What is the story about?
Around the country, there are plenty of depth charts available — for programs that played games in Week 0 or from programs that actually decide to release those depth charts publicly prior to the season opener.
The Texas Longhorns are not one of the those programs, because while head coach Steve Sarkisian did have a copy of the depth chart on the table in front of him during Monday’s game week press conference ahead of the season opener against the Texas State Bobcats, he didn’t share its contents
beyond answering a question about which specialists will start for the Horns.
So, based on the available information, here’s the projected defensive depth chart with some thoughts added below.
- Sophomore Justus Terry is a difficult player to position on this list because he’ll likely play some as a 3-4 defensive end and feature prominently in whatever dime pass-rush package defensive coordinator Will Muschamp deploys in third-and-long situation. He’s listed here behind fifth-year Hero Kanu because the other defensive tackle position projects as more competitive.
- There’s some buzz that junior Maraad Watson could pass junior Alex January for a starting role, but for now, this projection features them as co-starters with January getting the slight nod. Regardless of who starts, there will be heavy rotation early in the season and probably throughout the entire schedule.
- The biggest bodies are separated into nose tackle category with behemoth senior Arkansas transfer Ian Geffrard first up in a heavy package when Muschamp wants to plug the middle.
- As with Watson and January, there has been buzz during the preseason about junior Zina Umeozulu really pushing sophomore Lance Jackson for the starting job opposite of junior edge Colin Simmons, so there’s a co-starter designation at that position.
- On Monday, Sarkisian said that senior Colton Vasek will play a lot on the edge in addition to getting some reps at strong-side linebacker in preparation for playing against 13 personnel packages. Taken literally, that would make Vasek the third-team Jack end, but this projection is taking that comment less literally and putting him at defensive end since a player like freshman Jamarion Carlton, who is listed at 6’5, 280 pounds, is also listed at edge on the official roster.
- The linebackers are sorted by body types, with the heavier ‘backers listed at middle linebacker and the smaller ‘backers listed at weak-side linebacker until there is more clarity about how Muschamp will deploy them.
- Senior Brad Spence, the only player officially listed as a hybrid edge/linebacker is listed exclusively at the strong-side position for this projection, although it’s possible he could be the backup middle linebacker.
- At nickel, junior Wardell Mack is still listed there even though he’s also been working at cornerback, where it’s possible that he could be the fourth cornerback, so that’s something to watch for on Saturday’s depth chart.
- Another position to monitor is whether sophomore Jonah Williams is listed as the backup to junior Jelani McDonald, as he is here, or to senior Derek Williams, because McDonald isn’t likely to come off the field often, but a platoon between the other two players has a higher probability.
