I broke down the Texas OL for Inside Texas this week, focusing on their performance run blocking against the stiffer fronts of the Big 12 last season.
Texas is returning OT Connor Williams, a likely first rounder in 2018, and also junior guards Patrick Vahe and Jake McMillon and sophomore center Zach Shackelford. They crushed most of their opposition a year ago, struggling against OU due in large part to the Sooners aggressiveness in sending help from their OLBs and breaking even in a battle against K-State they needed to win decisively.
They should be one of the best units in the league next year, IF they can find a couple of tackles to shore up the right side and to offer depth. Right now they have a guy in Tristan Nickelson that’d be a solid 3rd tackle and are hoping sophomore Denzel Okafor can prove to be their RT in 2017 and perhaps the LT in 2018.
This, and improvement at LB, are probably the two biggest storylines to follow that will indicate whether Herman makes good early at Texas.