27 days until Texas Football: Ryan Sanborn takes over at punter
Inside Texas is putting a new twist on long-time photographer Will Gallagher’s time-honored countdown to Texas football kickoff. In addition to Will’s great pictures, the Inside Texas staff will go through every player on the roster by jersey number and offer a season outlook on each, from five-star to walk-on.
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We’ll also look back at other greats to wear that day’s number, with special reverence to some of Texas’ best.
Today is 27 days until kickoff. No. 27 for the Longhorns this season will be worn by Ryan Sanborn, a graduate transfer punter, and Colin Page, a sophomore walk-on running back.
Ryan Sanborn season outlook
With Daniel Trejo out of eligibility and Isaac Pearson in the transfer portal, Texas looked to the grad transfer ranks to replenish the punter position. They found Sanborn, a multi-year starter for the Cardinal, who should provide a quality player at the position.
Sanborn doesn’t have a huge leg that would harken back to Michael Dickson, but he does have a level of accuracy and ability missing from the program since Cameron Dicker left campus. A Ray Guy watch list member, Sanborn should have a successful season in Austin continuing what he started in Palo Alto.
Sanborn was who was a two-time captain for Stanford before transferring to Texas this spring. He was a two-time All-Pac-12 honorable mention selection as a punter in 2020 and 2022 and played in 42 career games in four seasons at Stanford, punting 192 times for 7,980 yards (41.6 ypp) with a long 68 yards, 37 of 50-plus yards, and 64 downed inside the 20.
Sanborn also made 8-of-10 field goals with a long of 48 yards and kicked off 30 times for 1,889 yards with 17 touchbacks. He was honorable mention All-Pac-12 and a Ray Guy Award watch list member in 2022.
Ryan Sanborn as a recruit
Sanborn was ranked as the No. 1509 overall prospect, the No. 2 punter, and the No. 144 prospect in California in the 2019 On3 Industry Ranking.
Colin Page season outlook
Page is a valuable scout-teamer who, along with Ky Woods, could see playing time in major blowouts.
Page did not see any game action during the 2022 season. He was a member of the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll (fall 2022).
Notable player to wear No. 27: Michael Griffin
Griffin was an integral member of the Texas national championship team in 2005 and an All-American in 2006. He appeared in 50 career games with 28 starts and posted 364 tackles, 15 tackles for a loss, four sacks, eight interceptions, 23 passes broken up, nine forced fumbles, seven fumble recoveries and a Texas-record eight blocked punts.
Griffin was the 19th overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft by Tennessee and played nine seasons for the Titans. He was twice named to the Pro Bowl and played in 141 career games for the team, including 103 consecutive games between 2007 and 2013.
Griffin is a member of the Texas Hall of Honor.
All-Americans to wear No. 27
Johnnie Johnson, DB, 1978 and 1979
Michael Griffin, DB, 2006
Joe Cook co-authored this article.
