All Activity

The key thing to consider is what will happen to our recruiting if we don’t win a national championship with Arch. It will be easy for detractors to then say about Texas, “if not now/then, then when”. And they have legitimate room to say that. For a very long time, the overall perception of Texas is that we fail to live up to lofty expectations. If we fail to win with Arch, that will be another data point that fits the narrative. At this point, the longer it takes Sark to win a championship, the more people will be convinced that the answer to the question of “if not now, when?” is “never”.

Adding a third. Things can change in a heartbeat. I don’t want to speak it into existence, but Sark could leave for the NFL or any number of other bad things could happen to set the program back. Strike while the iron is hot applies.

I understand what you’re saying. Yes, Texas will still be Texas after Arch, and Sark is putting together a monster that will be elite for the foreseeable future. But I think the all in mindset is really two things. 1. People think Arch has the potential to be a generational player. Guys that level like Young, Newton, Burrow, etc. win Nattys, and it’s smart to do everything to support them to do so. 2. If he is that level of player and Texas doesn’t go all in and win it all, that becomes a negative recruiting tool. With NIL that stuff may not matter as much as it used to, but it’s still a thing. Also beyond recruiting I’m sure the staff doesn’t want to be labeled “couldn’t win it even with Arch”.

He will certainly make mistakes. Peyton who I think is an all time great threw 28 picks as a rookie. Peyton was humble and tough enough to rebound. I think Arch is going to be phenomenal. He practiced against elite defense here and Sark is a QB whisperer.

We may not be as good after Arch leaves. Who knows. We're not guaranteed anything, as we are all painfully aware. Gotta take advantage while we can, strike while the iron's hot, etc. Are you happy we did during the VY era? We'd still be looking for our first NC in 55 years.

Trenches always win. A great QB is a shell without protection.

I didn't realize Jaray had been in there that often, I guess he wasn't having a significant impact. I viewed him as a pass rusher and I hope justus Terry takes some of that responsibility and more.

We do have a 2 year window with Arch. That part is correct. The problem with this reply as well as your OP is that literally no one (OTF staff/posters) are saying that the window completely closes after Arch moves on. The window at Texas never closes, never has.

My expectations are in check when it comes to arch since it seems everybody has theirs sky high. Are we really gonna act like this isn’t the same kid that got into the georgia game and looked completely shell shocked like Quinn? He is going to have his bad games and i can’t wait to see the mental gymnastics the same guys last year who were ready to bench quinn for arch do in the live game threads.

Second to QB, the most impactful position group on the teams success IMO. We have been spoiled and I like it!

Here are a few nuggets left on the cutting room floor: — The last Texas tackle who played more than 38 snaps per game was Ta’Quon Graham in 2020, who averaged 50.4 snaps per game in a nine-game pandemic-impacted regular season. —The sixth-most snaps at defensive tackle in each of the last two seasons were logged by Jaray Bledsoe (85 snaps in eight games in 2023) and Tia Savea (38 snaps in four games in 2024), respectively. — Travis Shaw’s season-long PFF grade improved from a 52 in 2023 (119 total snaps and 11.1 per game) to a 61.3 in 2024 (a PFF grade of 60 is considered average). The same was true for Johnson, whose 54.8 grade while playing 17.1 snaps per game jumped to a 64.8 last season with an increase in playing time.

Tremendous article. Didn't realize Lole ate so many snaps. Norton was a huge surprise as I didn't expect much but he was like Ted Washington.

AUSTIN, Texas — Steve Sarkisian won’t know how the Texas interior defensive line measures up to the program’s last few groups until the No. 1 Longhorns meet No. 3 Ohio State in the Horseshoe on Aug. 30. Still, through six practices, Sarkisian knew enough to make a definitive statement about Kenny Baker’s unit. “We're deep,” Sarkisian said after the team's Aug. 5 practice. “That's probably the biggest thing I can say about that group right now. We're playing a lot of guys, which has been good.” Vernon Broughton and Alfred Collins were two of the first 71 picks in the 2025 NFL Draft. Along with losing two of the most prominent members of a Texas defense that was No. 3 in FBS in total defense (283.4 yards per game and 4.4 yards per play allowed), scoring defense (15.3 points per game allowed) in the red zone (62.9 percent conversion rate allowed), the expired eligibility of Jermayne Lole and Bill Norton put the Longhorns in a position in which the 94 snaps Alex January logged as a true freshman made him the team's most experienced returning tackle. Cole Brevard (Purdue), Hero Kanu (Ohio State) and Travis Shaw (North Carolina) joined the program out of the transfer portal during the winter window. Even with January and Melvin Hills III back with a year under their belts, and Myron Charles, Justus Terry and Josiah Sharma making up a strong signing class that was on campus for spring practice, Texas went back into the portal and snagged Lavon Johnson (Maryland) and Maraad Watson (Syracuse) heading into the summer. Ten defensive tackles occupying scholarships on the 2025 roster might seem like overkill. Regardless, Sarkisian wanted to ensure the Longhorns had enough depth to fortify the rotation through what will be a long season if Texas makes another deep run in the College Football Playoff. “When you look at our team, I think about January,” Sarkisian said. “As much as I'm thinking about Aug. 30, I'm thinking about this journey we're trying to go on.” While it might take a few games for Sarkisian, Baker and Pete Kwiatkowski to figure out an optimal rotation, a deep mix of tackles is something the Longhorns didn’t have in 2024. Collins (593 snaps) and Broughton (588) both logged more than 500 snaps last season, according to Pro Football Focus. Lole (469) and Norton (260) were the only other Texas tackles to play more than 100 snaps, with January’s snap total finishing a distant fifth among Longhorn interior defensive linemen. “Where we're at now, a lot of these guys probably would've been able to spell those guys more than we were able to last year,” Sarkisian said. “I think that's probably the difference. Some of those guys, if they were on our team last season, Vernon and Alfred might not have had to have played as many snaps as they did a year ago.” What that might look like when the dust settles on the 2025 season is a distribution of snaps similar to how the Texas defensive tackles operated in 2022. A group that eventually produced six NFL draft picks, including a first-rounder (Byron Murphy II in 2024) and two second-rounders (Collins in 2025 and T’Vondre Sweat in 2024), the defense’s top six tackles in Sarkisian's second season got enough snaps to be impactful during a 13-game campaign. Sweat’s 35.7 snaps played per game led the unit, followed by Keondre Coburn (31.9), Moro Ojomo (31.3), Murphy (30.2), Collins (21.6) and Broughton (20.3). When looking back at the snap totals within the tackle group in 2021, the Longhorns got more from Sweat (26.3 snaps per game in 2021) and Murphy (24.8), which helped Ojomo (35.9) and Coburn (32.4) maximize their time on the field. A deeper, more effective tip of the spear helped Texas finish 22nd nationally in yards per rushing attempt allowed (3.48) and 32nd in rushing yards per game allowed (125.7), a drastic turnaround from Kwiatkowski's forgettable debut (201.6 yards per game and 5.15 yards per attempt allowed). According to PFF’s snap totals from the 2024 season, Watson (37.9 snaps per game) logged the most playing time at his previous stop, followed by Brevard (34.7), Shaw (25.9), Johnson (20.5) and Kanu (7.8). Based on their season-long PFF grades, a rotation could help Texas get more consistent production from Watson and Brevard. No defensive tackle in the Sarkisian era has logged as much playing time in one season as Watson did as a true freshman in the ACC. A few fewer snaps per game could do for Watson what it did for Brevard, whose PFF grade improved from a 60.6 in 2023, when he played in 11 games for the Boilermakers and averaged 35.6 snaps per game, to a 75 last season (a PFF grade of 70 is considered above average). The competition for snaps will bleed into the regular season, which is fine with Sarkisian. If the master plan Sarkisian put into motion works, and the 2025 defensive tackle outlook rivals what happened in 2022, Baker's group should have a lot left in the tank when it matters most in December and January. “That's what my goal was coming into the season: Could we develop that room into where we can play a lot of players, a lot of people, so that over time, that wear and tear wouldn't take its toll on us?” Sarkisian said. “I think we've done that.” View full news story

I think this sentiment is short selling that we have a future number one overall pick in the NFL at QB which would be the first in modern Texas history

I think it would be extremely irresponsible if you don't go all in with Arch as Qb. We put an expiration date on a sophomore and junior QB who helped lead Texas to back to back final fours. If you're holding back bullets in your pistol, shotgun etc you need to understand college is a short shelf life and you should be all in, every time, every game, every year. If injuries come into play and a planned redshirt is next in Line do you forego the red shirt over the walk on? The answer is yes , you have Arch Manning.

Totally agree with this sentiment 👏🏿.

It has been said over and over that we have this 2 year window with Arch. It is said in a way that makes it sound like Arch is our whole team and we won’t be as good after he graduates. My premises is that the way we are recruiting Arch is only one cog in the wheel and we will continue to be every bit as dangerous after he graduates. Texas will be a team to be reckoned with for a long time to come.

Jam Miller was really good in blitz pick-up, which will be critical for T.Simpson as he develops. Not sure what R.Young brings there.

Jaylan Ford made several great plays today besides the pick. A couple of TFLs as well

He actually made several good plays

The idea of second guessing. Akina is worth immediately dismissing

I got you wrong. Sorry.

Vernon too

I don't see anyone planning on quitting after Arch... not sure the issue? All in now – and going forward til the wheels fall off lol! 🤘