What are the three most notable player losses for the Texas football program heading into their Dec. 29 Alamo Bowl meeting with the Colorado Buffaloes?
Fourth-year head coach Tom Herman and No. 20 ranked Texas football are getting set to face the upstart Colorado Buffaloes and first-year head coach Karl Dorrell in the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio on Dec. 29. This will be the second straight year that Texas plays in the Alamo Bowl.
Last year, Herman and the Longhorns got to face longtime head coach Kyle Whittingham and the No. 11 ranked Utah Utes in the Alamo Bowl. And Herman really had his team up for that game, as Texas pulled off the upset victory in convincing fashion by the final score of 38-10.
Texas comes into this Alamo Bowl showdown with their former Big 12 foe Colorado with a record of 6-3 (5-3 Big 12), winning four of their last five games to round out the regular season. Their last game resulting in a 69-31 dismantling of the Kansas State Wildcats on the road back on Dec. 5.
Meanwhile, Colorado comes into the Alamo Bowl sporting a record of 4-1 (3-1 PAC-12), with their last game resulting in a tough loss to Utah in the Rumble in the Rockies back on Dec. 12. The Buffs came out of the gates strong this fall, winning their first four games of the regular season slate.
Texas is just over a touchdown favorite over Colorado in this postseason showdown. And the ESPN matchup predictor gives the Longhorns a 79.9 percent chance to win this game. That comes despite Texas being pretty shorthanded on both sides of the ball this week. They’re down multiple key starters on both sides of the ball due to various opt outs, injury issues, and transfers.
Here’s a look into the three biggest losses the Longhorns have among their players missing for the Alamo Bowl against Colorado on Dec. 29.
3) Biggest losses for Texas football vs. CU
There are now multiple losses that are important to note for each receiving corps for the Longhorns and the Buffs in the Alamo Bowl. On the Texas side, they’ve now seen the likes of junior wide receiver Brennan Eagles and senior former Michigan Wolverines graduate transfer Tarik Black play in their final game of their college careers.
Eagles wound up opting out of the rest of the 2020 season following Texas’ Dec. 5 road win over Kansas State, to prepare for the 2021 NFL Draft. And it looks like Black has started the preparation process for the NFL Draft too since he won’t play for the Longhorns in the Alamo Bowl (per Horns247 report, paid content).
Since this list is mostly comprised of the recent, and more surprising opt outs and/or injuries, for the Longhorns for the postseason, Black makes it over Eagles.
Now that Texas is down two sizable possession receivers for the Alamo Bowl, against a much improved Colorado defense, Herman and first-year offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich will have to look elsewhere for answers. Senior star quarterback Sam Ehlinger will have a tougher time in the passing game now too.
Black played in six games during the regular season for the Longhorns. He registered 10 catches for 240 receiving yards (a whopping 24.0 yards per catch), and one touchdown catch this fall. That lets Black round out his college career, between his time with Michigan and Texas, with 50 catches for 749 receiving yards (14.9 yards per catch) and three touchdown catches.
Texas could give the start at the X-wide receiver spot now to senior Brenden Schooler with both Eagles and Black out.
2) Biggest losses for Texas football vs. CU
The heaviest area of losses in any one position group on the offensive side of the ball for Herman and the Longhorns in the Alamo Bowl is definitely along the offensive line. Offensive line coach/co-offensive coordinator Herb Hand and Herman will have to do some good work to get this group of Longhorns ready in the trenches for that aforementioned greatly improved Colorado defense.
Two of the more significant losses that came about of late for the Texas offensive line includes senior guard/center Derek Kerstetter and senior offensive tackle Denzel Okafor. Kerstetter suffered a season-ending lower-body injury in the Longhorns win over Kansas State earlier this month. And Okafor is in quarantine due to COVID-19 contact tracing this week.
Texas will also be missing the standout redshirt junior offensive tackle, and 2020 AP All-American, Sam Cosmi. Opting out of the season early and preparing for the 2021 NFL Draft, Cosmi will also leave a huge void in this offensive line for the Alamo Bowl.
Although, Kerstetter might be the most disappointing offensive linemen that is missing for the Longhorns in this game. It would be nice to see Kerstetter round out his senior campaign on a high note, instead of the devastating injury he suffered in the de facto regular season finale.
In place of the injured Kerstetter, Texas is going to give the start at center to true freshman former four-star recruit Jake Majors. And look out for the likes of redshirt freshman offensive tackle Tyler Johnson, freshman offensive guard Logan Parr, and freshman offensive tackle Andrej Karic, to get more snaps in this game with Cosmi and Okafor also missing.
Kerstetter was one of the most proven and reliable offensive linemen for the Longhorns this fall. He was solid in run blocking, and allowed just one sack on more than 650 snaps played this season.
1) Biggest losses for Texas football vs. CU
What is the biggest loss on either side of the ball for Herman and the Longhorns this postseason is the breakthrough star junior linebacker/edge rusher and former highly coveted four-star recruit Joseph Ossai. This talented and potent 6-foot-4 and 255 pound standout was the best player in this Texas front seven for the entirety of the regular season.
Ossai had a breakout sophomore campaign, and parlayed that momentum to find even more success this fall. He would wind up getting All-Big 12 First Team honors and AP All-American status from his efforts for this season.
In nine games played during the regular season, Ossai was a set in stone leader for the Longhorns. He registered 55 combined tackles, to go along with a career-best 16.0 tackles for loss, six sacks, two pass breakups, three forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery.
His best individual game came in the Longhorns upset win back during Halloweekend on the road over the Oklahoma State Cowboys. In that upset overtime win over the Pokes, Ossai registered a career-best six tackles for loss, three sacks, 12 combined tackles, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery.
in place of the departed Ossai, first-year defensive coordinator/safeties coach Chris Ash looks to give the former converted tight end and redshirt junior Reese Leitao the start. Watch out for the former sophomore preferred walk-on Jett Bush to also get some reps in the rotation at linebacker to fill the void left by Ossai.