OTF Premium Where will Texas' explosive plays come from in 2025?

[Jeff Howe]

No matter how you slice it, Texas had one of the most explosive offenses in the country in 2024.

Steve Sarkisian’s attack finished among college football’s top 35 offenses last season in yards per play (6.21). No offense generated more plays of 20 yards or more than the Longhorns, leading FBS with 108 while finishing No. 3 in the country in 20-yard gains per game (6.75), trailing only Miami (7.62) and Ole Miss (7.39).

While the offense’s average yards per play declined from 2023 (6.67), Texas generated more than an additional 20-yard gain per game en route to a 13-3 record compared to the previous season (5.57 20-yard gains per game). A veteran quarterback and an experienced offensive line made the conditions ripe for the Longhorns to torch defenses, but that’s only part of the equation.

Sarkisian’s offense is designed so that the ball finds different guys at different times. That team-first mentality accounts for the other half of the formula that kept Texas chugging along after losing its top five producers of 20-yard gains from one season to the next with Jonathon Brooks (14), Xavier Worthy (14), Ja’Tavion Sanders (12), Adonai Mitchell (11) and Jordan Whittington (9) counting among the school-record 11 selections in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Based on the offense’s leaderboard for 20-yard gains in 2024, the Longhorns must replace their four most explosive players: Matthew Golden (22), Gunnar Helm (15), Jaydon Blue (12) and Isaiah Bond. It’s a daunting task, but the returns of DeAndre Moore Jr., Ryan Wingo and Quintrevion Wisner (10 plays from scrimmage of at least 20 yards) cushion the blow, especially when looking at everybody’s production per touch.

Golden led the Texas offense by recording a 20-yard gain once every 2.64 touches. The next most explosive Longhorn on a per-touch basis was Wingo, who ripped off 20 yards or more from scrimmage on one out of every 3.4 touches.

Bond (a 20-yard gain once every 3.45 touches), Moore (3.9), Helm (4), Arch Manning (8.33), Blue (14.67) and Wisner (27) rounded out the explosive play production. The scrambling ability of Manning, who had three runs of 20 yards or more on just 25 official attempts, and the potential he’s flashed on designed runs bring an explosive element by way of the quarterback running game in a style not seen on the Forty Acres since Colt McCoy.

Three of Wingo’s 20-yard gains came on the ground. Until Blue’s 77-yard touchdown secured a first-round College Football Playoff win over Clemson, Manning and Wingo had a hand in the offense’s four longest plays from scrimmage: a 75-yard Manning-to-Wingo touchdown pass and Manning’s 67-yard touchdown run against UTSA; a 56-yard pass from Manning to Bond against ULM; and Wingo’s 55-yard run against Michigan.

With Wingo, Moore and Wisner back, Manning taking over behind center and C.J. Baxter returning from injury, the Texas offense has plenty of big-play potential. Sarkisian's creation of advantageous situations for the playmakers who must touch the football and those players coming through when called upon will go a long way toward determining whether or not the Longhorns are in the national championship mix again in 2025.

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[Jeff Howe]

I'm excited about what Wingo can do with more touches.

I don't want to oversell the quarterback runs with Arch, but the scrambling ability he brings to the table can be a real weapon for Texas. It could provide a huge boost early in the season, with the offensive line needing time to come together.

[MarkInAustin]

Any progress report on Baxter?

[Tex-19]

How much will Sark let Arch run especially now that he's the starter?

[Jeff Howe]

2 minutes ago, MarkInAustin said:

Any progress report on Baxter?

Everything was on schedule at last check.

[Jeff Howe]

6 minutes ago, Tex-19 said:

How much will Sark let Arch run especially now that he's the starter?

I think that'll depend on two things:

1. How the offensive line comes together.

2. Arch's comfort with the RPO game to make the threat of him pulling the ball in and running it less predictable.

I see Sark controlling it as much as he can. Arch's ability to extend plays with his legs and break off explosive plays on scrambles is something out of his control, so I can see Sark being measured with how he uses Arch on designed runs.

[NothinButDaHorns34]

Right now the smart money should be on wingo if we don’t go to the portal after spring for more older experience on offense. 

[Quinncent McManning, Jr.]

Arch crazy legs Manning will provide some explosives for sure. 

[Austalgia]

Jaime Ffrench, Kaliq Lockett, (end of year), Ryan Wingo, Aaron Butler, Jordan Washington, Parker Livingstone, and Deandre Moore.  

Edited February 13 by Austalgia

[qaertyisthatdude]

37 minutes ago, Tex-19 said:

How much will Sark let Arch run especially now that he's the starter?

I hope he lets him run wild, but in control if that makes sense.  If Arch is smart enough to slide and go out of bounds on his runs and avoid big hits and fumbles, Sark should break his philosophy a little, and let Arch be Arch.  One thing you could say about Vince Young is that he was a smart running QB.  I don't remember him taking a big hit on any of his runs when he was the QB at Texas.  If he did, you can count them on one hand.

[Austalgia]

48 minutes ago, Jeff Howe said:

I'm excited about what Wingo can do with more touches.

I don't want to oversell the quarterback runs with Arch, but the scrambling ability he brings to the table can be a real weapon for Texas. It could provide a huge boost early in the season, with the offensive line needing time to come together.

Only thing I can see that Wingo needs to do is play through contact when he is interfered with; he was too quick to throw up his hands instead of working back to the ball.  Many of those fouls weren’t called and the ones that were gave us 15 yards, but would have been 20/40 yard receptions if caught. 

Edited February 13 by Austalgia

[GetHooked]

48 minutes ago, Jeff Howe said:

Where will Texas' explosive plays come from in 2025?

 

View full news story

 

My top 3 guesses would be Livingstone, Wingo and Manning. 

[HDub1995]

Don’t love relying on Wingo as the go-to guy. Still hoping they can find an experienced guy in the portal during spring window. 

[syracusehorn]

nm

Edited February 13 by syracusehorn

[Texas fan in Georgia]

It doesn’t matter how explosive you are if you can’t score in the redzone. Redzone has cost Texas a trip to the natty in back to back years. Can’t be settling for 3s especially when they aren’t guaranteed with auburn . I am of the belief arch will solve the redzone issue , hopefully.

[TarrantCoHorn]

Wingo was great with Arch this year. He wasn’t as in sync with Ewers

[Jarveaux]

2 hours ago, Jeff Howe said:

I think that'll depend on two things:

1. How the offensive line comes together.

2. Arch's comfort with the RPO game to make the threat of him pulling the ball in and running it less predictable.

I see Sark controlling it as much as he can. Arch's ability to extend plays with his legs and break off explosive plays on scrambles is something out of his control, so I can see Sark being measured with how he uses Arch on designed runs.

Sark will always have control. That you can depend on. You play by his game plan or you don’t play. He builds his offense around his players proven abilities.  Sark is an offensive guru . Everyone is aware of that . 

[Tex555]

2 hours ago, GetHooked said:

My top 3 guesses would be Livingstone, Wingo and Manning. 

Where is all the Livingstone hype coming from?   I hope you are right, but other than he “showing something” and “progressing”, I have not heard that he is a breakout player.  ???

[Bunk Moreland]

DeAndre Moore surprised at times this year with explosive plays and had a knack for reaching the end zone. He also had great chemistry with Arch. I’m not sure he’s Matthew Golden 2.0, but he might surprise us all with how he elevates his game in 2025.

[watty7796]

Texas won't have to have as many explosives if they quit turning the ball over.  The most understated issue for the Horns in 24 was interceptions from the qb and fumbles from everywhere.  Texas must get better at ball security.  Texas also needs to do a better job of elongating drives.  There were far to many 3 and outs.  Just my humble opinion.  

[Burnt Orange Horn]

33 minutes ago, watty7796 said:

Texas won't have to have as many explosives if they quit turning the ball over.  The most understated issue for the Horns in 24 was interceptions from the qb and fumbles from everywhere.  Texas must get better at ball security.  Texas also needs to do a better job of elongating drives.  There were far to many 3 and outs.  Just my humble opinion.  

Probably 30% of explosives get to the end zone.  So that eliminates some red Zone problems.

[Rick]

Manning's mobility will add explosives in two ways. As said above, he'll run for a few, if his play last year was an indication. However, I think more impact will come from him being to scramble to extend plays, allowing receivers to break open downfield. This was probably the biggest deficiency in Quinn's game.

[thatdude2]

16 hours ago, Bunk Moreland said:

DeAndre Moore surprised at times this year with explosive plays and had a knack for reaching the end zone. He also had great chemistry with Arch. I’m not sure he’s Matthew Golden 2.0, but he might surprise us all with how he elevates his game in 2025.

I’ll say it then. Matthew Golden 3.0!

[HenryJames]

Deep ball.

[GDI]

22 hours ago, qaertyisthatdude said:

If Arch is smart enough to slide and go out of bounds on his runs and avoid big hits and fumbles, Sark should break his philosophy a little, and let Arch be Arch.

Good point.  

Some QB's are smart about getting yards without taking the beating,  think Kyler Murray,  he was one of the smartest about getting yards but not taking the hit.