72 days until Texas Football: Neto Umeozulu looks for more opportunity in his second year
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 72 days until kickoff. No. 72 for the Longhorns this season will be worn by Neto Umeozulu, a redshirt freshman offensive lineman.
Neto Umeozulu season outlook
The Longhorns earned Umeozulu’s commitment just before the 2022 class’s first signing day, and worked hard to keep him committed until pen hit paper. The Allen product then enrolled last summer looking for early opportunity.
Umeozulu saw action in routs of Louisiana-Monroe, Oklahoma, and Kansas. While he was unable to crack the starting lineup during his freshman year, he entered the spring looking to compete with classmate DJ Campbell and incumbent starter Hayden Conner at guard.
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While he could play at either guard position, Umeozulu pushed Conner throughout the spring at left guard. Umeozulu’s future is on the interior, and potential tinkering by Kyle Flood could set him up with an opportunity to take hold of a first-string spot during training camp. If that doesn’t take place, Umeozulu will be one of the first, if not the first, interior linemen called off the bench should his services be necessary.
Umeozulu played in three games last year as a true freshman. He was a member of the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll (fall 2022)
Neto Umeozulu as a recruit
Umeozulu was ranked as the No. 76 overall prospect, the No. 5 interior offensive lineman, and the No. 14 prospect in Texas in the 2022 On3 Industry Ranking, a proprietary algorithm that compiles ratings and rankings from all four primary recruiting media services.
Notable player to wear No. 72: Will Allen
Allen started 32 games for the Longhorns and was a third-team All-American during the 2005 national championship campaign.
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All-Americans to wear No. 72
Don Talbert, T, 1961
Ed Cunningham, T, 1989
Roger Roesler, G, 1999
Will Allen, T, 2005
Joe Cook co-authored this article
