HERMAN’S HORNS 10 PLAYERS TO WATCH WHO COULD MAKE AN IMPACT IN 2017.
HOOPS REVIEW
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Jarrett Allen has been a bright spot in an up and down non-conference slate.
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in this issue
Herman’s Heroes |
by Ian
Boyd Ian looks at the players on the roster who stand to make the biggest impact for Tom Herman.
Hoops Non-Conference | by Tim Preston and IT Staff
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14
We go game-by-game with a recap of the early season.
Culpepper’s Commentary |
Pat Culpepper Pat gives his take on the Tom Herman hire.
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IT Staff 4-star running back Toneil Carter gives UT some momentum. by
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HERMAN’ Collin Johnson
H
ouston was the perfect job for Tom Herman to take for three reasons. The first was that it allowed him to get back to work in the familiar grounds at Texas, recruiting and developing in a state he already knew well thanks to previous stops at Texas, Sam Houston State, Texas State, and Rice. The second was that he got to work with a then junior, dual-threat QB in Greg Ward, Jr, so the most important question of who he was going to build the offense around was already settled. Finally, it was the ideal launching pad for the Texas job thanks to increased investment across the AAC and from Houston boosters into a program with a lot of untapped potential just a few hours southwest of the flagship.
6
’S HEROES By Ian Boyd
Now he’s at Texas, once again just in time to take over a skilled cast of talented players that have plenty of eligibility remaining and are ready to be fashioned into a powerhouse. In fact, there’s so many different players currently at Texas that it’ll be interesting to see which ones Herman deems most worthy to use as the vanguard for his #TexasTakeover. If he were to draft 10 players from the current roster as the “these guys are essential to my plan,” here’s my stab at guessing which 10 he’d choose first.
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10
Herman’s Heroes
Edwin Freeman
If Todd Orlando sticks with his base 4-0-4 (two 4i-technique DEs and a 0-tech nose) 3-4 defensive front, he’s going to need inside lineback-
ers that can take advantage of being covered up and flow to the football or blitz from different directions with speed. Edwin Freeman is
arguably the candidate for that role and came on so strong at the end of 2016 that he ended up leading the inside linebackers in tackles for loss while adding three sacks and two interceptions to boot.
If Orlando ends up adjusting his front to get Breckyn Hager and Malcolm Roach on the field together he’ll need inside linebackers that can fit into different roles across the front and be as adept beating blocks as they are scraping to the edge with speed. Currently Freeman is the furthest along of the Texas LBs in these duties as well.
Herman’s Houston defense made great use of inside LBs like Steven Taylor and Elandon Roberts that were both athletic and versatile. He’s
going to find Freeman to be a delightfully athletic upgrade over those Edwin Freeman
two who’s just starting to figure out how to play confidently up in the box.
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DeShon Elliott
There were times down the stretch in which Elliott flashed true brilliance at the safety position. Todd Orlando’s defensive schemes will require that his secondary know what they’re doing in a few difference coverages and will still require that the safety spots
are stocked by guys that can quarterback the defense, but they’ll also simplify things a
bit at a time when Elliott will be naturally starting to grasp the college game at a higher level as a third-year player.
In particular, Orlando’s scheme at Houston always made great use of safeties that could cover ground and loved to hit, which is exactly who DeShon Elliott is as a player.
In particular, the field safety needs to be able to credibly cover down on a slot receiver in order to unleash the field blitzes Orlando loves to send as well as cover ground
and match vertical routes from deep alignments. It’s a spot that requires a player that can think quickly, cover a lot of grass, but still loves to administer punishment when
he arrives to the ball. Elliott is perfect for this role and is now in position to put it all together.
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Herman’s Heroes
Malcolm Roach
This defense is designed to make the most of versatile, violent football players and Malcolm Roach is exactly that. His final
destination in this defense is somewhat unclear because of his
current size (6’3” 260 as a true freshman!) and he might end
up with his hand in the dirt down the road but in the meantime his ability to serve as a credible coverage dropper will prob-
ably see him line up at outside linebacker. In fact, his abil-
ity to play in the box and grapple with OL combined with the heavy frequency in which Texas will face Air Raid teams may
push Orlando to consider downsizing his 3-4 defense to a 2-45 nickel package that features Orlando as more of a true DE/ OLB hybrid.
Either way, Roach’s versatility and the violence with which he plays the game will ensure that he figures prominently in Herman’s plans for fielding an aggressive defense.
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Jerrod Heard
In the year 2015, Jerrod Heard ran the ball 111 times for 736 yards at 6.6 yards per
carry and his ability to make hay on concepts like “QB counter” was the best feature of the offense. Unfortunately the QB position has some other requirements, like
reading defenses and throwing the football, that caused some problems for Heard.
In fact he was sacked 28 times in 2015 for a loss of 180 yards for the Texas offense, yards they could not afford to lose.
In 2016 he moved to WR to help complete the Texas offense and present more verti-
cal constraints to free up D’Onta Foreman to run wild. That resulted in him getting 24 catches for 266 yards, decent production for a first year starter at his new position
but something less than what his athleticism had been able to offer the team in 2015. The main issues were that Texas was in year one of the install in a newfangled,
triple-option style offense with underclassmen at key positions and that this particular system somewhat narrowcasts the ways in which athletic wideouts are supposed
to punish defenses. Herman’s offensive structure is less rigid in how it chooses to
attack defenses and can easily incorporate a player that just needs to get the ball in his hands in space in simple ways. You can expect Heard to get involved on
bubble screens, tunnel screens, quick passing concepts, the odd vertical route, and also sweeps. Herman is going to want to force opponents to regularly prove they
can tackle Heard before he picks up positive yardage because most teams have not proven they’re up for it.
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Herman’s Heroes
Devin Duvernay
At Houston, the main weapon that Herman inherited and put to use on
the perimeter to start was WR Demarcus Ayers, a shifty little speedster
with good hands they loved to get the ball to in space. At Texas Herman is going to immediately inherit two such players in Jerrod Heard and
Devin Duvernay, either of whom could potentially be even better than Ayers. Duvernay is probably the best prospect for this role that Texas
has ever signed as he combines the “sudden in all directions” attributes of players like Ayers with good hands and long speed that put him in the highest percentile of NFL WRs.
Just as Herman will look to involve Jerrod Heard in a few different
ways, he’ll do the same with Devin Duvernay who’s even shiftier and
more explosive. Between these two, Armanti Foreman, and the lack of great TEs on the roster Herman may choose to use more four-WR sets
5
to get all of that speed on the field where it can burn opponents.
Breckyn Hager
Hager is a more obvious fit as an outside linebacker in Orlando’s
3-4 defense then Malcolm Roach and probably won’t be a down linemen in that front save perhaps for third and long packages.
Like Roach, Hager plays the game without restraint and with the sort of violent intentions that can allow a player with less than
elite athleticism to punch well above his weight. Hager finished second on the team in tackles and only one below leader Anthony
Wheeler, despite starting the season as a sub-package player. He’s relentless in his pursuit of the football and when he’s playing a
rush-OLB position that allows him to hang out on the perimeter he
can be a wrecking ball on the edge or a guy who quickly finds his way to the football even when teams are running away from him.
All that said, he’s a better athlete than he often gets credit for and a very credible pure, pass-rusher. Beyond his willingness to vio-
lently crash into blockers, Hager is also pretty capable of winning the edge and turning the corner on people in the pass-rush and he also became an absolute demon down against the run when he
learned to aggressively play the zone-read without yielding a soft corner. Hager fits the boundary OLB position that Tyus Bowser played in Houston the last few years like a glove, the only ques-
tion is how high his ceiling might be with two more years of eligibility remaining.
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Herman’s Heroes
Collin Johnson
The nature of Herman’s “smashmouth spread” is that it creates multiple “running back” positions that regularly get the ball behind the line of scrimmage and then need to be able to turn up-
field and gain yardage behind blockers. The outside WR position
is generally used as a blocker in those instances, but he has an additional role that can make him foundational to the entire offense.
The biggest problem that can happen for a spread team is when
opponents can cancel out receivers in man coverage and zero in their remaining DBs and LBs on stuffing the run and controlling the middle of the field. By doing so, they can shrink the field back
down and limit the space the offense has to work in. The best way
to counter this is with an outside receiver that can’t be canceled out in man coverage.
At 6’6” 212 with good hands, legit quickness, and a tremendous catch radius, Collin Johnson can’t really be cancelled out with man coverage. If Texas can develop the chemistry between him and the starting QB to have CJ run choice routes outside based on the coverage and alignment of the DB, particularly with concepts like the back shoulder fade, they can force double teams over Johnson that frees up everyone else to wreck shop in
3
the middle of the field. A player like Collin Johnson is nitrous oxide for a spread offense.
Malik Jefferson
Malik Jefferson may be a somewhat controversial entry at this point, particularly this high on the list, because in two years as a
starter he hasn’t fully put it together and demonstrated the abil-
ity to dominate games. The sole exception was against Texas
Tech, when Charlie used a 3-2-6 defense to rush three, play cover 2, and use Malik to corral Pat Mahomes. In a contest of sheer quickness in the open field Jefferson has few equals but
creating a position where that’s his primary job description has been difficult.
There are a number of places that Jefferson might end up in
Orlando’s defense and hopefully he’ll master the package well enough to serve in a few different spots, but one area where he could be particularly dominant is as the field outside linebacker spot where Orlando used nickel DBs in Houston.
In the base 3-4 set, this position needed to be able to get his eyes and potentially his hands on the slot, deny a quick pass, but then
still be able to arrive to defend the edge against the run. To do this at a level that can thwart the best spread offenses requires a level of acceleration you don’t typically find in a linebacker, but
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Herman’s Heroes Malik Jefferson has it in spades. If he’s athletic enough to handle to space (he is) then this spot also makes optimal use of him as a blitzer, looking
to take the edge and often to do so as part of a disguised pressure. If you can regularly blitz Malik Jefferson into opposing backfields without the OL realizing what’s happening you’re going to create some major messes.
It’s also possible that Herman and Orlando finally get the hate flowing through Malik at such a level that he can be embrace the dark side and rule
the space between the tackles as a sith lord/inside-backer. I think his athleticism is better suited to playing outside but it’s likely that he’ll spend at least some if not all of his time next year on the inside. At any rate, in a defensive scheme that prizes versatility and blitzing people from all over the field, a linebacker that can cover ground with the best safeties is sure to be prized as a key weapon.
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Kris Boyd
Just as Collin Johnson could allow Texas to ruin plots by opponents to
lock down the sidelines without safety help, Kris Boyd could help them
achieve the even more important goal of locking down at least one Texas
sideline against all of the potent, spread offenses in the Big 12. Her-
man is inheriting several cornerbacks with a lot of promise but Kris Boyd is
the best athlete of the bunch and one with enough mental toughness to nail
down a major role and earn Charlie Strong’s trust in the midst of a tumultuous 2016 campaign.
He still has a ways to go as a corner in
terms of technique but he was probably the best on the team playing cover 2 last year and that will be closer to the style that Texas will now employ
with Todd Orlando. Playing on the boundary, Boyd could allow Orlando to play classic cover 2 and know that he’ll get well above average run support on the edge with Boyd roving the flat. Orlando could also be aggressive with “sky” or “robber” cover 4 on the boundary with Boyd taking
away the deep routes to allow the D to gain a safety like Jason Hall as an extra man in the box. It’d be pretty easy to make plays as a safety next to a more fully developed Kris Boyd in this scheme. Finally, Orlando loves to blitz the boundary corner and God knows it’d be fun to watch Kris Boyd do some more of that.
There’s lots of players on the roster that Orlando will be able to use to get pressure on Big 12 QBs but Boyd could be the glue that allows the pres-
sures and coverages to come together without the defense getting roasted outside with the passing game. The Big 12 will feature a lot of good passers coming back and the usual assortment of terrifying wide receivers running post routes on isolated cornerbacks, there’s not really a more valuable player to have then a versatile, lockdown corner. Well, maybe one position...
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Herman’s Heroes
Sam Ehlinger
I’d say the most likely outcome for 2017 is
that Shane Buechele holds down the starting job, but Sam Ehlinger is the ideal QB for Tom
Herman’s offense and he’ll get the keys to the car at some point. Texas can set themselves
apart within the Big 12 by playing great de-
fense, that’s a task safely beyond much of the league particularly given how challenging it is
with the styles that have to be countered in this conference.
But at the end of the day, the QB generally sets the tone for a program. The tone that Sam Ehlinger seems poised to set for Texas is “we’re
just as skilled as you but also willing to bash skulls until you quit.”
Herman wants to threaten the middle of the field with a physical, downhill running game while still featuring the skill to burn teams by accurately
throwing the ball to speed on the perimeter. The ultimate way to create this kind of stress is with a QB that’s big and tough enough to run between the tackles and skilled enough to throw outside, which is Ehlinger.
With these ten players and their extensive remaining eligibility, Tom Herman will look to finally execute the #TexasTakeover that Longhorn coaches have been promising for this whole, lost decade.
YO U HYD R AT E
W E D O N ATE
EARLY SEASON MARKE
insidetexas.com
14
ED BY INCONSISTENCY by
Tim Preston and IT Staff
The Longhorns have shown themselves to be a very capable defensive team, but uneven play at point guard coupled with shooting and rebounding issues have resulted in a 6-6 record heading into conference play. insidetexas.com
15
- NON-CONFERENCE RECAP -
78 - 73 TEXAS
A LOOK AT THE NUMBERS Incarnate Word shot 34.4% (24-70) overall, 26.1% (6-23) from
INCARNATE WORD
T
three, and 73.1% (19-26) from the line.
op notch coaching and some timely shot making had UIW up
Texas shot 46.6% (27-58) overall, 16.7% (3-18) from three, and
against the ranked, home Texas Longhorns in both teams’
70% (21-30) from the line.
opening game of the 2016-17 season. Texas had more rebounds (42-39) while both teams had 9 assists UT had led, essentially, throughout, until the Cardinals had the look
and UIW had fewer turnovers (11-15)
of a more seasoned, composed squad into the latter portions of the second half. But a late run of points by Kendal Yancy and Eric Davis Jr. put the Longhorns ahead for good as the shorthanded Texas team took their home opener over the upstart Cardinals. OFFENSE After some understandable early moment jitters, the Longhorns actually were able to put together an impressive first half as they consistently attacked the paint with post entries and dribble penetration. The second half, on the other hand, was a show of how many teams will likely play these young, true-point-guard-less Longhorns when the Cardinals decided to dig into a high pressing zone to try to coax Texas into more penetration. Luckily for Texas, they got some uncharacteristically strong free
Kendall Yancy
throw shooting from Yancy (and some characteristically strong free STAR OF THE GAME: KENDALL YANCY
throw shooting from Davis) as they got just enough points to keep UIW out of reach moving down the stretch.
Allen, Banks and Davis all contributed to this win, but it was Yancy (19 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 4 steals, 4 turnovers, 8-9 from the
DEFENSE
foul line) who stole the show in this one. It was what we figured it would be. Nice rebounding from Jarrett Allen and James Banks. Very good perimeter rebounding from Jones,
If Kendal can figure out how to get any arc on his perimeter shoot-
Yancy and Davis. Frustrating rebounding from Cleare and nothing
ing, he could be one of the more dangerous guards in the Big 12.
else from the rest as Texas limped its way to a 42-38 rebounding
As is, he’s still tough on defenses because he’s a willing outside
edge.
shooter who is strong and explosive in the paint.
UIW’s 12 offensive caroms were indicative of a Texas defensive set
However it was his defense that stole the show tonight.
that was comfortable with both Allen and Banks guarding around the perimeter in an effort to use their length and lateral quicknes
After an up and down first half around the perimeter, Kendal did an
Rebounding issues could also be traced to the foul trouble suffered
excellent job of settling down and playing extended on ball on the
by Banks and Cleare.
move as he forced UIW’s ball handlers to change directions without fouling.
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insidetexas.com
- NON-CONFERENCE RECAP -
80 - 59 TEXAS
A LOOK AT THE NUMBERS Louisiana Monroe shot 30.4% (21-69) overall, 23.5% (8-34) from
LOUISIANA MONROE
T
three, and 81.8% (9-11) from the line.
he Longhorns used an active, switching defense to confound
Texas shot 450% (30-60) overall, 31.8 (7-22) from three, and
a normally efficient ULM team into one of the rougher shooting
61.9% (13-21) from the line.
nights they’ll likely have all season. Louisiana Monroe had more rebounds (43-41) while Texas had more assists (13-11) and fewer turnovers (5-9).
Then, on the offensive end, Texas took care of the basketball and rode 14 second half transition points and a +22 advantage on points in the paint to what ended up a blowout against a solid Warhawk team. OFFENSE Andrew Jones has a bright future. Texas doesn’t have a true point guard right now and Jones is simply filling in as best he can. Against ULM he used his vision, especially in space, to facilitate play. There were also some negatives. Texas’ shooters struggled to make perimeter shots (aside from Mack’s efficient 4-6 night from beyond the arc, Texas clanked their way to a 3-16 perimeter shot evening). Overall, a nice offensive night for a Longhorn team that was happy to welcome back Mack and Roach. DEFENSE Jarred Allen, Kerwin Roach and Kendall Yancy all had a nice night on defense. Allen’s lateral quickness and ability to play long with his wingspan and size is a nightmare for smaller guards on the
Jarrett Allen STAR OF THE GAME: JARRETT ALLEN
switch. And both Roach and Yancy have the quickness/length/ strength combo to avoid mismatches when they switch onto bigs.
Allen (8 points, 3 rebounds, 2 blocks) stole the show, even in his What a luxury.
limited production.
The rebounding is going to be an issue, but all of Cleare, Allen and
It’s impossible to state the kind of attention teams have to pay Jar-
Banks did a great job of staying out of foul trouble and allowing for
rett because he’s one of those rare power forward types that can
spatial integrity where Texas’ perimeter athletes could attack the de-
create offense with the ball in his hands in face up situations. That’s
fensive glass (Jones and Davis are 2 for 2 in combining for double
so uncommon.
digit rebounds thus far). Allen’s versatility and game changing ability as a defender were Make no mistake, that’s a nice Warhawk team that Texas coaxed
also on display as he was able to be effective on both sides of the
into a rough outing yesterday.
floor.
insidetexas.com
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- NON-CONFERENCE RECAP -
Texas shot 45.2% (28-62) overall, 37.9% (11-29) from three, and
85 - 52 TEXAS
72% (18-25) from the line.
EASTERN WASHINGTON
F
Texas dominated the game, statistically, as they had more rebounds (44-31) and assists (17-6) with fewer turnovers (11-16).
ive Longhorns scored in double figures and an off shooting
STAR OF THE GAME: KERWIN ROACH
night from the Eagles of Eastern Washington led to a coast-
ing victory by Texas in their final tune up game before heading to Brooklyn to take on Northwestern and Colorado in the Legends
Roach (11 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 1 turnover) had a very good game controlling the tempo of Texas’ half court attack.
Classic. This one was never really close. OFFENSE Eastern Washington came into the game with a clear mindset of taking away any spacing Texas might have on the interior with the inclination to force Texas’ big men to be decision makers with the ball. However, within the first five minutes, Jarrett Allen showed not once, not twice, but three times that he was able to catch, compose, feel the pressure and find the open man on the perimeter on his way to three early assists (all on three pointers). On the perimeter, it was a night of attacking the rim when straight line drives were open and shooting open threes when they weren’t. DEFENSE Jarrett Allen continued to show his considerable defensive skills. The kind of lateral quickness he displays at his size is unreal. Not to mention his poise on ball in maintaining contact and forcing players to play over/around his crazy frame. The rest of the Longhorns looked plenty good, too, as the energy and close out awareness Texas played with is tough for any team to deal with, but especially a team like Eastern Washington that is so
Kerwin Roach
Kerwin’s athleticism bleeds very naturally over to his defensive skill set, but there’s nothing inherently connecting Roach’s explosive-
dependent on their perimeter shooting.
ness to his ability to capably run the point.
Even the rebounding improved, as Texas again got positive outputs
But capably run the point he did as he had one of his better games
from guards Kendall Yancy, Eric Davis, Kerwin Roach and Andrew Jones. A LOOK AT THE NUMBERS Eastern Washington shot 36.1% (22-61) overall, 14.3% (3-21) from three, and 83.3% (5-6) from the line.
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in keeping his head up on the dribble and finding open spots where he could attack the rim on drives. He’s got plenty of work to do as a primary ball handler, but it’s nice to see him play within himself considering his obvious physical attributes. Nice game from Kerwin.
insidetexas.com
insidetexas.com
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- NON-CONFERENCE RECAP -
58 - 77 TEXAS
Northwestern’s statistical dominance was thorough as the Wildcats had more rebounds (40-32), more assists (13-7) and fewer
NORTHWESTERN
turnovers (11-14). STAR OF THE GAME: TEVIN MACK
I
t was a tale of almost comical frustration for the Longhorns in their opening game loss at the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn
against Northwestern. Bad fouls. Turnovers. Overly aggressive ball defense. Poor timeout use. Missed free throws. Got something you can name that a basketball team can do wrong? Texas probably did it. OFFENSE This game was an excellent example of the extreme downside Texas can fall into when opposing defenses can play the Longhorns’ ball handlers to be playmakers off the dribble. There were lots of issues including Jarrett Allen and Shaq Cleare combining for 7 points and 6 turnovers on 3-12 shooting. Texas shot a combined 13-27 from the foul line with only Andrew Jones shooting above 50%, and the Longhorns scored only six points off of 11 Northwestern turnovers. It was a night to forget for the offense.
Tevin Mack
DEFENSE
While he didn’t have much competition, Mack’s play would have
Nothing to get riled up on either side from the defensive end.
stood out even if Texas had had other players contribute.
Texas played sound defense for the most part, unfortunately, they ran up against a point guard that had the length/creativity/shot mak-
Mack (18 points, 4 rebounds, 1 block, 1 steal) showed his improved
ing to make them pay in McIntosh.
ability to square up before the catch and find spacing with his
Beyond that, the other two big pieces were that Northwestern hit
or in transition.
movement around the perimeter in correlation to dribble penetration
four big threes with Texas defenders flying out at them on what can only be described as rainbow shots. All four fell and put the game out of reach.
His free throw shooting has to be better for him to maximize his ability to get into the lane, but it was also nice to see Tevin attack the basket.
A LOOK AT THE NUMBERS Northwestern shot 48.2% (27-56) overall, 43.5% (10-23) from three, and 81.3% (13-16) from the line. Texas shot 37.3% (19-51) overall, 35% (7-20) from three, and
Also, his willingness to play more aggressive on defense and in attacking the glass is a good sign for the future. Nice game when his classmates were so ineffective and when the rest of the team struggled with the poor point guard play.attributes.
48.1% (13-27) from the line.
20
insidetexas.com
- NON-CONFERENCE RECAP -
A LOOK AT THE NUMBERS
54 - 68 TEXAS
Colorado shot 44.6% (29-65) overall, 42.9% (6-14) from three, and
COLORADO
80% (4-5) from the line. Texas shot 36.8% (21-57) overall, 17.6% (3-17) from three, and
O
ut rebounded. Forced shots. Hero ball by non-freshman ball
75% (9-12) from the line.
handlers. Colorado held the advantage in rebounds (41-32), and assists (7-4)
Sound familiar?
and Texas had the edge in turnovers (11-14).
While that style of play was thought to have moved on to Knoxville, Tenn. with Rick Barnes, it returned to Longhorn basketball in their match up against Colorado. Texas could not make stops or shots when it mattered. OFFENSE Through the first half, every starter had a turnover. Only one player, Tevin Mack off of the bench, had a first half assist. Through the first half, only one player made a three point shot -- Mack with just one. Allen brought his offensive game to Brooklyn, with a team-high 7 points in the first half and 15 points overall. Cleare scored eight, but neither had great nights on the boards. Kerwin Roach had some success attacking the basket and setting himself up for layups and his teammates up for open dishes but Texas shot only 37 percent from the field and 3 of 17 from deep. Not even 20 percent. The most damning stat? Texas only had three assists.
Jarrett Allen
DEFENSE STAR OF THE GAME: JARRETT ALLEN Because of lack of effort on the glass, Texas was out rebounded 43 to 32 and 18 to 12 on the offensive end.
Kerwin Roach scored one more point, but it took 16 shots to do so while Allen was a very efficient 6-9 from the floor, including 3-3 in
The team’s struggles rebounding was best seen in the first half
the second half.
when Colorado pulled three consecutive offensive rebounds away from Longhorn defenders, capping the series with an and-one.
He used his low post ability to score 15 points and also had a teamhigh 6 rebounds.
Texas started playing press and making Colorado’s life uncomfortable in the second half. However, due to the press, the Buffs would
He also chipped in a block and steal on defense.
get layups when the press broke.
insidetexas.com
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- NON-CONFERENCE RECAP -
A LOOK AT THE NUMBERS
61 - 72 TEXAS
UT Arlington shot 47.4% (27-57) overall, 26.9% (7-26) from three,
UT ARLINGTON
and 61.1% (11-18) from the line. Texas shot 39.3% (24-61) overall, 13% (3-23) from three, and 50%
P
oor shooting, turnovers and a lack of defensive rebounding
(8-16) from the line.
did Texas in again as they lost, this time against a low-major
as UT Arlington came into the Erwin Center and outplayed Texas.
UTA had more rebounds (39-35) while both teams had 12 assists and 16 turnovers..
Let that sink in, should you care to. UT Arlington came into Austin and simply won because they were the superior team. OFFENSE Texas only got two points out of Kendal Yancy, Shaq Cleare and Eric Davis combined. Davis in particular had a game to forget, finishing the game with tears in his eyes after an 0-8 performance (0-6 from deep). Kerwin Roach failed to value the basketball on dribble penetration. Andrew Young threw up five wild three point shots (and missed all of them badly). The team’s free throw shooting (55%) was just about as poor as its three point shooting (13%). Those are losing numbers. DEFENSE Fine.
Jarrett Allen
UTA looked great over the last 15 minutes because A) they got some big time shot making from Kevin Hervey and Drew Charles;
STAR OF THE GAME: JARRETT ALLEN
and B) because Texas felt the need to be overly pressuring and the Mavericks took advantage of that aggressiveness to get to the
Texas has a very special player in Allen.
basket. His activeness on the boards, unselfishness with the ball and craftiOtherwise, and I know this sounds strange during a three game
ness around the rim are a thing of beauty.
losing streak, but Texas really is ahead of schedule considering the glaring inexperience they play with on the defensive end.
It’s just a shame that his teammates can’t put together the kind of routine shooting they should be.
The black eye, once again, was the defensive rebounding. Nice game for Allen (13 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block).
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- NON-CONFERENCE RECAP -
77 - 68 TEXAS
A LOOK AT THE NUMBERS
ALABAMA
T
Alabama shot 45.3% (24-53) overall, 38.5% (10-26) from three, and 55.6% (10-18) from the line.
exas was able to stop a three-game losing streak with a strong
Texas shot 47.2% (25-53) overall, 35.7% (5-14) from three, and
second half effort against Alabama at the Frank Erwin Center.
73.3% (22-30) from the line.
A 10-1 run after the break erased a 12-point halftime deficit, and a 12-5 run down the stretch put the Tide away.
Texas dominated the boards (35-27), fastbreak points (7-2) and second chance points (12-6).
The Longhorns also upped the defensive intensity after the break by pressing Alabama, dictating the tempo, and forcing turnovers. OFFENSE The theme of the night was balance with five Longhorns: Kerwin Roach (16), Tevin Mack (11), Shaq Claire (11), Jarrett Allen (11), and Jacob Young (11), scoring in double figures. Tevin Mack followed a scoreless first half with a team-high 11 points in the second half. Jacob Young found his shooting touch, going 3-6 from behind the arc and 4-8 overall. The Longhorns had a good rebounding night in general and espcially on offense, controlling the offensive glass with 12 boards and 12 second chance points. DEFENSE A swarming, pressing defense was the catalyst to the dominant second half performance. Texas applied relentless full-court pres-
Kerwin Roach
sure and took Alabama out of their comfort zone, setting the tone after the break.
STAR OF THE GAME: KERWIN ROACH
Tevin Mack and Andrew Jones each came up big with career-high
Kerwin was aggressive on offense, consistently attacking the
7 rebound nights and were aggressive in pressuring the ball in the
basket and earning 16 free throws. He connected on a career-high
press.
12 shots from the charity stripe to pace the second half comeback along with Tevin Mack.
Alabama coach Avery Johnson summed things up best. “The first five minutes of the second half, they came out with a different type
He had four defensive boards and was able to initiate the break and
of energy and focus...It seemed like they were a step quicker. Give
early offense as well as contributing 3 of the team’s 10 assists on
them credit. This is a team that lost three games in a row. They
the night.
were desperate.”
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insidetexas.com
- NON-CONFERENCE RECAP -
A LOOK AT THE NUMBERS
50 - 53 TEXAS
Michigan shot 41.7% (20-48) overall, 31.6% (6-19) from three, and
MICHIGAN
63.6% (7-11) from the line. Texas shot 38.5% (20-52) overall, 31.3% (5-16) from three, and
A
great effort by Texas on the defensive end finished with some
83.3% (5-6) from the line.
offensive ineptitude as the Longhorns let a late road lead slip
away against a beatable Michigan team.
The Longhorns won the rebounding battle (31-28), while Michigan had more assists (12-11) and fewer turnovers (12-14).
OFFENSE If Eric Davis and Kerwin Roach could have converted more shots in this game, Texas wins. If you take away Roach and Davis shooting a combined 5-19 for only ten points while the rest of the Longhorns shot 15-33 for 40 points it becomes clear. Blame whatever else you want, but it was Roach’s and Davis’ struggles on the offensive end, particularly late in the game, that cost Texas the kind of offensive production to have an opportunity to win it. It’s not fair (and putting this loss on them would undersell what both guys did with their energy and effort on the defensive end), but Texas counted on their sophomore guards and neither was ready to step up and make winning plays. DEFENSE Fantastic.
Tevin Mack
Michigan was a crazy hot shooting night from DJ Wilson away from
STAR OF THE GAME: TEVIN MACK
having what would have likely been their worst shooting night of the season.
A year ago, Tevin was struggling to get any minutes at all. Now he’s the unquestioned offensive leader of this team.
Texas was dynamic in their communication. They fought through screens well. They understood when they had to switch and cover
As good as his numbers were (18 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1
well. They forced Michigan into tough spots as a passing team into
steal, took all five of Texas’ free throws), his defense against Irvin
angles where the help was ready.
was just as outstanding.
It was fun to watch, even as Michigan found points down the
He stayed loaded in his stance. He loaded his hips well when Irvin
stretch, it was against a poised, prepared defense.
got the ball. He fought through screens. He chased rebounds well in space.
And, to top it all off, Texas limited the Wolverines to five offensive rebounds on 28 missed shots.
It was a special performance.
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- NON-CONFERENCE RECAP -
A LOOK AT THE NUMBERS
71 - 65 TEXAS
LBSU shot 38.1% (24-63) overall, 40.7% (11-27) from three, and
LONG BEACH STATE
85.7% (6-7) from the line. Texas shot 43.4% (23-53) overall, 36% (9-25) from three, and
A
fter 23 minutes of what can only be described as maddening,
72.7% (16-22) from the line.
inept basketball, the Longhorns found their perimeter shooting
rhythm just in time to pass up a red hot shooting game from Evan
Texas had fewer rebounds (41-34) but more assists (13-12) and
Payne and squeak out an important home win before a week off
fewer turnovers (9-12).
from games for finals. OFFENSE Just like their last home game against Alabama, first half struggles with turnovers, poor shot preparation and missed free throws worked to give their opponent momentum and a sizable lead. Indeed, seven turnovers and 4-16 shooting from beyond the arc in the opening stanza was enough to give the 49ers hope. Player movement was poor. Cuts weren’t happening. Picking up the dribble happened too often. It was ugly. Then in the second half, just as was the case against Alabama, the purposeful work to get the ball into the paint (and not just on post entries, but on dribble penetration off of shot fakes and reversals) forced LBSU’s defense into scramble mode while also providing better looks at the basket and from the outside. DEFENSE
Eric Davis
Payne’s perimeter shot making was actually pretty awesome to see. It’s been awhile since Texas had a player that could create his
STAR OF THE GAME: ERIC DAVIS
own perimeter shot off the bounce in pick and roll situations only to drain the trey over late help or poor switching rotations.
Mack and Shaq both deserve high praise for their production and effort, but Davis gets the nod for his clutch shotmaking and, hope-
And Payne made Texas pay...and pay and pay and pay and pay
ful, resurgence as a shooter/scorer.
and pay and pay and pay until he’d racked up eight three pointers in giving LBSU a 12 point lead.
Davis hit his first three of the night and seemed to carry that positive momentum into the rest of the game. All season long, Davis’
But, as generally happens, he cooled a bit, and Texas got smarter
ballhandling, passing and rebounding has been solid but his issues
with their personnel groupings (going to a three guard + Mack and
as a shooter have been one of (if not the most) the biggest trouble
a big lineup).
spots for this team. Nice game from Davis (16 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists).
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- NON-CONFERENCE RECAP -
93.5% (29-31) from the line.
74 - 77 TEXAS
Texas shot 40.3% (25-62) overall, 29.4% (5-17) from three, and
ARKANSAS
59.4% (19-32) from the line. The Longhorns won the rebounding battle (45-41), and had more
T
exas got great efforts from Andrew Jones and Tevin Mack but
assists (13-10) and second-chance points (18-11)while Arkansas
could not hold off the Razorbacks, led by Daryl Macon’s game-
had fewer turnovers (10-12) and more blocks (8-7) and steals (6-5).
high 23 points, including going 14-14 from the line. Free throws and bench play were both critical factors in the game and Arkansas dominated in both areas, getting 26 more points from their reserve units and going 29-31 from the line compared to a 1921 effort from Texas. The Longhorn defense surrendered two second-half runs of 6-0 and 7-0 in a close, hard fought contest between the old SWC rivals. OFFENSE All five Texas starters scored in double figures, led by Tevin Mack’s 20 points and 17 from Jones. Kerwin Roach, Jarrett Allena and Shaq Cleare combined for 33 more points as the staring line-up came up big. The problem for the offense, and the story of the game was the 30-4 chasm between the output of the Arkansas bench vs the Texas bench. Kendal Yancy, James Banks, Eric Davis and Jacob Young shot a combined 1-12 with 4 turnovers. They’ve got to be better than that. DEFENSE
Andrew Jones
Despite yeilding 23 points to Macon, the Longhorn defense limted him to 4-14 shooting and only 1-5 from beyond the arc.
STAR OF THE GAME: ANDREW JONES
Overall, the Razorbacks shot just 36% from the field and Texas
Mack had a strong all-around effort with 20 points and 8 rebounds
also won the rebound battle 45-41. Tevin Mack led the team with 8
but we give the nod to Jones, who had his finest game as a Long-
rebounds, followed by Jarrett Allen with 6 boards.
horn.
In what might have been his best game of the season, Andrew
He set the tone early, scoring the first 5 points of the game and had
Jones led Texas with 3 steals.
career highs in points (17), rebounds (7) and minutes (32). He also chipped in 3 steals on defense.
A LOOK AT THE NUMBERS Arkansas shot 35.5% (22-62) overall, 25% (4-16) from three, and
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insidetexas.com
- NON-CONFERENCE RECAP -
100% (12-12) from the line.
96 - 60 TEXAS
Texas had more rebounds (34-28) and assists (21-10) and fewer turnovers (12-18).
UAB
STAR OF THE GAME: JARRETT ALLEN
T
exas had five scorers in double figures as they destroyed UAB in the penultimate non-conference game before Big 12 play.
The Longhorns showed how easy basketball can be when you’re having fun and pressuring your opponent with spacing, ball movement and a roster full of talented scorers. OFFENSE Aided by 29(!!!) points off of UAB turnovers, Texas kept attacking the middle of the floor against a Blazer defense that seemed to be focused on helping at the rim but not ready to protect the perimeter as the Longhorns got off open perimeter shot after open perimeter shot. And, to the Longhorns’ credit, they had multiple shooters contribute, with multiple three point makes for all of Tevin Mack (3-7), Andrew Jones (4-7) and Eric Davis (2-5). All of that was made possible by the fact that Jarrett Allen had his cleanest game of the year, by far, as an offensive playmaker from the tip. Not only was Allen a crazy efficient 8-9 from the floor, but he also had zero turnovers.
Jarrett Allen
DEFENSE It was the closest thing to “Havoc” Texas has played under Shaka. The Longhorns’ game plan was obviously to throw consistent pressure off of makes against a Blazer team that has the same type of point guard troubles Texas does.
Jones was awesome (even with three turnovers in the first five minutes). Yancy played his best game of the season. Shaq, Mack and Roach all were solid. But Allen’s aggressiveness and talent from both wings made UAB’s best defender look absolutely silly.
But, when UAB showed a weakness in their decision making against high traps, Texas smelled blood in the water and never allowed UAB to get comfortable and pull themselves into some kind of regular set system.
Even then, what stood out the most for Jarrett was his continued success as both the mad man in Shaka’s diamond press and his ball defense in the half court.
.
Both of those roles (as well as his progressing offensive decision
A LOOK AT THE NUMBERS
making) come with an essential need to simultaneously play with patience and explosiveness.
UAB shot 41.5% (23-53) overall, 21.4% (3-14) from three, and 68.4% (13-19) from the line.
Jarrett did that tonight and had a fantastic impact on both ends (16
Texas shot 53.7% (36-67) overall, 41.4% (12-29) from three, and
points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 0 turnovers).
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- NON-CONFERENCE RECAP -
A LOOK AT THE NUMBERS
58 - 63 TEXAS
Kent State shot 37.7% (26-69) overall, 17.6% (3-17) from three,
KENT STATE
and 61.5% (8-13) from the line. Texas shot 36.2% (21-58) overall, 11.1% (2-18) from three, and 58.3% (14-24) from the line.
T
exas played in a fog for their last non-conference game of the season, falling to Kent State at the Erwin Center.
Texas was crushed on the boards (34-53), had fewer assists (7-10) and gave up more second chance points (18-15).
Only two Longhorns, Kerwin Roach and Jarrett Allen, scored in double figures and Kent State owned the boards with a 53-34 rebound edge. The Longhorns played so poorly on offense that they were only able to convert 21 turnovers into a paltry 15 points. Kent Sate won the game despite the fact that they shot poorly, turned the ball over frequently, and were on the road. OFFENSE The offense struggled mightily to score the basketball, shooting poorly in all situations: an unbelievably low 11% from behind the 3-point line, 36% from the field and 58% from the free throw line. Ball movement and team offense were an issue again as Texas finished with only 7 assists as a team and a whopping 18 turnovers, including 6 from Andrew Jones. The only bright spots were Jarrett Allen and Kerwin Roach. They combined for 30 points and Roach dished out 3 assists.
Jarrett Allen
DEFENSE
STAR OF THE GAME: JARRETT ALLEN In the first half Texas put the clamps on Kent State, limiting them to 25 points on 26% shooting. For the game they were not much
Along with Roach, Allen had a positive impact on the game.
better, hitting 37% of their shots and only 3-17 from the three-point
Outside of those two it was slim pickings on the Texas side of the
line.
ledger.
Playing sound on-ball defense is one thing, but if you can’t rebound
Allen notched a doulbe-double, with 17 points and 10 rebounds.
the ball it doesn’t do much good. Texas had 10 steals on the night
He also had a couple of blocks and a steal on defense.
but gave up 22 offensive rebounds to the Golden Flashes. Heading into conference season, Allen has proven himself to be the 22!
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most consistent player on the roster.
insidetexas.com
Kraken_Texas_mechanical.indd 1
5/19/11 2:17:09 PM
Culpepper’s Commentary
by Pat Culpepper
New Beginnings for Texas Football.
I
am ready to see this Longhorn Football team put
developed an identity – either playing zone or man with
back together into units that have a chance to get
one free safety.
better with each game they play. With Tom Her-
man’s arrival, it’s time to build the puzzle with all these
Players were in and out of the game on defense so often
pieces.
that I felt like they never got comfortable with what they needed to do to stop their opponent’s offense during the game.
I want to see Brandon Jones in the games at safety. It will take a solid spring practice by the 6-foot-0 192-pound former 5-star in HS. He blocked punts and
Too many subs in and out by Texas last season created
covered kickoffs for the most part in 2016 while Texas
instability. Players would make solid plays and then head
couldn’t even figure out what to do in its secondary and
for the sidelines??
got embarrassed by OU, Cal, and OSU. The 3-4 defense is good enough for Alabama and adjusts The other safety should be Jason Hall, who will be a
well to modern day offenses. Two coverages are enough
senior. He made some big hits this last season and should
and can be designed easily. Man-to-Man with a good free
be dependable.
safety like Jones is a good starting spot with a 2-deep zone disguised like the man free look can give offenses
At cornerback – John Bonney, Kris Boyd, and P.J. Locke
fits.
finally had some solid games against Baylor, West VirWith Chris Warren returning at the running back posi-
ginia, and Texas Tech.
tion and a proven offensive line, the Longhorns will still The two linebackers for Texas should be Malik Jefferson
be able to pound the football. Up front – Center Zach
and Malcolm Roach with Jefferson backed off specifically
Shackelford, guards Patrick Vahe and Jake McMillon,
assigned to the zone read keep by the QB if the oppo-
tackles Connor Williams and Tristan Nickleson have
nents offense features such action. Roach at 6-foot-0,
proved themselves and will continue to get better.
263 will bring his energy and hitting power to the LongWide Receivers are numerous and talented – Armanti
horn defense that is needed.
Foreman, Devin Duvernay, Collin Johnson, and Jake Upfront there is a good group to stock the four positions
Oliver are as solid a group as exists in College Football.
– Poona Ford, Chris Nelson, Charles Omenihu, Chris Daniels, Jordan Elliott, and certainly there are others that
The Quarterback position will depend on how much
can be developed for such heavy duty.
Coach Herman wants a running threat like he had in Greg Ward at Houston. For that reason I would think
The Texas defense was a mess this last season and never
32
Jerrod Heard would move back to compete with Shane
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Chris Nelson (97) and Poona Ford (95)
Buechele. Valuable defensive players like Breckyn Hager,
It was a great hire by Mike Perrin and President Fenves;
Holton Hill, Edwin Freeman, and Anthony Wheeler will
they didn’t sit back and wait for a vote. The fourth quar-
figure in the ball games and compete for starting spots in
ter of the TCU game showed the players had given up.
the Spring and 2-a-days of August.
They let the Horned Frogs run all over them in Austin and proved Texas needed a change.
Texas has the best punter in CFB in Micheal Dickson returning and should look to recruit a field goal specialist.
Yes, I realize Perrin and Fenves had already talked to Herman before they met with Strong on Saturday morn-
I watched this football team and supported Coach Strong
ing but the lack of fight, lack of pride displayed versus
and his staff but this could be an unusual group in 2017
TCU sealed the deal for me.
if they are allowed to play in a system that allows them to be comfortable with their assignments and play with
So once again we Longhorn fans endure another losing
their hearts and head.
football season. For me it will only make winning that much better.
One of the reasons Coach Strong’s team didn’t play well on the road was the constant shuffling in and out on
I hope Coach Herman follows Mack Brown’s lead and re-
defense and poor structure in the secondary.
unites with former Longhorn football players – it would be of help to him.
Coach Strong has recruited extremely well which Coach Herman and his staff can get a head start on a successful
Let’s face it; Coach Strong wasn’t comfortable with this
season in 2017 unlike previous coaching hires at Texas.
presence on Longhorn Network – it is a big part of the
33
- Culpepper’s Commentary job and the the whole Athletic Department benefits by the cash that comes from that agreement and it is a big part of the job. If for no other reason it allows parents to keep in touch with their sons – interviews after the games, the mid-week TV reruns. Next season Coach Herman’s Longhorns will face USC in California which will be a huge test as well as Baker Mayfield’s return at Oklahoma in Dallas. Lord willing I plan to be there. The Big 12 Championship game will be of benefit to the conference. Having it at AT&T Stadium is a great reward for fans and players. Just remember Alabama went through several coaches before Nick Saban. Texas took a chance on a young coach that was at the University of Washington in 1957 and knew the Longhorns needed to compete with the Oklahoma Sooners as well as the rest of their league. He didn’t let them down.
Chris Warren
Pat Culpepper played for The University from 1960-62 and graduated from UT with a B.A. degree with honors in history. Pat coached college football for 12 years as an assistant at Texas, Colorado, Tulane, Baylor and Memphis State and was head coach at Northern Illinois from 1976-79. He also spent 16 years as a high school coach in Texas at Midland, Lufkin, Galveston Ball, Westfield and his hometown of Cleburne. He was selected to the Longhorn Hall of Honor in 1991. His commentary appears regularly in the Inside Texas magazine and at InsideTexas.com.
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DECEMBER NEWS by IT Staff
Tom Herman wasted no time in hitting the recruiting trail. Multiple December offers were followed by mulitple December commitments -- all flips from players previously committed to other teams. Here are the five newest members of the 2017 recruiting class for Texas.
TONEIL CARTER | RB An early enrollee, the 5’11” 200-pound Carter is one of the top running backs in the country and committed over competing offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Baylor, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Texas A&M and Oklahoma State among others. Carter, who had been committed to Georgia and flpped to Texas when the Bulldogs asked him not to enroll early as planned, impressed during his week at the Under Armour All-American Game in Florida. Carter is plain fast, probably a 4.5 guy or so in the 40, and he’s very used to using that speed to fly through holes behind lead blockers or to work the edge on power-read plays of the sort that are surely coming to Texas in the near future. At Langham Creek he was regularly working on inside zone plays running behind an H-back and his knack for quickly finding the crease and exploding through it would make for exciting offense in Herman’s run game. He also has the hands to do some work on the perimeter like Catalon did at Houston this year. Carter is a likely feature back in the not too distant future.
DANIEL YOUNG | RB
photo courtesy UnderArmor
Young, a 6’0”, 210-pound thumper, is one of the more interesting running backs we’ve seen out of high school. He lacks breakaway speed but his first few steps typically get him to the hole and he has a spin move he uses liberally to help him cut through traffic. He’s not a guy Texas will want to try and use to flank opponents on the perimeter but he’s a wrecking ball between the tackles and if he learns to block he could be a nice complement as a RB/FB hybrid Behind a good line Young can become very productive. For a big back, he’s quick and light on his feet, and he gets downhill and doesn’t pretend to not be a bruising runner like so many his size. He gets behind his pads, creates downhill velocity, and takes the North-South yardage available. His floor is a reliable short yardage back, but his ceiling is a punishing #2 back
photo courtesy of Joe Buvid
36
and fan favorite.
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CADE BREWER | TE When OU, A&M, and Baylor came calling, Lake Travis TE Cade Brewer said ‘thanks, but no thanks’ to all three and stayed committed to SMU. When Tom Herman and Texas came calling, Brewer listened. Herman’s search for a tight end to fit his offense took a major step forward when the 6’3”, 225-pound Brewer flipped his commitment from SMU to Texas. Brewer is a willing blocker but he’s been working in Lake Travis’ outside zone-based run game and isn’t executing a lot of smashmouth techniques like kicking out a DE. During his senior season he was very productive, gaining 853 yards and scoring 14 touchdowns on 64 receptions for the state champion Cavaliers. Brewer is very comfortable flexed out wide where his plus speed and route running at the position made him a favorite target amidst a Photo courtesy of Brewer family
loaded cast of skill talent for the Cavs.
If Brewer can add size, strength, and blocking technique he could be a dominant, dual-threat TE. If he just grows enough to be a credible blocker he could still be a lethal weapon thanks to his athleticism and receiving skills. Tight end is unlike most other positions where you’re not necessarily looking for explosiveness but rather fluidity, hands, intelligence, and toughness. With the proliferation of basketball bodies at the position, the game has changed a bit, but there’s still plenty of room for skill rather than raw talent. Brewer definitely fits in the ‘skill’ mold. He’s a big possession receiver who will make plays in man coverage thanks to deft use of his body and quality hands. He’ll also exploit zone coverage and make the most of available space between defenders focused on more dangerous athletes. A good sign of his athleticism is the myriad ways Lake Travis sought to get him the ball. But that’s more a function of being a decently fast and very coordinated guy than being a speed merchant that translates to the next level.
DEREK KERSTETTER | OL Kerstetter flipped from Oklahoma State to Texas after receiving an offer from Tom Herman and Texas. The 6-foot-6, 300-pound Army All-American chose the Longhorns over competing offers from Houston, Illinois, Texas Tech and UTSA. Texas needs to maintain a pipeline of tackle prospects rolling into Austin at all times and Kerstetter could be the guy for a 2017 class that will likely be low on numbers across the
photo courtesy of Kerstetter family
OL. He was a rock for Reagan at LT this year, very difficult to beat in pass protection and the tip of the spear in their outside zone run game. He regularly reached LBs or drove out DEs on that play and has the kind of quick feet to make for a great blocker on the perimeter. He’ll need time to get bigger and stronger but he has the athleticism to lock down the right or left side for Texas as an upperclassman down the road.
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37
- DECEMBER RECRUITING NEWS -
REESE LEITAO | TE Reese is a 6-foot-4, 235-pound tight end who held 21 other offers, notably from Penn State, Oklahoma State, Iowa State, and Utah. The most important may have been the Houston offer. That’s when this new UT staff started building the relationship with Leiato and his family, whose father is the head basketball coach at DePaul. Leitao is a fantastic prospect for the TE/Hammer-back role at Texas that Geoff Swaim and Caleb Bluiett filled before him. He excels grappling and blocking in-line and has some nice tape at DE where he does a lot of damage by beating blocks en route to the ball. Leitao’s testing numbers are nice and balanced: 4.6 (40), 4.4 (shutphoto courtesy of Leitao family
tle), 33.5 (vertical), 39.5 (powerball), and 270 pounds (bench). Like Bluiett, he’s actually fairly fluid in space as well with some pretty good hands to boot. He’d be great at the role of doing dirty work in the
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trenches but would also be worthy of some play-action or red zone looks in the passing game if teams don’t pay him enough mind.
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