44 days until Texas Football: Award candidates on the Longhorn roster

Inside Texas is putting a new twist on long-time photographer Will Gallagher’s time-honored countdown to Texas football kickoff. In addition to Will’s great pictures, the Inside Texas staff will go through every player on the roster by jersey number and offer a season outlook on each, from five-star to walk-on. 

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We’ll also look back at other greats to wear that day’s number, with special reverence to some of Texas’ best. 

Today is 44 days until kickoff. No. 44 for the Longhorns this season will be worn by Tannahill Love, a senior walk-on linebacker. We’ll also look at whether any current Longhorns are candidates for any of the major college football awards this year.

Can someone follow Bijan Robinson in earning hardware?

Bijan Robinson took home the Doak Walker Award in 2022, an honor given annually to the nation’s top running back. The fourth Longhorn back to win the award, his success ended a multi-year hardware drought for the Longhorn football program.

Team success usually indicates individual success. Are any Longhorns likely to take home a trophy in 2023? Inside Texas assesses the candidates

Heisman Trophy

Current holder: Caleb Williams, USC
Most recent Texas winner: Ricky Williams, 1998

Texas hasn’t had a player reach New York as a finalist since Colt McCoy in 2009, and a Longhorn hasn’t taken home the honor in almost a quarter of a century. Caleb Williams will be difficult to unseat while he’s operating in Lincoln Riley’s offense.

If Texas is to have a Heisman Trophy candidate, it’ll likely be Quinn Ewers considering the honor has become almost a de facto “best quarterback” award.

Maxwell Award

Current holder: Caleb Williams, USC
Most recent Texas winner: Colt McCoy, 2009

The Maxwell sometimes tries to zag in honoring the nation’s most outstanding player. Several Heisman runner-up finishers, including McCoy and Vince Young have earned the honor. If not Ewers, Xavier Worthy could fit into this category.

Walter Camp Award

Current holder: Caleb Williams, USC
Most recent Texas winner: Colt McCoy, 2009

Much of what applies about the Maxwell can be said about the Walter Camp.

Home Depot Coach of the Year Award

Current holder: Sonny Dykes, TCU
Most recent Texas winner: N/A

No Texas coach has won the award, as Joe Paterno took home the honor in 2005 when it would have made sense for there to be a Texas winner. If the Longhorns win a Big 12 championship, it may be hard for the selectors to snub Steve Sarkisian, but that’s the only scenario where the honor heads to Austin.

Doak Walker Award

Current holder: Bijan Robinson, Texas
Most recent Texas winner: Bijan Robinson, 2022

Is the fifth Longhorn Doak Walker Award winner on the Texas roster? Jonathon Brooks is likely the lead back this year, but even he would admit he doesn’t have the same ability as Robinson. There are other great backs around the country this year, especially in the Big 10. Texas having a contender would be a surprise.

Davey O’Brien Award

Current holder: Max Duggan, TCU
Most recent Texas winner: Colt McCoy, 2009

An honor for the nation’s top quarterback, Ewers again finds himself as a candidate if he has a big season.

Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award

Current holder: Max Duggan
Most recent Texas winner: Colt McCoy, 2009

An award given to outstanding senior quarterbacks, there isn’t a realistic candidate for this honor on UT’s roster.

Biletnikoff Award

Current holder: Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee
Most recent Texas winner: N/A

While Golden Tate’s theft of Jordan Shipley’s Biletnikoff sticks out in Longhorn memories, Worthy could be the first Longhorn to take home the hardware honoring the nation’s top wideout with a big season.

Mackey Award

Current holder: Brock Bowers, Georgia
Most recent Texas winner: N/A

Bowers will be difficult to unseat, but Ja’Tavion Sanders could earn top tight end billing with another standout season. Sanders is going to be a contender for the honor.

Outland Trophy

Current holder: Olusegun Oluwatimi, Michigan
Most recent Texas winner: Brad Shearer, 1977

Can Kelvin Banks end the drought? His standout play makes him the best candidate to be honored as the nation’s top interior lineman and an almost 50-year period since Shearer took home the award under Fred Akers.

Lombardi Award

Current holder: Will Anderson, Alabama
Most recent Texas winner: Brian Orakpo, 2008

Given annually to the best player who makes hay in the trenches on defense, Jaylan Ford and possibly Byron Murphy are the best Texas names for this honor. Both have uphill battles, though Ford is a more well-known name thanks to his third-team All-America 2022 season.

Rimington Trophy

Current holder: Olusegun Oluwatimi, Michigan
Most recent Texas winner: N/A

There is not a clear candidate considering Jake Majors has stiff competition to remain at center.

Bednarik Award

Current holder: Will Anderson, Alabama
Most recent Texas winner: N/A

A defensive player of the year award, Ford and potentially Jahdae Barron could be the names that ascend into national consciousness this season and contend.

Nagurski Award

Current holder: Will Anderson, Alabama
Most recent Texas winner: Brian Orakpo, 2008

Another defensive player of the year award with similar candidates as above.

Butkus Award

Current holder: Jack Campbell, Iowa
Most recent Texas winner: Derrick Johnson, 2004

Given to the best linebacker in the country, this is another honor Ford could be in the mix for.

Thorpe Award

Current holder: Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, TCU
Most recent Texas winner: Aaron Ross, 2006

A school that fancies itself as ‘DBU’ hasn’t had a winner of the award since 2006. Meanwhile, TCU has won two in the last three years. Barron may be the best name for Texas, but the Longhorn secondary should rely on a high collective floor this year instead of individual star power. Because of that, it’s hard to envision the Thorpe returning to Austin unless one player records great stats like DeShon Elliott in 2017.

Groza Award

Current holder: Christopher Dunn, NC State
Most recent Texas winner: N/A

Despite a number of great kickers over the years, no Longhorn has won this award since its inception in 1992. Bert Auburn, with another accurate and prolific season plus a few clutch kicks sprinkled in, could factor. His lack of a big leg could hamper him when voters look at the season long among candidates.

Ray Guy Award

Current holder: Adam Korsak, Rutgers
Most recent Texas winner: Michael Dickson, 2017

Punting has become an art in recent years, and there have been some great ones both from Australia and the United States. Ryan Sanborn is at Texas to punt. His yards per punt average may make contending for the award difficult unless his stat line is littered with kicks inside the 20.

Ted Hendricks Award

Current holder: Caleb Murphy, Ferris State
Most recent Texas winner: Jackson Jeffcoat, 2013

An award for the defensive end of the year. There’s no superstar EDGE on the roster, but Barryn Sorrell is the name Texas would present at this juncture.

Frank Broyles Award

Current holder: Garrett Riley, TCU
Most recent Texas winner: Greg Davis, 2005

Texas has had a few Broyles Award winners walk the halls of Moncrief, including Davis, Gene Chizik, Tom Herman, and Steve Sarkisian. If Texas’ defense can do something special this year, Pete Kwiatkowski could see his name with this crew considering Sarkisian, the head coach, is the offensive play-caller.

Tannahill Love season outlook

Love has not seen any game action in his three seasons at Texas. He will contribute on the scout team this season. He was a member of the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll (spring 2021).

Recent player to wear No. 44: Breckyn Hager

Hager played in 48 career games with 22 career starts in his four years on the 40 Acres. He amassed 136 career tackles (96 solo), had 30 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks, added seven pass breakups, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and nine quarterback hurries.

Hager was named honorable mention All-Big 12 in 2017 and 2018 after being honored as a second team All-Big 12 at defensive end by the Associated Press, Big 12 coaches, Phil Steele and ESPN.com in 2016.

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All-Americans to wear No. 44

Jackson Jeffcoat, DE, 2013