Texas Longhorns Football 2011: 7 Best Offensive Players on the Squad

If the Longhorns are going to return to prominence coming off their subpar 2010 season, they will have to vastly improve their offense.

Almost nothing went right for them on that side of the ball last season. Garrett Gilbert threw away too many interceptions, the receivers dropped balls left and right, the running backs struggled to make big plays and the offensive line couldn't make holes big enough to run through anyway.

The good news for the program is that they really can't be any worse. Garrett Gilbert has another offseason under his belt, there is another huge recruiting class coming in, and maybe most importantly, the offensive coordinator duties have been turned over to the team of Major Applewhite and Bryan Harsin.

Just like any other Texas Longhorns team, there is a ton of talent on the roster. It's now just a matter of getting that talent to produce.

The following are seven players the Longhorns will be looking to to help turn around their fortunes.

QB Garrett Gilbert

It all starts at the top with Garrett Gilbert. An improvement in his level of play would go a long way toward bringing the Longhorns back to the level of success they are used to. It was, after all, largely his poor play last season that set the tone for what was to come.

To be fair, Gilbert was put in a tough spot last season. It was his first season as a starter. All he had to do was replace one of the more productive quarterbacks in NCAA history in Colt McCoy. It was as if Gilbert had been handed the keys to a Maserati when his only driving experience was with a bicycle.

Head coach Mack Brown has said that nothing has been guaranteed to Gilbert in terms of his status as the starter, but it's no secret that he and the other coaches want to see Gilbert go out and force them to turn the offense back over to him.

He has all the tools and measurements you want to see in a big-time quarterback. He stands a statuesque 6'4" and weighs a sturdy 215 pounds. He has ample arm strength, and he is pretty mobile in and around the pocket for a guy his size.

There's a reason he was a blue-chip recruit coming out of high school, and the Longhorns anointed him the successor to McCoy. The Longhorns desperately need him to remind them of that player or they may find themselves mired in a campaign very similar to last season.

Maybe Gilbert is an inherently flawed player. Maybe he'll never be the guy to lead the program. But even still, he is among the most talented players on the roster.

C David Snow

The offensive line play last season for Texas was inconsistent to say the least. What had been a strength of the team in previous seasons had become a serious liability.

Center David Snow, a senior, has been through countless battles in a Longhorns uniform. He has played on some great lines. He has a solid, workman-like approach, and he gives the offensive line a true leader on the field.

Mack Brown and the offensive coaches will be expecting him to anchor the line this season and help bring along some of the less experienced lineman.

The offensive skill players are more experienced this season, and there are several newcomers on campus that should contribute immediately. That's all a moot point this year if David Snow and the other offensive linemen don't step it up and play better as a unit.

WR Mike Davis

Mike Davis may not be a household name outside of Austin, Texas, but he might be soon. Last season as a freshman, Davis caught 47 passes (a UT freshman record) for 478 yards and two touchdowns.

He was also one of only three freshman in Longhorns history to have multiple 100-yard receiving games. In a year when dropped passes and no-show performances were littered all throughout the Texas receiving corps, Davis provided a surprising level of consistency.

Beyond the stats, Davis measures out very well. He stands 6'2" and weighs 186 pounds. He will give Gilbert (or any other quarterback) a big target with big play potential.

The Longhorns have a bit of a logjam at the position. Assuming no other roster moves, they will have well over a dozen receivers on the field in the fall. Davis may very well end up being the standout of the group.

RB Malcolm Brown

If it seems like it has been years since Texas has had a star at the running back position, it's because they haven't.

There are many that are hoping that Malcolm Brown will stop that dubious streak. There will be high expectations for the true freshman from Cibolo, Texas, but so far, he has given every indication that he will be able to fill those expectations and then some.

Brown really looks the part. He has a body that will stand up well to the pounding of a Big 12 season at 6'1" and 224 pounds, and he put up staggering numbers as a senior in high school. He ran for 2,192 yards on just 197 carries. That's an average of 11.1 yards per carry.

To top it off, Brown is said to be an exceptional young man who is eager to come in, immerse himself in the offense and help the team get better.

Longhorn fans anxious for their next star in the backfield may not have to wait much longer.

WR Jaxon Shipley

Jaxon Shipley, when compared to fellow freshman Malcolm Brown, is a completely different type of prospect. They are both expected to contribute right away, but that's just about where the comparisons stop.

While Brown was ranked as a top 10 recruit by just about every recruiting service, Shipley was a decent prospect but nothing special. Most of the buzz around him simply came from him being Jordan Shipley's  little brother.

But like his brother Jordan, he is starting to make believers out of doubters. He graduated from high school a semester early and spent what would have been his spring semester as a senior training with his older brother. Reports are that he is in incredible shape and is ready to step right in.

While I'm certainly not going to predict that Gilbert to Shipley will be half as prolific a tandem as McCoy to Shipley, don't be surprised if the younger Shipley works his way up to the top of the depth chart faster than anyone thought possible.

RB Cody Johnson

While the general consensus is that Malcolm Brown will be more than capable of being the go-to running back in Austin, there will be some growing pains. No freshman comes right in and goes without making mistakes. It's part of being a freshman.

Those mistakes and lapses are where Cody Johnson steps in. In what was an admittedly mediocre running back rotation, Johnson was probably the most successful back. He carried the ball 134 times for 592 yards and six touchdowns.

Johnson played well down the stretch last season, including back-to-back 100-yard rushing games in the last two games of the season. Johnson will be hoping to parlay that strong finish into a productive 2011 season.

More than anything else, he will provide a nice change of pace from Brown. At 250 pounds, Johnson is a load to bring down. His physical runs between the tackles will wear down a defense and allow Brown to make big plays.

K Justin Tucker

It might seem ridiculous to have a kicker on this list, but when your offense sputters as much as Texas' did last season, the kicker becomes a big part of your offense.

Last season, Tucker made 23-of-27 field goals with a long of 51 yards. He also converted on all 27 of his point after touchdown attempts. It tells you something about Texas' offensive struggles that he had as many PATs as he did field goal attempts.

While the Longhorns hope that he will see the field much less often this season, it's nice to know that you have a kicker you can trust if offensive drives die just short of the end zone.