Herman Provides Injury Updates, Names Starting Kicker

As the Longhorns prepare for their season-opener against Maryland, head coach Tom Herman ended speculation as to who would start at kicker when Texas takes the field in Landover, Maryland on Saturday. On Thursday evening, in an availability with the media, Herman named true freshman and Lake Travis High School product Cameron Dicker as the team’s starter at the position.

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KICKER ALERT: Tom Herman has named Lake Travis product Cameron Dicker as the starting kicker against Maryland
— HornSports (@HornSports) August 30, 2018

Dicker beat out senior Joshua Rowland, who played in all 13 games and made just 11 of 18 field goals last season. Rowland went 0-2 against Maryland in the season opener last year, missing from 42 yards and having his second attempt blocked.

Earlier in the week Dicker and Rowland were listed as co-starters on the team’s Week 1 Depth Chart, but Herman mentioned he would whittle the duties down to one prior to the Maryland game.

“I don’t think you’ll see both. I don’t. I think it’s going to come down to really just a couple days here. They’re fairly neck and neck. The guy that makes the most pressure kicks here in the next couple days will be the guy that jogs out against Maryland.”

Cameron Dicker emerged as Herman’s guy and will have the opportunity to “right the kicking ship,” which has been lackluster for the last several years.

Herman also provided an update on junior linebacker Jeffrey McCulloch, who suffered a strained pectoral muscle in preseason camp. McCulloch, who played in 10 games last season for the Longhorns, appears to still be nursing his injury but could be available to play on Saturday.