Texas spent the offseason trying to solve two problems that kept hanging around: the offensive line and the run game. Three weeks into the season, one of those fixes looks real, and it’s showing up in the clean pocket Arch Manning has been getting.
The Longhorns’ front has been the best part of an offense that hasn’t exactly been lighting up the scoreboard with explosive plays, especially with SEC play looming. Through three games, Texas is No. 1 in pass protection with a 96.0 grade from Pro Football Focus, and every starter up front - Trevor Goosby, Dylan Sikorski, Connor Robertson, Brandon Baker and Melvin Siani - has earned a pass-blocking grade of 80.0 or better.
That’s a huge step forward for a unit that was under the microscope all offseason.
It’s also part of why the early signs from the backfield have looked better too. In the comeback win over then-No. 1 Ohio State, the one-two punch of Hollywood Smothers and Raleek Brown gave Texas a running game that already looks sharper than it did a year ago.
Still, Saturday brings a much tougher test. Tennessee has piled up one of the country’s best pass-rush numbers through three games, ranking third in all of FBS with 13 sacks. The catch is that the Volunteers haven’t faced anyone of note yet, so the numbers come with some context.
Texas can’t afford to let that pass rush turn into a replay of what happened in last season’s SEC opener. In the 29-21 loss to unranked Florida, Manning was sacked six times and the Longhorns managed only 52 rushing yards as a team, finishing at 2.0 yards per carry.
The offensive line did improve as last season went on, and Texas still stayed in the race for a College Football Playoff spot. But if the same breakdowns show up against Tennessee on Saturday afternoon, the praise surrounding this year’s line will disappear fast.
There is another wrinkle, though: Tennessee has also been vulnerable on the ground, allowing 138.0 rushing yards per game, third-most in the SEC. Even without Hollywood Smothers, Texas and its revamped front could still have an edge in the trenches.
Fans won’t have to wait long to find out. Texas and Tennessee kick off Saturday in the early window from Neyland Stadium at 11 a.m. CT.
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Texas Defense Faces A Tennessee Test That Could Wear It Down
Tennessees ground game has become the sort of weekly problem that can test even a disciplined defense, and Texas is getting the latest look at it. The Volunteers lead the SEC in rushing yards per game, and Josh Heupels offense has leaned into a mix of run schemes and 12 personnel looks as it works to keep true freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon comfortable and protected.
For Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns, the challenge goes beyond just stopping one back or one formation. Tennessee has had to adjust after the injury to tight end Ethan Davis, but the creativity of the run game has remained intact, and Sarkisian acknowledged the variety it brings. If Texas cannot control the line of scrimmage early, the Volunteers have a way of turning the game into a long, physical test for a defense that may have to keep answering snap after snap. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Lets Another Road Lead Slip In Frustrating SEC Draw
Texas had another road result it probably felt it should have finished off, leaving Donald R. Dizney Stadium with a 1-1 draw against Florida in SEC play. Anderson gave the Longhorns the edge in the 30th minute with a penalty kick, and for a while it looked like Texas had done enough to carry a lead into the finish.
Florida answered in the 60th minute on Zoe Mains free kick, and from there the Gators pressed harder in the second half. Texas goalkeeper Bayliss Flynn kept the point intact with five saves, but the Longhorns still had to settle for a frustrating tie after letting the advantage slip away on the road. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Faces A Massive Road Test Every Longhorn Fan Fears
Texas is about to walk into one of the sports most intimidating settings for its biggest road stage yet, with a trip to Knoxville bringing the kind of atmosphere that can rattle even a top-ranked team. ESPNs College GameDay will be on hand, but the real test begins well before kickoff, with more than 100,000 fans expected to pack the stadium and turn the night into a full-scale pressure cooker.
Steve Sarkisian and several players have already pointed to the noise as a major factor, and it is easy to see why this one has the feel of a true measuring-stick game. For a Longhorn team trying to handle the moment as much as the opponent, the challenge is not just the ranking or the spotlight, but managing a setting that has become one of the most feared in the sport. [Read more 🡒]