Texas Football notebook: Xavier Worthy on Chris Jackson, Jaylan Ford on Derrick Johnson, Kelvin Banks on Kyle Flood

Texas football has enjoyed a considerable amount of stability among the assistant coaching ranks during Steve Sarkisian‘s tenure as head coach of the Longhorns. There have been three total changes to his 10-man staff.

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At running backs coach, Tashard Choice replaced Stan Drayton when Drayton took the Temple head coaching job. Then, following the 2021 season, Sarkisian replaced wide receivers coach Andre Coleman with Brennan Marion. Marion spent one season in Austin before taking over as play-caller for the UNLV Rebels. Stepping into his position this year is Chris Jackson, who Sarkisian plucked from the Jacksonville Jaguars.

That means that for third-year wide receivers like Xavier Worthy, this is the third wideouts coach in three years. Despite the changes in the room, the offense has remained the same and helped maintain continuity.

Worthy said he’s learned a little bit from all three of his wide receiver coaches, and explained what Jackson brings to the table.

“Coach Jackson, he’s a great coach,” Worthy said Monday. “I feel like he just gets us right mentally. That mental aspect, the coverages, and keeping us honest. He’s here to coach us and here to turn us into men and get ready for the NFL.”

Worthy, who in his two years on the Forty Acres is surging up the UT record books for receivers, wants to take his game to a new level this season. Despite leading the team in catches, yards, and touchdowns in each of the last two years, there were some deficiencies to his game in 2022, the most notable one being his ability to connect with the quarterback and haul in deep passes.

That was a major point of emphasis this year for the Fresno, Calif., native, along with a significant off-field area.

“Tracking the ball, and just catching the ball overall,” Worthy said. “And really, like I said, my mental (health). Overall I felt like that was a big part. Just being a better player.”

The offseason has Worthy confident in Texas’ prospects in its upcoming campaign.

“Everybody’s together,” Worthy said. “Everybody’s more team oriented. Nobody’s selfish on the team. Everybody cares for each other, and I feel like that’s a big part of what changed.”

Derrick Johnson maintains a bond with Jaylan Ford

Two friends with Longhorn linebacking in common will share the field this Saturday.

Senior Jaylan Ford is set to start at Mike linebacker after this AP All-America season in 2022. Former Texas great Derrick Johnson will be on Campbell-Williams Field with him at some point on Saturday as part of an on-campus salute by the College Football Hall of Fame and the National Football Foundation.

Since the above video was posted in April, Ford said he and Johnson have maintained a friendship that has helped him improve his game and that of others in his position group.

“He’s been pretty good giving his keys,” Ford said Monday. “He was in the league for 13 years or something like that. All the knowledge that he had, he’s been able to pass it down to us. It’s been pretty good not only for just me, but also the younger guys I think.

“I didn’t have that when I came in and I wish I did. For them, I think it’s real important. For me, he’s giving me the things that can take my game to another level. Having him right there being able to keep pushing me on and offer words of encouragement is always pretty good.”

Ford recorded 119 tackles with 10.0 for loss and two sacks along with four interceptions, two passes defended, two fumble recoveries, and three forced fumbles during a first-team All-Big 12 2022 campaign. He was named the Big 12’s preseason defensive player of the year in July.

Kelvin Banks on how the Texas O-line practices

Believe it or not, but Kelvin Banks was once a skill position player and not an uber-talented offensive tackle. As a youth football player in Louisiana, Banks was tasked with toting and throwing the rock for his little league team.

“People won’t believe it, but for a while I played running back and quarterback,” Banks said Monday. “There was one year where I was the only person to score on my team. We won a championship that year, so I guess that’s a plus for me.”

Now, he’s a standout blindside blocker with an important role during the 2023 season — protecting Quinn Ewers.

“Just making sure I can make Quinn’s job easier,” Banks said. “I feel like that’s the same thing for each position on the line. I feel like our main job is trying to make Quinn’s job easier and the running back’s job easier. Just to make sure we stay on our blocks and make sure we know what we’re doing.”

Cohesion is important for offensive linemen. Texas returns all five starters on the offensive line for the first time in almost 30 years. They’ve had to work at their craft in the August heat, and offensive line coach Kyle Flood kept his foot on the gas throughout the preseason.

“One thing he says that I feel is a great thing is that every practice is full speed for an O-lineman,” Banks said. “It could be days where we have no pads on and we just have helmets on, and he makes sure he belabors the point you have to go full speed every play or your could end up getting hurt, end up holding, penalties. I feel like him telling us that every day helps us very much in practice.”

Banks, who performed well versus four first-round defensive ends during his freshman season, looks to continue his ascendant trajectory during his second year on the Forty Acres.