Content about linebacker
Although it took a little while and some patience, three Longhorns were selected in the NFL Draft on Saturday — the final day of the draft.
Keenan Robinson, a linebacker, was the first to hear his name called. Robinson was picked by Washington in the fourth round, 119th overall.
Follow Keenan Robinson on Twitter and you can really pick the Texas linebacker’s brain.
He’s a realist.
“U better believe it’s gone bro,” Robinson (@KeenanRobinson1) tweeted earlier this month in response to fellow Longhorn Case McCoy, who lamented losing his iPad on an airplane.
Editor’s Note: This is the third in an eight-part series about Longhorns hoping to be drafted into the NFL.
At about this time last year, former Texas linebacker Sam Acho was eagerly awaiting draft day and would be eventually chosen by The Arizona Cardinals in the fourth round.
Linebacker Keenan Robinson stretches while tight end Ahmard Howard prepares for drills during Texas' pro day. Robinson was also invited to the NFL combine in February.
It turns out there was no need to be concerned after Texas’ first junior day. Ten scholarships were offered Feb. 12, but no commits were added.
Now, just over two weeks later, the team boasts 11 commits. Not only are they commits, but they are standout players — especially on offense. For a team that has struggled offensively for the past two seasons, the class of 2013 could be exactly what is needed to break through.
Keenan Robinson is an aggressive linebacker who can hit hard. He finished this season with 96 tackles, eight of them for a loss, two interceptions and two sacks. A three-year starter at inside linebacker, Robinson redshirted his freshman year and played in 51 games for the Longhorns while making 39 starts.
A six-month drug bust operation that occurred last Wednesday at Texas Christian University resulted in the arrest of 17 students. Four of those students were high-profile football players. Fox News reported that the students arrested were caught making “hand-to-hand” sales of marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy and prescription drugs to undercover officers.
Just a day after the TCU basketball program recorded a stunning overtime win over No. 11 UNLV, the school was rocked by the news of a campus-wide drug bust.
National Signing day came and went, and the Texas Longhorns loaded up.
For a team on the rise like the Longhorns, new talent can be the difference between a .500 year, and a Big 12 championship year. With that said, here are some of the 2012 recruits that should make the transition from rebuilding stage to contender a little easier:
Johnathan Gray
The Longhorns 2012 recruiting class swelled to 27 members with the verbal commitments of three more athletes this week. Texas picked up two defensive players in linebacker Dalton Santos and defensive end Bryce Cottrell as well as local athlete/flex back Daje Johnson.
Texas linebacker Keenan Robinson [1] was named the Holiday Bowl defensive Most Valuable Player. Robinson had eight tackles, two for a loss, in helping limit the Golden Bears to seven yards rushing.
Texas and Cal both bring 7-5 records into this year’s Holiday Bowl. But what separates the Longhorns and Golden Bears is how they got there.
The Houston Texans dropped their last game against the Panthers, and with it came a much needed knock back down to reality for Texans fans who were ready to buy Super Bowl tickets. Houston achieved its first playoff berth by tackling each game one at a time, and will have to continue to do so as the season wears on. With as many injuries as its sustained, however, doing so will require an especially inspired effort from the few players the Texans have left.
OLB Connor Barwin and Brooks Reed
Doak Walker for Best Running Back
Trent Richardson, Running Back, Alabama
It was an ugly day when Texas traveled to the Cotton Bowl this October. Landry Jones had 300 yards and three touchdowns before halftime as the Sooners put a 55-spot on the Longhorns.
But since then, the Longhorns have done a great job shutting down opposing quarterbacks.
Emmanuel Acho, Senior Linebacker
Seniors play well
1. Oklahoma State:
Quarterback Brandon Weeden and the Cowboys laid it on thick in their 66-6 win over Texas Tech last week, leading from wire to wire. It’s beginning to look like the annual Bedlam game between the Cowboys and Sooners will be the deciding factor of which team from the Big 12 receives the BCS auto-bid. The Cowboys do have to get past Iowa State this week in order to set up that colossal game in Stillwater, Okla. There doesn’t seem to be a team in the nation that can slow down the offensive onslaught the Cowboys possess.
Oklahoma State
For the first time in school history, the Cowboys are 10-0. With their 66-6 win over Texas Tech last week, the Cowboys also extended their road winning streak to 11 games, the second-longest streak of its kind in the nation. Wide receiver Josh Cooper came back from a hamstring injury that forced him to miss two games and made six catches for 106 yards against the Red Raiders. Safety Deion Imade (knee) and Michael Harrison (ankle) both missed the Texas Tech game because of injury.
The Longhorns senior class will take the field at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium for the last time on Saturday, and they couldn’t have picked a better opponent for their send off.
Kansas State is the only team in the Big 12 to lead an overall series against Texas (6-5). The Wildcats have bested the Longhorns of late, winning three in a row. UT hasn’t beaten KSU since 2003, when Vince Young was the starting quarterback.
Senior night is always an emotional game, though, and this is no different.
Like this season, this year’s senior class has had its ups and downs.
Texas will celebrate Senior Night this weekend, recognizing 26 players who have spent four years playing football at the 40 Acres, who have amassed a 39-12 record over those four seasons and how will play their final home game Saturday.
In this year’s senior class’ first two seasons, the Longhorns had shots to capture a national title but didn’t run the table.
Texas can win without some of its playmakers, not without all of them
COLUMBIA, MO — The Texas Longhorns entered Faurot Field bruised and battered. They left in even worse shape.
Playing without their leading receiver and top two rushers, the Longhorns lost senior tailback Fozzy Whittaker on their first drive to a knee injury. From there, the offense sputtered and Texas fell to Missouri, 17-5, on Saturday afternoon.
"It was just tough for us to gain momentum after that," said junior receiver Marquise Goodwin.
Texas isn’t playing Kansas anymore.
The Jayhawks ran 36 offensive plays against the Longhorns last week. It took Texas Tech a little more than a quarter to run 40 plays when it upset Oklahoma two weeks ago. Texas held Kansas to 46 total yards this past Saturday. Red Raiders quarterback Seth Doege has completed at least three passes that long this year. Bottom line: The Longhorns’ defense will not have it as easy as it did last week.
HOUSTON — Injured Texans outside linebacker Mario Williams says he’s healing “extremely fast” in his recovery from a torn chest muscle that will sideline him the rest of this season.
