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VIDEO: Late Kick: Texas has a ton of potential in 2023

When you ask high school and college coaches about Texas graduate transfer safety Jalen Catalon’s sophomore season at Mansfield Legacy, they get a saw-it-with-my-own-eyes look on their faces and a hushed reverence — like they’ve had a personal encounter with an alien from outer space.

“We’ve never seen anything like it,” said Chris Melson, the Mansfield Legacy head coach when Catalon was in high school.

Tulsa head coach Kevin Wilson told Melson Catalon’s sophomore tape “is his favorite of any prospect coming out of high school,” Melson said.

“Unreal,” said UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor, who was on the Arkansas staff under Chad Morris when the Razorbacks landed Catalon as a four-star prospect (No. 289 nationally, according to the 247Sports Composite) in the 2019 recruiting cycle.

Even Catalon’s own father, Sherman, a scholarship right-handed baseball pitcher at Grambling, couldn’t quite believe his eyes.

“It was kind of unexpected the way Jalen, being so young, to have such success at such an early stage on the varsity,” Sherman Catalon said.

Catalon finished his sophomore season at Legacy as a safety with 183 tackles, nine interceptions, seven tackles for loss, seven passes broken up, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. Catalon was named the Class 5A Defensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press.

“Jalen Catalon changed the way other teams had to game plan for Legacy and turned them into a legitimate state contender,” said 247Sports recruiting analyst Mike Roach. “His recruiting didn’t immediately take off because of his lack of size. But it eventually did, moving into his junior year when schools like Clemson, Oklahoma and Texas eventually offered.”

Catalon is listed at 5 feet 10 inches and 202 pounds. Melson is still irked that Baylor never offered Catalon a scholarship because an assistant coach for the Bears told him Catalon wasn’t tall enough.

“I told that coach, ‘Watch his tape!” Melson said.

With three Texas energy projects now competing for a piece of the $7 billion pie set aside by the U.S. Department of Energy for hydrogen development, there is considerable hype around the state’s potential to lead the nation in accelerating the 2050 transition to net-zero. But to meet that goal, we must stay grounded in reality.

Known as “hydrogen hubs,” the three Texas energy projects are among 33 others in the running to be one of the maximum 10 ultimately chosen to receive the funding.

These hubs will play an instrumental role in helping achieve the Department of Energy’s new goal of increasing annual clean hydrogen production 400% in just 20 years, from 10 million to 50 million metric tons between 2030 and 2050, while at the same time reducing the cost of clean hydrogen 80% in less than 10 years, from $5 per kilogram today to $1 per kilogram by 2030.

Getting there will be no small feat, considering approximately 95% of the hydrogen produced in the U.S. today is from natural gas heated with steam in a process known as steam methane reforming, or SMR, which is single-handedly responsible for about 5 million metric tons of CO2 annually — more than the annual CO2 emissions of 190 different countries.

However, if we pair SMR with carbon capture and sequestration technology, or CCS, the result is low-carbon hydrogen.

One advantage of this pathway is that it can be integrated with technologies and infrastructure, such as natural gas pipelines, that have already scaled. CCS is also a proven technology that has been in use since the 1970s.

Today, the U.S. Geological Survey estimates the country has 3,000 metric gigatons of CO2 storage capacity — that’s more than 500 times the roughly 5 gigatons of CO2 emitted annually in the U.S.

Another way to produce clean hydrogen is through an electrolyzer, which uses electricity to split water into its constituent elements — hydrogen and oxygen — via electrolysis. If the electricity comes from zero-carbon resources like nuclear, hydropower, wind, solar, or even fossil fuels coupled with CCS, the result is low-carbon hydrogen.

But from a cost standpoint, not all of these resources are immediately viable on their own, with hydrogen produced from wind and solar renewables currently costing two to three times more than clean hydrogen produced from natural gas with CCS.

Texas is uniquely positioned to harness all of these pathways to produce cost-effective clean hydrogen at a rapid, massive scale. Already generating more renewable electricity from wind and utility-scale solar than any other state, Texas also has low-cost natural gas, favorable geological formations for CO2 storage, and robust pipeline infrastructure for hydrogen transport, as well as world-class academic hydrogen research and industry-led innovation.

Whether Texas and other states are able to support the the Department of Energy in meeting its 2050 targets depends first on whether we are able to leverage all of these abundant domestic energy resources.

After all, why would Texas, or any other state, want to limit the options available, when the goal is to ramp up production and reduce CO2 emissions as quickly as possible?

Unfortunately, there is pressure on the Department of Treasury to issue rules that will limit eligibility for a massive new clean hydrogen production tax credit, included in section 45V of the Inflation Reduction Act, to only those producers who use electrolyzers with electricity sourced from newly built clean power facilities. Such a requirement is referred to as “additionality,” and even many of its supporters agree it would add significant costs for producers.

Meeting the $1 per kilogram cost target by 2030 and achieving net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050 are challenges large enough that all technologies and solutions are needed. We should take advantage of all abundant domestic energy resources to increase clean hydrogen production volumes and bring down costs to enable an achievable transition to a renewable hydrogen economy, both in Texas and across the country.

Hugh Daigle is associate professor of petroleum and geosystems engineering at the University of Texas at Austin.

A version of this op-ed appeared in the Dallas Morning News.

It's easy to point to the fact that Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson sat this one out in favor of saving themselves for the NFL draft as the reason for Texas' disappointing performance in Thursday night's Alamo Bowl loss to No. 12 Washington. Because yeah, that's probably the biggest culprit.

Without Robinson, their Doak Walker Award winner, and Johnson, the versatile running back and team leader, the Longhorns' bread-and-butter running game showed up stale in San Antonio. Quinn Ewers ended his first season as Texas' starter in strong fashion, and the defense disrupted things just enough to throw Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr. off his game, but the defense eventually wore down and the lack of running punch was too much to overcome.

Our takeaways from Texas' 27-20 loss:

What this loss means

Texas ends its season with an 8-5 record, which sure doesn't feel as good as 9-4 would have. It'll likely mean the 20th-ranked Longhorns will end the season outside the Top 25. There are now question marks at running back and linebacker, which have been two of Texas' top position units all season long. We'll likely see some heavy portal action, whether it's current players like Xavier Worthy or Jordan Whittington heading elsewhere for changes of scenery or cases where the Longhorns bring in ready-made starters at recever, running back, linebacker and defensvie back. It means Steve Sarkisian's first year will be remembered for going 5-7 and his second could well be the bowl loss. And it means the Big 12 is now 1-5 in bowl games with two to go.

Who'll be Texas' lead back in 2023?

Chances are very good he's not even on campus yet. Five-star running back Cedric Baxter Jr. — like Bijan Robinson in 2020, the No. 1 high school running back prospect in the country — signed out of Florida last week, and who knows what tonight's rushing performance means to how Steve Sarkisian works the transfer portal.

Keilan Robinson, with questions over his durability, got the start and finished with 8 carries for 27 yards. Jonathon Brooks, who was expected to be Texas' lead back, had 18 yards on six carries. He flashed on a 34-yard touchdown catch off a screen play, but averaged 3.0 yards per run.

Not having Robinson was felt throughout the night. Sarkisian went for a slant pass on fourth-and-1 in the first half rather than what normally would have been a Bijan run behind a solid offensive line. Later, on third-and-1, Keilan Robinson was stuffed for no gain. The Longhorns punted.

Three big plays from tonight's loss

Fourth-down trickery. What a play call. Washington went for it on fourth-and-1 from its own 34 with 10:30 left in the third quarter. Which made no sense, leading 13-10, and when Michael Penix Jr. lined up under center for the first time all night, and then the Huskies flashed all sorts of players in motion, and then as Penix let the play clock roll down, it looked like an obvious ruse to get a Longhorn to jump offside. But just as you figured that was the call, the Huskies snapped it and Penix surged for a first down. They went on to score a touchdown to go up 20-10.

Wayne Taulapapa's 42-yard run. It not only put Washington up 10-3, it was the first wow moment of the night from the Huskies' offense. And really, one of the only ones, as it turned out.

Xavier Worthy's drop. And Xavier Worthy's drop. With Texas having just gone down 20-10, the Longhorns really needed an answer in the third quarter. But on back-to-back plays, Quinn Ewers found an open Worthy for 35- to 40-yard shots downfield, and both times, Worthy dropped the catch. Ewers' placement on both passes were spot-on. And Worthy's second drop should have gone for a 66-yard score.

Texcetera

Quinn Ewers finished 31-of-47 for 369 yards and one touchdown. Casey Cain (4-106) and Gunnar Helm (1-19) had nice games. Ja'Tavion Sanders had five grabs for 36 yards.

SAN ANTONIO — Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers turned to tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders on Tuesday and smirked.

The players were responding to a comment by offensive coordinator Kyle Flood at an Alamo Bowl press conference. Flood had just praised a Longhorn by the name of Jordan Brooks. That was a slip of the tongue, though. The Texas running back who Flood was referencing is named Jonathon.

On Thursday night, Jonathon Brooks will get his chance to make sure that everyone, assistant coaches included, remembers the name. With Texas' top two rushers — Doak Walker Award winner Bijan Robinson as well as Roschon Johnson — opting out of the bowl game, Brooks, Keilan Robinson and Jaydon Blue should all see an increased workload against Washington at the Alamodome.

"I think that's one of the more talented rooms in our building, is that running back room," Flood said. "I'm excited to watch them in this bowl game. They've had a really, really good bowl prep, and they're all talented runners. The depth in that room that we've talked about all year, now it's got to show up for us."

This season, Robinson rushed for 1,580 yards and became Texas' fourth Doak Walker winner. Johnson averaged just under six yards per carry and scored six times. The 2,134 rushing yards that Robinson and Johnson combined for is second to only one Texas tandem's effort: the 2,233 yards produced by Earl Campbell and Ham Jones in 1977.

Without Robinson and Johnson, Texas must replace 89% of its top-40 rushing attack. Those two also accounted for nearly 78% of Texas' rushing attempts.

So, as they say, next man up.

Texas fans are already familiar with the work of Keilan Robinson. A junior who previously played for Sarkisian at Alabama, Robinson has had a role in the offense this year. He's averaging 12.8 yards over his 14 catches and 3.5 yards over his 17 carries.

Then there's Blue. A four-star recruit in the 2022 recruiting cycle, the freshman has just 15 touches so far. But on Wednesday, Sarkisian described him as "a guy that's probably matured as much or more than any of our true freshmen from spring ball until now."

Brooks, however, may be the most intriguing riser on the depth chart.

The redshirt freshman has rushed for 179 yards on 24 carries this season. The 6-foot, 202-pounder did the bulk of his damage in the fourth quarter of a Nov. 19 blowout win over Kansas. Brooks rushed for two touchdowns in that 55-14 win, including one from 70 yards.

Brooks was a four-star member of Texas' 2021 class. He ran for 3,530 yards and 62 touchdowns as a senior at Hallettsville High. He had a 500-yard, nine-touchdown performance in one playoff game during the Brahmas' run to the Class 3A Division I championship game.

Over his first two seasons, Brooks has recorded 45 carries and scored five times. Ewers also said Brooks has impressed his teammates with how he works during the week.

"I think everybody kind of feeds off the way he practices," Ewers said. "He's a hard practicer. Gives a lot of effort, and I think he has some of the best vision I've seen from a running back. It's easy for him to find those holes and kind of sneak through. He's good in the passing game as well. He doesn't drop a whole lot of passes, which is a quarterback's best friend."

Sarkisian said Wednesday that Keilan Robinson, Blue and Brooks all will play against Washington. Surrendering 127.0 yards per game, the Huskies are No. 35 nationally in rushing defense and have allowed three 100-yard rushers over their last four games.

Sarkisian was later asked if Brooks needs to prove himself Thursday. After all, the Alamo Bowl will be a significant showcase for Texas' remaining running backs, who will be joined by incoming five-star signee Cedric Baxter in next year's backfield.

"The biggest thing for us is for him just to go out and be him, not try to do more than what he's already shown us," Sarkisian said. "He's more than capable to be a very good football player for us. Now it's just about being in the moment and just being him and not trying to do more."

After Brooks and Blue both played in the Kansas game, Johnson said it was good to "give the people a glimpse of what the future holds for them." At last week's press conference to announce his decision to enter the NFL draft, Bijan Robinson also expressed his optimism about the new-look rushing attack at Texas.

"Those guys right there are talented dudes. There's not going to be really a drop-off," Robinson said. "I can't wait to see them in the bowl game. I think they're going to rip and play amazing."

Alamo Bowl

8 p.m. Thursday, Alamodome, San Antonio, ESPN, 104.9, 105.3 (Spanish), 99.3, 98.5

247Sports Embed Resource

After helping Georgia win back-to-back national championships, tight end Darnell Washington is preparing for his rookie season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who took him with the No. 93 overall selection in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft. According to a report, an SEC rival did all it could to keep Washington from suiting up in Athens.

Per the Knoxville News-Sentinal, former Tennessee assistant Brian Niedermeyer spent most of the 2020 cycle violating NCAA regulations in his pursuit of the former five-star, giving him $750 in cash in a parking lot, flying with Washington on his official visit, and giving Washington and his family $1,713 in benefits during unofficial visits, including free lodging, free meals, and Tennessee apparel. While Tennessee did get the final official visit, Washington still signed with Georgia. The findings were uncovered in documents involving Niedermeyer's negotiation for a five-year show cause. He was fired for cause in January of 2021, as was head coach Jeremy Pruitt, who received a six-year show cause on Friday as Tennessee received word of its punishment for hundreds of NCAA violations.

Washington started in 14 of 15 games for Georgia in 2022, catching 28 passes for 454 yards and 2 touchdowns while also showcasing himself as one of the best blockers in the country. Washington entered 2022 with high hopes but suffered a significant setback during spring practice by suffering a foot injury that forced him to miss the entirety of spring practice. Georgia head coach Kirby Smart later said Washington had been in the best shape of his career before the injury, and the junior spent the next few months working his way back into form. By the season opener against Oregon, Washington proved that effort was worthwhile. Washington shined against the Ducks by catching a pair of passes for 33 yards, including a 25-yard reception late in the first quarter during which the Bulldogs’ big man broke one tackle before hurdling Oregon defensive back Bryan Addison.

The performance against Oregon essentially set the tone for Washington, who quickly carved out a starting role alongside fellow tight end Brock Bowers and ultimately started 13 of the Bulldogs’ 14 games this fall. Washington caught multiple passes in eight of Georgia’s games this season. He had a personal-best 5 receptions which went for 60 yards and 1 touchdown against Mississippi State on Nov. 12. Washington was also a more-than-willing run blocker, which proved quite helpful for Georgia as it once again established itself as capable of getting the job done on the ground.

Many thought Washington’s season effectively ended on Dec. 31, when he suffered an injury to his left ankle in the first half of Georgia’s Peach Bowl victory over Ohio State. Washington was unable to practice in Athens but was able to give it a go in the 65-7 National Championship win over TCU, catching 1-of-2 targets for 28 yards and blocking for an offense that ran for 254 yards and five touchdowns. It would be the first and only game attended by his mother and family.

A foot injury slowed Washington down in 2021 before Bowers came on strong as the team’s top tight end. Washington wound up with only 10 receptions for 154 yards and one score in 11 games, the touchdown coming on the first play of the second quarter of the 2021 SEC Championship Game against Alabama.

Washington came to Georgia as a five-star signee, and he showed glimpses early on of what he was capable of accomplishing. He started seven games of his true freshman season in 2020 and had 7 receptions for 166 yards, which included three receptions in Georgia’s Peach Bowl victory over Cincinnati to close the campaign. Washington left Georgia with 45 career receptions for 774 yards and 3 touchdowns.