Inside Texas Today: How important is a redshirt year?
Welcome to Inside Texas Today! Every weekday, Inside Texas Today will provide the latest from around the Forty Acres. This morning, a look via Moro Ojomo and Junior Angilau at how important a redshirt year is.
Here’s the Friday, April 8, 2022 edition.
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“I feel like a redshirt year is key for you.”
Much has been written about the group of offensive linemen Texas signed in the 2022 class, headlined by Devon Campbell and Kelvin Banks. There is even an belief that one of Campbell, Banks, or any of the other five lineman will become a starter during their first year on campus.
That’s a difficult task. Just ask an offensive lineman.
“I feel like a redshirt is key for you,” Angilau said Thursday. “Moving from high school to college, there is a lot stronger people. A lot better competition. If you get that redshirt year in, you’re really focusing on banging out the weights. Really focusing on that, then you can focus on football too, get your technique down, and try to slow the game down for you so it’s not too fast.
“I loved it, my freshman year, my redshirt year. I thought I was going to start. I thought I’m going to start, then I remember coach (Herb) Hand said a freshman will start. That obviously was Sam Cosmi. Redshirt freshman, I didn’t think of that. He beat me out. I gave it my all, and I loved it. If you can redshirt, I highly recommend it.”
That isn’t to say every lineman needs to redshirt. Derek Kerstetter became a starter during his true freshman year in 2017 and became a mainstay on the Texas offensive line for the next four seasons.
Plus, due to sheer numbers, one of the 2022 signees should have the ability to make the field, right?
“I think that the guys in the summer have to come in with a mindset ready to play, which is really hard for freshmen,” Ojomo said Thursday. “But you know, I keep thinking to myself ‘we’ve got six of them coming in. One of them has got to be a really great player.’ That’s just the odds. I think that those guys can come in and play. They legitimately have a chance to come in and play and really, really contribute.”
Even with the opportunity, Ojomo knows it still is quite a task. Enrolling early helps, which is why Ojomo praised Cole Hutson for his work so far.
But for the other six?
“I’m a little nervous about O-line coming in, but like I said, probabilities,” Ojomo said. “Statistics. One of them has got to be an outlier and come in ready to play.”
Texas viewing for 4/8
No. 4 women’s tennis – No. 25 Kansas – Austin, Texas – Texas Tennis Center – 3 p.m. – Longhorn Network
No. 7 baseball – No. 23 TCU – Austin, Texas – UFCU Disch-Falk Field – 6:30 p.m. – Longhorn Network
