Texas Football: How Longhorns transfers fared in Week 1 vs. UTEP

How Texas football transfers did in Week 1: Tarik Black/Gabriel Watson

One of the transfers we’re talking about on this part of the list got significant game action in Week 1, and the other didn’t get on the field once on offense. And both of them are skill position players that the Longhorns got out of the transfer portal. In fact, the three players that Texas got out of the portal heading into this fall were all at skill positions.

Moreover, the first Longhorns player we’ll start with here is the former University of Sioux Falls Division II transfer running back and the senior 6-foot-2 and 200 pound bruiser Gabriel Watson. Since Texas does have bolstered talent and depth in the backfield compared to the last few years between junior Keaontay Ingram, sophomore Roschon Johnson, and freshman Bijan Robinson, the need for Watson to play in Week 1 wasn’t huge.

Watch out for Watson to play a bigger role if there’s any injuries that start to pile up in the backfield, or if the Longhorns have to dig further into the depth chart in Big 12 play.

As far as the former Michigan Wolverines grad transfer senior wide receiver Tarik Black goes, his Week 1 performance had to be better than most thought it would go. Black did have a good amount of hype after arriving on the Forty Acres out of the transfer portal. And he delivered on that hype in a big way.

Black registered five catches for 80 yards and one touchdown, and was the second leading receiver in terms of yards for Texas in Week 1 behind Moore. He registered more than 50 yards after the catch, and gave the Longhorns three first downs. The only real downside to Black’s first showing with Texas was one fumble and one penalty against in the season opener.