Search the Community

Going to call a spade a spade This is a post I didn't want to have to make. I'm a big fan of Arch Manning. Have been since seeing him for the first time in high school. He's a very hard worker. He carries himself the correct way. He cares. He's a very "good guy," just like he says he wants to be. That's what has been drilled into him by his family, and the family is great. I love his sense of humor, and he carries himself really well in a true fishbowl of life he will forever live in. I'm happy he's a Texas Longhorn. His commitment to Texas was and remains massive for the University of Texas. I've said before many times on the YouTube channel he's the first high school athlete that I've seen built up and broken down, as that is normally saved for pro athletes and a select few in college. Being Arch Manning comes with a lot of good to great, and some the exact opposite. He's certainly not going to be treated by the media in a click bait world like the normal athlete. It is what it is, and it's not easy for an 18-22-year-old figuring out life just wanting to be a college "kid" while developing his craft. It was going to be that way for Arch at any blue blood he signed with. With that said, I feel strongly that 20 starts and five games into the season with the fourth quarter vs. Oklahoma less than 24 hours removed is the time to address what has to happen moving forward for Manning. I thought back during the fourth quarter and after the game to the season opener vs. Texas State with 16 seconds remaining in the first half with Texas up 28-7. Texas was coming out of a timeout with the ball on the Texas State 10-yard line. I remember thinking (maybe saying on the Watch With Us) do not force a throw here. Even though the game wasn't in doubt, make the smart or correct quarterback play to end the half. Value points, value momentum, value the football. It all matters later in a season when games are on the line. Every play when a decision has to be made at the QB position is key part of development. Every single one. After an incompletion, Arch forced a throw over the middle into triple coverage that ended in a really bad interception. Did it hurt Texas in terms of winning or losing the game vs an inferior opponent? Of course not. Was it a really bad QB decision? Absolutely. Arch said it after the game and on Monday. I remember saying on the Watch With Us that needs to be the worst pass/decision Arch makes all season. Because anything close to that recurring would likely be a lot more meaningful in SEC play. Arch had some bad QB luck vs. Ohio State in the first half. He made two tremendous throws that were dropped - Cam Coleman and Ryan Wingo. Two should have been TDs (or eventual TD with Coleman). He had a wonderful QB moment in the fourth quarter rally and victory over a very good Ohio State team. In order to be real, it's also very important to be fair. The first drive vs UTSA was solid. He got off to a quality start. There was seemingly progression in decision making vs Ohio State and UTSA. After taking the self inflicted big hit, that game changed. Around a number of errant throws in that game (and before the hit) was the illegal forward pass with 13:56 remaining in the third quarter. It happens for all quarterbacks, and has throughout the history of the game. Fast forward to the Tennessee game. I've never seen two illegal forward passes by the same quarterback in a game. Never. I'm sure it has happened, but my eyes weren't on the TV or in person for a game in history it happened. And I've certainly never seen three in two games, or an illegal forward pass by the same QB in back-to-back games. Again, it's probably happened somewhere in the history of the game, but my 51-year-old eyes have never seen it. To do that three times in two games, and back-to-back games, is truly head scratching plays at the QB position. Around all that there were plays in each game where Arch was outside the tackle box and ate the ball taking an unneeded sack vs throwing the ball away. Similar to the end of the half vs. Texas State, those decisions don't hurt a team when you are winning, but one should clearly put those away in the memory bank if the decision-making returns in game deciding situations or games. Well, the fourth quarter of the Oklahoma game happened less than 24 hours ago. The pick-six pass can't be made, period. Under duress, Arch did a good job keeping the play alive, but what happened next just can't happen at the QB position. At some point in a quarterback's development, one has to register in the moment when the play calls for innate feel, instincts or extremely quick processing to throw the damn ball away. Not taking a sack in a meaningless game and throwing the ball away reps mattered earlier in the season. Sadly, the INT into triple coverage to the end the half vs. Texas State did not remain the worst pass thrown all season. I'm not going to break down the entire why the decision/throw was horrible, because it doesn't even need to be broken down. The ball wasn't valued. The moment wasn't valued. The situation wasn't valued. It wasn't processed in real time by a QB. Then there was the second INT. The reaction to the blitz was a forced throw again. It was a tough spot, but Manning had time to throw an uncatchable ball to the Texas coaches standing along the sideline. And this isn't a nitpick, as one can look at many scenarios in which a QB makes the correct throw away under duress with the game on the line. So where is Arch Manning at through five games this season, and 20 starts into his college career? In my opinion, he's now at the most important part of his career and development to date. Some really bad quarterback decisions in meaningless games early in the season became major in a rivalry game against a struggling team. A game that was given away by the Texas special teams, offense and quarterback. The head scratcher plays have to begin to cease. If we are still talking about them continuing to happen in November, there is a bigger problem that will have to be addressed. The plays in which one is forced to question innate feel and instincts for the position need to be in the rearview mirror, starting Saturday vs. Florida. The growth in game in split second decision making has to happen October 17. Period. The reality is Texas is going to score more points, make more explosive plays in the passing game and "look" better on offense the next three games in October. Texas isn't facing Matt Patricia, Jim Knowles and Brent Venables defenses and overall personnel level the next three games. But that doesn't mean Texas has suddenly improved or "found it" offensively. That doesn't mean Arch Manning has figured it out. This isn't about stats. This is about in-game decision making, and seeing the correct growth. Time is no longer on Arch Manning's side, and on Texas' side. Growth has to be easily seen. The time is now. I'm rooting for Arch, as I always have been. The fishbowl and pressure of being a Manning following in massive footsteps is real. That will always be acknowledged when I speak about Arch. At the same time, he's in a position in which major and career arc changing growth at the position has to begin today. There is no other option after five games this season. I'm not expecting perfection, as that is not the real world. I am expecting key growth to begin now. It simply has to for Arch, and the Texas Longhorns 2026 season.

Me hoping for early tank season to line up for 2027 draft

Thoughts on the ugly loss 1. It’s a horrible freaking loss. No sugarcoating. Period. There are few feelings in sports worse than feeling like you gave a game away. 2. Going into the game, Texas was the favorite for a reason. It was said all week the only way Oklahoma would win this game is if Texas helped them/gave them momentum. Well, Texas did it. And the team got the loss they deserved. A punt blocked for a TD after a bye week following a horrible special teams performance. You deserve to lose. A late throw pick six INT by a fourth year quarterback that doesn’t seem to be able to process in play when and why to throw a ball away. You deserve to lose. Two INT’s in fourth quarter. You deserve to lose. 3. I will give Oklahoma credit for winning the third quarter physically. They earned the 3rd quarter. 4. Texas defense is playing championship caliber football. The Texas offense and special teams is showing the possibility of pissing away a very good defensive team. Texas gave up 238 yards, and lost today. Oklahoma was 2-13 on 3rd downs, and Texas lost. That’s bad and rare, period. 5. Going into this game, the team that rushed for the most yards was 23-1-1 in the last 25 games. Texas won the rushing battle, but lost the game. 122 to 83. OU had one run of 42, and zilch otherwise save a couple of effective runs for 6-8 yards. 6. Texas out gained OU 382 to 238. And lost. 7. There is so much more to talk about, but the reality is Texas gave Oklahoma the opportunity to win the game. And when you do that, a loss is deserved. 8. Texas is a poor offensive football team. There is seemingly a refusal or will to win with physicality. It’s too hit or miss, and too clunky far too often in year six. And Arch makes way too many head scratcher plays with over 20 starts. —— Texas at 4-1, now has one game margin for error. With no bye week remaining and seven straight SEC games to follow, Texas is a ways away from being a contender for anything meaningful offensively. The offense will look like they are getting well or improving with lesser defensive teams coming in the schedule, but it may be the eyes fooling more than Texas making strides.

Texas earned Saturday’s 27-24 walk-off loss to Oklahoma in the Red River Shootout. The Sooners beat the Longhorns in the trenches in the second half, out-rushing Texas (4-1, 1-1 SEC) by 30 yards (82-52) and forcing two turnovers. Arch Manning, not John Mateer, made catastrophic mistakes, with two interceptions that led to 10 points for Oklahoma (3-2, 1-1), including Tate Sandell’s game-winning 47-yard field goal. The inexplicable loss isn’t solely on Manning’s shoulders. The Longhorns couldn’t get a push in the running game when it mattered, Steve Sarkisian’s play-calling was as questionable as ever and Will Muschamp’s defense faltered down the stretch (although the defense was by far the better of the three phases on Saturday). Texas is an undisciplined team that can’t run the football when it needs to, is inexplicably sloppy on special teams and failed to put its foot on the gas with a double-digit lead for the second consecutive game. *** Oklahoma had a distinct path to victory. The action at the Cotton Bowl unfolded in the Sooners’ favor. The Longhorns lost the turnover battle, 2-0. Oklahoma improved to 16-2 under Brent Venables when scoring a non-offensive touchdown. Mateer (18-for-26 for 155 yards) avoided making the backbreaking mistakes that plagued him through the Sooners’ first four games. Oklahoma won the line-of-scrimmage battle when it mattered and seized the momentum when Texas left the door open for a potential comeback. We’ve seen Red River upsets unfold similarly in the past, which is why the Sooners taking the Golden Hat back to Norman isn’t a surprise, given how things unfolded in Dallas. *** Even though Oklahoma’s defense lived up to its billing, seven three-and-outs, a pick-six and a missed field goal would’ve been more than enough to question where Sarkisian’s offense is going. Then there was the last drive of the game. The four-play drive that ended with Courtland Guillory’s interception of Manning felt like a microcosm of what’s wrong with the Longhorns on a side of the ball that’s putting out a product on par with last season's lackluster showing. Whether it’s a lack of hot routes or built-in advantage throws against blitzes, Manning’s inability or unwillingness to get the offense out of bad plays or questionable football IQ in a two-minute situation, Texas is too disjointed to take advantage of the talent Sarkisian’s organization acquired in the offseason. Inconsistency is the only thing consistent about the Longhorn offense. The boom-or-bust nature of Sarkisian’s offense has a low ceiling for a team that can’t rely on the kicking game to do anything other than put the defense on short fields or give up points. *** While the season isn’t over, the loss means that Sarkisian has no choice but to look in the mirror and see what changes must be made to improve the product. Texas’ offensive identity, when push comes to shove, is still to snap the ball to Manning and hope something good happens. When it works, it’s great. When it doesn’t work, you get the outcome you got on Saturday. Sarkisian can figure out what’s working and hammer those concepts so that the Longhorns can lean on a few things. Or he can keep dialing things up that, while they might look cool enough on tape to put on the call sheet, aren’t doing anything other than getting the offense behind the chains. *** The opening kickoff going out of bounds was a bad omen. I don’t like calling for a coach’s job. Still, for Jeff Banks’ unit to answer a forgettable showing against Tennessee with a performance that was worse against the Sooners is troubling, to say the least. *** There aren’t enough adjectives to describe the nature of Saturday’s loss. After doing what it needed to do to keep their College Football Playoff fate out of the selection committee’s hands through the first four games, Texas now has little to no margin for error. Unless Sarkisian's long-awaited desire for his club to play consistent complementary football is realized, the loss to Oklahoma won't be the last that the Longhorns suffer before the end of the regular season. Texas did enough right to win the Ohio State and Tennessee games. It didn't do enough right to win on Saturday, with a lot of mistakes and misfires looking all too familiar. The Longhorns have played with fire more than once this year. They finally got burned. View full news story

I wanted to go through a rabbit hole here about the propensity for the Oklahoma defense and special teams to score points in the Venables era. Obviously, any time your defense or special teams is able to add points to the board, your chances to win the football game greatly increase. I don't think that is breaking news in the slightest. Some teams do it more than others. And to me, Oklahoma has been one of the best in the country during his tenure when it comes to non-offensive scoring. So, I went through each game in the Venables era, dating back to week one in 2022 where I found 17 games in which the Sooners added points to their scoreboard without an offensive touchdown or field goal being the reason. First off, 17 non-offensive scores in a 56 game span is a remarkable rate. That is special stuff. That's 30.3% of games played seeing some sort of non-offensive score. But here are the numbers: 2 punt return touchdowns 4 scoop & scores 5 safeties 7 pick sixes Here is the real reason why I wanted to go down this rabbit hole. In a game like the Red River Shootout where the emotions of the game are as high as they are and the momentum swings can feel like euphoria then the closest thing to your dog dying in the matter of seconds, non-offensive touchdowns are a huge reason for the game. Taking care of the football is paramount. Since Venables took over as head coach at OU: Oklahoma is 15–2 in games they have a non-offensive score Oklahoma is 19–20 in games they do not have a non-offensive score *** As for Texas. Since 2021, the Longhorns are 52–20 in the Sarkisian era. Texas is 16–2 in games they have a non-offensive score Texas is 36–18 in games they do not have a non-offensive score Texas records a non-offensive score in 25% of their contests by my math. 1 kickoff return TD 2 safeties 3 scoop & scores 6 pick sixes 6 punt return TD *** I write all of this to say, if Texas is able to shutout the Oklahoma defense and special teams from bizarre scoring opportunities, they will win this football game on Saturday. The only path to victory I see for the Sooners is through non-offensive scores.

Seems like we have good reason to have a thread to chat on all summer and through the season. Team workouts begin June 1, I believe

No. 1 Texas didn't report any changes to the SEC office for Friday's student-athlete availability report ahead of facing Oklahoma in the Red River Shootout on Saturday (2:30 p.m., ABC). Justus Terry, who has been dealing with turf toe, remains QUESTIONABLE. Jordan Coleman will miss his second consecutive game while recovering from turf toe. According to OTF's Hank South, there's optimism that Coleman could return as soon as next week's home game against Florida. The Sooners, however, have three noteworthy changes: — Eli Bowen, who OTF's CJ Vogel reported is dealing with an ankle issue that popped up late in the week, is on the report as QUESTIONABLE for the game. — Michael Fasusi, who has been dealing with a shoulder injury throughout the season, has officially been downgraded to OUT. He hasn't played since the season opener against UTEP and wasn't expected to be available against the Longhorns. — Eddy Pierre-Louis has been downgraded from QUESTIONABLE to DOUBTFUL. If Pierre-Louis misses the game, it would deal a significant blow to an offensive line that's struggled to find its footing early in the season. View full news story

Texas OL Jordan Coleman has been dealing with a turf toe injury, a source close to the situation tells OTF. There's some optimism that he should be able to return for the Florida game next week, if not the Ole Miss game the following weekend.

Ready for tomorrow! One more sleep.

There were changes to Thursday's SEC student-athlete availability report ahead of No. 1 Texas facing Oklahoma in the Red River Shootout on Saturday (2:30 p.m.) after Wednesday's initial report was released: — Nick Townsend isn't on the report, indicating he's good to go for Saturday — Kaliq Lockett and Zion Williams join Jordan Coleman as OUT for the game — Justus Terry has been upgraded from DOUBTFUL to QUESTIONABLE — Oklahoma's Fred Hinton has been downgraded from DOUBTFUL to OUT — While Michael Fasusi remains DOUBTFUL for the game, four Sooners (Jer'Michael Carter, Cole Sullivan, Michael Boganowski, and Jack Van Dorselaer) were upgraded from QUESTIONABLE to PROBABLE View full news story

AUSTIN, Texas — Oklahoma finds itself in the same position No. 1 Texas was in ahead of last season's Red River Shootout in 2025. Steve Sarkisian's team traveled to the Cotton Bowl reeling after dropping their SEC opener on the road against Florida, their second loss of the young season. The Longhorns pulled the nose up with a convincing 23-6 upset of the Sooners and made a run at a third consecutive trip to the College Football Playoff, which is why they're not taking their wounded rivals lightly on Saturday (2:30 p.m., ABC). “We know we're going to get OU's best shot. They're a really good team. They're a very talented team and they've got good coaches,” Sarkisian said Thursday during his pregame Zoom call with reporters. “Sometimes, things don't go your way and you just don't quite get the momentum that you need. Hopefully, they don't figure it out Saturday either. Hopefully, we can cause a little more chaos for them. But I know we're going to get their best shot and I know they're going to have a great plan. I know their kids are going to play hard and physical and tough because that's what that program is built on. We know it's going to be a four-quarter game — rivalry games generally go that way — and we know we're going to need to play good football if we want to come out on top.” If Texas (4-0, 1-0 SEC) wants to avoid an upset and retain the Golden Hat when the dust settles on the program’s 122nd all-time meeting with Oklahoma (2-2, 0-1), these are the matchups the Longhorns must win. WHEN TEXAS RUNS A healthy amount of focus will be on how well Brandon Baker, Connor Robertson and Dylan Sikorski handle a stout Oklahoma interior defensive line rotation led by Jayden Jackson and David Stone. But the head-to-head battle that will go a long way toward determining whether the Longhorns can generate explosive plays and convince Sarkisian to stick with the running game is Hollywood Smothers’ ability to maximize runs against the Sooners' active, experienced linebackers. Even with Cole Sullivan (questionable) and Owen Heinecke (probable) listed on Wednesday’s availability report, Kip Lewis’ return from injury against Georgia will make it tough for the Texas running backs to get yards after contact. As the Longhorns’ best zone runner (Raleek Brown has been better in his career and this season on gap and power runs), if Smothers (who signed with Oklahoma out of high school and played for the Sooners in 2022) can find the cutback lanes that will be open against Brent Venables’ hard-charging defense, Texas can control the ball, the clock and the game. WHEN OKLAHOMA RUNS Arguably the most effective way the Sooners can run the football is whenever John Mateer scrambles. According to Pro Football Focus, Mateer has gained 69 yards on 12 scrambles, including one of Oklahoma's three 20-plus-yard runs from scrimmage (a 22-yard scramble against Michigan). Mateer has also accounted for 23.3 percent of the 193 yards the Sooners have gained on D-gap runs. That’s the most yards Oklahoma has gained in any direction through four games, according to PFF, putting the fate of a Sooners running game that’s gained just 169 yards (2.82 yards per attempt) between the C-gaps in the hands of the Texas edge defenders and linebackers. Maintaining a disciplined pass rush, setting the edge and eye control at the second level and beyond will be paramount, especially whenever Will Muschamp’s defense is in man coverage. The longest run the Longhorns have allowed in four games was a 32-yard scramble by Brad Jackson in the season opener against Texas State, when Jackson took off while the Texas defenders in coverage had their backs to him. WHEN TEXAS PASSES Expect Venables’ Oklahoma defense to attack the line of scrimmage similar to how UTSA and Tennessee got after the Longhorns. Both defenses disguised their looks well and brought extra defenders on delayed blitzes, with Jim Knowles and the Vols using slants and stunts to break through Texas’ pass protection. Sarkisian’s game plan must include more hot reads and quick-hitting, stationary routes than it did in Knoxville so that Arch Manning has somewhere to go with the ball when the Sooners bring the heat. The key matchup, however, will be the Longhorn wideouts winning their one-on-one battles against the Oklahoma defensive backs when those opportunities arise. One of the few times Manning got the ball out of his hands before Tennessee's pressure got to him, he hit Cam Coleman down the sideline for a 30-yard gain. While the Sooners pressured Gunner Stockton on nine of his 19 dropbacks two weeks ago, the Georgia quarterback went 3-for-7 for 77 yards and a touchdown, with an average depth of target of 27.5 yards, according to PFF. Stockton was 3-for-9 for 106 yards and a touchdown on pass attempts that went 20 yards or more downfield. Manning's deep ball opportunities will likely be few and far between, but he and the Texas receivers need to capitalize when they're available. WHEN OKLAHOMA PASSES The Longhorns must know where Isaiah Sategna and Rocky Beers are lined up before every snap. Sategna and Beers have accounted for 38 of Oklahoma’s 73 receptions this season, 522 of the Sooners’ 889 receiving yards and they've been on the receiving end of four of the offense’s eight pass touchdowns. While Texas will face more prolific offenses the rest of the way, Sategna and Beers can change the game whenever one of them touches the football. That’s why the pass rush getting home is the best answer for whatever new wrinkles Ben Arbuckle might throw at Muschamp to help get the ball to one of Oklahoma’s top two playmakers. The defensive line recorded nine of Texas' 10 sacks against Tennessee, including Colin Simmons' school-record 5.5 sacks. Simmons can control the game on his own, but the dominance of Kenny Baker's and LaAllan Clark's groups goes beyond what Simmons brings to the table. When the Longhorns needed winning plays up front against the Vols and Ohio State, the defensive line delivered. The Longhorns' deep rotation makes Muschamp's front tough to handle, especially late in games when relatively fresh bodies are on the field for high-leverage snaps. With Michael Fasusi not expected to play, Texas must win up front against an undermanned Sooner offensive line to lighten the load for a secondary facing an offense that can get easy yards by drawing defensive pass interference calls in the deep part of the field. The help will be imperative whenever Muschamp decides to play more man coverage and devote more resources to pressuring Mateer while hunting negative plays and turnovers. SPECIAL TEAMS If the Sooners flip the game with a momentum-shifting play in the kicking game, it’ll likely be when Mac Chiumento is on the field with the Texas punt team. Oklahoma is 15-2 under Venables when scoring a non-offensive touchdown, putting the focus on Chiumento executing his directional kicks and making it hard for the Sooners to set up a return for Sategna, whose 18.6 yards per punt return is No. 8 in FBS, and on the protection holding up for the Longhorns to avoid getting a punt blocked. View full news story

They aren’t confident.

Hi Longhorn nation! Drop your Longhorn memorabilia in the thread here. I'm 27 so just getting started, but I'll start. Acquired some new ones between the two images but, A Ricky signed jersey with "HT 98" and a VY signed jersey. I've got the Colt Mccoy signed picture as well. The 3 frames on the wall were sent by the University after I wrote them a letter in grade school for a school project! 2 of them are trading cards maybe? that I just kept together and framed and the other is a picture with the entire 2009 team, signed by all the players. Feel grateful and lucky to acquire these, thank you for sharing below!

“Dana Altman is one of the BEST college basketball coaches to ever do it. A relentless competitor himself, his teams mirrored his personality. No lead was ever safe against his teams. Full court pressure, match-up zone, fast-paced transition and his systematic two-guard offense forced opposing teams to play ‘left-handed.’ His players ALWAYS DEVELOPED. I’ll just name a few – Kyle Korver, Dillon Brooks, Chris Boucher and Payton Pritchard. I competed against all of them. They weren’t the same players walking out the door of Coach Altman’s program as they were when they arrived. Many times, their overall improvement, both on and off the court, was remarkable! More importantly, Dana is a true friend and a genuine person who cared about the game of basketball and the people in it. When times became tough, he would pick up the phone and check in on you. I’ll always remember that about him. Here’s to your next chapter in life. ENJOY IT ALL and CONGRATULATIONS.”

AUSTIN, Texas — With three wins in five meetings with Oklahoma as Texas’ coach, Steve Sarkisian knows what it takes to win the Red River Shootout. “The team that runs the ball, the team that converts third downs, the team that wins a turnover battle and the team that can pressure the quarterback generally comes out on top,” Sarkisian said Monday. “You get back to the core fundamentals of what the game of football is all about. As much as we want to talk about the emotions of the game, as much as we want to talk about the trick plays or the craziness that can happen in this game, it generally comes back to the things that are important to football, right? Who can run the ball? You know who can convert third downs and extend drives? Who can create turnovers? Who can take care of the ball? And then, ultimately, who can pressure the other team's quarterback to affect him?” If Sarkisian is going to become the first Longhorn coach since David McWilliams to win three in a row over the Sooners and give No. 1 Texas (4-0, 1-0 SEC) the program’s first three-game winning streak over Oklahoma (2-2, 0-1) in almost 30 years (1997-99), his squad must continue to execute four core principles of football at a winning level inside the Cotton Bowl. In winning the last two meetings by a combined score of 57-9, the Longhorns have dominated Brent Venables’ team in the statistical categories that matter when the two long-time rivals lock up in Dallas on Saturday (2:30 p.m., ABC). RUSHING YARDS The team that’s won the rushing yardage battle has won 25 of the last 28 meetings. That’s been the case in Sarkisian’s five games against the Sooners, with Texas owning the line of scrimmage over the last two seasons. The Longhorns out-gained Oklahoma on the ground in 2024 (177-89) and 2025 (136-48). Even excluding lost yardage on sacks, Texas has still dominated the Sooners on the ground; the Longhorns had a 183-120 edge two years ago and won the rushing yardage battle 142-80 last season. Texas played defense at such an elite level in last year’s 23-6 victory that Sarkisian didn’t need to abandon the run. Even in the face of Oklahoma racking up 12 tackles for loss and almost half of the Longhorns’ net rushing yards coming on two plays (a 37-yard run by Tre Wisner in the second quarter and a 29-yard game-clinching run by Arch Manning), Sarkisian kept plugging away long enough that only three of Texas’ 21 non-sack rushing attempts in the second half were stopped at or behind the line of scrimmage. “Everybody wants to run the ball and sometimes it's not always pretty. Everybody wants to run the ball and the first run doesn't go for eight yards. Sometimes, it goes for one. You can't just give up,” Sarkisian said. “I think what also helps you stay committed to the run is playing good defense. When you're playing good defensive football, sometimes, games aren't pretty early on, but you can stay committed to it and then, inevitably, the dam starts to break and you can start to snap off some longer runs that way.” If Hollywood Smothers and Nick Townsend return from injury, the Longhorns should run the football more effectively than they did in their 20-17 win over Tennessee on Sept. 26, when they recorded a season-low 61 rushing yards (94 yards and 3.1 yards per attempt when adjusted to exclude sacks). Venables' run defense is a respectable 42nd nationally, allowing 115.5 yards per game. Oklahoma is 36th in FBS in yards per rushing attempt allowed (3.23) and is tied with the Longhorns for allowing the third-fewest 10-plus-yard runs among SEC defenses (13). Still, the challenge the Sooners face stopping the Texas running game isn't as daunting on paper as what's in front of Oklahoma on the other side of the ball. Ben Arbuckle's offense will try to establish the run against a Longhorn defense allowing fewer than 100 rushing yards per game (99.3, ranked No. 26 nationally) while holding opponents to under three yards per rushing attempt (2.84 yards per carry allowed is No. 18 in FBS). Oklahoma enters the game with the 131st-ranked rushing offense in the country (99 yards per game) and is 133rd nationally in yards per rushing attempt (2.93). Stanford is the only FBS offense with fewer 10-plus-yard runs than the Sooners (nine). The advanced statistics paint Oklahoma's running game in a less favorable light. According to CFBData.com, the Sooners are last in the SEC in line yards per carry (2.5), second-level rushing yards, open-field rushing yards, stuff rate and power success rate. TURNOVERS The winner of the turnover margin has won 19 of the last 28 meetings. That includes the last four games, with Texas racking up a plus-4 in turnover margin in the last two seasons (plus-5 in Sarkisian’s three wins). Since 1999, the team that wins the rushing yardage battle and the turnover margin in the same game is 17-0. Playing turnover-free football helped the Longhorns weather the storm in last season’s win over Oklahoma. The Sooners, meanwhile, couldn’t recover from John Mateer’s three interceptions, including one right before halftime that was equal parts a bad decision by Mateer and questionable clock management by Venables. Texas left Knoxville with a win despite losing the turnover battle, even if one of the lost turnovers was an onside kick recovery by the Vols that the SEC later clarified was an illegal kick. While the Longhorns are even in turnover margin on the season, Oklahoma’s minus-6 deficit (tied for the worst among Power Four clubs) includes an SEC-leading 10 giveaways, with six fumbles lost tied for the second-most in FBS. THIRD-DOWN EFFICIENCY Somehow, despite facing third-and-7 or more 11 times, Texas was 10-for-17 on third down in last year’s Red River Shootout while facing an average to-go distance of nine yards. The Longhorns can’t expect the same results in third-and-long situations against a Sooner defense that’s held opponents to a 23.1-percent third-down conversion rate (12-for-52) through four games, the third-best mark in the country. Even though Texas was 3-for-12 on third down in its win over Tennessee, it's still a top-20 offense in college football on third down, moving the chains at a 50-percent clip (30-for-60). A 9-for-16 effort in the team’s Sept. 12 win over Ohio State included a 4-for-5 showing in the fourth quarter. Will Muschamp’s defense has performed well enough on third down in the last two games to bolster a No. 48 national ranking in third-down defense (34.6 percent conversion rate allowed). Texas held UTSA and the Vols to a combined 5-for-28 on third down; the Longhorns are tied for No. 35 nationally and third in the SEC on fourth down (3-for-8), with only Tennessee (0-for-5) and LSU (1-for-4) boasting better fourth-down defenses. The current trend bodes well for Texas against an Oklahoma offense that’s a combined 10-for-32 on third down in its last two losses to the Longhorns. The Sooners are 109th nationally on third down this season (18-for-53), including a combined 5-for-27 (18.5 percent) effort in losses to Michigan and Georgia. SACKS The 11 sacks the Texas defense has piled up in two consecutive wins over Oklahoma almost matches the historic 10-sack game the Longhorns recorded in their road win over Tennessee. Texas’ run defense in Dallas has opened the door to get after the quarterback; the Longhorns got Mateer on the ground five times in an upset victory in 2025. While Oklahoma finished last season’s loss to Texas with 12 tackles for loss, only one of those was a sack of Manning, which came on the Longhorns’ first possession. The offensive line’s protection and Manning’s ability to escape pressure minimized negative plays on a day when the offense struggled to stay on schedule. This season, Manning has been a more effective passer under pressure than Mateer. According to Pro Football Focus, Manning (pressured on 43 of 146 dropbacks) is 14-for-26 for 190 yards and a touchdown under pressure, with four big-time throws, one turnover-worthy play and an adjusted completion percentage of 71.4. Mateer (pressured on 46 of 127 dropbacks) is 16-for-32 for 237 yards and two touchdowns, but has thrown two interceptions, has committed five turnover-worthy plays and has an adjusted completion percentage of 55.2. Mateer has been better at preventing pressure from turning into sacks. His pressure-to-sack rate of 15.2 percent (seven sacks on 46 pressures) is on track to be better than his 2025 mark of 19.7 percent (27 sacks on 137 pressured dropbacks). Sacked on 13.3 percent of the pressures Texas allowed last season when he was behind center (22 sacks on 165 pressured dropbacks), Manning has been sacked 10 times in four games. His 23.3 percent pressure-to-sack rate is the fifth-highest among 17 SEC quarterbacks who’ve been pressured at least 25 times. Making these two quarterbacks feel the heat is only part of the battle. Getting home and getting the quarterback on the ground is a formidable challenge for two aggressive, talented defenses. View full news story

OTF on the road Prichard, Ala. - I’m starting the week on the road seeing Texas commits and targets in the Mobile area. The day starts with a 6:40-8am practice at Vigor High. This will be OTF’s first look at 4-star++ EDGE/LB JaBarrius Garror. Monday afternoon update: Now at Prattville (Ala.) High to see Georgia Tech verbal and new Texas LB target Jason Crenshaw Jr. (6-1, 222). Will OV for the Ole Miss game October 24-25 Tuesday afternoon update: At Thompson High practice to see Texas DB commit Junior Tu’upo Wednesday afternoon update: At Brookhaven (Miss.) High practice to see Texas 4-star EDGE commit Derwin Fields.

The 1971 Sooners rushed for 472.4 yards PER GAME (an NCAA record I can't imagine will ever be overtaken). The 2026 Sooners have not yet rushed for 472.4 total yards this season as a team (396 to be exact).

While the Longhorns were very competitive for Monshun Sales and wanted him in the class, the heaviest focus has been on keeping Easton Royal in the fold. So where do things stand with Texas and Royal? OTF checked in with a few sources close to the situation on Friday morning. Here’s the latest: Since the end of Royal’s official visit slate, the nation’s No. 1 wideout has gone somewhat radio silent in terms of communicating with college staffs. Texas, LSU and Florida all remain in the mix, with the focus seemingly narrowing to the Longhorns vs. Tigers. That doesn’t mean people in Royal’s camp aren’t communicating with each program involved, but Royal has largely taken a step back into the day-to-day conversations with college coaches. That hasn’t kept him from keeping up a very active social media presence, showing love to each school involved, whether wearing LSU gloves and Texas cleats, or posting visit pictures, etc., etc. One of the sources OTF communicated with this morning wasn’t sure of where things truly stood due to Royal stepping back to evaluate all of his options. While another source with direct knowledge of the five-star’s recruitment described the situation as “back and forth” while he’s in decision-making mode. That same source relayed that this is a “four quarter” situation. What quarter are we in? I’d say probably halftime. OTF has been adamant in reporting that regardless of whatever comes out this summer, whether Royal reaffirms his commitment to Texas or flips to LSU, this recruitment is going to December, with each program motivated to sign the Bayou State standout to their 2027 class.

Key to the game? Converting 1st and 2nd downs into positive gains to set up third and short is the biggest point of emphasis in my eyes going into this weekend's contest against Oklahoma. A look at every 3rd down Texas faced against OU in 2025: 3rd & 23 3rd & 12 3rd & 30 3rd & 10 ... converted 3rd & 1 ... converted 3rd & 3 (goal line) 3rd & 1 ... converted 3rd & 8 ...converted 3rd & 8 ... converted (touchdown) 3rd & 7 ... converted 3rd & 7 ... converted 3rd & 2 ... converted 3rd & 19 3rd & 7 3rd & 2 ... converted 3rd & 12 Pretty easy trend to decipher here. 0–3 on 3rd & 15+ 1–6 on 3rd & 10+ 5–11 on 3rd & 7+ 4–5 conversion rate on 3rd & 5 or less Texas has not been great in these exact situations. Against Tennessee, the Longhorns average distance to go on 3rd downs was 9.0. On 3rd and short, Texas was 2–2. On 3rd & long (9+), the Longhorns were 0–4. Oklahoma has a superb front seven with the interior defensive line leading the way. The edge rushers of Taylor Wein and PJ Adebawore being two incredibly toolsy edge rushers as well. Not allowing that group to pin their ears back and rush the passer will be key in my eyes.

Was seemingly back to pre-UTSA week Arch Manning. Seemed comfortable, was cracking some jokes, smiling. Bye-week looks to have served him well.