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    Jeff Howe
    AUSTIN, Texas — Hopefully, the season opener against Texas State is the sloppiest game No. 5 Texas plays in 2026.
    While Steve Sarkisian doesn’t question the effort, intent or physicality he'll see against the Bobcats, he’s not expecting the Longhorns to be a finished product. After watching a few of the games during college football’s limited Week 0 slate, Sarkisian knows his club won’t be perfect on Saturday (2:30 p.m., ESPN).
    “You see guys jumping offsides, you see formations, you see personal foul penalties after a catch that's a little bit of a different rule, you see 12 guys on the field — you see some of the stuff,” Sarkisian said on Monday. “To me, the situational masters piece of how important those special situations are in early Week 1, Week 2 type games, those are the things that we're really trying to focus in on to make sure that we don't have those lapses. Only 10 guys on punt return or 12 guys on defense. Hard count, we jump offsides. Those little things are the things that we're really trying to focus in on.”
    For a Texas squad that finished the 2025 season ranked 134th in the country in penalties per game (8.3), getting off to a clean start is hugely important, especially with No. 1 Ohio State coming to town for a game on Sept. 12 with major College Football Playoff implications at stake. The same can be said for Texas State, whose seven penalties for 61.4 yards per game last season ranked 104th and 106th in FBS, respectively.
    Other than limiting penalties, which would be a long overdue, welcome sight for the Longhorn faithful, here are a few other statistical categories to monitor when Texas squares off with the Bobcats.
    TURNOVERS
    The focus on takeaways throughout the offseason has centered around Will Muschamp’s defense forcing the issue and creating havoc. When it comes to the opener, however, the attention shifts away from the defense and to how well Arch Manning and the offense can protect the football, something the Longhorns did at an elite level last season.
    Only four FBS offenses committed more turnovers than the nine charged to Texas in 13 games, one of which was a special teams miscue in the Citrus Bowl. While the offense turned the ball over six times in two camp scrimmages, the Longhorns should find better fortune against Texas State.
    The Bobcats tied for 106th nationally with 12 takeaways last season. That’s one of the reasons why GJ Kinne hired Will Windham off Major Applewhite’s South Alabama staff to run Texas State’s defense, even though the Jaguars recorded five fewer takeaways in 2025 (15 in 12 games) than they did in Windham’s first season as defensive coordinator, tying for 43rd in FBS with 20 turnovers forced in 13 games.
    Turning the football over is a sure-fire way to let an inferior opponent hang around longer than they should. The better the Longhorns are at protecting the football, the quicker Sarkisian can get the starters out of the game.
    PLAY DIFFERENTIAL
    Paired together, third-down conversion percentage and time of possession paint a good picture of how well a team controlled a game. The play differential (the difference between the number of plays run on offense and the number of plays defended) between two teams does the same thing.
    And with the elements being what they’re expected to be on Saturday, total snaps are arguably more important than the aforementioned metrics.
    It’s also an area where Texas struggled last season. The Longhorns had a season-long play differential of minus-47 (minus-3.6 per game), which ranked 14th in the SEC; it got worse in conference play, with Texas’ minus-79 play differential (minus-9.9 per game) ranking last in the league.
    The defense forcing turnovers and/or getting off the field on third down are significant factors in how the play differential plays out. But the offense also has to sustain drives, which the Longhorns should be better equipped to do in 2026, thanks to a revamped running game and an offensive line (with help from Michael Masunas as an in-line blocker) better built to control the line of scrimmage.
    QUARTERBACK RUSHING YARDS
    Manning finishing the game with as close to zero rushing yards as possible would be a great outcome for the offense. It would mean he avoided getting sacked and, instead of using his legs to escape the pocket and keep the offense on schedule, Manning has more (and more viable) options to check the ball down to with Raleek Brown and Hollywood Smothers in the backfield.
    The fewer hits Manning has to absorb against the Bobcats, the better everyone will feel heading into the Ohio State game. Brad Jackson’s legs, on the other hand, can put stress on the Texas defense in multiple ways.
    According to Pro Football Focus, Jackson rushed for 391 yards on scrambles (No. 9 in FBS) and gained 478 yards on designed runs (No. 23 in FBS). The Bobcats’ signal-caller was one of only seven FBS quarterbacks to rack up at least 450 yards on designed runs and scramble for at least 350 yards (Jackson’s 58 rushing attempts on scrambles were the second-most in FBS, according to PFF).
    Whether it’s Justin Cryer, Derek Williams Jr. or another Longhorn defender, Kinne would be smart to look for the path of least resistance (i.e., limiting the number of times his offense challenges Rasheem Biles, Colin Simmons or another proven playmaker) when targeting Texas players to put in a run/pass conflict.
    Jeff Howe
    AUSTIN, Texas — Steve Sarkisian won’t know much about his team until No. 5 Texas gets on the field and squares off with Texas State at Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on Saturday (2:30 p.m., ESPN).
    One thing Sarkisian can take to the bank heading into the opening game of his sixth season on the Forty Acres, however, is that he and Arch Manning are in a much different place than they were at this time last year.
    And by different, Manning and the Longhorn offense are better positioned for success.
    “I think last year, offensively, was a little bit of a work in progress,” Sarkisian said on Monday. “We were probably a little too young around Arch as much as it was Arch's first year starting. Trying to figure out what he felt very good with, but also what the other guys could do well.”
    The first half of Manning’s 13-game starting campaign was largely forgettable. When Texas traveled to Florida for last season’s SEC opener in early October, Manning averaged 222 passing yards per game, ranking ninth out of 16 qualifying quarterbacks in the conference. Manning also ranked ninth in the league in pass efficiency rating (154.0) and yards per pass attempt (8.4) and 15th out of 16 SEC quarterbacks in completion percentage (61.3).
    Fortunately, Manning wrapped up his third year in the program playing as well as any quarterback in the country. In November, a month in which the Longhorns won three of their four games, including victories over No. 9 Vanderbilt and No. 3 Texas A&M, Manning ranked third in the SEC in passing yards per game (286.6) and passing touchdowns (nine) while completing 62.2 percent of his passes and committing just one turnover.
    The hard lessons throughout the first half of 2025 will, hopefully, lead to Manning and the offense enjoying a faster, more prosperous start to 2026. An older, more seasoned Manning should also benefit from the talent Sarkisian’s organization acquired in the offseason to bolster Manning’s supporting cast.
    The transfer portal additions should make the conditions ripe for Manning to do his job without feeling undue pressure to carry the offense on his shoulders. At the same time, the Bobcats will face a more experienced Longhorn offense than the one Sarkisian fielded in last season’s 14-7 loss to Ohio State.
    Manning led an offense into the much-ballyhooed battle with the Buckeyes for his third career start with four of the 10 starters around him making their collegiate starting debuts (Brandon Baker, Parker Livingstone, Connor Stroh and Ryan Wingo). Even with DJ Campbell (30 starts entering his senior season), Jack Endries (26 starts at Cal) and Tre Wisner (12 starts) boasting significant starting experience, the 10 starters who took the field with Manning for the first snap inside the Horseshoe combined for 93 career starts.
    Even if Trevor Goosby’s injured left knee forces him to miss Saturday’s game (Andre Cojoe is in line to make his starting debut if Goosby can’t go), Baker, Wingo, Raleek Brown, Cam Coleman, Connor Robertson, Laurence Seymore, Melvin Siani, Hollywood Smothers and Michael Masunas enter Saturday’s game with 139 career starts between them.
    The defense got the better of the offense in the team’s two camp scrimmages, with Sarkisian acknowledging Monday that Will Muschamp’s unit ended camp ahead of the offense.
    Nevertheless, Sarkisian came out of camp encouraged by the new-look offense, specifically with the group’s ability to create explosive plays.
    “The explosive play component to our offense is really important, that we can generate those,” said Sarkisian, whose offense tallied 59 20-plus-yard plays from scrimmage last season, which tied for eighth in the SEC and 51st in FBS. “Now, the level of efficiency — my goal is that it continues to improve when the defense isn't going against the same plays over and over and over, and the windows maybe aren't quite as tight and the run holes aren't quite as tight.”
    It will take time for Sarkisian’s offense to build the chemistry and consistency it needs to operate at a championship-caliber level.
    What must show signs of improvement right out of the gate, however, is a running game that fell well below the program’s standard in 2025. Texas averaged a lowly 3.27 yards per attempt against SEC defenses last season and wrapped up conference play with the league’s second-worst rushing offense (93.1 yards per game), with Manning becoming a much bigger part of the rushing attack than Sarkisian anticipated.
    “It wasn't great that we didn't really have a run game around him to where he became the run game, but that was what we needed to do to try to be successful,” Sarkisian said of Manning, who led the Longhorns with 21 rushing attempts of 10 or more yards, according to Pro Football Focus. Manning also finished second on the team with 15 missed tackles forced and recorded 358 yards on scrambles, according to PFF, ranking fourth in the SEC and No. 14 nationally.
    Sarkisian’s goal is for the 2026 offense to operate with more balance. That can only happen if Texas plays cleaner football.
    Last season, the Longhorns ranked 134th nationally in penalties per game (8.3). They finished the season ranked 132nd in the country in penalty yards per game (69.7), which contributed to the offense getting behind the chains and recording a Sarkisian-era low 39.2 percent conversion rate on third down (No. 73 in FBS).
    “The goal is that we can put ourselves in more manageable situations, most notably third down,” Sarkisian said. “Staying out of third-and-seven-plus, third-and-10-plus situations — that's not fun for any quarterback and that's not fun for an offensive line.”
    Everything around Manning improving should raise the offense’s floor. To what extent Manning and Sarkisian are on the same page could significantly raise the ceiling on that side of the ball.
    Although Sarkisian is giving Manning more freedom at the line of scrimmage, the quarterback can begin to put his spin on the play-caller’s offense and put himself in the best position to succeed on Saturday based on what happens Friday. That’s when the tone of the conversations between Sarkisian and the Longhorn quarterbacks shifts.
    That’s also when Sarkisian might get his best feeling for how far Manning has grown since making his road starting debut in Columbus more than a year ago.
    “On Friday, I sit with them (the quarterbacks) and we talk game plan, we talk play calls, we talk situational football; 'here's what I'm thinking, do you like it? Do you not like it?' I don't want to call anything that he doesn't feel great about and I try not to do that to him,” Sarkisian said. “The key to me in, now, Year 2 as a starter with Arch, is him having the ability to tell me he doesn't like one of the plays. You're not offending me, but I think, sometimes, a younger quarterback can be like, 'I don't want to tell him I don't like that play because he likes it.' I don't have to execute the play; I just call it. I want to make sure we're calling the plays for him that he believes in, that he has great faith in. That's what Friday's meeting is really for, that just because it's on the call sheet doesn't mean I have to call it. I want to call the things that he really likes and the things that he feels comfortable with.”
    Jeff Howe
    In recent years, Steve Sarkisian hasn’t released the first depth chart of the season until Texas’ opening game.
    Assuming that’s the case again in 2026, and the first depth chart isn’t made public until Saturday, when the Longhorns kick off Sarkisian’s sixth season against Texas State (2:30 p.m., ESPN), On Texas Football has you covered.
    We’re making a final depth chart projection before the season starts, which comes with a few key things to know:
    — Texas reportedly utilized two-back personnel in both camp scrimmages. That’s why we’re keeping Hollywood Smothers and Raleek Brown as co-starters at running back, although Smothers (based on what sources have told OTF throughout camp) is the current favorite to be the first back on the field.
    — After the top three wideouts on the roster (Cam Coleman, Emmett Mosley V and Ryan Wingo), Sterling Berkhalter, Jermaine Bishop Jr. and Daylan McCutcheon appear to be locked in as the top three backups.
    — Andre Cojoe, who’s in line to start against Texas State at left tackle if Trevor Goosby (knee) can’t go, is the team’s No. 3 tackle. Jaydon Chatman has worked at multiple positions in camp (and throughout his career). Along with Chatman, Jackson Christian, Cole Hutson and Dylan Sikorski are the top reserves on the interior.
    — The Longhorns have listed three interior defensive line positions on the depth chart under Sarkisian. Expect to see the top two at each position featured in the rotation, with Myron Charles making a push throughout camp to earn snaps.
    — We’ve got Colton Vasek on the depth chart at EDGE and SAM linebacker, where he’ll play situationally. We’re also putting Jordon Johnson-Rubell with the WLB group and the safeties.
    — After the top-four safeties, Toray Davis is currently projected to be the fifth safety in line for snaps.
     
    OFFENSE
     
    QUARTERBACK
    1. (16) Arch Manning (6-4, 222, Sr.-2L)
    2. (9) Karle “KJ” Lacey Jr. (6-0, 188, Soph.-SQ)
    3. (6) Dia Bell (6-3, 206, Fr.-HS)
    4. (19) MJ Morris (6-1, 201, 5YSr.-TR)
     
    RUNNING BACK
    1. (2) Hollywood Smothers (5-11, 196, Sr.-TR) — OR — (0) Raleek Brown (5-9, 193, 5YSr.-TR)
    2. (5) Derrek Cooper (6-1, 212, Fr.-HS)
    3. (21) Ryan Niblett (5-10, 189, Sr.-1L)
    4. (11) Michael Terry III (6-3, 229, Soph.-SQ)
    5. (31) James Simon (5-11, 208, Soph.-SQ)
    6. (28) Jett Walker (6-1, 224, Fr.-HS)
     
    WIDE RECEIVER (X)
    1. (8) Cam Coleman (6-3, 204, Jr.-TR)
    2. (7) Kaliq Lockett (6-2, 181, Soph.-SQ)
     
    WIDE RECEIVER (Z)
    1. (1) Ryan Wingo (6-2, 214, Jr.-2L)
    2. (18) Sterling Berkhalter (6-3, 196, 5YSr.-TR)
    3. (13) Kohen Brown (6-0, 202, Fr.-HS)
    4. (14) Chris Stewart (6-0, 184, Fr.-HS)
     
    WIDE RECEIVER (H)
    1. (3) Emmett Mosley V (6-2, 199, Jr.-1L)
    2. (4) Jermaine Bishop Jr. (6-0, 166, Fr.-HS) — OR — (17) Daylan McCutcheon (5-11, 183, Soph.-1L)
     
    TIGHT END (Y)
    1. (15) Michael Masunas (6-5, 259, 5YSr.-TR)
    2. (83) Spencer Shannon (6-7, 260, Sr.-2L)
    3. (88) Charlie Jilek (6-5, 238, Fr.-HS)
     
    TIGHT END (H)
    1. (81) Nick Townsend (6-3, 250, Soph.-1L)
    2. (85) Emaree Winston (6-1, 245, Soph.-1L)
    3. (87) Will Randle (6-4, 249, Sr.-SQ)
     
    LEFT TACKLE
    1. (74) Trevor Goosby (6-7, 325, Sr.-2L)
    2. (77) Andre Cojoe (6-6, 339, Sr.-1L)
    3. (78) Jordan Coleman (6-5, 356, Soph.-SQ)
    4. (51) John Turntine III (6-4, 295, Fr.-HS)
     
    LEFT GUARD
    1. (50) Laurence Seymore III (6-2, 316, 5YSr.-TR)
    2. (56) Dylan Sikorski (6-4, 335, Jr.-TR)
    3. (54) Cole Hutson (6-5, 308, 5YSr.-4L) — OR — (76) Jackson Christian (6-5, 308, Soph.-SQ.)
     
    CENTER
    1. (62) Connor Robertson (6-4, 316, 5YSr.-3L)
    2. (76) Jackson Christian (6-5, 308, Soph.-SQ)
    3. (54) Cole Hutson (6-5, 308, 5YSr.-4L) — OR — (58) Devin Coleman (6-5, 340, Soph.-SQ)
     
    RIGHT GUARD
    1. (73) Brandon Baker (6-4, 315, Jr.-2L)
    2. (75) Jaydon Chatman (6-4, 330, Sr.-2L)
    3. (58) Devin Coleman (6-5, 340, Soph.-SQ)
    4. (68) Paris Patterson (6-5, 354, Sr.-TR)
    5. (72) Nicolas Robertson (6-3, 349, Fr.-HS)
     
    RIGHT TACKLE
    1. (71) Melvin Siani (6-6, 317, Sr.-TR)
    2. (79) Jonte Newman (6-4, 310, Soph.-TR)
    3. (70) Kaden Scherer (6-6, 291, Fr.-HS)
     
    DEFENSE

    NOSE TACKLE
    1. (95) Ian Geffrard (6-5, 375, Sr.-TR)
    2. (88) Maraad Watson (6-3, 333, Jr.-1L)
    3. (90) Josiah Sharma (6-4, 341, Soph.-SQ)
    4. (96) Zion Williams (6-4, 370, Soph.-TR)
     
    DEFENSIVE TACKLE
    1. (93) Hero Kanu (6-5, 309, Sr.-1L)
    2. (15) Justus Terry (6-5, 289, Soph.-1L)
    3. (52) James Johnson (6-3, 279, Fr.-HS)
    4. (55) Elijah Ali (6-4, 306, Fr.-HS)
     
    DEFENSIVE TACKLE
    1. (97) Alex January (6-5, 308, Jr.-2L)
    2. (33) Myron Charles (6-4, 312, Soph.-SQ)
     
    JACK
    1. (1) Colin Simmons (6-3, 246, Jr.-2L)
    2. (99) Richard Wesley (6-4, 258, Fr.-HS)
    3. (92) Colton Vasek (6-5, 252, Sr.-2L)
    4. (46) Smith Orogbo (6-4, 238, Soph.-SQ) 
    5. (80) Brinley Tita (6-2, 252, Fr.-HS)
     
    END
    1. (40) Lance Jackson (6-5, 274, Soph.-1L)
    2. (19) Zina Umeozulu (6-5, 272, Jr.-1L)
    3. (94) Jamarion Carlton (6-5, 280, Fr.-HS)
     
    WLB
    1. (3) Rasheem Biles (6-1, 222, Sr.-TR)
    2. (45) Darius Snow (6-1, 219, 5YSr.-TR)
    3. (30) Rocky Cummings (6-4, 227, Fr.-HS)
    4. (23) Jordon Johnson-Rubell (5-10, 212, Jr.-2L)
     
    SLB
    1. (14) Brad Spence (6-2, 249, Sr.-1L)
    2. (18) Kosi Okpala (6-3, 235, Fr.-HS)
    3. (92) Colton Vasek (6-5, 252, Sr.-2L)
     
    MLB
    1. (28) Justin Cryer (6-1, 241, Sr.-TR)
    2. (14) Brad Spence (6-2, 249, Sr.-1L)
    3. (16) Tyler Atkinson (6-1, 219, Fr.-HS)
    4. (44) Markus Boswell (6-1, 228, Soph.-TR)
     
    NICKEL
    1. (29) Graceson Littleton (6-0, 182, Soph.-1L)
    2. (17) Xavier Filsaime (6-1, 193, Jr.-2L)
    3. (27) Wardell Mack (6-0, 183, Jr..-1L)
     
    CORNERBACK
    1. (8) Kade Phillips (6-0, 191, Soph.-1L)
    2. (11) Samari Matthews (6-1, 197, Fr.-HS)
    3. (0) John Meredith III (6-2, 185, Fr.-HS)
    4. (21) Hayward Howard Jr. (6-2, 182, Fr.-HS) 
     
    CORNERBACK
    1. (5) Bo Mascoe (5-11, 199, Sr.-TR)
    2. (24) Warren Roberson (6-0, 189, Sr.-2L)
    3. (36) Nick Hudson (5-10, 179, 5YSr.-TR)
     
    FREE SAFETY
    1. (4) Jelani McDonald (6-2, 201, Sr.-3L)
    2. (9) Jonah Williams (6-3, 210, Soph.-1L)
    3. (25) Toray Davis (6-1, 197, Fr.-HS)
    4. (13) Zelus Hicks (6-2, 183, Soph.-SQ)
     
    STRONG SAFETY
    1. (2) Derek Williams Jr. (6-2, 199, Sr.-2L)
    2. (6) Kobe Black (6-2, 202, Jr.-2L)
    3. (23) Jordon Johnson-Rubell (5-10, 212, Jr.-2L)
    4. (37) Jonathan Cunningham (6-2, 198, Soph.-SQ)
    5. (31) Yaheim Riley (5-11, 187, Fr.-HS)
     
    SPECIAL TEAMS
     
    PUNTER
    1. (43) Mac Chiumento (6-4, 228, 5YSr.-TR)
    2. (45) Mikey Bukauskas (6-2, 210, Fr.-HS)
     
    KICKER
    1. (44) Gianni Spetic (6-3, 221, Sr.-TR)
    2. (46) Spencer Barnett (6-0, 215, Jr.-1L)
    3. (49) Jake Collett (6-0, 182, Fr.-HS)
     
    PUNT RETURN
    1. (21) Ryan Niblett (5-10, 189, Sr.-1L)
    2. (0) Raleek Brown (5-9, 193, 5YSr.-TR)
    3. (17) Daylan McCutcheon (5-11, 183, Soph.-1L)
     
    KICKOFF RETURN
    1. (0) Raleek Brown (5-9, 193, 5YSr.-TR) — AND — (4) Jermaine Bishop Jr. (6-0, 166, Fr.-HS)
    2. (5) Derrek Cooper (6-1, 212, Fr.-HS) — AND — (21) Ryan Niblett (5-10, 189, Sr.-1L)
    Jeff Howe
    AUSTIN, Texas — Steve Sarkisian’s prayers — along with those of Trevor Goosby, his family and Longhorn fans who waited with bated breath for the official word on the severity of the left knee injury Goosby sustained in practice on Monday — were answered when Texas’ franchise left tackle was diagnosed with a bone bruise.
    “I was glad I went to church,” Sarkisian said after Saturday’s scrimmage.
    Sarkisian, who met with the media on Zoom after wrapping up the scrimmage, which came with two weeks to go until the Sept. 5 season opener against Texas State, said Goosby “is making really good progress.”
    While the Longhorns took the field for their second camp scrimmage without the 6-foot-7-inch, 325-pound Goosby available, he’s expected back sooner rather than later. That’s a much better outcome than the initial concern that Texas might’ve lost its 2025 All-SEC bookend for an extended period of time to a non-contact injury.
    “Those are probably more scary than contact injuries," Sarkisian said. "Why did that occur non-contact? Why did he kind of buckle the way that he did? We were on grass. It wasn't during the day; it wasn't too hot to where he didn't have his balance.
    “That was as good of news as we could've received,” he added. “For that to be the result back, it was definitely a sigh of relief.”
    With Goosby on the mend, Andre Cojoe has made the most of his opportunity. The 6-foot-6-inch, 339-pound Cojoe, who took all of the first-team snaps at left tackle on Saturday, On Texas Football has learned, has come on strong enough that Sarkisian publicly gave him the nod as the team’s No. 3 tackle behind Goosby and Melvin Siani heading into the season.
    “The fact that he's getting these quality reps right now with the ones and having to block Colin (Simmons) and Lance (Jackson) and Zina (Umeozulu) and those guys, and Rasheem Biles coming off the edge, I think those are great opportunities for him,” Sarkisian said of Cojoe, who was competing with Brandon Baker for the starting right tackle job last preseason before he suffered a season-ending knee injury.
    Sarkisian acknowledged that the road to recovery for an offensive lineman attempting to return from a knee injury can be arduous. Nevertheless, Cojoe’s work has positioned him to be the first offensive tackle off the bench for what has the potential to be one of the most explosive and productive offenses in the country in 2026, a little more than a year after his injury.
    “He's got his weight to where, you know, he's a big man, but he's light on his feet,” Sarkisian said. “He can move. He's explosive.”
    Sarkisian said Cojoe will come out of the scrimmage having learned more about the physical and mental conditioning required to play consistently well for upwards of 70 snaps against top-notch competition. Still, Saturday capped off a week in which the fourth-year lineman’s stock is on the rise.
    “I would argue there were two or three days this week you didn't notice that it was him at left tackle,” Sarkisian said. “That's a great thing as an offensive lineman. When you're not noticing who it is, that just means the guy is doing his job really well.”
    The strides made by Cojoe and Dylan Sikorski, who took the bulk of the first-team left guard snaps throughout the week and in Saturday’s scrimmage as Laurence Seymore works through what Sarkisian said was an “injury hiccup” coming out of the first camp scrimmage, have gone a long way toward Sarkisian and Kyle Flood fielding the kind of depth the Longhorns lacked last season. Sarkisian expects Seymore to be back on the practice field on Monday, but the progress of Cojoe and Sikorski has Sarkisian feeling good about how things are unfolding on the left side of the offensive line.
    “I do think we're going to get the left side back, but on the same token, I do think these reps are good for these guys because, knock on wood, I don't know if, when, what, how injuries might occur in season,” Sarkisian said. “The fact that these guys are getting some reps with our ones against high-level defenders, I think is good for them, preparing them for the season.”
    Even though Sarkisian admitted that Cojoe isn’t a finished product, he’s liked what he’s seen from the Mansfield Timberview product throughout camp enough to believe Texas is better equipped now than it was in 2025 to handle sudden lineup changes in the trenches.
    “He's still got room to grow and still can continue to improve, but I have been pleased with his ability to step in at that position,” Sarkisian said of Cojoe. “I think it gives us confidence for the future if something were to occur that he could step in and play well for us.”
    Jeff Howe
    TyAnthony Smith’s departure from the Texas football program didn’t catch Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns by surprise.
    Nevertheless, there’s never a good time for a starting-caliber player and a college football program to part ways, especially two weeks before the season starts.
    With Smith out of the picture, there are a few things to consider about where Texas goes from here.
    — Rasheem Biles was already one of the most indispensable Longhorns on the 2026 squad. While his status doesn’t change in the wake of Smith’s departure, Justin Cryer is suddenly significantly higher on the list of players Texas can least afford to lose.
    Behind Biles and Cryer, Darius Snow (232 snaps played last season at Michigan State, according to Pro Football Focus) and Markus Boswell (199 snaps at Akron in 2025) are the only experienced scholarship linebackers in Johnny Nansen’s room (Brady Sarkisian has 20 career snaps, according to PFF). Brad Spence has a specific role as the overhang linebacker in Will Muschamp’s defense, but he’s limited as an off-the-ball defender playing in space.
    Smith’s departure means there’s no margin for error. The Longhorns are one stroke of bad luck away from being in a world of hurt at the second level.
    — Could Texas go into the transfer portal for help?
    “Never say never,” is what a source told On Texas Football earlier in the week (the comment was regarding the roster in general, not linebacker specifically).
    It’s not as simple as targeting an experienced player with the most skins on the wall and putting forth a competitive NIL package to add another body to the room.
    Even before scouting comes into play, the Longhorns would have to target players who have rock-solid cases for remaining eligible in 2026. The focus would then shift to acclimation on the field (two practices in helmets only, two in shells and then full-pads practices would be green-lit under NCAA rules) and how quickly Muschamp and Nansen could get the new acquisition up to speed.
    It’s a nuanced process and would be something the staff would have to vet quickly, but searching the portal for linebacker help is a road Texas might travel.
    — What about converting a player from another position to add depth?
    Jonathan Cunningham, who has worked with the secondary throughout camp, has spent time at linebacker since getting to campus. Jordon Johnson-Rubell has also been in the linebacker room, giving the coaches two immediate options if adding numbers at the position is a priority.
    Other than the two defensive backs, there aren’t any slam-dunk options for position conversions. Similar to the portal, an unexpected position conversion would likely focus developing a player who can provide depth late in the season, potentially when it's all hands on deck for a deep run in the College Football Playoff.
    — The most realistic option Muschamp and Nansen have is to get the three true freshmen (Tyler Atkinson, Rocky Cummings and Kosi Okpala) up to speed and ready for action in a hurry.
    The Longhorns’ ability to control the two non-Power Four non-conference games against Texas State and UTSA is now paramount for the expedited development of the young linebackers. Those are the only two games on the schedule where the coaches can plan for the three freshmen to play consequential snaps.
    That will likely only happen if the outcome isn’t in doubt in the second half against the Bobcats and Roadrunners, respectively.
    Nothing about what the Longhorns are facing is ideal. Although Texas having better front-line players at linebacker or safety is debatable, it's also fair to say the Smith news allowed the former to overtake the latter as the biggest positional question mark on defense in 2026.
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