On Texas Football

Who's Leading the Pack? | Updating Texas RB Depth Chart After Week 2

·14 min·1 clip
Hollywood Smothers, Riley Brown, and Derek Cooper are starting to separate as Texas's top running backs after two weeks of spring practice.
This episode of On Texas Football updates the Longhorns' running back depth chart after two weeks of spring practice. Host Jeff Howe is joined by analyst CJ Vogel to break down the evolving competition. The discussion centers on which players are beginning to separate themselves in the pecking order. The intel from practice suggests three players are starting to separate: Hollywood Smothers, Riley Brown, and Derek Cooper. Smothers and Brown entered with expectations, as Brown was described as "almost unguardable" in the open field during the weekend. Smothers arrived with a first-team all-conference accolade already under his name. Derek Cooper is noted as the player currently earning the coaching staff's trust in key practice situations. The team has only been in full pads for about two practices so far. Cooper has busted a few lengthy runs during the back end of practices, particularly in 11-on-11 team sessions. His performance on Thursday of last week is highlighted as a notable example. It is emphasized that seeing Smothers and Brown at the top of the depth chart is not a surprise given their pedigrees. The emerging story is Cooper's rise, as he capitalizes on live, competitive periods to make an impression. The analysis is based on observing who the coaches are utilizing in the most critical practice moments. The hosts imply the competition remains fluid with more spring practices to come. The evaluation focuses on tangible performance during team drills over individual workouts. The tone is analytical and insider-focused, breaking down practice observations for a dedicated fanbase. The style is conversational between two informed commentators sharing specific intel. Texas Longhorns fans and college football enthusiasts closely following the team's roster development would love this episode. Listeners seeking broader national news or narrative storytelling might skip this specific, team-centric depth chart update.
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