For all the hype showered on blue-chip prospects, the time comes to place the accolades aside and put on the uniform<\/a>.\u00a0 Some take to the college game like a fish to water, while others develop more slowly.<\/p>\n All the early enrollees are fully immersed in the program at this point.\u00a0 As individuals, Sarkisian and his staff are working to find out how to push the right buttons to get the youngest Longhorns to reach their full potential.\u00a0 Across the board, the freshmen are making progress, the coach said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe key to the drill is trying to find ways where they can continue to build their confidence because if we just throw it all on them and throw them out there, they\u2019ll never have any success. \u00a0That can ultimately start to affect the psyche,” Sarkisian said this week.<\/p>\n This season\u2019s bumper crop of highly regarded freshmen can look to offensive lineman Kelvin Banks<\/strong> as a prime example of where the ceiling is at Texas.\u00a0 Banks started all 13 games as a true freshman last year and was named second-team All-Big 12.\u00a0 It just goes to show what\u2019s possible when you show up ready to play, the coach explained.<\/p>\n \u201cKelvin has always been a really mature young man.\u00a0 He\u2019s very serious about what he does, whether it\u2019s on the field or off the field, and this spring has been no different,” Sarkisian said of his lineman. “He brings a workmanlike mentality.\u00a0 He strives to get better.\u00a0 He\u2019s a highly competitive young guy that when it doesn\u2019t go right, for whatever the reason is, he wants to get it fixed and compete even at a higher level. He obviously had a heck of a year last year as a true freshman to do what he did at left tackle.\u201d<\/p>\n Banks has new goals that he set with Kyle Flood<\/strong>, the Longhorns\u2019 offensive coordinator, and offensive line coach.\u00a0 Still a young player as a sophomore, he gives this year\u2019s class of freshmen an example of the Texas work ethic under Sarkisian and his staff.<\/p>\n \u201cHe’s not satisfied. \u00a0That\u2019s one of the beautiful things about Kelvin is that he\u2019s hungry. He wants to be special. \u00a0He wants to be great, and he works at it every day,” Sarkisian said.<\/p>\n Who are the early enrollees making the most noise at Texas this Spring?\u00a0 The group that has separated itself is made up of running back CJ Baxter<\/strong>, linebackers Anthony Hill<\/strong> and Liona Lefau<\/strong>, receivers DeAndre Moore<\/strong> and Johntay Cook<\/strong>, defensive back Malik Muhammad<\/strong>, defensive lineman Sydir Mitchell<\/strong>, and quarterback Arch Manning<\/strong>.<\/p>\n “I think they\u2019ve all done well.\u00a0 I think this group came in, as a whole, with a really competitive mindset.,\u201d Sarkisian said.<\/p>\n What makes this group so special?\u00a0 Many of them arrived in Austin well-coached and highly motivated, having come from powerhouse high school programs.\u00a0 This group has the type of pedigree that Longhorns fans have come to expect.\u00a0 The youngsters are already showing flashes of talent every day at practice.<\/p>\n \u201cThey expect to win,\u201d Sarkisian said.\u00a0 \u201cThey want to compete and they want to do it at a high level.\u00a0 All of them, to some degree, have flashed in some way, shape or form.\u201d<\/p>\n The Longhorns stayed with the fundamentals when camp opened in early March.\u00a0 The foundation was laid in the opening days, leaving plenty of time to get to the fun stuff.\u00a0 Sarkisian said it was time to \u201cCut it loose and let guys play,\u201d as the halfway point of camp arrived.\u00a0 He spoke to the media after the eighth of fifteen practice sessions.\u00a0 Spring camp wraps up with the April 15 scrimmage.<\/p>\n Texas continues to focus on its immediate future.\u00a0 \u201cAre we getting better from one practice to the next?\u201d the coach said.<\/p>\n The coaches have been working with the team on game situations, with continued emphasis on effort and fundamental techniques, Sarkisian added.\u00a0 From the early enrollees to the most grizzled seniors on the roster, nothing about that changes on the forty acres.\u00a0 \u201cI like the progress that we\u2019re making.\u00a0 I think that things are moving in a positive direction for us.\u201d<\/p>\n Among the most conspicuous storylines of the Spring football season has been the lack of controversy at quarterback.\u00a0 Sarkisian has had nothing but good things to say about sophomore Quinn Ewers<\/a> during camp.\u00a0 That leaves Maalik Murphy<\/strong> and Manning waiting in the wings.<\/p>\n Ewers put in a solid off-season of winter conditioning and is \u201cgrowing\u201d into year two, his coach said.\u00a0 \u201cHe definitely feels more comfortable.\u00a0 Almost a sense of he\u2019s throwing the ball very naturally, very comfortably. \u00a0From a decision-making standpoint, the reads are just happening that much quicker, that much more decisive.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t expect him to be perfect right now,\u201d the coach added.\u00a0 \u201cHe was very intentional this off-season of getting himself in a really good space, physically and mentally, and I think it\u2019s showing.\u201d<\/p>\n To hear Sarkisian describe it, he\u2019s always been an Alfred Collins<\/a> guy.<\/p>\n \u201cA year ago, it wasn\u2019t about the talent, it was about the consistency in the play and his style of play,\u201d the coach explained.<\/p>\n Now a senior, the defensive lineman is earning glowing praise for his standout performance at spring practice.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd when Alfred plays that way, which he\u2019s doing right now, where he\u2019s consistent at the point of attack, he can use his length, he has great athleticism, he can close on the ball, and when he plays really violent like he\u2019s doing right now, he\u2019s a real problem. And I think that we\u2019ve seen that here in the first half of spring from him.\u201d<\/p>\n When asked to identify players pushing for additional playing time, the first name from the coach\u2019s mouth was Kitan Crawford<\/a> at safety.\u00a0 Crawford was a stalwart at special teams last season, which is a surefire way to get Texas coaches to notice you.<\/p>\n Crawford is a senior who is making impact plays in his bid for a starting role this fall.\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s playing really well at safety for us right now,\u201d Sarkisian said. \u00a0\u201cHe\u2019s communicating at a high level, he\u2019s making plays on the ball, he\u2019s playing fast, (and) he\u2019s definitely maturing so he\u2019s one guy that definitely stands out to me.\u201d<\/p>\nA Shining Example<\/h2>\n
New Kids On The Block<\/h2>\n
Time to \u2018Cut It Loose\u2019<\/h2>\n
Quarterback Of The Now<\/h2>\n
DL Collins Has \u2018Taken Another Step\u2019<\/h2>\n
Special Teams<\/h2>\n
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