Texas Football: 3 upperclassmen that could lose starting jobs in fall camp

Texas football returned to work at the Frank Denius Fields for the start of fall practice on Aug. 2. That was the first day we could see how the Texas players look after summer workouts. It is also the start of various position battles on both sides of the ball.

While there aren’t as many notable position battles at crucial spots for Sark and the Longhorns as in the prior two years, the defense especially has some groups that need to get figured out in the next few weeks. At least four battles occur on defense and three on offense.

On defense, Texas is figuring out the defensive line rotation, edge spot opposite junior Barryn Sorrell, field cornerback, will linebacker, and field cornerback. And on offense, Texas has position battles at running back and the interior offensive line (namely right guard and center).

There are also the possibilities that Texas sees some breakout players earn extra live-game reps during training camp. Younger players stepping up to the plate are usually the ones that rise up the depth chart unexpectedly in camp.

Upperclassmen that could lose their starting jobs for Texas football in fall camp

Here’s a look at three Longhorns upperclassmen that could lose starting jobs during fall camp.

Jake Majors, C

Competition: Conner Robertson, Cole Hutson

The Longhorns’ most important position battle on offense in fall camp is at center. Offensive line coach/offensive coordinator Kyle Flood and the Longhorns are trying to find the best five-man combination along the offensive line heading into Week 1.

Finding the best five-man combination in the trenches for Flood and the Longhorns starts at center.

Texas already has the two offensive tackle spots nailed down between sophomore Kelvin Banks Jr. and redshirt senior Christian Jones. And the left guard spot is held down by junior Hayden Conner.

That leaves center and right guard as the two positions to figure out along the offensive line in fall camp. Senior center Jake Majors is taking the first-team reps at center in the first week of fall practice, with sophomore IOL Cole Hutson getting the first-team snaps at right guard.

But Flood noted during the pre-fall camp press conferences on Aug. 1 that multiple linemen will take reps at center. He mentioned that sophomore Conner Robertson, Hutson, and Majors will take the reps to decide who will get the starting center job heading into the season.

This is the second fall camp in a row that Flood has tried other options at center besides Majors. Last fall, senior interior offensive lineman Junior Angilau took the starting reps at center before he, unfortunately, suffered a season-ending knee injury in a scrimmage.

And earlier this offseason, Conner was taking reps at center along with Majors.

If Hutson winds up being the best-looking center in the next few weeks of fall practice, he’s likely to get the starting job heading into Week 1, given the rhetoric we’ve heard from Sark and Flood the last two years.