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Dustin McComas July 16, 2014
Upcoming preseason could be make-or-break camp for some Longhorns
https://texas.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1659677
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" ....... Soon, the stuff that actually matters for wins and losses will take place on the Texas practice years; soon, the Longhorns will embark on the process that is proving if they are a different program heading in a different direction or if the doubters and the residency in college football mediocrity will continue.
If the Longhorns are going to be a better than average football team that is both improved and different from, well, from the past four years, then it'll be the new coaching staff getting as close to maximum production as possible in areas where the last coaching staff couldn't. The players Texas needs to be great must be great, and those players Texas needs to "flip the switch" to take that next step as football players must flip that switch and that light can't flicker or go out.
The most important time for those players that need to "flip the switch" is that grueling stretch of non-stop practices, sometimes two-a-day, that begins in just over a couple of weeks and doesn't end until those final few days before the 2014 season kicks off. For some players, that could be the stretch of time that leads to them getting on to the field when it counts to define their career or it could be that stretch of time when everything finally clicks, which propels a player to a heavy-contributing role. However, it could also be the stretch of time that cements their career as a guy people look back at as a guy we were all waiting on to take the next step before an unfulfilled career ended before it ever really began. Sure, players can shine during in-season practices and prove themselves in short stints on the field. But a lot of what happens from a personnel and playing time standpoint begins in just over a couple of weeks when coaches get a consistent look at a player's a complete evolution, or lack thereof, during those 20-plus practices when players know what they have to and what they need to prove.
The Longhorns as a whole have a ton to prove, but what players could experience a make-or-break-type of preseason camp? There are no shortage of picks:
2) Offense
Quarterback that needs to "flip the switch" - Tyrone Swoopes (sophomore)
He has to be great - David Ash (senior)
It's amazing how the discussion has shifted surrounding Swoopes from the 2013 Spring Game to the 2014 version. In 2013, he was the shiny new toy with the glamorous projection; in 2014, some people wondered aloud if he would stick at quarterback. The possibility Swoopes has to play this year is very real because of David Ash's injury history and the idea of freshman Jerrod Heard possibly redshirting. But the possibility that Heard blows by him on the depth chart and he gets recruited over is also a legitimate possibility if Swoopes doesn't have a strong camp, show improvement, and prove to this new coaching staff he can be a legit option at QB down the road.
As for Ash, it's pretty simple: he has to stay healthy, and if he does stay healthy, he has to play at a high level. We're at the point where we know Ash is the starter if healthy because he crossed that boundary long ago.
Running back that needs to "flip the switch" - Malcolm Brown (senior)
He has to be great - see above
We've all seen the flashes of greatness from Brown, who is now set to enter his senior season after arriving to Texas as the No. 1 running back recruit in the country. The truth about Brown is that he hasn't had a No. 1 running back recruit in the country career, and while part of that is due to the parts surrounding him on the offense and the coaches teaching those parts, Brown has flirted with turning the corner and becoming an elite player only to never quite get over the hump because of injuries along with inconsistency. With the uncertainty surrounding Johnathan Gray, the timeout Joe Bergeron spent/is spending in the Strong Doghouse, and the lack of depth at running back, Brown has to have a great season.
Receiver that needs to "flip the switch"- Kendall Sanders (junior)
He has to be great - Jaxon Shipley (senior)
Is Sanders going to meet the hype and lofty projections? He created quite a buzz last fall camp only to simmer some when the lights turned on. Part of that was the disastrous quarterback situation, but Sanders is now going to be a junior, which mean it's time to be the play-making threat he's capable of or else it might never happen.
Shipley has to stay healthy, has to be productive, and has to emerge as a No. 1-type of receiver if the Texas offense is going to excel at the level its capable of.
Tight end that needs to "flip the switch" - M.J. McFarland…? (junior)
He has to be great - There really isn't anyone to put here.
Maybe McFarland becomes an improved player to the point the offense actually uses him in a consistent role? We are talking about Texas and the tight end here, so let's keep the expectations low until proven otherwise.
Offensive lineman that needs to "flip the switch" - Desmond Harrison (senior)
He has to be great - Dom Espinosa (senior)
If Harrison was a baseball prospect, his future tools would all be plus but there would be a sizeable gap between his present ability and his future potential. To evaluators and coaches, the 6-8 offensive tackle is such a tease because he looks and moves like a million bucks, but he hasn't come close to putting it all together to a point where he can play on the field for a full game without giving anyone a headache. If Harrison is going to fulfill that potential and put those tools to use, he better do it this year because there is no guarantee after this.
Espinosa is the rock of the offensive line, a steady leader that is underrated from a production standpoint. Texas can't afford for him to go down at any point; if he's healthy, he'll produce.
Freshmen wildcards - Armanti Foreman (receiver), Donald "Duke" Catalon (running back), Alex Anderson (offensive line), Jerrod Heard (quarterback)
Obviously, you don't have to be Bill Belichick to figure out Texas' QB situation is messy and the development of the true freshman Heard could change the ballgame. If Gray doesn't come back 100 percent and one of Joe Bergeron or Brown gets hurt, Catalon will need to play right away. Anderson has the size and strength to hold his own now even if he's raw in the other areas.
3) Defense
Safety that needs to "flip the switch" - Adrian Colbert (sophomore)
He has to be great - Mykkele Thompson (senior)
After a sluggish spring, it feels like Colbert is about to become a passed-by afterthought if he doesn't put together a strong preseason camp. Despite the depth chart being there for the taking, Colbert hasn't been able to push himself into the mix despite having the physical abilities.
At this point in his career, Thompson isn't going to be an All-American, but after a strong spring headlined by an impressive Spring Game performance, the senior flashed some ability after the 2013 season to be a very solid starter at a need spot. Texas can't afford for him to go backwards.
Corner that needs to "flip the switch" - Sheroid Evans (senior)
He has to be great - Quandre Diggs (senior)
At the beginning of last season, it looked like Evans was poised for a NFL future and a turn-the-corner junior season. Now, he's a senior coming off of a significant knee injury. If the 6-0 corner that oozes professional ability is fully healthy and remains that way, he could cash in on his last chance to make a huge impact at Texas.
If the Longhorn defense is going to be an improved unit and compete to be the best in the conference, Diggs has to before a lot like the sophomore Diggs instead of like the junior one. The Longhorns simply can't afford for the senior with a ton of experience to not be a plus-type of player this season.
Defensive end that needs to "flip the switch" - Shiro Davis (junior)
He has to be great - Cedric Reed (senior)
It seems like yesterday when Jason Howell was on a stealth mission, cruising through Texas into Louisiana to cover Davis' surprise flip from LSU to Texas. The thread about the news basically broke Orangebloods.com, and the Shreveport, Louisiana prospect arrived at Texas with a lot of acclaim. Now, the 6-3, 258-pound defensive end is entering a pivotal junior season, one season after Davis was in a position to make a big impact but never really did. Under Strong and his defensive staff, Davis should get plenty of pass-rushing opportunities in a specific role geared toward his skills. If he doesn't show out this fall and this season…
At season's end, if Reed isn't first-team All-Big 12, his season and Texas' was likely a disappointment.
Defensive tackle that needs to "flip the switch" - Hasaan Ridgeway (sophomore)
He has to be great - Malcom Brown (junior)
Ridgeway is just a sophomore, so his clock has plenty of room before it expires. The reason his preseason camp is a "flip the switch" kind of camp is because Texas desperately needs him to be a potential starter or at the worst a player that plays a ton of snaps throughout the season. He has all the physical tools, but does he have the knowledge of the position to execute at a high level? The depth behind Ridgeway means that Texas can't afford for him not to progress to the next level.
Of all the players on the Texas defense, Brown arguably has the highest ceiling and potential star-power. As he enters his junior year, the former five-star prospect from Brenham needs to be great in order for the Longhorns to beat the odds.
Linebacker that needs to "flip the switch" - Peter Jinkens (junior)
He has to be great - Steve Edmond (senior)
It seems like Jinkens' sophomore campaign was a lost season. After his freshman year, it looked like the 6-1, 230-pound linebacker would soon emerge as a leader and playmaker for the Texas defense. Instead, he registered just 49 tackles, just one QB hurry and one forced fumble to go with eight tackles for loss last season. If Jinkens gets beat out by, say, Demarco Cobbs, that probably says more about Jinkens than it does Cobbs.
Edmond is probably the linebacker you can pencil in with the most confidence as a starter. Well, that is if this news about a meal from an agent doesn't turn into anything more than it should.
Freshmen wildcards - Poona Ford (defensive tackle), Derick Roberson (defensive end), Andrew Beck (linebacker), Edwin Freeman (linebacker/safety), John Bonney (safety)
The depth at defensive tackle is inviting, and Ford brings a rare, unique blend of strength and athleticism at a size that's allowed him to seemingly master the leverage game at the position. Bonney's size, versatility, and instincts could allow him to turn enough heads to crack the two-deep. If Texas can't find enough edge-rushers, it could throw Roberson into the mix and Beck was an early enrollee that arrived at Texas as an underrated recruit at a position that could push him into the mix early.
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