3 Texas football players who could lose starting jobs in fall camp

Less than one week from the start of fall camp for head coach Steve Sarkisian and the Texas football program, we will soon get to see how various position battles play out ahead of the start of the 2022 regular season. Sark and his staff will get roughly one month before the start of the 2022 regular season, on Sep. 3 at home against Louisiana-Monroe, to have these various position battles figured out.

What we do need to see from Sark and the Longhorns this fall, though, is ample improvement on the field on each side of the ball. The strides should come along naturally for the offense given all of the talent added at the skill positions this offseason.

Texas had a disappointing result to round out last season, going 5-7 (3-6 Big 12) and missing out on bowl season for the first time in roughly a half-decade.

Part of that had to do with the personnel shortcomings for Sark and his staff on each side of the ball. But now, there won’t be a valid excuse in terms of the personnel fit on each side of the ball this fall.

Returning Texas football players in danger of losing starting spots in fall camp

With that in mind, here’s a look at three Longhorns players who could lose their starting jobs as the Texas staff goes through evaluations in fall camp.

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Keondre Coburn, NT

We recently discussed the looming position battle that could take place at nose tackle for co-defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Pete Kwiatkowski and defensive line coach Bo Davis in fall camp. This position battle at nose tackle for the Longhorns in fall camp will likely take place between super senior Keondre Coburn, super senior T’Vondre Sweat, and sophomore Byron Murphy II.

The discussion that took place here involved the idea that Murphy showed more than enough in the defensive snaps he took at the nose tackle position as a true freshman last fall to win the starting job over the super seniors Sweat and Coburn this year.

Despite Coburn taking the bulk of the starting reps at nose tackle last fall, he regressed as the season moved along especially compared to Murphy. In fact, Coburn registered the worst defensive grade and highest missed tackle rate of his career last season.

Kwiatkowski and Davis will need someone truly impactful to anchor the defensive line this fall. And it’s hard to find a better fit to give the defensive front the necessary jolt as an anchor for this group than Murphy.

From what we’ve heard coming out of summer workouts, Murphy is the one making the real impression on the defensive staff throughout the offseason. That doesn’t bode well for Coburn. Granted, I still believe both Coburn and Sweat will still hold big roles in the defensive line rotation this fall even if Murphy wins the starting job coming out of camp.