Texas Longhorns Hold Open Spring Practice for Fans

New players get a taste of gameday atmosphere at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium

Apr. 19, 2026 at 1:21am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a Texas Longhorns football game, with sharp, overlapping planes of burnt orange and white creating a fractured, multi-perspective view of the action on the field.The open Texas Longhorns spring practice gave fans a glimpse of the team's new faces and leadership as they prepare for the 2026 season.Tyler Today

The Texas Longhorns held an open spring practice for fans, giving them a glimpse of the 2026 squad. While it wasn't a traditional spring game, fans were able to attend the final session of spring practice and watch the team go through drills and workouts. Head coach Steve Sarkisian praised the leadership and chemistry of the team, which has many new faces this year.

Why it matters

The open practice allowed Texas fans to get an early look at the team ahead of the upcoming season. With changes to the recruiting cycle, transfer portal, and college football calendar, some teams are opting out of traditional spring games, making open practices the next best option for fan engagement.

The details

The practice featured backups KJ Lacey, MJ Morris and Dia Bell taking most of the reps at quarterback, as starter Arch Manning continues to recover from offseason foot surgery. Defensive lineman Hero Kanu said the energy from the fans in attendance fired up the team. The open practice was a shift from last year's fan day, which did not include any football activities.

  • The open practice was the 15th and final session of the Longhorns' spring practice schedule.
  • Arch Manning is expected to be fully cleared for summer conditioning in June.

The players

Steve Sarkisian

The head coach of the Texas Longhorns football team.

Arch Manning

The starting quarterback for the Texas Longhorns, who is recovering from offseason foot surgery.

KJ Lacey

A backup quarterback for the Texas Longhorns.

MJ Morris

A backup quarterback for the Texas Longhorns.

Dia Bell

A backup quarterback for the Texas Longhorns.

Hero Kanu

A defensive lineman for the Texas Longhorns.

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What they’re saying

“'There's a lot of great leadership on this team. These guys have done a tremendous job of bringing the new guys in and making them feel part of the team. We're learning a lot of new schemes, and we've made some big strides.'”

— Steve Sarkisian, Head Coach

“'He's 100% ready to go, but I just didn't think it was worth putting him in here this late in the spring. He got plenty of work and does a great job, even on the off days, throwing and developing a rapport with the receivers.'”

— Steve Sarkisian, Head Coach

“'It was awesome to see all these faces out here supporting us. I don't know how many it is, but there were a lot of people here. We can feel the energy, and we can hear the 'hooray' and everything. It has been a blessing.'”

— Hero Kanu, Defensive Lineman

What’s next

The Longhorns will focus on off-the-field workouts and finishing up the spring semester before ramping up summer conditioning in June and July ahead of training camp in August.

The takeaway

The open practice allowed Texas fans to get an early look at the 2026 Longhorns squad, providing a glimpse of the team's new faces and leadership as they prepare for the upcoming season. With changes to the college football calendar, open practices are becoming a more common way for programs to engage with their fan base during the spring.