LONGHORNS ’59*, ’61*, ’62, ’63, ’68*, ’69, ’70, ’71 , ’72, ’73, ’75*, ’77, ’83, ’90, ’94*, ’95 (*Co-Champs)
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NATIONAL CHAMPIONS • 1963, ’69, ’70, 2005 BIG 12 CHAMPIONS • ‘96, ‘05, ‘09 2016 SPRING SOUTHWESTTEXAS CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS • 1920, ’28, ’30, ’42, ’43, ’45, ’50, ’52, ’53*, NOTES (AS OF APRIL 5) LONGHORNS ’59*, ’61*, ’62, ’63, ’68*, ’69, ’70, ’71 , ’72, ’73, ’75*, ’77, ’83, ’90, ’94*, ’95 (*co-champs) Longhorns Begin Third Season Of and one each at Bowling Green and offensive line, UT returns Kent Perkins Strong Era: The University of Texas Tulsa – leading some of the nation’s (10 starts), Patrick Vahe (10 starts) football program began its third season top offenses. Along with Gilbert came and Connor Williams (12 starts). On of the Charlie Strong era on March offensive line coach / running game the defensive side of the ball, Bryce 7, as the Longhorns kicked off 2016 coordinator Matt Mattox. Mattox Cottrell (eight starts) and Naashon spring practices. The spring consists has coached the last three seasons Hughes (12 starts) return up front, of 15 practice sessions, concluding alongside Gilbert, including the last while freshman All-American Malik with the Texas Orange-White Spring two as co-offensive coordinator. Jefferson (nine starts) is also back. In Game presented by Weber Grills on Strong also added Clay Jennings, a the secondary, the Longhors return Saturday, April 16, at 1 p.m. UT begins former North Texas standout, who safeties Dylan Haines (11 starts) and the 2016 season on September 4 at will coach the Longhorns’ defensive Jason Hall (11), while at cornerback home when they play host to Notre backs. A native of Waco, Jennings Holton Hill (eight starts) and Davante Dame. most recently coached at Arkansas for Davis (five starts) are back. In total, the last two seasons. Prior to that, he the Longhorns return 26 players who Breaking Down The Schedule: The spent the previous nine years at three started at least one game during the Longhorns will host six games inside schools in the state of Texas – TCU 2015 season. Those 26 players made a of Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial (2008-13), Baylor (2007) and Houston total of 172 starts a season ago. Stadium during the 2016 season, while (2005-06). To guide the running traveling for five true road games backs, Strong hired former Texas back Starters Lost: Texas will need to and the Red River Showdown against Anthony Johnson, who spent the past replace four starters on each side of Oklahoma. Texas’ 2016 opponents two seasons at Toledo, and had just the ball heading into the 2016 season, combined for an overall record of been named offensive coordinator. in addition to placekicker Nick Rose. 89-64 (.582) in 2015. Nine of those A 30-year coaching veteran with Gone are center Taylor Doyle (12 opponents went to bowls, including experience in both the NFL and starts) and guard Sedrick Flowers (11 three – Notre Dame, Oklahoma college football, Charlie Williams will starts) from the offensive line. Two State and Oklahoma – who played coach the Longhorns’ wide receivers. skill players also depart in running in one of the New Year’s Six bowls. The five additions to the staff will join back Johnathan Gray (10 starts) and Five opponents – Notre Dame (10), defensive coordinator Vance Bedford, wide receiver Daje Johnson (eight Oklahoma State (10), Oklahoma (11), defensive line coach Brick Haley, starts). WR Marcus Johnson, FB Baylor (10), and TCU (11) – totaled linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary, Alex De La Torre, and OL Marcus double-digit wins. Texas plays 11 of its and tight ends coach and special teams Hutchins do not return in 2016 after 12 opponents from the 2015 schedule coordinator Jeff Traylor to make up combining for 11 starts in 2015. On once again in 2016, replacing their Strong’s 2016 staff. the defensive side of the ball, defensive week two matchup of Rice from a season ago with UTEP. Starters Returning: The Longhorns return 15 starters from last season’s TEXAS ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS Strong Retools Coaching Staff For team to their 2016 roster, with seven Assoc. AD/Media Relations Director: John Bianco 2016: Head coach Charlie Strong made positions back on each side of the E-Mail: [email protected] significant changes to his coaching ball and starting punter Michael Assoc. Media Relations Director: Thomas Stepp staff during the offseason, adding five Dickson. Texas will return tight end E-Mail: [email protected] new faces to the 2016 group. Among Andrew Beck (10 starts) and both the most notable was the addition of John Burt (12 starts) and Armanti Assoc. Media Relations Director: Joe Hernandez offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert, Foreman (six starts) at wideout. Both E-Mail: [email protected] who has an extensive background in quarterbacks who combined to start Asst. Media Relations Director: Scott Swegan the state of Texas prior to spending all 12 games a season ago, including E-Mail: [email protected] the past four seasons as an offensive Jerrod Heard who started 10, return coordinator – two at Eastern Illinois for the Longhorns in 2016. On the Mailing Address: PO Box 7399, Austin, TX, 78713 4 2016 Texas Football Spring Guide • Notes tackles Hassan Ridgeway (eight starts) and nine touchdowns in 2015. Warren, Offensive Line Will Push Pace In and Desmond Jackson (five starts) are who started the final two games, burst 2016: A new pace and a new style are not back with the Longhorns in 2016, onto the scene with 276 yards and expected under new Texas offensive while linebacker Peter Jinkens (11 four touchdowns in game 11 against coordinator Sterlin Gilbert and starts) and cornerback Duke Thomas Texas Tech. Foreman carried the ball offensive line coach Matt Mattox. But, (12 starts) departed as well. 95 times for a team-high 681 yards that pace can only be as fast as an last season, adding five touchdowns. offensive line, which returns 35 of 60 Competition Key To Quarterback Sophomore Kirk Johnson, who began starts from a year ago. Gone are starters Success In 2016: The competition will to show his ability in 2015 and should Taylor Doyle (12 games, center) and be intense during spring practice to compete for significant time in the Sedrick Flowers (11 games, left guard) see who comes out on top as the fall, will miss spring practice with an from last season. The Longhorns were Longhorns’ quarterback entering the injury. the only team in the nation last year 2016 season. Back are Tyrone Swoopes to start two true freshmen along the and Jerrod Heard, who combined Catching On To A New System: offensive line in Connor Williams and to start all 12 games last season for Two position groups that could see Patrick Vahe, and both emerged as Texas. Also in the mix is early enrollee increased productivity in 2016 in freshman All-Americans. Williams, a Shane Buechele (Arlington, Texas/ offensive coordinator Sterlin Giblert’s native of Coppell, Texas, started all 12 Lamar). Swoopes, dangerous with his up-tempo system are the wide receivers games at left tackle, and Vahe (Euless, feet and arm, enters the 2016 season and tight ends. The Longhorns return Texas/Trinity), started 10 games at with a team-best 17 career rushing two receivers who caught double- right guard. Senior Kent Perkins touchdowns. Last season, the native digit passes a season ago in John (Dallas, Texas/Lake Highlands) started of Whitewright, Texas, rushed for 12 Burt (Tallahassee, Fla./Lincoln) and 10 games – all but two of those at touchdowns and passed for another Armanti Foreman (Texas City, Texas/ right tackle. Junior Tristan Nickelson, four, primarily working out of a Texas City). Burt caught 28 passes a native of League City, Texas, also feature rushing package, but also in for a team-leading 457 yards, while made three starts on the offensive starting the Notre Dame and Baylor Foreman had 12 receptions for 182 line, and sophomore Elijah Rodriguez games. Heard, a sophomore from yards. Both players tied for the team contributed valuable minutes as a Denton, Texas, passed for 1,214 yards high with two touchdown receptions. freshman. Junior Brandon Hodges will and rushed for another 556 a season Several other receivers return who will be coming off a redshirt year, while ago in 10 starts. Against Cal in his look to contribute to the receptions true freshman Zach Shackelford joins second start, he set the school record total under the guidance of new coach the group as an early enrollee and for single-game total offense with 527 Charlie Willimas. That group is led could compete for early time at center. yards. Heard, who suffered a minor by senior Jacorey Warrick, along with shoulder sprain during spring practice, juniors Lorenzo Joe, Dorian Leonard Longhorns Looking For DL To Be A will not participate in the spring game. and Jake Oliver and sophomores Ryan Strength: Defensive line coach Brick Newsome and DeAndre McNeal. Haley will look to continue to build Running At A New Speed: New Early enrollee Collin Johnson begins the defensive line as he enters his running backs coach Anthony his collegiate career and has quickly second season coaching the group. On Johnson looks to build on Texas’ rich made a significant impact this spring. the inside, the Longhorns will need tradition of running backs going into In addition, Texas returns its top two to overcome the loss of significant 2016 in an up-tempo offense that pass-catching tight ends under coach experience in both Desmond Jackson will provide increased snaps. Gone Jeff Traylor in senior Caleb Bluiett and (52 games/21 starts) and Hassan is Jonathan Gray, who started the junior Andrew Beck.