Special teams have been one of the few unfinished jobs for No. 1 Texas this season, and the Red River Rivalry might be the place where that changes.
Through four games, the Longhorns are still waiting on the kind of explosive play that can flip field position in a hurry. Gianni Spetic has already delivered one clutch extra point against Ohio State, but he has not yet been asked to nail a pressure field goal. And as Texas has worked through a 4-0 start, the bigger issue has been the lack of a true spark on returns and coverage.
That showed up in a messy way during Texas’ 20-17 win at Tennessee on Sept. 26.
The Longhorns survived in Knoxville, but the special teams unit made life harder than it needed to be. Spetic averaged 61.8 yards per kickoff, and two of his five kicks went out of bounds, the same number that resulted in touchbacks.
Texas also gave up a 57-yard punt return touchdown, the first time a UT opponent had scored that way since 2013. Later, freshman Jermaine Bishop Jr. broke off a long punt return only to have it erased because Ryan Niblett had signaled for a fair catch.
Then Tennessee recovered an onside kick in the final minutes, setting up a desperate final throw into the end zone. The SEC later acknowledged Tennessee should have been penalized for the way it set up the onside try, but that did not change the fact that Texas receiver Ryan Wingo had a chance to fall on the ball and could not secure it.
During the bye week, Steve Sarkisian pointed to depth as the main issue on special teams, not just the lack of a headline grabber. The Texas coach said the unit needs more bodies who can absorb the workload and keep defensive starters fresher. Through four games, Kade Phillips, Graceson Littleton, Justin Cryer and Rasheem Biles have each logged at least 30 special teams snaps.
"The biggest thing on special teams we need to get is we need more depth," Sarkisian said. "We need other guys taking some of the heat off these guys on punt, punt return, kickoff coverage, and so we need the depth to step up. I think that's where we need to place an emphasis on (is) who can we count on to be in those positions to play on special teams to take the load off of those guys so that they can keep being the players that they are on defense."
If there’s a matchup that can wake up Texas’ special teams, it’s Saturday’s meeting with Oklahoma. The Sooners have been on the wrong end of some memorable Texas moments in this phase of the game, from Jordan Shipley’s kickoff return in the 2008 top-five showdown to Cameron Dicker’s 40-yard kick in 2018, complete with the head nod that became part of Longhorns lore.
Bo Hilliard’s 95-yard punt return against Oklahoma in 1932 remains the longest in Texas history, and Fozzy Whittaker’s 100-yard kickoff return in the 2011 Red River Rivalry game is one of five such returns in program history. Michael Dickson’s 55.0-yard per-punt average against the Sooners in 2017 is still the school record.
Texas also has a more recent example to lean on. Last October, Niblett’s 75-yard punt return touchdown helped blow open a tight game in a 23-6 win over Oklahoma. Nearly a year later, he is expecting more of the same.
"For sure," Niblett said last month. "Heading into SEC play, I feel like we're going to have a good game plan ahead of us."
In Other News...
John Mateers Response To Oklahomas Offensive Pressure Says A Lot
John Mateers first month as Oklahomas starting quarterback has come with the usual mix of flashes and frustration. Through four games, he has put up 883 passing yards with eight touchdowns and four interceptions, and the Sooners offense has had enough uneven stretches to invite criticism from outside the building.
Mateer, though, doesnt sound rattled by any of it as Oklahoma comes out of its off week and turns its attention to No. 1 Texas. He has leaned into the idea of trusting the process and keeping the focus on improving the operation at the Cotton Bowl, which is exactly the kind of response the Sooners need as the pressure rises and the schedule stiffens. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma May Finally Need More From Elijah Thomas
Elijah Thomas has been more of a flashpoint than a fixture for Oklahoma through the first month of the 2026 season, but the sophomore receivers role may be on the verge of changing. He has four catches for 38 yards through four games, yet offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle has made clear he believes the talent is there and that the Sooners need to find ways to get Thomas the ball more often.
The timing matters now, with transfer wideout Trell Harris sidelined by an injury that Brent Venables said will keep him out for the foreseeable future. Oklahoma already had reason to explore a bigger role for Thomas, and Harriss absence only sharpens the need for another reliable target in a passing game still sorting out its pecking order. [Read more 🡒]
Former Sooner Lane Johnson Brings An All-Time Career To A Sudden End
Lane Johnsons playing days ended the way his career spent so much of its time in the spotlight: suddenly, and with the kind of weight that comes with being one of the NFLs most accomplished blockers. The former Oklahoma standout announced his immediate retirement, closing the book on an Eagles career that never took him anywhere else and leaving behind a rsum built on six Pro Bowl nods, steady excellence and the kind of pass protection that changed games for years.
For Sooners fans, Johnson has long been one of the clearest links between Norman and NFL success, a homegrown star who turned rare athleticism into an all-time run in Philadelphia. His decision also puts a human face on a career that was never just about accolades, after he pointed to his mental health and his previous struggles with anxiety as part of the reason for stepping away. [Read more 🡒]