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2 Texas players making first career starts vs. Vandy

No. 5 Texas faces a tough test on the road in SEC play this weekend against No. 25 Vanderbilt.

By Andrew Miller

Ryan Wingo, Texas football
Ryan Wingo, Texas football / Tim Warner/GettyImages
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Jelani McDonald, Texas football
Jelani McDonald, Texas football / Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

Jelani McDonald, S

The latest update to the SEC-mandated injury report for the Longhorns for the Vanderbilt game this week has downgraded senior safety Andrew Mukuba's status to "out". Mukuba was originally listed with a status of "doubtful" on the first injury report Texas released on Wednesday evening (Oct. 23).

With the Longhorns also missing sophomore safety Derek Williams Jr. for the rest of the season due to a knee injury, there are only two safeties left who have taken significant live-game snaps on defense. Redshirt junior Michael Taaffe and sophomore Jelani McDonald are expected to be the starters at safety for this game against Vanderbilt, with Williams and Mukuba out due to lower-body injuries.

Mukuba can get healthy and rest up during the bye week next week for the Longhorns after the Vanderbilt game this weekend.

It's pretty assured that Texas defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski gives McDonald plenty of defensive snaps, alongside Taaffe at the safety position this weekend. Last weekend, before Mukuba's injury, PK was pretty much exclusively rotating the senior, along with Taaffe and McDonald at safety.

There is a chance we could see more of true freshman safety Jordon Johnson-Rubell. JJR leads all freshman Texas defensive backs in defensive snaps this season.

Texas also has the possibility of rotating senior corner Jahdae Barron to the safety position. Barron's versatility gives him the ability to rotate to different positions in the secondary for the Longhorns.

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