Can the Longhorns take that next step this season and cause chaos in the BIG12 and CFP?
Texas is back! The words from former UT QB, Sam Ehlinger, that always get dragged in the mud once the Longhorns lose it seems. College football fans have heard that mantra repeated annually over the last decade. Since the loss to Alabama in the BCS Championship game, the Longhorns have only won 10 games once since 2009. UT as a football program have not been themselves since Mack Brown was dashed out of town in 2013.
Steve Sarkisian is the latest program changer. After the Longhorns went 5-7 in his first season, not making a bowl game, and losing at home to meaningless Kansas is not the UT way. Texas is however happy with Sark as he signed a talented recruiting classes and brought in a QB star in Quinn Ewers.
The Season Of The Unknown
Let us begin with QB Quinn Ewers. The All-American who took part in the 2022 All-American Bowl ranked No. 1 nationally overall by 247Sports, Rivals and ON3. Ewers though does not have much experience as he only played two plays which were handoffs in Ohio State’s 56-7 win over Michigan State. Now as the starter for the Longhorns, Ewers may have to prove he is the guy until Arch Manning comes to Austin.
What is a certain is RB Bijan Robinson. Robinson had a stellar second year with the Longhorns, earning First Team All-Big 12 honors. Roschon Johnson and Keilan Robinson are both exceptional backups, and the offensive line returns three starters from last year.
Ewers will have the Longhorns’ top two pass catchers last season too in Xavier Worthy and Jordan Whittington. The receiving corps also added two established transfers in Wyoming’s Isaiah Neyor and Iowa State’s Tarique Milton to go along with former five-star recruit Agiye Hall and tight end Jahleel Billingsley from Alabama.
The problem with Texas last season was the defense. Texas ranked 86th in Defensive SP+, as the Longhorns could not a cold as opponents picked them apart. This defense allowed 202.8 rushing YPG in 2021, and quarterbacks completed 67.6% of their passes against this unit. Sarkisian hired former TCU head coach Gary Patterson to help fix the defense, where any improvement will be a bonus to this Longhorns team.
LONGHORNS 2022 SCHEDULE
- Sat., Sept. 3 – vs. UL-Monroe
- Sat., Sept. 10 – vs. Alabama
- Sat., Sept. 17 – vs. UTSA
- Sat., Sept. 24 – at Texas Tech
- Sat., Oct. 1 – vs. West Virginia
- Sat., Oct. 8 – vs. Oklahoma*
- Sat., Oct. 15 – vs. Iowa State
- Sat., Oct. 22 – at Oklahoma State
- Sat., Nov. 5 – at Kansas State
- Sat., Nov. 12 – vs. TCU
- Sat., Nov. 19 – at Kansas
- Fri., Nov. 25 – vs. Baylor
Currently, the Longhorns are ranked 2nd to win the BIG12 this season. Right now, I am not concerned about the Alabama game, though I think it will be competitive, the Tide should secure the road victory. The two games I have circled that can make or break the Longhorns season are the two road games against OKST and KSU.
Both road games are tough environments, but if Sark and his offense can lead past those late tests, I think the Longhorns can make a big splash. Their home schedule is favorable and the Red River matchup between OU should lean their way. Longhorn fans have been waiting patiently and 2022 should be exciting to see where how crazy Austin, TX will get!