During the 2020 Texas high school football season, Klein Cain reached the second round of the Class 6A Division I playoffs behind running back Jaydon Blue‘s 2,155 rushing yards and 30 touchdowns and wide receiver Matthew Golden’s 1,027 receiving yards.
So why not run that back at Texas?
The prides of Klein Cain both started in Texas’ 52-0 season-opening win over Colorado State. State. Golden caught two touchdown passes. Blue averaged 5.2 yards over his 11 runs.
“Us being able to be back on the field together, it’s just a blessing,” Blue said after walking into a postgame media availability alongside Golden. “That was probably one of our dreams coming out of high school, was to play at the same college. For him to be here and to see him play very good today, it makes me happy.”
Separated at first, but together again
Blue and Golden were in the same class at Klein Cain, but Saturday marked the first time they had played together since their junior years there. In an attempt to preserve his body, Blue sat out his senior season at Cain. And Golden then turned down a scholarship offer from Texas and instead signed with Houston during the 2022 recruiting cycle.
After 20 games at Houston — one of which was a two-touchdown performance against Texas last year — Golden entered the transfer portal. He said establishing a connection with UT head coach Steve Sarkisian and receivers coach Chris Jackson, who was not with the Longhorns during Golden’s initial recruitment, as well as Austin’s distance from his hometown made a transfer to Texas “a no brainer for me.”
The transfer also meant a reunion with Blue. When asked about Blue on Saturday, Golden referred to the running back as “my day one.” Blue described Golden as his cousin.
So perhaps there’s nobody better suited to give a scouting report on one of Texas’ new guys than Blue. What did the Longhorns get in Golden?
“He brings a lot of things not only at the receiver position, but at the kick return and the punt returner position,” Blue said last December. “He’ll makes us a lot better.”
And for good measure, how would Golden evaluate what Blue brings to the Texas backfield?
“He’s a different running back,” Golden said. “He can play in the backfield, he can play receiver too. He’s reliable. It ain’t nothing Blue can’t do. So just having him, it makes everything easier for the offense.”
Michigan will be ‘a heck of a challenge’
Against Colorado State, Blue and Golden combined for 144 yards over 17 offensive touches. Golden also gained 26 yards on the Longhorns’ only kickoff return. Blue, who was partially limited by a cramp, ended up being UT’s second-leading rusher. Golden was one of four receivers to record at least 50 receiving yards, and he joined fellow transfers Isaiah Bond and Silas Bolden as Longhorns who caught a touchdown pass in front of an announced crowd of 99,171.
Texas, of course, was playing a Colorado State team that was 5-7 last year. For Blue and Golden, the Rams might as well have been Klein, Klein Forest or Klein Oak. Next up, though, is a tougher test. This coming weekend, Texas travels to Michigan for a showcase showdown with the Wolverines. Ranked No. 8 in the US LBM Coaches poll, Michigan is the defending national champion.
The Wolverines (1-0) opened with its 16th straight win, a 30-10 beating of Fresno State in which they yielded 235 passing yards and nine rushing yards. Michigan defensive lineman Mason Graham and cornerback Will Johnson were both voted onto the Associated Press’ preseason All-American team.
“Going to Michigan is a heck of a challenge,” Sarkisian said Saturday. “I know everyone’s going to point out that they lost 13 draft picks. Well, we lost 11 too, but everyone’s saying we’re a pretty good team. I think good programs reload. They’ve got players, they know how to develop their players.”
This will be Texas’ first-ever trip to Michigan Stadium, the famed “Big House” where the Wolverines have won 23 straight games. The stadium’s capacity is 107,601. Excluding the contests that had attendance capped by COVID-19 restrictions, the Wolverines have played in front of 100,000 or more fans in 316 consecutive home games.
Texas, meanwhile, is 8-6 in true road games under Sarkisian. The biggest of those road wins came last year when the Longhorns established themselves as serious contenders for a spot in the College Football Playoff with a 34-24 win at Alabama.
“That’s the beauty of coming to Texas, right?” Sarkisian said. “For two years in a row, we played Alabama (during the second week of the season). This year, we get to play Michigan to go along with our conference schedule. Our kids love it. They’re looking forward to the opportunity. We’re going to need a great week of preparation.”
Saturday’s game
No. 4 Texas (1-0) at No. 8 Michigan (1-0), 11 a.m., Fox, 1300
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas football prepares for Michigan as high school teammates reunite
