AUSTIN - He arrived at Texas as a YouTube sensation, a quicker-than-a-mouse-click teenager destined to take his penchant for breathtaking touchdown runs from high school to college. For three years, Johnathan Gray heard the hype. And for three years, something kept getting in the way.
On Wednesday, he began his final spring practice season with the Longhorns, and people aren't talking about his legendary days at Aledo anymore. They're no longer talking about how he and Malcolm Brown - who's off to the NFL - will share UT's running chores. Instead, what people want to know is if Gray finally is ready to become an elite college tailback.
"It's a little bit of pressure," Gray said. "I have to grow up."
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It's not as though he's ever been plagued by a lack of maturity. From the moment he stepped on UT's campus in 2012, he earned a reputation as one of the team's most relentless workers. But he seldom unleashed the long, dazzling runs that made him the nation's top tailback recruit, and his sophomore year was cut short by a torn Achilles tendon.
After plowing through his rehab in time to be ready for last season, Gray hit another obstacle. Though he never passed the blame, UT's offensive line fell into shambles after losing three starters during the first week, and Gray rarely found much running room at all in 2014. He finished with 637 yards (4.3 per carry) in 13 games.
But entering his senior year, Gray said he's confident everything will come together. The offense is adopting a spread, up-tempo style (with quarterback Tyrone Swoopes running exclusively with the first team during Wednesday's workout), and Gray said the quicker pace suits him.
"It's something we all feel we're better at," Gray said. "We hit the field running and didn't stop until it was over."
More importantly, the offensive line now boasts two attributes - experience and extra bodies - it didn't have last year. Although no one is anticipating UT's line to suddenly become a championship-level unit, coach Charlie Strong said he's expecting Gray to find more seams this fall.
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"If you block people for him, he's one of those guys that can open up and run," Strong said.
The lineman would love to oblige him. Like most of his teammates, center Taylor Doyle marvels at Gray's tireless efforts on the practice field and in the weight room. Eventually, Doyle said, it has to pay off.
"He wants to be the hardest worker on the team," Doyle said. "You can come up here (to the football facility) any time of day, and you'll see him. Now we have to do our job for him."
