2003 Statistics

Quarterback
The Longhorns have three quarterbacks with playing time. Sophomore Vince Young is the presumed starter, although you never can tell what head coach Mack Brown will do at the QB position from past experience. Young was Big 12 Freshman of the Year and became the first freshman in UT history to throw for over 1,000 yards while rushing for nearly 1,000 more. Teaming with Young is senior Chance Mock, whose eight-to-one TD to INT ratio was the best in the nation in 2003. Mock doesn't run like Young, but the differences in their dimensional strengths makes it hard for defenses to adjust quickly. Both of them were winners as starters. Junior Matt Nordgren has seen action in several games and is thus an experienced backup.

Running Back
Texas Longhorn fans have two reasons to rejoice. Not only did star running back Cedric Benson pass up the NFL draft, he has also decided to give up his promising baseball career and concentrate on becoming possibly one of the best RBs in UT history. Will the fact that Benson returns for his senior year be enough to push Mack Brown's team past the Oklahoma Sooners in the tough South Division of the Big 12 Conference? The Los Angeles Dodgers, who drafted Benson in 2001, were paying for his college education. Now he has been put on football scholarship. He is only the third running back in school history to rush for over 1,000 yards in each of his first three seasons. His 3,706 career yards already rank him just behind two UT Heisman Trophy winners and all-time school leaders Ricky Williams and Earl Campbell, and he is second all-time in touchdowns to Williams with 45 career rushing TDs. Junior Selvin Young, an explosive kick returner, will again join Benson in the UT backfield. Both of the Texas fullbacks also return. Senior Will Matthews is a physical blocker and will be the starter at FB.

Wide Receiver
The receiving corps will be completely revamped for the boys in Burnt Orange. Three of the school's Top 10 all-time pass catchers completed their eligibility last season, and virtually none of their replacements have any game experience to speak of, although there is a lot of raw talent in the group. Senior Tony Jeffery, a former high school QB, is a W.I.T. (whatever it takes) award recipient, so expect him to step up when needed. Junior Bryan Carter has a real head on his shoulders (1350 SAT score), and, too, will find a way to contribute. Eric Enard is a sophomore walk-on who, like the other two, has found a way to contribute, and will again. It may take a bit for the unit to jell, but it will, and good things will come from them, by mid-season at the latest.

Tight End
Texas returns a tandem duo of the best TEs in the conference, senior Bo Scaife, granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA due to missing two full seasons with a knee injury, and junior David Thomas. They have combined to play in 58 career games, and caught passes for nearly 1,000 yards combined in their careers in Austin. Scaife and Thomas should more than adequately fill Edwards' shoes with solid blocking skills and big-play capabilities.

Offensive Line
Four starters and five other veterans who have significant playing experience return for the Longhorns. However, they have a huge gap to fill from the departure of All-American OG Tillman Holloway. Texas set a school record for points with 533 last year and for total offense with 5,709 yards, thanks in no small part to senior center Jason Glynn, junior RG Will Allen, and junior LT Jonathan Scott, as well as sophomore RT Justin Blalock. That group has combined for 70 career starts among them. All five of the top backups return as well. A unit that averaged over five yards per run all season will have no problem achieving such again.

OFFENSIVE BREAKDOWN
Head coach Mack Brown is happy to have seven returning starters on offense from a unit that was very productive. They rushed for more yards than any UT team since 1977. The loss of WR Roy Williams, however, as well as most of the rest of the receivers, means that Texas will need time for the newbies to shed their green. Offensive coordinator Greg Davis has produced five of the top six passing seasons in UT history, six of the top eight years in total yardage in school history, and the top five scoring years of all time. The unit has racked up 23 separate school records, and scored over 50 points on 16 different occasions. Brown and Davis have coached 17 of the 40 games in the 110-year school history in which the offense has produced over 500 yards, utilizing a balanced attack. The upgrade in the Longhorn offense has been nothing short of remarkable, and it should continue unabated once they can find that receiving talent.

Defensive Line
In order for Texas to have a chance to compete with Oklahoma and their other rivals in the Big 12, they will have to come up with replacements for two key cogs. Leading the returnees is junior DT Rodrique Wright, a two-year starter, who led the '03 Longhorn line with 80 tackles. He is joined by a pair of ends who have started in the past, sophomore Tim Crowder and junior Mike Williams, who has bounced back from a knee injury to again excel from wherever he chooses. Sophomore end Bryan Pickryl, another key returnee from a shoulder injury, will break through with enough playing time. Senior Austin Sendlein has proven he is on the edge of that next level, too, along with Kaelen Jakes, both of whom will work at tackle. The unit ranked 58th in stopping the run, so these changes should be just what the doctor ordered.

Linebacker
Derrick Johnson is a consensus All-American at LB, the first at UT in over 20 years. He was the Horns' first-ever Butkus Award finalist in 2003, posting a whopping 125 tackles, 78 of those were solo. Johnson is a pass-coverage underdog who succeeds here often. UT loses only Reed Boyd from this corps. Junior Aaron Harris is always in backfields as the starting MLB, as well as sophomore Garnett Smith, who was a proven starter prior to his '03 ankle injury. Sophomore Eric Foreman, a former track (discus) and basketball phenom, needs to bulk up to actually appear as big as he plays. The entire unit will again be the backbone of a somewhat imbalanced defense.

Defensive Back
Texas ranked 9th nationally in pass defense. The Longhorns return their other three starters, juniors SS Michael Huff and CB Cedric Griffin, and senior FS Phillip Geiggar. Look for this unit to be tough, but not too deep. Sophomores Matt Melton, Tarell Brown, and slated starter at CB Aaron Ross all got some playing time as freshmen. Huff has the opportunity to break the NCAA record for career interception returns for touchdowns that was set by Tennessee linebacker Jackie Walker way back in 1971 at five, and has remained unbroken ever since. Huff has four. He is an all-seeing presence and will be their safety valve.

DEFENSIVE BREAKDOWN
Mack Brown is blessed to have seven returning starters from a unit that ranked #9 nationally in pass defense. Oklahoma, Texas Tech, and Arkansas, though, proved there is work to be done. They will need to replace four experienced starters to again finish in the Top 25 nationally in total defense, as they have done for the last five years straight. As safety Michael Huff and linebacker Derrick Johnson continue their knack for intercepting opposing quarterbacks, the Horns will do even better against those tougher passing teams.