Inside Texas 2014 Preview

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2014 season preview

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in this issue

The Charlie Strong Era |

by

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Bill Frisbie

Texas’ new coach has re-made the team in his image.

Questions and Predictions |

9

Boyd What will be the factors at play for a successful season in 2014?

2014 Offense Breakdown |

by

by Ian

Eric Nahlin

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Mike Blackwell

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Position-by-position preview of who to look for on offense.

2014 Defense Breakdown |

by

Preview of the players who will execute Charlie Strong’s scheme.

2014 Game by Game |

by Ian

Boyd Analysis and scouting report of each opponent on the 2014 schedule.

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2014 Roster Table

2015 Recruiting |

by

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Justin Wells

Charlie Strong’s first full class is starting to take shape

Publishers -- Michael Pearle, Clendon Ross | Managing Editor--Clendon Ross | Editor-- Mike Blackwell InsideTexas.com Editor -- Justin Wells | Lead Writer -- Bill Frisbie | Contributor -- Ian Boyd Designer/Photographer -- Will Gallagher | Recruiting Analyst -- Eric Nahlin To Subscribe/Customer Service -- Phone: 512-249-8916 | Email: help@insidetexas.com 2014 Season Preview

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the Strong Era begins by

Bill Frisbie

Since he was first introduced in January, Longhorn fans have eagerly anticipated the start of the 2014 football season. In that time, Charlie Strong has put his stamp on a Texas team that hopes to mirror the grit, drive and determination of their new head coach.

T

he Charlie Strong era began when he hugged Edith Royal, the widow of Longhorn coaching icon Darrell K. Royal, appropriately putting on hold what was -- literally and figuratively -- the biggest press conference for UT athletics this millennium. Strong later described the “chills that went through my body” the first time he met Royal. He also spoke of his admiration for Mack Brown, assuring the former UT coach Sunday night that he would always be welcome at practice. Still, the coldest day in Austin in 90 years signaled a new day for Longhorn football.

“It’s time to put this program back on the national stage,” Strong said.

What, then, will be the most important, and most immediate, change within the fabric of the program? It can be summarized in one word.

Toughness.

It is an intangible that Mack Brown insisted he tried to instill on a regular basis. For Strong, “toughness” is foundational. It’s where football begins.

“Our mentality is always going to be about physical and mental toughness,” Strong said. “You have to build your program on toughness. That’s what all the successful programs do. It’s all about toughness.”

The old adage is that players typically mirror the personality of their head coach.

Toughness certainly permeates from the 53-year old Strong, despite the fact that, at times Monday, he was so soft-spoken that it was difficult to hear what had been said.

But this came through loud-and-clear, and should be music to burnt orange ears:

“It’s about attitude. The attitude that we will develop will be the attitude that will change this program. We have to develop it right now.”

Strong’s reputation for running a hardnosed outfit stems from 13 years as a defensive coordinator in the rugged SEC. His emphases on toughness, however, applies to both sides of the ball. Strong wants an offense that will be “up-tempo, aggressive and will score a lot of points. But you have to realize this: it’s still all about physical toughness.

You can throw the ball around but, by the end of the day, you still have to line-up and run the ball. It takes a physical toughness to run the ball.”

Strong did not get into specifics with regard to schemes, personnel or staff. This we know: Strong can beat Oklahoma. He orchestrated the 2008 Florida defense that held a Sooner offense averaging 54 points to just two touchdowns in that season’s BCS championship game.

This we also know: Strong can recruit and developquarterbacks. Louisville junior QB Teddy Bridgewater is expected to be the No. 1 player selected in this year’s NFL Draft.

And this, too, we know: Strong is the 29th head coach in program history and, of course, the first African-American head coach of any sport within the UT Men’s Athletic Department. Frankly, it saidsomething quite positive and, hopefully, healing that the issue of race – despite the program’s legacy as the last to win a national championship without a black varsity athlete -- was not raised until the 45-minute press conference was two-thirds complete. Presumably,

it was what UT President Bill Powers had in mind when referenced Strong’s hire as a “historical day.”

A few years ago, Strong noted that other assistants on coaching staffs were being hired while he had “zero” interviews. On Monday, Strong simply stated that there’s “always going to be a ‘first’ for someone,” and that he will always be mindful (if not, representative) of those who still have not have not been given the opportunity that was afforded him this weekend.

It is the opportunity to not only be the face but, to some extent, change the face of an office that Strong described as “the best of the best, the top one percent of the one percent, the top of the line.”

A source with longstanding ties with Strong told me: “He is one of the most excellent people you will ever meet. He’s an excellent coach, but all he wants to do is coach. He wants to spend ‘zero’ time with the media.

He doesn’t want to do press conferences.

He might come across as having poor PR skills, so you may have to get used to that.

But he is an excellent coach and human being.”

To be sure, it was a genuinely impassioned Strong who promised to “work like it’s fourth-and-inches”. The coach who recruited talent-rich Florida effectively enough to turn a basketball school into a BCS bowl champion vowed to “close the borders” surrounding prep stars in the Lone Star state.

Strong will never have Mack Brown’s polish. Most people don’t. But the prevailing sense is the fan base will gladly exchange the spit-and-polish for some spit-and-vinegar that trickles down from the head coach 2014 Season Preview

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into his troops.

Strong is, by his own admission, not intimidated, despite the fact that he has landed a gug that he deemed “the top one percent of the one percent, the top of the line.” In fact, when Texas Athletic Director Steve Patterson described all that he wanted in a head football coach, Strong looked him in the eye and said, “I am that guy.”

“Our mentality is always going to be about physical and mental toughness,” Strong said. “You have to build your program on toughness. That’s what all the successful programs do. It’s all about toughness.”

Chances are, a coach who has worked at Notre Dame and Florida is not naïve about

- Charlie Strong

the expectations at Texas. As such, Strong seems to possess a rare combination of confidence and humility that heshrugs off the pressure inherent in the Texas job. But that comes from surrounding yourself with the right people, he said.

“When you’re not prepared,” he said, “then you’re under pressure.”

Bottom line: Strong gets it.

He knows you’re supposed to win championships at a place like The University-of-by-God Texas. You absolutely commit to an exceptionally high graduation rate and, in fact, Strong said this is his top priority. But you don’t survive at Texas with just two conference titles in 16 years, even if there’s a national championship on your resume.

YO U HYD R AT E

W E D O N ATE

Questions and Predictions The outlook outlook for for 2014 2014 will will hinge hinge on on the the health health of of David David Ash Ash and and improvement improvement on on the the The defensive side side of of the the football. football. Here Here are are some some variables variables to to consider. consider. defensive an Boyd oyd

by Ian by

I

t’s about Texas playing football again under a new coach in a new season with a dozen competing narratives and themes.

There are a few storylines that we are all pretty keyed in on and there are others that have been debated and settled before Texas steps on the field.

Let’s start with the assumptions that everyone takes for granted.

“The Ash proviso” This concept will be available for your usage this year and can be invoked by inscribing the following notation “Ash*” at the end of any long-winded prognostication on the Longhorns that assumes the health of David Ash. Obviously all college football teams set their expectations for the season under the assumption that their starting QB remains healthy all year, but not all college teams have starting QBs who missed most of 2013 with a traumatic brain injury.

Nor do many other college teams feature such young and unpolished back-ups at the position, as do the Longhorns.

There’s not much fun in talking about how this Texas season will go if Ash goes down

to injury. Such an event would send Texas hurtling into an alternate universe with its own physical laws, planetary trajectories, and religious systems.

David Ash was a truly effective quarterback in 2012, particularly before he was injured, and is likely to be a very effective quarterback in 2014. This Texas offense could be very strong with him and absolutely atrocious without him.

Texas will have the skill players to execute ball-control tactics Marcus Johnson was fantastic in 2013 and seems ready to become the featured outside receiver for Texas in 2014, we hope.

Jaxon Shipley is a known commodity as a possession receiver that’s nearly impossible to cover.

It may take a few weeks for the passing game or run blocking to really get in sync, especially with all the injuries, but the pieces are all there for Texas to get into a rhythm at some point.

The defense will be capable of stopping the run Texas ranked 3rd against the run in the S&P rankings in 2011. Then Manny Acho, Keenan Robinson, Kheeston Randall, and Blake Gideon all left and Texas plummeted to 65th in run defense for 2012. After an offseason in which this was clearly a primary issue for the team to address they only improved to 48th in 2013.

Diaz and Mack were kicked out and defensive stalwarts Charlie Strong and Vance Bedford were brought in, fresh off a year in which their Louisville D ranked 7th overall.

Malcolm Brown is said to be moving quicker and running through tackles in camp. At the very least, Gray will be a strong back-up to Brown. Texas has several strong blockers in Geoff Swaim and Alex de la Torre to help out a physical running game.

The common assumption amongst fans is that this loaded defensive line, talented but previously lost linebacker corps, and defensive-minded coaching staff will result in a strong defense against the run.

It’s a pretty safe bet that Texas will have the receivers and running backs to pound the ball on the ground, convert the quick game, and try to stay ahead of the chains on offense. Ash*

However, it’s worth noting that Louisville ranked only 51st against the run in 2011, 90th in 2012, and then 22nd last year. The Strong/Bedford defenses have been known more for their work on passing downs then 2014 Season Preview

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being an impregnable wall against the run.

It’s possible that the Texas D will not actually be run stopping force of nature.

You would assume drastic improvement, but old habits do die hard, and it may not be a particular focus for this staff to ensure that Texas has the best run stopping front possible.

safety less.

However, it’s not like Texas is returning the league’s best cover corner from 2013.

We’re making a guess based on likely growth and what we’ve already seen from these players.

It’s a good bet that Quandre Diggs will have a huge season utilizing his quickness in the

The defense will be option sound Texas was especially shredded in 2012 and 2013 by teams that utilized spread-option tactics. Greg Robinson simplified the defense from what Diaz had been doing and emphasized an eight man front but simply didn’t have good responses to account either for a secondary that couldn’t force the run or a new breed of option that wreaked havoc on defenses playing by old rules.

This is truly an astounding achievement that deserves some time and attention. If, as a defense, you can put pressure on the offense with only four pass-rushers and you can allow your safeties and linebackers to focus on the middle of the field while the corners man the sidelines alone, then you are almost made in the shade.

Steve Edmond

On this point, Strong and Bedford are thoroughly up to date on the modern option and faced it in a few different forms playing against Houston, Memphis, and UCF in 2013. Texas now has a defensive playbook that is sound against the spread-option and will put defenders in position to make plays when the Longhorns face teams like BYU and West Virginia.

But will the players execute those sound schemes? We all assume so…

Defensive coverage execution will remain at a high level

Texas has quietly enjoyed good coverage from itscornerbacks over the last few years.

Carrington Byndom was an underrated rock who played on an island for almost the entirety of 2013 and went up against some future NFL pros over the course of his career.

Duke Thomas and Quandre Diggs have both been picked on over the last several years but they were also better than league average in 2013. Mykkele Thompson’s struggles haven’t been with coverage and he may be a future NFL corner in his own right.

We’re all assuming that the Texas D will be strong on the outside because this has been the case for several years at DBU. It’s a good bet to remain true, particularly if Thomas makes a leap, Diggs comes alive at the nickel, and Thompson finds his home playing man coverage more and supporting

middle of the field at nickelback but we don’t know yet for sure…

Now let’s get into some of the questions for which we don’t feel as safe making assumptions and are eagerly awaiting to see if Texas can ease our minds a little against North Texas.

Can Texas control the middle of the field on defense?

Texas has done something remarkable over the last two years. Despite having a great DL, fantastic pass-rush, and corners that can lock down the sidelines, they’ve fielded bad defenses.

All that’s required of the safeties and linebackers at that point is that they execute their assignments and play at an average level and you will have a phenomenal defense.They can have the simplest of assignments and needn’t demonstrate tremendous range to make plays. Texas’ defensive backfield couldn’t even clear this remarkably low bar.

At linebacker, you assume that they’ll figure it out with Edmond, Hicks, and Jinkens all back. At safety, things are murkier. Are the Longhorns starting a walk-on at safety? Or a true freshman? Both are descriptions that would typically be used to explain why players are performing at a below average level.

2014 Season Preview

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or stand up to them on running plays.

There are three players that can give Texas the best chance at having a really effective ball-control offense that can pound the ball on the ground and in the air and be too multi-faceted for opposing defenses.

Those players are Daje Johnson as a RB/ WR hybrid, Jonathan Gray as a game breaking runner, and MJ McFarland as a mobile TE/H-back. Texas needs one of these players to finally make good on their athletic potential and then they could have a really effective offense, Ash*.

Otherwise, even if everything else goes according to plan, the non-conference opponents and brutal overall schedule will prevent the kind of breakthrough, 9-10 win inaugural Strong season we’re all hoping to see.

Daje Johnson

Texas can make things easier for their safeties and linebackers than most teams in the league, but they still have give Strong something. Can they finally meet that bar in 2014?

Will explosive weapons emerge for the Texas offense?

Ball control tactics require a high level of execution from the OL, QB, WRs, RBs, everyone. Everyone has to understand the system and know what the smart play is to stay ahead of the chains.

Quarterback misses reads? You can get behind the chains. Running back misses the hole? Behind the chains. Receiver runs the wrong route at the wrong time? Possible interception. Offensive line misses blocks?

You get the picture.

The easiest way for a team to overcome the inevitable mistakes and the need for perfect execution is to have explosive playmakers that can turn a play that’s blocked for 3-6 yards to instead gain 10 or more by virtue of their own skill.

Who’s going to do that for Texas? Can Marcus Johnson make something out of a hitch route? Will Daje Johnson finally see the field and earn a role? Is Gray back to normal? How much quicker is Malcolm Brown, really?

The answers to these questions will tell us if Texas has enough explosive athleticism on the field to keep the offense humming while mastering a new system.

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Can Texas find a base identity on offense that offersrun/pass balance?

Geoff Swaim is a fantastic blocker that will help tremendously early in the year before Wickline has the OL settled in and at work using their tremendous overall athleticism.

He can kick out a defensive end, lead around the edge,double-team a DE, potentially wham a DT, lead through the hole and take out a linebacker, etc.

Week 1 can teach us a lot. Let’s hope we see a healthy David Ash, a more precise than expected offense, strong run defense, good assignment football vs the option, great coverage, good awareness from the safeties, big plays from Daje Johnson or Jonathan Gray, and a breakout game for MJ McFarland. If so, it’ll be safe to feel really good about Texas football for the first time in a long time.

He’s not going to catch a ton of balls though. That puts a lot of pressure on the No.3 receiver on the field for Texas. Will that be a slot receiver? Or another TE like MJ McFarland?

At different times, it’ll probably be both, but Texas’ greatest upside comes if that player is McFarland. If the immensely talented, 6-foot-4 athlete can consistently add a solid, “extra blocking surface” on the edge and master Watson’s pass game routes, Texas could have something special.

By motioning McFarland from one side of the formation to the other, Texas drastically changes what the defense has to be concerned with in regards to possible running plays, possible passing plays, and overall leverage. Motioning a TE who can catch a ball up the seam or allow your OL to outflank the defensive front is an easy way to manufacture easy yardage and execute a ball-control strategy.

What’s more, the Big 12 has a dearth of defenders who can either cover big tight ends

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Offense Breakdown

a healthy roster will be the key to a successful season by Eric Nahlin

quarterback David Ash

Position Strength: STARTER David Ash, Sr RESERVES Tyrone Swoopes, So

Jerrod Heard, FR

PREVIEW: David Ash is as entrenched as one can be as the starter with Tyrone Swoopes solidly at number two. Ash’s health is the biggest concern for the season; this team will go as far as Ash’s mind and body will take it.

Much heralded freshman, Jerrod Heard, appears headed for a needed redshirt year barring injury.

2014 Season Preview

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Running Backs

Wide receivers

Malcolm Brown

Jaxon Shipley

Position Strength: STARTERS Malcolm Brown, Sr Alex De La Torre, Jr RESERVES Daje Johnson, Jr D’Onta Foreman, Fr

Position Strength:

Johnathan Gray, Jr

Donald Catalon, Fr Kevin Shorter, Fr

PREVIEW: Malcolm Brown has done all he can in the off-season to prepare for his swan song. He’s in excellent shape - registering ten pounds lighter at 218 - and is poised for a big year in a zone system that he’s ideal for.

Johnathan Gray’s legend continues as he returns from an Achilles injury surprisingly quick. Depth behind those two is a concern with freshmen Duke Catalon nursing a hamstring and D’Onta Foreman still familiarizing himself with the playbook.

STARTERS Jaxon Shipley, Sr Marcus Johnson, Jr

John Harris, Sr

RESERVES Jacorey Warrick, So Roderick Bernard, Fr Garrett Gray, Fr Dorian Leonard, Fr

Jake Oliver, RS Fr Armantie Foreman, Fr Lorenzo Joe, Fr

PREVIEW: Productive Jaxon Shipley is finally a senior and will be Ash’s most reliable target. Marcus Johnson looks to build on a sophomore season, when he showed big play ability.

Can he take the next step and become an all around threat?

Daje Johnson should feature in the slot as an option in the screen game. John Harris gets one final crack at living up to his potential. He’s the biggest receiver on the team and should help in the outside run game.

There isn’t much proven depth but there is youthful talent in Jacorey Warrick, Armanti Foreman, Lorenzo Joe and Dorian Leonard. Keep an eye out for walk-on Ty Templin, a player who is forcing the staff to take notice.

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Offensive Line

tight ends

Dominic Espinosa

Greg Daniels

Position Strength: STARTERS Dominic Espinosa, Sr Kennedy Estelle, Jr Kent Perkins, So RESERVES Taylor Doyle, Jr Camrhon Hughes, So Jake Raulerson, RS Fr Terrell Cuney, Fr

Position Strength:

Desmond Harrison, Sr Sedrick Flowers, Jr

Curtis Riser, So Darius James, RS Fr Alex Anderson, Fr Elijah Rodriguez, Fr

PREVIEW: Dominic Espinosa is the bedrock as the senior center. The bookends are large and talented, yet erratic: Kennedy Estelle and Desmond Harrison.

Marcus Hutchins appears to be ready to be the swing tackle. At guard, Kent Perkins is on his way to becoming a household name. Sedrick Flowers has waited his turn for the other guard spot and has no interest in losing it.

STARTER Geoff Swaim, Sr RESERVES Greg Daniels, Sr Blake Whiteley, So

M.J. McFarland, Jr Andrew Beck, Fr

PREVIEW: Greg Daniels was having a fine camp until his knee required arthroscopic surgery. He should be back by the end of September. Geoff Swaim has become a team leader through sheer hard work and aggressive on-field disposition.

Don’t look now, but the talented yet invisible M.J. McFarland has been making plays in camp. Just another tease or a sign of things to come? Juco transfer Blake Whiteley and true freshman Andrew Beck are also pushing for playing time. One of those two will likely redshirt.

2014 Season Preview

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defense Breakdown , a strong defensive line anchors athletic talented group

by Mike Blackwell

Defensive tackle Position Strength: STARTERS Desmond Jackson, Sr

Malcom Brown, Jr

RESERVES Marcus Hutchins, Jr Alex Norman, So Poona Ford, Fr

Hassan Ridgeway, So Paul Boyette, So Chris Nelson, Fr.

PREVIEW: The Longhorns are set with Malcom Brown and Desmond Jackson, but after that, Vance Bedford’s “up-themiddle” defense at tackle is unproven. Brown is tremendous, and probably one of the two or three most important players on the football team. Jackson, a.k.a. ‘Tank’, is looking to make a mark in his last season, and has previously been a player who has been good but not great.

Depth-wise, the Longhorns have players with a ton of potential - in particular Poona Ford and Chris Nelson - but very few skins on the wall. Marcus Hutchins and Hassan Ridgeway, along with Alex Norman and Paul Boyette, also have a chance to earn their way into the rotation.

Malcom Brown

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Cedric Reed

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Defensive end

Linebackers Cedric Reed

Position Strength:

Jordan Hicks

Position Strength:

STARTERS Cedric Reed, Sr

Shiro Davis, Jr

RESERVES Caleb Bluiett, So Derick Roberson, Fr

Bryce Cottrell, So Jake McMillon, Fr.

PREVIEW: The Longhorns’ situation at defensive end is very similar to their situation at defensive tackle: Texas has one true stud duck (Cedric Reed) and another solid starter in Shiro Davis. Both of these players - in particular Reed - are expected to spend a great majority of their time in their opponents’ backfields, harassing quarterbacks when they aren’t putting barriers up for running backs at the ends of both lines of scrimmage.

Caleb Bluiett could possibly push Davis for playing time, but Reed won’t be supplanted by anyone and will be playing on Sundays in 2015. Cottrell and Roberson will probably enter the rotation in a limited role, while Jake McMillon will likely be limited in his playing time.

STARTERS Jordan Hicks, Sr Peter Jinkens, Jr

Steve Edmond, Sr

RESERVES Demarco Cobbs, Sr Dalton Santos, Jr Naashon Hughes, Fr Erik Huhn, Fr Andrew Beck, Fr

Tevin Jackson, Sr Tim Cole, So Deoundrei Davis, Fr Cameron Hampton, Fr

PREVIEW: Jordan Hicks is The Man here, and he may even play at middle linebacker when the Longhorns are in nickel. His Achilles injury appears to be fully healed, and perhaps most importantly, after an injury-plagued career that most would say has fallen far short of expectations, he enters the 2014 hungry, a description that probably makes Charlie Strong very happy. After years of struggling at linebacker, most are expecting a bounce back in this area, especially with starters Hicks, speedy Peter Jinkens and possibly Dalton Santos or Steve Edmonds.

Others who should find the field are Demarco Cobbs, Tevin Jackson, Naashon Hughes and possibly Tim Cole.

2014 Season Preview

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cornerbacks

Safety

Quandre Diggs

Mykelle Thompson

Position Strength:

STARTERS Mykkele Thompson, Sr RESERVES Josh Turner, Sr Kevin Vaccaro, So Edwin Freeman, Fr

Position Strength:

Jason Hall, Fr Adrian Colbert, So Dylan Haines, So

PREVIEW: The situation at safety - especially considering Josh Turner’s suspension, is very fluid to say the least.

Mykkele Thompson is projected as one of the starters here, but listening to those around the program, this is a depth chart area that moves seemingly with every tick of the clock. Dylan Haines - son of former UT defensive lineman John Haines, has been getting rave reviews, as has freshman Jason Hall. Adrian Colbert is someone else who could see significant playing time, especially considering the Big 12’s propensity toward throwing, and who knows about Edwin Freeman and Kevin Vaccaro, a pair of youngsters who are unproven? Stay tuned…

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STARTERS Quandre Diggs, Sr RESERVES Sheroid Evans, Sr Antwuan Davis, RS Fr John Bonney, Fr

Duke Thomas, Jr Bryson Echols, So Jermaine Roberts, Fr

PREVIEW: Diggs appears to have bought in - completely - to the Charlie Strong way of doing things. He’s been the vocal - and on-the-field - leader not only of the defense, but the team as a whole. He’s hungry, ready to go and obviously a lock to start. The supremely talented Duke Thomas should nail down the other cornerback spot, and you can safely bet that Sheroid Evans will get on the playing field plenty in this, his senior, season. Bryson Echols is another corner with a top-of-the-line skill set, though he is unproven. Antwuan Davis - a redshirt freshman - has made his mark in fall camp as well, and should see plenty of time despite being surrounded by a bevy of talent.

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special teams Nick Rose

Position Strength: STARTERS Will Russ, Sr

Nick Rose, Jr

RESERVES Ben Pruitt, Jr

Nick Jordan, So

PREVIEW: Talk about your unknowns‌At kicker, you have one Nick Rose, who has played in 26 games for the Longhorns, primarily as a kickoff specialist and backup place kicker. Surprisingly, the subject of kicker and punter - and the fact that neither position is one with a great deal of experience at all - is not usually addressed significantly when talking about the Texas concerns in 2014. As a kickoff specialist, Rose is more than adequate: 32 of 75 kickoffs last year were touchbacks. As a field goal kicker? Who knows?

Same for Russ, who had no game action at all in 2013. The jury - to say the very least - is still out when it comes to fourth down for the Longhorns this season.

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2014 schedule - game by game

by Ian

Boyd oyd

With With three three top-10 top-10 opponents opponents in in the the first first six six games, games, Texas Texas will will be be tested tested early early and and often often in in 2014.

2014. Inside Inside Texas Texas gives gives you you aa scouting scouting report report for for the the season season ahead. ahead.

2014 Season Preview

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GAME 1

Austin, Tx | Aug. 30th

At a Glance The Mean Green won nine games last year in their first season in Conference USA, so they may not be quite the punch line we’re accustomed to facing. You might recognize head coach Dan McCarney from his time running Iowa State from 1995 to 2006 before resigning and leaving the Cyclones in the incapable hands of Gene Chizik. It only took him three years to win nine games at North Texas, he’s a great coach.

On the plus side, their QB is gone, their top two receivers are gone, their starting running back is gone, and their defensive line is gone.

Mean Green on Offense: The North Texas offense is designed to find success without elite, hard to find talents. Their run game is all about pulling linemen, traps, and leads that get 6-foot-2, 290-pound guards who couldn’t get Big 12 offers moving to hit defenders at favorable angles.

They use a lot of 2-back sets and will run power, counter, pin & pull, draw, and zone-stretch to knock you out of the way. They’re actually pretty good at it and right guard Cyril Lemon can move and maul better than many of his contemporaries in the Big 12. The Mean Green returns four out of five OL from last year’s group, including Lemon and a rather athletic and talented left tackle named Antonio Johnson.

North Texas 2013 Record: 9-4 | Conference USA Head coach: Dan McCarney

Returning starters: 5-offense, 7-defense Top Players: Carlos Harris, Antonio Johnson, Cyril Lemon, Lairamie Lee

these concepts against Texas defenders playing man coverage. If you are trying to make a living throwing five yard routes to a Mean Green receiver with Quandre Diggs or Duke Thomas draped over them you probably aren’t looking at a very efficient day, and efficiency is the name of the game with that style of offense.

to people that can run and cover in space. Most of the secondary is back and knows how to stay on top of people and tackle but they aren’t covering anyone up tightly by any stretch of the imagination.

Mean Green on Defense: The North Texas

defense is like a mix between Iowa State’s under Paul Rhoads (heavy on fundamentals) and the Ole Miss bunch (undersized and aggressive).

They will blitz and/or bring an eight-man front but they’ll match it with very soft coverage on the corners, or they’ll play 2-read and drop 4-deep.

They want to outnumber the running game and make you beat them with throws to the flat and will rely on good tackling in the secondary and speed at outside linebacker to make it work.

They lost their stud Mike linebacker Zach Orr but managed to get former Skyline standout Anthony Wallace to transfer in from Oregon where he couldn’t crack the 2-deep, to replace him.

Wallace will likely be the sole plugger on the team while the outside linebacker spots will go

The challenge for Texas will be in blocking their pressures if Wallace proves to be an explosive blitzer and getting a run game going against loaded fronts. North Texas will dare the Longhorns to beat them by throwing hitch routes or throwing underneath, which Watson may be all too happy to do.

The entire UNT DL graduates and leaves behind some undersized replacements to replace them.

Other than Wallace, the defensive backfield for UNT are not the types that can survive if they aren’t protected and it’s hard to hold a combo block inside if you only weigh 270 pounds.

All together, the Mean Green are designed to make this as tough as possible but Texas’ athletic advantages should suffice to see them submitted by a safe margin at some point in the 2nd half. can avoid that by playing multiple TE’s and simply leaning on them until they give way.

The challenge for Texas is that the Longhorns linebackers have been absolutely atrocious at managing their run fits against these types of run schemes for the last two years. West Virginia ran over Texas in Austin two years ago running simple lead-zone schemes with a fullback and Iowa St. nearly upset the Longhorns in Ames running power and pin & pull against a beleaguered defensive backfield.

Now rest assured, Charlie Strong knows how to stuff these plays but what’s the learning curve like for Texas’ players in figuring it out? Will they already have it down by week 1?

The Mean Green have ranked in the top 10 in fewest sacks allowed for consecutive seasons for a very simple reason. They don’t hold onto the ball.

Most of their passing game is about quick timing reads and throws where the QB throws in anticipation of a route break. When executed well, it can be effective, although like with Watson’s system it won’t necessarily gobble up yards in any hurry.

The problem for the Mean Green is in running

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GAME 2

Austin, Tx | Sept. 6th

BYU

2013 Record: 8-5 | Independent Head coach: Bronco Mendenhall

At a Glance Texas fans should be all too familiar with Bronco Mendenhall’s Cougar program at this point. The 2011 season and trajectory of the Mack Brown rebuild changed when Gilbert melted down against the Cougars but Longhorns still gritted out a 17-16 win. The Longhorns had to get there behind BYU’s slow adoption to Ash running inverted-veer and a few McCoy to Shipley tosses.

In between that game and the fateful match in Provo last year, Bronco abandoned the Power/ West Coast offense they had been running in favor of an up-tempo, spread option attack. Since Texas’ defense had no idea how to stop the option, we all had to witness arguably the most humiliating defeat since the “Route 66” debacle that got John Mackovic canned. The program’s trajectory was changed once again, and here we are.

The BYU team that slaughtered Texas last season returns in 2014 largely intact save for losing stud outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy, some solid though underutilized receivers, and some rather slow DBs.

The Cougars will often flank him with two backs: running back Jamal Williams who’s a solid runner, and fullback Paul Lasike. The fullback is a former rugby player and runs very physically, though upright. Longhorn defenders did not enjoy tackling him in 2013. They use him in a lot of different ways, much like how KSU uses Glenn Gronkowski, as a dive player in the option, as a receiver out of the backfield, as a lead blocker, and in pass protection.

The rest of the BYU offensive roster is negligible.

BYU on Defense: BYU’s 3-4 defense is actually fairly similar to what the Sooners are running these days, which makes this game a useful prep, especially for the Texas OL. Typically, the Cougars have a stout front of Islanders and physical linebackers but one too many honky’s on the back end. In 2014 they actually have some athleticism at cornerback that may make their 3-4 blitz package pretty rough to handle.

BYU is defined by a few unique traits, primarily its status as the flagship athletic team of the Mormon Church. Devout Mormons want to go to BYU and not many other people do.

BYU on Offense: The thrust of the BYU

offense is the inside run game. Returning center Edward Fusi (6-foot-0, 317 lbs, SR) and left guard Solomone Kafu (6-foot-2, 315, SR) are a load moving downhill while left tackle De’Ondre Wesley (6-foot-7, 330, SR) is reasonably nimble and also powerful. Fusi in particular is both quick and powerful enough to take on a nose-tackle without help, provided that tackle doesn’t have the length to shuck the smaller lineman. Against Tank Jackson he might hold up well, against Brown forget it.

They love to run zone read schemes that result in the OL blocking down at angles, power schemes, and draw plays all run as option concepts that they call at high tempo. They’ll also rotate their OL from series to series to keep them fresh.

The biggest concern is quarterback Taysom Hill. Texas did a lot to help make Hill look good in 2013, but he’s legitimately one of the best running QBs in college football. He’s good on the scramble or designed runs, can dart between the tackles or bounce outside, and has the power to stiff-arm would be tacklers.

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Returning starters: 8-offense, 5-defense Top Players: Taysom Hill, Jamaal Williams

They’re strength is at outside linebacker where they pair 6-foot-7, 265-pound Bronson Kaufusi with 6-foot-5, 215-pound Alani Fua. Kaufusi is likely to be a load off the edge while Fua (whom I doubt is actually 6-foot-5) is a very versatile player who can drop as a deep ½ safety or force the ball on the edge against a TE. Their nose tackles are sturdy, as always, but aren’t especially large and not be as hard for Dominic Espinosa to handle as what he faced when a freshman or junior.

The biggest challenge, besides their blitzes and great outside linebackers, is how well they leverage the ball and tackle as a team. Their safeties and linebackers are not special talents but they won’t give you anything easy in the middle of the field either.

GAME 3

Dallas, Tx | Sept. 13th

At A Glance: I’m sure many of us also recall the recent series in which former UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel came into Austin and gave Texas a wake up call in 2010 that the season may not go as well as UT’s false hope-building win over a terrible Bruin team in LA the following year.

More recently, current UCLA head coach Jim Mora was considered for the Texas job and passed it up in order to remain in a great situation in LA, coaching a talented team without demanding expectations from the alumni.

His OC Noel Mazzone was also a rumored candidate for the Texas OC position after Charlie Strong was hired, only to be passed up and have the chance to continue to build his resume with stud Bruin QB Brett Hundley.

Finally, UCLA has been targeting the Lone Star state in recruiting and are doubtlessly hoping to expand its Texas roots by beating the state’s flagship program in the largest stadium in front of the biggest metro city. No doubt, the Bruins like Caleb Benenoch, Eldridge Massington, and Zach Whitley and would like to add more Texans to their efforts to win the Pac-12 South.

UCLA

2013 Record: 10-3 | Pac 12 Head coach: Jim Mora

He’s a prize pro target for the way his skills perfectly tie a spread offense together. Want to outnumber the running game? Well that’s going to take one extra defender because Hundley is a threat on zone-read and it’s going to be a risk on the perimeter because he has the arm strength to reach the places on the field from where you brought that extra help.

His 2013 UCLA OL was a young, mobile unit that didn’t necessarily blow people off the ball but was able to open creases for their backs and will be much larger in 2014. It’s possible that all five of their OL spots will now manned by tall, powerful OL but their taller guards will likely struggle to handle the submarining techniques of Malcom Brown while their third guard, Scott Quessenberry, would simply be overwhelmed by the Longhorn defender.

Bruins on Defense: Three of the best

defenses Texas will face are 3-4 schemes and UCLA’s is one of them. Unlike BYU, the Bruins actually have a bevy of big and athletic players along the defensive line while the linebackers are a smaller, quicker bunch.

Returning starters: 8-offense, 8-defense Top Players: Brett Hundley, Eric Kendricks

UCLA’s calling card is the inside linebacker blitz with four or five pass-rushers and they have slid Jack into the role of playing as a field side outside linebacker in the base 3-4 while moving inside in the nickel package now that Barr has moved on to the NFL. The Bruins also lost their other large inside linebacker, Jordan Zumwalt, who was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The DL has some impressive specimens like Eddie Vanderdoes, Kenny Clark, and Ellis McCarthy, who are not only quick enough to stunt but are also larger and more powerful than some of the OL on Texas’ roster. Texas may struggle to run downhill and find enough leverage to attack the young linebacker corp thanks to this line.

The inside blitzes and other pressures UCLA can bring with a very solid cast of athletes also have to be a concern for Watson and Wickline and may prove to be a strain for a somewhat green OL. We’ll probably know after the BYU game if blitzing is a good way to attack the Texas offense.

This is a talented, up and coming program under Mora that already has a lot of cred in the national media thanks to a strong 2013 campaign and the presence of NFL talent such as Hundley, Anthony Barr (gone), and Myles Jack. This will be one of the marquee games on the schedule and an opportunity for Strong to make a big statement by protecting DFW and sending the Bruins back empty handed.

Bruins on Offense: This will be one of the more challenging threats on the schedule for Strong’s new Texas defense.

Mazzone’s offense is about creating creases between the tackles for runners to dart through by aid of a quick passing game on the perimeter, not wholly unlike Watson’s approach, only with a greater emphasis on spread formations and with some spread-option mixed in.

Future NFL draft pick Hundley is the straw that stirs the drink and he is both a great athlete as well as a strong-armed passer. Texas fans will know, heading into the Big 12 season, whether or not this team has learned how to defend the QB running game properly. His ability to throw the quick hitting outside routes like hitches and comebacks, nearly perpetually available in the college game, with accuracy and velocity is a concern.

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GAME 4

Lawrence, Ks | Sept. 13th

At A Glance: Kansas presents a perfect example of how much tougher the Big 12 is likely to be in 2014 than in 2013. Last year, nearly every team was graduating their starting QB and scrambling to build offensive identities that would challenge Big 12 defenses.

In that environment, teams with defensive talent and experience like OSU, OU and Baylor dominated. Of course, Mack Brown squandered a loaded team and managed to injure his only good QB before conference play even began while failing to fix a horrendous run defense, which were both well known barriers to Longhorn success all offseason, thus negating Texas’ chances at glory, but I digress. Anyways, he wasn’t the only coach to waste a good opportunity.

Kansas was terrible. Playing in one of the weakest Big 12s we’ve ever seen, they managed to win only a single conference game, a home date against a West Virginia team that had probably already given up on their own season.

This season Kansas has some pieces that could make for an intriguing team that might have been strong in 2013 but may only tread water in 2014.

Charlie Weiss went all in on JUCO transfers with his 2013 recruiting class and then redshirted some of the most talented players, setting up the Jayhawks to lose big in 2013 and likely requiring a bowl berth in 2014 to save his job.

Kansas

2013 Record: 3-9 | Big 12 Head coach: Charlie Weiss

avoiding negative plays and thundering ahead with power and outside zone plays that get their OL on the move and at angles rather than trying to drive back superior athletes.

Assuming that they can account for opposing blockers by attacking the perimeter with option tosses to Pierson and Harwell as effectively as they did by bringing using bigger formations in 2013, Kansas will probably be a solid running team with some home-run hitting potential.

Jayhawks on Defense: This is where things could get interesting if Texas doesn’t have a healthy Ash and has to throw Jerrod Heard or Tyrone Swoopes to the wolves, er, hawks.

Kansas is attempting to build the ultimate bend don’t break defense and they are actually getting reasonably close to having all the necessary pieces.

After having Ben Goodman and Michael Reynolds split time at the productive “Buck” hybrid position in 2013, the Jayhawks have had Goodman beef up to 250 and now play a sort of 2-4-5 front with both players standing up on

Returning starters: 8-offense, 7-defense Top Players: Montell Cozart, Nick Harwell

either edge.

Dave Campo actually has their cornerbacks playing good coverage and Jacorey Shepherd and Dexter McDonald can mix in both press coverage and off coverage at levels higher than merely “competent.”

Isaiah Johnson gave Kansas really strong play at the boundary safety position in 2013 while converted corner Cassius Sendish has some decent potential at the field safety position, which is a more coverage-heavy role in the Jayhawks quarters defense.

Another JUCO named Kevin Short gives them a lot of flexibility as a 6-foot-2, 190-pound nickelback who can play the edge some or handle tougher coverage assignments vs the slot.

Middle linebacker Ben Heeney is arguably the best in the Big 12 and uses top shelf quickness to dance into his run fits or fill passing windows (he had three interceptions in 2013).

Jayhawks on Offense: If Texas hasn’t figured out how to stop a QB run game or the modern spread option, we’ll know by this point after facing Taysom Hill, Brett Hundley and then Montell Cozart.

JUCO WR Nick Harwell and RB/WR hybrid Tony Pierson make Kansas a little frisky on the perimeter due to their great speed and ability to make something happen after the catch, while Cozart is a very solid runner with an underrated arm.

If Reagan can get Cozart fluent in the modern tactics of second level reads that combine running plays with quick hitting passes to the perimeter, then it will become a challenge to keep the Jayhawks under wraps and they may score some points.

Another OL comprised of reasonably sized upperclassmen and a decent blocking TE in Jimmay Mundine will likely result in another Kansas run game that’s reasonably solid. The last few years they’ve made a living out of

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GAME 5

Austin, Tx | Oct. 4th

Baylor

2013 Record: 11-2 | Big 12 Head coach: Art Briles

At A Glance: Already on to their second quarterback after Heisman winner Robert Griffin III, the 2013 Bears accomplished the unthinkable and exploited a down year in the Big 12 for their first league title.

They parlayed that into their first ever BCS bowl game, where they surprisingly met their match in fellow Cinderella, UCF. In the bizarro Big 12 of 2013, Baylor had one of the league’s top defenses and played Texas in a de facto “conference championship game” to end the season. There, the two programs’ trajectories intersected as Baylor ascended with a crushing win while Mack Brown was finally forced to pay the piper for relying on Case McCoy to save his season and job.

A logical conclusion after this season would have been to do what it took to stop Baylor’s surge to the top by prioritizing Briles and handing the king of Texas football his rightful place on the throne in Austin.

Interestingly, Texas instead installed a tough defensive coach and set up a fascinating battle over the next few years in which the Bears are trying to seize more and more attention and recruits away from Texas while the Longhorns fight to hang on and rebuild their former empire.

The loss of Robbie Rhodes was a relief to Texas and other Big 12 defenses since he was likely to emerge as a stud in 2014, but they still have receivers that are challenging to handle on vertical routes. Antwan Goodley will hurt you in a hurry if you can’t stay on top of him and prevent him from catching slants at full speed over the middle. Between Levi Norwood, Corey Coleman and Jay Lee they have some other burners ready to step up and join him.

Baylor’s RB Shock Linwood proved to be a worthy successor to the Baylor RB position, where anyone who can read the hole and blow through arm tackles of DBs can find success, but word on the street is that RB Johnny Jefferson might be the most explosive player on the roster.

Bears on Defense: Briles has slowly but surely upgraded the athleticism of his defensive roster. In general, he’s shown the necessary deference for building defense in multiple recruiting classes to build a program that can compete.

Schematically, the Bears use a 4-3 over front backed by a Cover-4 defense very similar to what you see from Michigan St except the Bears need athleticism from their tackles to beat zone blocks.

That’s a big win for fans of college football and it sets up the 2014 game in Austin as another battle royale. Briles’ Bears are going to look to absolutely maul Charlie Strong’s Texas and build their 2014 season around the continued narrative of replacing Texas as the top Texas program in the state. Meanwhile Strong will hope to stampede the upstart Bears and put them back in their place as annual Longhorn fodder.

Bears on Offense: Baylor’s offense presents match-up challenges for every opponent. There are three different philosophies at work in the Baylor system: the spread, the veer, and Briles’ own inventions.

They spread teams out with wider receiver splits, pound them inside with massive lineman blocking at angles, and then break them over the top with Briles’ ‘vertical or not’ passing game.

The Baylor receivers make use vertical option routes on a large number of their plays, often supported by play-action.

It’s a fully modern option offense with the intent to try and score on virtually every play. This year expect them to expand their bag of tricks to include even more options for the QB to hand-off or throw downfield.

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Returning starters: 5-offense, 4-defense Top Players: Bryce Petty, Antwan Goodley

Briles’ hard work on building a defense is most evident on the DL, where the Bears could actually end up having one of the best units in the conference.

We have to start with Andrew Billings, who’s likely to be the best nose-tackle in the conference at some point before he graduates.

Over at the three-technique spot they are looking at either Beau Blackshear or long lost five-star, Javonte Magee, who has predictably grown into a DT. They have a lot of bodies up front with the length and quickness to be a challenge for Texas to beat with outside zone blocking.

Outside, Baylor replaces two solid, veteran DEs three more athletic upgrades. Briles has raved about 6-foot-9, 280-pound Shawn Oakman, who was amongst the Big 12 leaders last year with 12 tackles for loss despite playing as a reserve. Whether or not his pass rush moves are sufficiently sophisticated, I’m not sure but he’s physically overwhelming in the run game.

Opposite Oakman you’ll probably see Jamal Palmer, who had five sacks last season, also as a reserve. Finally there’s Boise St. transfer Sam Ukwuachu who will either push Palmer for starting time or simply rotate as a third DE.

GAME 6

Dallas, Tx | Oct. 11th

At A Glance: Charlie Strong has to demonstrate the ability to consistently build and field a defensive-minded program that can compete with Bob Stoops’ Sooners on an annual basis. There are several challenges here.

Most Texas fans are happily aware that Strong’s 2008 Gator defense met one of the greatest OU offenses of all time head on with a pack of underclassmen and held them to 14 points. If they weren’t already familiar with that part of Strong’s resume, Belmont was eager to bring it up early and often.

To begin with, Stoops is constantly tinkering and evolving his strategies to maintain a program that is aggressive and effective on defense AND offense. In 2012, he brought back his brother Mike and made several staff hires to improve faltering recruiting and to get a higher level of DB play necessary to handle Big 12 offenses. This ultimately resulted in a system overhaul in which the Stoops’ brothers dropped the “Eagle” defense they had relied on for the past few decades in exchange for a similarly aggressive 3-4 scheme that combines Saban and Stoops strategies.

On offense, Stoops has overseen the development of a fairly unique offense that is essentially geared around forcing opponents to handle Sooner athletes in isolation. If you can handle that task as a defense, you’ll be okay. If not, they will quickly and relentlessly shred you to pieces.

Oklahoma 2013 Record: 11-2 | Big 12 Head coach: Bob Stoops

When you add up Knight’s ability to run the option or throw on the move off play-action along with a stable of running backs that includes 5-foot-11, 206-pound Keith Ford, 6-foot-1, 221-pound Alex Ross, and 5-foot-11, 243-pound Samaje Perine, and you have an obvious formula for a run-first offense.

In 2013, Texas was able to match OU’s athletes with a loaded box and press coverage, completely unafraid of Blake Bell’s ability to make ‘em pay downfield or under duress. In 2014, Bell may actually be the biggest challenge for Texas.

Insider reports indicate that Bell’s (aka the Yeti) huge size (6-foot-6, 259 lbs), understanding of the OU passing game, solid athleticism, and evidently soft hands have made him an impossible cover when running routes. His physicality has not yet overcome unfamiliarity with blocking schemes, but at the very least it’s likely that between him and Flowers, OU will be able to present some size on the perimeter.

Sooners on Defense: OU DC Mike Stoops

generally build his defenses around the talents of his defensive backs but this group is absolutely LOADED up front.

Let’s start along the DL, where Oklahoma makes use of 4-tech defensive ends (lined up across the

Returning starters: 5-offense, 8-defense Top Players: Trevor Knight, Jordan Phillips

inside eye of the offensive tackle) and a 2-gap nose tackle to free up their linebackers to make plays against the run or pass.

Charles Tapper is OU’s most dangerous DL as a 6-foot-4, 281-pound freak who runs a sub 4.8, and the Sooners hope to complement him with fellow freak Jordan Phillips, a 6-foot-6, 334-pound leviathan, who was becoming one of the nation’s most dangerous nose tackles last year before a back injury ended his season. The Sooners expect him back at full strength.

As solid as that group is, the Sooner LB corp has gone from being a neglected group in 2012 when Stoops spent half the season in a dime package, to being one of the best groups in the nation.

The most horrifying development of the Big 12’s offseason was the move of Eric Striker from “Jack” linebacker to the “Sam” or nickelback position. The Sooners then moved undersized DE Geneo Grissom over to Jack.

Due to Striker’s move, the return of Phillips, and Tappers’ physical growth, the DL Texas will play in October will likely be 20-30 pounds heavier at each position than last year and another 20 pounds heavier at each outside linebacker spot.

Don’t expect run defense to be a problem for Oklahoma again.

Sooners on Offense: It’s worth noting that Oklahoma played three different quarterbacks in 2013 and still managed a 10-2 regular season before Trevor’s Knight’s breakout performance in the Sugar Bowl against Alabama. On offense this was accomplished primarily via the first Sooner OL since 2008 to be a legitimately scary run-blocking group, the versatility of Trey Millard, some veteran RBs, and the excellent WR tandem of Jalen Saunders and Sterling Shephard.

In the past few years, Oklahoma has relied on fullback Millard to serve as a de-facto TE in tying together the ability to spread the field with 3-WR formations while still having punch in the running game.

In 2014, Oklahoma has finally accrued some bigger bodies in the blocking game with FB/TE Aaron Ripowksi, FB/WR Dimitri Flowers, and a cast of options at tight end. The Sooners also bring back multiple OL with starting experience, including two very good bookend tackles.

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GAME 7

Austin, Tx | Oct. 18th

At A Glance: Last year, I suggested Texas may have some problems in Ames as the schedule suggested that a logical course of action for the Longhorns would be to largely ignore Iowa State in its game planning and focus extra hard on Oklahoma, in the hopes that Texas’ talent advantage would still be enough to allow them to escape being another Thursday night victim of Paul Rhoads.

That’s exactly what happened, and if Texas had been less lucky with the whistles they wouldn’t have escaped. Keep that almost-disaster in mind when considering Texas’ mirage of an 8-5 record last year and near Big 12 title.

Losing that game, along with having terrible players, helped ISU to take a step back from its moderate success in previous seasons and finish with Rhoads’ worst record yet, 3-9. He responded by firing the Pistol gurus in charge of his offense and bringing ultra-organized, Big 12 pariah Mark Mangino to run the offense.

Whether or not the pieces are ready for Iowa State to rebound in 2014, I’m not sure, but the combination of a Rhoads defense with a Mangino offense could prove to be a formidable duo in time.

iowa state 2013 Record: 3-9 | Big 12 Head coach: Paul Rhoads

Returning starters: 9-offense, 6-defense Top Players: E.J. Bibbs, Nigel Tribune

and could define the offense. Sam Richardson is cat quick when healthy and adds a needed dimension to the running game, but the slower Rohach is the better passer.

windows open last year in between the deep safeties and a shorter LB corp then they boasted when 6-foot-2 twins, A.J. Klein and Jake Knott, patrolled the middle of the field.

In Mangino’s ideal world he’d have a mobile QB, who could throw and create on the run but that world hasn’t yet appeared in Ames, Iowa.

Without that feature, Mangino’s cleverly designed and perfectly executed spread offense stays down at a manageable level.

Jake Knott’s little brother, Luke, is also back and gives the Cyclones some needed quickness at weakside linebacker while strongside linebacker Jared Brackens needs only to better master his position to unleash some serious athleticism on the perimeter.

Cyclones on Defense: The Cyclones have

Finally, Iowa State has a decent cast of defensive ends they will unlikely unleash on 3rd down packages, led by Cory Morrissey, possibly the most underrated player in the Big 12.

Morrissey is a very effective pass-rusher and is strong against the run as well.

the pieces to potentially form a pretty strong pass defense.

No.1 cornerback Nigel Tribune, while young, has big-time potential and gives Iowa State some flexibility with its safeties as well as the potential to play a little tighter coverage than they’ve been willing to risk in recent seasons.

The Cyclones’ youth movement in the secondary also brings the well regarded T.J. Mutcherson to strong safety and the potential to play coverage a little tighter on the back end as well. This would be a welcome change for a team that had some

The Cyclones always play great, fundamental pass defense and can make things very difficult despite typically lacking elite athletes in the secondary and often playing to stop the run.

They are a few leaps of improvement by young players away from having a Top 25 defense, but this won’t happen until 2015 if at all.

As is ever the case with the 2014 schedule, Texas gets them at a rough time after back-toback struggles with Baylor and Oklahoma. When it occurs, this home game will be UT’s easiest since the opener against North Texas. All that matters here is victory and staying healthy for the following road trip to Manhattan, Kansas.

Cyclones on Offense: Mangino won’t have the luxury of getting too cute with the drop-back passing game against Texas. Even with this very solid and veteran OL, they simply aren’t going to be able to handle Texas’ pass rush, particularly when Bedford brings pressure.

While Mangino will undoubtedly hammer fundamentals home until either he’s blue in the face or he’s choked someone to death, the sloppy way that Iowa State is accustomed to running routes will be a tough habit to break.

There’s a good chance that excellent execution of check downs and hot reads in the face of the blitz won’t be the first feature to come alive for the Cyclones’ offense.

The Cyclones also have a serious dilemma at QB that puts all their potential progress on hold

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GAME 8

Manhattan, Ks | Oct. 25th

Kansas State 2013 Record: 8-5 | Big 12 Head coach: Bill Snyder

At A Glance:

year.

The question of KSU’s almost total dominance over Mack Brown’s version of Texas football is a difficult one to answer. Kansas State had an amazing run of success against Texas from 1998 to 2013 going 7-3 vs Texas in that time and outscoring the Longhorns 322 to 210 in those 10 games for an average score of 32-21.

Other than deep bombs to Lockett, the most frightening element of the KSU offense is its new take on the option, which so far has included QB draw plays with downfield passes available depending on the defense’s response.

There are many factors that went into each of those wins and losses but ultimately you have to point to the fact that Mack’s teams were often entitled and carried an “execute our schemes and we’ll beat anyone” approach against KSU’s “earn everything you get” rosters, executing precise and detailed game plans for every opponent. They were a perfect foil for Mack’s Horns.

That said, KSU still presents a big challenge for the same reason they were a challenge for the rest of the Big 12 while going 20-7 in league play the last three years. They were relatively down in 2013 and lost to FCS champion North Dakota State (for the record, that Bison team could’ve probably beaten Texas in the right circumstances) but they finished strong after becoming more comfortable in their new offensive identity with Waters under center.

Wildcats on Defense: Tom Hayes’ defense is

built around getting great DL play and KSU has what is probably the most underrated group in the conference in a year in which Big 12 teams are strangely loaded with quality linemen.

Former walk-on Ryan Mueller was arguably the best DE in the conference last year and had 11.5 sacks by taking the edge, winning inside with a quick move, or even playing at DT on passing downs.

He’s joined by returning starters Travis Britz, who was a reasonably good 3-tech last year and is now a RS Junior, and Marquel Bryant a slightly above-average DE. On passing downs, they’ll insert former Dallas Skyline and current Sam linebacker Charmeachealle Moore as a DE. He’s small, but quick.

The real coup is at nose tackle, where the

KSU is likely to have a firm identity on both offense and defense coming out of the gate in 2014 and they also have some real players.

Texas gets them in Manhattan, a nightmarish hellscape for opposing teams by all accounts, which makes this arguably Texas’ second toughest game on the schedule behind you know who.

Wildcats on Offense: With “Optimus” Klein at the helm, the Wildcat offense was basically the Wildcat offense, if you take my meaning. The QB run-game was central, although they also mixed in a solid spread passing game that Klein executed at a passable level, and a power run/ play-action passing attack that could be lethal.

With Jake Waters at QB, the KSU offense is now more about the passing game, where they excel in many facets.

It starts with Tyler Lockett, who is the best receiver in the Big 12 if not the entire nation. He’s impossibly quick in a short area, has fantastic hands, is a legit 4.4 guy, and has become an excellent route runner to boot. He can’t be left in 1-on-1 coverage or he will burn your house down with double moves.

Pass defenders need to be aware of him at all times and concentrate attention his way or risk 200-yard receiving games of the likes of which he had against both Texas and Oklahoma last

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Returning starters: 6-offense, 4-defense Top Players: Jake Waters, Tyler Lockett

Wildcats replaced a solid player in Chaquil Reed with a potentially great one in JUCO transfer Terrell Clinkscales. KSU robbed Clinkscales from Nebraska’s class and he’s a 6-foot-4, 315-pound monster, who can’t be moved without a double team and sometimes not then either.

Last year KSU had pretty average cornerback play and very solid safety play, this year that scale should even out more with stud safety Ty Zimmerman and both corners moving on.

The new cornerbacks will be better players, likely to make more plays on the ball while in off coverage, but KSU may struggle to replace Zimmerman.

The middle of the field will be held down by nickelback Randall Evans, strong safety Dante Barnett, and linebacker Jonathan Truman.

Evans’ coverage abilities as a deep nickel afford flexibility for the KSU safeties to attack the run game, which is where Barnett excels.

This is a defense without glaring holes that plays fundamental, sound football. They will be good at playing bend don’t break and if they find enough playmakers to also inflict negative plays on the offense, they will become a top 25 unit.

GAME 9

Lubbock, Tx | Nov. 1st

At A Glance: There’s a great diversity of opinion about Texas Tech’s chances for success in 2014. New head coach, old Raider hero, and recruiting heartthrob Kliff Kingsbury did an undeniably great job in Year One with Tech.

Kingsbury and his DC, Matt Wallerstedt, were unable to turn the wreckage Tuberville left behind into a worthy defense and brought in several JUCOs for 2014 to attempt to rectify the situation.

However on offense, they had immediate success leveraging the presence of steady outside receiver Eric Ward and stud TE Jace Amaro into a very effective unit, despite relying on walk-ons and freshmen (albeit, talented ones) at QB. Both of those pieces will be gone in 2014 and Kingsbury will have to show further flexibility on offense in piecing together something out of the new unit. All signs, including his own words, indicate that Tech will be a more vertically inclined passing offense in 2014 while continuing to push tempo.

If Texas is efficient on offense, they’ll say “thank you!” for the extra possessions and calmly roll over Tech to the tune of something like 52-34.

If Texas is inefficient on offense, then Tech’s aggressive strategy and home atmosphere could make this a trap game.

texas tech 2013 Record: 8-5 | Big 12 Head coach: Kliff Kingsbury

Returning starters: 8-offense, 4-defense Top Players: Davis Webb, La’Raven Clark

They have some strengths along their OL as well, believe it or not, and their starting lineup is a classic Leach collection of tall athletes who struggle to get leverage in the run game but are effective in vertical pass sets or blocking on screens.

a lot of speed on the field and frequently sends linebackers like Robertson, Fehoko, or Eguavoen into the backfield. If Texas can’t stop the Raider stunts from creating negative plays then a ball control strategy will be a risky venture in a game that could quickly become a shootout.

With JUCO left tackle Dominique Robertson coming in they are moving Le’Raven Clark inside to left guard in the hopes of being able to run inside zone or draw behind their athletic behemoth. With that adjustment, their line goes as follows (from left to right) 6-foot-5, 315. 6-foot5, 315. 6-foot-3, 285. 6-foot-5, 272. 6-foot-5, 294.

A second complication in this game is from JUCO nosetackle Rika Levi, a 340-pound monster that stands 6-foot-2 and is remarkably quick for his size. Tech has had interior DL that were completely unable to stand up to legit interior OL for the past few years and this may be the first time they’ve had anyone who could cause Texas problems up front since Colby Whitlock graduated.

All of them move reasonably well in space and can be dangerous for unprepared linebackers and safeties trying to track down ball carriers in space.

Given UT’s youth in the secondary and Tech’s solid cast of deep threats, there is a danger from Tech’s aggressive strategy punishing the safeties with deep throws and well-timed screen passes.

Red Raiders on Defense: Tech has a lot of movement, stunts and blitzes in their package, which is always at least somewhat concerning for an inexperienced OL. The Raiders play a hybrid 3-4 defense that puts

Athletic running back Kenny Williams has moved to the defense to shore up their “Raider” nickel position and he’s quick enough in open space to be a problem on the edge.

Tech does have some experience coming back at safety and one corner they like in Justis Nelson. If Nelson can man the boundary corner spot without the need for deep help and Tech can bring their free safety into the box, the Raiders could outnumber the Texas run game.

From that look, they could still double Texas’ 2nd receiver while trusting Nelson on an island.

In other words, same ‘ol Tech.

Red Raiders on Offense: I’m with Camp Nahlin in believing that Davis Webb is the real deal at QB. After battling sickness early in the year as a freshman and losing his job to the surprisingly brilliant Baker Mayfield, Webb locked down his future in Red Raider grey by eviscerating the ASU Sun Devils in the Holiday Bowl for 403 passing yards, four touchdowns, zero interceptions and 9.8 yards per attempt.

The Raiders have a solid collection of weapons for him to utilize, starting with inside receiver Jakeem Grant, a classic Tech waterbug receiver.

Despite his diminutive size (5-foot-6, 169), Grant had 796 receiving yards last year and is a big time weapon in the screen game, on sweeps, or on quick passes in space.

On the outside they replace Eric Ward with D.J. Polite-Bray and Reginald Davis. Neither have exceptional size but neither did Ward, while both are fast and effective on deep routes.

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GAME 10

Austin, Tx | Nov. 8th

At A Glance: Since the Mountaineers joined the Big 12, Texas is 1-1 against them with the scoreboard showing 92 points scored for Texas against 88 for West Virginia.

The Longhorns first met Holgorsen and his particular brand of Air Raid football when he came to Oklahoma State in 2010 and beat Texas in DKR, 33-16. At that time, in Year Three of Muschamp, it was unthinkable that a team like OSU would score so many points in Austin.

Yet, due to West Virginia’s lack of success in the Big 12, Texas fans have showed them disdain and disregard and considered them to be incapable of competing in this league.

The results on the field have indicated that the programs haven’t been as far apart as you’d guess.

Putting Texas back on top of the Big 12 will require that Strong is able to dispatch this caliber of opponent, and that he is able to build a defense that can stop the Holgo-raid offense, which is expanding in influence across the league.

Meanwhile, Holgorsen has been making moves to protect his job and has promoted Tony Gibson as his defensive coordinator and added Penn State’s Tom Bradley to elevate his defense to a level that would prevent his team from needing 70 points to defeat their opponents.

west virginia 2013 Record: 4-8 | Big 12 Head coach: Dana Holgersen

had five catches for 89 yards last year against Texas working against Duke Thomas.

On the inside, Daikiel Shorts, Jordan Thompson, and RB/WR hybrid Wendell Smallwood present the Mountaineers some options for the screen game and quick throws over the middle.

At RB, despite losing the highly underrated Charles Sims, the Mountaineers are absolutely loaded. Dreamius Smith and Pitt transfer Rushel Shell are a powerful combo that will give some pop to the inside running game that WV will balance with the perimeter screens and vertical strikes.

At QB, Clint Trickett actually had a reasonably solid 2013 while playing through a shoulder injury he incurred while taking down OSU early in the year. Trickett seized command of the offense this summer after finally getting healthy and has a solid knack both for vertical passes as well as the quick reads of the WV option attack.

Mountaineers on Defense: The West Virginia defense, like their offense, actually has quite a bit more talent than commonly assumed based on their horrific 2013 season. Injuries and a devastating beatdown against Baylor set the tone for conference play and it wasn’t clear that the Mountaineers had much fight over the course of the season. With early success in 2014 (probably not in week 1 though, they get ‘Bama) this unit might round into shape and be a solid unit.

Returning starters: 7-offense, 7-defense Top Players: Dreamius Smith, Quinton Spain

There’s a lot of fast twitch in the defensive backfield, highlighted by linebackers Isaiah Bruce, Brandon Golson, and Nick Kwiatkowksi, a converted DB recruit. They don’t always play fast in base calls thanks to years of DC changes and overcomplicated fronts, but there’s potential for a strong year in 2014.

At defensive back, the Mountaineers have a strong nickelback in K.J. Dillon, a rising cornerback they like a great deal in Daryl Worley, hard-hitting boundary safety Karl Joseph, and potentially a true freshman starter opposite Joseph in freshman Dravon Henry.

Henry might have been the best safety taken in the Big 12 2014 recruiting class but the learning curve at the position is definitely steep.

The Mountaineers will attempt to mix up pressures and calls up front to create negative plays and prevent Texas from keying in on weak spots in their defense. The improving play of Worley at cornerback may free them upto play Joseph in the box, which could cause problems for Texas in the run game.

WV’s DL is likely to be about league average, although transfer Shaquille Riddick has flown up their depth chart to first string DE and might replace Will Clarke’s production as a passrusher.

Mountaineers on Offense: Ready for a surprise? The 2014 West Virginia offense will be in the top half of the league and has some of the most talent.

Starting up front, the Mountaineers lost some players on their OL but they return guards Mark Glowinsky and Quinton Spain, who are both mobile and capable in their zone/power schemes. As a group, the WV offensive line is a large and powerful bunch and no joke when blocking undermanned fronts on packaged plays.

The skill positions are where the Mountaineers are really dangerous, as they’ve slowly been accumulating players to replace draft picks Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey. At the “X” outside receiver spot they’ve settled on Mario Alford.

Although he only stands at 5-foot-8, Alford utilizes tremendous short area quickness and great hands to be a devastating route runner in the vein of a Jeremy Gallon or Quan Cosby. He had 97 yards on only four catches against the Longhorns just last year and will be a challenge to cover without sending help.

On the other side at the “Z” outside receiver spot, Holgorsen fields the 6-foot-3 Kevin White, who

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GAME 11

Stillwater, Ok | Nov. 15th

Oklahoma state 2013 Record: 10-3 | Big 12 Head coach: Mike Gundy

At A Glance: Mike Gundy’s ‘Pokes have been near the top of the Big 12 for the last four years since the Holgorsen hire in 2010. They finished 2nd in the league in 2010, 1st in 2011, 4th in 2012, and 3rd in 2013. Gundy was also 3-1 against Texas in that time with two blowout wins in Austin and lost very narrowly in 2012.

Besides the continued adaptation of modern spread tactics that have kept OSU at the forefront of offensive football, Gundy made a huge hire in 2009 by bringing defensive coordinator Bill Young aboard to complete the OSU program and complement a strong offense with a worthy defense.

With approximately 35 seniors on their defense in 2013, the Cowboys had arguably the best defense in the Big 12. When they matched it with Clint Chelf at QB instead of embattled Denton Guyer product J.W. Walsh, they rolled and blew out both Baylor and Texas before collapsing at Bedlam.

Heading into 2014 they have to replace Chelf and hope Walsh is now ready to take over at QB, and replace defenders Justin Gilbert, Shaun Lewis, Caleb Lavey, and Daytawion Lowe who defined OSU’s revamped defense over the last three years.

fullback/tight end players like Jeremy Seaton, and the backfield.

3, and a greater focus on playing aggressive base defense without blitzing.

Oklahoma State returns steady pounder Desmond Roland, who is similar to Texas’ own Malcolm Brown as a player that is good at consistently hitting the hole and falling forward, and adds JUCO transfer Tyreek Hill.

The Cowboys should be able to keep this up to a degree with Peterson back and joined by promising junior Ashton Lampkin. The Pokes are also looking very strong across the defensive line where they have both depth as well as some potential star talent at defensive end.

Hill is probably the most terrifying part of the new Oklahoma State offense and if you watch just a few plays from his highlight film you’ll understand why. He has the change of direction and acceleration of Daje Johnson but his top speed approaches legendary speedsters like Marquise Goodwin.

Cowboys on Defense: As we’ve just covered, the easiest way to build a good defense is to be able to lock down the sidelines with the cornerbacks and then load up the middle of the field with the other nine defenders.

Oklahoma State was frequently able to do this last year with cornerbacks Kevin Peterson and 1st round draft pick, Justin Gilbert. One of the major changes Glenn Spencer brought to the team last season was moving the defense from being a primarily quarters or blitz team to emphasizing more press coverage, more Cover

Of course, they also lost their brilliant offensive line coach Joey Wick-something. Can’t seem to recall what he’s up to now…

While this group lacks experience, they are loaded with talent thanks to constantly improving Gundy recruiting. They might be even become a fierce, national competitor in 2015.

Cowboys on Offense: While many will be

watching with interest to see how well OSU’s OL plays without Wickline, it’s worth noting that they’ll be playing differently, with new schemes and techniques.

Gundy did not go out and get another coach who recruits and teaches the same schemes as Wickline but instead brought in 18-year coaching veteran Bob Connelly, who’s given more to emphasizing double teams at the point of attack and pulling schemes like power or pin and pull.

They have a fairly young group on the OL but a lot of size, experience, and power focused on the left side of their OL with senior LT Daniel Koenig (6-foot-6, 300) and senior LG Chris Grishby (6foot-5, 325).

Other factors playing into the likely strong Cowboy running game include the athleticism of starting QB Walsh, the presence of some solid

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Returning starters: 5-offense, 4-defense Top Players: Jhajuan Seales, Jimmy Bean

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On the edges is one place where Oklahoma State could actually improve as a defense as they haven’t really had an impact pass-rusher since Jamie Blatnick graduated. For 2014 they have junior Jimmy Bean, a 6-foot-5 250-pounder, who had 4.5 sacks a year ago and redshirt sophomore Emmanuel Ogbah ,who had four sacks in 2013.

Both are moving into primetime roles this year and could be poised for breakout seasons that feed off each other’s success. The Cowboys are also reasonably solid in the middle with nose tackle James Castleman back and solid will linebacker Ryan Simmons moving over to middle linebacker where he’s a more obvious fit.

Considering all those solid foundational pieces, there’s reason to believe this unit could actually be pretty strong by the time they get to Austin.

GAME 12

Austin, Tx | Nov. 27th

I’ve been a homer for Gary Patterson and his Horned Frogs since I learned how his 4-2-5 defense works and saw it in action against some quality offenses, fully buying in with their amazing 2010 season and subsequent Rose Bowl victory over Wisconsin.

Heading into 2014 with a new Air Raid offense in place of the power-oriented spread they were previously running there’s a little bit of buzz about TCU out there as a dark horse in the Big 12.

In reality, this team is probably another year or so away from being able to compete for league titles but they may be friskier than casual fans expect.

The Frogs were 4-8 last season but were only blown out once thanks to a strong defense.

Frogs on Offense: There was a time when

TCU was more on the cutting edge of spread offenses, utilizing the “inverted veer” play and five-wide spread sets before most other teams.

However, their OL recruiting/development went to hell and Andy Dalton went to Cincinnati so that well dried up.

Sonny Cumbie and Doug Meacham will carry the offense forward into the world of packaged plays and up-tempo install and practice. However, this team does not yet have the weapons of Air Raid opponents such as West Virginia or Oklahoma State.

TCU

2013 Record: 9-4 | Big 12 Head coach: Gary Patterson

Returning starters: 5-offense, 7-defense Top Players: Mention Top Returning players here

The best way to attack Texas’ LBs the last few years hasn’t been with stretch schemes but by introducing hesitation with QB reads. Also, there’s no point in having big tackles and a mobile QB if you then have to stick extra big bodies on the field to protect him. Spread is the way to go for TCU in this game.

They have three good linebackers that could compete to start at several other Big 12 programs and a solid corner tandem with returning veteran Kevin White and hotshot youngster Ranthony Texada who has the unenviable role of replacing Jason Verrett.

Frogs on Defense: TCU always plays great

defense. Their 4-2-5 was designed to stop power-option teams but Patterson adjusted it to become a fantastic anti-spread weapon and they evaluate and develop their players perfectly for this scheme.

Somehow, someway, the two and three star kids that go into Patterson’s factory in Fort Worth come out as NFL-sized players on the other end.

Their 2014 team is no exception.

The DL is very good, even without Devonte Fields. Terrell Nathan is going to be a part of their solution on 3rd down and is a fantastic passrusher at 6’5”, 280 pounds. He can manhandle OTs on the edge or be an inside rusher. Their other ends haven’t shown a ton but you know they’ll be solid.

Strong safety Sam Carter, who plays a position everyone else calls the nickel, is one of the best players in the country.

Texas had success last year running the ball behind an INSPIRED performance by Mason Walters, Trey Hopkins, and Johnathan Gray.

Counting on Texas’ young guards to repeat that performance against the Frog DTs would be asking a lot.

TCU is vulnerable to a balanced attack, just like any other defense. Texas has to find personnel groupings that can keep the Frogs from swarming to the ball with their team speed.

Keep an eye out for this one, should be a fun battle that could go either way but Texas has to be considered the early favorite to come out on top.

A zone/power-read based offense with Boykin and BJ Catalon running behind this OL could be reasonably effective and you can be sure that there will be endless pass options attached by packaged play-gurus Cumbie and Meacham.

Inside zone plays run behind their veteran center Joey Hunt and 320 pound guards Jamelle Naff and Brady Foltz could be particularly troublesome. Tank Jackson’s strength andability to handle double teams in the A-gap against along with Edmond’s ability to diagnose and fill will be essential in stopping this attack.

The Frogs have a few interesting weapons on the outside but their ability to turn quick routes into trouble is limited if Boykin is at QB instead of slot WR. They do have 6’4”Josh Doctson on the outside along with burner Kolby Listenbee at the X spot. Listenbee is said to be the fastest player in the Big 12 and has run a 21.05 200 time to back it up. I’m not sure if he’s faster than Tyreek Hill or not but he’ll be faster than whoever covers him.

The Frogs’ might ineed have the OTs to facilitate a Trevone Boykin improv hour with players like big left tackle Tayo Fabulujue, a 6’7” 340 pound monster and 6’6” 308 pound right tackle Hal Vaitai.

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2014 Texas Longhorn Roster Table QB RB FB

Senior 20

Junior 15

Miles Onyegbule

David Ash^

Malcolm Brown

Johnathan Gray Daje Johnson@

Sophomore 16

RS Freshman 8

Tyrone Swoopes^

True Freshman 22

‘15 Commits 14

Jerrod Heard

Zach Gentry

Duke Catalon D’Onta Foreman Kevin Shorter

Tristian Houston Jordan Stevenson

Jake Oliver*

Roderick Bernard Armanti Foreman Garrett Gray Lorenzo Joe Dorian Leonard

John Burt

Rami Hammad* Darius James* Jake Raulerson^*

Alex Anderson^ Terrell Cuney Elijah Rodriguez

Ronnie Major Garrett Thomas Patrick Vahe Toby Weathersby

Alex De La Torre^ John Harris* Jaxon Shipley

Marcus Johnson*

Jacorey Warrick

Greg Daniels Geoff Swaim^

M.J. McFarland^*

Blake Whiteley

Dominic Espinosa* Desmond Harrison@

Taylor Doyle* Kennedy Estelle* Sedrick Flowers*

Camrhon Hughes^* Kent Perkins Curtis Riser*

DE

Cedric Reed

Shiro Davis

Jake McMillon Derick Roberson

Louis Brown Charles Omenihu

DT

Desmond Jackson Malcom Brown Marcus Hutchins*

Caleb Bluiett* Bryce Cottrell* Paul Boyette* Alex Norman* Hassan Ridgeway*

Poona Ford Chris Nelson

Du’Vonta Lampkin

LB

Demarco Cobbs Steve Edmond Jordan Hicks Tevin Jackson

WR TE OL

CB S K/P

Quandre Diggs^ Sheroid Evans

Peter Jinkens Dalton Santos Duke Thomas^

Mykkele Thompson Josh Turner@

Nate Boyer Will Russ*

Ben Pruitt#* Nick Rose#

Tim Cole*

Deoundrei Davis^* Naashon Hughes*

Andrew Beck^ Edwin Freeman Cameron Hampton

Bryson Echols*

Antwuan Davis*

Jermaine Roberts

Keivon Ramsey

Adrian Colbert* Kevin Vaccaro

Erik Huhn*

John Bonney Jason Hall

DeShon Elliott Kirk Johnson

Nick Jordan

BOLD indicates 2013 final game starter or co-starter; ^ is/was a spring enrolee as true freshman; * indicates player has already redshirted; # indicates a non-scholarship player; & initially on track scholarship

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2014 Season Preview

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recruiting UPDATE John Burt

The 2015 class Burt, John Stevenson, Jordan Ramsey, Keivon Johnson, Kirk Brown, Louis Vahe, Patrick Major, Ronnie Weathersby, Toby Houston, Tristian Gentry, Zach Thomas, Garrett Lampkin, Du’Vonta Elliott, DeShon Omenihu, Charles

WR RB CB ATH ATH OL OL OL RB QB OL DT S DE

Tallahassee, FL Dallas, TX Converse, TX San Jose, CA Burton, TX Euless, TX Huntsville, TX Spring, TX Houston, TX Albuquerque, NM Many, LA Houston, TX Rockwall, TX Rowlett, TX

The Class of 2015 represents Texas coach Charlie Strong’s first full recruiting class since his arrival in Austin. As it stands, the 2015 group currently holds 14 commitments, while UT is in position for a handful more before National Signing Day in February.

The studs: 4-star’s Toby Weathersby (OG - Spring Westfield), Ronnie “Buck” Major (OT - Huntsville), and Zach Gentry (QB - Albuquerque, NM) are the cream of the crop for the 2015 class so far.

Weathersby represents a rare head-tohead victory over Kevin Sumlin and Texas A&M. Major was headed to Baylor to play for coach Art Briles and the 2013 Big 12 champions before Strong persuaded him to change his mind. Gentry is the 2nd rated pocket-passer in the nation, according to ESPN. Gentry held offers from Alabama and Florida among others. 4-star Rockwall Heath safety DeShon Elliott also picked Texas over A&M. The sleepers: Jordan Stevenson (RB - South Oak Cliff) and Tristan Houston (RB - Galena Park North Shore) are two

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ball-carriers going under-the-radar this recruiting cycle. While Stevenson is a smaller, faster scat-back, Houston is a big, bruising back that fits the Strong/Wickline mold for running back.

The legacy: San Jose, CA running back Kirk Johnson will tcontinue the tradition of Johnsons in Austin. His dad, Johnnie, was an All-American DB at Texas in the early 80s and played for the Los Angeles Rams in the NFL. His little brother, 2016 4-star WR Collin, is also committed to Texas. The tradition continues.

Out-of-state: While Mack Brown wasn’t known for leaving the state of Texas very often for prospects, Strong has already garnered pledges from four OOS players; Kirk Johnson (CA), Gentry (NM), Garrett

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Thomas (LA), and 4-star WR John Burt.

Burt picked UT over Florida State and Auburn.

Flipping Bears: Strong has flipped two Baylor commits in six months; Major and Burton super athlete Louis Brown. Brown, at 6-foot-6, might be a DE/OLB, or an all-conference TE. Strong gets to figure that out.

Wait-and-see mode: 5-star LB Malik Jefferson, 4-star CB Kris Boyd, and 4-star RB Chris Warren III are all in wait-andsee mode. They want to see the product UT fields in 2014. Jefferson will decide in December and be an early enrollee, while Warren wants to announce at the Army All-American Bowl in January.

Tob

Faces of the recruiting trail

DeShon Elliott

Toby Weathersby

by Weathersby

Patrick Vahe

Kirk Johnson 2014 Season Preview

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What a Comeback!

Kudos to Johnathan Gray for an amazing recovery from a torn Achilles he suffered in the West Virginia game last year. Normally an injury that sidelines a player for a year or

more, Gray has battled his way through an off-season of rehab to being declared fit for the opener against North Texas.

Follow Inside Texas twitter.com/InsideTexas

- Graduate The University of Texas at Austin The University of Texas School of Law Winner of the 2014 Austin Under 40 (Au40) Award in Real Estate

Recognized as Rising Star by Texas Monthly and Super Lawyer magazines Real Estate | Construction | Business | Title Insurance John A. Hay III

Wishing the 2014 Longhorns a great season, Hook’em!

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