The talented running back committed to play his college football at Texas in February, and he will not play at Klein Cain High School in Houston during the 2021 season in order to prepare for his freshman campaign with the Longhorns.
According to 247Sports' composite ratings, Blue is a 4-star prospect and the No. 48 overall player and No. 3 running back in the recruiting class of 2022.
Per ESPN's Tom VanHaaren, Blue put up monster numbers last season at Klein Cain, rushing for 2,155 yards and 30 touchdowns, and averaging 9.5 yards per carry.
VanHaaren noted that the Texas coaching staff was aware of Blue's decision ahead of time and said that it has no impact on his commitment to the Longhorns.
Blue was among the most highly sought-after recruits in the 2022 class, and he chose Texas over offers from other high-profile schools such as Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma and Penn State, among others.
Gabe Brooks, a recruiting analyst for 247Sports, views Blue as a potential future second- or third-round pick in the NFL draft and compared him to Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor.
As a rookie in 2020, Taylor rushed for 1,169 yards and 11 touchdowns for the Colts.
Blue is preparing to join a Texas program that is trying everything it can to return to the ranks of the elite teams in college football.
The Longhorns have won 10 or more games in a season only once since going 13-1 and losing in the BCS National Championship Game in 2009.
Texas fired head coach Tom Herman after four seasons and a 7-3 record in 2020, and replaced him with former Washington and USC head coach Steve Sarkisian.
Sarkisian is a respected offensive mind, and if Blue is as good as advertised, Sark could potentially get the most out of his dynamic running back starting in 2022.
Texas LB Jake Ehlinger, Brother of Former Longhorns QB Sam, Found Dead
May 6, 2021
AUSTIN, TX - AUGUST 31: Sam Ehlinger #11 of the Texas Longhorns and Jake Ehlinger #48 run onto the field before the game against the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on August 31, 2019 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
University of Texas linebacker Jake Ehlinger, the younger brother of former Longhorns quarterback Sam Ehlinger, was found dead Thursday.
Austin police did not specify a cause of death but do not consider his death suspicious, per Brian Davis of Hookem.com. Police said they received a call just after noon Thursday and responded to the 1200 block of West 22nd Street, where they found Ehlinger.
News of Ehlinger's death led to an outpouring of support:
Our hearts are broken. We love you Jake. You’ll be dearly missed, but never forgotten.
A promising student who had offers to play Ivy League football, Ehlinger instead chose to follow his older brother to Texas as a walk-on. The linebacker did not play in either of his first two seasons, redshirting in 2019 before serving as a backup last season.
Sam Ehlinger was recently drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL draft.
Their father, Ross, unexpectedly died in 2013 while competing in a triathlon.
4-Star WR Xavier Worthy Commits to Texas After Getting Release from Michigan
Apr 24, 2021
Highly touted wide receiver recruit Xavier Worthy announced Saturday that he committed to the University of Texas.
According to ESPN's Dave Wilson, Worthy originally signed on to play at the University of Michigan but said April 15 that "due to circumstances beyond my control, things did not go as planned" with regard to playing for the Wolverines.
As a result, Worthy was granted his release by Michigan, and he will now play his college football for the Longhorns.
Per 247Sports, Worthy is a 4 star-recruit and the No. 61 overall player, No. 8 wideout and No. 4 player from the state of California in the 2021 class.
Worthy played his high school ball at Central East High School in Fresno, California, and put up some big numbers in the process. He last played in 2019, racking up 54 receptions for 992 yards and 16 touchdowns.
The 6'1", 160-pound Worthy will now join a Texas offense that will be guided by new head coach Steve Sarkisian.
Sarkisian spent the previous two seasons as the offensive coordinator at Alabama, and Wilson noted that Worthy considered Alabama while Sarkisian was still on the staff.
Texas hired Sarkisian to take over for Tom Herman after the Longhorns went 7-3 last season and 32-18 overall during his tenure.
Sarkisian has long been regarded as one of the best offensive minds in college football, meaning he may be able to get the most out of a dynamic talent like Worthy.
The biggest question for Sarkisian, Worthy and the Texas offense entering the 2021 season may be who is going to take over for Sam Ehlinger as the starting quarterback.
Junior Casey Thompson and freshman Hudson Card will battle it out this offseason to earn the starting job, and either of them would benefit from the arrival of Worthy, provided he receives some playing time during his freshman campaign.
Texas Announces Longhorn Band Will Be Required to Play 'The Eyes of Texas'
Apr 23, 2021
WACO, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 23: The Texas Longhorns band performs in the first half at McLane Stadium on November 23, 2019 in Waco, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
It appears as if the University of Texas' Longhorn Band will play the controversial alma mater, "The Eyes of Texas," during the upcoming year.
Sabrina LeBoeuf of the Austin American-Statesman reported the school announced Longhorn Band members will be required to play it after the band did not perform at any football games during the 2020 campaign because so many students did not want to participate.
LeBoeuf noted the school will also form a new band in 2022 for those who do not want to play the song, although those students who participate in the Longhorn Band and Longhorn Pep Band will receive performance scholarships.
Rising seniors who elect to leave the Longhorn Band because they do not want to play the song can still retain their scholarships.
The song has been at the center of controversy in Texas of late, and a 24-person committee commissioned by school President Jay Hartzell released a 58-page report on its origins following an investigation.
Dave Wilson of ESPN reported in March that the investigation found the song's first public performance was likely done by performers in blackface during a minstrel show, although the committee said it was not written with racist intent.
The controversy carried over to the football team as well.
In March, former safety Caden Sterns said some Texas alumni threatened that players would not be able to find jobs inside the state if they did not participate in the postgame performance of the song:
My teammates and I got threatened by some alumni that we would have to find jobs outside of Texas if we didn’t participate. https://t.co/owWwHF50ri
The Texas Tribune's Kate McGee also reported some alumni and donors threatened to pull their contributions if the song was no longer played.
The Athletic's Max Olson reported former head coach Tom Herman's decision to support his players who did not want to participate in the performances "was undeniably a turning point" that eventually led to his firing.
In January, new head coach Steve Sarkisian told reporters, "I know this much, 'The Eyes of Texas' is our school song. We're going to sing that song, we're going to sing that proudly…That's our song and we're fired up to sing it."
In June, a number of Texas student-athletes made requests of the school's administration, one of which was to remove "The Eyes of Texas" as the university's song.
Colt McCoy Was Among Texas Donors Pushing to Keep 'The Eyes of Texas' Song
Apr 1, 2021
PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 07: Quarterback Colt McCoy #12 of the Texas Longhorns looks on before taking on the Alabama Crimson Tide in the Citi BCS National Championship game at the Rose Bowl on January 7, 2010 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
Colt McCoy, who played quarterback at the University of Texas from 2006 to 2009, was among a group of donors who organized last summer to pressure the school into keeping "The Eyes of Texas" as the official school song.
Per Kate McGee of the Texas Tribune, McCoy was among those on an email chain between some donors and university leaders about the push to keep the song.
Last June, defensive lineman Marqez Bimage released a statement on behalf of the Longhorns football team and entire student-athlete body with a list of requests that included replacing "The Eyes of Texas" with a new song.
Dr. Edmond Gordan, a professor at the University of Texas, told Ciara Rouege of KHOU 11 about the troubling history of the song.
Gordan did note the lyrics of the song aren't explicitly racist, but it was "originally a satirical song once performed at minstrel shows, which are comedic variety shows featuring white performers in blackface."
McGee reported last month that between June and October "over 70 percent of the nearly 300 people" who emailed Texas president Jay Hartzell about the song demanded the school keep it, with "around 75" people threatening to stop making donations to the University of Texas.
In addition to McCoy, McGee noted the list of people included on the email chain to Hartzell included "two athletes inducted last year into the UT Athletics Hall of Honor, multiple multimillion-dollar donors and the past chair of the University of Texas Development Board."
The school issued a 59-page report on March 9 in which a 24-person committee determined the song has "no racist intent."
"The Eyes of Texas" was written in 1903 and is performed to the tune of "I've Been Workin' On the Railroad."
University of Texas Committee Says 'The Eyes of Texas' Song Has No Racist Intent
Mar 9, 2021
The Texas Longhorns mascot Hook 'Em performs on the field before the first half of the NCAA Big 12 Conference football championship against the Oklahoma Sooners, Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018, in Arlington, Texas. Oklahoma defeated Texas 39-27. (AP Photo/Roger Steinman)
A University of Texas committee concluded Tuesday that there is "no racist intent" behind the song "The Eyes of Texas."
According to ESPN's David Wilson, the committee released a 58-page report of it findings, which included that the first public performance of the song in 1903 likely featured performances in blackface at a minstrel show.
Despite that, the committee wrote the following in the report's executive summary:
"These historical facts add complexity and richness to the story of a song that debuted in a racist setting, exceedingly common for the time, but, as the preponderance of research showed, had no racist intent. 'The Eyes of Texas' should not only unite us, but hold all of us accountable to our institution's core values."
"The Eyes of Texas" is traditionally played before and after Longhorns football games. While the song will still be permitted to be played, it was recommended in the report that students not be required to sing it.
Per Wilson, some University of Texas athletes released a group statement in June regarding their desire to make the campus more inclusive. Included in the statement was a request to replace "The Eyes of Texas" with a different song.
Some players refused to remain on the field during the playing of the song early in the 2020 season, but that changed after athletic director Chris Del Conte told them "he expected them to stand together to honor the fans"in October.
During an interview with Longhorn Network (h/t Wilson), Texas president Jay Hartzell gave the following take on "The Eyes of Texas" and its origins Tuesday:
"For me, the song itself doesn't [have racist undertones]. But it certainly was present at different times where those undertones existed. You go back to thinking about its first performance in 1903 at a minstrel show. I mean, you cannot deny that that performance has the racial undertones and overtones, if you will. Hateful things. But on the other hand, if you look at the way, to me, the song was composed, written and designed. ... It was not designed for that."
The investigation into "The Eyes of Texas" concluded that while blackface performances of the song were "a painful reality," it doesn't appear as though it was composed as a minstrel tune.
It also determined that there is no proof of the line "the eyes of Texas are upon you" being something Confederate General Robert E. Lee coined.
The committee recommended that incoming students be taught about the history of the song and that Black musicians be permitted to create alternate versions of the song.
Longhorns football has been in the midst of a downturn for more than a decade, as head coaches Charlie Strong and Tom Herman were unable to reach the level of success Mack Brown did between 1998 and 2013.
Texas fired Herman after going 7-3 in 2020 and has since hired former Alabama offensive coordinator and Washington and USC head coach Steve Sarkisian as his replacement.
In 2021, Texas will look to win its first Big 12 title since 2009.
Texas DB Caden Sterns: Some Alumni 'Threatened' Players over 'The Eyes of Texas'
Mar 1, 2021
]Texas defensive back Caden Sterns (7) during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Iowa State, Friday, Nov. 27, 2020, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Former Texas safety Caden Sterns recounted the hostility he and some of his teammates received after they signaled their desire to not participate in the postgame performance of "The Eyes of Texas."
Sterns said some of the school's alumni indicated he and his teammates "would have to find jobs outside of Texas if we didn't participate":
My teammates and I got threatened by some alumni that we would have to find jobs outside of Texas if we didn’t participate. https://t.co/owWwHF50ri
TheTexas Tribune'sKate McGeeobtained emails from alumni and donors who told the University of Texas they would cease giving money to the school if "The Eyes" tradition wasn't maintained.
"It's time for you to put the foot down and make it perfectly clear that the heritage of Texas will not be lost," wrote one donor who wasn't named. "It is sad that it is offending the blacks. As I said before the blacks are free and it's time for them to move on to another state where everything is in their favor."
Larry Wilkinson, a graduate of Texas in 1970, cited a statistic saying six percent of the student population at the university's Austin campus is Black.
"The tail cannot be allowed to wag the dog….. and the dog must instead stand up for what is right," Wilkinson said. "Nothing forces those students to attend UT Austin. Encourage them to select an alternate school ….NOW!"
Last June, a group of Longhorns athletesissued a series of requests, one of which focused on replacing "The Eyes of Texas" as the school song.
Texas Monthly's Joe Levin provided the song's origin story, explaining how its title came from a phrase former university President William Prather would use. Prather heard Robert E. Lee tell students at Washington College in Virginia how "the eyes of the South are upon you" and modified the phrase for the University of Texas.
Two students wrote a song based on Prather's oft-used phrased, and what became "The Eyes of Texas" debuted at a minstrel show in May 1903.
Because of those origins, members of the Texas football team chose not to remain on the field for "The Eyes of Texas" early in the season butencountered resistancefrom athletic director Chris Del Conte.
Head coach Tom Hermanthrew his supportbehind the players, which The Athletic'sMax Olsonreported "was undeniably a turning point" that eventually led to Herman's firing.
Steve Sarkisianofficially succeededHerman in January and made it clear he would differ from Herman in his handling of the song.
"I know this much, 'The Eyes of Texas' is our school song," Sarkisiantold reportersJan. 12. "We're going to sing that song, we're going to sing that proudly. ... That's our song and we're fired up to sing it."
Texas Hype Is Back, but What's Realistic for Steve Sarkisian in Year 1?
Feb 19, 2021
FILE - In this Nov. 9, 2019, file photo, Alabama offensive Coordinator Steve Sarkisian watches warm-ups before an NCAA football game against LSU in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Sarkisian will make $2.5 million a year under a new three-year deal reached after his flirtation with the Colorado head coaching job. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt, File)
Whenever a new coach is hired, hype builds. Whenever a big brand like Texas makes a change, renewed visions of national prominence are destined to follow.
Given that Steve Sarkisian just helped Alabama win a national championship as the offensive coordinator, the expectations for his tenure can hardly be higher. He was the premier play-caller in the college game last season, and Texas fully anticipates that strength will return the Longhorns to greatness.
But a healthy program doesn't fire a coach.
After thanking Captain Obvious for that analysis, consider that first-year coaches rarely have a legitimate contender. Recent outliers are Urban Meyer at Ohio State in 2012 and Gus Malzahn at Auburn in 2013, but Meyer replaced stopgap Luke Fickell and Auburn enjoyed two of the luckiest plays ever during a runner-up season.
In theory, sure, Texas has a shot to thrive in 2021. However, two factors are most important: what the Longhorns have and who they need to beat.
On offense, Texas has youth. Though many contributors return, they're mostly inexperienced or haven't maximized their potential.
Most notably, quarterback Casey Thompson—the unofficial but expected starter—dazzled fans with a four-touchdown day in relief of Sam Ehlinger during the Alamo Bowl. While excellent, it's the only meaningful action of Thompson's career.
Running back Bijan Robinson looks the part of a superstar, but he basically had three excellent games last season. Joshua Moore and Jake Smith are a good foundation at receiver, but neither averaged more than 60 yards per game. Six returning linemen held first-string roles at some point in 2020, but the most effective blocker—left tackle Samuel Cosmi—headed to the NFL.
Could they all mesh perfectly? Possibly! Sarkisian has a more flexible and creative offense than his predecessor, Tom Herman, and the right quarterback can dramatically elevate a team.
The more likely scenario, however, is this offense will endure a few rough moments in 2021 and build toward 2022.
While the defense has more experience, it's facing a greater transition. This is due in part to replacing All-American edge-rusher Joseph Ossai, key lineman Ta'Quon Graham and safety Chris Brown, and incoming coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski will change the scheme, too. Rebuilding the Ossai-less pass rush is paramount for the Longhorns.
On the bright side, Texas should be strong up the middle with D-tackles Alfred Collins, Keondre Coburn and T'Vondre Sweat, along with top linebackers Juwan Mitchell and DeMarvion Overshown.
Demarvion Overshown notched 60 tackles with eight for loss in 2020.
But to suggest the Longhorns will have an elite defense is probably a stretch; the revamped pass rush is concerning. And without a top-tier defensive unit, the offense needs to pick up the slack. That's a substantial ask for Sarkisian in Year 1.
Then, consider the competition.
Specifically, look at six-time reigning Big 12 champion Oklahoma and 2020 runner-up Iowa State. Oklahoma is a consensus threat for the national title, and veteran-led Iowa State is a logical contender. Plus, TCU has been an absolute thorn for Texas with a 7-2 record as Big 12 competitors.
And the Longhorns host zero of those matchups.
Oklahoma is always at the Cotton Bowl, of course, but Texas travels to TCU and Iowa State. Throw in a nonconference clash with Louisiana—which beat Iowa State last year—and trips to Arkansas and West Virginia, and this schedule is generally unkind.
Now, that's not to create a built-in excuse for Sarkisian this fall. If the Longhorns fall to all three of Oklahoma, Iowa State and TCU, that's a lost season. But a 2-1 record would be superb, and a 1-2 mark would be manageable if Texas handles the rest of the conference like it did in 2020.
Sarkisian should be judged on legitimately competing with the league's top tier, beating TCU and avoiding upsets elsewhere. If the Longhorns lose to West Virginia, for example, balancing that with an OU or Iowa State win is necessary.
Though the roster is built to win nine or 10 games and should be expected to accomplish that, winning a Big 12 championship is an awfully high bar in 2021. Texas is better positioned for a surge in 2022 after developing a quarterback, improving the offensive line and unlocking a consistent pass rush.
He may have inherited a respectable roster, but Sarkisian has issues to address at Texas. He deserves some patience—not an "it's cool to finish 6-7 in your first season" level of leniency.
If the Longhorns flirt with 10 wins, as they should, be ready for a hype train to scream out of Austin next offseason.
5-Star QB Prospect Maalik Murphy Commits to Texas over UCLA
Feb 13, 2021
The Texas Longhorns may have found their quarterback of the future.
On Saturday, Maalik Murphy told Greg Biggins of 247Sports that he committed to Texas' 2022 recruiting class.
"Texas was the only school on my list that I couldn't find a single negative about," Murphy said. "Football is the biggest thing going in Texas. It's more then just a sport; it's a staple of life and everyone is so passionate about it there."
Murphy, who checks in at 6'4" and 225 pounds, is a 5-star prospect and the No. 30 overall player, No. 2 pro-style quarterback and No. 4 player in the state of California in the 2022 class, per 247Sports' composite rankings.
As is almost always the case with highly regarded quarterbacks, Murphy drew the interest of the nation's powerhouses.
The 247Sports list of interested programs included Ohio State, Michigan, Oregon, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, LSU and USC, among others. Texas won the race and now has someone who can earn playing time early in their career.
Biggins projected Murphy as a second- or third-round NFL draft pick and pointed to Jameis Winston as a player comparison.
While Winston may not move the needle for NFL fans, he was a collegiate superstar who won the 2013 Heisman Trophy and a national championship at Florida State. A career even close to that would be a massive success.
Biggins also provided a scouting report that highlighted Murphy's ability to hit receivers at all levels of the field and his arm strength to throw the ball more than 70 yards. He is also mobile.
If Murphy lives up to expectations, he can help lead the Longhorns as they compete for Big 12 titles.
New Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian has a history of developing quarterbacks, particularly during his recent tenure on Nick Saban's staff at Alabama with Tua Tagovailoa and Mac Jones.
If Sarkisian can get Murphy to play anywhere close to the level of those two stars, Texas will be back among the nation's elite programs soon.
Vince Young Rehired by Texas as Special Assistant in Athletic Department
Feb 1, 2021
Former Texas Longhorns quarterback Vince Young stands on the sideline during the first half of the NCAA Big 12 Conference football championship against the Oklahoma Sooners, Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018, in Arlington, Texas. Oklahoma defeated Texas 39-27. (AP Photo/Roger Steinman)
The University of Texas has rehired Longhorns legend Vince Young as a special assistant to the athletic department, according to the Associated Press.
"Terms of Young's new job and salary in the athletic department were not immediately disclosed," the report read. "Athletic director Chris Del Conte did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment."
Young confirmed the news on Twitter:
I see everyone is hearing the news that CDC has me working for our Longhorns. So happy to be able to help him out as well as everyone in the Athletic Department, share my knowledge and experiences, reach out in the community and serve the school I love! You know I Bleed Orange!🤘🏿
Young previously occupied a role behind the scenes as a development officer for the Neighborhood Longhorns Program and a football camp specialist.
TheAustin American-Statesman'sBrian Davisreported in March 2019 he had been fired due to poor performance and "failing to maintain standards of conduct suitable and acceptable to the university." Texas had also informed him of "unacceptable work performance" in September 2017.
The 37-year-old is one of the greatest players in Longhorns history.
In 2005, he finished runner-up to USC's Reggie Bush in the Heisman Trophy voting, throwing for 3,036 yards and 26 touchdowns while running for 1,050 yards and 12 scores. That same season, Texas was crowned the national champion thanks to an individual performance for the ages by Young.
He threw for 267 yards and ran for 200 yards and three touchdowns against USC in the Rose Bowl. He scored the Longhorns' final two touchdowns, the second of which came with 19 seconds left in the game.
Steve Sarkisian was USC's quarterbacks coach at the time. Now, Sarkisian is approaching his first season in charge at Texas after having taken over in January.
Bringing Young back to the program in an official capacity is an easy way to engender goodwill from some of the fanbase.
![]Texas defensive back Caden Sterns (7) during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Iowa State, Friday, Nov. 27, 2020, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)](https://img.bleacherreport.net/img/images/photos/003/905/217/hi-res-c7c3014ecfe1483470328d8b2951cd1b_crop_north.jpg?1614636920&w=630&h=420)
