The Texas football team held its second practice on Thursday. Here are 3 observations.

With the countdown started to its season opener against Colorado State, the Texas football team continued practicing on Thursday.

This may be the most-anticipated football season at Texas in some time. Coming off a season in which it went 12-2, won the Big 12 championship and made its first-ever appearance in the College Football Playoff, UT has been picked to finish second in the Southeastern Conference’s preseason poll.

On Thursday afternoon, the media was allowed to watch around 20 minutes of UT’s second practice of the season. Here are three things that the American-Statesman observed at Denius Fields:

during the first fall football camp practice for the Texas Longhorns at Denius Fields on Wednesday July 31, 2024.

Michael Taaffe getting lots of work, injured thumb and all

Earlier this week, Texas special teams coach Jeff Banks raved about safety Michael Taaffe and his willingness to contribute in the kicking game. He certainly had his share of snaps in punt return during Thursday’s practice despite playing with a cast on his left hand.

Taaffe, who worked lots of snaps with the first-team defense on Wednesday, served as one of the downfield blockers as Matthew Golden, Isaiah Bond and Silas Bolden took turns returning punts. Taaffe will also likely see lots of action in coverage this season, regardless of how many snaps he gets at safety.

Oh, and about that injury: Texas coach Steve Sarkisian told the Houston Chronicle’s Kirk Bohls that Taaffe hurt the thumb during the summer but it shouldn’t affect summer workouts for the Austin native and Westlake graduate.

— Thomas Jones

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/texas-football-team-held-second-210955073.html

Author : Austin American-Statesman

Publish date : 2024-08-01 21:09:55

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