PHOTOS: COURTESY UT ATHLETICS PHOTOGRAPHY / HORNS ILLUSTRATED / JOSE MENDEZ / DON BENDER
2021 Football Preview
Steve
Sarkisian New Era of Texas Football
Coaching wisdom on display First must-win game?
NIL OPPORTUNITIES
Humble beginnings for starting QB prospect
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In This Issue
PHOTOS: COURTESY UT ATHLETICS PHOTOGRAPHY / HORNS ILLUSTRATED / JOSE MENDEZ / DON BENDER
8
Steve Sarkisian New Era of Texas Football
14
Family & Sports
16
Insights To Our Opponents
35
Texas football coaching wisdom on display
37
What is Steve Sarkisian’s first must-win game?
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Seniors
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Keondre Coburn thinks Bo Davis and Alfred Collins could form perfect teacher/student partnership
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NIL Opportunities for Student-Athletes
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Humble Beginnings for starting QB prospect
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Steve
Sarkisian New Era of Texas Football
Head Coach Steve Sarkisian (photo courtesy Texas Athletics) 9
Just a couple weeks before Sarkisian arrived in Texas, he received the 2020 Broyles Award being named college football’s top assistant coach while at Alabama. Now Sarkisian is the new
head coach and immediately sets the tone for his new team, “All Gas No Brakes.” Wasting zero time, within 10 days, Sarkisian assembled a staff of coaching juggernauts that include Jeff Banks Assistant Head Coach, Jeff Choate Co-Defensive Coordinator, Andre Coleman Wide Receivers Coach, Bo Davis Defensive Line, Stan Drayton Run Game Coordinator, Kyle Flood Offensive Coordinator and Offensive Line, Blake Gideon Safeties, Terry Joseph Defensive Passing 10
Game Coordinator, Pete Kwiatkowski Defensive Coordinator and Outside Linebackers, AJ Milwee Quarterbacks Coach, and Torre Becton Director of Football Performance. Coming off a National Champion win, Nick Saban, who Sarkisian considers a mentor, commented at SEC Media Days that the penalty for success is you lose great players and coaches. Ten players were drafted to the NFL and his top coaches went, “to better opportunities,” Saban said.
The Associated Press ranked Texas Football No. 21 in their preseason poll
How would you rank Texas considering this new coaching staff, a Texas team with a candidate for the Heisman Trophy in Bijan Robinson, twentytwo returning seniors, two quarterbacks battling for the starting position, one being Casey Thompson who skillfully took over for Sam Ehlinger at the Alamo Bowl
last season and threw four touchdowns on four drives with the longest being 73 yards?
Coach Jeff Banks
Jeff Banks coached under Nick Saban alongside Sarkisian in two National Championships over the past three years. Last year, Banks’ special teams ranked ninth in the nation that included Heisman trophy winner Devonta Smith as his punt returner. Jeff Choate comes to Texas after spending the past four years as the head coach of Montana State and leading the team to back-to-back playoff appearances. Choate coached alongside Pete Kwiatkowski at Washington
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On Jan. 12, 2021, less than twelve hours after winning the National Championship at Alabama, Steve Sarkisian was on a plane heading to Austin, Texas to start a new era of Texas Longhorns football as the 31st Head Football Coach at The University of Texas.
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Starting with Texas in 2019, Coleman was highly instrumental in coaching Texas receivers (Joshua Moore, Jordan Whittington, Brennan eagles now a Dallas Cowboy) in 2020.
Coach Jeff Choate
where Sarkisian also coached during a different period from 2009 to 2013. Andre Coleman was drafted in the third round by San Diego Chargers and played in Super Bowl XXIX as a rookie tying a record in Super Bowl History for the second longest kickoff return
Coach Bo Davis
Bo Davis coached at Texas, under Mack Brown, also Alabama, and in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Detroit Lions.
Coach Andre Coleman
of 98-yards for a touchdown. Coleman played five seasons in the NFL with San Diego, Seattle and Pittsburgh.
Coach Stan Drayton
Stan Drayton has been coaching for almost 28 years, was a running back in college, played on a DIII 11
Coach Kyle Flood
Kyle Flood comes to Texas from Alabama, coached alongside Steve Sarkisian, his offensive line received the 2020 Joe Moore Award as the nation’s top unit. Alabama won the National Championship and has 24 straight games where the offense scored 35+ points. This is the longest in college football history. Flood is a veteran coach and was the head coach at Rutgers and also coached in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons, also with Steve Sarkisian. Many of Flood’s players have been drafted to the NFL. 12
Coach Blake Gideon
Coach Pete Kwiatkowski
Blake Gideon was an All-Big 12 defensive back at Texas starting all 52 games, signed as a free agent with the Arizona Cardinals and then with the Denver Broncos before retiring as a player.
Pete Kwiatkowski, after seven seasons at Washington where 17 of his defensive players were drafted by NFL teams with 10 in the first two rounds, is considered one of the best developers of talent. Kwiatkowski was a defensive linemen at Boise State where he also started his coaching in 1988.
Terry Joseph comes to Texas after three seasons at Notre Dame, also coached at Nebraska, Tennessee, LSU, and Louisiana Tech.
Coach AJ Milwee
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AJ Milwee comes from Alabama on the same coaching staff as Steve Sarkisian, who considers Milwee his right-hand man.
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National Championship team, 2001 winner of the Walter Payton Award as Offensive Player of the year, and drafted in the thirdround by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2002.
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Coach Torre Becto
Torre Becton holds a Master’s degree in Sports Science from the United States Sports Academy, holds the title of Master Strength and Conditioning Coach (MSCCC), is certified through the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCCa) as a Strength & Conditioning Coach, as well as Level 1 certified in Functional Movement Systems, and USA Weightlifting (USAW) Sports Performance Coach.
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#AllGasNoBrakes Despite these coaches’ impressive experience, history, and success, you will not hear them talk about winning a game or even a National Championship. They have a singular focus on the process of daily work and preparation to fine-tune skills and execution of plays. The absolute goal is to win games and ultimately a National Championship. These coaches all know what it takes to get there. Big 12 teams on Texas’ schedule this year will be met by a Texas team that has been prepared by a staff of award winning, Super Bowl playing, NFL playing and coaching, and National Championship winning coaches who are extremely great at what they do. Sarkisian is considered one of, if not, the best play caller in college football. You would never hear Sarkisian say this about himself, but his staff says it, his former players say he is, and what he has produced is amazing. Sarkisian is humble, focused, driven, and has constant energy. All Gas No Brakes is not just a saying, it is a way of life, how this team operates daily and without excuse or exception.
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When you look at the coaching experience, NFL history, production of this coaching staff, Texas may have the single best football coaching staff in the country.
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Steve Sarkisian being introduces as new head coach (photo screen capture from exas Youtube channel)
Then he shared a most excellent story.
Family & Sports University of Texas President Jay Hartzell and Vice President and Athletic Director Chris Del Conte held a press briefing on Jan. 2, 2021 to introduce the new head football coach, Steve Sarkisian. Chris Del Conte said, “It’s a great day for the University of Texas. Welcome aboard my friend.” Steve Sarkisian, nine days away from the National Championship game as the assistant coach of Alabama, shares a story at the start of the press briefing that is at the core of sports: Family!
The morning before the official announcement Sarkisian gets on the phone with his parents and says, “I think I’m getting this Texas head coaching job” and his dad reminds his son, “you know, about 20 years ago you told me, ‘dad that’s the job, that’s the best job in America’.”
Texas’ after game, you will never forget that movement and it was all made better because you were with family and friend. Coach Sarkisian, welcome to your dreams.
Steve Sarkisian continues, “It’s amazing to think here we are 15 years removed from me standing on the opposite sideline of Vince Young running the end zone at the Rose Bowl [to] being named head coach of Texas.”
Family is the best part of life. When you and your family or friends come to DKR to watch Texas Football, walk down Bevo Blvd together, get Sarkisian starts by saying, “I’m excited, something to eat from one of the vendors, attend the largest tailgate I’m pumped, I’m honored, [holding party of 10,000 at the Texas Exes back emotion] I’m humbled to be named the head coach at the University Alumni Center, jump from your seat, trying not to spill your beer, after Texas of Texas.” scores, and stand to sing the ‘Eyes of
Steve Sarkisian and Vince Young talk footall during practice (photo courtesy of Texas Athletics) 15
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Insights To Our Opponents
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Louisiana - Ragin’ Cajuns
AUSTIN, TEXAS, Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium, Campbell-Williams Field
The last time Texas played Louisiana was back in Sept. 2000 at DKR. Texas won 52-10. Ranked No. 23 in the preseason USA Today/ AFCA coaches poll. This will be head coach Billy Napier’s fourth year coaching the Ragin Cajuns. The Cajuns 2020 starting quarterback Levi Lewis threw for 2,274 yards, the 26th most nationally. In addition, Lewis had 19 touchdowns. Lewis is on the 2021 Manning Award watch list. During the off season, Lewis served as a camp counselor during the Manning Passing Academy. In addition, Lewis was named to the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award watch list as was Casey Thompson from Texas. Louisiana’s Ken Marks was selected to the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award preseason watch list.
Levi Lewis (photo courtesy Louisiana sports)
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SEP 4TH (SAT) 3:30P.M.
Head Coach Billy Napier
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TV: National TV: FOX Radio: LONGHORNS RADIO NETWORK Conference: Sun Belt
Arkansas - Razorbacks FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS, Donald W Reynolds Razorback Stadium
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TV: National TV: ESPN Radio: LONGHORNS RADIO NETWORK Conference: SEC
SEP 11TH (SAT) 6:00 P.M.
Head Coach Sam Pittman
This will be Texas’ first and only SEC oppenent on their regular schedule. Since 2003, Texas and Arkansas have played four times and are 2-2 with Arkansas beating Texas 31-7 the last time they played in 2014. Arkansas is the first team Texas plays from the SEC this season. Last year against Alabama where new Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian was offensive coordinator, quarterback coach, and won the 2020 Broyles Award for being the best assistant coach in college football, Arkansas lost 52-3.
Blake Kern Tight End (photo courtesy Arkansas sports) 19
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Rice - Owls
AUSTIN, TEXAS, Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium, Campbell-Williams Field
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TV: LONGHORNS NETWORK Radio: LONGHORNS RADIO NETWORK Conference: USA
SEP 18TH (SAT) 7 P.M.
Head Coach Sam Pittman
Rice since 2003 has lost to Texas with the last in 2019 at NRG Stadium in Houstin, Texas 48-13. Tight end and 2020 team captain Jordan Myers, a super senior, named to the 2021 Earl Campbell Tyler Rose award watch list, led the Owls in 2020 with 24 receptions and scored a rushing touchdown. Offensive lineman Shea Baker, a Rice Scholar Athlete in 2021, played 358 snaps in 2020 on the offensive line.
Blake Kern Tight End (photo courtesy Arkansas sports)
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Texas Tech - Raiders
AUSTIN, TEXAS, Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium, Campbell-Williams Field Conference: Big 12 SEP 25TH (SAT)
The is the first game against a Big 12 opponent and likely one of the biggest games of the year. Texas Tech was vocal about Texas moving to the SEC and they will likely have a score to settle. The game will be played in Austin, Texas at Darrel K Royal Stadium potentially to a capaticty crowd. DKR can hold 100,119 after the expantion of the new South Endzone. In addition, it will be broadcast at 11 A.M. on FOX or 6:30 P.M. on ABC. Coach Matt Wells has a lot of pressure on his shoulders to beat Texas. Last year the two teams battled it out in Lubbock at Jones AT&T Stadium (capacity of 60,455) to a crowd of 16,615. The low attendence may have been because of COVID. Texas ultimately defeated Texas Tech 63-56 and currently has a 16-7 winning record over Texas Tech going back to 2000. Junior quarterback Tyler Shough has been named to the Johnny Unitas Award Watch List like his Texas Longhorns counter part Casey Thompson.
Quarterback Tyler Shough (photo courtesy Texas Tech Athletics)
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Head Coach Matt Wells
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TCU - Horns Frogs Fort Worth, TX Conference: Big 12
OCT 2 (SAT)
Texas Christian University quarterback Max Duggan is going to be a challenge for Texas. Duggan is on the Johnny Unitas Award Watch List, and is a running threat. He rushed last season for 526 yards, 10 rushing touchdown, 1795 passing yards, and 10 passing touchdowns. As a comparison, Sam Ehlinger had 377 yards rushing, eight rushing touchdowns, 2566 passing yards on 194 completions, and 26 passing touchdowns. 24
Duggan had a career-high and team best 154 yards rushing and three touchdowns against Texas Tech last year. Coach Patterson is in 21st season as head coach. TCU since 2007 has over powered Texas 7-3 in many of the battles. Every Big 12 team will want to beat Texas, if they can.
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Head Coach Gary Patterson
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Oklahoma Red River Showdown Dallas , State Fair
OCT 9 (SAT)
TV: ESPN Conference: Big 12
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The 2021 Texas vs Oklahoma Red Rivalry will mean more than just a win. For Oklahoma, Head Coach Lincoln Riley is a four-time Big 12 Champion, has three college football playoff appearances, coached two Heisman Trophy winners, back-to-back NFL #1 overall 26
draft picks, and a total 21 NFL football. Riley has been a head coach for the past five seasons. draft picks. Sarkisian was head coach Nick This game will be to establish Saban’s offensive coordinator who is the better team and and quarterbacks coach at Alabama. has the best coach. Riley is 38 and Sarkisian will be 48 next March. Both have won OU is ranked #2 in the the Broyles Award for the preseason AP Poll. Texas is best assistant coach in college ranked #21.
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Head Coach Lincoln Riley
Spencer Rattler Passing from his IG.JPG
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Spencer Rattler (photo courtesy @spencer_rattler Instagram)
Spencer Rattler is another top tier quarterback that also was named to the preseason Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Watch List. Rattler is coming off a productive 2020 season with 3031 passing yards on 214 completed passes, 28 passing touchdown and six rushing touchdowns. In last years rivalry. OU beat Texas 53-45 in four overtimes that took 4:43 to play. Rattler runs off the field showing class with a “Horns Up” genture while OU fans, being unsportman like, show a “horns down” gesture. One young Texas fan unexpectedly got caught live on TV showing her feelings about the loss to OU. She probably had to answer to her mom as her gesture did not involve her index and pinky fingers. Since both teams have committed to the SEC, the programs outside of Texas will be watching in their home theaters to see who wins, which team had the better coaching. This game will reveal if the preseason AP Polling was accurate.
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Oklahoma State - Cowboys
AUSTIN, TEXAS, Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium, Campbell-Williams Field OCT 16TH (SAT)
Conference: Big 12
LD Brown & Dezon Jackson (photos courtesy OSU athletics okstate.com)
OSU and Texas have played close scoring games going back to 2000 with only a couple rare thumpings by Texas. Up until 2010, OSU could not beat Texas. From 2010 to present, OSU has beat Texas seven times to Texas’ wins of four. Last year in Stillwater, OK, Texas won in overtime 41-34. Mike Gundy was a quarterback at OSU and since taking over as head coach, OSU has won 137 games ranking OSU 5th with most wins by active coaches at current school. By comparison, Nike Saban has 170 wins in 14 years, and Head 28
Coach Gary Patterson of TCU has 178 in 20 years. OSU is where Hall of Fame running back Berry Sanders played college football. Current running backs seniors LD Brown and Dezmon Jackson were named to the NFLPA Collegiate Preseason Big Board for the 2022 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl. OSU will once again be a challenge for Texas. PARTNER WITH HORNS ILLUSTRATED SUBSCRIBE TODAY ONLY
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Head Coach Mike Gundy
Baylor - Bears Waco, Texas
Conference: Big 12 OCT 30th (SAT)
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Head Coach Dave Aranda
Trestan Ebner (photo courtesy Baylor Athletics)
Head Coach Dave Aranda (uh-RAN-duh) took over on Jan 16, 2020 as head coach of Baylor Football just 12 days after Sarkisian was named head coach of Texas. Aranda has been a coach for 25 years. Comes from LSU where he was the associate head coach. Aranda and Sarkisian last battled on Dec 5, 2020 when LSU lost to Alabama 17-55. Like Sarkisian, coach Aranda also has been part of a National Championship team as LSU won against Clemson 42-25 in 2019. Players to watch are Trestan
Jalen Pitre (photo courtesy Baylor Athletics)
Ebner and Jalen Pitri. Fifth year senior running back Ebner earned All-America honors and 2020 Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year and the 2nd in Baylor history to do so. In 2020, Ebner finished the season No. 1 among active running backs in the country with 1,231 career receiving yards, No. 3 in receptions (99), and tied for No. 2 in TD’s (9).
Honorable Mention for Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, 13th in the Big 12 in tackles per game (6.7), and led Baylor in total tackles with 60, 13 tackles for a loss. This will be another coaching battle between the two new veteran head coaches, Aranda and Sarkisian. Baylor does not routinely beat Texas. Since 2000 Texas has a 15-5 record. The last loss was in 2019 in Waco.
Senior Safety Jalen Pitre in 202 was named to AP First Team All-Big 12 as a safety, 29
Iowa State - Owls Ames, Iowa
Conference: Big 12
Nov 6th (SAT)
Breece Hall (photo courtesy Iowa State Athletics)
As head coach, Matt Campbell was Big 12 Coach of the Year 3 times, and built the team to being ranked, in 2020, No. 1 in Big 12 and No. 9 in final AP Poll with a record of 9-3. Iowa State beat Texas the past two years by 3 (2020) and 2 (2019) points, but lost the previous three years. A win would even the score over the six years since Campbell took over the team. Since 2002, Iowa State is 4-11 against Texas. Ranked No. 7 in preseason AP Polls, Iowa State has two Cyclones, running back Breece Hall and Linebacker 30
Mike Rose (photo courtesy Baylor Athletics)
Mike Rose named preseason All-Americans by USA Today Sports and The Athletic. Junior Breece Hall was the 2020 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, in the top 6 running for the Heisman Trophy with 1,572 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns. He scored in every game in 2020. Senior Mike Rose was the 2020 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, had 96 total tackles, 54 solo. His career 248 tackles, 38 sacks will give Texas’ offensive line a challenge. QB Brock Purdy named to preseason Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award List (photo courtesy Iowa State Athltics
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Head Coach Matt Campbell
Kansas - Jayhawks
AUSTIN, TEXAS, Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium, Campbell-Williams Field NOV 13 (SAT)
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Conference: Big 12
Head Coach Lance Leipold
(photo courtesy Kansas Athletics)
New head coach, as of April 30, 2021, Lance Leipold is a six-time National Champion and the fastest coach in NCAA history to reach 100 career wins. Before Kansas, Leipold was head coach at Buffalo and Wisconsin - Whitewater where he was also the quarterback in college.
Redshirts leaving sophomore Jalen Daniels, freshman Conrad Hawley, and freshman Ben Easters as possible QB’s that could lead the team on the field. There are nine super seniors.
Kansas has one win against Texas going back to 2000, though in the 2020 it was a close game where Texas barely beat Kansas 50-48. Seven quarterbacks are listed on their preseason roster with two freshmen and four 31
West Virginia - Mountaineers Morgantown, WV
Conference: Big 12
Nov 20TH (SAT)
The history of this match-up is this, Texas has five wins and West Virginia has four. Every game since 2012 has been close. In 2020, Texas won 1713 which was like their first game in 2012 when Texas lost 45-48. Neal Brown is in his third season, comes by way of Troy, Kentucky, Texas Tech. Brown played wide receiver at Kentucky and UMass and has been to four bowl games. The depth chart for quarterbacks list senior No. 2 Jarret Doege and freshman No 6 Garret Greene. Doege was names to the preseason Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Watch List with 3,405 career passing yards, 21 passing touchdowns, and two rushing TD’s while at WVU
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Head Coach Neal Brown
Kansas State - Wildcats
AUSTIN, TEXAS, Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium, Campbell-Williams Field
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TV: FOX Radio: LONGHORNS RADIO NETWORK Conference: Big 12
This Kansas State game will be the last Big 12 game of the season and last home game in the regular season for Texas. Kansas State has won seven games. Texas has eight winning five at home at DKR. Head coach for Chris Klieman, a 28 year veteran coach, his third at Kansas State after taking over for retiring famed coach Bill
Snyder. Klieman is a seven time FCS National Champion while coaching at North Dakota State. Kansas State has five players returning for a sixth year made possible after the NCAA stopped the eligibility clock because of COVID-19 last year.
Nov 26 (SAT) Head Coach Chris Klieman
and was named to the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Watch List. Thompson’s quarterback coach, Collin Klein won the award in 2012.
Others include linebacker Cody Fletcher, offensive lineman Noah Johnson, defensive end Bronson Massie, and defensive back Quarterback Skylar Thompson Jahron McPherson. returns after being injured after the third game last year 33
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Casey Thompson & Hudson Card (photo from Zoom media availability and courtesy of Texas Athletics)
Texas football coaching wisdom on display AUSTIN, Texas - We are witnessing coaching wisdom as Head Coach Steve Sarkisian and Quarterbacks Coach AJ Milwee pair Casey Thompson and Hudson Card in a marathon for Texas football’s starting QB position. Each athlete is an elite player, skilled in passing, leading a team on the field, and moving the ball. They are both competitive, smart, and what Sarkisian is looking for in a quarterback. Casey Thompson, a junior,
had been Ehlinger’s backup and played in seven games, four in 2019 and three in 2020 with 20 passes for 309 yards and 6 passing touchdowns, 4 in the Alamo Bowl in 2020 and 2 against UTEP in 2019. The Redshirt Freshman Hudson Card played in two games last season with one pass for five yards and no touchdowns.
Coach Sarkisian’s and Coach Milwee’s wisdom is on full display here as they allow each athlete to negotiate within themselves, reach deep down into their core, pull out more than they even knew they had, and perform at their higher level. Thompson and Card are getting the best quarterback coaching from the best quarterback coach in college football.
For both players, their level of preparation and play during the off season has made it difficult for Sarkisian to name Pure wisdom. a starting quarterback.
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Hudson Card against UTEP (photo courtesy Texas Athletics) 36
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Casey Thompson in Alamo Bowl (photo courtesy Texas Athletics)
What is Steve Sarkisian’s first must-win game?
PHOTOS: COURTESY UT ATHLETICS PHOTOGRAPHY / HORNS ILLUSTRATED / JOSE MENDEZ / DON BENDER
By Steve Lansdale
In a perfect world, a college football coach will meet all goals every season: win every game, claim a conference title, make it to the College Football Playoff, roll to the national championship and plan the parade. For good measure, dominate the all-conference teams, get a few players on the All-America teams and a slew of NFL Draft picks. Mission(s) accomplished. Time to ask for a contract extension. In perhaps the most blatant understatement ever written here: that’s easier said than done.
at UT … and who knows? Maybe that list represents a legitimate glance into his future. But before he starts talking about a national championship, he has boxes on his to-do list. He needs to decide on a quarterback of the future, reload part of the offensive line and fill in some holes on defense. He must digest some bite-sized tasks before trying to consume the entire meal.
Beyond acquisition and development of talent, Sarkisian must show identifiable progress; the simplest to quantify are If Steve Sarkisian victories and losses. Again, accomplishes that entire in everyone wants to win every his first season as the head time they take the field. But coach of the Texas Longhorns, among the games on the his encore might be running Longhorns’ 2021 schedule, is for governor of the state, or at any an absolute must-win? least mayor of Austin. Yes. This is not to suggest Sarkisian is not an exceptional The Longhorns face TCU Oct. coach with a brilliantly 2 … and a victory in Fort Worth creative football mind — that will go a long way toward might end up being his legacy showing evidence of the
progress Sark is expected to bring to Austin. Tagging the matchup with the Horned Frogs as a mustwin contest is a little outside the norm for the program whose national perception is built, in part, based on how they do each season against the Oklahoma Sooners … and absolutely, the Horns and their fans would love a win over OU — this year and every year. But before acknowledging the Red River Showdown as the most accurate barometer of success, the Longhorns have to beat the teams they should be able to handle every year. TCU is one of those teams, 37
This is not to suggest that any loss to TCU has been a program-crushing embarrassment. After all, the Frogs have been nationally ranked in three of those games. But if Sarkisian is going to change the impression of the Texas program, and return the Longhorns to a spot among the nation’s elite programs, a loss to TCU is unacceptable. The Frogs muddled to a 6-4 record a year ago — their bout with Arkansas in the Mercari 38
Texas Bowl was cancelled because of COVID-19 — and have holes to fill. Sarkisian and the Longhorns also have questions that need answers, but this game is as much about perception as it is about the final score. If the Horns are to reestablish that they are in a two-team race with Oklahoma in the Big 12, they need to beat the TCU’s of the world — ideally convincingly, but a win is a must. Iowa State is much improved and has some suggesting the conference is a three-team race. The Oklahoma State Cowboys would like included in the conversation, but lost a slew of key contributors since last season. The pecking order in the state of Texas is in flux. A few years ago, an argument could be made that TCU and Baylor were the top programs in the state. Now, Texas and
Texas A&M are clearly ahead of the rest. SMU is winning games and grabbing prized recruits away from marquee programs. TCU, Baylor, Texas Tech and Houston all want to be in the same conversation with the state’s marquee programs, and at times have shown indications that they should be. The Longhorns will take a major step toward reestablishing itself as a heavyweight — within the state and the Big 12 — if they can roll in to Fort Worth in October and strut out with a convincing victory. Then — and only then — turn the focus to bigger and better opponents.
PHOTOS: COURTESY UT ATHLETICS PHOTOGRAPHY / HORNS ILLUSTRATED / JOSE MENDEZ / DON BENDER
but the Frogs have given Texas fits in recent years. They have won six of the last seven games against the Longhorns, almost doubling Texas on the scoreboard; TCU has averaged almost double the points UT has put up during that span: 34.1-17.4. Sarkisian’s predecessor, Tom Herman, managed a less-thanglistening 1-3 record against the Horned Frogs.
PHOTOS: COURTESY UT ATHLETICS PHOTOGRAPHY / HORNS ILLUSTRATED / JOSE MENDEZ / DON BENDER
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SHOP POLOS AT TEAM SHOP Seniors
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By Steve Lansdale
Question: What do Jonathan Allen, A’Shawn Robinson and Jarran Reed have in common? Answer: A lot.
can be found in all three: each is big and strong enough to play in the interior of the defensive line, and each is mobile enough to get outside and play defensive end, offering the kind of position flex coaches crave. All three are durable workhorse-type players who rarely came off the field for the Crimson Tide.
Each piled up numerous accolades playing on the defensive line at Alabama, and each got selected in the first And Texas defensive lineman two rounds of the NFL Draft Alfred Collins has been — Allen in the first round, compared to each of the three. Robinson and Reed in the second. Collins arrived in Austin last season as a heralded recruit, More importantly, each was and even in a rotational role, coached by Bo Davis … the Collins showed flashes of current defensive line coach at enormous potential, first by Texas. becoming the first Longhorn in 11 seasons to record a sack There are characteristics that
in his college debut. He played in all 10 Texas games last year, starting against Colorado in the Valero Alamo Bowl, a breakout performance in which he had five tackles and a pass breakup, and intercepted the first pass of his career. For the season, he had 18 tackles, including a pair of tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks, and broke up a pair of passes. Going into sophomore season, expectations are high for Collins, ranging from a solid part of the line and potential starter to an emerging star — Athlon Sports named him a second-team All-Big 12 honoree heading into the 2021 campaign. Junior defensive tackle Keondre Coburn sees the time Collins has spent with Davis and envisions an exceptionally bright future for his young teammate. “We all take the time to learn from Coach Davis — that’s a great coach right there — and Coach Davis and A.C. are always talking about little things,” Coburn said. “Not just about everything … little
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PHOTOS: COURTESY UT ATHLETICS PHOTOGRAPHY / HORNS ILLUSTRATED / JOSE MENDEZ / DON BENDER
Keondre Coburn thinks Bo Davis and Alfred Collins could form perfect teacher/student partnership
PHOTOS: COURTESY UT ATHLETICS PHOTOGRAPHY / HORNS ILLUSTRATED / JOSE MENDEZ / DON BENDER
things, like ‘my step here’ — he’s always asking questions.” Davis’s résumé is full of time spent with players who enjoyed enormous success. In addition to Allen, Robinson and Reed at Alabama, Davis spent a year at Texas-San Antonio, during which he helped defensive end Marcus Davenport grow from a smallschool star into a pass rusher so dominant that the New Orleans Saints traded up to draft him 14th overall in the 2018 Draft. During his first of two stints on the Alabama Staff, Davis helped nose guard Terrence Cody earn consensus All-America honors for the second straight season and become a finalist for the Lombardi Award, Nagurski Trophy and Bednarik Award.
players have to want to be coached. That desire to improve, Coburn said, is a major reason Collins has a chance to become the star many think he can be. “He’s always on (himself) about … if he did something wrong, even though he did good,” Coburn said. “He’s always on (himself), trying to get better and better. I like that from A.C.”
For any coach to be effective, 43
NIL Opportunities for Student-Athletes
In the University of Texas fashion of providing the best possible resources for students to succeed, Texas Athletics and Brandr Group launched group licensing for
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Many student-athletes have paired with business and are doing commercials such as Bijan Robinson with Raising Cane’s Chicken. Players University of Texas Vice Keondre Coburn, Xavier Worthy, Ja’Tavion Sanders, President and Athletic Director Chris Del Conte said, Ayodele Adeoye, and Junior “Now fans can purchase Texas Angilau signed up with CoachTube to teach courses Longhorns items like jerseys and T-shirts and support in football strategy and technique. their favorite players, which we have never been able to do before, and the studentSeveral players have also paired with LastStandHats. athletes are able to profit from those sales through their com and Cameo.com. agreement with Brandr.” student-athletes to use their Name, Image and Likeness with UT’s official trademarks and logos.
PHOTOS: COURTESY UT ATHLETICS PHOTOGRAPHY / HORNS ILLUSTRATED / JOSE MENDEZ / DON BENDER
The Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed the Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) law that allows student-athletes to profit from the name, image, and likeness. Many student athletes across all the Texas teams immediately started to take advantage of the law and signed deals with sponsors.
PHOTOS: COURTESY UT ATHLETICS PHOTOGRAPHY / HORNS ILLUSTRATED / JOSE MENDEZ / DON BENDER
Click Here To Learn More
Humble Beginnings for starting QB prospect Texas quarterback No. 11 Casey Thompson, named preseason Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Watch List, took the opportunity to profit from the new name, image, likeness laws and joined up with Cameo. What is Cameo? Cameo connects fans directly with their favorite pop culture icons via personalized video messages, live calls + direct messages. Basically, fans pay a fee to have one of their favorite players talk with them, send them a video, or DM them. It is pretty cool and the student-athletes, in this case, Casey Thompson, will get paid by the fan through Cameo. It is $100. Many Texas Longhorns student athletes from different sports are on Cameo. We want to highlight Casey Thompson because of what he is doing with the money he receives. Thompson donates all his money to the organization No Kid Hungry. The University of Texas Motto ‘What Starts Here Changes the World’ comes in many forms. For Casey Thompson, it is feeding hungry kids.
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