The Texas Longhorns wrapped up a very successful early signing period last week and are putting the final preparations in place for tomorrow's Texas Bowl showdown against Missouri. However, the team is facing plenty of questions going into that game. Here are all the latest news & rumors you need to know:
Malik Jefferson not expected to play in Texas Bowl
Star linebacker Malik Jefferson is dealing with a toe injury that is expected to keep him out of the Texas Bowl, according to head coach Tom Herman.
Tom Herman on whether he expects All-American LB Malik Jefferson to play in @TexasBowl: “No, but I’m hoping for a miracle.” #HookEm
— Horns247 (@Horns247) December 26, 2017
Jefferson, the co-Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, led the Longhorns with 110 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and four sacks this season.
Texas to use both quarterbacks against Missouri
On Friday, head coach Tom Herman stopped short of naming a starting quarterback for the game, but said that Shane Buechele would start over Sam Ehlinger if the game was played this weekend and felt "pretty certain that he will on Wednesday, too."
However, that doesn't mean Ehlinger will be on the sidelines all game. Herman used both quarterbacks for the final three games of the regular season and expects to use both again against the Tigers.
“He’s going to play,” Herman said. “But I just felt like, with the way that game ended, we’ve got a guy in Shane that hasn’t really done anything to lose his status on the team. They’ve both had really really good couple weeks of practice and I’m excited to watch them both play.
“I’ve had some really good but hard at times conversations with Sam about turning the ball over. I think when he’s good, when he’s on like he was against Oklahoma or Kansas State, it’s really really fun to watch him play. But he’s got to be more consistent in terms of protecting the football in critical situations.”
Buechele has passed for 1,350 yards with six touchdowns and four interceptions in eight appearances while adding 87 rushing yards and two more touchdowns this season, including five starts. Ehlinger passed for 1,803 yards with 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions while rushing for a team-high 368 yards and two scores on the ground.
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Four-star WR high on Texas
Moving to the recruiting trail, the Longhorns have been heavily pursuing four-star wide receiver Joshua Moore (Yoakum, TX) after he decommitted from Nebraska a few weeks ago. A number of schools have been in contact with him since then, but Moore said that the Longhorns are pretty high on his list.
"They are pretty high on my list,” Moore said, via Horns247. “My mom is a graduate from the University of Texas, and I see a lot of opportunities there for me. I'm a track guy as well, and they want me for track also, so that's going to put them up there. I have a pretty close relationship with Coach Mehringer and Coach Washington. They just want me to get on board. I know they're waiting for me to tell them I'm coming. Ever since they re-offered me, I've talked to them every day."
"Like I said, my mom went there. I know a couple guys on the team. I'm really close with a lot of their commits right now. The players committed will play a part.”
Florida State and Texas A&M are thought to be the two favorites to land Moore, along with Texas.
The 6-foot-1, 170-pounder is ranked as the No. 17 wide receiver and No. 86 overall prospect in the country, according to the 247sports Composite.
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