Editor’s note: This is one of a series of college football previews by The Dallas Express.
TEXAS LONGHORNS
2022 SEASON: 8-5 (6-3 in Big 12), lost to Washington in Valero Alamo Bowl 27-20
Texas rebounded from a 5-7 mark in head coach Steve Sarkisian’s first season to win eight games in 2022.
The Longhorns went 2-1 during the non-conference portion of their scheduling, losing by one to top-ranked Alabama in Austin in a game many argue was significantly influenced by the injury to quarterback Quinn Ewers. Hudson Card took over and played well but not as well as Ewers. Card went on to start three games, throwing for 928 yards and six touchdowns for the Longhorns until Ewers returned from injury.
After opening conference play with an overtime loss to Texas Tech, the Longhorns won six of their final eight games, including a 49-0 win over archrival Oklahoma at the Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas. Texas also upset conference champion Kansas State on the road between losses to Oklahoma State and TCU, finishing in third place in the Big 12.
While the progress is promising, everyone knows the bar is set much higher in Austin than just finishing with a winning record. Sarkisian’s group will face plenty of pressure to build on last year’s successes and return the program to being a national contender.
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2023: Preseason Rank: Coaches- 12, AP- 11
WHAT’S NEW
While Ewers returns at quarterback, the two-headed rushing attack of Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson that helped him out last season is now in the NFL. However, the Longhorns have a multitude of talent at the skill positions, led by wide receiver Xavier Worthy and tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders, that should give them a chance in most games again.
Texas added the No.3 freshman class in the country, including No.1 overall recruit Arch Manning, the grandson of NFL great Archie and nephew of Peyton and Eli. Manning’s presence has garnered attention and speculation about the quarterback situation all offseason, and his performance in a scrimmage over the weekend has the program buzzing.
The Longhorns also bring in five transfers. Adonai “AD” Mithcell (Georgia) is expected to take a starting role as a wide receiver, while defensive tackle Trill Carter (Minnesota), safety Jalen Catalon (Arkansas), and cornerback Gavin Holmes (Wake Forest) join the defense. The team also adds punter Ryan Sanborn (Stanford).
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2023 SCHEDULE
Sep 2 (Sat) 2:30 p.m. CT vs Rice
Sep 9 (Sat) 6 p.m. CT at Alabama
Sep 16 (Sat) 7 p.m. CT vs Wyoming
Sep 23 (Sat) TBD at Baylor
Sep 30 (Sat) TBD vs Kansas
Oct 7 (Sat) TBD vs Oklahoma, Dallas, Texas Cotton Bowl
Oct 21 (Sat) TBD at Houston
Oct 28 (Sat) TBD vs BYU
Nov 4 (Sat) TBD vs Kansas State
Nov 11 (Sat) TBD at TCU
Nov 18 (Sat) TBD at Iowa State
Nov 24 (Fri) 6:30 p.m. CT vs Texas Tech
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PLAYER TO WATCH
QB Quinn Ewers
With the addition of Manning to the quarterback room, there will be even more pressure on Ewers to perform in every game. As a once-heralded recruit, he had a firm grasp on the job last season, and much of the talk this offseason has been about his improvement in the offseason. Still, bringing in the No.1 recruit in the country, particularly from NFL royalty, adds pressure for any incumbent starter. If the season does not start as expected, fans and the media will scrutinize every play to find a reason to make the change.
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FRESHMAN TO WATCH
WR Johntay Cook II
Going beyond the obvious candidate in Arch Manning, Cook brings plenty of intrigue to the receiving room in Austin as a freshman. He joins the team as an Under Armour All-American and a consensus top-10 recruit in Texas after putting up 2,965 receiving yards at 50 touchdowns for DeSoto High School. Xavier Worthy, Adonai Mitchell, and Jordan Whittington have the starting receiver spots locked down, but Cook is on their heels.
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BREAKOUT CANDIDATE
DL T’Vondre Sweat
One could argue that Sweat had his breakout year last year, but he has a real chance to become one of the best defensive tackles in the conference in 2023. The senior has been part of the rotation for the Longhorns for three seasons, building on each of his previous seasons, and has a firm grasp of a starting job entering the season as a leader on the defensive side of the ball with another opportunity to impress after earning honorable mention All-Big 12 a year ago.
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WHY CAN THEY CONTEND?
On paper, Texas will have one of the more lethal offenses in the nation, and the defense should be much improved with the returning players and incoming transfers. The biggest test comes in the non-conference at Alabama, but Texas will have to find a way past a restructured yet talented TCU team and a hungry Kansas State team, among others, at the end of the regular season.
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OBSTACLES
It seems every time Texas takes a step forward, there is an inevitable step back in subsequent seasons. The expectations are high for the Longhorns every season, and after being picked to win the conference by the media, there is a ton of pressure on this year’s team to live up to its potential. Plus, some of the most challenging games of the season will be played late in the year, and the pressure around the program, especially Sarkisian and his quarterbacks, will only mount if the team falters in those games. There are some question marks at key positions, and if the options on the roster play poorly, it could result in another disappointing season of what could have been and falling short of expectations.
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2023 Prediction
Record: 9-3
Bowl: Texas Bowl
While there is potential for this to be a great season in Austin, the Longhorns need to prove they can take the next step. Playing Alabama on the road early in the season seems like a definite loss, but it will not hurt them in the conference. However, it will be necessary for Texas to get off to a good start in Big 12 play as the most challenging games, and possibly multiple losses, loom late.
