Texas Opens Preseason Camp as NCAA Clears Cole Hutson’s Eligibility

Overview

• Texas held its first preseason practice at Frank Denius Fields on Wednesday and coach Steve Sarkisian praised redshirt junior quarterback Arch Manning as an early standout.
• Freshman cornerback John Meredith III reclassified from the 2027 class and practiced after arriving in Austin but suffered heat-related cramping that coaches called a ‘freshman moment.’
• Cole Hutson was not at the practice and the NCAA agreed that the Colorado injunction covering the 2022 recruiting class applies to him, removing the need for a local hearing and clarifying his eligibility path.
• Coaches tested position flexibility with Kobe Black moving from corner to safety and noted summer body changes for several players, including Ian Geffrard’s roughly 25-pound drop and freshman receiver Kohen Brown’s added mass and speed.
• Special-teams work during the media window showed depth at returner with Ryan Niblett, Ryan Wingo and Raleek Brown rotating and underscored Texas’ broader reliance on a large transfer class and top freshmen as the season approaches.