Longhorns Camp Notebook: UT to see familiar faces in Rice opener
For one, a pair of coaches, including offensive coordinator David Beatty and run game coordinator John Reagan, came to Rice from Big 12 opponent Kansas after the staff was let go following the Mark Mangino resignation.
For another, the Owls will employ multiple players whom the Texas staff recruited. The most notable of those players is Sam McGuffie, a 6-foot, 200-pound redshirt sophomore who sat out last season after transferring from Michigan. In his one season as a Wolverine, McGuffie rushed for 486 yards and three touchdowns as a true freshman.
McGuffie became somewhat of a YouTube celebrity when coming out of Cy Hill High School in Cyprus, Texas, thanks to an outrageous highlight reel that showed him jumping over defenders, in full pads, like this clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXx79knMt3Y&feature=related
He even did a front flip over 6-foot-3 defensive end R.J. Washington in the lead-up to an all-star game: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olCp3fpxSls
Washington is now a defensive end for the Sooners.
McGuffie is listed as the second back on the depth chart, but should see plenty of time against Texas on Saturday.
The Owls were 2-10 last season, but have a more optimistic look for 2010 as they return a high number of players from a young squad a year ago. Rice ended the 2009 season with 14 starters who were freshmen or sophomores. Twenty-seven of the 44 players listed on Rice
