Texas Football: Top Takeaways from the Longhorns' 2015 Fall Camp

Tyrone Swoopes has taken control of the team, Daje Johnson's finally turning himself around and the offensive line is looking like a strength.

Yeah, Texas Longhorns fall camp went a little differently than we expected.

What did go as planned was the effort level. As a collective, the Longhorns turned in three weeks of a highly competitive environment that saw unexpected talent emerge across the board. 

Out of that fray, these storylines came out as the most significant.

Michael Thomas/Associated Press

Swoopes Is a Different Guy

Watching Swoopes melt down at the end of the 2014 season, you got the sense he might never play quarterback again. Neither he nor his teammates seemed like they believed he could lead them to victory.

But Swoopes has responded with vigor. The junior has dominated work with the first team since fall camp started, ending any competition that began with Jerrod Heard in the spring. He's a completely different player, and his teammates have taken notice.

"He’s really brought the offense an edge,” cornerback Duke Thomas told 247Sports' Chris Hummer. “I’m talking trash, and he’s getting into it with me. He’s really bringing that approach to the game we need on offense."

We still need to see how Swoopes handles a real game. He's always had the potential to be a good player, but the pressure has worn him down in games where he's struggled. 

If he shows well against Notre Dame, the Longhorns could be in good shape at the position for the first time in a long while.

The 2015 Class Is the Real Deal

Texas' 2015 recruiting class is more than Malik Jefferson.

The Longhorns' 5-star linebacker, per 247Sports, set the standard in April's spring game, and his newly arrived classmates have picked up where he left off. Along with the "other" spring standout, tackle Connor Williams, three more 2015 signees have busted into the starting lineup. Five others should also factor into the two-deep.

Surprisingly, it's the offense that's been the most influenced by the freshmen. John Burt, originally considered a raw prospect, has busted into the "X" wide receiver role after a strong start to camp. Then, in the last couple of weeks, guard Patrick Vahe has pushed senior Marcus Hutchins to the bench.

Right now, Jefferson's the lone dog on defense, but there's plenty of time for that to change. Cornerbacks Davante Davis and Kris Boyd have been great throughout camp, and Holton Hill is getting up to speed after dealing with an injury. There's no doubt three of these guys will factor into the rotation.

Also watch DeAndre McNeal, Chris Warren and Ryan Newsome at the skill positions. They'll all see the field against Notre Dame, and this stellar class will be busy in every game this season.

The Offensive Line Has Picked It Up

Swoopes took most of the blame for what happened on offense last season, but the guys in front of him were just as much to blame. That shouldn't be a problem this year.

Adding vengeful maulers Williams and Vahe, the arrow is pointing up with Texas' offensive line. 247Sports' Jeff Howe considers the entire group the top performer from fall camp, and that's saying something considering how many guys showed out.

With three returning starters and upgrades at two of its weakest positions, this group has the right mix of talent and chemistry to significantly improve. All signs point to that heading into the first game.

Orlin Wagner/Associated Press

It All Starts with the Defensive Line

The offense has received a bulk of the attention this offseason, but head coach Charlie Strong's calling card will remain his defense. His success on that side of the ball will be built around a stacked front four.

Even after losing Malcom Brown and Cedric Reed, the Longhorn front boasts a ton of depth. Tackle Hassan Ridgeway will anchor this group with help from talented Poona Ford, Paul Boyette and senior Desmond Jackson. 

At defensive end, Naashon Hughes returns as a starter with plenty of depth behind him. Shiro Davis finally looks ready to make an impact on the strong side, with capable backups behind him in Bryce Cottrell and Quincy Vasser.

The biggest development is behind Hughes, who emerged as the "Fox" end last season. The sophomore entered camp without any real backup, then watched both Derick Roberson and Charles Omenihu develop behind him. In fact, these two were so good, Horns Digest's Chip Brown reports that Strong has considered making Hughes a full-time linebacker again while moving Caleb Bluiett back to tight end.

Expect Hughes to stay put, giving Strong a massive arsenal of talent to deploy along the front line. This group will get the job done while the back end sorts itself out.

Daje Johnson Isn't Done

You can't say enough about what Johnson did in fall camp.

An obvious attrition candidate, the senior wide receiver has turned in the best three weeks of practice since he arrived on campus. He ran with the ones throughout camp, and 247Sports' Howe considers him the best individual performer of the preseason workouts.

To hear Strong tell it, per TexasSports.com, Johnson's been one of the hardest-working players as well.

"

I tell you, it's been fun watching Daje. He comes out there and doesn't say a word, and every day, even after practice, he's standing out in practice catching balls. Him and Heard out there throwing balls after practice. Before practice, he picks up a rubber ball and tells the receiver, they're going down the field playing catch back and forth.  I said to him, I said, "Wow, is this the guy I knew?"

"

A focused Johnson can be a lethal weapon for Shawn Watson and his offense. He's an absolute game-breaker who can swing a contest as a runner, returner and receiver, which he's done in spurts over his career.

Thanks to more consistent hands and route running, Johnson will open the season as one of Texas' top options out of the slot. And whenever he's on the field, look for the coaches to scheme him into space.

As long as he keeps up what he did in camp, Johnson will win Texas a game or two.

Unless otherwise noted, all stats and information courtesy of TexasSports.com.