On Texas Football: Alfred Collins, the DBs, Savion Red, and a comparison to 2004
On the latest episode of On Texas Football, Inside Texas’ Bobby Burton and Paul Wadlington discuss some of the most recent happenings with the Longhorns’ football team during Spring drills and some other interesting topics.
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One of the players who’s shown out in the Spring drills is defensive linemen Alfred Collins and Wadlington outlined his timeline to success.
“This offseason, Collins’ role has clarified,” Wadlington explained. “If you look at him and look at his body, he understands where he’s playing now, and he’s every bit of 310 pounds and looks like a brick outhouse, I guess is the nice way I can say. He looks awesome and he’s kept his athleticism. He’s gotten a lot stronger.
“And I think that also coincided with a little bit of a philosophical shift in that strength and conditioning program in Texas. They had a realization that, hey, we need to get these guys strong and not just have them lift to 250 real fast. And so Alfred is caught up in strength. He knows what he’s doing his technique and I think he’s prime for a really big senior season.”
Burton expects Collins to play more of a three-technique, which is more than a clogger of the middle of the line that will work more up the field to cause havoc in the offensive backfield. That creates some versatility in the defensive front.
“I think Texas is gonna have a rotation inside,” Wadlington said. “It’s a very deep group. It’s a talented group. Byron Murphy is gonna be out there 30-40 snaps game somewhere. And T’Vondre Sweat is the guy who’s going to be more effective at around 40-45 snaps where he can really let it go.”
Wadlington also said the Texas defensive backs have also been impressive. He said the second team secondary players are better than the starters from the 2021 team.
“If you are going to play – knock on wood – 15 games in 2023, you need more than your starters at defensive back,” Wadlington said. “You’re gonna have guys get hobbled, you’re going to play some crazy pass happy teams there. You’re going to want to think about exploring a dime.
“I think we’re seeing a confluence between talent, depth and experience. It’s not just the improvement of each individual player. It’s the whole group playing together.”
Burton added that some of the secondary players, namely Kitan Crawford, are in their “contract” year, and are ready to make the most of their opportunities.
The duo changed gears and talked about the offense, namely wide receiver-turned-running back Savion Red and quarterback Quinn Ewers and how both have excelled in drills.
Burton made it clear that the Longhorns have – across the board – upped the ante and have become better in every position in the two-plus seasons since Steve Sarkisian took the reins.
Wadlington compared this year’s team to the 2004 team that set the table for the Texas’ run to the championship the following season.
That’s a bold statement, but watch the video in its entirety to hear Wadlington’s reasoning for that comparison.
