Welcome back to On Texas football. I’m Jeff How joined by Jerry Hamilton. Quick reactions to today’s scrimmage, the first scrimmage of Longhorn Campus held today. This edition of On Texas football brought to you by Hardrove Roofing. We’ll tell you more about our friends at Hardrove Roofing here later in the show.
Jerry, let’s start with the good news. CJ Baxter has been a topic of conversation all throughout the offseason.
Really, really good positive scrimmage for the running back today. Yeah, so uh they they took the brace off of Cedric Back today. Now, they didn’t gang tackle him to the ground.
He got some work with the ones. He scored the first touchdown of the scrimmage uh from what on Texas football was told. He also got uh stopped on a for first uh uh trip inside the red zone for the Texas offense.
Alex January stuffed the fourth and one I think play from the goal line from what we heard. Uh but Senate Baxter returns to action.
I think it’s kind of the next piece for him in this whole process. But early returns are looked pretty good. didn’t seem to suffer any setbacks. Actually scored the first touchdown uh for Texas. He got some work with the ones.
There’s a lot of mixing and matching, but he did get works with the ones in this scrimmage. So, congrats to sett Baxter on being one resilient human being. Man, Jerry, I think it’s worth mentioning that, you know, I at least for me, I I haven’t been down on CJ Baxter, been down on the return. It’s just you don’t know until you know. And thi today’s information that we’ve heard from the scrimmage is the first time I’ve really been optimistic about what CJ Baxter can bring to this football team in 2025.
Yeah. So he so there’s everything’s like a piece to this for him, right? And Trey Wiser had said in the media availability the other day that he thought it would be some time before Cedric Backer was back to 100%.
And I I think that’s the case. The first part of this for for for Cedric as we said is you know when they take the knee brace off it starts to get real for you.
That’s when you start your me coming overcoming the mental challenges and hurdles after a severe knee injury like this. And again they weren’t pile tackling him. There wasn’t gangtackling him right. They blew the whistle really quickly from what we heard on those contacts with him uh for the most part. But it’s still a big part of this process for and it’s a stepbystep process for Setter.
But this was a big step for him today uh to go out there in a scrimmage even even if it was with the quick whistle and they weren’t taking taking him to the ground where nobody was going to fall on his knee that he went through it without the brace on.
That’s just kind of the next uh piece and part to his journey in this comeback. Uh but it’s good news that on August 9th as we uh tape this scrimmage report the date Texas felt like he was far enough in his rehab and return that this has become a reality for him. So it’s really good. Jerry, let’s get to some injury news.
There’s three players we got to talk about. Emit Mosley. It just sounds like he was limited today. Didn’t get a ton of run. Uh don’t know if Couple sources said it looked like he was walking with a limp, but again just didn’t see a ton of action today.
Kobravar got banged up at some point, but by all accounts, he came back in the scrimmage.
So, it doesn’t sound like there’s anything lingering there. The one that as of right now we’re watching is Nick Brooks. Walked off uh under his own power was said to be walking off gingerly. Other than that, Jerry, really, really don’t know what’s going on with Nick Brooks right now.
Yeah, it’s obviously lower leg injury and we’re just going to have to wait for Texas to kind of tell us on Nick Brooks and we’ll see uh what happens there. He did walk off gingerly with some assistance. Did not return back to the scrimmage is actually one of the interesting things that happened happened after the Nick Brooks injury. They kicked Jackson Christian who had been third team left guard at the start of camp and through last uh spring practice the early enrolly from Port Nature’s Groves out to some right tackle today.
So that kind of tells you, okay, that’s I if there’s any other injury and it’s some somebody that’s going to be out for a period of time at right tackle.
Jackson Christian actually took some reps out there today. Um so that’s also a move you didn’t want to really hear about at this point, but we’ll have to see what Texas says on Nick Brooks. Uh potential injury. The other one, Michael Taff was in a green jersey, but was out there with the ones at Nickel with a green jersey on. Uh they went out with that.
I I believe they began with Derek Williams.
Um Galani McDonald and Michael Taff at Nickel. So Grayson Littleton got some run at Nickel as well as well as Wardell Mack and some other guys. Jerry, I I think uh you and I along with Rod talked about this on the Friday live stream. It really sounds like the Jaylen Gilbo to corner experiment.
It’s not an experiment. It really sounds like they’re giving him every opportunity to prove that he’s a corner. And again, just to reiterate what you’re talking about, we were told that the first secondary was Malik Muhammad and Jaylen Gilbo at corner, Michael Taff at nickel with Derrick Williams, Angelana McDonald at safety.
That’s actually a really good note that Derrick Williams is healthy enough at least again where you’re not full-on tackling to the ground, but at least in a scrimmage situation he’s starting. Jerry, I like the makeup of that secondary if that ends up being the secondary that they run out there on August 30th against Ohio State.
Yeah, and I think the one thing to point out too is from what we understand that on Texas football, obviously none of us were there.
Gilbo was a little more of a press guy than Kobe Black who came in behind him. Kobe Black played a little bit more off coverage than Gilbo who was more in more in a press position more so. But yeah, I I think look, that’s a big thing if that’s where they’re at with Derrick Williams. And look, Dererick Williams uh that it’s not surprising.
I think that Rod saw a little hesitation for him in practice one and two, but that’s to be expected, right? And but now kind of like CJ Baxter, they’re they’re putting these guys in because they’re look, those are two of the better players on this team and they’re seeing where they’re at. They’re getting them more comfortable in that. Again, I heard Jordan Rebel had two or three big hits u and one of those backup safety spots today as well. Xavier Phil showed a little bit.
Zealous Hicks was running with the thirds. Didn’t hear much on Jonah Williams. don’t know if he got in or not much at all.
Um but yeah, the secondary I think is is a one is going to end up being one of the strengths of this team long term as long as the communication level is where it needs to be. But Jeff, front seven we heard was tremendous today.
Yeah. Yeah. That’s where I was going next. I mean, if you’re going to see which side of the ball won the scrimmage, especially when it was ones versus ones, from what we heard, it sound like the defense got the better of the offense. And like based on what we’d heard going into it, based on what Sarkc had said last Tuesday, I don’t think that should shock anybody.
Jerry, whether it was Cole Brevar, Alex January, Marad Watson, Brad Spence, just a number of different names hearing about guys making plays in that front seven. I think that is the biggest thing is yeah, we expect Anthony Hill and Colin Simmons and guys like that, you’re proving commodities to make plays, but the fact now that you’ve got guys that either pro proved it somewhere else or haven’t proven it at Texas, the fact that those guys are making plays, that just shows you this defense, it it might be as good as advertised.
Yeah, somebody uh one person told uh kind of, you know, one thing we heard was that it didn’t seem fair when Brad Spence was with the twos playing against the threes, right? guy was 54 tackles and four and a half sacks in the SEC last year. Um, same thing when Mar Watson was, you know, before before he took snaps with the ones, right?
Anytime he was in the twos or threes, it didn’t even seem if it was twos on twos or three on three or three on two, it didn’t really seem fair that those guys that’s when you have a ton of depth is when people are sitting there talking about the rotations, how to rotations. Alex January was strong today, right? Cole Bvard had his moments obviously you mentioned he went down came back in but yeah the depth that Hero canoe I think had a couple of plays uh today as well guys flashed today whether that’s at edge as well I think Colin Simmons obviously is a tear off the edge Ethan Burke lined up across from him then you had Brad Spence behind Simmons you had uh you had Trey Moore out there obviously was with the linebackers they didn’t move him around as much today and when Colton Vosik and and Zena kind of your seconds and thirds, you’re in a really good spot at edge, right? I mean, that’s just the reality.
Also heard some good things about Tyanthony Smith.
I know he’s not one of those dynamic edge rusher type guys, but had a big presence today. And uh Jared, we’ve got a couple of notes packages over at on texas.com. Bobby Burton’s notes said, you know, asked one onlooker who looked good today. The answer was the whole defensive line.
Yes. So, I got to think for this Texas offensive line, Jerry, the minute they see somebody in a different color jersey, even if it is Ohio State, they’ll probably be relieved because the best defensive line they see this year is probably going to be the one they’re scrimmaging against right now.
And practicing how many times? I mean, like, how many times are they practicing? You don’t get a rep off.
And that’s what the really good programs have, right? That’s how you build uh that’s how you develop. That’s part of developing players. It goes beyond Tory Beckon. Every rep you take is against a guy that may be a pro football player.
Whether that’s a first team or second team or maybe even a young third team guy, but they all have different skill sets and they all may have a future in football.
That’s where you really your really player development kicks in along with your Tory Beckton and your technical work. But yeah, look, Ty, you mentioned Ty Anthony Smith. I heard he had a sack early. Heard he blew up a play as well.
Uh Lefoul was the first team guy in the middle, but Ty Anthony Smith got a lot of run as well. Anthony Hill, I don’t think did it played a lot a ton today. I think there were some guys that they limited smartly that they limited today, but Ty Anthony Smith was a name we heard. Uh, another one, freshman linebacker Bo Barnes, I think. Yes.
In his time in today did some things as well that were really impressive. Jerry, that’s a guy that even going out to practices and watching the linebackers go through drills, I’m like, man, if if this guy is your your third team uh inside linebacker behind LeFoul and Smith, you’re probably getting somewhere that’s in national championship contender as far as your offball linebacker position goes, which Jerry, other than the offensive line, I don’t know that there’s a position that’s come further in terms of added depth, talented depth that offball linebacker from the time Sark got here to where it is now.
The fact that Bo Barnes is with your threes right now just speaks volumes. No, it does. It absolutely does.
And and I love, you guys know, I love the this linebacker position. I think it’s the best Texas has had in my years in terms of versatility, size, speed, combo, the be the whole thing. And I’m talking the starter, second, and third team guys, the best I’ve seen Texas have. Um, and that’s with Brad Spence, who could easily in a pinch move back and play even in the middle for you if need be. So they have uh they have so much talent and so much versatility and so much SEC size speed combo um at linebacker and a steady I call him steady Eddie a guy leonga lfal who in between those hash marks in between those tackles is just a steady consistent player and then they have to flash guys around them the guys that are bigger maybe that can rush the passer a little bit more then you have a young buck like Tai Anthony Smith who has that arm length and that closing speed that’s elite that makes for a tremendous linebacker Uh, by the way, also want to mention tight ends today, um, you know, when they went their first, I think their first looks in 12 personnel were Jack injuries in Spencer Shannon.
Uh, obviously Jordan Washington, they all got time. Jack injuries. I think they didn’t do again, they didn’t play him a lot today as much as they would on a Saturday. Uh, Nick Towns had had his moments from what we heard. Looked like the speed’s going to translate from what we’re hearing early on.
Um and then uh you know some of the big plays today, Jeff, um uh uh Ryan Wingo had the first touchdown catch from Arch. He played a little bit in the slot today as well. So moving Ryan Wingo around Day had Dale McCutchen had a touchdown catch from KJ Lacy later in the scrimmage against a contested Cade Phillips. Kik Lockett at some point when we got into the scrimmage a little bit from what we heard actually got some runs with the ones in the slot a little bit.
So not really necessarily playing slot but in the formation right middle receiver.
Uh but uh it was there’s some there’s some Michael Terry got on the field today but there there it was more of a defensive day but I think as the scrimmage moved along the the guys on offense started to show up a little bit more. The first few series were all defense.
Yeah, we’ll wrap it up here in just a sec, but right now, uh, want to say thank you very much to our friends over at Hardrove Roofings for sponsoring this edition of On Texas Football with offices across Texas, including Austin, as well as Louisiana and Arkansas. Hardrove roofing will take care of all of your roofing needs.
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Hardrove roofing. Know who’s on your roof. Jerry, as we wrap this up, two guys I do want to mention. Uh you ran out a lot of guys on offense there.
Parker Livingstone had a couple of nice catches from Arch Manning and Christian Clark.
We talked about that competition for the number three back behind Baxter and Weisner. Again, Trey Wisner had a couple of good runs today, we were told. But it really sounds like Christian Clark, Jerry, at least at this point in camp, may be starting to separate himself from the rest of the running backs in terms of who’s after Weisner and Baxter. Yeah, I think he had some he had some good work later in the scrimmage. I think addition in the scrimmage, it was Weisner and Baxter getting all the run with the ones.
I think as the scrimmage progressed, Christian Clark did some really good things. Uh we we continue to hear that with Christian Clark. Wingo had two touchdown catches today. probably wanted to point that out because I said he had the he had one big one, but he had two touchdown catches today as well.
But yeah, Christian Clark continues to bounce back from that injury.
Looked great in the spring and that’s continued on in fall camp. All right, Jerry. Any Yes. Sorry, Jeff. My final word, Jack Boomster.
Boom Ball. Yes. Actually, it makes you feel really good that one of the p one of the players that got the most rave reviews from sources was Jack Bowster. Yeah, considering the issues Texas had with the punt game last year. So, doesn’t sound like that’s going to be a problem.
We’ll see what happens with field goal kicking. I feel good about Mason Shipley, but yes, Bow Meester uh was said to have a good day. Jerry, any final thoughts? No, I mean, look, we uh I think it was a very positive scrimmage for the Texas front once again, front seven once again.
Um and obviously, we’re waiting now kind of is great for Cedric Baxter that they’re moving him along in his progression because it is a progression for him.
It’s not like tomorrow he’s 100% and everything’s good. It’s a progression he’s going through and we’ve said this the whole time even back when he started doing some routes in seven on seven with uh the knee brace on that that mean he was ready to play then. Uh so he’s making this progressions and Texas is seeing letting this progression happen and letting him go at the pace he needs to uh to get the closest back to 100% he can when that time comes. But without the knee brace on was a big hurdle for him to start today. Even though it wasn’t gang tackling taking him to the ground much, it’s still a big mental thing uh to come back from with that knee that knee injury he had with the severity.
And I would say we’re waiting on word on Nick Brooks. Yep. We will uh we’ll keep you updated. Anything we get on Nick Brooks, we will pass it along. Jerry, thank you for the knowledge and expertise as always.
Thank you to Matthew behind the scenes for producing it. Thank you to the entire on Texas football staff. If you’re not a member over at all texas.com where we’ve got practice notes right now, get over there, use the promo code OTFOG when you sign up. That’ll get you one year of access for $39.
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