The Texas Longhorns entered fall camp with one glaring weakness on the defensive side of the ball.
It wasn't a lack of talent at any one position or a schematic issue. It was depth . More specifically, depth in the linebacker room.
And it has now prompted its second position change in a week, with fourth-year edge rusher Colton Vasek making the move to SAM linebacker, according to a report from Eric Nahlin of Inside Texas .
Texas Longhorns linebacker Colton Vasek against the Clemson Tigers during the CFP National playoff first round | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect
Before camp began, Texas had just a few players with real experience in the linebacker room. Around 60 percent of that experience was transfers into the program: Justin Cryer, Rasheem Biles and Darius Snow, with the other 40 percent consisting of Brad Spence and Ty'Anthony Smith.
To make things worse, Smith was dismissed from the team , prompting the move of Jordon Johnson-Rubell to WILL linebacker this week, where he will back up Biles.
Even with that move, however, most of the depth in the room consisted of youth. That list includes Markus Boswell, but also a trio of talented freshmen in Tyler Atkinson, Kosi Okpala and Rocky Cummings.
And at SAM, a specific skill set is required for Will Muschamp's defense. It is not a traditional strongside linebacker role. Rather, it is more of a hybrid linebacker/stand up edger rusher position.
In other words, the depth behind Spence at SAM was questionable, to say the least. At least in terms of reliability and experience.
That is not to say that none of the younger players could do it. Okpala has that type of skill set in spades, while Cummings also has the ability to play the position. Both are big, physical, athletic, and can rush the passer.
Vasek, however, is exactly what the Longhorns needed to add to help shore up the position.
Not only is Vasek a lifetime Longhorn - he has been with the program for four years and his father, Brian Vasek, played for the team from 1991-1995 - but he has the skill set and the experience.
Standing 6-foot-5, 252 pounds, Vasek has appeared in 24 games. He has logged 121 snaps at edge, including 34 in run defense and 87 in pass defense, and he has seen over 177 snaps on special teams.
In that time he has logged 10 total tackles, 2.5 sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss.
Those stats might not jump off the page, but were it not for a few injury issues, those snap numbers - and therefore his stats - would likely have been much higher.
Regardless, Vasek has been in the program for four seasons. He has played real football in real moments, and he is a very talented player that is still waiting for his chance to shine.
With the move to SAM, he will have a chance to do just that, and hopefully more in rotation behind Brad Spence.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/texas as Texas Longhorns Make Another Surprise Position Change With Veteran Colton Vasek .
