Texas Longhorns: position breakdown 2013
Position breakdown: Defensive back 
Given time, the Texas secondary coach likes to take his time before typecasting a certain player in a certain role. Ideally, Akina prefers to have every defensive back ready and able to play every role.
That versatility can not only cover up some deficiencies but also make the back four a stronger and more cohesive unit because every player understands the role to the player next to him seeing as how he has spent at least some time in that role.
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Now all of them -- although just how much Hicks participates in the wake of his season-ending hip injury remains in the air -- get to start anew this spring. And that includes their position coach, Manny Diaz.
Diaz is back for his third season as the linebacker coach. After a first season, in which Diaz was handed fundamentally sound, veteran linebackers and excelled, Year Two saw Diaz struggle mightily teaching younger, inexperienced players.
Now all involved have some seasoning and that should help the progression of what was the worst unit for Texas in 2012.
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Position breakdown: Defensive end
Now while that last game was impressive, the overall production of the defensive ends mirrored the theme of the entire defense in 2012 -- hit or miss.
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Position breakdown: Offensive line
Yet, every position remains open.
Welcome to the new world of the offensive line. The Longhorns, not satisfied with the blocking against teams even remotely talented on the defensive line (The Longhorns, despite having two of the most-hyped running backs in the country, failed to gain 100 rushing yards on TCU, Oklahoma or Kansas State.) could be in a position to change things up across the line.
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Last season, with a quarterback not near the stature of McCoy but not a slouch either, only Mike Davis and Jaxon Shipley had more than 30 receptions.
So to say changes in the new-yet-old spread offense are afoot or at hand for the Texas wide receivers is an understatement of well, Texas-sized proportions.
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Position breakdown: Running back
And, as it is at quarterback, there is also a clear top option, Johnathan Gray. Not only is the rising sophomore the leading returning rusher (701 yards), but with the switch to the spread offense, he presents Texas with a more tools than the other two possible starting running backs, Joe Bergeron and Malcolm Brown.
Gray has plant-and-go ability that is superior to the other possible every-down backs. That means he can be utilized as a big-play threat in many more scenarios than Brown and Bergeron. He also works in space better than the other two backs. And given that the spread offense not only spreads the offense but the defense as well. It’s only natural that play-caller Major Applewhite is going to tinker with a variety of ways to get Gray the ball this spring.
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Position breakdown: Quarterback
David Ash, despite not yet being declared the No. 1 quarterback, will be the No. 1 quarterback this spring. Now all the aforementioned new quarterbacks coach Major Applewhite has to do is figure out who will fill the roles of two through five. At least there are some choices. This time last year, Texas had but two options.
That Ash showed significant improvement as a sophomore, or at least enough improvement for Texas to be able to hand him the offense, lends a modicum of stability to that position.
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ABOUT HORNSNATION
Sean Adams
Sean Adams has covered the Texas Longhorns and college football for the last 12 years as a writer and radio host. Sean co-hosts "The Big Show" with Erin Hogan each afternoon on ESPN Austin 104.9 The Horn. He lives with his family in Round Rock, Texas. Email him at thisean@gmail.com.
Max Olson
Max Olson joined ESPN in 2012 after covering the University of Nebraska for the Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald and high school and college sports for the World-Herald and Rivals.com. Olson is a University of Nebraska graduate and lives in Austin, Texas. Email him at maxolsonespn@gmail.com.
Carter Strickand
Carter Strickland joined ESPN.com in 2011 after covering the University of Georgia for Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the University of Oklahoma for The (Oklahoma City) Oklahoman and Washington State University for The (Spokane, Wash.) Spokesman-Review. Strickland lives with his wife and family in Austin. Email him at cstrickland70@gmail.com.
William Wilkerson
William Wilkerson joined ESPN.com in 2011 after covering high school sports, college sports and the Texas Rangers over four years at the Fort Worth (Texas) Star-Telegram. William is a University of Texas graduate and lives in Austin. He can be reached at wilkerson.espn@gmail.com.