Texas freshmen tracker: Let the Derrek Cooper breakout begin

NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...

As is often the case in non-conference play, the 30-6 win by the No. 1 Texas Longhorns over the UTSA Roadrunners gave the program’s freshmen opportunities to make their presences known. Most notable among them — freshman Derrek Cooper.

Cooper missed Texas’ comeback 24-23 win over Ohio State in Week 2, but that didn’t stop him from pounding the turf as he toted the rock on 11 rushes for 44 yards and a touchdown, which came on a one-yard run while Texas was well ahead and with a little less than nine minutes on the clock in the fourth quarter. It did, however, cap off an eight-play, 66-yard drive.

Not bad for Cooper’s first collegiate touchdown.

Cooper wasn’t fully healthy, but his ankle recovered enough for Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian to put his highly-touted freshman into action in anticipation of SEC play.

“He’s not quite 100 percent yet, but I needed him to play tonight knowing what’s coming down the road in SEC play. So I was proud of him of working the way that he worked to get himself ready to play this week, but I think there’s more out there for him as we continue to go,” Sarkisian said after the game.

WR Jermaine Bishop Jr.

The No. 3 athlete in the 2026 recruiting class continued to get reps at wide receiver through three weeks, grabbing two receptions for 22 yards against UTSA, one of which was a 15-yard reception on a screen pass, while playing a career-high 25 snaps.

Bishop is dangerous enough that Sarkisian not only employed his speedy freshman in 10 personnel, the first time during the Texas coach’s tenure in Austin that he’s used four wide receivers at the same time, but also schemed up a one-on-one matchup for Bishop lined up as an X receiver that nearly resulted in a touchdown had the UTSA cornerback not made a score-saving grab.

The two receptions for Bishop give him four receptions for 47 yards over three games.

Bishop is also playing on special teams, making a solo tackle against Ohio State and eight snaps on punt return, seven snaps on kickoff coverage, and three snaps on kickoff return in the UTSA game.

On the weekly teleconference with SEC coaches, Sarkisian addressed the possibility that Bishop could play some defense for the Longhorns in the future after spending the summer working at defensive back.

“I would never rule out that his days on defense are over because he’s got a skill set that can do that. I think it’s difficult as a true freshman, trying to do both sides of the ball at the same time,” Sarkisian said. “That’s why we’ve kind of compartmentalized — spring ball, he was on offense, in the summer, he was on defense, and training camp in the first part of the season he was back on offense. So, we’ll monitor that as we go, but he’s developing. He’s a good young player that is finding a role on offense and on special teams.”

Edge Richard Wesley

Wesley managed to show out in Texas’ win over the Roadrunners with increased playing time following the injury sustained by starter Colin Simmons that kept the star junior edge sidelined in the second half. The freshman edge rusher recorded three solo tackles against UTSA, plus a tackle for loss, two defensive stops, and a quarterback hurry while playing 24 snaps.

In the win over the Roadrunners, Welsey made his special teams debut for the Longhorns, playing seven snaps on the field-goal unit.

The California product has at least one tackle in each of Texas’ first three games and a total of five tackles on the season.

LB Kosi Okpala

Okpala’s early good impressions only continue as the freshman linebacker once again registered a tackle for loss versus the Roadrunners. Specifically, he dropped UTSA running back A’Marion Peterson, who began his collegiate career at USC, for a three-yard loss in the fourth quarter.

Okpala has now logged tackles for loss in both games he’s seen playing time in so far this year.

On special teams, the Katy product played seven snaps on kickoff coverage and three snaps on kickoff return.

Meanwhile…

Cornerback Samari Matthews and safety Toray Davis both saw action against UTSA. Matthews missed one tackle in six snaps on defense, while Davis played 10 snaps on defense and one snap on kickoff coverage without recording any stats.

More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos