Roddrick Muckelroy » 40 Acres Sports

Depth chart thoughts: Defense

Posted August 30th, 2007 by Brian
Filed under: Depth Chart, Football

With the first official depth chart released for the [tag]Arkansas State[/tag] we can officially do our first second guessing of the 2007 season. Let’s ~~complain~~ examine the defensive side of the ball first:

Position	Player		Player		Player
DE (Quick)	Brian Orakpo	\|	Eddie Jones
I think everyone is expecting a big sack total from [tag]Brian Orakpo[/tag] this season, I’m thinking he could be our breakout defender. I’m excited to see [tag]Eddie Jones[/tag] play, kid is a future star.
Nose Tackle	Derek Lokey	or	Roy Miller	\|	Ben Alexander
If [tag]Derek Lokey[/tag] doesn’t get hurt, Texas wins the Big 12 and ends up in the Fiesta Bowl last year. A healthy Lokey helps the entire defense.
Tackle	Frank Okam	or	Roy Miller	\|	Thomas Marshall
There were all-world expectations for [tag]Frank Okam[/tag] when he arrived in Austin and he’s yet to perform at that level. He’s still got a chance to be a high draft pick if he can be healthy and active this year.
DE (Power)	Aaron Lewis	\|	Lamarr Houston
Maybe the weakest spot on the defensive line but a couple of guys that impressed in limited time last season. [tag]Aaron Lewis[/tag] and [tag]Lamarr Houston[/tag] are both about a biscuit short of becoming defensive tackles.
Strongside LB	Robert Killebrew	\|	Dustin Earnest
Any chance [tag]Sergio Kindle[/tag] comes in and takes this position over after his suspension? [tag]Robert Killebrew[/tag] needs to make more plays.
Middle LB	Rashad Bobino	\|	Jared Norton
[tag]Rashad Bobino[/tag] is consistent but has trouble getting off blocks, [tag]Jared Norton[/tag] will knock your teeth out but is inexperienced. We’ve got to find the right mix of heady guys and playmakers at linebacker.
Weakside LB	Scott Derry	or	Roddrick Muckelroy	\|	Keenan Robinson
[tag]Roddrick Muckelroy[/tag] was our best linebacker before he tore up his finger against Rice and this season he’s listed as a co-starter. I think Muck ends up being on the field as much as any of the other guys.
Right CB	Ryan Palmer	\|	Deon Beasley	or	Chykie Brown
Uh oh. Now we’re into the area where fans are making a little noise. [tag]Ryan Palmer[/tag] has the makings of a solid player but he hasn’t performed well when he had opportunities. [tag]Deon Beasley[/tag] has a chance to take the starter’s job if he wants it.
Free Safety	Marcus Griffin	or	Drew Kelson	\|	Tyrell Gatewood
Everyone knew [tag]Marcus Griffin[/tag] was the starter but I was surprised to see [tag]Drew Kelson[/tag] the number two guy here and not at strong safety. Maybe Kelson plays in likely running situations.
Strong Safety	Erick Jackson	or	Ishie Oduegwu
Glad to see [tag]Erick Jackson[/tag] earn himself a chance. Kid has some bad luck but he was has all the measureables and was highly rated coming out of high school. And [tag]Ishie Oduegwu[/tag] is named Ishie, you’ve got to root for him just for that.
Left CB	Brandon Foster	\|	Curtis Brown	or	Earl Thomas
Even more worrisome than the other corner spot. [tag]Brandon Foster[/tag] is about the same as Palmer but an inch and a half shorter. He’s got two true freshmen behind him so it looks like a experience versus potential battle.

It’s just Arky State so I’m not going to get to worked up over anything on this depth chart. It’s the first game of the year so I think guys who have been here longer are going to have the edge over the young guys who have only been on campus a month. It’ll be interesting to see if the freshmen and sophomores battling for spots can show enough against ASU to see increased time against TCU.

2007 Athlon Magazine All-Big 12 teams

Posted June 14th, 2007 by Brian
Filed under: Football, Magazines, Media

3 comments

Athlon has released their preseason All-Big 12 team and there’s of course several Longhorns on it. Not too many complaints, though I do think receiver [tag]Quan Cosby[/tag] deserves some third team love especially since Nebraska’s Maurice Purify might not even be on the team next year.

I hope they’re right about [tag]Tony Hills[/tag] and [tag]Roddrick Muckelroy[/tag]. Hills gets a lot of hype but didn’t perform consistently last year, he has a lot to prove to me before he’s mentioned in the same breath as other recent Texas linemen. If Muck and the other linebackers can step up their game this year the defense will be vastly improved.

Check out all the Longhorns on their list below:

First Team Offense

QB Colt McCoy 6-foot-3 205 So.
RB Jamaal Charles 6-foot-1 200 Jr.
OL Tony Hills 6-foot-6 305 Sr.

First Team Defense

DL Derek Lokey 6-foot-2 280 Sr.
DL Frank Okam 6-foot-5 320 Sr.

Second Team Offense

WR Limas Sweed 6-foot-5 219 Sr.

Second Team Defense

LB Roddrick Muckelroy 6-foot-2 230 So.
S Marcus Griffin 6-foot-0 202 Sr.

Third Team Defense

DL Brian Orakpo 6-foot-4 248 Jr.
LB Robert Killebrew 6-foot-2 230 Sr.

Tags: Big 12, Quan Cosby, Roddrick Muckelroy, Tony Hills

Roddrick Muckelroy is ready for spring practice

Posted February 22nd, 2007 by Brian
Filed under: Football, Spring Football

Comments Off on Roddrick Muckelroy is ready for spring practice

[tag]Roddrick Muckelroy[/tag] is healthy and will be back on the field when spring practice starts this week.

Muckelroy was the Longhorns’ best linebacker on the field through the first three games of the season before he was injured. He had surgery to repair a ruptured tendon in his right ring finger suffered against Rice and was forced to miss the rest of the season. I kept waiting for him to be back after a couple of weeks, and it sounds like he was as surprised as I was that a finger injury could be so serious:

“Everything feels good,” Muckelroy said heading into the opening of spring. “Sitting out that long after starting the first three games was a setback, but I understood the injury, and I had to get it fixed because I was worried about using my finger in the future. I think it was the best thing for me, and it’s good now.”

Muckelroy had to come to terms with how a finger injury could cost him the entire remainder season. However, after it was explained, it did not leave much of a decision as to whether or not to have surgery. “When I hurt it, I went to the sidelines and told them what happened,” Muckelroy described. “I thought my finger was just broken. I wanted them to tape it up and go back in because it was fourth down.

It’ll be huge for the Texas defense to have Muck back out there. He was playing incredibly well and he brings speed, nose for the football, and big hit ability to a linebacking corps that was missing all three of those things last season. While Scott Derry played very well in his place, he’s a solid player but not a difference maker like Muckelroy can be.

Muckelroy is just the type of player Duane Akina wants for his more aggressive new defensive attitude.