CJ Vogel
Steve Sarkisian speaks on Texas Pass Catches (Tuesday)
For the first time since meaningful spring football has been played, media was able to hear from Steve Sarkisian in-person Tuesday morning.
Of the laundry list of questions hoping to be checked off today, perhaps there was no bigger concern at the moment than at wide receiver. With no Ryan Wingo or DeAndre Moore running routes this spring, Texas currently does not have a career reception on the other end of any Arch Manning pass this spring – a stat I am sure many of y'all are tired of hearing about.
But alas, so updates on the early enrollees and the wide receiver group in general were made available from Sarkisian.
"It's good for some of the young players," Sarkisian said. "Where, they are running with the 1's and the 2's, whether it is Jaime (Ffrench), it's Kaliq (Lockett), it's Parker (Livingstone), it is Daylan McCutcheon. These guys are just getting some valuable, valuable reps."
OnTexasFootball had reported earlier in the spring the first group of receivers to trot out at the start of week two of spring practice included Livingstone-Ffrench-McCutcheon. For the most part, that group has remained steadfast.
Aaron Butler, Michael Terry III and Kaliq Lockett have remained with the 2nd unit for much of the spring, with some time sprinkled in with the first group.
All in all, the youth and inexperience of the wide receiver group is something Texas will have to work through, especially without DeAndre Moore (toe) and Ryan Wingo (hamstring). Moore has been seen on a scooter with a boot on his foot to protect the toe injury he has been nursing.
Per Sarkisian on Tuesday, both Wingo and Moore are beginning to work back to on-field exercises, but are not close to a return. However, Sarkisian is not worried about not have the two on the field for the spring season.
"I am not in a real rush," Sarkisian said about getting the two projected starters back on the field. "I know who DeAndre Moore is and I know what he is made of. He has had good rapport with Arch from last season when Arch played. I know who Ryan Wingo is. He was having a really good spring before he tweaked his hammy and he will be back. I am not concerned with those guys."
Sarkisian was also asked about whether or not a portal addition would be top of mind when the window opens at the wide receiver position.
"It’s not a secret that we’ll look to the portal, but I’m not going to take a guy that’s just a number.”
Sarkisian also referenced to making sure the right fit needs to be available for the Longhorns to pursue in the portal. In other words, it won't just be a guy who plays the position. A portal addition must be an impact guy that fits what the program is about.
If and when Texas does get active in the portal this spring, a veteran option with production would be the best guess. I will expound on that closer to the portal window as we start to project where Texas might be making additions to the roster.
But Sarkisian made it clear elsewhere in the availability that this will be the youngest Texas Football team he has coached in his five years in Austin.
For now, not much will change.
The spring portal window opens for 10 days, beginning on April 16 and runs until April 25.