Texas Football: Anthony Hill had ‘monster showing’ in first full-pads practice
Before it could really get started, spring camp for Texas football was halted in the midst of the week of spring break. Texas and head coach Steve Sarkisian got one week of spring practice in before spring break arrived a few days ago.
Sark and the Longhorns got three practices in last week, including the first full pads practice of camp on March 10. And we got quite a few standouts that came out of the first three practices of spring ball, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
But one name we didn’t hear about as much as some might’ve originally thought heading into the first week of spring practice (myself included) was the former elite five-star linebacker recruit and early enrollee Anthony Hill Jr. The true freshman linebacker out of Denton, TX, was one of the prize recruits in the Longhorns 2023 class.
Given the loss of senior linebacker DeMarvion Overshown to the 2023 NFL Draft, there was a common expectation that Hill was going to push for the starting job in camp. Yet, senior linebacker David Gbenda received many of the first-team practice reps at will linebacker in the first week of camp.
What really surprised me, though, was hearing more about the play of Gbenda in a positive sense in the first week of spring practice than Hill.
It really didn’t shock me at all that the more experienced linebacker in Gbneda was getting the first-team reps at the will spot over a true freshman early enrollee in Hill. Sark and his staff often give the returning players the benefit of the doubt in terms of the distribution of practice reps early in camp (especially in the spring). That appears to be the case with Gbenda this offseason.
Texas football LB Anthony Hill Jr. reportedly showed out in a big way in the first full-pads spring practice
Moreover, we did finally hear more about the play of Hill in camp following the final day of practice last week. A practice report from CJ Vogel of TFB Texas (donor content) on March 15 that wrapped up the first day of full-pads drills (on March 10) noted the way that Hill impressed the coaches.
Hill reportedly had a “monster showing” on the first day of full-pads practice on March 10. He was apparently making plays “all over the field” and specifically showed out in some drills that simulated him getting after the passer.
Is it really all that surprising that Hill stood out on the first day of full pads practice for the Longhorns last week?
Absolutely not.
He was definitely ready to get after it and show off what he can do when putting the pads on for the first time in camp this offseason. It should also serve as a huge chip on Hill’s shoulder that he will have to likely fight and claw to win the starting job at the will linebacker spot over Gbenda.
The will spot will probably be a position battle that carries all throughout spring ball as Texas will value the competition and heightened depth with both Gbenda and Hill competing for the first-team practice reps heading into the fall.
Next. 3 defenders taking the next step for Texas this spring. dark
Texas began spring camp with the first day of practice on March 6. After Texas returns from spring break on the week of March 20, there will be roughly a dozen more practices before Hill and the Longhorns take to the field at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on April 15 for the annual Orange-White spring football game.