AUSTIN \u2014 Through the five-plus years that Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian has spent on the Forty Acres, Sarkisian\u2019s offenses have majored in 11 personnel with heavy doses of 12 personnel and some 21 personnel as a change of pace.<\/p>\n
Notably lacking until the last two games? Four wide receivers on the field together in a 10 personnel package devised to get more snaps for freshman wide receiver Jermaine Bishop without taking the team\u2019s top three wide receivers off the field.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe first three guys \u2014 Cam [Coleman], Emmett [Mosley], and Ryan [Wingo] have all earned and worthy of playing football for us,\u201d Sarkisian said on Monday. \u201cThese guys have had great offseasons, they had great training camps, they\u2019ve started the year well.\u201d<\/p>\n
After spending the spring at wide receiver and the summer at defensive back before returning to the offensive side of the ball for preseason camp, Bishop needed some time to come on, but now he\u2019s \u201cpushed the envelope for us,\u201d according to Sarkisian, resulting in the installation of the 10 personnel package that debuted against UTSA.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt took some time to get him back into the fold,\u201d Sarkisan said. \u201cNaturally, he\u2019s a very smart football player. The game comes easy to him. I think we see when the ball\u2019s in his hands, he can make plays.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bishop only played 14 snaps over the first two games of the season, but has been on the field more frequently against UTSA and Tennessee, playing 25 snaps against the Roadrunners and 16 snaps against the Volunteers. On nine targets this season, Bishop has six catches for 81 yards with 56 yards coming after the catch.<\/p>\n
In Knoxville, Bishop had two catches for 34 yards, including a 29-yard catch on a corner route out of 10 personnel, one of quarterback Arch Manning\u2019s best throws of the game.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s evidence of the explosive potential of the 10 personnel grouping with Bishop on the field.<\/p>\n