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Who entered the portal for Texas football, and how will that affect the team in the CFP?

thomas jones, austin american-statesman
·2 min read
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The Texas secondary took a hit Monday evening when a pair of defensive backs entered their name in the transfer portal and will not play in the College Football Playoff. Let’s take a look at who left and what it means to the Longhorns when they face off with Washington Jan. 1 in a CFP semifinal in New Orleans.

More: Texas linebackers coach Jeff Choate hired by Nevada, but will still coach Longhorns in CFP

Who is leaving the Texas football program?

Safety Jalen Catalon will leave Texas following just one season while second-year cornerback X’Avion Brice also will depart after tallying two tackles ad a pass breakup in four career games. Catalon, a graduate transfer from Arkansas, entered the season as the starter, but injury woes that have plagued him for the past few seasons limited him to just 17 tackles in eight games.

More: Texas will continue its 2023 Revenge Tour against Washington, this time in the CFP

Texas defensive back Jalen Catalon, right, tackles Kansas wide receiver Doug Emilien in a Sept. 30 game in Austin. Catalon, a graduate transfer from Arkansas, started the season at safety but has announced that he will enter the transfer portal after injuries helped limit his playing time in the second half of the season.
Texas defensive back Jalen Catalon, right, tackles Kansas wide receiver Doug Emilien in a Sept. 30 game in Austin. Catalon, a graduate transfer from Arkansas, started the season at safety but has announced that he will enter the transfer portal after injuries helped limit his playing time in the second half of the season.

How will these departures affect Texas in the CFP semifinal?

Brice wasn't a part of the cornerback rotation or a key player on special teams. However, a healthy Catalon could have contributed at the safety rotation, especially since freshman Derek Williams Jr. will miss the first half of the Sugar Bowl matchup against Washington because of his targeting ejection against Oklahoma State in last week’s Big 12 title game.

Catalon’s playing time had dropped since suffering an injury against Oklahoma Oct. 6. He didn’t return to action until the Nov. 18 game against Iowa State and did not play against Oklahoma State. Third-year sophomore Michael Taaffe had supplanted Catalon in the starting lineup alongside senior Jerrin Sanders while Williams and fellow freshman Jelani McDonald have also seen increased playing time.

The Texas secondary will face a stern test in the Sugar Bowl against Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr., a Heisman Trophy finalist who has thrown for 4,218 yards and 33 touchdowns this year.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: What Texas Longhorns football players entered the transfer portal