Wide receiver Johntay Cook is no longer part of the Texas football team. Cook and the Longhorns reportedly reached a mutual decision to part ways, and Cook will search for a new home in the transfer portal. Cook was a highly ranked recruit and he has been successful during his two seasons at Texas, but things weren't working out, and he will be elsewhere next year.
It's definitely a bit of a surprise to see Johntay Cook and the Texas football team part ways. He has been a good receiver during his time with the Longhorns, but he is optimistic about the future.
“Bounce back gon be crazy,” Cook said in the comments of an Instagram post about the news.
Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian addressed the situation during a video press conference, and he wished Cook the best of luck in the future.
“We have nothing but respect for he and his family,” Steve Sarkisian said, according to an article from ESPN. “We wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.”
Cook came to Texas before the 2023 season as he is currently a sophomore. During his first year, he racked up eight receptions for 136 yards and zero touchdowns. He was having a similar year this season as he finished with eight receptions for 137 yards and two touchdowns.
Now, Cook will be exploring his options in the offseason for his next school. Underclassmen can't enter the transfer portal until December 9th, but it likely won't take Cook very long to get interest from top schools around the country. He was a top recruit in his class and he clearly has a lot of talent. He shouldn't have any trouble finding a new home.
Texas football is hunting for an SEC title
This is the first season that the Texas football team is in the SEC, and they have a shot to win the conference title in year one. The Longhorns are currently 7-1 overall on the year and 3-1 in SEC conference play. There aren't any teams with zero SEC losses, so if the Longhorns win out, they will have a shot at making the conference title game.
Texas is also in good shape in terms of making the new 12 team College Football Playoff. The first CFP rankings were released earlier this week, and Texas came in at #5. If they finish 10-2, they will likely make it.
The Longhorns will play their first game without Johntay Cook this weekend as they will be hosting Florida. The two teams will kick off at 11:00 AM CT from DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin on Saturday, and the game will be airing on ABC. Texas is currently favored by 21.5 points.