Young players for Texas football have significantly contributed to the success on both sides of the ball in the 12-team College Football Playoff this fall. Texas has put to rest the discussion that this program can't develop and evaluate young players at key positions at a high level.
Freshmen could help Texas football get over the hump on each side of the line vs. Clemson to advance in the Playoff this weekend
Head coach Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns have used the immediate contributions from first and second-year young players to boost the two-deep this season. Texas could also benefit from additional contributions and impacts made on the game this weekend in the first round of the 12-team Playoff against the Clemson Tigers at DKR.
Texas is the only team in the Playoff for the second year in a row this postseason. It battles a Clemson team that has plenty of Playoff experience under head coach Dabo Swinney. But the Tigers haven't faced a road test on this stage in the ACC this season.
If the Longhorns can get a more balanced offensive result and the defense plays up to their standard of this season, Texas will have the pieces to win comfortably to advance past Clemson in the Playoff to the second round against Arizona State in the Peach Bowl.
Here are three young players for the five-seed Longhorns who could make big impacts on the first-round Playoff game on Dec. 21 against 12-seed Clemson.
Alex January, DT
Texas's defensive line and edge players are facing a Clemson offense led by a pretty elusive dual-threat quarterback, Cade Klubnik, in a critical matchup for the Longhorns' to contain the pocket and hold up the line. Clemson will test Texas's preparation and adjustments after allowing some big plays against Georgia's passing attack and power run game in the SEC Championship.
Clemson's offense relies so heavily on the quarterback position production that Texas's defensive line can make a huge impact on this game. The Clemson offensive line has been average, at best, in conference play ranking ninth in the ACC in offensive line pass blocking efficiency (per PFF).
Between Texas's consistent play along the front seven and the secondary's proven ability to limit explosives, I like how the defensive line stacks up to stifle the trenches against Clemson's OL.
Texas's defensive line rotation has shined in SEC play this fall. Led by seniors Alfred Collins and Vernon Broughton, the Longhorns have boasted three out of the top 10 highest graded defensive tackles in the SEC.
This could be a big opportunity for some of the younger Longhorns' defensive linemen to get a chance to shine too. Not only is the postseason not counted toward the four-game redshirt rule, but Texas is also shorthanded depth-wise at the defensive tackle position in the Playoff against Clemson.
True freshman defensive tackle Alex January could be counted on for some extra valuable snaps in live-game action in this game. January took a handful of snaps on Senior Day in the Longhorns' double-digit win over the Kentucky Wildcats and in the SEC Championship against Georgia.
January getting more involved in this game could help the Longhorns keep the top defensive tackles in the defensive line rotation for Texas fresh while also getting ultra-valuable postseason snaps for the true freshman from Duncanville.