Cam Coleman's Viral Moment Has Texas Coaches BUZZING - On Texas Football

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[00:00]
Jeff Howe
Mum, why do they call it Scottish cheese?
[00:03]
Commercial Narrator (Aviva/AIB Ads)
It's cottage cheese, honey, and I'm not sure.
[00:06]
Jeff Howe
Do dogs in other countries speak different languages?
[00:09]
Commercial Narrator (Aviva/AIB Ads)
Yeah, I think so.
[00:11]
Jeff Howe
When will we get there?
[00:12]
Commercial Narrator (Aviva/AIB Ads)
Well, we've got to fix the car first. But there's someone coming to help us.
[00:15]
Jeff Howe
Is it the man from Geneva?
[00:17]
Commercial Narrator (Aviva/AIB Ads)
Not Geneva. He's from Aviva.
[00:20]
Aviva Commercial Voice
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[00:41]
Commercial Narrator (Aviva/AIB Ads)
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[01:11]
Aviva Commercial Voice
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[01:28]
Rod Baber
And now get to our biggest sale of the year. Save 25% on the new Comfort Next Lux for a limited time only at a Sleep number store or sleepnumber.com
[01:41]
CJ Vogel
Is there an unexpected position battle brewing in Texas camp? We'll talk about that on this latest edition of On Texas Football, brought to you by Prize Picks and Poncho. I'm Jeff Howe, joined by CJ Vogel and Rod Baber. Guys, we're talking about the linebacker position. CJ, you did some reporting over on Texas Football.com I think the expectation was Ty Anthony Smith coming off the post bowl surgery and the time he missed in the spring, but just kind of slide right back in with the ones at linebacker. At least early on in camp that might not necessarily be the case.
[02:12]
Rod Baber
Yeah, it sounds like Justin Crier is actually making a push for that spot right next to Rasheem Biles. And look, let's go back a little bit towards the spring because as you mentioned there, Jeff, Ty Anthony Smith was dealing with a bit of injury luck Or I guess unfortunate there he was not 100% during the spring. He was sidelined for a little bit. And it sounds like during the spring Justin Cryer took advantage, right? He was able to sit in with all of the implementation of the Wilmot Champ defense and really hone in on what the keys were, what he could do in terms of being a potential green dot where in the middle of the defense as well. And he's a veteran body. He played well over a thousand snaps in his career. He had about 400 a year ago. He's got played a lot of football now. It sounds like he's taking what he learned in the spring and implementing that in the fall camp. And as a result, it's creating maybe an underrated competition battle at that linebacker position, maybe something that maybe we didn't anticipate given the postseason performance for Ty Anthony Smith against, against Michigan where he had the two interceptions and it just looked like he was penciled in to be that next starting linebacker with files as well.
[03:26]
CJ Vogel
Rod, CJ makes a really good point there at the end because again, Ty Anthony Smith's performance in the bowl game, you kind of were hoping that would dovetail into the spring, but again, with surgery, he didn't really get to see it all the way through. But the thing when you make a coordinator change, even though Johnny Nansen still returns as a linebackers coach, when you make a coordinator change, there really are no preconceived notions, Rod. That's kind of the gift and the curse. Everybody starts with a clean slate and you got Justin Crier coming in from Florida State. There are no preconceived notions about what he is and what he isn't. It sounds like ever since he got the campus Rod, maybe he's been a better portal take than the staff probably initially thought he was.
[04:04]
Jeff Howe
Oh yeah, Maybe he's just better value overall. Not just a guy that can contribute light on specialties, but maybe a guy situationally that can help you not only build the depth in the linebacker room, but maybe even help you situationally based on matchups week to week. Now, I do think Ty Smith overall is a better playmaker at the linebacker position, but there's some boom or bust to his game. Right? He led the team in missed tackles this year. I think he led the team in missed tackles in the versus the run game as well, but also led the team in force fumbles versus the run game. Right. He had a. He had a 9.7% stop rate, second highest among defenders with at least 100 snaps. So he's, he's got a lot of boom bust. But he's a really, I think a just a natural playmaker at the lineback position. The concern may be, you know, the play strength. I was a guy that had to fluctuate and transform my body a lot at the University of Texas. I started out as a nickel in the Big 12, but they were still defending the option versus Nebraska. So I was up to 195. Between 195 plus 200 pounds and because I was, you know, taking on fullbacks at one time. But then by the time I got to my junior year, I had to get back sleep because the air raid was taking over the damn Big 12. So I had to get back to my sleep form being able to run, getting back to like the low 180 somewhere around there. And one thing I've noticed is that you, you kind of lose when lose that weight, you lose strength, you lose play strength. That's one thing that I did notice. And I do wonder for Ty Smith losing play strength where he got it already has some issues with missed tackles and consistency there. That may be something that when the pads start popping that you may see some, you know, even more separation. I'm assuming that when, you know, once he gets back acclimated, once he gets back some of the, the weight on and the armor and the strength, the Tythony Smith will be your best option. But I think it's a good thing that Justin Cryer trying to make a move and turn this into a conversation. You're going to play a lot of teams this year that was going to line up and play bully ball against you, right? You do have undersized linebackers. I mean time this means listed at 214, you got wide receivers and, and safety stats around around that weight. So I do think when you line up against Ohio State, who plays 12 personnel around 38 of the time, Florida is going to be in that same range with Faulkner as the new offensive coordinator. Missouri's gonna try to play bully ball. We should have got a good old line. They like 6o line packages. Hell, UTSA is one of the national leaders in 12 personnel and heavy sets. A and M is going to try to line it up and play bully ball and get into some heavy sets and 12 personnel. So if you look at teams that are going to try to potentially test the guts of that Texas defense and see if they can hold up against the point of attack, maybe having a guy who's what, 25 pounds plus heavier than a tithe Smith right there in the middle of the off ball lineback position potentially can help you situationally in matchup wise.
[06:51]
Rod Baber
But Jeff, let me get your thoughts on that as well because what Rod just said is very important to how I see this defense playing. And it's not that at 214, Ty Anthony Smith is unplayable, but it sets up for almost a situational switch off between Justin cryer, who's at 241 and Tyenthe Smith who's at 214. Right. That's 27 pounds that you give or take. If you go back and you just watch what Ty Anthony Smith did very well a year ago, it was playing space, it was play passing lanes, it was getting hands on footballs. I don't want to say it sets up for him to just be a third down designated pass linebacker because I think he's more than that. But in a way, another, you know, parallel that we've made so far is Justin Cryer resembles a lot of what a David Bend up brought to Texas. Yeah, he's around 241, 242, right in that range. And he played the run very well. He came downhill very well in the first two downs of a Dr. Now again, I don't want to sit here and just say, hey, that's our first and second down guy. Here's your third down guy. But there's a give and take there that if you find a happy medium with either one of those guys, there's a clear strength with each that you could certainly benefit from while allowing Rasheed Biles to play as open and freely as possible in this defense.
[08:10]
CJ Vogel
Yeah, I think it's one of those deals where it's going to be more opponent specific. Rod kind of mentioned that a little bit, but I think we saw that. Going back to you mentioned David Bender. We kind of saw that with Leona Lafou and David Bender, there was kind of a trade off based on the opponent. You might see more of one guy than the other. The, the constant being, you know, Anthony Hill is going to be on the field for three downs and only injury is going to be the only reason why you would take him off the field or why he would leave the field. That's going to be the case with Rashin Biles.
[08:35]
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[09:42]
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[10:14]
CJ Vogel
I'm fascinated by I've been fascinated by off ball linebacker for a while because we've seen just the makeup of that position change in terms of the body type you want. It goes back to that old Mike Tomlin line we talked about. Look like which punt that's what you want to be a linebacker. And I just looked at SEC linebackers. I looked at a couple different comparisons. One was I looked back at the there were 14 different linebackers who made all SEC in 2014 and 2015 and I compared the size of those guys with the nine preseason all SEC linebackers this year which Rasheen bows first team preseason all SEC the average height it's it's six one and change in both both sets of data there the average weight of an all SEC linebacker in 2014 and 15 so about a decade ago 239.6 pounds. These nine all preseason all SEC linebackers 228.2 pounds. So you're talking about over a 10 pound difference in the makeup of an SEC Linebacker. Now, another data set I looked at was speed. I found, I tried to find, and sometimes you got to really hunt. But I went and looked at those 2014 and 2015 all SEC linebackers with the 2024 and 2025 all SEC linebackers. And I tried to find verified 40 yard dash times, whether it was the combine or pro day. In the 2014 and 15 group, 13 verified 40 yard dash times. The average 44.75 seconds. Only two of those guys ran four, six or better. Nobody was four or five or better. You go to 2024 and 2025 group, only eight verified 40 times because some of those guys are back in school this year at their respective schools. And the average 40 yard dash time drops from 4.75 to 4.53. Wow. Six of the eight ran a four, six or better and two of those guys were four, five or better. So, Rod, we talk about space and pace football. It is in the sec and you need sleeker, faster, longer, more athletic linebackers to cover ground in this conference like you never have before.
[12:20]
Jeff Howe
Speed in playmaking and instincts, right? It's one of those positions where everything happens so fast. You really need guys who are just instinctive football players. That's Rasheen Biles in a nutshell, right? I mean, you just got. Everybody's like, no, he's like, oh, he's undersized. He's only 222 pounds. He said it's one. He's like, nope, turn on the tape. Did you watch the film? Did you watch, you watch the film? And once everybody watches him, they go, okay, yeah, yeah, yeah. Then he's one of those exceptions to the rule. And I think that's important too, because, you know, the way he's going to use Rasheen Biles is also important in this new day and age. I think he's going to be on attack. He's going to weaponize that guy, have him going downhill. Really. Proof of concept. Shout out to Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh's defensive coordinator, because they did a good job of weaponizing him. They were top 15 in six man pressure rates in box blitz rates, in second level linebacker blitz and run blitz rates. So they just basically had him on the attack all the time. They didn't allow him to actually get back on his heels at all. He was always going on the attack and making plays. I think must champ will use them like that too, based on what we saw in the spring showcase. But there's no doubt about it, you know, because of, you know, these undersized linebackers you got guys that can play sideline to sideline and guys who can also be assets for you in the passing game. And that's what Rashin Bows is too, right? This guy's a, he's a playmaker in the passing. That's what we like about Time Smith, he's a playmaker. In the past game, we used to call him spread babies. Jeff. Guys who were basically born and bred in his 707 era, where they, they have these really high level, you know, kind of, uh, route diagnosis skills where they can decipher routes and route combinations where old school linebackers, they were always, yes, I agree, a liability in coverage, but now these linebackers actually have the ability to make plays on the football where a lot of old school linebackers, they would never be in space. They just looked awkward and they look like obtuse. These guys actually look like they fit especially undersized guys who are used to playing in space. So I think Texas actually, I'm not saying this is intentional, but it actually may work out for their benefit to have these guys who are undersized, especially when you start playing teams that want to throw the football and that have really good quarterbacks and Texas schedule is filled with those types of teams.
[14:33]
CJ Vogel
CJ I think that gets back to the point of the discussion, the, the Ty Anthony Smith versus Justin Cryer discussion. You face so many different opponents, not just in SEC play, but again, if you're planning on playing 16, 17 games, whoever you're going to play in the playoff, you're going to need both of these guys because again, you could be facing, if you're facing a team like in Indiana that just wants to line up and try to pound the football, or if you're facing an Oregon that wants to spread you out, you're going to need both of these guys to be able to step up and perform to get you where you want to be.
[15:04]
Rod Baber
Yeah. And I think in that first wave of depth, you're in a good position. Now, again, who steps up? Can it be a Tyler Atkinson? Is Marcus Boswell even in the conversation? Right. Rocky Cummings, Coastal Paula, Brad Smith. I mean, there's bodies there for Texas to figure it out, but stylistically at the front line at least, they're in a very good position.
[15:26]
CJ Vogel
C.J. rod, thank you guys for the time, the knowledge, the intel, the expertise. As always, big thank you to Matthew behind the Scenes for producing it. Thank you to Prize Picks and Poncho for sponsoring this edition of On Texas Football. If you're not a member over on texas football.com now is the time to get over the site. Check out everything we've got going on inside intel. Like we mentioned, CJ's reporting on the linebacker. We've got practice Intel. Anything going on the 40 acres? Right now we're talking about it over on Texas Football.com and new members. $3. It's all it's going to take for your first three months of access. Not $3 a month. $3 and you get three months of access@onsexas football.com but do not wait. This offer won't last forever, so make sure you get over the site. Take advantage of the limited time offer. $3 for your first three months of access at ontexas football.com make sure that you like this video. Make sure you're subscribed to the on Texas Football YouTube channel and make sure you got your notifications set. That way, anytime we go live or drop a new video, you're not missing any of our Longhorn coverage or breaking news. For cj, for Rod, for Matthew, for the entire On Texas Football staff, I'm Jeff Howell. Thank you so much for watching and listening and until next time, welcome.
[16:28]
Commercial Narrator (Aviva/AIB Ads)
Sustainability isn't simply good business. It's good for all kinds of business. And in today's climate, it's not just what you achieve that matters, it's how you achieve it. That's why AIB is driving positive change with practical knowledge, supports and our Business Sustainability Loan, designed to help businesses achieve more sustainable growth. Search AIB Business Sustainability Loan Today AIB for the life you're after Allied Irish Bank's PLC is regulated by the Central bank of Ireland.

Summary6 min read

On Texas Football

Episode: Cam Coleman's Viral Moment Has Texas Coaches BUZZING

Date: August 9, 2026
Host: Bobby Burton (absent from this episode)
Guests/Co-Hosts: Jeff Howe, CJ Vogel, Rod Baber

Overview

This episode dives deep into the evolving linebacker position at Texas during fall camp, with special focus on the emerging position battle between Ty Anthony Smith and transfer Justin Cryer. The panel highlights how modern defensive schemes, a change in coordinators, and the physical evolution of SEC linebackers influence Texas' choices. While the episode title references Cam Coleman, the actual discussion centers on linebacker competition and defensive strategy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Linebacker Position Battle: Ty Anthony Smith vs. Justin Cryer

[01:41-04:04]

Early Camp Surprise:
Initial expectations were for Ty Anthony Smith to reclaim his starting spot after coming off postseason surgery. Instead, transfer Justin Cryer is making a strong push for the first-team role alongside Rasheen Biles.
- CJ Vogel:
  
  "The expectation was Ty Anthony Smith...would just kind of slide right back in with the ones at linebacker. At least early on in camp that might not necessarily be the case." (01:51)
Cryer Takes Advantage:
Smith's spring injury allowed Cryer to assimilate the new Will Muschamp defense and get significant reps.
- Rod Baber:
  
  "It sounds like during the spring Justin Cryer took advantage...He’s got played a lot of football now. It sounds like he's taking what he learned in the spring and implementing that in the fall camp." (02:17)
No Preconceived Notions:
The change to Muschamp as defensive coordinator means starting roles are up for grabs, making the competition more open.
- CJ Vogel:
  
  "When you make a coordinator change...there really are no preconceived notions, Rod. That's kind of the gift and the curse. Everybody starts with a clean slate." (03:26)

2. Playmaker vs. Power: What Each Linebacker Brings

[04:04-08:09]

Smith’s Boom-Bust Profile:
Smith is cited as a natural playmaker, excelling at turnovers but with trouble in tackle consistency and play strength, likely affected by fluctuating weight.
- Rod Baber:
  
  "Ty Smith overall is a better playmaker...But he's got a lot of boom bust...He led the team in missed tackles...but also led the team in force fumbles versus the run game." (04:20)
  "I do wonder for Ty Smith losing play strength where he already has some issues with missed tackles and consistency there." (05:17)
Cryer’s Size Advantage:
Cryer, at 241 lbs, offers a physical presence that could help Texas against run-heavy and physical SEC opponents, who often use multiple tight end sets ("12 personnel").
- Rod Baber:
  
  "Maybe having a guy who's what, 25 pounds plus heavier than a Ty Smith right there in the middle...can help you situationally in matchup wise." (06:51)
Situational Subbing & Role Parallels:
The hosts speculate the defense may rotate Smith (speed/coverage) and Cryer (run defense) depending on opponent, similar to previous rotations with David Benda and Leona Lafau.
- CJ Vogel:
  
  "It sets up for almost a situational switch off between Justin Cryer...and Ty Anthony Smith." (07:03)
- CJ Vogel:
  
  "I think it's one of those deals where it's going to be more opponent specific...We kind of saw that with Leona Lafou and David Bend." (08:09)

3. Evolution of the SEC Linebacker: Speed Over Size

[10:14-12:20]

Body Type Trends:
SEC linebackers a decade ago (2014–15) averaged ~240 lbs; now it’s ~228 lbs—a sizable drop.
- CJ Vogel:
  
  "The average weight of an all SEC linebacker in 2014 and 2015...239.6 pounds...these nine all preseason all SEC linebackers: 228.2 pounds." (11:07)
Speed Metrics:
Modern linebackers are notably faster, with average 40-yard dash times decreasing from 4.75 to 4.53 seconds. More linebackers now run sub-4.6 40s.
- CJ Vogel:
  
  "Average 40 yard dash time drops from 4.75 to 4.53. Wow. Six of the eight ran a four, six or better and two of those guys were four, five or better." (11:50)
Implications for Texas:
This evolution plays into Texas’ embrace of lighter, faster linebackers—matching the style needed to defend pass-heavy or fast-pace offenses.
- CJ Vogel:
  
  "You need sleeker, faster, longer, more athletic linebackers to cover ground in this conference like you never have before." (12:15)

4. Rasheen Biles: Prototype of the Modern, Instinctive LB

[12:20-14:33]

Instincts and Versatility:
Biles, while smaller (~222 lbs), is praised for his football IQ and playmaking. He’s expected to be “weaponized” in blitzing and attacking roles under Muschamp, similar to how Pittsburgh used him.
- Jeff Howe:
  
  "You really need guys who are just instinctive football players. That's Rasheen Biles in a nutshell." (12:25)
  "They're just going to weaponize that guy, have him going downhill. Proof of concept—shout out to Pittsburgh...They did a good job of weaponizing him." (13:00)
Coverage Ability:
The panel references “spread babies”—linebackers raised in 7-on-7 football who excel in pass defense, a valuable asset as offenses become more pass-centric.
- Rod Baber:
  
  "Now these linebackers actually have the ability to make plays on the football where a lot of old school linebackers, they would never be in space." (13:47)

5. Depth, Rotation, and the Road Ahead

[14:33-15:25]

Depth Chart Questions:
Beyond Smith and Cryer, the guys debate who might emerge further down the depth chart: Tyler Atkinson, Marcus Boswell, Rocky Cummings, and others.
- Rod Baber:
  
  "Now, again, who steps up? Can it be a Tyler Atkinson? Is Marcus Boswell even in the conversation?" (15:04)
Need for Both Types:
With varied SEC and playoff opponents ahead, Texas will need both styles of linebackers to cover run-heavy and spread offenses.
- CJ Vogel:
  
  "You're going to need both of these guys to be able to step up and perform to get you where you want to be." (14:38)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On transfer Justin Cryer’s unexpected impact:
CJ Vogel:

"Ever since he got to campus, maybe he's been a better portal take than the staff probably initially thought he was." (03:44)
On the importance of versatility against SEC offenses:
Rod Baber:

"You're gonna play a lot of teams this year that are going to line up and play bully ball against you...maybe having a guy who's what, 25 pounds plus heavier than a Ty Smith right there in the middle...can help you situationally." (06:39)
On the modern linebacker prototype:
CJ Vogel:

"It goes back to that old Mike Tomlin line...‘look like which punt’—that's what you want to be a linebacker." (10:24)
On the defense’s newfound situational flexibility:
CJ Vogel:

"You might see more of one guy than the other. The constant being, you know, Anthony Hill is going to be on the field for three downs...That's going to be the case with Rashin Biles." (08:22)

Important Timestamps

[01:41] – Episode kicks off: Smith vs. Cryer LB battle discussion begins
[02:12] – Cryer’s advantage due to Smith's spring surgery
[03:26] – Impact of Muschamp’s arrival: clean-slate competition
[04:04] – Jeff Howe analyzes Smith’s play style, strengths, and weaknesses
[06:51] – Debate over size versus playmaking, situational roles
[08:09] – Previous rotational models and future use cases
[10:14] – CJ Vogel outlines shift in SEC linebacker body type and speed
[12:20] – Biles’ value: instincts, attacking, and coverage
[13:47] – Spread football and “spread babies” filling the LB role
[14:33] – Need for both types of linebackers to navigate the SEC/playoff field
[15:04] – Depth chart speculation and young blood readiness

Summary

This roundtable episode doesn’t just detail a position battle. It captures a major shift in defensive philosophy and recruiting—physicality is still valued, but speed and coverage skills are king in the modern era. While the question of who starts opposite Rasheen Biles is still unfolding, it’s clear Texas’ linebacker room is evolving to meet the demands of new SEC competition. Both Smith and Cryer will play pivotal roles, tailored to the challenges of each opponent, as Texas eyes a long, competitive season and potential playoff run.

Loading summary

Transcript26 lines

[00:00]
Jeff Howe
Mum, why do they call it Scottish cheese?
[00:03]
Commercial Narrator (Aviva/AIB Ads)
It's cottage cheese, honey, and I'm not sure.
[00:06]
Jeff Howe
Do dogs in other countries speak different languages?
[00:09]
Commercial Narrator (Aviva/AIB Ads)
Yeah, I think so.
[00:11]
Jeff Howe
When will we get there?
[00:12]
Commercial Narrator (Aviva/AIB Ads)
Well, we've got to fix the car first. But there's someone coming to help us.
[00:15]
Jeff Howe
Is it the man from Geneva?
[00:17]
Commercial Narrator (Aviva/AIB Ads)
Not Geneva. He's from Aviva.
[00:20]
Aviva Commercial Voice
Oh, there's the van. Now for car insurance with breakdown rescue, it takes Aviva visit Aviva ie to save 15%. Acceptance criteria terms and conditions apply. Minimum premium of 310 Euro. 15% applies to new policies bought online. See Aviva Ie for details. Car insurance is underwritten by Aviva Insurance Ireland dac. Aviva Direct Ireland Limited is regulated by the Central bank of Ireland.
[00:41]
Commercial Narrator (Aviva/AIB Ads)
Sustainability isn't simply good business. It's good for all kinds of business. And in today's climate, it's not just what you achieve that matters, it's how you achieve it. That's why AIB is driving positive change with practical knowledge supports and our Business Sustainability Loan, designed to help businesses achieve more sustainable growth. Search AIB Business Sustainability Loan today. AIB for the life you're after. Allied Irish Bank's PLC is regulated by the Central bank of Ireland.
[01:11]
Aviva Commercial Voice
Sleep Number's new collections are designed to adapt to the changing nature of your life and your sleep needs. Whether it's the personalized comfort of the Comfort Mode mattress, the targeted pressure relief of the Comfort Next mattress, or the climate collection that actively cools or warms to help you fall asleep and stay asleep.
[01:28]
Rod Baber
And now get to our biggest sale of the year. Save 25% on the new Comfort Next Lux for a limited time only at a Sleep number store or sleepnumber.com
[01:41]
CJ Vogel
Is there an unexpected position battle brewing in Texas camp? We'll talk about that on this latest edition of On Texas Football, brought to you by Prize Picks and Poncho. I'm Jeff Howe, joined by CJ Vogel and Rod Baber. Guys, we're talking about the linebacker position. CJ, you did some reporting over on Texas Football.com I think the expectation was Ty Anthony Smith coming off the post bowl surgery and the time he missed in the spring, but just kind of slide right back in with the ones at linebacker. At least early on in camp that might not necessarily be the case.
[02:12]
Rod Baber
Yeah, it sounds like Justin Crier is actually making a push for that spot right next to Rasheem Biles. And look, let's go back a little bit towards the spring because as you mentioned there, Jeff, Ty Anthony Smith was dealing with a bit of injury luck Or I guess unfortunate there he was not 100% during the spring. He was sidelined for a little bit. And it sounds like during the spring Justin Cryer took advantage, right? He was able to sit in with all of the implementation of the Wilmot Champ defense and really hone in on what the keys were, what he could do in terms of being a potential green dot where in the middle of the defense as well. And he's a veteran body. He played well over a thousand snaps in his career. He had about 400 a year ago. He's got played a lot of football now. It sounds like he's taking what he learned in the spring and implementing that in the fall camp. And as a result, it's creating maybe an underrated competition battle at that linebacker position, maybe something that maybe we didn't anticipate given the postseason performance for Ty Anthony Smith against, against Michigan where he had the two interceptions and it just looked like he was penciled in to be that next starting linebacker with files as well.
[03:26]
CJ Vogel
Rod, CJ makes a really good point there at the end because again, Ty Anthony Smith's performance in the bowl game, you kind of were hoping that would dovetail into the spring, but again, with surgery, he didn't really get to see it all the way through. But the thing when you make a coordinator change, even though Johnny Nansen still returns as a linebackers coach, when you make a coordinator change, there really are no preconceived notions, Rod. That's kind of the gift and the curse. Everybody starts with a clean slate and you got Justin Crier coming in from Florida State. There are no preconceived notions about what he is and what he isn't. It sounds like ever since he got the campus Rod, maybe he's been a better portal take than the staff probably initially thought he was.
[04:04]
Jeff Howe
Oh yeah, Maybe he's just better value overall. Not just a guy that can contribute light on specialties, but maybe a guy situationally that can help you not only build the depth in the linebacker room, but maybe even help you situationally based on matchups week to week. Now, I do think Ty Smith overall is a better playmaker at the linebacker position, but there's some boom or bust to his game. Right? He led the team in missed tackles this year. I think he led the team in missed tackles in the versus the run game as well, but also led the team in force fumbles versus the run game. Right. He had a. He had a 9.7% stop rate, second highest among defenders with at least 100 snaps. So he's, he's got a lot of boom bust. But he's a really, I think a just a natural playmaker at the lineback position. The concern may be, you know, the play strength. I was a guy that had to fluctuate and transform my body a lot at the University of Texas. I started out as a nickel in the Big 12, but they were still defending the option versus Nebraska. So I was up to 195. Between 195 plus 200 pounds and because I was, you know, taking on fullbacks at one time. But then by the time I got to my junior year, I had to get back sleep because the air raid was taking over the damn Big 12. So I had to get back to my sleep form being able to run, getting back to like the low 180 somewhere around there. And one thing I've noticed is that you, you kind of lose when lose that weight, you lose strength, you lose play strength. That's one thing that I did notice. And I do wonder for Ty Smith losing play strength where he got it already has some issues with missed tackles and consistency there. That may be something that when the pads start popping that you may see some, you know, even more separation. I'm assuming that when, you know, once he gets back acclimated, once he gets back some of the, the weight on and the armor and the strength, the Tythony Smith will be your best option. But I think it's a good thing that Justin Cryer trying to make a move and turn this into a conversation. You're going to play a lot of teams this year that was going to line up and play bully ball against you, right? You do have undersized linebackers. I mean time this means listed at 214, you got wide receivers and, and safety stats around around that weight. So I do think when you line up against Ohio State, who plays 12 personnel around 38 of the time, Florida is going to be in that same range with Faulkner as the new offensive coordinator. Missouri's gonna try to play bully ball. We should have got a good old line. They like 6o line packages. Hell, UTSA is one of the national leaders in 12 personnel and heavy sets. A and M is going to try to line it up and play bully ball and get into some heavy sets and 12 personnel. So if you look at teams that are going to try to potentially test the guts of that Texas defense and see if they can hold up against the point of attack, maybe having a guy who's what, 25 pounds plus heavier than a tithe Smith right there in the middle of the off ball lineback position potentially can help you situationally in matchup wise.
[06:51]
Rod Baber
But Jeff, let me get your thoughts on that as well because what Rod just said is very important to how I see this defense playing. And it's not that at 214, Ty Anthony Smith is unplayable, but it sets up for almost a situational switch off between Justin cryer, who's at 241 and Tyenthe Smith who's at 214. Right. That's 27 pounds that you give or take. If you go back and you just watch what Ty Anthony Smith did very well a year ago, it was playing space, it was play passing lanes, it was getting hands on footballs. I don't want to say it sets up for him to just be a third down designated pass linebacker because I think he's more than that. But in a way, another, you know, parallel that we've made so far is Justin Cryer resembles a lot of what a David Bend up brought to Texas. Yeah, he's around 241, 242, right in that range. And he played the run very well. He came downhill very well in the first two downs of a Dr. Now again, I don't want to sit here and just say, hey, that's our first and second down guy. Here's your third down guy. But there's a give and take there that if you find a happy medium with either one of those guys, there's a clear strength with each that you could certainly benefit from while allowing Rasheed Biles to play as open and freely as possible in this defense.
[08:10]
CJ Vogel
Yeah, I think it's one of those deals where it's going to be more opponent specific. Rod kind of mentioned that a little bit, but I think we saw that. Going back to you mentioned David Bender. We kind of saw that with Leona Lafou and David Bender, there was kind of a trade off based on the opponent. You might see more of one guy than the other. The, the constant being, you know, Anthony Hill is going to be on the field for three downs and only injury is going to be the only reason why you would take him off the field or why he would leave the field. That's going to be the case with Rashin Biles.
[08:35]
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[09:42]
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[10:14]
CJ Vogel
I'm fascinated by I've been fascinated by off ball linebacker for a while because we've seen just the makeup of that position change in terms of the body type you want. It goes back to that old Mike Tomlin line we talked about. Look like which punt that's what you want to be a linebacker. And I just looked at SEC linebackers. I looked at a couple different comparisons. One was I looked back at the there were 14 different linebackers who made all SEC in 2014 and 2015 and I compared the size of those guys with the nine preseason all SEC linebackers this year which Rasheen bows first team preseason all SEC the average height it's it's six one and change in both both sets of data there the average weight of an all SEC linebacker in 2014 and 15 so about a decade ago 239.6 pounds. These nine all preseason all SEC linebackers 228.2 pounds. So you're talking about over a 10 pound difference in the makeup of an SEC Linebacker. Now, another data set I looked at was speed. I found, I tried to find, and sometimes you got to really hunt. But I went and looked at those 2014 and 2015 all SEC linebackers with the 2024 and 2025 all SEC linebackers. And I tried to find verified 40 yard dash times, whether it was the combine or pro day. In the 2014 and 15 group, 13 verified 40 yard dash times. The average 44.75 seconds. Only two of those guys ran four, six or better. Nobody was four or five or better. You go to 2024 and 2025 group, only eight verified 40 times because some of those guys are back in school this year at their respective schools. And the average 40 yard dash time drops from 4.75 to 4.53. Wow. Six of the eight ran a four, six or better and two of those guys were four, five or better. So, Rod, we talk about space and pace football. It is in the sec and you need sleeker, faster, longer, more athletic linebackers to cover ground in this conference like you never have before.
[12:20]
Jeff Howe
Speed in playmaking and instincts, right? It's one of those positions where everything happens so fast. You really need guys who are just instinctive football players. That's Rasheen Biles in a nutshell, right? I mean, you just got. Everybody's like, no, he's like, oh, he's undersized. He's only 222 pounds. He said it's one. He's like, nope, turn on the tape. Did you watch the film? Did you watch, you watch the film? And once everybody watches him, they go, okay, yeah, yeah, yeah. Then he's one of those exceptions to the rule. And I think that's important too, because, you know, the way he's going to use Rasheen Biles is also important in this new day and age. I think he's going to be on attack. He's going to weaponize that guy, have him going downhill. Really. Proof of concept. Shout out to Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh's defensive coordinator, because they did a good job of weaponizing him. They were top 15 in six man pressure rates in box blitz rates, in second level linebacker blitz and run blitz rates. So they just basically had him on the attack all the time. They didn't allow him to actually get back on his heels at all. He was always going on the attack and making plays. I think must champ will use them like that too, based on what we saw in the spring showcase. But there's no doubt about it, you know, because of, you know, these undersized linebackers you got guys that can play sideline to sideline and guys who can also be assets for you in the passing game. And that's what Rashin Bows is too, right? This guy's a, he's a playmaker in the passing. That's what we like about Time Smith, he's a playmaker. In the past game, we used to call him spread babies. Jeff. Guys who were basically born and bred in his 707 era, where they, they have these really high level, you know, kind of, uh, route diagnosis skills where they can decipher routes and route combinations where old school linebackers, they were always, yes, I agree, a liability in coverage, but now these linebackers actually have the ability to make plays on the football where a lot of old school linebackers, they would never be in space. They just looked awkward and they look like obtuse. These guys actually look like they fit especially undersized guys who are used to playing in space. So I think Texas actually, I'm not saying this is intentional, but it actually may work out for their benefit to have these guys who are undersized, especially when you start playing teams that want to throw the football and that have really good quarterbacks and Texas schedule is filled with those types of teams.
[14:33]
CJ Vogel
CJ I think that gets back to the point of the discussion, the, the Ty Anthony Smith versus Justin Cryer discussion. You face so many different opponents, not just in SEC play, but again, if you're planning on playing 16, 17 games, whoever you're going to play in the playoff, you're going to need both of these guys because again, you could be facing, if you're facing a team like in Indiana that just wants to line up and try to pound the football, or if you're facing an Oregon that wants to spread you out, you're going to need both of these guys to be able to step up and perform to get you where you want to be.
[15:04]
Rod Baber
Yeah. And I think in that first wave of depth, you're in a good position. Now, again, who steps up? Can it be a Tyler Atkinson? Is Marcus Boswell even in the conversation? Right. Rocky Cummings, Coastal Paula, Brad Smith. I mean, there's bodies there for Texas to figure it out, but stylistically at the front line at least, they're in a very good position.
[15:26]
CJ Vogel
C.J. rod, thank you guys for the time, the knowledge, the intel, the expertise. As always, big thank you to Matthew behind the Scenes for producing it. Thank you to Prize Picks and Poncho for sponsoring this edition of On Texas Football. If you're not a member over on texas football.com now is the time to get over the site. Check out everything we've got going on inside intel. Like we mentioned, CJ's reporting on the linebacker. We've got practice Intel. Anything going on the 40 acres? Right now we're talking about it over on Texas Football.com and new members. $3. It's all it's going to take for your first three months of access. Not $3 a month. $3 and you get three months of access@onsexas football.com but do not wait. This offer won't last forever, so make sure you get over the site. Take advantage of the limited time offer. $3 for your first three months of access at ontexas football.com make sure that you like this video. Make sure you're subscribed to the on Texas Football YouTube channel and make sure you got your notifications set. That way, anytime we go live or drop a new video, you're not missing any of our Longhorn coverage or breaking news. For cj, for Rod, for Matthew, for the entire On Texas Football staff, I'm Jeff Howell. Thank you so much for watching and listening and until next time, welcome.
[16:28]
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