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Let’s start off this week’s War Room with some talk of the football team and a projected look at Monday’s soon-to-be-released depth chart. In this position-by-position breakdown of the team we’ll look at how each player has done in camp this month and project their role for the upcoming season – at least through the first month of the season.
Quarterback
Vince Young – It’s interesting that Young has had somewhat of a quiet camp this month given the amount of pre-season hype that he’s received, but that shouldn’t reflect negatively on his play this month. Every single person I have spoken with this week has gushed about the improvement that Young has made, and even with somewhat guarded optimism, the general consensus is that his passing numbers are going to be much better than last season’s. The biggest point of emphasis from the staff has been to improve his touchdown-to-interception ratio, and one of the things that Young has done a great job of in camp is limiting his mistakes (Re: turnovers).
Matt Nordgren – The jury is still out on Nordgren and probably will be until he earns some stripes on the field, but the staff and the team seem to have a lot of confidence in the fifth-year senior. Although he has struggled at times with the zone-read and option aspects of the offense, not many seem concerned about his ability to drive the bus if Young goes down. While things might change as the season goes on, look for Nordgren to get most of the mop-up duty early on. He needs game reps and needs them now.
Colt McCoy – The Longhorns are in an interesting situation with McCoy. Ideally, he would redshirt this season because he’s not ready to really play at the high D1 level yet. However, the dynamics of the position are such that the Longhorns will probably be forced to take his shirt off, although he might not get a lot of action in the first month of the season because of the dire need to prepare Nordgren for the possibility of being the guy if an injury should occur to Young. Still, the Longhorns have to keep one eye focused on 2006 this year and that means getting McCoy ready for the possibility of either being the starter (if Young leaves early) or the primary back-up (with Nordgren’s departure). McCoy had a good camp and has really come a long way since the first few days, when he seemed a bit overwhelmed. There are actually some that wonder if he wouldn’t be the best choice as the back-up for Young, but the staff is 100% behind Nordgren. McCoy is likely going to play because the team needs to get him ready for an emergency situation this year and the likelihood that he has a major role in 2006.
Projected depth chart:
1) Vince Young
2) Matt Nordgren
3) Colt McCoy
Running back
Selvin Young – It’s amazing to think that Young had the starting job wrapped up by the end of the first week of practice, but that’s pretty much what happened. The battle between him and Ramonce Taylor never really materialized, and that really speaks volumes about the comfort level that the staff has in Young. Overall, he had a very strong camp and doesn’t seem to have missed a beat from his pre-injury status. There’s no question that he’s lost a step with his added bulk, but he’s kept his quickness. If he can stay healthy, he’s going to have a big season.
Jamaal Charles – The official depth chart might have Taylor listed in the No.2 spot at running back, the reality of the situation is that Charles has quickly emerged as the second back for the Longhorns. The staff loves his big-play ability, but more important is his ability to handle blitz protection. He’s also shown to be a very underrated receiver out of the backfield and the staff feels like he can be a three down back for them right now. Expect Charles to get a lot of action early on this season. One final note on Charles – one staff member told me this week that he doesn’t remember Charles putting the ball on the turf once this month. Mack brown has taken notice.
Henry Melton – The big fella might eventually play another position, but he’s going to play right away this season and it’s going to be at tailback. Right now, he’s going to be a short-yardage and goal line back that will see an occasional spot series from time to time, especially in the second half of early games (not Ohio State). Truth be told, Melton has been more than the staff envisioned when they signed him. They knew he was a special talent, but they had no idea what they were getting.
Jerrell Wilkerson – Even though he’s behind Charles and Melton in the pecking order, there’s still a chance that he’ll see some action this season. There were moments in camp when he was sensational, but he’s still working on being more consistent and needs to improve his non-ball skills.
Projected depth chart
1) Selvin Young
2) Jamaal Charles
3) Henry Melton
Fullback
Ahmard Hall – The former walk-on has finally earned the right to be called a scholarship player and he’ll be the starting fullback this season, although the position has been de-emphasized and won’t be nearly as vital to this team’s offensive scheme as it was with Will Matthews last season. Look for a lot of one-back sets, but when the team does go to the I-formation or any two-back set for that matter, Hall is the guy the staff feels the most comfortable with right now. His blocking has always been solid, but he’s also improved as a receiver, which was really important in the eyes of the staff. Still, there’s no question that there’s been a drop-off at the position with Matthews’ departure.
Marcus Myers – The best athlete that the Longhorns have at fullback is Myers, but he’s still making the adjustment to the position and he’s been limited at times because of a slight injury. His entire game has improved the spring, especially his receiving, but he’s probably going to have to wait a year before he can really get some serious playing time at this position.
Chris Ogbonnaya – Very quietly, Ogbonnaya has started to find himself a home. Although he’s not ready to be a lead blocker for anyone, he does have the frame to add on some size without losing his athletic gifts and his receiving skills make him a real option out of the backfield. Don’t look for much playing time early on in the season, but he could get on the field because of his versatility. There’s no question that he might be the future at the position down the road if he can continue his overall development.
Michael Houston – Although the true freshman from Denver came in this spring, he’s probably behind the other three running backs when you talk about the likelihood of playing as a true freshman. If Houston plays this season, it will be because he wants to and can find a role on special teams. Truth be told, Houston would probably be best served to redshirt.
Wide receivers
The way the coaches will initially look to break this position down is to narrow the field down to a top six, with the majority of the playing time going to that group and only that group. Therefore, it’s imperative for each player at the position to not necessarily start, but make that top six. Because of the numbers, there’s going to be some guys that are very talented, but not seeing much PT.
Let’s start with the guys that figure to be in the first group of six.
Ramonce Taylor – It’ll be interesting to see if he’s officially listed as a running back or receiver when the depth chart comes out, but the coaches are thinking of him as a receiver right now and he did enough in the last week of camp that he’ll likely be in the starting line-up there against Louisiana-Lafayette. Yes, I know what you are thinking… if something happened to Selvin Young, Taylor would be the starting tailback as of tonight. That will/would probably change in a month from now once the freshmen backs earn their wings.
Billy Pittman – Not sure how they are going to list Pittman, but his ability to make plays after the catch and stretch the field will ensure that he sees a ton of playing time. Outside of Taylor, this is the one kid at the position that can turn an ordinary reception into six points. He had a great camp.
Limas Sweed – Two weeks ago I was convinced that Sweed was headed to a breakthrough season, but he has done little in two-a-days to separate himself from the pack and I’m not sure that his starting spot is a given right now. The talent is there, but he needs to start asserting himself on the field. He’s in the top six for sure, but he needs to really step it up hen the games start or he’ll see his playing time diminish.
Brian Carter – Solid, solid, solid. If you want to know what Carter gives the offense, it’s a little bit of a veteran presence. Given that there are so many young players, that’s important to the staff. Don’t be shocked if Carter walks out in the starting line-up for the season opener and possibly for the first couple of games. Hat being said, I think he’s eventually going to see his playing time taken away by the younger and more explosive players at the position.
Nathan Jones – This time last year the staff was talking about Jones’ ability to stretch the field, but he never developed into that kind of player last season and he hasn’t looked like that player this summer in training camp. He’s a solid player and he’ll see some time in three- and four-receiver sets, but he’s not had a noteworthy camp. He’s on the bubble right now and is going to really need to make some plays because the competition for playing time is so fierce.
Quan Cosby – It was a tough call for that sixth spot, but I’m going to give it to Cosby because he’s come on in the last week of camp and has the ability to be a vertical threat right now that some of the others behind him don’t have. He’s still learning the offense and will make some mistake, but he can get deep and score. Basically, he’s what Mack wants on the field.
Myron Hardy – It’s tough to leave Hardy out, but he’s just not consistent enough to be in the top group right now. I think the staff views Hardy like they currently view Billy Pittman. It’s taken three years for the light to off for Pittman at the wide receiver position after making a position switch from high school, and the same thing might apply to Hardy. It’ll be interesting to see if he would be interested in redshirting this season. Probably not, but it would be his best move given the current numbers.
Tyrell Gatewood – If there’s a guy that might sneak into the top six, it might be Gatewood, if for no other reason that he’s shown the propensity to make plays in the red zone. He’s a possession receiver, but he will fight for the ball at all times and he does a great job of using his size to shield defenders away from him. Still, he’s not really a big-play guy and that’s probably going to hurt his cause. He’s had a damn good camp (better than some playing ahead of him), but he might be on the outside looking in. His saving grace could be his versatility and the fact that he could line-up at H-back, as well as receiver. The big question there is whether he would get snaps over Jermichael Finley in that role?
George Walker – Mack mentioned yesterday that he thought Billy Pittman might have come as far as any receiver on the roster from last year to this year. I’m not so sure that Walker hasn’t made the most improvement in that capacity, but he’s still behind some other players and it’s very unlikely that he’ll play much this season. The talent is there, but the adjustment that he’s making from HISD to major D1 is a big one and he just needs to remain patient. He’s another guy that should take a lesson from Pittman.
Jordan Shipley – There’s no question that he’s a starter when healthy, but it’s tough to include him in the grouping of the top six when he’s not entirely healthy. Once he does return, he’s going to knock someone from that first six out of the loop, but for now, his absence will give someone a chance to make a mark – if for just a week.
Projected depth chart
1) Ramonce Taylor/Limas Sweed/Brian Carter
2) Billy Pittman/ Nate Jones/Quan Cosby
• Jordan Shipley not included in the depth chart for now
Tight ends
David Thomas – Not much needs to be said. Great player. Great camp. Poised for a great year. Thomas is probably the best tight end the Longhorns have had since I’ve been covering the team and that includes the likes of Pat Fitzgerald and Bo Scaife, although nobody compares to pre-injury Scaife.
Neale Tweedie – I get the feeling that Mack Brown has as much admiration for Tweedie as he does any player on the roster. Like Thomas, Tweedie had a great camp and is clearly going to be an important member of the offense, especially in short-yardage and two-tight end sets. Although his reputation will be as a blocker-first, he’s shown the ability to make plays down the field in the passing game.
Jermichael Finley – Yes, he’s a freshman, but he has the ability to be a game changer and that’s why he’ll see more and more snaps as the season goes along. Look for Finley to pay right away and be given some specific packages to concentrate on. The entire staff loves the idea of getting Finley and Thomas on the field together at the same time.
Peter Ullman – Solid player that had a very solid camp. He’s actually been a better player early on than most would have figured. He might not play a lot this season, but he has a future.
Projected depth chart
1) David Thomas
2) Neale Tweedie
3) Jermichael Finley
Offensive tackle
Jonathan Scott/Justin Blalock – I’m listing these two together because they’ve probably been the most impressive linemen on the team for the entire duration of training camp. Both players should be among the best in the country at their position.
Tony Hills – The best young lineman on the team, Hills is ready to play with the heavyweights and he’s be a starter on almost every team in the country, but few teams have a duo like Blalock and Scott in the starting line-up. Still, Mac McWhorter is going to play Hills a lot, especially early in the season when the weather is hot. The coaches really don’t expect much of a drop-off with Hills in the line-up in replacement of Scott.
Will Winston – The fifth-year senior came into camp in better shape than he has in the past and it’s helped his cause. He’ll be the back-up at right tackle, but there is a serious drop-off when he comes in for Blalock. He’s one of the players on the second-string line that needs to continue to step up is play.
Greg Dolan – Youngster is getting better and has sown some promise, but he’s at least a year away. Probably not going to play much at all this year, barring injuries.
Adam Ulatoski – The kid is a quick learner and is starting to tap into his potential, but he’s headed for a redshirt this season. Needs more seasoning before he’s ready for prime-time.
Projected depth chart
LT
1) Jonathan Scott
2) Tony Hills
RT
1) Justin Blalock
2) Will Winston
Offensive guards
Will Allen/Kasey Studdard – Both players had very strong camps and did nothing to suggest that they won’t have all-conference type seasons if they can stay healthy.
Mike Garcia – Even though Studdard and Allen return to the starting line-up, Garcia is basically thought of as a third starter and would likely play at either spot if an injury went down. He’s always been a good run blocker, but Garcia pass blocking has been very good this month. He seems to have stepped up his game a little in this last season for him.
Cedric Dockery – The young redshirt freshman might be the most improved lineman on the team outside of Hills, but he still needs to work on being more consistent. Like all young linemen, Dockery will have a great play and then follow it up with something puzzling. He’s also another year away from being ready for serious playing time, but he’ll see a lot of work with the second-team unit.
Chris Hall – Haven’t heard much about his training camp, but several of the veterans on the offensive line have been impressed with his improvement from the first day of camp until now. Too early to really know much though. Definite redshirt.
Projected depth chart
LG –
1) Kasey Studdard
2) Mike Garcia
RG
1) Will Allen
2) Mike Garcia/Cedrick Dockery
Center
Lyle Sendlein – The coaching staff will say nothing negative about Jason Glynn, but there’s no question that they believe they’ve upgraded with the arrival of Sendlein in the starting line-up. The junior has had a very good camp. In fact, I haven’t heard much at all about his play, other than the staff is very happy with his play. Expect him to be overlooked this season because of the other names on the line, but if his name is never said all season, it will probably mean he’s had a good year.
Brett Valdez – The Longhorns had hoped that the move to center might be just what Valdez needed to make a run at a real contribution, but his play has been inconsistent throughout camp an the back-up spot at center remains a question mark.
Dallas Griffin – If we were 100% healthy, there’s no question that he’d be the top back-up here and the staff would feel very comfortable about the depth at the position. However, Griffin is still nine months removed from his knee injury and he’s not yet back at 100%. By mid-season, he’ll probably be the unquestioned back-up, but right now he’s still on the mend and trying to get back to pre-injury form.
Charlie Tanner – The upperclassmen love what they’ve seen from him in a short period of time. Great feet and strength. After redshirting this season, he could push for playing time in 2006.
Projected depth chart
1) Sendlein
2) Valdez/Griffin (although Will Allen would play if something happened to Sendlein)
Quarterback
Vince Young – It’s interesting that Young has had somewhat of a quiet camp this month given the amount of pre-season hype that he’s received, but that shouldn’t reflect negatively on his play this month. Every single person I have spoken with this week has gushed about the improvement that Young has made, and even with somewhat guarded optimism, the general consensus is that his passing numbers are going to be much better than last season’s. The biggest point of emphasis from the staff has been to improve his touchdown-to-interception ratio, and one of the things that Young has done a great job of in camp is limiting his mistakes (Re: turnovers).
Matt Nordgren – The jury is still out on Nordgren and probably will be until he earns some stripes on the field, but the staff and the team seem to have a lot of confidence in the fifth-year senior. Although he has struggled at times with the zone-read and option aspects of the offense, not many seem concerned about his ability to drive the bus if Young goes down. While things might change as the season goes on, look for Nordgren to get most of the mop-up duty early on. He needs game reps and needs them now.
Colt McCoy – The Longhorns are in an interesting situation with McCoy. Ideally, he would redshirt this season because he’s not ready to really play at the high D1 level yet. However, the dynamics of the position are such that the Longhorns will probably be forced to take his shirt off, although he might not get a lot of action in the first month of the season because of the dire need to prepare Nordgren for the possibility of being the guy if an injury should occur to Young. Still, the Longhorns have to keep one eye focused on 2006 this year and that means getting McCoy ready for the possibility of either being the starter (if Young leaves early) or the primary back-up (with Nordgren’s departure). McCoy had a good camp and has really come a long way since the first few days, when he seemed a bit overwhelmed. There are actually some that wonder if he wouldn’t be the best choice as the back-up for Young, but the staff is 100% behind Nordgren. McCoy is likely going to play because the team needs to get him ready for an emergency situation this year and the likelihood that he has a major role in 2006.
Projected depth chart:
1) Vince Young
2) Matt Nordgren
3) Colt McCoy
Running back
Selvin Young – It’s amazing to think that Young had the starting job wrapped up by the end of the first week of practice, but that’s pretty much what happened. The battle between him and Ramonce Taylor never really materialized, and that really speaks volumes about the comfort level that the staff has in Young. Overall, he had a very strong camp and doesn’t seem to have missed a beat from his pre-injury status. There’s no question that he’s lost a step with his added bulk, but he’s kept his quickness. If he can stay healthy, he’s going to have a big season.
Jamaal Charles – The official depth chart might have Taylor listed in the No.2 spot at running back, the reality of the situation is that Charles has quickly emerged as the second back for the Longhorns. The staff loves his big-play ability, but more important is his ability to handle blitz protection. He’s also shown to be a very underrated receiver out of the backfield and the staff feels like he can be a three down back for them right now. Expect Charles to get a lot of action early on this season. One final note on Charles – one staff member told me this week that he doesn’t remember Charles putting the ball on the turf once this month. Mack brown has taken notice.
Henry Melton – The big fella might eventually play another position, but he’s going to play right away this season and it’s going to be at tailback. Right now, he’s going to be a short-yardage and goal line back that will see an occasional spot series from time to time, especially in the second half of early games (not Ohio State). Truth be told, Melton has been more than the staff envisioned when they signed him. They knew he was a special talent, but they had no idea what they were getting.
Jerrell Wilkerson – Even though he’s behind Charles and Melton in the pecking order, there’s still a chance that he’ll see some action this season. There were moments in camp when he was sensational, but he’s still working on being more consistent and needs to improve his non-ball skills.
Projected depth chart
1) Selvin Young
2) Jamaal Charles
3) Henry Melton
Fullback
Ahmard Hall – The former walk-on has finally earned the right to be called a scholarship player and he’ll be the starting fullback this season, although the position has been de-emphasized and won’t be nearly as vital to this team’s offensive scheme as it was with Will Matthews last season. Look for a lot of one-back sets, but when the team does go to the I-formation or any two-back set for that matter, Hall is the guy the staff feels the most comfortable with right now. His blocking has always been solid, but he’s also improved as a receiver, which was really important in the eyes of the staff. Still, there’s no question that there’s been a drop-off at the position with Matthews’ departure.
Marcus Myers – The best athlete that the Longhorns have at fullback is Myers, but he’s still making the adjustment to the position and he’s been limited at times because of a slight injury. His entire game has improved the spring, especially his receiving, but he’s probably going to have to wait a year before he can really get some serious playing time at this position.
Chris Ogbonnaya – Very quietly, Ogbonnaya has started to find himself a home. Although he’s not ready to be a lead blocker for anyone, he does have the frame to add on some size without losing his athletic gifts and his receiving skills make him a real option out of the backfield. Don’t look for much playing time early on in the season, but he could get on the field because of his versatility. There’s no question that he might be the future at the position down the road if he can continue his overall development.
Michael Houston – Although the true freshman from Denver came in this spring, he’s probably behind the other three running backs when you talk about the likelihood of playing as a true freshman. If Houston plays this season, it will be because he wants to and can find a role on special teams. Truth be told, Houston would probably be best served to redshirt.
Wide receivers
The way the coaches will initially look to break this position down is to narrow the field down to a top six, with the majority of the playing time going to that group and only that group. Therefore, it’s imperative for each player at the position to not necessarily start, but make that top six. Because of the numbers, there’s going to be some guys that are very talented, but not seeing much PT.
Let’s start with the guys that figure to be in the first group of six.
Ramonce Taylor – It’ll be interesting to see if he’s officially listed as a running back or receiver when the depth chart comes out, but the coaches are thinking of him as a receiver right now and he did enough in the last week of camp that he’ll likely be in the starting line-up there against Louisiana-Lafayette. Yes, I know what you are thinking… if something happened to Selvin Young, Taylor would be the starting tailback as of tonight. That will/would probably change in a month from now once the freshmen backs earn their wings.
Billy Pittman – Not sure how they are going to list Pittman, but his ability to make plays after the catch and stretch the field will ensure that he sees a ton of playing time. Outside of Taylor, this is the one kid at the position that can turn an ordinary reception into six points. He had a great camp.
Limas Sweed – Two weeks ago I was convinced that Sweed was headed to a breakthrough season, but he has done little in two-a-days to separate himself from the pack and I’m not sure that his starting spot is a given right now. The talent is there, but he needs to start asserting himself on the field. He’s in the top six for sure, but he needs to really step it up hen the games start or he’ll see his playing time diminish.
Brian Carter – Solid, solid, solid. If you want to know what Carter gives the offense, it’s a little bit of a veteran presence. Given that there are so many young players, that’s important to the staff. Don’t be shocked if Carter walks out in the starting line-up for the season opener and possibly for the first couple of games. Hat being said, I think he’s eventually going to see his playing time taken away by the younger and more explosive players at the position.
Nathan Jones – This time last year the staff was talking about Jones’ ability to stretch the field, but he never developed into that kind of player last season and he hasn’t looked like that player this summer in training camp. He’s a solid player and he’ll see some time in three- and four-receiver sets, but he’s not had a noteworthy camp. He’s on the bubble right now and is going to really need to make some plays because the competition for playing time is so fierce.
Quan Cosby – It was a tough call for that sixth spot, but I’m going to give it to Cosby because he’s come on in the last week of camp and has the ability to be a vertical threat right now that some of the others behind him don’t have. He’s still learning the offense and will make some mistake, but he can get deep and score. Basically, he’s what Mack wants on the field.
Myron Hardy – It’s tough to leave Hardy out, but he’s just not consistent enough to be in the top group right now. I think the staff views Hardy like they currently view Billy Pittman. It’s taken three years for the light to off for Pittman at the wide receiver position after making a position switch from high school, and the same thing might apply to Hardy. It’ll be interesting to see if he would be interested in redshirting this season. Probably not, but it would be his best move given the current numbers.
Tyrell Gatewood – If there’s a guy that might sneak into the top six, it might be Gatewood, if for no other reason that he’s shown the propensity to make plays in the red zone. He’s a possession receiver, but he will fight for the ball at all times and he does a great job of using his size to shield defenders away from him. Still, he’s not really a big-play guy and that’s probably going to hurt his cause. He’s had a damn good camp (better than some playing ahead of him), but he might be on the outside looking in. His saving grace could be his versatility and the fact that he could line-up at H-back, as well as receiver. The big question there is whether he would get snaps over Jermichael Finley in that role?
George Walker – Mack mentioned yesterday that he thought Billy Pittman might have come as far as any receiver on the roster from last year to this year. I’m not so sure that Walker hasn’t made the most improvement in that capacity, but he’s still behind some other players and it’s very unlikely that he’ll play much this season. The talent is there, but the adjustment that he’s making from HISD to major D1 is a big one and he just needs to remain patient. He’s another guy that should take a lesson from Pittman.
Jordan Shipley – There’s no question that he’s a starter when healthy, but it’s tough to include him in the grouping of the top six when he’s not entirely healthy. Once he does return, he’s going to knock someone from that first six out of the loop, but for now, his absence will give someone a chance to make a mark – if for just a week.
Projected depth chart
1) Ramonce Taylor/Limas Sweed/Brian Carter
2) Billy Pittman/ Nate Jones/Quan Cosby
• Jordan Shipley not included in the depth chart for now
Tight ends
David Thomas – Not much needs to be said. Great player. Great camp. Poised for a great year. Thomas is probably the best tight end the Longhorns have had since I’ve been covering the team and that includes the likes of Pat Fitzgerald and Bo Scaife, although nobody compares to pre-injury Scaife.
Neale Tweedie – I get the feeling that Mack Brown has as much admiration for Tweedie as he does any player on the roster. Like Thomas, Tweedie had a great camp and is clearly going to be an important member of the offense, especially in short-yardage and two-tight end sets. Although his reputation will be as a blocker-first, he’s shown the ability to make plays down the field in the passing game.
Jermichael Finley – Yes, he’s a freshman, but he has the ability to be a game changer and that’s why he’ll see more and more snaps as the season goes along. Look for Finley to pay right away and be given some specific packages to concentrate on. The entire staff loves the idea of getting Finley and Thomas on the field together at the same time.
Peter Ullman – Solid player that had a very solid camp. He’s actually been a better player early on than most would have figured. He might not play a lot this season, but he has a future.
Projected depth chart
1) David Thomas
2) Neale Tweedie
3) Jermichael Finley
Offensive tackle
Jonathan Scott/Justin Blalock – I’m listing these two together because they’ve probably been the most impressive linemen on the team for the entire duration of training camp. Both players should be among the best in the country at their position.
Tony Hills – The best young lineman on the team, Hills is ready to play with the heavyweights and he’s be a starter on almost every team in the country, but few teams have a duo like Blalock and Scott in the starting line-up. Still, Mac McWhorter is going to play Hills a lot, especially early in the season when the weather is hot. The coaches really don’t expect much of a drop-off with Hills in the line-up in replacement of Scott.
Will Winston – The fifth-year senior came into camp in better shape than he has in the past and it’s helped his cause. He’ll be the back-up at right tackle, but there is a serious drop-off when he comes in for Blalock. He’s one of the players on the second-string line that needs to continue to step up is play.
Greg Dolan – Youngster is getting better and has sown some promise, but he’s at least a year away. Probably not going to play much at all this year, barring injuries.
Adam Ulatoski – The kid is a quick learner and is starting to tap into his potential, but he’s headed for a redshirt this season. Needs more seasoning before he’s ready for prime-time.
Projected depth chart
LT
1) Jonathan Scott
2) Tony Hills
RT
1) Justin Blalock
2) Will Winston
Offensive guards
Will Allen/Kasey Studdard – Both players had very strong camps and did nothing to suggest that they won’t have all-conference type seasons if they can stay healthy.
Mike Garcia – Even though Studdard and Allen return to the starting line-up, Garcia is basically thought of as a third starter and would likely play at either spot if an injury went down. He’s always been a good run blocker, but Garcia pass blocking has been very good this month. He seems to have stepped up his game a little in this last season for him.
Cedric Dockery – The young redshirt freshman might be the most improved lineman on the team outside of Hills, but he still needs to work on being more consistent. Like all young linemen, Dockery will have a great play and then follow it up with something puzzling. He’s also another year away from being ready for serious playing time, but he’ll see a lot of work with the second-team unit.
Chris Hall – Haven’t heard much about his training camp, but several of the veterans on the offensive line have been impressed with his improvement from the first day of camp until now. Too early to really know much though. Definite redshirt.
Projected depth chart
LG –
1) Kasey Studdard
2) Mike Garcia
RG
1) Will Allen
2) Mike Garcia/Cedrick Dockery
Center
Lyle Sendlein – The coaching staff will say nothing negative about Jason Glynn, but there’s no question that they believe they’ve upgraded with the arrival of Sendlein in the starting line-up. The junior has had a very good camp. In fact, I haven’t heard much at all about his play, other than the staff is very happy with his play. Expect him to be overlooked this season because of the other names on the line, but if his name is never said all season, it will probably mean he’s had a good year.
Brett Valdez – The Longhorns had hoped that the move to center might be just what Valdez needed to make a run at a real contribution, but his play has been inconsistent throughout camp an the back-up spot at center remains a question mark.
Dallas Griffin – If we were 100% healthy, there’s no question that he’d be the top back-up here and the staff would feel very comfortable about the depth at the position. However, Griffin is still nine months removed from his knee injury and he’s not yet back at 100%. By mid-season, he’ll probably be the unquestioned back-up, but right now he’s still on the mend and trying to get back to pre-injury form.
Charlie Tanner – The upperclassmen love what they’ve seen from him in a short period of time. Great feet and strength. After redshirting this season, he could push for playing time in 2006.
Projected depth chart
1) Sendlein
2) Valdez/Griffin (although Will Allen would play if something happened to Sendlein)