Texas Football: Holy Cross grad transfer OL Brian Foley targeted by Horns

Another target for the Texas football program looks to have emerged in the NCAA Transfer Portal in Holy Cross grad transfer OG Brian Foley.

A definite position of need for Texas football heading into next offseason will be along the offensive line. Texas did not do a great job addressing their needs in the trenches on the offensive side of the ball in their 2021 recruiting class, at least through the end of the Early Signing Period. Fourth-year head coach Tom Herman and offensive line coach/co-offensive coordinator Herb Hand still have a couple of months ahead of National Signing Day to get things together in the 2021 class, but pickings are thin right now.

One place where Hand and the Longhorns were very likely to turn for help along the offensive line heading into next offseason was to the NCAA Transfer Portal. The transfer portal might be more fruitful than ever before with the roller coaster ride of a 2020 college football season in the midst of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Two factors that will encourage more movement than ever inside the transfer portal this year and next were rulings handed down by the NCAA. One is that every player that participated in the season this fall will not lose a year of eligibility. The other is that any player entering the transfer portal this year, or heading into next offseason, will be able to get immediate eligibility for next season.

Thus, Texas can find a lot of immediate impact help out of the transfer portal next offseason. They’ve already found help from one source, by landing former McNeese State grad transfer and senior cornerback Darion Dunn out of the portal on the first day of the Early Signing Period (Dec. 16).

A potential next target in line for the Longhorns has emerged that could help in the trenches, with the grad transfer and former Holy Cross 6-foot-4 and 315 pound senior offensive guard Brian Foley. The fact that Foley put his name in the portal in the first place signals that he will use the extra year of eligibility to at least play during the 2021 season, likely in the FBS.

Foley is an accomplished offensive lineman from the FCS level. He registered All-Patriot League First Team for the 2018 and 2019 seasons. Foley was also named to the Second-Team All-ECAC last season with Holy Cross. Over the course of the last three seasons, Foley played in 34 games for Holy Cross. A lot of his starts came at left tackle earlier in his career, instead of at left guard.

However, that versatility could mean a lot for the Longhorns for next season.

According to a report from Horns247 on Dec. 21 (paid content), Texas is “standing out” to Foley after contact happened earlier this month. Foley and Hand reportedly talked over Zoom and it went well.

The other finalists in line (apparently in no particular order) for Foley includes a plethora of schools like the Northwestern Wildcats, Duke Blue Devils, NC State Wolfpack, Florida State Seminoles, Texas Tech Red Raiders, Purdue Boilermakers, Maryland Terrapins, Syracuse Orange, Memphis Tigers, and Tulane Green Wave. Texas appears to have a real opportunity to stick out among that group of suitors, though.

There are a number of spots along the offensive line where Foley could compete for a starting job right away. Right guard is likely to new someone new to slot in if Denzel Okafor’s time on the Forty Acres is done following this season. Texas is also set to lose the likes of standout redshirt junior offensive tackle Sam Cosmi and maybe even senior guard/center Derek Kerstetter next year.

Texas finished up the 2020 regular season with a record of 6-3 (5-3 Big 12), with their last game resulting in a 69-31 dismantling of the Kansas State Wildcats on the road back on Dec. 5. They will face their former Big 12 foe, Colorado Buffaloes, in the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 29.