Texas Longhorns Freshman WRs Learning 'Trial by Fire'

An elite class of freshman wide receivers is getting some extra reps in spring practice as some veterans moved to the sidelines due to injuries.

Sophomore Ryan Wingo and junior DeAndre Moore Jr are expected to lead a receiver room without the likes of Matthew Golden, Isaiah Bond and Silas Bolden, but while they recover from their injuries, it's the freshmen who will look to make an impression.

Four-star Daylan McCutcheon joins five-star recruits Kaliq Lockett, Jaime Ffrench, and Michael Terry III.

Texas Longhorns receiver Ryan Wingo (5) runs the ball during the College Football Playoff semifinal game against Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium on Friday, Jan. 10, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. | Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"These four guys came in, and they really didn't have a lot of models to look at," head coach Steve Sarkisian said. "Wingo had about three practices and then tweaked his hamstring, DeAndre Moore's been out all spring, doing light work. They've been having to learn trial by fire."

But if Wingo proved anything his freshman year, it was that a true freshman is capable of playing at the highest level. Last year, he recorded five attempts in 100 rushing yards and 29 receptions in 472 receiving yards and two touchdowns. At the end of the season, Wingo earned the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award.

The year before, Moore appeared in 10 games for the Longhorns, also as a true freshman, but failed to record any statistics until his sophomore season.

The four freshmen will look to continue Wingo's streak and maintain a high level receiving room, one of Texas' staples in the past seasons.

"They're getting such valuable reps right now," Sarkisian said. "You can see the growth, but like a lot of young players, it's kind of one step forward, two steps back. Then it's two steps forward, one step back. You just finished practice 13, we have very few guys that don't have a bump, a bruise, a nick somewhere. They're fighting through, 'How do I compartmentalize, my body is not quite 100% but I need to be mentally 100% and execute those calls.' I've been impressed with hose guys, you can definitely see the skillset of all of them and you can see the guys who are picking it up quicker than others."

The freshmen quartet will have its first chance of showing their skills to the nation as Texas takes on Ohio State in Columbus on Aug. 31 to kick-off the 2025 season.

"I'm hopeful that when their opportunities come, that their natural instincts start to really kick in, and they start making plays and making plays on the ball," Sarkisian said. "I don't expect them to be 100% yet, this is a lot. The young receivers, it's a process to get them ready to play, but when the ball is in the air, that their instincts and their natural abilities start to come to fold, and we saw some of that today."