Horns247 Board

Since Mack likes to bring freshman along slowly (and only if absolutely necessary vs redshirting), then I think it would signal what an awesome talent he is at the college level and we are in for a treat assuming he stays healthy!!

My thought would be he earned it and that it doesn't matter who starts anyway.

Johnathan Gray will not get the first handoff of the 2013 season. Have you never watched a Mack team at all? It will never happen, and shouldn't happen.

The bigger question is how many touches, and how many handoffs/touches in the backfield does he get in that first game? That would be something to watch.

Im all for getting the best players out there. If hes a freshman, so be it.

Would I be surprised? Slightly.

But I think the young man is special if he can stay healthy.

Here's the deal. When you start talking about great players, you really look for what they can do special, the thing or things that very few others can match.

Well, with Gray, he has a size/speed combo that is rare. For his size, he has a gear few can match. He also has terrific ball skills - they are outstanding - so that's going to help him get outside in more one-on-one scenarios.

But you look at the roster and then there's Bergeron, who I think is an NFL runner because of his physicality. He just has that rugged runner mentality.

Then there's Malcolm Brown, who frankly has vision and feel comparable to Cedric Benson. But Brown did not have the physical make-up last year IMO and lacks top end speed, even more so than say Benson.

I don't know who will be the best. But my guess is that Texas is going to trot out three extremely good RBs this year.

Malcolm was on pace for nearly 1100 yards as a freshman before the injury. What else did you want from him?

I don't think it is unrealistic at all that he could be the third best RB on the team this year, but many Longhorn fans are downplaying his abilities.

If he earns it then I don't see an issue. Freshman are so prepared these days for the big stage. I think about the year Sammy Watkins had last year, it was amazing. I also remember when Maurice Clarrett started as a freshman for OSU. So again if he earns then so be it, but if I remember correctly he choose Texas because he could minimize his workload.

I'm prediciting that Texas will run all three stud RB's out on thee field for the first play against Wyoming...I would..lol

+1 no kidding.

Running back is a what-you-see-is-what-you-get position. There's not really much development that goes on. Players are whatever they are going to be the day they step on campus.

Ricky against Hawaii, Cedric against New Mexico St, Jamaal vs Louisiana Lafayette...those were the first games of their career and you could immediately tell they were special. Malcolm Brown didn't make my jaw ever drop even before his injury; I'm betting Gray will.

Bergeron also showed up on campus more physically ready than Brown last year.

Do not sell Brown short. What is lacks is a bit of power and that can actually be fixed. He came in a little flabby, I seriously doubt he leaves that way. He has the one thing that is very hard to teach, vision. IMHO that is the single greatest asset a RB can have. In the end, barring injury, I think there are 3 NFL RBs on Texas's roster and I am willing to bet you will end up agreeing with that comment by the end of this yr