3 younger players from Texas who could get more playing time in SEC play

One player on the Longhorns’ defense that I’m really surprised didn’t get more live game practice earlier this season is true freshman defensive tackle Alex January. The big 6’5″, 300-pound defensive lineman from South Dallas and Duncanville High School will be one of the most impactful freshmen in the trenches for the Longhorns this season.

January has the size, strength and keen understanding of defensive strategies to play a key role in Texas’ interior defensive line rotation early this fall.

Most of the 30 defensive snaps he played for the Longhorns to begin this season in January were 2i or three-technique snaps as a defensive tackle. He has been effective at times this season by blocking running lanes and helping to free up other pass rushers at EDGE and outside backer to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

Aside from garbage time and fourth-quarter replays when Texas led late in games against Colorado State and UTSA earlier this season, January has played barely more than a dozen defensive snaps.

But it appears that January’s live game replays have increased in more critical situations for Texas’ defensive line rotation. In Texas’ win over UTSA last weekend, January took a season-high nine defensive snaps out of garbage time, including three in key third-down situations.

What’s particularly notable about January’s alignment snaps over the past few weeks is where he’s played pre-snap. Against ULM, January played four defensive snaps as a true zero-tech nose tackle, a season-high. As he gets more comfortable using more zero and 2i techniques for Texas’ iDL this fall, his role and production will continue to grow.