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    Jeff Howe
    TAMPA, Fla. — The best sign of Colin Simmons’ growth as a player, a man and a leader are his personal goals for the 2026 season.
    After making it known that he was aiming for Kiki DeAyala’s single-season school sack record (22.5 in 1982) heading into 2025, Simmons isn’t concerned with splattering his name all over the Texas record books. Instead, Simmons would rather put a number on the wall signifying how the Longhorns fulfilled their promise in what’s expected to be his last season on the Forty Acres.
    “Honestly, my individual goals are the team goals,” Simmons said at SEC Media Days in Tampa on Thursday. “It's the team's success. Winning. Winning a national championship.
    "Everything that comes with it.”
    Thanks to a furious finish, which saw him racking up 10.5 sacks over the last eight games of the season, including a career-high three in a 16-13 overtime road win over Kentucky on Oct. 18, only Jackson Jeffcoat and Alex Okafor have gotten closer to DeAyala’s seemingly untouchable mark than Simmons did last season. The second-team All-American and first-team All-SEC defender’s 12 sacks tied him with DeAyala (1981), Steve McMichael (1977) and Tony Degrate (1984) for the eighth-best single-season sack total since 1975, which is when Texas began tracking sacks as an official statistic.
    While Simmons was noticeably pressing early in the season, the sacks started to come when his focus shifted from piling up numbers to loving the game. The approach also helped Simmons come into his own as a leader with a style that’s positioned him to be everything Will Muschamp needs him to be in the first season of his second stint as the program’s defensive coordinator.
    “Being myself, showing my teammates that they can just be themselves,” Simmons said when describing his leadership style. “They don't have to change. They don't have to impress nobody.  People are going to have opinions regardless of what it is, good or bad, but at the end of the day, as long as you stay true to yourself, nothing can move you.”
    The only person who should be able to move Simmons is Muschamp, who has unleashed top-notch edge rushers like Simmons throughout his career as a defensive coordinator. With 21 sacks through two seasons, Simmons is nine away from joining DeAyala, Degrate and Tim Campbell as the only Longhorns to record at least 30 career sacks, highlighting the Duncanville product’s pass-rushing prowess.
    Steve Sarkisian hired Muschamp to ensure the Longhorns play defense with more of “an aggressive, in-your-face, tighter coverage kind of approach to things,” he said Thursday. Simmons stands to benefit the most from the leadership change; according to Pro Football Focus, Simmons’ 74 coverage snaps were tied for the 26th most among FBS edge defenders and the fifth most among edge rushers in the SEC.
    Simmons attacking downhill toward the line of scrimmage more often should be a net positive for the Texas defense. The mindset change Muschamp promotes, and the physicality he demands, have Simmons champing at the bit to show what he can do in the new scheme.
    “I'm not going to lie, I'm happy to be part of this defense,” Simmons said. “I'm happy to be coached under him.”
    Even then, Simmons remains steadfast in maintaining a team-first approach to what could be a historic junior season.
    “Representing the Longhorns is like representing the name on your back,” Simmons said. “You've got to represent it with pride because at the end of the day that's your family and you're representing your family. Just like I represent my mom, I’ve got to represent the Longhorns.”
    Jeff Howe
    TAMPA, Fla. — Trevor Goosby didn’t mince words at SEC Media Days when asked to describe what went wrong when Texas tried to run the football in 2025.
    “Sometimes, first and foremost, we weren't physical enough,” Goosby said. “Obviously, we weren't moving bodies the way that we should have. And then, sometimes, I felt like we were just kind of playing as five individuals rather than five as one.
    “It was just kind of five offensive linemen out there rather than one offensive line unit,” he added. “That's kind of how I felt about last year.”
    There were indeed issues along the offensive line, which played a significant role in the Longhorns managing just 137.8 rushing yards per game (90th in FBS and the program’s lowest output since 2017) and averaging 4.19 yards per rushing attempt (No. 84 nationally and the worst on the Forty Acres since 2018). However, multiple parties must be held responsible for the worst season on the ground for an FBS offense led by Steve Sarkisian since his first season as Washington’s coach in 2009.
    Sarkisian overhauled the running back room’s personnel with Raleek Brown and Hollywood Smothers from the transfer portal and Derrek Cooper from the high school ranks. A leadership change has also made a difference for a position group that lacked consistency and explosiveness last season, with Jabbar Juluke’s arrival injecting the offense with some much-needed juice.
    “Coach Juluke is always bringing that energy with the running backs,” Goosby said. “I can really feel it from the running back group. They're always bringing that energy.”
    Goosby likes what Sarkisian and the front office did to elevate the tight end room with the additions of Michigan State transfer Michael Masunas and former Michigan co-offensive coordinator Steve Casula.
    “Really, just kind of a development for not only the pass game, but also the run game, and just getting more physical,” Goosby said. “We're getting a lot more out of those guys, for sure.  Coach (Jeff) Banks and Coach Casula have done a great job of really bringing those guys along.”
    Sarkisian and Kyle Flood utilizing the transfer portal to beef up the offensive line has helped bring the unit together, Goosby said Thursday. Melvin Siani has proven himself to be “a really athletic tackle” who “is really quick on his feet,” according to Goosby, who described June arrival Laurence Seymore as “a really tenacious, athletic run blocker (and) pass blocker.”
    Will the changes made after taking stock of a largely forgettable season on the ground lead to Texas having an attack capable of taking pressure off Arch Manning and that can be counted on to execute in critical situations? To ensure everyone in the offensive line room understands how unacceptable last season was and what they need to do as a group to help put a better product on the field, Goosby has made it a point to lead the charge.
    At the end of the day, Goosby said, turning things around will require his fellow linemen to get their minds wrapped around winning the line of scrimmage battle by moving another man against his will.
    “I think it's more of a mental thing; mentality thing rather than a technique thing,” Goosby said. Obviously, we're going to do our technique drills and do our individual and stuff, but for me personally, sometimes I'll bring the guys in and we'll watch plays where it didn't work because of us. Plays where we needed to be more physical and just pushing that narrative to the guys.
    “That's kind of the biggest thing that we've done this offseason.”
    Jeff Howe
    TAMPA, Fla. — Arch Manning’s goal coming out of the 2025 season and entering his second campaign as QB1 on the Forty Acres was simple.
    “Stay present,” Manning said while making the rounds at SEC Media Days in Tampa on Thursday. “Take it one day at a time.”
    For Manning, who was under a white-hot spotlight before he ever took a snap in a Texas uniform, that’s easier said than done. Still, Manning has grown while learning how to deal with life in a fishbowl ahead of what figures to be his last season with the Longhorns.
    He believes it’s the biggest difference between the player he is now and who Manning was before leading No. 1-ranked Texas into last season’s opening game on the road against reigning national champion Ohio State.
    “I think I've become more present,” Manning said. “I've obviously matured. I think going through those rough times, I learned a lot about myself and I've become a better man because of it and, hopefully, a better player.”
    Manning joked that he isn’t aiming for a repeat performance against the Buckeyes, when he threw for 170 yards, one touchdown and an interception on a 17-for-30 afternoon throwing the football in a 14-7 loss. The loss was part of a turbulent first half of the season for Manning, whose play inspired an article published by "The Athletic" openly pondering if Manning was college football’s first flop.
    After a 16-13 overtime win over Kentucky in which the offense posted season-low totals for total yards (179), yards per play (3.3) and first downs (eight), Manning was, statistically, one of the least productive quarterbacks in the SEC. His 207 passing yards per game entering the team’s next game against Mississippi State ranked 71st nationally and 13th in the SEC among 16 qualifying quarterbacks. He also ranked 91st in FBS and last in the conference in completion percentage (60.3), while his 140.4 pass efficiency rating ranked 63rd nationally and 11th in the SEC.
    Things changed, however, after Manning led a furious second-half rally in a 45-38 overtime win over Mississippi State the week following the woeful performance against the Wildcats.
    In November, which included wins over Vanderbilt, Arkansas and Texas A&M (along with a loss to Georgia), Diego Pavia and Trinidad Chambliss were the only SEC quarterbacks with more passing yards per game than Manning's 286.8. Over the last four games of the regular season, Manning completed 62.2 percent of his passes and tied Chambliss for the third-most passing touchdowns among SEC quarterbacks (nine) while throwing only one interception.
    Coming off a turnover-free performance with 376 total yards and four touchdowns in a Citrus Bowl win over Michigan and fully recovered from postseason foot surgery, Manning isn’t changing his live-in-the-now mindset in the face of sky-high expectations.
    “I'm not really worried about the outside world,” Manning said. “That's what I'll continue to try to do.”
    Jeff Howe
    TAMPA, Fla. — If book excerpts and off-the-cuff remarks have damaged the relationship between Steve Sarkisian and Ole Miss coach Pete Golding, neither coach is admitting it publicly.
    Golding spoke of Sarkisian only with reverence while making the rounds at SEC Media Days in Tampa on Wednesday.
    “I've always been a super-big fan of Steve Sarkisian. I was able to get really close to him in his time at Tuscaloosa and always had really, really admired him, even prior to that,” said Golding, who worked alongside Sarkisian on Nick Saban’s Alabama staff in 2019 and 2020. “But to see him and how he works on a daily basis and his love of the game and his rapport with his players when he was the coordinator there, the ability to bring people around him with him from a leadership standpoint. I always thought he was one of the best game-day play-callers out there, and packaging plays and seeing things and the way he window dresses things to be able to get certain guys — as they're moving — the ball, which I think is very, very unique.”
    Golding also made note of what Sarkisian and the Texas staff have done on the recruiting trail, quipping during his main press conference that he’s not fond of the Longhorns’ effort to recruit deep into the SEC footprint, specifically the state of Mississippi.
    “I tell Sark all the time, ‘Dude, you’ve got plenty of guys in Texas. Get out of our state,’” said Golding, who suffered an in-state recruiting loss to Texas when Brookhaven (Miss.) EDGE Derwin Fields committed to the Longhorns over other suitors, including Ole Miss, in April. “They’re everywhere.” 
    All joking aside, both parties have taken their share of shots in the last year, some more hurtful than others
    The first indication of possible friction between Sarkisian and Golding came in August 2025, courtesy of an excerpt from Seth Wickersham’s book “American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback.” According to the excerpt, Golding reportedly tried to use Sarkisian’s battle with alcoholism to sway the hotly contested race for Arch Manning in Alabama’s favor (Manning committed to Texas on June 23, 2022).
    After the dust settled, Sarkisian took what could be considered a swipe at Golding’s program while voicing his issues with transfer portal recruiting in a wide-ranging interview with Matt Hayes of USA Today.
    “All you have to do is take basket weaving, and you can get an Ole Miss degree,” Sarkisian said. He admitted during his appearance at the Touchdown Club of Houston’s annual Texas luncheon in May that he shouldn’t have used that specific example while trying to frame big-picture issues in college football.
    Since then, Sarkisian has been complimentary of Golding, touting their friendship. For his part, Golding is returning the favor, praising Sarkisian and the Longhorns on Wednesday for the challenge awaiting the Rebels when they visit Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on Oct. 24.
    “I think it's going to be a really, really tough game. They're a very talented football team,” said Golding, who will continue to call the defense for Ole Miss, making the game a true head-to-head battle with Sarkisian. “(Sarkisian has) put together a really good staff. I've worked with a lot of those guys; a lot of respect for them. Really good relationship, obviously, with Arch. Playing down there is going to be tough.
    “We've definitely done our homework; you have to with Sark,” he added. “You're going to get certain plays, but you've just got to contest those, man, and spot the ball and play the next one. Super excited about the opportunity.”
    Jeff Howe
    TAMPA, Fla. — Jon Sumrall enters his first season at Florida knowing the caliber of quarterback his defensive staff will have to deal with when the Gators travel to Austin to face Texas and Arch Manning on Oct. 17.
    Sumrall got to know Archie Manning and the Manning family during his two seasons as Tulane’s coach. Sumrall recalled during his press conference at SEC media days on Wednesday that Archie Manning reached out to him to see if he’d allow Arch Manning to work out at Tulane’s football facilities while the Longhorn quarterback was spending time at home in New Orleans.
    “Archie would shoot me a text or a phone call and see if it's OK in May, during a little downtime, if Arch comes over and throws,” Sumrall said. “I'm like, ‘Yeah. And ask if he wants to transfer.’ I might go out there and watch him throw and (Arch’s father) Cooper or whoever might be out there. I’m like, ‘Yeah, I’d like to coach that guy.’”
    In the face of constant pressure the Florida defense applied in a 29-21 loss the Gators handed Texas in Gainesville last season, Manning went 16-for-29 for 263 yards and two touchdowns (two interceptions and 37 net rushing yards on a season-high 15 official carries). Although the third bout between the Longhorns and Florida in as many seasons will be Sumrall’s first time preparing a plan to defend Manning, he knows the caliber of player the Gators will see under center.
    “He's a good player,” Sumrall said. “I really have a lot of respect for the Manning family as a whole. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree with Arch, with how he carries himself.”
    Sumrall inherits a Florida program that’s split its two SEC meetings with Texas (the Longhorns blasted the Gators in Austin in 2024, 49-17) and will battle Steve Sarkisian’s club for a third consecutive season. It’s one of the quirks of the league’s effort to equitably schedule a nine-game SEC slate for the league’s 16 programs, which resulted in scheduling anomalies, such as Florida and Tennessee not facing each other for the first time since 1989.
    Texas won't supplant the Volunteers on the list of schools the Gator faithful would consider a true rival to Florida. Nevertheless, Sumrall is looking forward to Sarkisian and the Longhorns being one of his team’s nine conference opponents during his maiden voyage as an SEC head coach.
    “It’s a big game because you're playing Texas and they're really good. Every SEC game is a big game is a big game,” Sumarall said. “It doesn't matter who we're playing; we don't change our prep for the game. It stays the same. But it is new and unique to be playing Texas a third year in a row. That's not something that's maybe historically been a part of Florida's past and Texas’ past. Who would’ve thought 10 years ago that Florida was playing Texas for the third year in a row and not playing Tennessee?
    “A lot of respect for Sark," he added. "He's a brilliant offensive mind and a play-caller. I've always admired how he does things. I think he runs a great program.”
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