⚡ CFB Dashboard

- RB/TE: Some Texas players just came out for warmups.

- Steve Sarkisian said Nick Townsend has a knee injury under evaluation with no return timetable. Townsend getting banged up helped create opportunities for Emaree Winston, whose route running, hands and decisive run after the catch earned praise on a fourth-down conversion. No permanent tight-end depth-chart change was announced. - Justus Terry hurt his foot in pregame warmups and could not push off normally, disrupting Texas' planned defensive-line usage against Ohio State. Sarkisian hopes to get him back soon but supplied no return date or confirmed clearance. - Texas initially planned to rotate Dylan Sikorski and Laurence Seymore, but Sarkisian retained Sikorski because of the game's flow and his strong play. He said Seymore is fine and should play more. The coach credited the experienced line's communication, physical run blocking and generally clean protection. - Texas shifted from unsuccessful doubles and reroutes on Jeremiah Smith toward more man coverage and aggression at the line. Sarkisian said that let the defense strengthen the run box and pressure the quarterback; Bo Mascoe responded on key third downs. He still wants more versatility, not an exclusively man-coverage defense. - Sarkisian said Texas' interior rotation allows Ian Geffrard to focus on roughly 20-25 high-effort snaps rather than the 65-75 he played at Arkansas. The staff sees better technique and impact when he does not have to conserve energy, with enough defensive-line depth to sustain the rotation.

- RB/TE: Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian said RB Derrek Cooper will be back this week, but does not believe TE Nick Townsend will be ready to go.

- An anonymous former Power Four coach attributes Texas' second-half turnaround to a heavier three-DT front, more press man and five-man pressures. Ohio State's Julian Sayin went from 12-of-16 to 5-of-16 passing and OSU from 5-of-8 to 1-of-6 on third down. The account links the change to denying Jeremiah Smith free releases, not to an announced permanent Texas scheme. - As of Wednesday, Texas RB Derrek Cooper was at practice but out of team/contact work; a source reported a high ankle sprain and the article viewed UTSA participation as unlikely. TE Nick Townsend remained limited by a knee issue and also was not expected to play. DT Justus Terry had not practiced that week after the foot injury that kept him out against Ohio State. - Safety Jonah Williams missed defensive snaps against Ohio State because of a soft-tissue issue but had practiced during the week. Laurence Seymore missed that game with a strained Achilles; Sarkisian said Monday he was fine, while the report still treated clearance and the division of guard reps as unresolved. - Arch Manning's first two pass attempts became turnovers that led to 10 Ohio State points. The analyst says Manning then held the ball and overthought reads before recovering. Sarkisian used helmet communication to suggest receivers on some plays, an in-game simplification that helped the comeback rather than evidence that decision-making concerns are fully resolved. - Texas averaged 4.6 yards on 21 rushes during its final three touchdown drives, and Dylan Sikorski played all 80 snaps at left guard. The analyst praises the line's physicality and the complementary burst of Smothers and power of Brown. Seymore's possible return creates a rotation decision, not a confirmed change to the successful five-man group.

- Pick/market: Winston is the best receiving TE.