Advertisement

Texas Football: What we’re gathering from spring practice reports

joey hickey
·5 min read
63

Practice reports can be hit-or-miss in regard to what a team actually brings to the table. We saw that fact bear itself out under past football and basketball coaches.

There was a time when the Texas football coaching staff viewed the team as a playoff contender before falling flat in the regular season. Former starting quarterback Hudson Card, who could be primed to finish in the Top 10 nationally in passing yards at Purdue, was once viewed as an Aaron Rodgers clone. Those predictions were both swings and misses.

There are a few reports that have caught my attention and appear to have merit based on what we’ve observed and what makes logical sense. Here are a few things we’re picking up about the team as we approach the spring game.

Quinn "HIM" Ewers

I don’t know if Ewers is going to be solid or outstanding, but he at least appears to be vastly improved. Texas simply needs him to be steady and consistent. That alone should add a win or two for the Longhorns in 2023. We’ll have a better understanding of what to expect after the spring game, but the player who flashed elite plays last season could be making more of the simpler plays the team needs to win.

Casey Cain isn't going away

Casey Cain is making highlight plays again this offseason. It’s hard to rule him out of earning significant reps this season, even with AD Mitchell, Isaiah Neyor and Johntay Cook added to the fold. Cain could be making the competition more interesting than expected.

Savion Red stock is up

The above caption is exactly what I first thought when I saw this Savion Red highlight. It looks a lot like the stiff arm from Marshawn Lynch’s signature play in a playoff game against the New Orleans Saints. We’ll try not to overhype Red, but it appears he is going to be a factor in the depth chart.

Alfred Collins breakout

If you’re looking for an early breakout pick on the defensive side, Alfred Collins is one of the leaders in that category. Collins has always had the physical tools, but it looks like he finally has the size and assortment of skills that defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski is prioritizing at the position. I still fail to understand why Collins hasn’t played more, but hopefully he gets ample opportunities this season.

Strong leadership, strong focus

Texas is very clear about its goals for the upcoming season. It seems their biggest leaders have been vocal about the team’s goals. Returning starters Jordan Whittington, Ja’Tavion Sanders and Quinn Ewers have been mentioned as some of the more vocal leaders for this team. That bodes well after losing Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson to the upcoming NFL Draft.

Youth contributors

Tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders and safety Jerrin Thompson are praising Anthony Hill and what he could bring to the team. Sanders mentioned freshman receiver Johntay Cook and running back Cedric Baxter as players who could make an impact right away. Fortunately for Texas, though Cook has elite ability he won’t have the same freshman responsibilities Xavier Worthy had in 2021.

Potential late bloomers

Texas linebacker Jaylan Ford went from an unknown to an All-American last season. Ja’Tavion Sanders made a huge leap of his own. There probably won’t be that kind of dramatic improvement from the above three players, but the development of reserve players to this level is something we haven’t seen in Austin for awhile.

Improved secondary play

We expected the cornerback position to be good and it appears that it is this season. Credit secondary coach Terry Joseph and this defensive staff for rebuilding the room into a strength.

No news is good news

There isn’t a great deal of discussion over the offensive line. That’s probably because that position is as strong as any Texas line in recent memory. This team is stacked with good depth and there aren’t many question marks to identify.

Did we mention Quinn Ewers is improved?

Quinn is in better physical condition, and he’s making better decisions. He’s making faster decisions. He’s comfortable and he’s accurate. It’s far too soon to make any grandiose predictions about the second-year quarterback, but every goal is within reach if he plays up to potential.

Story originally appeared on Longhorns Wire