-Statesman: Key position battles for Texas football as summer workouts begin
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