Steve Sarkisian Has a Plan For His Young Receiver Group

“(Ryan) Niblett stepped in a lot for DeAndre (Moore Jr.) last week, but we (also) incorporated, you know, Daylan McCutcheon a fair amount,” Sarkisian said in a press availability. “And (we might have) a breakdown of protection, or he’s going to have a big catch down the field, so they’re close.”

Following wide receiver Moore Jr.’s departure in game 2 against San Jose State due to injury, both Niblett and McCutcheon serve as co-backups on the depth chart.

Niblett, a redshirt sophomore, plays three positions for the Longhorns — wide receiver, running back, and defensive back. In Saturday’s game against UTEP, he had two kick returns for 43 yards and took a punt return back 49 yards, which set up Texas for its first field goal.

While McCutcheon only logged five yards across two receptions in Saturday’s matchup, his teammates have praised him in the past for his football IQ and talent. So, fans should anticipate seeing more of him in the coming weeks.

“I think Kaliq Lockett has shown some real progression here,” Sarkisian said. “And again, the flow of the game just didn't offer an opportunity to get those guys in there more.”

During Saturday’s game, Lockett recorded two receptions for 22 yards. While he didn’t receive much playing time, Sarkisian added that giving opportunities to his young players is something he strives for.

“I want to give them to these guys,” Sarkisian said. “They've got to keep trying to earn our trust throughout practice so that they can go out and perform, and do the things that they need to do in game.”

He emphasized that, for young players, some areas of improvement can only be ironed out during gameplay. Adding that, in moments of error, as a coach, he remains understanding that — they’re not going to come off the bench and perform perfectly.

“They're going to make young guy mistakes… (that) may, you know, hamper the offense's rhythm at times,” Sarkisian said. “But I need them to fail some so that they can grow, and that's part of the evolution and the growth of an offense that way.”

While Sarkisian added that he hopes he won’t have to put multiple young players on the field simultaneously, he highlighted that he’ll need the players at some point down the line.

“The more we can play them now, the better it's going to serve us,” Sarkisian said. “Because we're probably going to need them in October, November, December, and hopefully into January.”

All in all, Sarkisian proves to hold confidence in his young wide receivers, so as the Longhorns’ season continues, hopefully, fans will begin to see the young talent shape up as they inch closer to SEC play.