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Texas is on the practice field Thursday morning and shortly after, the local media will be meeting with a handful of players. No word yet on who will be joining us, but as always, notes and quotes in the comments below. Plus, Jeff and I will be going live around 12:15 (rough estimation).

Wanted to keep you all in the loop of what else is happening in fall camps from other SEC programs. Some big news going on today, that I will highlight in the comments. If you see anything noteworthy, feel free to include it!

Steve Sarkisian Media Availability (Tuesday, August 5th) Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian is speaking with the Austin media Tuesday evening following the second full-padded practice of fall camp. The Longhorns are battling some depth issues at the offensive line and Sarkisian will be addressing the position for the first time since the injury to Andre Cojoe. Will have quotes and notes in the comments down below.

I will have more Sunday, but the first text I received back from a source regarding the Saturday practice. “The defense is going to be unbelievable.” Texas will be in full pads all of next week.

FYI. There’s been zero change on our end late today. Five star DB Davin Benjamin is expected to select Oregon this afternoon/evening.

AUSTIN, Texas — The biscuit that was the Texas running game last season was buttered with the outside zone. Considering how Georgia and Ohio State stymied a Longhorn ground attack lacking diversity in the team’s three losses, the offense might’ve been better served by Steve Sarkisian not pulling so many stretch plays from the well. Regardless, the body of work put together by the offensive line and running backs over a 16-game season revealed that wider was better for Texas in 2024. According to Pro Football Focus, 243 — more than 45 percent — of the offense’s non-sack rushing attempts were from the C gap (between the tackle and the tight end) to the sideline. It was that portion of the line of scrimmage where the Longhorns racked up more than 51 percent of their non-sack rushing yardage (1,415 yards and 5.82 yards per attempt), 64 percent of their rushing touchdowns (16), more than half of their total yards after contact (924 yards and 3.81 yards after contact per attempt) and more than 48 percent of their rushing attempts that gained at least 10 yards (33). The 75 missed tackles Texas ball carriers forced on wide runs accounted for more than 67 percent of the missed tackles forced by the Longhorns on their non-sack rushing attempts. Furthermore, Quintrevion Wisner is the returning leading rusher in the SEC (1,064 yards, 4.7 yards per attempt and five rushing touchdowns) and was most effective on wide runs as a sophomore. The data collected by PFF shows Wisner gained 448 yards, scored all of his rushing touchdowns, recorded 10 of his 27 gains that went for 10 or more yards and forced 27 missed tackles on C-gap-to-sideline rushing attempts, even though those runs accounted for only 45 percent of his total carries (226). So, which concept will be the focal point of the Texas running game in 2025? According to offensive line coach Kyle Flood, who met with reporters on Tuesday ahead of Wednesday’s first training camp practice, the Longhorns haven’t settled on one. This will be the ninth consecutive season Flood has worked alongside Sarkisian, which dates back to their time together in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons. Flood said the go-to scheme is subject to change from year to year, pointing out that, in 2024, the outside zone "was very productive for us over the course of the season.” “I don’t know what that’s going to look like this year yet,” Flood said. “I think we’ll have a much better vision of that as we go through training camp and we allow these linemen and tight ends to work together.” Based on how the Texas running game has evolved since Sarkisian’s first season on the Forty Acres, Flood isn’t being coy when discussing what the running game will hang its hat on in the current regime’s fifth season. The Longhorns relied heavily on inside zone runs in 2021 (according to PFF, Bijan Robinson had 138 rushing attempts on zone-based plays and just 57 carries on gap-based runs), preferring zone concepts 66 percent of the time. The percentage of zone runs dropped to 57 in 2022, with Roschon Johnson splitting his carries almost equally between zone (47 attempts) and gap-based runs (44). In 2023, with the addition of CJ Baxter, who had more attempted gap runs (69) than zone runs, the 2023 running game, and Jonathon Brooks closing the margin between his zone (101) and gap (86) runs, Texas won the Big 12 and reached the College Football Playoff behind a running game operating on a 54/46 percentage split between zone and gap runs. Last season, even with outside zone being the dominant concept, the Longhorns had a 52/48 percentage split favoring zone runs, their most balanced running game under Sarkisian. What must the coaches consider when establishing which concepts could best help Texas reach the national championship game for the first time since the Longhorns played for the BCS title in 2009? It starts with Flood replacing four starters along the offensive line. And the strongest parts of the line are just as important as determining the schemes in which the retooled group might be most proficient. Last season, the A gap between Jake Majors and Hayden Conner (89 attempts) and the C gap between Kelvin Banks Jr. (87 attempts) and the tight end were the most popular gaps for running plays according to PFF. Those three players are gone. Still, Trevor Goosby was the left tackle for Wisner’s 186-yard performance in the regular-season finale against Texas A&M, and Neto Umeozulu could offer a better, more consistent push in the running game as he takes over for Conner at left guard. Baxter was back on the practice field Wednesday, less than a year after a preseason knee injury wiped out his sophomore season. With Christian Clark showing no signs of slowing down while going through his remarkable recovery from an Achilles injury, and Jerrick Gibson trying to prove he’s worthy of carries after an up-and-down debut, the running back room is a lot more crowded than it was when Baxter was leading the way last summer. “Ultimately, as coaches, we’ll figure out what schemes are going to allow us to utilize that personnel in the best way,” Flood said. “It may be outside the zone again, but I don’t go into it saying, ‘This is what we’re going to be exclusively,’ or, ‘This is what we’re going to do more than anything else.’ I think I want to see that in training camp to really be sure what we feel like is the best thing for this football team, and assume that just because outside zone might’ve been best last year, that it’s going to be best for us again.” View full news story

Here are some quick hitters from Thursday's practice, the second of training camp for the Texas Longhorns: — Wide receiver Ryan Wingo and offensive lineman DJ Campbell weren't at practice. There was no official word on the status of either Longhorn immediately after the window. With Wingo out, there was more work available for Emmett Mosley V and Jaime Ffrench, who caught the eyes of the OTF staff today. With that said, Parker Livingstone made his presence felt without Wingo on the field, catching a few deep balls from Arch Manning late in the viewing window. Steve Sarkisian was vocal in his approval of Livingstone's performance on Thursday. Along the offensive line, Connor Robertson was elevated to the No. 1 center with Campbell's absence forcing Cole Hutson to right guard. Trevor Goosby, Neto Umeozulu and Brandon Baker rounded out the first-team line. Jaydon Chatman (left tackle), Nate Kibble (left guard), Daniel Cruz (center), Connor Stroh (right guard) and Andre Cojoe (right tackle) made up the second group. — Cornerback Kade Phillips and safety Jonah Williams were held out again today. Sarkisian said after Wednesday's practice that both true freshmen are dealing with hamstring issues. — Lavon Johnson is still limited and had his left ankle heavily taped for the second consecutive practice. Hero Kanu and Alex January led the interior defensive linemen through drills, but Travis Shaw was noticeable on Thursday. The North Carolina transfer was limited in the spring while recovering from a knee injury. Shaw, Cole Brevard and Maraad Watson had solid days among the guys in Kenny Baker's group. — UPDATE: According to a university spokesperson, Campbell and Wingo were absent from practice for personal reasons and it’s “nothing serious,” we’re told. View full news story

Steve Sarkisian is off the practice field (and back into air condition) to speak with the media for the first time this fall camp. notes and quotes in the comments below.

A little over an hour away

AUSTIN, Texas — Pete Kwiatkowski enters his fifth season as Texas defensive coordinator with the pass rush in a much better place than where it stood three years ago. Kwiatkowski’s first season on the Forty Acres was largely forgettable. While allowing the second-most yards per rushing attempt (5.15) of any Longhorn defense and third-most yards per play (6.03) and points per game (31.1) in school history, Kwiatkowski’s first season saw Texas record 20 sacks in a 12-game campaign, good for a No. 98 finish nationally (1.67 sacks per game). “What pass rush?” Kwiatkowski quipped before the start of the 2022 season when reflecting on the worst Texas pass rush since 1997 (15 sacks total and an average of 1.36 per game). The Longhorns improved over the next two seasons, averaging 2.08 sacks per game (No. 77 in FBS) in 2022 and 2.29 sacks per game (No. 52) in 2023 before the pass rush took off with authority in 2024. “We’ve come a long way from whenever that was,” Kwiatkowski said Tuesday, when he and fellow coordinators Kyle Flood and Jeff Banks met with the media ahead of Wednesday’s first camp practice. After sacking opposing quarterbacks 46 times (2.88 sacks per game, which was good for a No. 15 FBS ranking) en route to a second consecutive trip to the College Football Playoff semifinals, Texas heads into the 2025 season boasting arguably the nation’s fiercest pass rush. The returns of Colin Simmons (nine sacks as a true freshman), Anthony Hill Jr. (eight) and Trey Moore (5.5) account for the bulk of the 32 sacks the Longhorns welcome back from last season. With Kwiatkowski stewarding the expansion of Moore’s job description to include more snaps at the second level of the defense, along with the shift of transfer Brad Spence (4.5 sacks with Arkansas in 2024) from linebacker to EDGE, the Longhorns have added more pieces to the chessboard. Kwiatkowski said he’s excited about the possible sub-package looks and lineup combinations he can put on the field, even if maximizing his personnel is easier said than done. “It makes it difficult because you've got all of these guys that you’re trying to put into position to make plays,” Kwiatkowski said. “It’s a good problem to have.” An elite pass rush might be most responsible for the success Texas enjoyed on defense last season. The Longhorns allow the third-fewest points per game (15.3), total yards per game (283.4) and yards per play (4.4) in the nation. Texas was ranked in the top 15 nationally in rushing yards allowed per game (109.6) and yards per rushing attempt allowed (3.24), which opened up more pass-rushing opportunities. With quarterbacks feeling the heat more often, the Longhorns led the SEC and were No. 2 nationally in takeaways (31), including 22 interceptions (tied for the FBS lead), and fielded the country’s No. 8-ranked third-down defense (31.4 percent conversion rate allowed). With that said, there are two reasons to believe the encore could pack more of a punch. For starters, Kwiatkowski said understanding and putting into practice the details of the EDGE position will lead to more consistent production from Simmons. “He's a playmaker. He's got great ability and skill. It's just attention to the details; being more physical when we need him to be more physical,” Kwiatkowski said. Even after Simmons won the Shaun Alexander Award and began an ascent toward an early selection in the 2027 NFL Draft, what LaAllan Clark said when asked for his initial impressions of the 6-foot-3-inch, 240-pounder should have the Texas faithful giddy for what’s to come. “An elite player who left a lot on the bone last year,” said the man working with Simmons and the other Longhorn edge defenders. “He’s ready to take that next step. “He’s just scratching the surface.” Then there’s Hill, whose next step, Kwiatkowski said, is growing his game in pass coverage. Hill expanding his skill set could allow Kwiatkowski to use him as a decoy to open things up for other Texas defenders and make it tougher for offenses to try and exploit him when hunting matchups. “He has a nose for the ball, plays his tail off and has a knack for big plays,” Kwiatkowski said of Hill, a second-team All-American linebacker as a sophomore and a projected first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. “It's just the consistency in his pass coverage. That’s the next step, and he's doing a good job with that.” If Kwiatkowski can do more with Simmons and Hill, it’s hard to imagine any collegiate defensive front being harder to deal with than the one the Longhorns will deploy. Kwiatkowski didn’t tip his hand on what he’s cooking up for the Cotton Bowl rematch with Ohio State in 32 days. Still, it was hard for Kwiatkowski to hide his excitement about the personnel he’ll be working with in camp as he and the defensive staff begin molding the ball of clay that is the 2025 defense. “I feel really good about what we've got personnel-wise,” Kwiatkowski said. “Guys coming off the edge, 'backers can rush the passer and we've got good D-tackles that can push the pocket.” View full news story

Analysis of Brad Spence and Trey Moore Musical Chairs The conversation regarding the positions Trey Moore and Brad Spence would play on the field in 2025 has reached a peak following the news Tuesday that Spence has moved to a full-time EDGE position. In fact, it is BUCK where Spence is believed to be moved to – right behind Colin Simmons on the depth chart. But I wanted to provide some insight on why the move was made. On the surface, it may not make a whole lot of sense. Trey Moore is listed at 6-foot-3-inches and 249 pounds on the Texas roster, while Brad Spence comes in at 6-foot-2 and 241 pounds. When watching Brad Spence play ball for Arkansas in 2024, even as an off-ball linebacker, there is a clear heavy-handedness to his game. Spence brings a significant punch when engaging with would-be blockers and is quick to disengage without needed to move from his position all too much. On the flip side, speed is more the name of the game for Trey Moore. Finesse moves like the spin move and dip and rips were what allowed Trey Moore to see significant production in the 2nd half of the season. Though, that finesse approach brings displacement at times. When looking at holding the edge in run support, this favors the play style of Spence just a bit more. I don't have GPS speed numbers for either, but there were times a year ago where Trey Moore dropped back into coverage and fared well. This also gives Texas the opportunity to put two 240+ pound linebackers on the field together for jumbo situations. Altogether, the arsenal for the Texas pass rush continues to improve. Should be interesting to see how both are deployed in 2025.

OTF will be at the Moncrief Complex this morning for a media availability with the Texas coordinators (Kyle Flood, Pete Kwiatkowski and Jeff Banks) at 10:30 a.m. At 11:30, we’re scheduled to get time with the nine other on-field assistant coaches (AJ Milwee, Chad Scott, Chris Jackson, LaAllan Clark, Kenny Baker, Johnny Nansen, Keynodo Hudson, Mark Orphey and Duane Akina). We’ll provide updates throughout the day on this thread.

I thought this was a really interesting question from @Jarveaux on a topic posted Friday afternoon. Could Texas QB Arch Manning be the first quarterback in Texas history to reach 4,000 passing yards in a single season? Doing so would set a new single season passing record for The University of Texas, breaking Colt McCoy's 2008 season of 3,859 yards. Given the length of the College Football Playoff schedule and the expectation/talent on roster currently, it is definitely within the realm of possibility. In fact, I believe it will happen. The Longhorns could play anywhere from 12–16 games in 2025. Of course, I think I speak for everyone when I say playing only 12 games meant something went terribly wrong. But for the sake of the argument, let's look at the required passing numbers to hit the 4k mark by games played. 12 games: 333.3 YPG 13 games: 307.7 YPG 14 games: 285.7 YPG 15 games: 266.6 YPG 16 games: 250.0 YPG Texas QB Quinn Ewers threw for an average of 289.9 passing yards per game in his 12 starts last year, totaling 3,472 yards. Given he missed UTSA and Mississippi State, two games where Arch Manning threw for a combined for 583 passing yards, it is fair to assume those numbers would have been comparable. Meaning, a healthy Quinn Ewers gets to the 4,000 mark last year. So for Manning, it is definitely a possibility. The University of Texas single season passing record should be on watch this fall. So back to the original question in the article's title – Will Arch Manning Hit 4,000 Passing Yards? The answer for me is simple. Yes. If the Texas QB remains healthy, there will be plenty of opportunity to run of the numbers and the length of the season will allow for Manning to eclipse the record set by the former Longhorn Legend.

We are officially on fall camp week! Practice kicks off on Wednesday, and for the Horns, there will be plenty of eyes on how the Arch Manning-led offense will look early on in camp. A couple of nuggets from the last month or so of workouts. *** • First, there has been an extra emphasis from wide out throwing sessions to focus on the back shoulder throw. Primarily focusing on body control and showing hands late when the ball is in the air. Those routes include typical go routes, hole shots in zone coverage, slot fades and seam routes. The expectation is there will be more of these routes and throws in the Texas offense this season with Manning than what we saw over the last three years with Quinn Ewers. • My expectation for Wednesday is to see Wingo–Moore–Mosley trotting out with the first unit with Livingstone and McCutcheon being the first two to rotate in. • Several times this offseason I have heard folks are expecting a massive season for Ryan Wingo. • I will add this on Michael Terry III, while I don't know how much we will see of the San Antonio native, I can report the 6-foot-3-inch wide out has been as active behind the scenes as anyone on the roster. Terry will solely focus on the wide receiver position in fall camp despite speculation he may be moved around at H-Back or TE.

SAN ANTONIO — The final day of the Texas High School Coaches Association’s annual convention and coaching school is marked by the keynote address, delivered by a college head coach. This year, Texas coach Steve Sarkisian will speak to the high school coaches gathered inside San Antonio’s Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center on Tuesday. On Texas Football is onsite to hear Sarkisian’s remarks with 39 standing between the Longhorns and the 2025 season opener against reigning national champion Ohio State. View full news story

SAN ANTONIO — When Texas hits the turf at Ohio Stadium in 40 days for a College Football Playoff semifinal return bout against Ohio State, Steve Sarkisian will be involved in a season opener the likes of which he hasn’t been a part of in 22 years. The Longhorns and Buckeyes should be among the highest-ranked teams in the Associated Press Top 25 when they pick up on Aug. 30 where they left off in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 10. The last time Sarkisian kicked off a season in a game featuring two top-10 squads, he was in his third season coaching USC’s quarterbacks for Pete Carroll when the eighth-ranked Trojans went into Jordan-Hare Stadium and smacked No. 6 Auburn, 23-0. That’s one of three times throughout Sarkisian’s collegiate coaching career in which he’s had to prepare a team for a season opener on the road against a current member of a Power Four conference. He hasn’t coached a season opener against an AP Top 25 foe since 2013 (Washington soundly defeated No. 19 Boise State, at home, 38-6). Still, Sarkisian is drawing on those experiences to prepare his squad for “probably the most daunting challenge of a first game” in his career. “You just try to tap into those things throughout your career that you've been through,” Sarkisian said on Sunday at the Texas High School Coaches Association Convention in San Antonio. “How can you benefit from that?” Like the team Sarkisian is taking to Columbus, USC lacked extensive experience at key positions entering the 2003 season. First-round NFL draft picks Carson Palmer and Troy Polamalu were among five Trojans selected from a team that finished Carroll’s second season with a share of the Pac-10 title and an 11-2 record after a rout of Iowa in the Orange Bowl. Matt Leinart’s starting debut came against the Tigers. The shutout win over Auburn, which received a first-place vote in the preseason AP Top 25, also marked the USC debuts of running backs Reggie Bush and LenDale White; Bush and Leinart were two of seven Trojans on the 2003 roster (USC went 12-1 that season and split the national championship with an LSU team coached by Nick Saban) who went on to become first-round NFL draft picks. Led by four preseason All-SEC first-team selections (DJ Campbell, Anthony Hill, Colin Simmons, Michael Taaffe and Quintrevion Wisner), the Longhorns’ current roster could prove worthy of standing side by side with the most talented collegiate teams with which Sarkisian has been associated. Wanting to ensure the 2025 squad puts its best foot forward against the reigning national champions, Sarkisian will maximize the team's preseason practice time while maintaining a proven camp format. “The first 2.5 weeks or so of training camp have been truly that — of training camp. Then, we've adjusted, kind of, into that third week, where we've gotten into that first opponent, that bigger opponent,” Sarkisian said. A few years ago, it was Alabama for that week. Last year, it was Michigan. This year, it would be Ohio State. That was really implementing the game plan for that game. In the fourth week, we would then game-plan and prepare for our first opponent. “This year, what it'll look like more [is] kind of a two-week process to get ready for the game,” he continued. “Similar, in a sense, I guess you could say, almost to a bowl game. Yet, the reality of it is, probably with a little more physicality, a little more opportunity to tackle and to do those things to make sure that you're sharp.” There are concerns to address going into a season opener, regardless of the opponent. For Sarkisian, tackling and ball security top the list, as they do for most coaches. While issues relating to alignment, assignment and communication can be problematic early in the season, Sarkisian also mentioned "dealing with performance anxiety." Not every current Texas player was on the field for meaningful snaps in Tuscaloosa, Ann Arbor, College Station or other road environments similar to the Horseshoe that the Longhorns have experienced. For Sarkisian, no stone will be left unturned by the Longhorns to make sure they're ready for their second meeting with Ohio State in less than eight months. “If I can put them in some of those elements, as well as the staff putting together a good game plan, and then we can get up there and go cut it loose and go play,” Sarkisian said. View full news story

Jeff Howe and I are in San Antonio for the 2025 Texas High School Coaches Association convention, otherwise known as Coaching School. Steve Sarkisian will speak with media at 2:00 cst. RB coach Chad Scott spoke earlier this am to HS coaches. And CB coach Mark Orphey is speaking currently.

On Texas Football coverage of SEC Media Days is brought to you by Vonlane, Flat Creek Estate Winery, Advanced Pain Care and South Point Dodge. *** ATLANTA — The palpable buzz Texas created at SEC Media Days on Tuesday doesn’t guarantee anything regarding the outcome of the 2025 season. Still, coach Steve Sarkisian, quarterback Arch Manning and the Longhorns dominated the conversation before, during and after they made their way through the College Football Hall of Fame. The Texas hype reached a fever pitch before OTF 5-star linebacker Tyler Atkinson (Loganville, Ga./Grayson) went live on ESPN and committed to Texas on the “Pat McAfee Show." James Johnson’s (Cape Coral, Fla./Miami Northwestern) flip from Georgia to the Longhorns a few hours later punctuated a day when Sarkisian’s program went into Kirby Smart’s backyard, planted a flag with authority and headed home with two elite future defensive pieces — the No. 1 recruit in Georgia and a blue-chip defensive lineman previously bound for Smart’s Bulldogs — in the fold. The rivalry between Texas and Georgia is currently a one-sided affair on the field. The Longhorns didn’t find their footing in time to make a 30-15 regular-season loss to the Bulldogs more competitive, and Georgia emerged victorious from a slugfest at Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the SEC title. “To be honest, they out-physicalled us in that first game,” All-American safety Michael Taaffe said Tuesday. “We’ve got to come with a physical nature and a sense of pride knowing that if we want to get to where we want to go in December, we’ve got to beat those guys.” Smart once girded his loins and aimed at supplanting Nick Saban’s Alabama dynasty as college football's new gold standard. With 105 wins, three conference championships and two national titles through nine seasons at his alma mater, Smart’s program is the top dog in the SEC. Sarkisian’s 38 wins are tied with Mack Brown for the most of any Longhorn coach through their first four seasons. Consecutive trips to the College Football Playoff prove Sarkisian has Texas on the verge of entering another golden era on the Forty Acres. Smart and the Bulldogs are the biggest obstacles to Sarkisian and the Longhorns getting over the hump. The schools combined to produce 25 picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, including six first-rounders. With Sarkisian and Smart leading the way, Texas and Georgia are positioned to duke it out head-to-head in a climb for the summit for the foreseeable future. “I think those are the two premier programs and premier coaches in college football,” Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin said Monday. Between his time with Sarkisian under Pete Carroll at USC (2001-03; 2005-06) and on Saban's Crimson Tide staff (2016), Kiffin’s offense went against Smart's defense on the practice field in Tuscaloosa during the 2014 and 2015 seasons. Touting Sarkisian and Smart as “really good friends and really good people,” Kiffin isn’t surprised to see two "phenomenal coaches” guiding organizations that are thriving against the sport's chaotic, uncertain backdrop. “I feel like both these guys really run their program truly as a CEO and know everything that's going on,” Kiffin said. “They're very creative in their ideas and how to navigate through this world we're in now.” Saban once transitioned from the hunter to the hunted when Alabama ended Urban Meyer’s phenomenal Florida run; a 32-13 triumph in the 2009 SEC Championship Game opened the door for Saban to win his first national championship with the Crimson Tide. The target every SEC coach currently has in their crosshairs is the one on Smart’s back, a reality from which the Longhorns aren’t shying away. “We want to play against the best teams in the world,” All-American linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. said Tuesday. “Going against them is a great test for us throughout the season.” After squaring off in Austin and Atlanta, the third meeting between Texas and Georgia in a 392-day window will be the Longhorns’ first-ever game between Sanford Stadium’s hedges. The Bulldogs own college football’s longest active home winning streak, which could reach 37 games by the time the Longhorns make their way to Athens on Nov. 15. “Playing them in the regular season is going to be a really good game,” Hill said. “We know we have to play them at their house, so we're looking forward to that test. I know it's going to be a really tough game for us, but we're ready.” Sarkisian's red-and-black tinted roadblock isn’t unprecedented. He's not the first Texas coach who had to slay a dragon while pursuing championship glory. While an early-season road win over Ohio State established the Longhorns as bona fide title contenders in 2005, Brown had to wait until an October trip to Dallas for the Red River Shootout for a chance to get the monkey off his back. He shed it, snapping a five-game losing streak against Bob Stoops emphatically, with a 45-12 thrashing of Oklahoma, which fast-tracked Texas to the Rose Bowl and a date with destiny against USC. The Longhorns are locked in on their Cotton Bowl rematch with the Buckeyes in Columbus, a chance to make a statement out of the gate in the season opener on Aug. 30. Nevertheless, game No. 10 on the schedule will judge whether Texas is ready for the next step in its journey under Sarkisian or not. For his part, Smart downplayed his budding rivalry with Sarkisian while tipping his cap, ever so slightly, to the Longhorns when he addressed Georgia’s recent success against Texas. “Tremendous respect for him and his program, the job they do,” he said. “To beat good teams, you've got to be a good team. We had a good football team last year. So did they. It's not about us as coaches. It's really about the players and what you believe in.” Hours later, Sarkisian departed the Peach State with two players coveted by Smart, who started the day by mentioning that the Bulldogs value “relationships over transactions” in recruiting. Texas isn’t going away, with Sarkisian running down a laundry list of everything the Longhorns have to offer before declaring Texas to be “an attractive school for players to want to come take a look at.” Whether it’s in recruiting, the NFL draft or between the chalked lines, the newest rivalry in the fight for SEC supremacy is afoot. View full news story

On Texas Football coverage of SEC Media Days is brought to you by Vonlane, Flat Creek Estate Winery, Advanced Pain Care and South Point Dodge. *** ATLANTA — SEC Media Days wrap up at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta on Thursday. Three Texas opponents on the 2025 conference schedule are scheduled to make the rounds throughout the day: Arkansas, Kentucky and Texas A&M. View full news story