The Top 10

The reigns of the Texas Longhorn football program have been handed over to Charlie Strong and he has undoubtedly been changing the program’s culture for the last several months. It’s been more than fifteen years since the beginning of the season brought so much excitement and anticipation. Now the moment that Texas fans have been waiting for is just around the corner.

Along with that excitement, however, comes a lot of uncertainty. Will players respond to Charlie Strong’s different coaching style? Will they adapt to new offensive and defensive philosophies? Which players will step up this season under the new regime?

Here are this season’s 10 most important players:

10. ‘Number 3 Receiver’: With the dismissals of Kendall Sanders and Montrell Meander, Jaxon Shipley and Marcus Johnson are the only two receivers on the team with more than five catches last season. As a result, one of the young receivers needs to step up and be a solid third wideout in this offense. Will it be sophomore Jacorey Warrick, redshirt freshman Jake Oliver, or will the Longhorns have to rely on a true freshman such as Armanti Foreman or Lorenzo Joe? That remains to be seen, but whoever it is will be a key player on this year’s team.

9. Jordan Hicks: We know that linebacker Jordan Hicks boasts loads of talent; nevertheless, he has been unable to make it out of the first month of the season the last two years. The Longhorns need him to stay healthy this year. Charlie Strong should work wonders for this group of linebackers, but Hicks needs to be the leader of this unit. If Hicks can stay healthy, he could prove to be a frightening centerpiece for opposing quarterbacks and coordinators.

8. Geoff Swaim: It’s been a few years since the Longhorns have had a big-time receiving tight end, and with Joe Wickline and Watson bringing in a new offense, the tight end projects as a key cog in the system. Add in the team’s lack of depth among the receiving corps and tight end becomes even more crucial. If Swaim is able to consistently make plays, he could serve as a key outlet for David Ash, while taking the pressure off Shipley, Johnson, and the rest of the receivers. Better still if he is willing to mix up and help the offensive live generate holes for the running game, Swaim’s value skyrockets.

7. Desmond Jackson: The defensive line, especially under Charlie Strong, is expected to be the Longhorns’ strength this season. While Cedric Reed and Malcom Brown are grabbing all the attention, it’s their teammate that is poised to have a breakout year. Jackson has shown potential throughout his first two seasons and is one of the strongest players on the team. Opposing lines are going to scheme for Reed and Brown – that should free up Jackson to make plays. Similarly if Jackson generates enough of a push to consistently be in opposing backfields, then he frees up Reed and Brown to remind coordinators why they planned for them.

6. Placekicker & Punter (Nick Rose/Nick Jordan/William Russ): While kickers don’t get a lot of love from fans or the press, there’s no doubt that they play a critical role in a team’s success. Texas fans, who have been spoiled with outstanding kicking games, are facing some uncertainty at the position for the second year in a row. This will be a smash-mouth, ball control offense. That means the team is likely to find themselves in some close games – they can’t afford to leave points on the field, or give away field position. A weak kicking game would really hamstring the style of football Texas plans to play.

5. Quandre Diggs: Though the Longhorns have come to be known as DBU, this year’s squad is dangerously thin in the secondary. Diggs is one of the best cornerbacks in the conference, but he will be surrounded by question marks. Diggs has been an outspoken proponent of the culture change in the program and also about Strong’s roster moves. Whether it’s lining up the defensive backfield, locking down the other team’s top receiver or just being a vocal leader in the locker room, Diggs will have a major impact on this team. When thinking about how his play affects what the other 10 Longhorn defenders are trying to get done, a case could easily be made for Diggs to be even higher than fifth on this list.

4. Marcus Johnson: While Jaxon Shipley is the unquestioned top receiver on this team, the Longhorns need Johnson, who showed signs of greatness last season, to fill the role of a consistent playmaker. Everything we’ve seen from his so far would indicate that the junior is ready and even though he’s being held back in the early part of Fall camp, reports are that Johnson had a very solid Summer Similar to Desmond Jackson, Johnson’s impact can go beyond his performance – the possibility to affect Shipley’s productivity, the running game and the quarterback play combine to vault Johnson into the Top 4.

3. Malcolm Brown: With Johnathan Gray coming back from an Achilles injury and Joe Bergeron now off the team, the bulk of the rushing attack will be shouldered by Brown (at least early in the season). Brown should thrive in the new offensive system, which relies primarily on ball control and smash-mouth football, which fits his style perfectly. After an outstanding Summer in the weight room, Brown appears serious about being a Senior and having a “contract year”. If he stays healthy and focused, he will be one of the top running backs in the country. His impact extends directly to the quarterback also – the more successful he is in the run game, will, in turn, make Ash more effective in the passing game.

2. Dom Espinosa: One of the biggest question marks for Texas in 2014 is the offensive line, but with Joe Wickline patrolling the sidelines this year, fans expect the line to make great strides. For that to happen, Dom Espinosa, as the anchor of the line and the one making the blocking calls, needs to have a great year. Espinosa figures to the constant in a revolving door of chaos as he is challenged by suspension and depth chart issues. The OL’s impact on the offense’s productivity is understood (yet overlooked) and Espinosa’s ability to affect the line’s play is critical.

1. David Ash: There is no question that David Ash is the main key to this team’s success. Though he has shown promise, the often-injured quarterback has not been able to complete an entire season. News is that concussion symptoms and foot problems are in the past and Ash took advantage of the downtime from his foot rehab to do work in the weight room. How well will he relate to a third offensive coordinator? Will he stay healthy? Will he become a leader of the team both on and off the field? How those types of questions are answered is the difference between, fans having another frustrating season, and this Texas having an excitingly high ceiling.