Cast of Characters

Garrett Gilbert-QB (Sophomore 2010)

Tre Newton-RB (Sophomore 2010)
Vondrell McGee-RB (Senior 2010)
Foswhitt Whittaker-RB (Junior 2010)
Cody Johnson-RB (Junior 2010)
Chris Whaley-RB (RS Freshman 2010)

Malcolm Williams-WR (Junior 2010)
James Kirkendoll-WR (Senior 2010)
John Chiles-WR (Senior 2010)
Marquise Goodwin-WR (Sophomore 2010)
DeSean Hales-WR (Sophomore 2010)
DJ Monroe-WR (Sophomore 2010)
Mike Davis-WR (True Freshman 2010)
Darius White-WR (True Freshman 2010)
Chris Jones-WR (True Freshman 2010)
 

What’s the Scoop?

The Texas football program doesn't rebuild, they reload. In 2010, they will have to do just that. They have plenty of great athletes that will be given their chance to shine and prove that they can contribute to a championship caliber team. 

Who’s Gone?

Two of the best players in Texas history are gone and will not easily be replaced. In Colt McCoy, the Longhorns lose the triggerman to their potent offense and with Jordan Shipley graduating, they lose Colt’s main target over the past two seasons.  Also gone is the 3rd leading receiver Dan Buckner, who transferred to Arizona in January.

In all, the Horns will be looking to replace 3,500 yards passing, 30 touchdown passes, 1,925 yards receiving, and 17 receiving scores.

Who’s Back?

While Texas does loose a lot of firepower, the cupboard is far from bare. They bring back a star in the making in sophomore quarterback Garrett Gilbert.

Also returning to Austin are a plethora of running backs with solid game experience in Tre Newton, Fozzy Whittaker, Vondrell McGee, Cody Johnson, and Chris Whaley. The top four returning wide outs are Malcolm Williams, James Kirkendoll, John Chiles, and Marquise Goodwin. Kirkendoll was second on the team in 2009 with 48 receptions while Williams hauled in 39 balls.

A Changing Offensive Philosophy

The times they are a changin' in Austin. The zone read that Colt McCoy ran to the tune of 1,419 yards rushing over the past three seasons will be used much less and instead the Horns will be lining up under center with more of a pro set look.

Basically, the plan is to redistribute the 100 plus carries from the quarterback over to the running backs. The shift to the I-formation will allow the backs to see the whole field and barrel into the line, which should help improve the yards after contact category.

Replacing a Longhorn Great

The task that faces Garrett Gilbert is not an easy one.  He must step in and make fans and fantasy owners forget about one of the all-time greats in Colt McCoy.

He showed flashes of things to come as he stepped in for an injured McCoy in last years National Title game and played very well considering his lack of experience. Add in an excellent spring performance, and it's easy to see that Gilbert is a star in the making.

In the spring game, this young signal caller went 10 for 13 for 165 yards and 3 scores. The offensive shift to lining up under center will most certainly limit the rushing attempts for Gilbert (not his strength anyway).  However,  it should also open up the play action pass and lead to some impressive numbers through the air. While he obviously won’t replace McCoy completely, it looks like Gilbert has the ability to ease the transition.

Carrying the Load

With the renewed emphasis on the running game, there will be plenty of opportunity for somebody to step to the forefront.

Since 2007, Tre Newton is the only Texas back to have over 400 yards rushing in a season. He will be battling Fozzy Whitaker and Vondrell McGee for carries this fall. Newton and Whitaker are considered to be the most complete backs and will likely see plenty of carries early in the season. If one of these guys can separate himself over the summer, he could be in store for a big season as the Horns are looking for a main ball carrier.

Added to the mix are Cody Johnson and Chris Whaley. Both are huge, bruising backs that can punish a defense. With Johnson sitting the spring game out due to injury, Whaley showed why he was so ballyhooed coming out of high school with 70 yards on 14 carries. He may start the season behind Johnson on the depth chart, but he is one to watch as the year unfolds.

The Wide Outs

This is a position of extreme depth for Texas in 2010. While they may not have the go-to guy like Shipley, the four top returning options are solid.

The leading candidate to be the main man is Malcolm Williams. He has all the talent and ability in the world and just needs to put it all together to be something really special for the Horns.

The next option will likely be James Kirkendoll, who has proven to be very productive when given the chance. The other two guys in the mix look to be converted quarterback John Chiles and track star Marquise Goodwin. Another player to keep an eye on is DeSean Hales. He was the best receiver on the field during the spring game in which he had 77 yards receiving and a score.

All the aforementioned players will be pushed in the fall by an impressive group of incoming freshman. They include Mike Davis (#2 WR ESPN 150), Darius White (#3 WR ESPN 150), and Chris Jones (#11 WR ESPN 150).

If Your Fantasy Draft Was Today…

The top fantasy producer for Texas this season looks to be Garrett Gilbert. He should post very good yardage totals and could easily throw 25-30 touchdown passes. He won’t be the running threat that Colt McCoy was, but he will more than hold his own amongst BCS fantasy signal callers.

The running back position is unsettled as of now but it looks like Tre Newton will get first crack at the starting job. He is a true boom or bust prospect that might be worth a roll of the dice. Keep an eye on the RB depth chart as the season approaches and adjust accordingly.

The two safest options to produce from the wide receiver position are Malcolm Williams and James Kirkendoll. If Williams can put it all together this year he could easily be a productive fantasy option. Look for solid steady weekly production out of Kirkendoll, but nothing too spectacular. Keep a watch on how the impact freshman look when they get to Austin, but right now it’s too early to predict how they will fare in 2010.