ESPN College Football

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

Texas wide receiver Jordan Shipley already is unmercifully teased by his teammates because of his age as he continues his sixth season of eligibility.

But Shipley and Texas’ other established kick returners are catching even more grief these days after redshirt freshman D.J. Monroe’s spectacular debut in Saturday’s season-opening victory over Louisiana-Monroe.

	Brian Bahr/Getty Images
	Longhorns running back D.J. Monroe has made a spectacular first impression.

Monroe, a former Texas state sprint champion in high school, became the first Texas player in history to return a kickoff for a touchdown on his first career return when he raced 89 yards on his first try. Watching the jet-like Monroe streak through the defense made Shipley seem almost plodding in comparison.

“Some of the linemen came over and walked down the road where we were standing and they said, 'You’re slow, you’re slow and you’re slow,'” Shipley said. “And we said, ‘Yep.’ D.J. can go.”

Such a performance was unexpected this early, considering Monroe wasn’t even on the Longhorns’ two-deep roster coming into the game. He came to Texas as a wide receiver but sat out spring practice to get his academics in order, moving to running back only at the start of fall camp.

His emergence may provide the Longhorns with another offensive weapon -- particularly after he zipped, slashed and darted for 64 yards on nine carries in his new role as a running back.

“I was just trying to play and fit in wherever Coach Brown wanted me,” Monroe said. “It was fine wherever I played. Whatever the team needed me, I was there to play. He moved me to running back, I just went the flow, jumped in and took care of my responsibilities.”

That development comes as the Longhorns’ rushing game seems even more scrambled than it was before the season. Vondrell McGee had been anointed as the starter after a strong training camp. But McGee fumbled twice -- Texas’ first bobbles by a running back since the Baylor game in 2007 -- and also dropped a pass in a struggling first game against the Warhawks.

Cody Johnson appears to be the Longhorns’ designated short-yardage back after scoring three touchdowns in the opener. Coaches still think that Fozzy Whittaker can be the most versatile back if he can ever stay out of the training room. And Tre’ Newton might get some playing time, too.

The emergence of the angular 5-foot-9, 170-pound Monroe adds another weapon for what could become a five-headed monster in the Texas backfield. None of his teammates can match his straight-line speed, which he claims with a personal-best time of 10.08 in the 100 meters.

With his size and lack of experience, coaches know that Monroe will be a spot player at best.

“He’s limited because of pass protection,” Texas coach Mack Brown said. “He won’t be a guy who can play every down, because he can’t. But he’s a guy that (Texas offensive coordinator) Greg (Davis) and the offensive staff will keep doing what they did, get him 10 or 12 plays a night and try to get him the ball in space and let him make some plays.”

After only a few weeks at his new position, Monroe still is learning at running back.

“I’m just a freshman so I’m really just starting to get into the playbook,” Monroe said. “The other guys will pick me up and carry me through and I’ll try to keep helping when they call my number.”

However he is used, the opposing team will have to account for Monroe's speed. And just having him on the roster is a weapon that will benefit the Longhorns.

“Let him be the specialist,” Davis told reporters after the game. “We have a package for him and hopefully we can increase it.”