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Posted
7 hours ago, Reynolds Woodcock said:

Ewers, Mitchell, Mukuba, Golden, all incredibly important to our success in 23 and 24. Plenty of other starter-level role players as well. 

Y’all are just naming transfers at this point.  Ewers was going to start no matter what and he didn’t exactly hit the ground running.  Five years of great recruiting classes but we are going to have to raid the portal for multiple starters in key positions Arch’s final year.  
 

I didn’t say transfers can’t be successful here.  I said they take time to get up to speed and that we can’t have growing pains like we did at the beginning of this year or we’ll find ourselves missing the playoffs again.  

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Posted
1 hour ago, GTJ1982 said:

Y’all are just naming transfers at this point.  Ewers was going to start no matter what and he didn’t exactly hit the ground running.  Five years of great recruiting classes but we are going to have to raid the portal for multiple starters in key positions Arch’s final year.  
 

I didn’t say transfers can’t be successful here.  I said they take time to get up to speed and that we can’t have growing pains like we did at the beginning of this year or we’ll find ourselves missing the playoffs again.  

Lets Go Win GIF by NFL On Prime Video

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Posted
2 hours ago, Viper said:

that tracks

 

I don't think that is on Murray. He appears to be doing his job. Yeah, he could have read it better, but 95 is out of control and over penetrates and 3 other players overplay the motion man. Those things don't happen, and the play likely ends up exactly where Murray was. 

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Posted
2 hours ago, FloridaHorn said:

Great....."With the 16th pick in the NFL draft, the Dallas Cowboys select Sgt. Hulk."

🤣🤣🤣🤣. My speed and coverage is about that of the current secondary.  So lateral move 

Posted (edited)
4 hours ago, GTJ1982 said:

Y’all are just naming transfers at this point.  Ewers was going to start no matter what and he didn’t exactly hit the ground running.  Five years of great recruiting classes but we are going to have to raid the portal for multiple starters in key positions Arch’s final year.  
 

I didn’t say transfers can’t be successful here.  I said they take time to get up to speed and that we can’t have growing pains like we did at the beginning of this year or we’ll find ourselves missing the playoffs again.  

Ewers was going to start no matter what because we were a tire fire at the quarterback position and he was brought in specifically to address that need.  

We successfully filled select critical roles with transfers in 23 and 24. We failed to do that in 25. We’ll need to do better in 2026. That isn’t an indictment of our program, it’s just describing what it takes to be a national championship contender in modern college football. 

Edited by Reynolds Woodcock
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Posted

So taking out the opt outs and everyone that has declared for the portal so far + adding the 2026 signing class, this is what I have for 2026:

QB (3): Manning, Lacey, Bell

RB (7): Wisner, Clark, Simon, Terry, Niblett, Cooper, Walker

WR (9): Wingo, Mosley, Livingstone, McCutcheon, Ffrench, Lockett, Stewart, Brown, Bishop

TE (5): Townsend, Washington, Shannon, Winston, Jilek

OL (15): Goosby, Baker, Chatman, Robertson, Brooks, Neto?, Kibble, Cojoe, Cruz, Christian, Coleman x2, Turntine, Robertson, Scherer

Edge (8): Simmons, Jackson, Spence, Vasek, Zina, Orogbo, Wesley, Carlton

DT (8): January, Kanu, L. Johnson, Watson, Charles, Sharma, Terry, Johnson

LB (5): Smith, Barnes, Atkinson, Cummings, Okpala

DB (15): Phillips, Black, Roberson, Littleton, McDonald, JJR, Chester, Filsaime, Williams, Hicks, Cunningham, Davis, Riley, Howard, Matthews

Specialists (3): O'Neal, Collett, Bukauskas

 

Only 78 scholarships used + 16 walk-ons with eligibility remaining after this year.

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Posted

Ian Boyd: Linebacker crisis looming? How the transfer portal can rescue Texas' 2026 defense

Quote

In the world of college football, there are positions that define a team’s floor and positions that define a team’s ceiling. A team’s ceiling comes from the skill positions or “space force” spots on the edges of the trenches and outside. Those positions maximize with elite athletes with highly specialized skills for winning 1-on-1 matchups.

On the interior, you get the more traditional football players who set the floor for a program. These positions require strength, toughness, and an overall understanding of the team’s scheme and strategy. Without those traits, athleticism doesn’t matter and is washed away in the sweat and blood of the trenches. Beyond doing their own jobs, interior positions like the Mike linebacker or free safety also tend to use their understanding of the bigger picture to help direct everyone else on the defense.

A defense can then more easily get away with playing skilled athletes who may not have a good sense of the big picture. The prospective 2026 Texas Longhorn defense is down bad in terms of fielding signal-callers that will allow it to control the middle of the field and direct the action. Particularly after the loss of returning linebacker Liona Lefau to the transfer portal.

The linebacker room in 2026

The 2025 Texas inside linebacker room was one of the more talented units we’ve seen in Austin in some time. Anthony Hill and Lefau tied for the unit lead at 69 tackles apiece, TyAnthony Smith added another 51, Trey Moore had 35 mixing it up inside as one of his positions, and Elijah “Bo” Barnes had one stop. That was basically the whole room, save for walk-ons Brady Sarkisian and special teams star Marshall Landwehr.

With Lefau’s transfer and Moore and Hill off to the NFL, Texas will enter 2026 with two scholarship players at inside linebacker returning to the roster in Smith and Barnes. There’s also Brad Spence, who’s more of an Edge/Sam and doesn’t really play as a true inside linebacker. The Longhorns will add freshmen Tyler Atkinson and Rocky Cummings to the mix. For a position where experience at reading offensive actions and understanding the greater scheme is essential, returning a back-up junior and a redshirt freshman is a terrible start.

The freshmen are a 200-pound freak athlete who needs time to add weight and master the position and a kid who played Edge and tight end this year in high school. Generally those descriptions don’t match a reliable freshman starting linebacker. Smith is the closest thing on the whole roster to a dependable, veteran linebacker and even he was only a back-up in 2025 and one that was very much figuring things out on the job.

The transfer portal

The good news for Texas is that while you don’t necessarily want to be in a position where you unexpectedly have to go find players in the transfer portal to comprise the core of your team or your on-field defensive leaders…it’s actually very feasible. As I wrote the other week, there are particular positions where it’s hard to develop players without simply playing them in games. Quarterback really stands out in that regard but it’s also true of linebacker and safety.

Linebackers have to learn how to read the blocking patterns of the O-line and tight end in front of them, read the route patterns of the receivers outside of them, and track it all while changing the leverage they need to have for either from down to down based on the play-call by their defensive coordinator. It’s hard to do all that without training the brain to see the patterns almost instantly, which happens through extensive repetition. The player who develops that pattern recognition at the G5 level by with game reps over his underclassmen or upperclassmen seasons is often miles better than the more physically gifted underclassman who hasn’t yet played much college football. Mental processing speed comes before literal play speed.

We’ve seen that pattern play out time and again at Texas, with the defense booming or busting based on the experience level of the linebacker corps. The Longhorns now have little choice but to add two or even three inside linebackers in the portal. It’ll probably take that many to ensure a chance at fielding a two-deep of players that understand how to deny access to the middle of the field to opposing teams. Fortunately the G5 and other programs lower on the totem pole than Texas have been working very hard to develop such players for themselves. There should be more than enough available in the transfer portal for the Longhorns to restock the room for 2026.

Just add it to the list of positions to watch in the transfer portal window.

 

Posted
20 minutes ago, kevwun said:

Now Mosley sucks?  This board has caught a raging case of the stupid.

Caught? The front door is unlocked. Raging idiots continuously walk right in and start typing. Unfortunately most stay for forever. That's how we get Helo'd.

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Posted
11 minutes ago, Park Gothic said:

I want to hear your justifications for this comically bad take. 

After watching our offense all year, I was under the assumption that besides the O-line the receiving corps was one of the worst groups on the team. Not just a shot at Mosley I guess. The whole room was disappointing. Seemed to lack any big play ability outside of Wingo with his stone hands. Maybe spoiled after 4 years of worthy, golden, ad, and bond (pre ankle). 

Posted (edited)

Moseley was a nothing sandwich at WR, they could’ve gotten the same production by taking me in the portal. We need actual playmakers at WR, guys that can stretch the defense, create space, and fight for/catch contested (and open) passes. We don’t have that. 

Edited by Helobious
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Posted
15 minutes ago, SarksJuggs said:

After watching our offense all year, I was under the assumption that besides the O-line the receiving corps was one of the worst groups on the team. Not just a shot at Mosley I guess. The whole room was disappointing. Seemed to lack any big play ability outside of Wingo with his stone hands. Maybe spoiled after 4 years of worthy, golden, ad, and bond (pre ankle). 

You should get your eyes checked if you came away with the impression that Mosley was bad. He has been a very bright spot since coming back from injury. 

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Posted
16 minutes ago, SarksJuggs said:

After watching our offense all year, I was under the assumption that besides the O-line the receiving corps was one of the worst groups on the team. Not just a shot at Mosley I guess. The whole room was disappointing. Seemed to lack any big play ability outside of Wingo with his stone hands. Maybe spoiled after 4 years of worthy, golden, ad, and bond (pre ankle). 

 

1 minute ago, Helobious said:

Moseley was a nothing sandwich at WR, they could’ve gotten the same production by taking me in the portal. We need actual playmakers at WR, guys that can stretch the defense, create space, and fight for/catch contested (and open) passes. We don’t have that. 

Sarkjuggs , you’re aligning with @Helobious

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Posted
42 minutes ago, crash_davis said:

Caught? The front door is unlocked. Raging idiots continuously walk right in and start typing. Unfortunately most stay for forever. That's how we get Helo'd.

 

1 minute ago, Helobious said:

Moseley was a nothing sandwich at WR, they could’ve gotten the same production by taking me in the portal. We need actual playmakers at WR, guys that can stretch the defense, create space, and fight for/catch contested (and open) passes. We don’t have that. 

It’s like you summoned him 

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Posted
2 minutes ago, BurntOrange&White said:

Mosely is soo good at sitting in zones and finding open space. he's the best WR we have at that and it's an invaluable trait. 

Yeah, his route running and catch radius are far better than our other receivers. Doesn't say much for our coaching at the position.

Posted
5 minutes ago, UncleSonny said:

 

It’s like you summoned him 

I’ve talked about how Moseley was a waste of money several times before. I’m clearly not the only one that sees it.

Posted

Tuesday

By Bobby Burton

4 hours ago

Amid the six starters on defense who had already opted out of the bowl game, it’s perhaps the seventh that will have the biggest effect.

The loss of linebacker Liona Lefau, at least as it relates to potentially defeating Michigan in the Citrus Bowl, could be tough to overcome.

Lefau is a between-the-tackles run-stopper, and that’s exactly where the Wolverines try to make their hay.

There’s also the lack of depth at linebacker to consider. Beyond Ty’Anthony Smith and Brad Spence, Texas has just freshmen Bo Barnes and Jonathan Cunningham even on scholarship.

**

Yet, over the long haul and into next season, this is likely the right decision for the Longhorns in an NIL era where funds have to be allotted judiciously.

We all know Lefau is a good, solid player.

But is he an all-conference caliber player at the position? That’s unlikely, even though he wanted to be compensated like it.

So Texas will head to the portal (hint: they were already headed that way regardless) to upgrade the LB position.

In other words, this was a business decision for Lefau just as it was for the Horns.

I’m told to expect BYU to be the next stop for Lefau.

**

Wide receiver DeAndre Moore has told Texas that he is headed to the NFL draft.

However, he still has a year of eligibility remaining which he means he could theoretically enter his name in the portal instead despite what he’s told Texas.

Either way, Moore won’t be returning to Texas next season.

For those who had been wondering how the numbers at receiver might shake out, this is exactly how.

Texas now has a spot open for an experienced, high-end receiver via the portal.

**

Do we expect more opt-outs or transfers in the coming days and weeks?

Anything is possible.

Meetings with players about next season remain ongoing.

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Posted
16 minutes ago, Helobious said:

Moseley was a nothing sandwich at WR, they could’ve gotten the same production by taking me in the portal. We need actual playmakers at WR, guys that can stretch the defense, create space, and fight for/catch contested (and open) passes. We don’t have that. 

 

32 minutes ago, SarksJuggs said:

After watching our offense all year, I was under the assumption that besides the O-line the receiving corps was one of the worst groups on the team. Not just a shot at Mosley I guess. The whole room was disappointing. Seemed to lack any big play ability outside of Wingo with his stone hands. Maybe spoiled after 4 years of worthy, golden, ad, and bond (pre ankle). 

I just want to point out that Mosley and Wingo averaged 15.4 and 15.5 YPC.

Concepcion and Craver averaged 15.6 and 15.9

Jeremiah Smith averaged 13.6

Lemon at USC averaged 14.6

Brazell at Tenn averaged 16.4

Bernard at Bama averaged 13.4

Cam Coleman was at 12.6

Zach Branch avg 10.2

The WR room was ok..not great but not horrible. Not national championship winning, for sure. 

If any of you came into this year thinking Mosley (avg 10.9 YPC last year) was some fucking burner at WR, then that's on you for having shitty expectations. 

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Posted
10 minutes ago, MuellerHorn said:

There’s also the lack of depth at linebacker to consider. Beyond Ty’Anthony Smith and Brad Spence, Texas has just freshmen Bo Barnes and Jonathan Cunningham even on scholarship.

I don't see the big deal.  It's a meaningless bowl game aka glorified early spring game.  It's practice for getting guys ready for next year.  Get out there, Bo and Johnny!

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Posted
1 minute ago, Scholz said:

I don't see the big deal.  It's a meaningless bowl game aka glorified early spring game.  It's practice for getting guys ready for next year.  Get out there, Bo and Johnny!

I agree, those guys clearing out basically gives all those young guys the opportunity for legit growth and some experience in a game.

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Posted
44 minutes ago, SarksJuggs said:

After watching our offense all year, I was under the assumption that besides the O-line the receiving corps was one of the worst groups on the team. Not just a shot at Mosley I guess. The whole room was disappointing. Seemed to lack any big play ability outside of Wingo with his stone hands. Maybe spoiled after 4 years of worthy, golden, ad, and bond (pre ankle). 

Alright, I'm not going to pile on. Just keep in mind that Mosely only played in 8 games due to preseason injury and put up solid numbers for a guy who is still learning the offense. He also seemed like the only WR who didn't drop passes against UGA. I'll just say that your take about the WR room as a whole is understandable, but that I vehemently disagree about Mosley specifically. 

29 minutes ago, Helobious said:

Moseley was a nothing sandwich at WR, they could’ve gotten the same production by taking me in the portal. We need actual playmakers at WR, guys that can stretch the defense, create space, and fight for/catch contested (and open) passes. We don’t have that. 

Nature is healing. 

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Posted
5 minutes ago, NoName said:

If he was from the Valley, killed it for a year then and transferred in from Texas State you would have said he's an All American caliber WR in this system and shit on the staff for missing a guy who was this good.

Its astounding, truly, how you can be so incredibly wrong about things, for so many years but speak as if you are absolutely certain you are right. In your brain, I'm sure you believe you are, but you have the single worst takes on anything football related of anyone on this board. Mainly because you truly believe them and aren't trolling.

You need to reevaluate literally everything you have ever watched, read or heard about the sport of football - just throw it all in the trash can and start again from zero. Or better yet for all of us pick any of the other 135 D1 football teams in the entire country and go cheer for them.

17e4fb1c-e0dd-4a5d-abc8-e98a7d84da01_tex

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Posted
Just now, SimkinsMan said:

Some of our fans are fucking idiots. 

True, but this is true of every fanbase and many of them are way, way dumber than ours. Also, you guys don't always have to take the bait en masse. Assume a stupid take will get pummeled into submission and there's no need to add your own thoughts and reading it feels less like an epidemic. 

BTW, all of this talk about the talent in the WR room and not a one of you fuckers has deigned to mention the bastard child of Alan Jackson. You guys are slipping and you should all be ashamed. 

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