Texas didn’t leave Week 4 unscathed, and that makes this bye week feel less like a luxury and more like a necessity.
The No. 1 Longhorns are 4-0, but the win over Tennessee came with plenty of wear and tear. Several key players were unavailable or limited, and head coach Steve Sarkisian made it clear afterward that the timing of the break matters.
"We do need to get healthy. We were a little banged up coming out of the game," Sarkisian said after the game. "[The bye] comes at a good time."
Texas also had to navigate the game without running back Hollywood Smothers, even though he was listed as available before kickoff. Sarkisian said Smothers was only going to be used in an "emergency" role if Raleek Brown and Derrek Cooper couldn’t get the job done in the backfield.
The injury list didn’t stop there. Wide receiver Cam Coleman went down in the second half, spent time in the medical tent, then returned to the field but did not see another target from Arch Manning.
Edge-rusher Colin Simmons, who turned in a career performance against the Volunteers, is dealing with an elbow injury and had it padded and braced on Saturday afternoon. Tight end Nick Townsend missed his third straight game, leaving Manning with only Emaree Winston as his go-to big target in the passing game.
Defensive lineman Justus Terry remained out as well, cutting into Texas’ pass-rush depth.
That matters even more with Oklahoma next on the schedule. The Sooners are shaky on offense, but the Red River Rivalry rarely plays out cleanly, ranked or not.
Sarkisian also pointed out that Tennessee had eight players carted off during the game, a reminder that Texas wasn’t the only team dealing with a physical afternoon.
"We've got more of these to go. Our schedule is our schedule," Sarkisian said after earning Texas’ first ranked road win of the season. "That’s what good teams do; they find ways to win games."
The Longhorns still have a long stretch ahead, including six ranked matchups and two rivalry games. For now, though, the bye gives them a chance to get healthier before the SEC grind really starts to bite.
In Other News...
Texas Defensive Front Is Becoming A Problem For Road Opponents
Texas defensive front has been giving road opponents a different kind of problem, and the latest glimpse came against Tennessee when junior lineman Maraad Watson got to freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon for a notable sack. It was the kind of snap that fits what Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns have been saying about this group, with Hero Kanu and Lance Jackson also pointing to the overall strength and depth up front as a real edge for the defense.
What makes the line so difficult to deal with is not just the talent, but the way Texas keeps bodies moving and fresh. The Longhorns have leaned into rotation and mobility among their defensive linemen to preserve explosivity and physicality, a formula that becomes even more important away from home when the game can turn into a grind. For opponents trying to hold up against that kind of pressure, there does not seem to be much relief coming. [Read more 🡒]
Sarkisian Admits Texas Offense Has Not Met Early Expectations
Steve Sarkisian came into the season with the kind of setup a head coach usually welcomes, with Will Muschamps arrival as defensive coordinator giving him more room to stay in the offensive lane and work more closely with that side of the staff. After a strong opening win, though, Texas has not quite looked like the finished product many expected, and the early numbers have reflected that uneven start.
Through four games, the Longhorns have been solid without being sharp, sitting 57th nationally in points per game and 83rd in total offense. That is the backdrop as Texas keeps trying to find a higher gear on offense, especially with Florida showing what a fast start can look like after climbing near the top of the national rankings behind Jadan Baughs production in the backfield. [Read more 🡒]
Colin Simmons Is Giving Texas A Heisman Debate Fans Can't Ignore
Colin Simmons has pushed his way into a conversation Texas fans are not used to hearing around a defensive player. The Longhorns edge rusher is drawing Heisman buzz after a recent run that has made voters take notice, and even the mention of his name in that race says plenty about how disruptive he has been. Defense almost never gets this kind of award chatter, with only two defensive players in the trophys history ever getting over the top.
For Texas, the appeal is obvious: Simmons is giving the program a rare kind of Heisman candidate, one whose value is measured in pressure, disruption and the way he changes games on that side of the ball. The catch is that the award still tilts heavily toward offense, and current odds leave him behind several more traditional contenders. Even so, his rise has made him impossible to ignore, and whether he can keep forcing his way into the debate will come down to how voters view a defensive season in a race built for quarterbacks and skill players. [Read more 🡒]