Eight days until Texas Football: Terrance Brooks fighting for a starting job; Casey Cain working to find playing time
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 eight days until kickoff. No. 8 for the Longhorns this season will be worn by Casey Cain, a sophomore wide receiver, and Terrance Brooks, a sophomore defensive back.
Terrance Brooks season outlook
One of the highest-rated defenders in the Longhorns’ 2022 class, Brooks waited his turn for most of the season before earning three starts toward the end of the year. More comfort with the college game was needed for the long-armed son of Chet Brooks, but once he had that comfort the physical gifts were made evident on the field.
Without a super-senior like D’Shawn Jamison on the roster ahead of him, Brooks battled over the course of the spring, summer, and preseason with Gavin Holmes for the starting field corner spot. That battle has continued even eight days from the start of the 2023 campaign. Who takes the first snap at that position isn’t quite yet known, but both Brooks and Holmes will see a significant number of snaps this season opposite of Ryan Watts.
Brooks played in nine games with three starts in 2022, racking up nine tackles (five solo) with three pass breakups.
Terrance Brooks as a recruit
Casey Cain season outlook
After Isaiah Neyor‘s injury ahead of last season, Cain stepped into the WR3 role and often occupied the position normally situated near the boundary. He performed admirably in the situations where Texas deployed 11 personnel, but his opportunities were limited. Cain only recorded eight catches for 201 yards, without a single catch in October and November.
He had a late-season flourish versus Washington in the Alamo Bowl, boosted by a Hail Mary reception as time expired that helped him record his first career 100-yard game.
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Like last year, opportunity could be difficult to come by for Cain with Neyor back, plus Xavier Worthy, Jordan Whittington, and Adonai Mitchell rounding out the top four spots in the receiver rotation.
Cain has appeared in 13 games in his two years with the Longhorns with three starts. He amassed eight receptions for 201 yards and set career highs with four receptions for 108 yards with a career-long 49-yard reception in the Alamo Bowl against Washington.
Cain was named to the Academic All-Big 12 Second Team in 2022 and was a member of the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll (fall 2021).
Casey Cain as a recruit
Recent player to wear No. 8: Jordan Shipley
Shipley was on the Texas roster for six seasons and finished his career as Texas’ all-time leader in receptions (248) and ranked second in yards (3,191) and TDs (33). He missed the entire 2004 and 2005 seasons due to injury was awarded a sixth year of eligibility after applying for a medical redshirt after the 2008 season.
Shipley was a two-time All-American and a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award (nation’s top wide receiver) and a semifinalist for the Maxwell Award (nation’s top player) in 2009. He also also served as UT’s holder on FGs and PATs and returned 30 punts for 375 yards (12.5 ypr) and three TDs and 19 kickoffs for 468 yards (24.6 ypr) and one TD in his career on the 40 Acres.
All-Americans to wear No. 8
Jordan Shipley, WR, 2008 and 2009
