[Update]: Below are some highlights from the press conference.
- DJ Grant and Blaine Irby are the only players not cleared to practice right now, but Grant should be cleared some time before the first game. Tray Allen and Jared Norton will both be limited as fall practice starts.
- Connor Wood and Case McCoy are even entering fall practice in the battle for the second-string quarterback job. The coaches have not considered moving John Chiles to quarterback.
- Brown feels that the only preparation for losing the starting quarterback is to run the football better.
- The secondary should be as good as it has ever been at Texas and Brown expects some players to step up and fill the production provided by Earl Thomas last season.
- Wants to see separation among the running backs -- right now Tre' Newton and Fozzy Whittaker lead the group.
- Need to find a role for Demarco Cobbs and even mentioned him as a possibility at H-back, along with Cody Johnson and Chris Whaley.
- Brown says that both James Kirkendoll and John Chiles reportedly stepped up during the summer. Marquise Goodwin and Malcolm Williams are the other two receivers in the top four.
- Tyrell Higgins is now up to more than 280 pounds. Brown is ready to get a look at the frsehman defensive tackles because he doesn't want to play Sam Acho inside on running downs against teams that can run the ball. Seemed less worried about Acho being able to hold his own than having him wear down throughout the season.
- Gushed about wanting to see the freshman -- seems extremely excited about this class.
-- GoBR --
At 3:30 CT, Mack Brown will officially open up the start of fall practice with his first press conference (not including Big 12 Media Days) since the end of spring practice. Watch it live at TexasSports.tv.
Consider this your open thread.