Though he’s arguably the most explosive player on Texas’ football team, D.J. Monroe hasn’t had a consistent role in the Longhorns’ offense in his three years with the program.
Once again, Mack Brown and company are trying to change that by switching Monroe to receiver. Again.
“If he’s going to play more, we need to expand his package,” Brown said on Tuesday. “It makes sense that that’s where he needs to play.”
It’ll be an adjustment, to be sure. Monroe’s natural position has been at tailback and the senior-to-be has only eight receptions for 70 yards and zero touchdowns in his career -- all of which came last season. But Monroe’s rushing stats are sparse as well (664 yards and two touchdowns) in that same span.
With Malcolm Brown and Joe Bergeron returning, and with Johnathan Gray coming in, Texas’ backfield is young, talented and deep. Even if Gray redshirted, Monroe would be buried in the depth chart.
Monroe is has too much potential for that and Longhorn fans have been grinding their teeth for the past couple years wondering how on Earth the speedy athlete isn’t getting the ball more. Of course, it’s not like Brown doesn’t recognize this -- take any fan frustration and magnify it by 50 and you’ll come close to feeling what coaches do -- but responsibility also lies on the player to adjust as necessary if they want to see the field, and Brown said a couple of years ago that he didn’t feel Monroe had the mental makeup or passion to switch positions.
If things are different this time around, Monroe could light a fire under an offense that was, at times, unbearable to watch n 2011.