Apr 27, 2023; Kansas City, MO, USA; Texas running back Bijan Robinson with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected by the Atlanta Falcons eighth overall in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft at Union Station. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The 2023 NFL Draft has concluded, and 5 University of Texas players were drafted: RB Bijan Robinson, RB Roschon Johnson, LB DeMarvion Overshown, DT Keondre Coburn, and DL Moro Ojomo. Let’s take a look at the teams they went to, how well they might fit there and what opportunities they have moving forward on their respective rosters.
Let’s start with Bijan Robinson. Robinson was the 8th overall pick in the draft, being selected by the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons’ run game last year was respectable as they had over 2,700 yards on the ground along with 17 TDs. The group was led by rookie RB Tyler Allgeier, who had just over 1,000 yards and 3 rushing touchdowns to go along with it, and RB Cordarrelle Patterson as well, who had over 600 yards and a hefty 8 TDs. This 1-2 punch just got a whole lot better with Robinson joining the mix. Robinson will be the day 1 starter and is their immediate RB1, but he definitely has some guys behind him to help with the Atlanta passing game and to give them different offensive looks. In 2022, Pro Football Network ranked the Falcons as the 10th best offensive line unit and it appears that much of the starting unit will be on the Falcons roster again this coming season. The QB position is still somewhat up in the air for Atlanta, though, as their projected starter is second-year QB Desmond Ridder, which may lead to Robinson getting more touches due to lack of confidence at the helm of the offense. He’s got the spot, the offensive line, and will see plenty of opportunities… so don’t be surprised if he shines and is in the running for offensive rookie of the year.
Let’s now look at the other RB who allowed Texas to have their own 1-2 punch this past season: Roschon Johnson. Johnson was selected as the 115th pick in the draft (4th round) to the Chicago Bears, and looks to have some potential opportunities for carries as the Bears saw 2022 starting RB David Montgomery hit free agency and sign with the Detroit Lions on a 3-year, $18 million deal. Chicago does also have running backs D’Onta Foreman, who signed a deal this offseason for one-year and $3 million after leaving the Panthers, and Khalil Herbert, who is now entering his 3rd year with the team and continues to show strong progression in his running. Regardless, Johnson should be involved with the passing game from the get-go and be given more opportunities if one of the backs ahead of him gets dinged up. The Bears offensive line in 2022 was a major problem, as they gave up a whopping 58 sacks on the season but rushed for over 3,000 yards as a team. Lots of those yards did not come from a RB though, as QB Justin Fields ran for over 1,100 of them. So, while Johnson should see the field a slight amount in his first year, don’t expect too much quite yet as the backfield is somewhat crowded and their starting QB is a big-time runner. Regardless, he’s a great pick for the Bears and a true leader on and off the field.
Shifting over to the defensive side of the ball, LB DeMarvion Overshown was drafted 90th overall (3rd round) to none other than “America's Team”, the Dallas Cowboys. DeMarvion will be able to keep wearing his cowboy hats with pride as he only has a short move to his new home, and the move will come with a big-time opportunity as well. Overshown is not projected to be a starter as it stands now, as the Cowboys have Jabril Cox, Leighton Vander Esch and Micah Parsons as their starting LB’s. But, Overshown will see the field as he’s listed as the immediate backup for the weak-side linebacker (WLB) position. Dallas’ defense is led by Micah Parsons, who had 13.5 sacks last season with 3 forced fumbles, and they also have playmakers such as newly added CB Stephon Gilmore, DeMarcus Lawrence, and their first round draft pick Mazi Smith. Overshown will be a nice addition to this squad, which gave up a respectable 320.2 YPG last year. He should have opportunities to showcase his talent in his hometown state immediately this coming season.
Sticking with defense, DL Keondre Coburn was drafted 194th overall (6th round) by the Kansas City Chiefs. Keondre will be joining the reigning Super Bowl champions and MVP QB Patrick Mahomes, but what will his role look like on this very talented roster? It’s obviously impossible to tell completely, but as it stands, he is 3rd on the depth chart for the left defensive tackle position behind Danny Shelton and Derrick Nnadi. This Chiefs defense has some big-time names on it such as Chris Jones, former Longhorn Charles Omenihu, Justin Reid and others that can all ball out, so Coburn should be surrounded by talent that can help him grow as a first-year player. That being said, I don’t expect Coburn to see too many opportunities in his first year with the team, but I like the spot for him as the Chiefs can use some more defensive fire power. Let’s see how he develops.
The last Longhorn to be drafted this year was DL Moro Ojomo, who went at pick #249 overall to the Super Bowl runner-up Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles defensive line, especially after this draft, is absolutely loaded with talent as they have Brandon Graham, Jordan Davis, Fletcher Cox, Josh Sweat and now first-round pick Jalen Carter as well. Ojomo is currently listed as the 4th-string left defensive tackle and will definitely need to prove himself worthy of a roster spot come training camp. Ojomo had 32 tackles and 3 sacks last season (both college career highs) and played in all 12 games for the 'Horns last season. He won’t have an immediate opportunity to play, but he has the potential to make the roster and provide some solid depth for the Eagles.
Lastly, DB D’Shawn Jamison was not drafted but did sign with the San Francisco 49ers after the draft concluded. He has a lot of upside as he is an all-around athlete and can be used on special teams as well.
Best of luck to all of the Longhorns now in the NFL!
Running Back Roschon Johnson (2) listens to a coaches advice before participating in the Texas Longhorns' annual pro timing day at Denius Fields on the Universiy of Texas at Austin Campus on Thursday March 9, 2023. Photo: Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK
Texas running back Roschon Johnson was selected in the 4th round of the NFL Draft with the 115th overall pick by the Chicago Bears. Johnson was the second running back taken in this year's draft, following Bijan Robinson who was taken in the first round with the 8th overall pick by the Atlanta Falcons.
Johnson, from Port Neches (TX), was recruited by the Longhorns to play quarterback. He selflessly converted to running back in order to help the team when they were thin at the position due to injury. He went on to play in 47 games and started in five during his tenure in the backfield. Johnson finished his career at Texas ranking 18th on the all-time rushing list tallying 2,190 yards on 392 carries. He also contributed 26 total touchdowns in his time wearing burnt orange.
He was a team captain and was considered the team's leader on and off the field. He was a semifinalist for the Paul Hornung Award, a semifinalist for the Campbell Trophy, a three-time Academic All-Big 12 First Team member and was an honorable mention All-Big 12 Conference selection last season.
“Ro was the leader of our football team and was a guy that held himself and his teammates accountable each and every day,” said Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian. “He’s highly competitive, very mature, and has an unbelievable work ethic. He’s an awesome team guy that beyond all of his speed, power and explosiveness, is extremely tough. He can play all three downs at running back, is excellent on special teams, and he’ll bring a great deal on and off the field to the Chicago Bears.”
Johnson has switched positions, had multiple coaches and even thought about possibly transferring at one point, but stuck it out and gave his all to the Longhorns in a backup role.
“It feels great to kind of reflect on everything seeing how far I’ve come. It’s a special moment to see myself in this position. With all the coaching, and people I’ve gotten to learn from, I feel like I’m more than prepared to go in and make an impact immediately. My time there (Texas) really helped me grow as a person, in all aspects of my character. I’m going to bring that with me whether it’s on the field or off the field, I’m going to take that with me as I go to Chicago.”
With Johnson being drafted, it marks the first time the Longhorns have had two running backs drafted in the same year since 1982 (Rodney Tate - Bengals, Round 4 & A.J. Jones - Rams, Round 8). He is the 28th player in Texas history drafted by the Chicago Bears, with DE Henry Melton be the latest (2009 - 4th Round).
Photo: Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports
Texas linebacker DeMarvion Overshown heard his name called in the NFL Draft on Friday night, as the Dallas Cowboys selected the Arp (Texas) native with the 90th overall pick in the third round. Overshown, a converted safety to linebacker, played five seasons at Texas and started in 33 games. In his time on the Forty Acres he amassed 249 tackles (136 solo), nine sacks, 30.5 tackles for loss and three interceptions. Last season he was an All-Big 12 First Team selection and a Butkus Award Semifinalist.
Overshown became the 12th Texas player drafted by the Dallas Cowboys all-time. Prior to Demarvion's selection, offensive lineman Connor Williams was the last Longhorn drafted by Jerry Jones and the Cowboys (2018).
Paxton Anderson who is Dallas Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones' grandson and is a walk-on receiver at Texas, spoke highly of Overshown's on and off-field talent to his grandfather. When Overshown got the call he said Jones mentioned it.
"At first it just started off, ‘Hey DeMarvion, how are you doing? It’s Jerry with the Cowboys.’ Then he was saying how (Longhorn teammate and Jerry Jones’s grandson) Paxton (Anderson) talked really good about me. Even when I went on my visit, the first thing he said was, ‘You’re an A+ before we even talk about football because of how my grandson talked about you and the type of person you are.’
Overshown becomes the second Texas Longhorn to be drafted this year, following running back Bijan Robinson who was the 8th pick overall by the Atlanta Falcons.
(Photo: USA Today)
The drought is over. For the first time since the 2006 NFL Draft, Texas had an offensive player taken in the first round. Bijan Robinson heard his named called Thursday evening as the 8th overall selection in the draft by the Atlanta Falcons.
Robinson rushed for 3410 yards and 33 touchdowns in 3 seasons at Texas. The Arizona native won the Doak Walker Award in 2022 as the top running back in the country. Robinson is not the only Longhorn hoping to hear his name called over the coming days. Fellow RB Roschon Johnson, LB DeMarvion Overshown, DT Keondre Coburn and DL Moro Ojomo have all had their names appear in mock drafts over the last several months.
Texas outfielder Eric Kennedy (30) high fives Texas infielder Tanner Carlson (5) after Carlson scored a run as the Longhorns play Texas Southern at home Tuesday, April 25, 2023. Photo: Mikala Compton / USA TODAY NETWORK
Last weekend Oklahoma swept Texas in baseball for the first time in 25 years. The Longhorns rode a wave of momentum for weeks but that came to a quick ending last weekend. Texas went from a Top-12 nationally ranked team that was in first place in the Big 12 to unranked and fourth place in the Big 12 following the sweep by the Sooners. This weekend the Longhorns head to Fort Worth in search of lost momentum - something they need to find relatively quickly if they intend on returning to Omaha for a third straight year under David Pierce.
Taking Two of Three is a Must
In order to make up for the tough series against Oklahoma, Texas needs to take at least two of the three games this weekend vs TCU. Losing another series could put the Longhorns in a downward spiral that becomes difficult to recover from. The Big 12 is still winnable and after this series, the Longhorns need to win every remaining conference series. TCU was regarded as the best team in the Big 12 to start the year, and despite some losses, the Horned Frogs are still a very solid team. Beating TCU would give Texas a confidence boost that is much-needed. Many people forget how inexperienced this Texas team is despite their solid overall record.
Clean Up the Walks
Walks have been a major issue for Texas pitching for a few weeks now. They were able to avoid disaster against Baylor with all the walks but it caught up to them last weekend against Oklahoma. If you can’t throw strikes, it’s going to make for a long day on the mound. The scouting report is out to make Longhorn pitchers throw strikes. Until they prove they can, opposing hitters will be patient. This TCU offense can score in bunches which means it’s even more pivotal to throw strikes.
Get Tanner Witt Home Healthy
Head Coach David Pierce announced Thursday that star pitcher Tanner Witt will make his season debut on Monday. Witt had a breakout freshman year before suffering an elbow injury forcing him to miss most of the 2022 season as he recovered from Tommy John surgery. Pierce announced that Witt will only throw one inning, but it’s promising nonetheless. It has been discussed that Witt will increase his workload with each start as long as his elbow responds well. By the end of the year Pierce has said Witt could possibly throw 60 pitches or more. That would be a big help for the Longhorns pitching staff.
(Photo: Twitter @1trillcarter)
Spring practice is over, and the Texas coaching staff has wasted no time diving straight into portal recruiting to try to bolster the roster headed into the 2023 season. The Longhorns landed a key piece on Monday afternoon, as Minnesota transfer DT Trill Carter selected Texas over Arkansas and Ohio State.
Carter started 24 games for the Gophers over the past two seasons. In 2022, he totaled 19 tackles and 1.5 sacks. The Georgia native figures to factor into the interior defensive line rotation that already includes T'Vondre Sweat, Byron Murphy, Alfred Collins and Vernon Broughton.
(Photo: USA Today)
The Orange-White spring game featured a lot of interesting storylines. The debut of Arch Manning, Maalik Murphy getting his first live action with fans in the stands and a revamped WR room featuring AD Mitchell. Let's take a look at some of the biggest takeaways in a game that saw the White team come out with a 21-10 win.
Obviously all eyes were on the quarterbacks, and all 3 of Quinn Ewers, Maalik Murphy and Arch Manning saw significant snaps. Ewers finished the afternoon 16 of 23 for 195 yards and a TD. His brightest moment was a deep ball connection to Xavier Worthy, something that did not happen far too often last year. Murphy was first out to navigate the second team offense and was 9 of 13 for 165 yards and a long TD to Johntay Cook. He likely cemented himself as the clear #2 behind Ewers headed into the offseason. Manning finished 5 of 13 for 30 yards. The early enrollee freshman did not receive much help from his offensive line or receivers, but did have a few nice throws. As expected, the same moved at a different speed than what he was used to in high school. He will be fine.
Jaydon Blue stole the show at running back. The sophomore averaged over 5 yards per carry and had a dazzling rushing TD where he displayed elusiveness and accelerated in the open field. Freshman Cedric Baxter punched in a 1-yard TD on 4th down and didn't look out of place. Sophomore Savion Red, fresh off the move from WR to RB, ran hard and finished with 45 yards on 9 carries.
Texas appears to have a really good problem at WR. AD Mitchell did not disappoint in his first action in front of fans, grabbing 6 catches for 58 yards and a one-handed TD in the endzone. The Georgia transfer was as advertised and will play a big role on the 2023 team. Jordan Whittington was his usual self (5 catches for 59 yards) and Worthy had a team leading 83 receiving yards. Freshman Johntay Cook and DeAndre Moore both had freshman moments, but played well and should find themselves in the WR rotation come the fall.
It is tough to evaluate the OL in a spring game setting, but the most interesting note was Neto Umeozulu running with the first team at LG, allowing Hayden Center to play center for Orange team.
On defense, the first team unit played well. Terrance Brooks, Ryan Watts and Gavin Holmes all flashed in the secondary. T'Vondre Sweat and Byron Murphy made their presence felt up front. Former walk-on Jett Bush also had several nice plays on the afternoon.
Overall Takeaway
You don't want to take too much away from a glorified scrimmage, but Texas looks to be in such a better place at so many positions on the field compared to a year or two ago. The Longhorns still have some questions marks (interior OL, LB opposite of Jaylan Ford, pass rush from the edge spots) but it pales in comparison to the question marks Texas has had entering the past two seasons.
This is far and away the most talented roster Steve Sarkisian has had in his 3 years at Texas. It is now time for that to translate to the win column.
(Photo: Twitter/BrenenThompson_)
The second portal window of the offseason is set to open April 15th and movement has begun on the Texas roster.
WR Brenen Thompson, LB Trevell Johnson and LB Derrick Brown will all reportedly enter the transfer portal (per Nick Harris of Rivals)
Johnson and Brown did not appear in any games their freshman season, while Thompson had 1 catch for 32 yards. All 3 were members of the 2022 recruiting class.
(Photo: Texas Baseball)
5 days after letting a victory against Oklahoma State slip through their hands, Texas returned the favor on Friday night in Austin against Kansas State. The Wildcats led 5-1 in the bottom of the 8th inning before the Longhorns strung together 5 consecutive hits to tie the game. Tanner Carlson, who entered the game for Jack O'Dowd, then delivered the game-winning sacrifice fly. Zane Morehouse worked around a two out single in the top of the 9th to secure his 5th save of the season.
Texas starter Lucas Gordon labored for the first 2 innings of the game, throwing more than 50 pitches, hitting 3 batters and allowing a pair of runs. The junior eventually settled in and was able to make it through 6 innings without further damage. The Longhorns ran into trouble again in the 7th when Andre Duplantier walked the first two batters of the inning and then threw a bunt attempt into right field, but Chase Lummus entered and prevented the game from getting out of reach.
The Longhorns led off the bottom of the 8th with a bunt single by Eric Kennedy. Dylan Campbell followed with a double to left-center and Peyton Powell drove home a pair with an opposite field double, which ended the night of Kansas State starter Owen Boerema (127 pitches and 12 strikeouts). Garret Guillemette greeted reliever Ty Ruhl with an opposite field double and Porter Brown tied the game with a RBI triple before being driven in by Carlson.
Texas will go for the series win today as they send Travis Sthele to the mound. The Longhorns currently sit atop the Big 12 standings at 5-2.
Apr 5, 2023; Augusta, Georgia, USA; Scottie Scheffler walks with wife Meredith Scudder during the Par 3 Contest at The Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Network
The Masters, golf’s biggest major and one of the most prestigious events in all of sports, starts Thursday (4/6) in its usual spot in Augusta, Georgia. Let’s take a look at the two Longhorns participating in the tournament this week, and it may be names you aren’t quite aware of... Scottie Scheffler and Jordan Spieth. Did that joke DRIVE you crazy? Both of these golfers are well respected and known and have realistic chances of winning this weekend, especially Scheffler. Let’s take a look at their recent tournament finishes before the Masters and how successful they have been at Augusta in the past.
Starting with the #1 ranked golfer in the world, Scottie Scheffler is coming off a 4th-place finish at the WGC-Dell Match Play event that was held in Austin, Texas, at the Austin Country Club. I had a chance to attend that event and the course was absolutely beautiful, as several holes are located right by Lake Austin and the popular Pennybacker Bridge. Scheffler looked as fresh as ever yet ended up losing in the semi-finals against Sam Burns, as they went to a playoff that lasted three holes. He went on to play Rory Mcllroy in the finals consolation bracket yet lost by 2 points. Nonetheless, another great outing for Scottie. Before this, Scheffler won THE PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Florida, as he shot 17-under for the week and won by a total of 5 strokes. He had the best average driving distance with 305.9 yards per drive and had 20 birdies with only 5 bogeys to go along with that. Looking now at the Masters, this will be Scheffler’s 4th appearance at Augusta and he is, of course, the reigning Masters champion as he beat Rory Mcllroy by 3 strokes and finished 10-under for the tournament last year. This was Scheffler’s first major championship title, and the two years before that finished T-19 in 2020 and T-18 in 2021, respectively. Let’s see if the champ can keep his crown, but by the way he’s been playing all season, there is a reason he is the favorite.
Let’s now shift over to Spieth. Jordan has been playing some solid golf as of late, finishing T-3 at the Valspar Championship in Florida in mid-March and the week before finishing T-19 at THE PLAYERS Championship in Florida as well. Looking at the Valspar, Spieth shot 8-under for the week with 15 birdies and 9 bogeys. In round 1, he was bogey-free and shot 4-under on the day, with 3 consecutive birdies on holes 14-16. He’s only missed one cut in his past 5 tournaments played, and besides that, his lowest finish has been that T-19. Spieth seems ready to go. Now, let’s shift back over to the tournament at-hand. In a career that seems to be filled with inconsistency, the former Longhorn has been effective at the Masters overall and has a chance to quiet the haters with a second victory in his 10th appearance at Augusta. Spieth won the green jacket back in 2015 and has only missed one cut in his 9 previous appearances. Along with the first place finish, he has tied for 2nd twice, came in 3rd place once, and tied for 3rd once as well. The man has experience on this Par 72, 7,510-yard course that has been played on for decades, so it will be very interesting and fun to watch to see if he can continue his Masters success.
Both of these Longhorns are playing efficient golf… let’s see who comes out ahead!
-Twitter: @RSwantkowski
Photo: @TexasBaseball
STILLWATER, OK -- The #21 Texas Longhorns (20-7, 4-0) defeated the #17 Oklahoma State Cowboys (20-7, 4-3) 5-3 at O'Brate Stadium on Friday night to extend their win streak to 16 games.
Starting pitcher Lucas Gordon pitched a full 7 innings and gave up three runs on seven hits en route to his third win of the season (3-0).
The Cowboys took an early 1-0 lead in the second inning when Nolan Schubart scored on a one-out fielder's choice.
Texas answered in the top third inning as Garret Guillemette hit a two-run homer over the center field wall to give the Longhorns a 2-1 lead. The 'Horns would add another run in the inning with Jack O'Dowd's left field single which scored Porter Brown.
In the fourth, Jalin Flores hit a two-run shot in right center field which scored Jared Thomas and gave Texas a 5-1 lead.
Oklahoma State homered in both the fourth and sixth innings to cut into the Longhorns' lead 5-3.
David Shaw relieved Gordon and pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
Things got a little dicey in the bottom ninth. Shaw gave up a leadoff double to Oklahoma State's Carson Benge and was replaced by Zane Morehouse. Morehouse walked Colin Brueggemann giving the Pokes men on first and second with no outs. He then forced a popup and struck out Chase Adkison. On a 2-2 pitch count he forced a groundout by Ric Riggio to end the game.
The Longhorns and Cowboys will play Game 2 in Stillwater on Saturday at 6:00 PM with RHP Travis Sthele (2-2, 4.55) facing off against Oklahoma State RHP Juaron Watts-Brown (3-1, 2.97).
Mar 24, 2023; Kansas City, MO, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Rodney Terry cheers from the bench during the first half of an NCAA tournament Midwest Regional semifinal against the Xavier Musketeers at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
After much speculation about the status of the "interim" tag attached to Rodney Terry's title with the Texas Basketball Program, the University announced his official hiring as the 26th Head Coach in UT Basketball history on Monday.
The terms of Terry's deal are reported to be $15.3 million for five years.
Terry took over the reins of the program on December 12th following the arrest of Chris Beard. He went on to lead the Longhorns to a Big 12 Tournament Championship and the Elite 8 in the NCAA Tournament, the first for the program since 2008.
Previously, Terry was a head coach at Fresno State (2011-2018) and UTEP (2018-2021). He served as an assistant under Rick Barnes at Texas (2002-2011) and rejoined the Longhorns under Chris Beard. His career record as a head coach is 185-164.
Terry had the support of the fans, current and former players. But, as the postseason continued and no deal had been reached, there was concern whether or not Texas Athletic Director Chris Del Conte was bought-in on Terry.
He was.
(Photo: USA Today)
Tyrese Hunter connected on a jumper with just over 13 minutes remaining in the game to put Texas up 13, and it felt like the Longhorns were destined for a berth in the Final Four. Despite hot shooting from Miami all afternoon, the Longhorns had built a lead that seemed comfortable. The lead quickly evaporated though, and Texas was unable to make plays down the stretch as they fell to the Hurricanes 88-81.
Texas matched Miami shot for shot for much of the first half. The Longhorns led 45-37 at halftime thanks to hot shooting from Marcus Carr, Timmy Allen and Jabari Rice. But things began to fall apart in the second half. Turnovers killed the Longhorns and the Longhorns endured a lengthy stretch in the second half without a field goal and it was the crack in the door Miami needed.
The Longhorns shot 40% from 3 and 50% from the field, but were unable to slow down Miami defensively. Jordan Miller was a perfect 7 for 7 from the field and 13 for 13 from the free throw line. Texas had no answers for the ability of the Miami guards to get into the paint repeatedly.
The Hurricanes shot 32 free throws, a large chunk of which came in the second half. The officiating was questionable at times, but Texas was unable to consistency stay in front of ball handlers.
It's easy to play the 'what if' game, but Dylan Disu being able for Texas likely changes the outcome of this game. The Longhorns actually out-rebounded the Hurricanes 25-23, but the lack of a consistent interior presence killed Texas at times. With Disu out, Brock Cunningham and Christian Bishop were both forced to take on bigger roles.
This game is going to be a tough pill to swallow for Texas fans. The Longhorns had a path to victory right there in front of them and could not make the winning plays they had made almost all season up to this point.
Looking ahead, Texas will first and foremost have to make a decision at head coach. It is reportedly expected that Rodney Terry will have the interim tag removed in the coming days. After naming a permanent coach, all attention turns to rebuilding the roster. Marcus Carr, Timmy Allen, Jabari Rice and Christian Bishop have exhausted their eligibility and will be moving on, and in the age of the transfer portal it is not guarantee that all the players with eligibility remaining will return.
It was without a doubt a successful season for Texas. The programs first appearance in the Elite Eight in 15 seasons is nothing to be ashamed of, but this game is going to haunt Longhorn fans for a while. It was right there for the taking.
Xavier Musketeers guard Colby Jones (3) rises for a shot as Texas Longhorns forward Timmy Allen (0) defends during the first half of a Sweet 16 college basketball game between the Xavier Musketeers and the Texas Longhorns in the Midwest Regional of the NCAA Tournament, Friday, March 24, 2023, at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo. Ncaa Xavier Texas Ncaa Sweet 16 March 24. Photo: Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
Following their 83-71 victory over Xavier in the Sweet 16, the Texas Longhorns (29-8, 12-6 Big 12) find themselves one win away from their first berth in the NCAA Tournament's Final Four since 2003. In order to make it to Houston as one of the last four teams standing, the Longhorns will have to get past a surging Miami Hurricane team that dismantled No. 1 seed Houston 89-75 on Friday night.
The news of Dylan Disu's injury last Friday saw the hopeful emergence of Texas forward Christian Bishop, who stepped up big-time in Disu's absence. Bishop had his best game of the season, scoring 18 points and 9 rebounds in 24 minutes played against the Musketeers. Disu's status is day-to-day with a bone bruise on his foot, and he will likely not play against the Hurricanes.
When faced with adversity, Texas has found an answer to win in every game in this tournament. They will likely need to dig deep to muscle out a win over Miami team that is big, athletic and played in last season's Elite 8 game.
Miami won the ACC regular season but lost to Duke in the ACC Tournament.
Since their loss to TCU in the regular season, the Longhorns have reeled off 7 straight wins including a Big 12 Tournament Championship.
Today's game is big for both programs. Miami has never made it past the Elite 8 in program history, while the Longhorns are seeking their fourth trip to the Final Four and first in the last 20 years.
WHAT: No. 2 seed Texas Longhorns (28-8, 12-6 Big 12) vs. No. 5 seed Miami Hurricanes (28-7, 15-5 ACC)
FORMAT: 2023 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament - Elite 8
WHEN: Sunday, March 26, 2023
TIME: 4:05 PM CST
TV: CBS
VENUE: T-Mobile Center
LOCATION: Kansas City, Missouri
LINE: Texas -5.5
SERIES/ALL-TIME RECORD: Texas leads Miami 2-1
LAST MEETING: Texas defeated Miami 75-72 (March 23, 2008 - Little Rock, AR)
DISCUSS THE TEXAS vs. MIAMI GAME HERE
(Photo: USA Today)
Many Texas fans feared for the worst as Dylan Disu limped off the court a few minutes into the game on Saturday night. The big man had been the star of the postseason run for the Longhorns but was unable to give it go after suffering a foot injury during practice. 38 minutes of game action later, and Texas had barely missed a beat, cruising past Xavier 83-71 to punch their ticket to the Elite Eight. Here are some thoughts and takeaways
With Disu limited, the Longhorns leaned heavily on Christian Bishop. The Kansas City area native tuned in his biggest performance of the season, scoring 18 points and grabbing 9 rebounds despite battling foul trouble for much of the evening.
Speaking of foul trouble, Jabari Rice and Marcus Carr also spent much of the first half with 2 fouls but were able to battle through to make big contributions. Carr matched Bishop's 18 points and Rice scored 16 of his own. The duo combined to go 13 of 26 from the field, including 3 of 5 from deep.
Tyrese Hunter played his best game in months on both ends of the floor. The Iowa State transfer scored a team high 19 points and played a key role on the defensive end of the floor.
For the third straight game, Texas held one of the best offensive teams in the country mostly in check. Xavier finished the game shooting 44% from the field and only surpassed the 70 point mark thanks to some wide open looks late as Texas looked to run out the clock.
With Disu's injury and iffy available for Sunday's game against Miami, Texas will need Dillon Mitchell and Arterio Morris to raise the level of their games. The freshman duo combined for 24 minutes last night, but had 0 points and only 4 combined rebounds. Mitchell in particular is going to need to give the Longhorns quality minutes with Bishop being the only other player above 6'6 on the roster.
Miami will offer another stiff test for Texas, as the Hurricanes knocked off #1 seed Houston on Friday evening. Miami is led by a trio of guards that averages 13 points or more. That group includes Kansas State transfer Nijel Pack. Forward Norchad Omier is averaging a double-double for the season (13 points and 10 rebounds).
