Coming off of a lackluster 5-7 campaign in year one, Steve Sarkisian sets his sights on turning the page for his Texas Longhorns beginning with Louisiana-Monroe in Austin on September 3. Sarkisian, the highly anticipated head coach hire in 2021 from Alabama, showed signs of promise in the earlier parts of his inaugural season, which included a 70-35 win over Texas Tech to begin conference play. While beginning his tenure with a 4-1 record, however, Texas would then lose six straight before salvaging a lost season with a final week win versus Kansas State in Austin. A bowl-less campaign for the Longhorns sent a convincing message to the burnt orange faithful: Texas was NOT back.
The Offseason
No team in the country auguably created more buzz around itself than the Texas Longhorns. While not only landing the highest-rated quarterback to hit the transfer portal in Quinn Ewers from Ohio State, Sarkisian and his staff were able to lure the 2023 #1-overall recruit to the Forty Acres: Arch Manning. Manning, the soughtafter nephew of NFL champions Payton and Eli Manning, also entertained offers from SEC perennial powerhouses Alabama and Georgia. The committment from the Isidore Newman (LA) product would create a domino-effect that would land a significant number of four- and five-star recruits in the hands of the Longhorns. Overall, the committment from Manning would help the Texas staff secure the current #2-rated 2023 class in the 247 Sports Composite Team Rankings (as of September 1, 2022).
About UL-Monroe
The Warhawks are looking to rebound after a 4-8 2021 season under second-year head coach, Terry Bowden. Bowden, son of the former and legendary Florida State head coach Bobby Bowden, and sophomore quarterback Chandler Rogers lead Louisiana-Monroe on the trip to Austin to face the Longhorns for the second time in school history. In the first matchup between programs in 2009, the then #2-ranked Longhorns, led by Heisman-finalist Colt McCoy, defeated the Warharks, 59-20. The Sun Belt Conference representatives finished 2-6 in league play in 2021 while balancing a non-conference lineup that consisted of Kentucky and LSU.
What’s at stake for Texas?
The heavily favored Longhorns (-37.5) will most likely look to fine tune the offense and work any defensive kinks before the Week 2 showdown vs. #1 Alabama. Redshirt freshman Quinn Ewers was named the starting quarterback just weeks before the season opener over former starter Hudson Card. Ewers, the former Ohio State Buckeye, must quickly be on the learning curve in a complex, Sarkisian-minded offense before welcoming Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide defense to DKR-Texas Memorial. However, in the aftermath of many debacles in the 2021 season, the Longhorns must be conditioned to close and finish a 48-minute contest, or risk being upset at home by the Warhawks.
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