Last week, Texas offensive lineman Cole Hutson was granted a TRO (temporary restraining order) against the NCAA, allowing him to rejoin the Longhorns as he worked through his ongoing age-based eligibility lawsuit.
Seeking a fifth year with the Texas Longhorns, Hutson filed the lawsuit alongside approximately four dozen other collegiate athletes across 11 NCAA sports.
The process has been a massive waiting game, the outcome of his eligibility case dependent on a court hearing that was initially set to take place on Monday, Aug. 3. Now, in yet another hurdle for Hutson's return to the Horns' official depth chart, his hearing has been pushed back an entire week.
Now, the exact date of the hearing has no weight on whether his fifth season will be granted or not. However, it does push the uncertainty of the matter back another week, a week closer to the Longhorns kicking off the 2026 season with or without Hutson.
Cole Hutson's uncertainty at Texas could muddy the waters at fall camp
When Hutson was granted the TRO, it allowed him to return to the 40 Acres and practice alongside his teammates. However, with fall camp starting on Aug. 5, Hutson's actual future on the team will still be in limbo for at least five days until the hearing takes place.
That means, even after practicing from Aug. 5 through 9th, Hutson could lose the court case, ending his collegiate career and ability to play for the Longhorns.
So, with that in mind, would Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian opt to slot Hutson into the starting offensive line, where he played for the last four years, while running the risk that it might take valuable experience away from someone else?
The hearing date for Cole Hutson, who is seeking a fifth year of eligibility, has been moved from Aug. 3 to Aug. 10, according to public documents. Hutson has already received a TRO and is able to work out with the team. Fall camp begins Aug. 5 for the Horns. #HookEm
— Bobby Burton (@BobbyBurtonOTF) July 31, 2026
Does having Hutson go up against Texas's starting defensive line benefit the players on the other side of the line of scrimmage outweigh the risk of him using a first-group spot in practices when he may not be on the roster at all come Week 1?
It puts both Hutson and the Horns in a weird spot. Somewhere that most college football programs and players have yet to be until this point.
This is by no means to say that Hutson is doing the wrong thing or that Sarkisian would be in the wrong if he slotted Hutson into the starting lineup for the first week of fall camp. However, it does raise the question of how much of an impact it could have on other players' experience heading into the actual season.
Of course, Texas doesn't start its 2026 campaign until Sept. 5, a full 26 days after Hutson's court hearing is now set to occur. However, "wasting" five or so days at Longhorn practices just to not play could hurt both sides of the party.
Hutson brings the experience that is invaluable to a program, having played in 48 games since 2022, but at the same time (kind of playing devil's advocate), that experience could also be a huge benefit for a younger player.
Ultimately, Hutson could be granted a fifth year, and the starting offensive line group would be the exact place he needs to be when fall camp begins. Or, he could be denied eligibility, and that spot could go to one of the 18 (yes, eighteen) other offensive linemen on Texas's roster.
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