Texas Football: Cole Hutson takes first team RG practice reps this week

A point of concern for Texas football in the season-opening win over the Rice Owls last weekend was the play of the interior offensive line. Texas’ interior offensive line struggled with physicality and communication against a smaller, less athletic Rice defensive front last weekend.

Texas also had one starting interior offensive lineman get injured in the opener against Rice. Sophomore guard DJ Campbell got the start at right guard but came up hobbled when a Rice defender rolled up on his ankle in the second half. That lower-body injury caused Campbell to miss the rest of the game.

Redshirt freshman interior offensive lineman Neto Umeozulu took the snaps at right guard for Campbell.

Texas football sophomore IOL Cole Hutson reportedly taking starting reps at RG for DJ Campbell in practice this week

Campbell did return to practice early this week for offensive line coach/offensive coordinator Kyle Flood and the Longhorns. But it is being reported that another interior offensive lineman is taking the first-team snaps at right guard in practice this week, sophomore Cole Hutson.

Multiple reports (including from On3/On Texas Football) indicate that Hutson is taking the first-team snaps at right guard in practice early this week.

It sounds like Flood and the Longhorns are rolling with the same first-team offensive line in practice they had last season.

LT: Kelvin Banks Jr.

LG: Hayden Conner

C: Jake Majors

RG: Cole Hutson

RT: Christian Jones

This group of five offensive linemen started all but one game last season for the Longhorns. Campbell started in place of the injured Hutson, who was dealing with an upper-body injury in the bowl game.

Hutson trending to get the start vs. Alabama at RG

Since Hutson has taken the first-team reps at right guard in practice early this week, it appears he is the likely starter at that spot against Alabama this weekend. Texas should have confidence in Hutson starting at right guard, as he has plenty of offensive snaps under his belt after starting 13 games last season.

Hutson performed well last season in his start at right guard against Alabama. He was Texas’ highest-graded interior offensive lineman in pass blocking, not allowing a single QB hit or sack on over 40 snaps against the Tide last year.

We’ll continue to monitor the situation at right guard in practice this week for updates heading into the Alabama game. For now, Hutson is in the best spot to get the start after Campbell struggled at times in the opener at right guard last weekend against Rice.