3 Texas players with something to prove in winter workouts

Ovie Oghoufo, EDGE

A focal point on the Texas defense in 2022 will be at linebacker. Texas is not only seeking help out of the transfer portal at the linebacker/edge rusher position this offseason, but they will be looking for whatever options they can find to improve the play at this level of the defense in 2022.

Linebacker was one of the weakest position groups on either side of the ball for the Longhorns last season. A lof the responsibility of improving this level of the defense will fall on second-year co-defensive coordinators/linebackers coaches Jeff Choate and Pete Kwiatkowski.

One player to watch at linebacker/edge rusher for the Longhorns in 2022 will be one of the more notable transfer portal additions from last offseason. Former Notre Dame Fighting Irish junior edge rusher Ovie Oghoufo didn’t make much of an impact on a consistent basis for the Longhorns last fall.

He’ll be looking to change that narrative in 2022 as he will still be vying for starting reps likely at either the Sam or Buck linebacker positions this fall. Oghoufo will be competing with a large group of younger players among either incoming freshmen or returning underclassmen in 2022 to keep his spot on the depth chart.

All in all, I would expect Oghoufo to be the starter at the Sam linebacker position in 2022. But he might be the starter at this level of the defense that will be on the shortest leash. He needs a good offseason through and through to prove he belongs among the starters on defense.