Ryan Wingo's Orange-White game performance caps a strong spring for the receivers
True freshman wide receiver Ryan Wingo is in his first semester on the University of Texas campus, but he has already made an impact in the Longhorn football program.
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Wingo, ranked as the No. 38 overall prospect in the 2024 class according to the On3 Industry Ranking, drew rave reviews over the course of Texas’ 14 spring practices. Whether it was Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian, starting quarterback Quinn Ewers, or Five-Star Plus+ recruiting target Dakorien Moore, Wingo impressed a number of onlookers during his first opportunities as a college football player.
That continued during Texas’ Orange-White game on April 20. Wingo caught four passes for 81 yards, including touchdowns that were 56 and 3 yards in length. The three-yarder in the tight red zone ended up being the game-winner for the Orange team.
“Wingo we thought was a unique talent in high school,” Sarkisian said Saturday. “We loved his character, of what he stood for. And all those things are holding true for us right now.”
Despite the early successes, the freshman adjustment period is a thing and something Wingo will have to continue to navigate as he heads into summer conditioning and drill work. He’ll have more opportunities to crack the tight wide receiver rotation that Sarkisian and Chris Jackson have kept. Sarkisian is confident that Wingo will put in the work necessary to position himself as a regular contributor during his first season as a Longhorn.
“The thing about Ryan, and I say it a lot about a lot of kids, is he’s an awesome kid,” Sarkisian said. “He’s got great work ethic. He’s humble, and he just shows up every day trying to get better. It showed this spring. He really has come on, and for him to have the way that he played to day, as his coach that’s exciting. I with every guy would have come out and played like that who continues to work that hard. His approach to every day I think has paid off for him.”
The other wide receivers are not to be discounted. Isaiah Bond had three receptions for 98 yards and a score. DeAndre Moore Jr. had three catches for 93 yards and a touchdown. Johntay Cook hauled in four passes for 63 yards. Matthew Golden recorded a few receptions as well.
The depth at receiver, a position that was almost entirely reworked after the departures of Xavier Worthy, Jordan Whittington, and Adonai Mitchell, is a strength of the team from top to bottom. As a result, a number of players have earned Sarkisian’s trust as spring ends and with summer conditioning on the horizon.
“A lot of different players made plays today, from the frontline guys, to some of the true freshman that showed up,” Sarkisian said. “Quite frankly, a lot of walk-ons made some big time catches today. I think that’s the sign of confidence in a room, that they’re growing and believe in Coach Jackson and what we’re doing.”
Regarding Bond, Sarkisian said he’s “a little bit different because of the experience that he has.”
Other wide receivers received individual praise from Sarkisian on Saturday.
“I think we saw Johntay make some really contested, critical catches on third down today,” he said. “We saw DeAndre Moore catch the big touchdown today. Matt Golden was a little bit limited today but he still showed up and made some plays. We’ve got a quality room in there, but there is a mentality that a receiver has got to have, but especially for us.”
Even players further down the depth chart received recognition.
“Parker Livingstone has made plays,” Sarkisian said. “I know he didn’t have the big ‘wow’ plays today, but he’s made a bunch of plays this spring. Aaron Butler, there’s no question about the skill set he has. He can really run.”
The discussion coming from the spring game doesn’t include Oregon State transfer Silas Bolden, who is set to join the program in the summer after completing his studies in Corvallis. His addition, plus the work of those in the room already, has Sarkisian feeling confident in his wide receiver corps entering the 2024 season.
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“It gives me a sense of we’re going to have more than just a couple of guys that we can rely on that are going to be comfortable making plays,” Sarkisian said.
