With Texas State on deck and Ohio State waiting just 11 days later, Texas is in the part of camp where the questions start getting real. The roster is mostly in place, but three issues still hang over the Longhorns as they close in on the opener.
The biggest one starts with Arch Manning. In his second season as Texas’ starting quarterback, he carries the kind of expectations that can reshape a season.
The offense has been built to suit him and his style, and Texas needs him to play fast, take care of the ball and keep drives on schedule. He flashed that kind of command in the second half of last season, but the Longhorns need it to show up every week now.
That pressure ramps up immediately. Texas State comes first, then Ohio State on Sept.
- That matchup with the Buckeyes should tell Texas plenty about whether Manning has moved from promising young quarterback to one of the best in the country.
If the Longhorns are going to chase a national championship, he may have to be the one who swings the close games.
The second question sits on the offensive line. Texas had expected Trevor Goosby to lock down left tackle, but a knee injury changed that plan.
Andre Cojoe has stepped into first-team work while Goosby recovers and has earned praise from the coaching staff. The issue now is less about whether Cojoe can handle the spot right now and more about how long Texas should stick with him before Goosby is ready to return.
That decision matters because everything Texas wants to do offensively starts with keeping Manning protected. A quarterback with talent still needs time, and the Buckeyes are the kind of opponent that will expose any weak point in pass protection.
Then there’s linebacker Ty’Anthony Smith, whose dismissal from the program leaves Texas thinner and less experienced at the position. Smith had 75 tackles in his Texas career, and his exit forces the Longhorns to sort through new options fast.
Rasheem Biles is expected to play a major role, and Texas has other players who can step into bigger jobs. But this isn’t just about replacing production. Under new coordinator Will Muschamp, the Longhorns need linebackers who can communicate, tackle cleanly and make the right reads.
Texas has talent across the board. The issue is whether the Longhorns can settle these three spots in time. With the opener closing in and Ohio State looming in Week 2, there isn’t much runway left to sort it all out.
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Texas Faces A New Roster Tension As Season Nears
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Still, the late movement it creates is harder to ignore, especially for a team trying to keep its chemistry intact. Sarkisian pointed to offensive lineman Cole Hutsons return under the new setup as an example of how these changes can bring useful pieces back into the fold, but also leave coaches sorting through timing, roles and the broader impact on continuity as the season approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Is Taking A Risk With Jordon Johnson-Rubell
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Johnson-Rubell is expected to help primarily on special teams while he settles into the new role, which gives the Longhorns some flexibility without forcing him into a full-time defensive load right away. Still, the move comes with obvious risk, because his frame is not the typical one for an inside linebacker and that makes the transition a tougher one to trust once Texas starts needing dependable depth in the middle. [Read more 🡒]
Two Young Longhorns Are Forcing Their Way Into Texas Plans
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Littletons transition has been especially notable, with his comfort in the scheme showing up in the back end of practice and in multiple interceptions during scrimmage work. For a Texas team trying to firm up its depth and identify dependable contributors before the season starts, the emergence of two younger players at important spots is exactly the kind of development that can change how a roster looks once the games begin. [Read more 🡒]