Plenty of prognosticators are positively upbeat about the Texas football team’s chances to make a lot of noise in the upcoming season.
That was evident once again as four Longhorns were named to the Preseason All-Big 12 team this week, the conference announced.
Texas junior quarterback Sam Ehlinger led the way with the biggest honor of the conference in being named the league’s Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. Three others who helped Texas to a strong season a year ago made the list as well, in offensive lineman Zach Shackelford, kicker Cameron Dicker and safety Caden Sterns.
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A Westlake High School graduate and native of Austin, Ehlinger last season threw for 25 touchdowns and added 16 on the ground, the most ever by a Longhorn quarterback. He is the only player in UT history to pass for at least 25 touchdowns and rush for at least 15 in a season. His 41 touchdowns responsible for was the second-highest single-season total in school history, trailing only Colt McCoy’s 45 touchdowns in 2008.
WATCH: #Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger, a college counselor at the event, put on a show during his Pro Day performance at this week's @Elite11 camp.
Here are all 20 of this throws from this big-time performance: https://t.co/kQD2kSwsEn@sehlinger3 @247Sports pic.twitter.com/zSYXgcl4iW
— Tom Loy (@TomLoy247) July 1, 2019
Shackelford, a native of Belton, Texas, is entering his senior season with 40 games played and 27 starts under his belt thus far. He was named first team All-Big 12 by the Associated Press and second team All-Big 12 by the coaches in 2018. Shackelford was also selected to the Rimington Trophy watch list last season.
The QB-Center-Bevo relationship is unbreakable. It’s gonna be a good year🤘🏻 pic.twitter.com/vPNNZj3vc1
— Sam Ehlinger (@sehlinger3) May 25, 2019
Dicker, a native of Austin, is entering his second season on the Forty Acres. Last year, he was named second team All-Big 12 and honorable mention as Special Teams Player of the Year. Dicker finished 18-of-25 on field goal attempts in 2018, setting a UT freshman record for most made field goals.
Great kickoff progression work this past Sunday in Austin. Looking forward to another great session this Sunday with @oneononekicking_tx @DickertheKicker #oneononekicking #oneononetrained #tbt #Texas #longhorns #austin #dallas #txhsfb pic.twitter.com/sKgcY90exr
— One On One Kicking (@OneOnOneKicking) May 16, 2019
Sterns, a native of Cibolo, Texas, is also entering his sophomore campaign after a successful first season as a Longhorn. Last year, he was the first UT true freshman defensive back to start the first 13 games of his career since Blake Gideon in 2008. Sterns totaled 62 tackles (46 solo), with three tackles for loss, one sack and four pass breakups last year. In 2018, he was a Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist, a freshman All-American by both the Football Writers Association of America and USA Today, the Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year and a first team All-Big 12 honoree.
Lurking.. Stay Tuned.
# The OnLY🐺 pic.twitter.com/GIqBEltV3I
— Caden Sterns (@CSterns_7) June 3, 2019
The Big 12 media preseason poll will be released later today and will be followed by the annual Big 12 Football Media Days in Arlington, Texas on July 15-16. Both days will be televised live from 9 a.m.-1:00 p.m. CT on FS2, FCS Central and other FOX Sports regional affiliates.
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