Texas has gotten in early on Noah Woods, but not early enough to be first.
The Longhorns and head coach Sean Miller extended an offer to the four-star small forward just a day ago, adding Texas to a growing list for the No. 1 overall prospect out of South Dakota in the class of 2029. Woods announced the offer himself on X, writing, "After a great conversation with [Sean Miller], I am blessed to receive an offer from [Texas]. Thank you to Coach Miller and the rest of the University of Texas staff!"
At the time Texas jumped in, Woods already had a crowded board. By then, seven other programs had offered him, and Creighton soon joined in as well, pushing the total to nine teams. The full list includes Iowa on July 19, Nebraska on July 21, Ohio State on July 22, TCU on July 28, Kansas on October 13, Texas on October 13, and Creighton on October 14.
That puts the Longhorns behind several schools already in the mix, even with plenty of time left before Woods reaches high school graduation. Iowa, Kansas, and the others got there first, and Texas is now working to make up ground.
Still, Sean Miller has already shown he can recruit at a high level in Austin. Since arriving at Texas, he has helped push the program back onto the national stage, landing a No. 4 recruiting class in 2026 and a No. 5 transfer portal class this year.
Miller has not yet secured a commitment from the class of 2027 or 2028, but the early move on Woods makes clear where his attention is going next. Texas is trying to get ahead of the curve in 2029 and plant a flag before the race really gets moving.
Woods, listed at 6-foot-8 and 200 pounds, already looks the part of a college small forward. He still has room to add strength, but the frame is there. For comparison, Texas transfer addition and junior forward David Punch is 6-foot-7 and 245 pounds.
And this recruitment is still in its early stages. Woods has not taken any official or unofficial visits yet, which leaves plenty of runway for the offers to keep coming and for Texas to try to close the gap.
In Other News...
Arch Manning Is Giving Texas A Season-Altering Offensive Question
Arch Mannings first five games have left Texas with a much bigger offensive question than anyone expected at this point in the season. The senior quarterback has shown the kind of talent that keeps the Longhorns believing, but also the kind of uneven play that has made the offense harder to trust, especially in a recent loss to Oklahoma where two critical interceptions helped swing the game the wrong way. Through those five games, he has thrown for 1,122 yards with 10 touchdowns and five interceptions while completing 63 percent of his passes.
The bigger issue for Texas is that Mannings inconsistency is only part of the picture. The Longhorns offensive struggles have been tied to more than one source, with coaching decisions and offensive line play also shaping how the unit has looked from week to week. Even so, Manning is the center of it all, because Texas needs steadier quarterback play if it wants the offense to settle in and stop leaving so many drives unfinished. [Read more 🡒]
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For Texas, it is the sort of development that can change the feel of a matchup before the opening kickoff. The Longhorns are already bringing a defense that figures to present a serious challenge, and now Florida is trying to sort out its quarterback situation against that backdrop. How the Gators handle the position leading into the game could shape the entire night in Austin. [Read more 🡒]
Arch Manning Is Raising A Texas Question Fans Cant Ignore
Arch Mannings first season in the spotlight has looked a lot like a young quarterback learning on the fly at Texas: the kind of flashes that remind everyone why the hype existed, followed by stretches where the operation around him feels unsettled. He has shown he can make impressive plays, but the issues have been harder to ignore too, from decision-making to footwork to how he handles the pocket when the rush closes in.
Steve Sarkisian has openly acknowledged the mixed results, and the bigger question hanging over the Longhorns is how much of this is on Manning and how much belongs to the coaching staff that has had four years to shape him. Texas expected growth by now, and the debate around Manning is no longer just about talent. It is about whether the Longhorns are getting the most out of it. [Read more 🡒]