The Longhorns seem to be playing with Anthony Hill Jr.'s availability for tonight game close to the vest as he's still labeled as questionable on the injury report.
His participation in practice and team activities has also been fairly "hidden" as well as not much has been released about his status over the past two weeks. If he plays, which a lot of people believe he will due to the rivalry and it potentially being his final regular season game in Austin, great. But if not, the team has a high level of confidence in the depth of the linebacker room.
Whether Hill Jr. plays or not, he'll undoubtedly be on the sidelines doing everything he can to help the defense tonight. His leadership, football IQ, and production in multiple areas is what sets him apart from most defenders in the SEC.
Through 10 games in 2025 he's totaled:
- 69 tackles
- 7 tackles for loss
- 4 sacks
- 2 interceptions
- 3 forced fumbles
- 1 fumble recovery
- 1 pass deflection
Also, with Ty'Anthony Smith being OUT for the first half against A&M tonight, Liona Lefau, Trey Moore, and possibly even Elijah Barnes will need to step up early.
Sarkisian's pumped for the matchup
Regardless of who plays in any spot for today's game, Steve Sarkisian is excited that the team gets to play in a unique spot:
"I like that in this game we get an opportunity to stand alone whether it's Thanksgiving or the Friday after Thanksgiving. I just think this game deserves the spotlight to stand alone. The fact that we're playing on Friday night with all the eyes of college football on it, and really the football world on this game, I think this game deserves that."