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“I think 35, 36 is a realistic number for us,” Sarkisian said. “That doesn't mean that we have to get to that number, but we're allotted to that number.

How many total scholarships can Steve Sarkisian, Texas add to 2022 roster?

ByJEFF HOWE 3 hours ago

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AUSTIN, Texas — With 247Sports Composite five-star offensive lineman Devon Campbell officially joining the Texas program on National Signing Day, head coach Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns are set to bring 32 new scholarship bodies into the fold before the start of the 2022 season. Of the 32 (28 high school signees and four FBS transfers), 14 are currently on campus going through winter conditioning ahead of spring practice with the remaining signees ascending upon the Forty Acres in June, but Sarkisian and Co. likely aren’t done acquiring talent ahead of the current regime’s second campaign.

“Those additions have been good to go along with DJ and I think that totals up [to] 32 newcomers so far,” Sarkisian said during a news conference Wednesday where he addressed the signing of Campbell along with the program’s roster additions (picking up former Alabama tight end Jahleel Billingsley and former Wyoming wide receiver Isaiah Neyor in the NCAA transfer portal) and staff hires (former TCU head coach Gary Patterson as special assistant to the head coach, former Pitt assistant coach Brennan Marion as passing game coordinator/wide receivers coach and former Georgia Tech assistant coach Tashard Choice as running backs coach) that have taken place since the December signing window. “I say so far because we still, potentially, have some room to work with. We'll see what happens as we move through, coming out of spring practice. The transfer portal has created a unique dynamic right now in college football: there's no deadlines, there's no dates until we get to the end of summer.

"It's a fluid situation, not only for other rosters but ours as well.”

So how many more scholarship players is Texas going to be able to add before preseason practice gets going in August?

With one scholarship able to roll back to last year’s count, the Longhorns entered the cycle with the ability to bring in 26 newcomers. However, the NCAA providing roster relief for the 2022 class in the form of replacing seven players who depart the program (either through the transfer portal or the NFL draft if the player in question had remaining eligibility) at any time after Dec. 15, 2021, took the number for Texas to 33, which is the scholarship total Sarkisian mentioned in November when breaking down why the conditions were ripe for potentially turning over more than one-third of the roster.

The transfer portal emphasis after a pair of Ohio State transfers — quarterback Quinn Ewers and defensive back Ryan Watts — put pen to paper in December was to hone in on mid-year prospects who could fill immediate needs and be able to participate in spring practice. That’s what the Longhorns got in Billingsley (Cade Brewer’s eligibility ended following the team’s 22-17 win over Kansas State on Nov. 26 and Jared Wiley transferred to TCU, leaving only 2021 signees Juan Davis, Gunnar Helm and Ja'Tavion Sanders on the depth chart along with junior Brayden Liebrock, who has missed most of the last two seasons battling injuries) and Neyor (with Jordan Whittington coming off of a clavicle injury that cost him four games last season and the rest of the group lacking experience and/or consistent production, Texas needed to land a proven commodity to play alongside Freshman All-American and first-team All-Big 12 wideout Xavier Worthy), but needs remain and Sarkisian specifically mentioned inside linebacker, safety and wide receiver as position groups where he'd like to add another body to the mix.

While the talent acquisition process is done, for now, Sarkisian said there’s enough flexibility with scholarship numbers to go beyond the projected number of 33 newcomers. As long as the Longhorns don’t violate NCAA rules by exceeding the maximum of 85 scholarship players, or an offseason roster size of 110 total players, Sarkisian and Co. will continue to find players who can help Texas win games in 2022 and beyond.

“I think 35, 36 is a realistic number for us,” Sarkisian said. “That doesn't mean that we have to get to that number, but we're allotted to that number. And again, I think a lot of times — and I've been in this boat before as a head coach — you're like, 'Well, I've got these extra spots, let's go sign these kids on Signing Day,' and you end up taking players that maybe you wouldn't have taken in December, but now it's, 'Well, we've got these spots,' and you fill your roster, maybe, with players that aren't up to the caliber, the standard that you're looking for. We'll be cognizant of that as we go through it.”

 

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Steve Sarkisian, Texas eyeing difference makers for remaining scholarship spots

ByJEFF HOWE 62 minutes ago

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AUSTIN, Texas — Wednesday’s news conference for Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian was, in theory, his opportunity to publicly put a bow on the 2022 recruiting class with National Signing Day in the books. Instead, Sarkisian mentioning the number of newcomers could increase from the current total of 32 to “a realistic number” as high as 35 or 36 means the Longhorns aren’t done adding pieces to a class 247Sports ranks as the nation’s No. 5 overall haul.

With that said, Sarkisian and Co. aren't interested in adding bodies just for the purpose of filling available roster spots and instead will be thorough and attempt to address the needs a signing class of 28 high school prospects that features arguably the best group of offensive line signees in school history (Texas landed two five-star linemen for the first time in the history of the 247Sports Composite with Devon Campbell, the nation’s top interior line prospect, officially wrapping up his recruitment and joining December signee Kelvin Banks in the fold), eight total defensive linemen (interior linemen and edge defenders) and a four-man group coming to the Forty Acres by way of the NCAA transfer portal headlined by former Ohio State quarterback Quinn Ewers didn’t satisfy. And, according to Sarkisian, even a class with 20 blue-chip high school recruits (247Sports five- and four-star prospects) and four of the top transfers at their respective positions in the transfer portal (Ewers is the No. 2-ranked quarterback according to 247Sports; Alabama transfer Jahleel Billingsley is the No. 1 tight end; Wyoming transfer Isaiah Neyor is the No. 5 wide receiver; Ohio State transfer Ryan Watts is the No. 12 cornerback) didn’t fill all of the Longhorns' holes.

“Clearly, we've got position groups that I don't particularly like the numbers at the position,” Sarkisian said. “Inside linebacker, for instance, I would like us to have at least one more body there, just from a sheer numbers standpoint. Safety is a potential other number for us there. Wide receiver is a potential other number for us there.”

Texas has quantity at inside linebacker with seven currently on the roster, but a lack of quality, proven depth outside of DeMarvion Overshown returning for another season, on top of Luke Brockermeyer suffering a knee injury leading up to the season finale with Kansas State on Nov. 26, made the conditions ripe for the position to need an infusion of talented depth. But the Longhorns weren’t much of a factor for transfers Jacoby Windmon (UNLV) and Aaron Brule (Mississippi State), both of whom signed with Michigan State, and Alabama’s Jaylen Moody appeared to be headed for Austin before Christian Harris declared for the NFL draft, which presented Moody with an opportunity to stay in Tuscaloosa and compete for a starting spot for the Crimson Tide.

Texas showed interest in Central Michigan transfer Troy Brown before he signed with Ole Miss and has been in contact with Louisiana transfer Lorenzo McCaskill. McCaskill told Ryan Callahan of GoVols247 (247Sports’ Tennessee property) on Jan. 20 that he’s eyeing an April 1 visit to the Forty Acres.

Since the end of the 2020 regular season when Chris Brown and Caden Sterns declared for the 2021 NFL Draft (Brown went undrafted while Sterns was a fifth-round pick of the Denver Broncos and made the team, starting two games and recording two sacks with two interceptions as a rookie), the safety position gone through a considerable amount of change. Xavion Alford (USC), B.J. Foster (Sam Houston), Tyler Owens (Texas Tech) and Chris Adimora have transferred out of the program and Brenden Schooler’s eligibility expired at the end of the 2021 season, which has left junior Jerrin Thompson (22 career games played with eight career starts) as the elder statesman in a room that’s short on experience (Anthony Cook is back for a fifth season in the program and could move to safety, but that would require someone to step up and be capable of taking over the STAR position, the nickel spot from where Cook started eight games in 2021).

There are high hopes for sophomore JD Coffey and 2022 four-star signees Bryan Allen Jr. and Larry Turner-Gooden are on campus for spring practice, but that didn't stop the Longhorns from trying in vain to add a veteran who could allow the youngsters to find their sea legs. Texas lost out to Arkansas for Georgia transfer Latavious Brini while an offer to Central Michigan’s Devonni Reed didn't prevent him from ultimately choosing South Carolina.

A process that included hosting former Oklahoma wideout Mario Williams, who committed to USC after visiting Texas last month, ended with the Longhorns landing a big-time wide receiver in Neyor, who caught 44 passes for 878 yards and 12 touchdowns en route to All-Mountain West Conference honors last season. A vertical threat whose average depth of target (17.7 yards) and average yards per route run (2.87) according to Pro Football Focus would’ve led the Big 12 in 2021, Neyor is an ideal complementary player to Xavier Worthy, whose versatility goes well beyond blowing the top off of a defense.

Nevertheless, Jordan Whittington has yet to make it through a full collegiate season without suffering a significant injury (a clavicle injury cost him four games last season), although he’s been incredibly productive when healthy (49 receptions for 600 yards and three touchdowns in 14 career games). Sarkisian thinks there’s another big step for Marcus Washington (18 receptions for 277 yards and two touchdowns as a junior) to make, but the rest of the group is made up of Kelvontay Dixon (12 career receptions for 176 yards and a touchdown), two players on the mend following major knee surgeries in 2021 (Troy Omeire and Jaden Alexis) and complete unknowns in Casey Cain and Dajon Harrison.

And then there’s the need for help on the edge defensively after Sarkisian stated before the end of the season that one of his major offseason priorities was to, either through scheme or personnel, improve Texas’ ability to affect the quarterback. The Longhorns averaged 1.67 sacks per game, the program’s lowest total since 1997 (1.36) with the 2.5 sacks Ben Davis recorded standing as the lowest single-season total for a Texas leader in sacks since the school started recording them in 1975 (the previous low was four, a total most recently recorded by Malik Jefferson in 2017).

Whether it’s an edge rusher (Texas has been linked to TCU transfer Ochaun Mathis a move that would make a lot of sense for all parties involved since there's a need in the program for a player of his caliber, he's from nearby Manor and his former head coach, Gary Patterson, is on Sarkisian's staff as special assistant to the head coach) or a player at any of the three positions Sarkisian mentioned, the head coach made it clear the Longhorns are, from here on out, only looking for 2022 scholarship players who can help them win games.

“There are spots there that we could fill if the right person presents himself,” Sarkisian said. “But I'm not just going to take a guy to fill the number, I want to make sure that player can come in here and, potentially, have the ability to contribute to the team where we want to go.”

 

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Post-nsd2 roster projection:

QB (4): Ewers/Card (Wright, Murphy)

RB (5): Bijan/Roschon/Keilan (Brooks, Blue)

WR (10): Worthy, Whittington, Neyor/Dixon, Washington, Thompson, Omeire (Cain, Alexis, Red)

TE (4): Billingsley/Sanders (Helm, Davis)

OL (16): Banks, Angilau, Majors, Jones, Karic/Neto, Campbell, Hutson, Conner (Agbo, Parr, Garth, Williams, Hookfin, Merril, Robertson)

DL (19): Mathis*, Collins, Coburn, Ojomo/Murphy, Oghoufu, Broughton, Bush, Tapp, Sweat, Sorrell, Harris, Ross (Thomas, Finkley, Bryant, Bledsoe, Burke, Swanson)

LB (9): Overshown, Ford, TBD*, Brockermeyer/Richardson, Gbenda, Blackwell (Brown, Johnson)

DB (15): Jamison, Cook, Thompson, Watts, TBD*/Barron, Crawford, Allen, Brooks, Gilbeau, Coffey (Johnson, Gooden, Jordan, Brice)

ST (3): Pearson, Stone, St. Louis

Guesses at attrition: Harrison, Liebrock, Dorbah, Warren, Welch, Abiara, Hullaby, Ibraheem

 

Lot of talent there.  Big coaching challenges in getting newcomers ready to play at a high level early at every position group except RB.  The LB they add needs to be good as that’s currently the least talented unit on the roster.

Edited by Snake Diggity
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11 minutes ago, Snake Diggity said:

Post-nsd2 roster projection:

QB (4): Ewers/Card (Wright, Murphy)

RB (5): Bijan/Roschon/Keilan (Brooks, Blue)

WR (10): Worthy, Whittington, Neyor/Dixon, Washington, Thompson, Omeire (Cain, Alexis, Red)

TE (4): Billingsley/Sanders (Helm, Davis)

OL (16): Banks, Angilau, Majors, Jones, Karic/Neto, Campbell, Hutson, Conner (Agbo, Parr, Garth, Williams, Hookfin, Merril, Robertson)

DL (19): Mathis*, Collins, Coburn, Ojomo/Murphy, Oghoufu, Broughton, Bush, Tapp, Sweat, Sorrell, Harris, Ross (Thomas, Finkley, Bryant, Bledsoe, Burke, Swanson)

LB (9): Overshown, Ford, TBD*, Brockermeyer/Richardson, Gbenda, Blackwell (Brown, Johnson)

DB (15): Jamison, Cook, Thompson, Watts, TBD*/Barron, Crawford, Allen, Brooks, Gilbeau, Coffey (Johnson, Gooden, Jordan, Brice)

ST (3): Pearson, Stone, St. Louis

Guesses at attrition: Harrison, Liebrock, Dorbah, Warren, Welch, Abiara, Hullaby, Ibraheem

 

Lot of talent there.  Big coaching challenges in getting newcomers ready to play at a high level early at every position group except RB.  The LB they add needs to be good as that’s currently the least talented unit on the roster.

I’ve said this before, I’m no longer relying on Whittington or Omeire. If they play, that’s great! But those dudes are made of glass and I expect them to be injured a few times next season. Neyor would be my WR2 after X. 

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Post-nsd2 roster projection:
QB (4): Ewers/Card (Wright, Murphy)
RB (5): Bijan/Roschon/Keilan (Brooks, Blue)
WR (10): Worthy, Whittington, Neyor/Dixon, Washington, Thompson, Omeire (Cain, Alexis, Red)
TE (4): Billingsley/Sanders (Helm, Davis)
OL (16): Banks, Angilau, Majors, Jones, Karic/Neto, Campbell, Hutson, Conner (Agbo, Parr, Garth, Williams, Hookfin, Merril, Robertson)
DL (19): Mathis*, Collins, Coburn, Ojomo/Murphy, Oghoufu, Broughton, Bush, Tapp, Sweat, Sorrell, Harris, Ross (Thomas, Finkley, Bryant, Bledsoe, Burke, Swanson)
LB (9): Overshown, Ford, TBD*, Brockermeyer/Richardson, Gbenda, Blackwell (Brown, Johnson)
DB (15): Jamison, Cook, Thompson, Watts, TBD*/Barron, Crawford, Allen, Brooks, Gilbeau, Coffey (Johnson, Gooden, Jordan, Brice)
ST (3): Pearson, Stone, St. Louis
Guesses at attrition: Harrison, Liebrock, Dorbah, Warren, Welch, Abiara, Hullaby, Ibraheem
 
Lot of talent there.  Big coaching challenges in getting newcomers ready to play at a high level early at every position group except RB.  The LB they add needs to be good as that’s currently the least talented unit on the roster.

Staff really seemed to like Abiara. I wouldn’t think he’s a transfer candidate.

I also expect Justice Finkley to play. He’s strong as hell for a freshman, has the benefit of being a EE, and brings a sorely needed physical presence to the defensive front.
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  • 2 weeks later...
5 minutes ago, Longboard Horn said:

LOL at Card being the backup. QB room will be Ewers, Card, Wright, Murphy

FIFY

Murphy is hurt and has a very long way to go. Wright might actually compete for the backup job, but Card has played well in spurts in real game time. Ewers will likely start unless Card gets some hair on his chest and really comes on in the fall. Murphy will possibly compete with Card/2023 QB/transfer whenever Ewers leaves

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7 minutes ago, Atticus said:

FIFY

Murphy is hurt and has a very long way to go. Wright might actually compete for the backup job, but Card has played well in spurts in real game time. Ewers will likely start unless Card gets some hair on his chest and really comes on in the fall. Murphy will possibly compete with Card/2023 QB/transfer whenever Ewers leaves

You're right, my mistake. Murphy will lead the team in 2024 most likely. Card needs to get some nuts about him and stop hesitating so much. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

2022 Roster has been updated for Spring...

https://texassports.com/sports/football/roster

 

Always interesting to see which players end up with the coveted single digit numbers...

LB 6'4" 221 LBS 4L
0       DEMARVION OVERSHOWN
SR. ANTHROPOLOGY ARP, TEXAS ARP

Hide/Show Additional Information For DeMarvion Overshown

TE 6'4" 248 LBS 1L
SO. PHYSICAL CULTURE AND SPORTS DENTON, TEXAS RYAN
 

Hide/Show Additional Information For Ja'Tavion Sander

QB 6'2" 194 LBS 1L
1   HUDSON CARD
SO. BUSINESS: MANAGEMENT AUSTIN, TEXAS LAKE TRAVIS

Hide/Show Additional Information For Hudson Card

 
EDGE 6'2" 260 LBS FR
1    JUSTICE FINKLEY
FR. UNDECLARED TRUSSVILLE, ALA. HEWITT-TRUSSVILLE

Hide/Show Additional Information For Justice Finkley

RB 6'2" 218 LBS 3L
SR. BUSINESS: MANAGEMENT PORT NECHES, TEXAS PORT NECHES-GROVES

Hide/Show Additional Information For Roschon Johnson

QB 6'2" TR
3    QUINN EWERS
R-FR. UNDECLARED SOUTHLAKE, TEXAS CARROLL OHIO STATE

Hide/Show Additional Information For Quinn Ewer

DB 6'0" 210 LBS FR
FR. UNDECLARED SOUTH CENTRAL LOS ANGELES, CALIF. BISHOP ALEMANY

Hide/Show Additional Information For Larry Turner-Gooden

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We will finally be in an okay position numbers wise at WR and OL once the summer hits (8-9 is probably about right for WR and we only have Thompson coming in the summer. I bet we could lose someone to the portal after the spring too). Far cry from Herman carrying 16 receivers or whatever. OL will be at 17 with only Angilau and Jones gone after this year so the the roster construction should be looking fairly good this year and heading into 2023.

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3 hours ago, Hookem2147 said:

We will finally be in an okay position numbers wise at WR and OL once the summer hits (8-9 is probably about right for WR and we only have Thompson coming in the summer. I bet we could lose someone to the portal after the spring too). Far cry from Herman carrying 16 receivers or whatever. OL will be at 17 with only Angilau and Jones gone after this year so the the roster construction should be looking fairly good this year and heading into 2023.

This assumes we keep everyone, but yes... The rebuild is progressing in what seems to be the right direction.

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4 hours ago, Snake Diggity said:

Only position changes I saw were Goram-Welch to OL and Morice Blackwell to DB.  Scholarship breakdown by position on Spring roster:

DL 9

EDGE 7

LB 7 (includes Bush and Brockermeyer)

DB 14 

P 1

QB 4

RB 5

TE 5

WR 9

OL 11

I think Cook and Kitan are getting reps at Safety...

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14 hours ago, futureman said:

when the fuck did that happen? kid can’t put on weight?

Some, but the kid is clearly a safety. Hopefully he’s fast enough.

83173D10-D2AF-411F-A17B-B5595E097F5D.thumb.jpeg.91373212df0ac05a6e5f142c631121b0.jpeg

 

Edited by Nope
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1 minute ago, futureman said:

more like clearly a tweener who needs to gain weight and stay at LB. 

Possibly but I’d want to see what numbers Becton has on his speed compared to the other safeties

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1 hour ago, Nope said:

Possibly but I’d want to see what numbers Becton has on his speed compared to the other safeties

it is a very ugly sign. I am typically a fan of spinning kids down. I dont recall a spin-up ever working. 

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1 hour ago, Codaxx said:

it is a very ugly sign. I am typically a fan of spinning kids down. I dont recall a spin-up ever working. 

It's not an ugly sign at all. Blackwell was recruited as an OLB. He plays the STAR position and looked pretty good doing it in limited reps last year. Let's see where his body takes him, but the STAR is very similar to a OLB.

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7 minutes ago, Atticus said:

It's not an ugly sign at all. Blackwell was recruited as an OLB. He plays the STAR position and looked pretty good doing it in limited reps last year. Let's see where his body takes him, but the STAR is very similar to a OLB.

I havent seen a report saying Star/Nickel, only Safety. Quite honestly I would feel more comfortable with him at SS, than Nickel. We shall see, but there isnt enough Kool Aid around to make me think this is a positive sign. It could work out, but I dont like the odds. 

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7 minutes ago, Codaxx said:

I havent seen a report saying Star/Nickel, only Safety. Quite honestly I would feel more comfortable with him at SS, than Nickel. We shall see, but there isnt enough Kool Aid around to make me think this is a positive sign. It could work out, but I dont like the odds. 

He mostly played Star last year. Flashed a bit on ST, and had some reps at inside backer as well. I haven't seen any reports of him at safety, but Cook was moved there after playing last year at Star. Pretty sure they are just putting him there for now until his body allows him to play inside. Dude's pretty athletic.

Edited by Atticus
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9 minutes ago, Atticus said:

He mostly played Star last year. Flashed a bit on ST, and had some reps at inside backer as well. I haven't seen any reports of him at safety, but Cook was moved there after playing last year at Star. Pretty sure they are just putting him there for now until his body allows him to play inside. Dude's pretty athletic.

I dont think it will work long term. I dont think he can hold up in coverage, we shall see. There is a difference between a very athletic ILB and very athletic Nickel. He cut wieght this off season. I dont think this is move to wait out it out until he can put on the weight. It is very early for this move, so maybe the coaches saw something. I just have my doubts. 

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  • 3 weeks later...
21 minutes ago, Burt Macklin said:

I’m not sure if it’s been confirmed, but that’s what most expect. It would be strange if he wasn’t IMO. 

Honestly it wouldn't surprise me if he wasn't. They seem to really want to preserve the high school/college experience for Arch, that means going to prom etc. They may even prefer a redshirt year so he can acclimate, and if that is the case, then coming in over the summer would almost assure that. 

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 4/1/2022 at 11:15 AM, Vertigo said:

Honestly it wouldn't surprise me if he wasn't. They seem to really want to preserve the high school/college experience for Arch, that means going to prom etc. They may even prefer a redshirt year so he can acclimate, and if that is the case, then coming in over the summer would almost assure that. 

I might be wrong, but isn't that Arch to the right? Unless that's a doppelganger?

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