This upcoming weekend, the five-seed Texas football and head coach Steve Sarkisian battles the ACC Champion 12-seed Clemson Tigers and head coach Dabo Swinney in the first round of the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff.
Monday was a big day for the media to speak to Sarkisian and some of the Longhorns players and coaches. The media also witnessed the Longhorns practice during a brief press viewing window on the Forty Acres on Dec. 16.
Another noteworthy point coming out of today's practice was that redshirt freshman defensive tackle Sydir Mitchell did not practice on Dec. 16, since he entered the transfer portal. Two other Longhorns players who have entered the transfer portal, senior defensive tackle Tia Savea and junior edge rusher Justice Finkley, were practicing today.
Texas have a handful of players dealing with injury issues going into the Playoff game this weekend against Clemson at DKR in Austin. Here are three key injury updates for the Longhorns entering the College Football Playoff on Dec. 21 against the Tigers.
Quinn Ewers, QB
On Senior Day on Nov. 23 against the Kentucky Wildcats, junior quarterback Quinn Ewers suffered an ankle injury when he was brought down awkwardly on a QB run in the first half. Ewers has dealt with the lingering injury for the past few weeks, including for the Texas A&M game and the SEC Championship Game against Georgia a couple of weeks ago.
Ewers was a full participant in Monday's practice, despite dealing with the ankle injury that's still lingering for him for the past few weeks.
"I think he's continually getting better. He said Ewers felt better coming out of the SEC Championship than he did going into the game, one in which he was sacked six times while throwing for 358 yards and a touchdown."Steve Sarkisian on Quinn Ewers
Inside Texas reported on Dec. 16 that Ewers didn't have a brace on the injured ankle during today's practice.