Mixing and matching key returnees and portal additions
A team’s X’s and O’s will change every year as the roster evolves. Even the most schematically rigid teams will tend to change year over year in order to emphasize particular players across the roster. Texas will be making a few changes from 2022 to 2023, but many of the key pieces to their roster are actually returning.
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Obviously players like Bijan Robinson and DeMarvion Overshown are pretty significant, impactful players who garnered some unique deployments to make the most of their skill sets. The Longhorns return a number of big time 2022 players though, likely including several All-Big 12 performers.
As they navigate NFL and portal departures and take aim on portal entrees, the core returning players will be the guide to what sorts of talents they need to add.
Ja’Tavion Sanders
You know why Jahleel Billingsley never got rolling at Texas and why the Longhorns aren’t really sorry to see him go? You probably do, the answer is Ja’Tavion Sanders.
When the offense is in 12 personnel, you want one of the tight ends to be a good blocker and the other can be more of a receiving threat. When Texas wanted to throw the ball to a top receiving threat at tight end it was JT Sanders who was getting the call. When they wanted a 12 personnel mash unit which could bowl over defensive fronts, they’d make Andrej Karic the second tight end with Sanders. If they wanted to maintain a little receiving flexibility but still have more blocking oomph, they’d send in Gunnar Helm with Sanders. Billingsley’s obvious utility for the offense as the primary receiving tight end was eliminated by Sanders.
The 2023 season will basically be a contract year for Sanders, who’s a unique talent with both legitimate blocking skills and draft-worthy receiving ability. He’ll be the fixture again next season and should catch at least 60-70 balls as a primary option. They have a good partner for him in 12 personnel in Helm, who can stay in the box to handle blocking so Sanders can move around. Using 13 personnel may also be a new feature. Jordan Whittington was better than a 3rd tight end because he could keep defenses in nickel or base packages but then maul their defensive backs as a blocker. Now he’s gone, Texas could mix in 13 personnel and basically move Sanders into the Whitt position.
They also need to build out their 11 personnel spread sets, which will require Texas finds a reliable slot/possession receiver to occupy nickels and help Sander hunt linebackers. Texas should be more dropback passing heavy with Sanders returning and aiming to tool their offense with that goal in mind.
Jaylan Ford
For the vast majority of college programs, fielding big time defensive tackles who can hold the point of attack in the run game is one of the most difficult challenges. Fielding enough big bodies to hold up inside and still offer a pass-rush on 1st and 10 is a dream.
At Texas, it’s pretty ho hum. They had five or six defensive tackles who would have played for anyone else in the conference in their rotation and may return as many as four of them while developing some fresh talent behind them. What Texas hasn’t had is savvy linebacker play. Finding 220+ pound athletes with the quickness to play in space, strength and toughness to play in the box, and the brains and recognition to process it all enough for either of the former two attributes to matter has been a nightmare.
Well they finally developed one in Jaylan Ford to play behind their defensive line and were rewarded with 109 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, two sacks, four interceptions, two pass break-ups, three forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries.
In the past when Texas has managed to field an inside backer who really knew what he was doing, they often had to start over the following year and it could be really ugly. The 2012, 2015, and 2019 defenses come to mind.
Well Ford is back and Texas will consequently enjoy championship level of experience and leadership at a position where athleticism can’t replace knowhow. Replacing DeMarvion Overshown next to him can be a lot simpler because of Ford’s skill.
Here’s a list of things Ford can do which his new partner at Will linebacker won’t necessarily have to worry about:
- Communicate the calls up front and help set the defense.
- Cover the wider space/most dangerous linebacker coverage assignment.
- Read flow and play clean up when they blitz five.
Should make it easier for Texas to find a replacement for DMO from the returning back-ups, incoming freshmen, or transfer portal. They can aim for impact with Will because the fit next to Ford is simple.
Quinn Ewers
It’s going to be hard for Texas to maximize in 2023 without maximizing the potential of Quinn Ewers. Adding a grad transfer quarterback like Paul Tyson…
…who was with Sark for two years at Alabama would be a good idea. Ewers needs to be challenged and pushed over the offseason and Texas needs insurance at the position in case Ewers doesn’t grow adequately or is injured. They cannot waste another year of competitiveness while trying to get quarterback right and a true freshman (Arch Manning) or a raw redshirt freshman they were rebuilding in 2022 (Maalik Murphy) are not good enough answers.
Ultimately Ewers will dictate much of what Texas will be aiming to do next season. What are his established strengths? His comfort zone? How can they build the offense and promote talents around him to make the most of what he does best?
His partnership with JT Sanders will inevitably be a big focus and the run game should continue to be a useful adjunct. They really need a receiver on the outside who can develop great chemistry with Ewers (perhaps the return of Isaiah Neyor will resolve this) so they can finally bank some big returns on Ewers’ arm talent throwing outside the hash marks. This will probably be the most important development of the offseason and the difference between another winning team and a Big 12 Champion/playoff contender. Whether or not Texas has an outside receiver who can pair with Quinn Ewers to overpower opponents on the perimeter for over 1,000 receiving yards.
The answers may already be on campus but I doubt Texas enters the portal season assuming as much.
