Texas Football: 5 Longhorns Poised for a Breakout 2015

"Our record of going out and getting five losses, we're not comfortable with that at all," Charlie Strong told reporters during his Monday media session. "That will never happen within this program again."

For Strong to make good on that promise, he needs some breakout years from some current role players to replace the talent he's losing this offseason.

The Longhorns are stuck playing the waiting game for Quandre Diggs and Jordan Hicks replacements Kris Boyd, Holton Hill and Malik Jefferson but have talent ready to step in almost everywhere else.

Rising sophomore Poona Ford will step in at defensive tackle in place of expected early-entrant Malcom Brown, as classmate Edwin Freeman takes over a linebacker spot. Filling out the defense, Naashon Hughes will become a regular starter at defensive end.

As for the offense, which loses both its leading receivers, the Longhorns have a bona fide star ready to assume every-down duties along with another rising sophomore. 

Until we get some clarity on the quarterback battle and see where the remaining top recruits end up, these five guys are safe bets for big season in 2015.

WR Armanti Foreman

Armanti Foreman's breakout was among the easiest to spot on the Longhorn roster. And that's before his outburst at Oklahoma State.

Stepping up in place of the injured Jaxon Shipley, the freshman wideout needed only two catches to reach 74 yards against the Pokes. His first grab was a nifty 29-yarder on third down, which everyone will forget because of the quality his 45-yard touchdown that sealed the game.

Foreman has passed the eyeball test all season, flashing electric ability in the open field in turning his six previous touches in 64 yards. Now that he's proved he can be a deep threat, his role should increase in Texas' final two games.

Blessed with 4.4 speed (per Rivals.com), Foreman has Daje Johnson's all-purpose ability with much higher upside as a receiver thanks to superior hands and ability to track the deep ball.

As Wescott Eberts of Burnt Orange Nation points out, Foreman's route running must catch up to his raw ability. Once it does, he's an every-down player for this team and will be a top option next season with both Shipley and John Harris set to depart.

DT Poona Ford

Much like Hassan Ridgeway has enjoyed a career year next to Malcom Brown, Poona Ford will enjoy his own surge next to the fourth-year tackle in 2015.

No worse than a top-six finisher for both the Outland and Nagurski Trophy, Brown is good as gone following this season. That leaves Texas without its best defensive player and sack master up the middle, where Ford will be asked to step in as a sophomore.

Though undersized at 5'11", Ford is a stout and explosive gap-penetrating tackle, as noted by Eberts. He's had modest production thus far, but even Brown took time to adjust to the college game.

The big jump for tackles tends to happen in their second year, and we've seen enough to expect that from Ford. With Ridgeway occupying so much space, he's going to spend a lot of time in opposing backfields.

DE Naashon Hughes

USA TODAY Sports

Hughes (left) has quietly become an every-week starter as a redshirt freshman.

Caleb Bluiett will continue to see plentiful snaps once Cedric Reed departs for the NFL, but Naashon Hughes is the guy to watch at defensive end.

The coaches have come down hard on Hughes this season, as noted by Horns Digest's William Wilkerson, but it's because they can see how much potential they have in the redshirt freshman.

A 6'4" high school safety who's capable of sliding back to linebacker, Hughes has ridiculous athleticism for a defensive end. That's why he has started Texas' last six games at the position despite playing at a leaner 230 pounds.

The expectation is that top recruit Derick Roberson makes an impact at this position, but Hughes isn't going anywhere. He's another 10 to 15 pounds from doing special things off the weak side.

WR Lorenzo Joe

It looks like 4-star receiver John Burt, per 247 Sports, will soon decommit from the Longhorns in favor of Auburn. That leaves rising sophomore Lorenzo Joe as the favorite to take over an outside receiver spot.

A 4-star prospect himself, Joe has gotten some run this season, turning three catches into 36 yards. As you can see from his tape, the 6'2" wideout has fluid athleticism and, along with the aforementioned Foreman, has been on Strong's radar since fall camp as he told reporters in August:

"

Well, [Foreman and Joe have] come in and they've showed a tremendous amount of dedication, and that dedication shows through improvement they've made over the last three weeks of camp. It was a hard camp.  It was a grind, and those guys came out every day and they improved each and every day.  They learned more and more, and what they showed was just beyond the shadow of a doubt they have the capability and the ability to play football at this level, and it won't be long before they're a huge part of what we do.

"

The Horns lose outside receiver and primary red-zone option John Harris, leaving an opening for a guy of Harris' stature. Joe has the inside track to that role and has the skills to excel within it.

LB Edwin Freeman

One of the bigger surprises of the season is that Jason Hall, and not Edwin Freeman, is the true freshman that took over at Texas' strong safety spot. Now up to 220 pounds, Freeman's an obvious linebacker and should break through there as a sophomore.

Texas' linebacker position looks like a bit of a mess entering the 2015 season. Jordan Hicks has been too good for him to stick around for another season, and Steve Edmond has exhausted his eligibility.

Past those two, no returning player has inspired much confidence at the position. Peter Jinkens and Tim Cole haven't been able to stick, Dalton Santos seems get slower by the season, and we have no idea what to expect from redshirt freshman Cameron Hampton.

The best possible scenario here is that the Horns lock in 5-star Malik Jefferson, per 247 Sports, who has a strong relationship with Strong. He would step in as the immediate starter and never look back.

Even if they land Jefferson, the Horns still need at least one more guy to step up here, and Freeman fits the mold. Though not a true middle linebacker, he has good instincts, finishes plays in space and has the range needed to play every down in the Big 12.