Longhorns Defensive Depth Chart: Who Won The Starting Nod?
Texas takes on the likes of No. 23 Louisiana at home on Saturday, September 4. Steve Sarkisian officially ended all rumors when he announced that sophomore quarterback Hudson Card would be the starter when the team took the field.
Offense wins games, defense wins championships, right? For Texas, maybe Pete Kwiatkowski new 4-2-5 front is the push needed for the Longhorns to contend for a Big 12 title.
With such a high amount of turnovers, including a host of incoming and outgoing transfers on the defensive side of the ball, it is hard to get a grasp on the Longhorns in prospects for 2021.
However, the depth chart has been made official. Some players will take the field for several snaps. Others will be three-down defenders.
Here's the updated list for Texas' defensive depth chart entering Saturday.
Defensive Tackle (3 Tech)
DT 1) Moro Ojomo, JR.
Ojomo continued to show off in camp why he could be a perfect hybrid player based off the formation. Excelling against the run, he's an ideal option to play more one-on-one snaps against the guard, or work double teams on the tackle's inside shoulder.
Defensive Tackle (Nose)
NT 1) Keondre Coburn, JR.
As the big space fillers in the middle, Coburn won the nod over T'Vondre Sweat. One of the biggest players on the roster, the 346-pound nose tackle will be tasked will bull-rushing and adding a second set of pressure up the middle when defending the pass.
EDGE (BUCK)
EDGE 1) Ray Thornton, SR.
Thornton transferred from LSU to Texas with the intention of being one of the team's starting edge rushers. At the moment, the job is his following an impressive fall camp, and should remain his all season if he keeps up his success into the regular season.
EDGE (JACK)
EDGE 1) Jacoby Jones, SR.
Jones is the old man of the group, and officially takes over the other edge spots in Kwiatkowski's defense. The 6-4" defender offers immense value to due to his speed and bend when closing the gap both against the run and when asked to pass rush. He's also played in 20 games, making him accustomed to Big 12 speed.
Linebacker (MIKE)
MLB 1) Luke Brockermeyer, SR.
With the exit of Juwan Mitchell, this felt like a race between Brockmeyer and spring camp darling David Gbenda. In the end, the thumper nature and high-tempo tackling of Brockmeyer edges out the speedy Gbenda to earn first-team reps as the man in the middle.
Linebacker (WILL)
WLB 1) DeMarvion Overshown, SR.
No surprise here since he's healthy. Overshown can do everything asked of him in a system that will having playing sideline to sideline. As the "space" linebacker of the team, he will be the star of the Longhorns' front seven.
Linebacker (SAM)
SLB 1) Ovie Oghoufo, JR.
Kwitkowski likely will only run a three-linebacker set when hoping for added pressure from more of a standing technique. The former Notre Dame defensive end has garnered high praise from Sarkisian, likely giving him the nod entering the season as the "linebacker" used to blitz when the team elected to not play the nickel defender.
Cornerback
CB 1) D'Shawn Jamison, SR.
Jamison is the best corner on the roster and will likely be the go-to guy every week to match up with the opposition's best pass-catcher. His ball skills give Texas a viable threat to create a turnover every play, plus his speed should allow him to be in the driver's seat when trying to score.
Cornerback
CB 1) Josh Thompson, SR.
Another no surprise since Thompson started on the outside for the Horns in 2020. He should be used to the wide receivers from last season, giving him an advantage over any player he faces in both man and zone coverage.
Nickel Cornerback (STAR)
NCB 1) Anthony Cook, SR.
Cook has been the biggest riser this entire camp. Both Kwiatkowski and Sarkisian raved of his ability and willingness to tackle, while also emphasizing his physicalness in coverage. It's paid off since he's won the starting job inside.
Field Safety
FS 1) Brenden Schooler, SR.
Much like with the new staff at Oregon, Schooler is switching positions. After playing wide receiver last season, Sarkisian believed he was better suited to help the team on the defensive side of the football and in coverage as the ragy ball-hawking defender.
Kwiatkowski, who coached against Schooler at Washington, already knows what he can do on the defensive side of the ball. Can the former Ducks' starting safety return to that same status for 2021?
Boundary Safety
BS 1) B.J. Foster, SR.
Foster is the returning starter at strong safety and was thought to have the edge heading into the spring. He has played in 31 games, 18 of which were starts. No reason to waste time with this one after a promising camp.
CONTINUE READING: Texas' Card Taking QB Battle In Stride Under Sarkisian's Direction
Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Longhorns? Click Here
Want to join in on the discussion? Click here to become a member of the Longhorns Country message board community today!
