Texas has plenty of flash on its roster, but the real foundation of this team still starts in the trenches. That’s where Steve Sarkisian has made a noticeable shift, and it says a lot about how he wants this offense built heading into the season.
The Longhorns are bringing back three important pieces up front in Brandon Baker, Connor Robertson, and Trevor Goosby. Baker is moving to guard, and he’s fully bought in.
Goosby, meanwhile, is the centerpiece. The 6'7" left tackle is projected to be one of the best offensive linemen in the sport, and he’ll be the key to keeping quarterback Arch Manning upright.
But Sarkisian didn’t stop at retention. This offseason, he added experience through the transfer portal instead of leaning only on internal development. Texas brought in Laurence Seymore, Melvin Siani, and Paris Patterson Jr., a clear sign that the staff wanted a more seasoned group in place.
"We're trying to become an experienced group upfront," Sarkisian said back in spring ball. We had lived in a world where we were so experienced for so long, and last year we felt inexperienced at times, and I thought that it showed, and one of the emphases for us this year was how we can become an experienced group again."
Seymore arrives from Western Kentucky with 1,300 snaps on his college résumé, and Sianai also brings plenty of game experience. That matters for a unit expected to handle the grind of a long season without the kind of breakdowns that come from inexperience.
It also gives Texas a line built more like a pro operation than a developmental project. The group should be better equipped to avoid the little mistakes that can derail drives and games.
And the line won’t just be protecting Manning. It will also be clearing paths for a new backfield duo in Raleek Brown and Hollywood Smothers. Goosby sounded eager about that pairing at SEC Media Days.
"They provide explosion. Watching Raleek's tape, he's a super explosive guy. Same thing with Hollywood," Goosby said.
Texas will still draw attention for the wide receiver room and for Colin Simmons on the edge, but this offensive line has the look of a unit that can quietly drive everything else. Under Sarkisian, that’s become the point.
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Now the challenge looks more complicated than simply holding onto a pledge. Royal is still drawing serious attention from other programs, and Texas has to decide how hard it wants to fight to keep him versus how quickly it should line up other receiver targets if the tug-of-war drags on. Even with a commitment in place, this one has the feel of a recruitment that could keep stretching well into the next cycle. [Read more 🡒]