OTF Premium New group of leaders can help Texas fulfill championship expectations in 2025

[Jeff Howe]

Strong leadership helped guide Texas into the College Football Playoff semifinals the last two seasons. Along with the talent Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns have lost, quality leaders from the 2023 and 2024 rosters have departed the Forty Acres.

A new leadership nucleus is forming during spring practice. Based on the early returns and what Sarkisian, Arch Manning and Quintrevion Wisner have said in their recent post-practice press scrums, the current Texas squad oozes intensity and swagger, which are rubbing off of a robust group of new faces in the locker room.

“We come with just a tad bit more juice. Just a tad,” Wisner said on Thursday. “No offense to older guys, but the younger guys, we definitely have more energy.

“We've got a bunch of freshmen new to the playing lifestyle,” he added. “For them to come in and match our energy and juice is good.”

With Manning, Wisner and DJ Campbell setting the tone on offense, and Anthony Hill, Colin Simmons and Michael Taaffe leading the defense, these leaders have what it takes to end the program’s 20-year national championship drought.

That’s saying a lot. It’s an incredibly high bar to clear.

Nevertheless, these Longhorns give off vibes similar to the 2008 team, one that was more than deserving of a chance to play for the national title.

Quan Cosby, Colt McCoy, Roy Miller and Brian Orakpo led a club that was arguably college football’s best. The young, inexperienced members of the roster — Sam Acho, Keenan Robinson, Earl Thomas and Fozzy Whittaker among them — got in line, helping Texas win 25 of 27 games over two seasons, including the program’s most recent conference championship before the Longhorns won the Big 12 on their way out of the league in 2023.

Sarkisian now knows the quality depth it takes to play upwards of 17 games to be the last team standing when the curtain falls on the CFP at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium on Jan. 19, 2026. That’s why the positive early returns on the likes of James Simon, the young wide receivers (Parker Livingstone and four newcomers: Jaime Ffrench, Kaliq Lockett and Daylan McCutcheon and Michael Terry III), Brandon Baker, Nick Brooks, Nate Kibble, Graceson Littleton, Kade Phillips and Santana Wilson are significant developments to monitor as the overall outlook on depth clears up.

“This is the most young players we've ever had at one time in spring practice,” Sarkisian said during his press conference on Tuesday. “It's been a little bit different for us.”

According to ESPN.com’s Bill Connelly, Texas enters Sarkisian’s fifth season ranked No. 103 nationally in returning production. Of the 136 FBS programs, the Longhorns are 126th in returning offensive production.

Still, that shouldn’t keep the Longhorns from competing for the SEC title and getting over the CFP semifinal hump.

For starters, what Texas lacks in experience it makes up for in talent. Furthermore, the exodus of players with COVID-19 eligibility waivers coinciding with the neverending roster volatility created by the transfer portal has the Longhorns facing the same reality Ohio State (No. 101 in returning production), Georgia (No. 105), Oregon (No. 109), Ole Miss (No. 113 and other SEC and/or national title contenders.

“These young guys want to be good and they bring good energy,” Manning said on Thursday. “That's what makes practice more fun.”

With half of spring practice over, Manning has laid the foundation needed to make that vision a reality.

“He's got a very infectious personality and I think people gravitate to him,” Sarkisian said of Manning on Tuesday. “One of the things I see right now is, naturally, he's leading a group of some younger players, especially the skill spots, like at the wideout spot. His confidence, I think, helps them. His understanding, his ability to connect to those guys in between series and talk to him has been helpful.

“I also see a competitive spirit affecting the defensive side of the ball,” he added. “I think they like competing against Arch. I think they know he's going to talk a little smack to them. He's going to have fun with it, and I think that's bringing out some personality in an Anthony Hill or a [Malik] Muhammad or a Michael Taaffe.

“Every day is competitive because they know 16 is going to bring it and if he gets them, he's going to let them know about it.”

Sarkisian has hammered growth home leading up to spring practice, and he mentioned it several times on Tuesday.

If Manning starts to trend upward, and the team’s growth mirrors his, Texas can head into the postseason as a team nobody wants to face.

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[GetHooked]

15 minutes ago, Jeff Howe said:

“Every day is competitive because they know 16 is going to bring it and if he gets them, he's going to let them know about it.

I absolutely love the 'tude that Arch brings.

[Burnt Orange Horn]

I thought I saw Michael Terry as a 2nd team OR at one of the outside WR??

[Jeff Howe]

3 hours ago, Burnt Orange Horn said:

I thought I saw Michael Terry as a 2nd team OR at one of the outside WR??

Oversight on my part.

[Jarveaux]

Very good article Jeff. Thoroughly enjoyed it . 

[Rocky P]

Amazing article Jeff.  Is it August yet?  

[Jarveaux]

Earl Thomas was amazing!

Edited 6 hours ago by Jarveaux
Earl was an exciting player to watch ! High School, college, professional.