The Texas Longhorns have a slight receiver issue, but almost every collegiate football team would like to have that issue. Not everyone gets the opportunity to be a star because of the abundance of weapons in the wide receiver group. Players dropping out of the fold is therefore not shocking given the abundance of skill in the room. Johntay Cook II, a former five-star recruit who hasn’t played in the last two games and hasn’t recorded a catch since September 28, experienced something similar. He missed an Arch Manning touchdown pass that would have been over fifty yards in a game against Mississippi State.
According to Anwar Richardson of Orange bloods, Steve Sarkisian stated on Monday that he wanted to get Cook back into the lineup, even though a game against Vanderbilt when Isaiah Bond was unable to play seemed like a great chance to do so. “Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian said he was proud of how his receivers responded in Isaiah Bond’s absence,” Richardson posted to X. “Said it is critical to get Bond back and get Johntay Cook II going.” Bond has more time to recover because the Longhorns are off this week. Additionally, it gives Sarkisian the opportunity to figure out how to get Cook back into the picture.
With players like Bond, five-star freshman Ryan Wingo, DeAndre Moore—who has become Quinn Ewers’ favorite target—and Matthew Golden—who keeps producing highlight-reel plays like his one-handed grab against Vanderbilt—it’s difficult to obtain snaps in the wide receiver group. However, it must indicate that something is about to happen if a head coach directly names a player and says he wants him to become more active.