ESPN

Sean Adams from HornsNation takes a look at the state of the Texas football program and what the Longhorns need to do to replace the departed heart of their defense.

Jake Raulerson's voyage from Celina to Austin included 5,200 miles on the road, routine meals at Cracker Barrel and nights at Motel 6 and plenty of country music.

The junior Celina offensive tackle, perhaps the state's top recruit in the class of 2013, put plenty of time and money into his college research before committing to Texas last week.

William Wilkerson takes a closer look at Raulerson's recruiting trail over at HornsNation. Here's an excerpt:

Because Jake isn't a senior, all of the trips he took had to be paid for by him and his family. Prospects aren't allowed to take official visits (when schools pay your way) until their senior season.But the Raulersons thought it would be beneficial if they took the time, and spent the money, to let Jake experience these programs first-hand so he could make a commitment with a clear conscience, having left no stone unturned.

"I believe that it gave me an edge," Jake said. "It helps. Some families don't have the opportunity to go to all of these places (on unofficial visits). It helps. If you are from Texas and one of your favorite schools is Florida, Alabama or Tennessee, it's a long way from home. If you never get the chance to be able to see it, then you lose your advantage if you go there and commit and don't like it. It's because you never got the chance to look at it."

Jake was well aware of the monetary sacrifice that his family made for those trips, so he made sure to get his money's worth.

"I made sure I looked at every detail of everywhere I went," he said. "The coaches, the campus, the atmosphere. You could ask me one little thing about the schools, and I could tell you what I liked, didn't like. It gives me the upper hand in knowing what is right for me."

And for that, Jake is forever grateful.

Read the full story here.

DeSOTO, Texas -- DeSoto offensive lineman Curtis Riser put pen to paper on Wednesday and became a Texas Longhorn.

“It was always between Texas and LSU in my mind,’’ said the 6-foot-3, 283-pounder who committed to the Horns on Junior Day. “Austin was more of a place I could see myself living.‘’

At DeSoto’s signing ceremony, coaches lauded Riser for playing his senior season six months after his second knee surgery, even though he had a commitment to Texas already in his pocket. Coaches said that showed Riser’s dedication to his teammates.

“The knee feels great now,’’ Riser said. “I looking forward to getting down to Austin and show people what I’ve got.’’

AUSTIN, Texas -- Peter Jinkens was engaged in a serious battle, 140 characters at a time. It was late at night on Jan. 18, and his Twitter account was on fire.

The online brawl appeared to be over a girl, one whom he's not too fond of anymore. The profanity-laced attacks flowed from his @SUMBODYSTOP_7 account and onto the timelines of friends and fans, rivals and reporters.

Once Jinkens cooled off, he saw the error of his ways and said sorry to his 650-plus followers.

"I WOULD LIKE TO APOLOGIZE FOR MY TWEETS AND FROM THIS DAY FORWARD I WILL SHOW RESPECT AND HONOR FOR THE LONGHORN NAME…..HOOK'EM \m/"

And, more importantly:

"please dont tell mack brown!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

On Wednesday, Jinkens will sign his letter of intent and officially become a Longhorn. Once he arrives on campus, though, the four-star linebacker from Dallas Skyline High won't have to worry about anyone tattling to his new head coach.

Brown can walk across the Texas football office and find out for himself. His staffers already receive emails alerting them to inappropriate tweets and Facebook posts made by UT football players.

You can read the rest of the story here.

Kevin Dunn catches up with Mack Brown at Texas practice on Friday as the Longhorns prepare for the Holiday Bowl against California.

Texas receiver and Fort Worth Dunbar product Darius White confirmed Tuesday that he has decided to transfer.

White, who has been given an unconditional release from his scholarship, cited the need for a fresh start, although he has not yet determined where he will transfer.

He will not travel with the Longhorns to their Dec. 28 Holiday Bowl matchup against California.

The sophomore receiver has seen action in 20 career games and has six receptions for 71 yards and one touchdown, with five of those receptions coming in 2011.

As a senior at Dunbar, White was named to the Parade All-America team, tabbed first-team All-USA by USA Today and an EA SPORTS All-American third-team selection. He played in the 2010 Under Armour All-America Game.

SAN DIEGO -- California and Texas will play in the Holiday Bowl on Dec. 28, the first matchup between the schools since 1970.

It will be the fifth meeting between the schools. Texas leads the series 4-0.

Both teams are 7-5. Texas will be playing in the Holiday Bowl for the fifth time while Cal is making its third visit.

Cal won three of its final four games.

Robert Griffin III could be making his final appearance in front of the home fans Saturday when he and the No. 17 Baylor Bears go for a second consecutive victory over the No. 22 Texas Longhorns.

Griffin is a junior, but he was granted a redshirt in 2009 after sustaining a devastating knee injury that he's clearly put behind him. He graduated last December with a degree in political science three years after enrolling at Baylor. He is a top three Heisman candidate and depending which draft boards you look at he could be as high as the third quarterback selected in April's NFL draft.

What he has meant to Baylor's football fortunes on the field and its profile off it is practically immeasurable. Coach Art Briles, who first recruited the Copperas Cove star to Houston before taking the Baylor job, would certainly love to have Griffin's rare combination of brilliant athleticism on the field and humility off it for one more season.

It might be wishful thinking.

"It’s something I’ve got to decide with coach Briles, coach Kaz Kazardi, our strength coach who’s played in the NFL, my family and anybody else who’s out there that I’ve felt close to to give me advice," Griffin said last week before sustaining a concussion and being knocked out early in the Bears' 66-42 victory over Texas Tech. "I don’t want it to be about money or about draft status or anything. If it’s time for me to go then it’s time for me to go. But, if I come back it won’t be because I’m not a high enough draft pick, it will be because God told me this is where I need to be, and I’m definitely proud to be a part of what’s going on here at Baylor."

What's going on at Baylor is a second consecutive bowl berth, an eight-win season for the first time since 1991 and the possibility of the first nine-win season since 1986 and first 10-win season since 1980. Such progress is a testament to the entire program, from Briles on down, but who can fathom the Bears being this good without a gem like Griffin at the helm?

He will have a decision to make. Some say it shouldn't be difficult, that he should not risk injury playing another year in college and go to the NFL in April. It will be his call.

"It’s something that I’ll decide, but right now I am a Baylor Bear," Griffin said. "We’re guaranteed [two] games, but I’m not guaranteed another day, so I’m going to make sure I seize every moment as a Baylor Bear."

Ted Emrich, Carter Strickland, and William Wilkerson look ahead to Texas' home finale against Kansas State. Can the Longhorns overcome a rash of injuries? And why is this the biggest recruiting weekend of the year outside of Texas-OU?

 

Texas true freshmen Jaxon Shipley, the Longhorns' leading receiver, has been ruled out with an injured right knee for Saturday's game at Missouri and will not make the trip.

Jaxon will miss his second game after injuring his knee Oct. 29 against Kansas. The younger brother of Cincinnati Bengals receiver Jordan Shipley has 33 catches for 438 yards and three touchdowns on the season.

Fellow true freshman Sedrick Flowers, a backup offensive guard, is out with a left shoulder injury.

College Football Live's Steve Bunin and Trevor Matich discuss the Longhorns’ deep running back corps as they get ready to take on Missouri on Saturday.

Beginning at 9 a.m. Friday, a broadband simulcast of the Longhorn Network will be available as part of All-Access Weekend presented by Grande Communications and Verizon FiOS. Users will be able to view LHN programming online through midnight Sunday, regardless of provider.

The peek into LHN coincides with the tip-off of the men's and women's basketball seasons. Weekend original programming will also include Longhorn Extra, Game Plan with Mack Brown and Texas All-Access.

Friday highlights include the women's basketball team hosting Stanford at 7 p.m. Saturday's programming includes 9 a.m. pregame and halftime coverage of the Longhorns' football game at Missouri, along with volleyball's game against Kansas State at 4 p.m.

The 6 p.m. men's basketball game against Boston University caps Sunday's programming.

Ted Emrich and Carter Strickland break down Texas' dominant performance against Kansas. Which Texas Tech team will the Longhorns see this Saturday? And William Wilkerson jumps on from the road to discuss UT's newest commitment, Tatum QB Jalen Overstreet.

 

Steve Bunin and Trevor Matich examine the Texas Longhorns quarterback situation heading into Saturday's game vs UCLA.

Ted Emrich, Carter Strickland, and William Wilkerson examine Texas' quarterback situation now that Case McCoy is the starter heading into UCLA. McCoy to Shipley is nothing new in Austin. Also, which high-profile UT recruit will be in attendance at the Rose Bowl?