Evidence of the 2023 team's talent? A lot of Texas football players are national award candidates
It’s hard to argue that there was a better running back in the country than Bijan Robinson in 2022. The people who present the Doak Walker Award award agreed, bestowing the title of the nation’s top running back upon Robinson.
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That was the only award any Longhorn took home in 2022, something that tracks for a team with a final 8-5 record. This season? The Longhorns are 8-1 with three regular season games left, and a number of current players are up for national honors. The number of players on Steve Sarkisian‘s team striving for hardware serves as a testament to the improvement and development of talent in his program between the 2022 and 2023 campaigns.
Here’s a look at some good Texas candidates for national honors.
Butkus Award
Presented to: The nation’s best collegiate linebacker
Nagurski Trophy
Presented to: The nation’s most outstanding defensive player
Bednarik Award
Presented to: The college defensive player of the year
Jaylan Ford was named a semifinalist for the Butkus on Monday. He even revealed this week he keeps a trading card of the Bears’ legend in his wallet. Texas’ last Butkus Award winner was Derrick Johnson in 2004. If the Butkus is on the table for Ford, the Nagurski and the Bednarik certainly are as well.
Doak Walker Award
Presented to: The nation’s top running back
Could Texas go back-to-back? Jonathon Brooks is already over 1000 yards and picked up right where Robinson left off. There are a few weeks left before SMU, who gives the award, names semifinalists. With a few more good games, Brooks is sure to be on that list. Texas has taken home the Doak Walker Award on five occasions.
John Mackey Award
Presented to: The nation’s top tight end
Ja’Tavion Sanders was named a semifinalist for the Mackey on Wednesday, his second consecutive year with that distinction. Sanders is racing up the UT record books, and the injury to Georgia’s Brock Bowers has opened the door for someone else (potentially Sanders?) to take home the program’s first Mackey.
Burlsworth Trophy
Presented to: The most outstanding player who began his career as a walk-on
Texas safety Michael Taaffe was known to fans during the offseason for his efforts in the recruitment of Arch Manning. This year, he’s become a fixture on the field, having recorded an interception in the Longhorns’ last three games. Taaffe was placed on scholarship in December of 2022.
Jim Thorpe Award
Presented to: The nation’s top defensive back
Texas prides itself as being DBU, and Jahdae Barron‘s play has been up to that standard. Barron’s play at Star earned him semifinalist billing from the Thorpe Award. Barron hopes to join Michael Huff and Aaron Ross as Longhorns to be named the best defensive back.
Ray Guy Award
Presented to: College football’s most outstanding punter
Ryan Sanborn won’t be mistaken for the most valuable addition from the transfer portal for the 2023 Longhorns — that’s Adonai Mitchell. But Sanborn has been a game-changer for Texas. The Stanford transfer has 24 punts and is averaging 47.5 per punt. Only two have venture into the end zone compared to nine that have been downed inside the 20. Eleven have gone for over 50 yards. He’s been a silent superstar for Texas. Michael Dickson is the program’s lone Ray Guy Award winner.
Outland Trophy
Presented to: The best interior lineman in college football
Texas has two realistic candidates on the defensive side of the ball for the Outland in T’Vondre Sweat and Byron Murphy. The top two defensive tackles in the country according to Pro Football Focus, Texas’ dynamic duo look to join Brad Shearer, Tommy Nobis, and Scott Appleton as Outland winners.
Paul Hornung Award
Presented to: The most versatile player in college football
One name comes to mind for the Hornung, and it’s Xavier Worthy. Not only has the junior receiver been an every-game factor on offense, but also on special teams. He has four touchdown receptions this year plus a punt returned for a touchdown. He averages 18.7 yards per return, good for fifth in the country and second among Power 5 players.
Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year
Presented to: The outstanding freshman player in college football
Malik Muhammad, Cedric Baxter, Johntay Cook and Anthony Hill were named to the watchlist in August, but at this juncture Baxter and Hill seem like the best options. Hill has earned starts at the Dime linebacker position, while Baxter is seeing more and more carries each week in tandem with Brooks.
Notable absence
The Lombardi Award, given annually to the most outstanding college football lineman, did not name either Sweat or Murphy as a semifinalist.
