Texas Football: 3 underclassmen who can win starting jobs in fall camp

Cole Hutson, IOL

Position battle: Center

Assuming that offensive line coach/offensive coordinator Kyle Flood and the Longhorns open up the competition for the first-team reps at center during fall camp, there will be a lot of movement along the interior offensive line in the coming weeks.

Flood and the Longhorns have tried out multiple interior offensive linemen at the center position since spring ball, including junior guard Hayden Conner and sophomore Cole Hutson. Conner got second-team reps at center during spring ball but has since been moved back to left guard.

Hutson is now the guard being tried at center behind senior Jake Majors late in summer workouts. And there’s a good chance that Hutson could get the second-team reps at center heading into fall practice next week.

Horns247 reported a few weeks ago (paid content) that Hutson was “fully recovered” during summer workouts and splitting first-team center reps with Majors. He also was reportedly splitting right guard reps with fellow sophomore interior offensive lineman DJ Campbell.

It’s worth noting that this conversation has been happening on the Forty Acres for a long time. We’ve discussed the other center options that Flood and the Longhorns were trying out in camp for roughly 18 months.

Last year, it was senior interior offensive lineman Junior Angilau that was getting first-team reps at center in fall camp. Angilau, unfortunately, suffered a season-ending knee injury in an early fall scrimmage.

If Hutson is ready to go after an injury that held him out of spring ball, he’ll be in a spot to push Majors for starting reps at center during fall camp.