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 SOUTHWESTTEXAS CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS • 1920, ’28, ’30, ’42, ’43, ’45, ’50, ’52, ’53*, LONGHORNS ’59*, ’61*, ’62, ’63, ’68*, ’69, ’70, ’71 , ’72, ’73, ’75*, ’77, ’83, ’90, ’94*, ’95 (*co-champs) Athletics Media Relations Department • P.O. Box 7399 • Austin, TX 78713-7399 • Office: 512/471-6036 • Fax: 512/471-6040 TEXAS TO OPEN 123RD SEASON: The became one of only six players in school Texas Longhorns will open their 123rd sea- history with at least 1,000 receiving yards 2015 PRESEASON son, including second under the direction in a season with 1,051. Nine of the 10 of head coach Charlie Strong, on Saturday, departing offensive and defensive starters NOTES Sept. 5 when they travel to Notre Dame in a were either selected in the 2015 NFL Draft meeting of two of the winningest programs or signed as free agents. William Russ and in college history. The teams will face each Michael Davidson each served as the No. 1 other for the 11th time and first since 1996. punter last season, and both were seniors. WHAT’S INSIDE... Russ ended his career No. 4 on the school’s STARTERS RETURNING: Texas wel- all-time punting average (42.35) chart, with pg. 1 2015 pg. 8 Horns in the comes back starters at 11 positions, includ- all of his 66 attempts occurring last season. Schedule NFL ing six on offense and five on defense. pg. 1 Quick Facts pg. 9-57 Player Bios There are 10 offensive players who started BREAKING DOWN THE 2015 SCHED- pg. 1 Horns pg. 58-69 Coaches Bios a game in 2014 back in the fall, including ULE: UT will play eight of its 12 games At-A-Glance pg. 70-83 2014 offensive linemen Sedrick Flowers, Marcus this season against teams that reached pg. 2-3 Roster Statistics Hutchins and Kent Perkins, who each start- a bowl game in 2014. Those eight bowl pg. 4-8 Notes ed all 13 games. There are 12 defensive teams all registered at least seven wins. Last pg. 6 By The players back who had starts in 2014, includ- season, Texas played nine teams that were Numbers ing three with 10 or more. Cornerback in bowl games in 2013. As in most years, Duke Thomas started all 13 games, safety Texas will play a challenging nonconfer- Dylan Haines had 12, and defensive tackle ence schedule, with Notre Dame and Rice notes as of Aug. 18 Hassan Ridgeway 10. The Longhorns also both reaching bowl games a year ago. UT return place-kicker Nick Rose. will also face Cal, a Power 5 Conference CONNECTING WITH THE HORNS team that missed the postseason by only Twitter: ____________________ @Longhorn_FB STARTERS LOST: The Longhorns will one game. Texas opens the season at Notre _________________________ @Strong_TexasFB have to replace 11 offensive and defen- Dame, as two of the top three winningest Instagram: ___________________Longhorn_FB sive starters, as well as their punter. The programs in college football history meet. Facebook: _ www.facebook.com/TexasLonghorns defense was hit hardest with six start- ________________www.facebook.com/utfootball Notre Dame holds an 8-2 series advantage, ers having departed, four of whom were YouTube: _______________________________ having won the most recent game, 27-14, __ www.youtube.com/user/TexasLonghornsVideo taken in the 2015 NFL Draft. Two of in 1996 in Austin. Longtime Southwest them - DT Malcom Brown and LB Jordan Conference foes, Texas and Rice will meet TEXAS ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS Hicks - earned All-America honors in for the first time since 2011, the same sea- 2014. Brown, a consensus first-team All- son the Longhorns last faced Cal. Assoc. AD for Media Relations: TBA American, was also a finalist for both the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (nation’s top Asst. AD for Media Relations: Scott McConnell Texas • 2015 Opponents E-Mail: [email protected] defensive player) and Outland Trophy Opponent Bowl, Result 2014 Record (nation’s best interior lineman). Texas also Notre Dame Music Bowl, W 8-5 Assoc. Media Relations Director: Joe Hernandez lost Quandre Diggs, a four-year starting Rice Hawai’i Bowl, W 8-5 E-Mail: [email protected] cornerback, defensive end Cedric Reed, California None 5-7 a two-time All-Big 12 player, and two- Oklahoma St. Cactus Bowl, W 7-6 Asst. Media Relations Director: Shawn Nestor year starting safety Mykkele Thompson. In TCU Peach Bowl, W 12-1 Oklahoma Russell Athletic Bowl, L 8-5 E-Mail: [email protected] addition to starting running back Malcolm Kansas St. Alamo Bowl, L 9-4 Brown, the offense lost two of its starting Iowa St. None 2-10 wide receivers in Jaxon Shipley and John Kansas None 3-9 Harris. Shipley ended his career third on W. Virginia Liberty Bowl, L 7-6 the UT all-time receptions list (218) and Texas Tech None 4-8 sixth in receiving yards (2,510), and Harris Baylor Cotton Bowl, L 11-2 4 2015 Texas Football Media Guide • Notes SECOND SEASON UNDER STRONG: He went on to complete 224 of 384 passes ing recruits. Brandon Hodges, Tristan Texas is set to begin its second season (58.3 percent) for 2,409 yards. Swoopes Nickelson, Garrett Thomas and Connor under the guidance of Charlie Strong. Last threw for more than 300 yards in three Williams enrolled in classes in January season, the Longhorns overcame a 3-5 games, which is tied for fourth on the UT and added depth and competition dur- start to the season to reach their 53rd bowl single-season list. Heard, who led Guyer ing practice. “It’s always good when you game in program history. Prior to his stint High School to state titles as a junior and get depth, when you add four guys to the at Texas, Strong spent the previous four senior, served as the backup last season, group, because it just helps now when seasons as Louisville head coach, re-ener- though he ended up redshirting. “What you go out to practice, you just don’t wear gizing a program that had a 15-21 record in happens is they push each other and get down a group,” head coach Charlie Strong the three years prior to his arrival. He post- better and better—that’s what you want said in the spring. “Now you have some ed a 37-15 record, which included a pair to see,” Strong said after spring practice guys you can practice and go develop and of Big East Conference Championships ended. “We didn’t have that issue last year, get better.” (2011, 2012). Strong was named Big but it’s good that we have that problem East Coach of the Year in both 2010 and now. Now, you just have a chance to watch LOOKING FOR REPLACEMENTS AT 2012, and led the Cardinals to four bowl two of them go out and compete each and WIDEOUT AND TIGHT END: The appearances with three wins. In his final every day.” Texas receiving corps is going through two years, Louisville was the nation’s an overhaul with the departure of starting fourth-winningest program, posting a 23-3 STARTING O-LINE BACK IN 2015: wideouts John Harris and Jaxon Shipley, record (88.5 percent). Prior to his stint at The Longhorns hope to benefit in 2015 and tight end Geoff Swaim. Last season, Louisville, Strong was a long-time success- from playing a number of inexperienced Harris (68 for 1,051) and Shipley (59 for ful defensive coordinator, spending four offensive linemen last season. Four of the 577) ranked 1-2 on the team in both recep- years at South Carolina (1999-2002) and five starters - LT Marcus Hutchins, LG tions and receiving yards. Swaim only seven at Florida (2003-09). Sedrick Flowers, C Taylor Doyle and RG caught 10 passes, but was a key cog in the Kent Perkins - from last season are back, NCAA FBS • Most Wins 2012-13 running game with his blocking skills, along with Jake Raulerson, who started 1. Florida State ___________________26-2 which helped him get taken by Dallas in five games (four at center/one at right 2. Ohio State _____________________24-2 the seventh round of the 2015 NFL Draft. tackle). Flowers and Perkins have the most Alabama ______________________24-3 The Longhorns return players who pro- 4. Louisville _____________________23-3 experience as each played reserve roles duced just 32 percent of the receptions and Oregon ________________________23-3 in 2013. But Hutchins saw his first-ever 30 percent of the receiving yards. Senior Stanford _______________________23-5 action along the offensive line last season, Marcus Johnson is the most productive and Doyle played only a handful of snaps receiver remaining on the roster, having COMPETITION AT QUARTERBACK: during 2013. The loss of senior center posted a combined 49 catches for 663 One year after starting 12 games at quar- Dominic Espinosa (broken foot) in the receiving yards in 2013-14. Daje Johnson, terback when starter David Ash went opening game last season was a major blow a senior, has also shown flashes of his down with an injury in the opener, junior as he was the only returning o-line starter explosiveness, but was limited to just six Tyrone Swoopes saw stiff competition from 2013. But last year’s offensive line games last season. However, in his career, from redshirt freshman Jerrod Heard in eventually started to come together when Daje Johnson has scored on an 84-yard the spring and that is expected to con- Doyle took over as the starting center in the run, a 70-yard reception and an 85-yard tinue into preseason practice.