After two largely disappointing seasons on the Forty Acres and a dalliance with an entrance into the NCAA transfer portal, Texas Longhorns junior Kobe Black is hoping for his long-anticipated breakout season to come at safety instead of cornerback.
In an important position change for returning defensive coordinator Will Muschamp, Black made the move to the back end during the offseason.
On Saturday, that transition paid dividends for the Longhorns when the 6’2, 202-pounder “had a heck of a scrimmage,” according to head coach Steve Sarkisian, with a highlight play coming early against redshirt senior running back Raleek Brown on an open-field tackle, an area where Brown typically excels after forcing 55 missed tackles last season at Arizona State and gaining 607 yards after contact.
It’s an area of Black’s game that should translate well to safety — in two seasons at Texas, Black has only missed two tackles, according to Pro Football Focus, for a strong missed tackle rate of 7.1 percent.
Black’s experience playing cornerback will bolster the Longhorns safety room, too.
“Kobe’s been a nice addition for us there because he gives us position flexibility, right? His versatility to play man coverage being a corner. I think he’s a very smart player, he’s savvy, he’s got good instincts, and so far so good, right?” Sarkisian said at the start of preseason camp.
The move to safety was made easier by Black’s experience playing the position at Waco Connally, where he was a teammate of Jelani McDonald.
“It’s second nature, you know,” McDonald said.
As a top-40 prospect who was ranked as a consensus five-star recruit in the 2024 class, Black faced high expectations when he made his way down I-35 to Austin. And although he was on the verge of becoming a bust, the position change has given Black a fresh start in burnt orange and white.
So far so good, right?