Latest news with #TexasFootball
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Top Texas 2026 high school football standout chooses Oregon
Frisco (Texas) Panther Creek incoming senior athlete Jalen Lott eschewed family ties when it came to making his commitment announcement Tuesday. Lott also made a unique presentation to the school he plans to attend, which will be Oregon. The four-star Class of '26 recruit made the announcement at a ceremony at the school Tuesday afternoon that was broadcast on the Dave Campbell's Texas Football website. At his announcement, Lott had four caps on the table which represented his list of finalists - Oregon, along with USC, Texas and LSU - set against a backdrop of Panther Creek logos. Advertisement But right before making the announcement, instead of doing what has become routine by picking the hat of the committed school, workers took away the backdrop to reveal a large sealed card. Lott then opened up the card, which folded out to show him wearing an Oregon uniform. MORE:Oregon Ducks recruiting class rises to No. 1 nationally in key stat In an interview with Dave Campbell's Texas Football right after the announcement, Lott remarked the relationships with the Oregon coaches - especially head coach Dan Lanning - made Lott sway his favor toward the Ducks. 'Definitely my relationship with Coach Lanning and all of the other coaches; they've been recruiting me for a long time since I really was a freshman,' Lott said. 'So being able to build that relationship with them was the biggest thing for me, just kind of gravitating towards them. … They recruited me for a long time, so being able to go up there multiple times (for visits) every year and obviously getting out there for a game is like a big thing for me.' Advertisement Lott, considered the No. 5 athlete in the country by 247Sports, added he likes what he can bring to the Ducks' high-powered offense. 'Definitely just the way they get their athletes the ball in their hands and stuff like that; just letting them move out of open space and not really doing too much with it,' he said. In addition, Lott disclosed that along with football, he plans to run track at Oregon. He was the USA Track and Field National Junior Olympics champion in the long jump. 'Obviously, they also have a great track program that I'm really interested in, so I plan on doing both when I get there.' Advertisement Lott, who goes 6-foot and weighs 170 pounds, caught 85 passes last year for 1,111 yards and scored 16 TDs for a Panther Creek squad which finished 10-2. He also rushed for four TDs and passed for another. Recently, Lott and his Panther Creek teammates claimed the Texas state Division II 7-on-7 title, and are now determined to do the same in 11-man this fall. '(We have to just) stay together and be able to step up, now knowing that there's a target on our backs now, so being able to kind of push through that and show everybody what we can do,' said Lott, who was named the event's MVP after scoring the game-winning TD in overtime against Kilgore in the title game. Lott also went against the grain in his announcement when it came to his family. Both of his parents were athletes at Texas and one of his sisters runs track at USC, with his other sister playing basketball at UNLV. Advertisement MORE HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS NEWS Top Texas '26 tight end prospect decides to stay close to home, commits to TCU Texas Tech football lands commitment from East Texas 4-star 2026 cornerback Standout tailback from East Texas decides to stay in-state after making college commitment ESPN's "SportsCenter" program to be on location at Texas high school football scrimmage Who made the covers of popular Texas football preseason magazine? Texas UIL football championship games to be broadcast for free via a new broadcast agreement
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Arch Manning Had No Words in Response to Devastating Texas Flooding
Arch Manning Had No Words in Response to Devastating Texas Flooding originally appeared on Athlon Sports. In a poignant moment of silence, Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning reposted a heartfelt message on his Instagram account, reflecting the gravity of the recent flooding that has ravaged Central Texas. Advertisement The original post, shared by the official Texas Football account and head coach Steve Sarkisian, featured a somber graphic with the words "Praying for Central Texas" alongside the iconic Longhorn logo. The accompanying caption expressed solidarity with the communities and families affected by the devastating floods that struck the region earlier this week. The original message had already garnered significant attention, with over 15,100 likes and 54 comments that consisted of a plethora of prayer emojis. Manning, a rising star in college football and native Texan, chose not to add any personal commentary on his Instagram story, letting the repost speak for itself. Advertisement Arch Manning reposts a picture shared by Texas Football and Steve Sarkisian in response to the devastating flooding in the region of Central Texas. The decision by Manning to share it without words underscores the emotional weight of the situation, suggesting that even a young athlete with a growing public presence and huge platform felt the need to simply stand in solidarity. The floods have caused widespread damage across Central Texas, displacing families and prompting an outpouring of support from the community and beyond. Manning's repost aligns with the Texas Football program's call for unity and prayer, highlighting the deep connection between the team and the region it represents. As recovery efforts continue, this silent gesture serves as a powerful reminder of the resilience and compassion within the Longhorn family during times of crisis. Related: Texas Misses on Son of Program Legend on Friday This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cam Newton Hopes Arch Manning Learned Lessons from Quinn Ewers Like He Did from Tim Tebow
Cam Newton Hopes Arch Manning Learned Lessons from Quinn Ewers Like He Did from Tim Tebow originally appeared on Athlon Sports. There is a lot of excitement around Arch Manning heading into next season. After two years serving as the backup quarterback behind Quinn Ewers, Manning is set to be the starter for Texas next season. Advertisement On Wednesday, in a new episode of "4th & 1 with Cam Newton," the former Heisman winner spoke about what he hopes Manning took from playing behind Ewers. He spoke about his experience with Tim Tebow in Florida and how he hopes that while Manning is a more talented QB than Ewers, he still learned something from him. "I've always felt like I was more talented than Tim Tebow, but I needed Tim Tebow to show me what I lacked," Newton said. "Tim Tebow was an unbelievable leader. Verbally and by action. Arch will be a fool if he has not learned anything from Quinn Ewers. How he prepared, how he led his team, and how he handled and managed the expectations of being a quarterback at a university like Texas." Cam Newton on Radio Row at the Super Bowl LIX media Lee-Imagn Images Arch Manning enters the 2025 college football season viewed by most as one of the best quarterbacks in the NCAA. He has earned this praise despite never starting for a full season at the college level. Advertisement Manning started two games this past season in September while Ewers was injured. While Manning performed well in those games against UL Monroe and Mississippi State, throwing for 250+ yards and two TDs in both games, he does not have experience starting a full season. As a result, it would not be shocking if he experienced growing pains next season. Related: Louis Riddick Blasts Miami Dolphins for Drafting Quinn Ewers This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Texas predicted to land elite in-state LB
Texas has landed a plethora of blue-chip commitments on the defensive line for their 2026 class in June. On Wednesday, they got a prediction to land another, but on the second level of the defense. Steve Wiltfong of On3 has logged a prediction for the Longhorns to get a commitment from four-star linebacker Kosi Okpala. The 6-foot-2, 215-pounder is the nation's No. 282 overall recruit and the No. 19 linebacker per On3's industry rankings. Okpala is also the No. 35 prospect in the state of Texas. Advertisement Okpala has been a productive player over the last two seasons for Mayde Creek High School in Houston. He registered 66 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, two sacks, one forced fumble, and one pass breakup as a sophomore. Okpala came back with 55 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, five sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and two pass breakups. If the Longhorns are able to get Okpala, he would be the first linebacker for them in the 2026 class. Contact/Follow us @LonghornsWire on X (Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas news, notes and opinions. You can also follow Matthew on X @StarConscience Advertisement This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Longhorns Football: 4-star LB Kosi Okpala projected yo Texas
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
New Texas five-star DL commit Richard Wesley goes in-depth about his decision
It's been a wild month for five-star defensive lineman Richard Wesley. First, he committed to Oregon and famously jumped in a pool with Ducks coach Dan Lanning. But soon after, the Los Angeles native backed out of the commitment and there was a lot of speculation Texas was leading. Over the weekend, Wesley did indeed commit to Texas. Sunday, Wesley told Jason Suchomel of "My recruitment is 100 percent, 1,000 percent shut down. I'm going here in January." Advertisement Wesley flew straight from Austin to Indianapolis where he's taking part in the elite Rivals Five-Star Challenge, a camp for 100 of the best players in the country at Lucas Oil Field. The 6-foot-4, 250 pound EDGE talked to Rivals National recruiting director Adam Gorney about his decision. Gorney asked Wesley what convinced him Texas was the right spot. "I knew Texas was a great school. Not only for football, but academically. They have great degrees. Great business school. Great every school. I felt like the decision was the best of both worlds. I get to play in the SEC but I also get to walk out with a great degree. God forbid, football's not forever. So if I do get hurt, in the long run I still walk out with something good. It was all the coaches combined. But what really convinced me was from the academic standpoint." -- Richard Wesley While academics are obviously important to the California prospect, the blue chipper tells Gorney his main goal is to win a national title at Texas. "My goal is to win the natty. You know, I want to win a state championship this high school season. I want to win one my college season. It's great knowing my team is going to be very elite when I get there and I'm going to continue the legacy." -- Richard Wesley Wesley becomes one of the highest ranked prospects that has ever committed to the Longhorns. He ranks just behind Vince Young, Arch Manning, Jonathan Gray and Sergio Kindle. Since Wesley has already committed to two schools during his recruitment, Gorney asked him if this was his final decision. "I'm staying here. I'm staying at Texas. Hook'em! I feel like that's the spot that I want to be at." -- Richard Wesley Wesley says he's glad the recruiting process is now over and he can get down to work for the upcoming high school season and beyond. "I'm glad that everything has settled down. I can finally work this upcoming offseason for the high school season. I'm trying to come up there and really do something. I'm glad everything is cooled down. I'm glad everything is calm now and I can really get to work now." -- Richard Wesley Follow us on X (formerly Twitter) at @LonghornsWire. Advertisement This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: New Texas 5-star commit Richard Wesley goes in-depth about his choice
