Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin
Texas coach Mack Brown said that recent struggles by Hunter Lawrence has prompted him to re-open competition for the kicking job between Lawrence and Ryan Bailey, who lost the job earlier this season.
The Austin American-Statesman reported that the kicking competition was a prime discussion point in Brown's weekly press conference.
Bailey was the regular kicker last season, hitting 18 of 22 field goals en route to scoring 112 points. That total was the second-most in Texas school history.
But Lawrence claimed the job when Bailey was injured at the start of the season. He converted his first nine kicks of the season before misfiring on tries of 44 and 20 yards Saturday against Baylor.
Bailey then had his first attempt of the season, converting from 30 yards later in the game.
Texas coaches told the Statesman said that Lawrence was nursing an injury last week. They will determine the Longhorns' kicker Saturday against Kansas by who kicks the best in practice this week.
Tim Griffin joined ESPN.com in February 2008. He has covered the Big 12 since its inception, among a variety of beats during a 24-year career at the San Antonio Express-News. Griffin, a Memphis State University graduate, lives in San Antonio with his wife and son.
