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AUSTIN, Texas — Steve Sarkisian won’t know how the Texas interior defensive line measures up to the program’s last few groups until the No. 1 Longhorns meet No. 3 Ohio State in the Horseshoe on Aug. 30. Still, through six practices, Sarkisian knew enough to make a definitive statement about Kenny Baker’s unit. “We're deep,” Sarkisian said after the team's Aug. 5 practice. “That's probably the biggest thing I can say about that group right now. We're playing a lot of guys, which has been good.” Vernon Broughton and Alfred Collins were two of the first 71 picks in the 2025 NFL Draft. Along with losing two of the most prominent members of a Texas defense that was No. 3 in FBS in total defense (283.4 yards per game and 4.4 yards per play allowed), scoring defense (15.3 points per game allowed) in the red zone (62.9 percent conversion rate allowed), the expired eligibility of Jermayne Lole and Bill Norton put the Longhorns in a position in which the 94 snaps Alex January logged as a true freshman made him the team's most experienced returning tackle. Cole Brevard (Purdue), Hero Kanu (Ohio State) and Travis Shaw (North Carolina) joined the program out of the transfer portal during the winter window. Even with January and Melvin Hills III back with a year under their belts, and Myron Charles, Justus Terry and Josiah Sharma making up a strong signing class that was on campus for spring practice, Texas went back into the portal and snagged Lavon Johnson (Maryland) and Maraad Watson (Syracuse) heading into the summer. Ten defensive tackles occupying scholarships on the 2025 roster might seem like overkill. Regardless, Sarkisian wanted to ensure the Longhorns had enough depth to fortify the rotation through what will be a long season if Texas makes another deep run in the College Football Playoff. “When you look at our team, I think about January,” Sarkisian said. “As much as I'm thinking about Aug. 30, I'm thinking about this journey we're trying to go on.” While it might take a few games for Sarkisian, Baker and Pete Kwiatkowski to figure out an optimal rotation, a deep mix of tackles is something the Longhorns didn’t have in 2024. Collins (593 snaps) and Broughton (588) both logged more than 500 snaps last season, according to Pro Football Focus. Lole (469) and Norton (260) were the only other Texas tackles to play more than 100 snaps, with January’s snap total finishing a distant fifth among Longhorn interior defensive linemen. “Where we're at now, a lot of these guys probably would've been able to spell those guys more than we were able to last year,” Sarkisian said. “I think that's probably the difference. Some of those guys, if they were on our team last season, Vernon and Alfred might not have had to have played as many snaps as they did a year ago.” What that might look like when the dust settles on the 2025 season is a distribution of snaps similar to how the Texas defensive tackles operated in 2022. A group that eventually produced six NFL draft picks, including a first-rounder (Byron Murphy II in 2024) and two second-rounders (Collins in 2025 and T’Vondre Sweat in 2024), the defense’s top six tackles in Sarkisian's second season got enough snaps to be impactful during a 13-game campaign. Sweat’s 35.7 snaps played per game led the unit, followed by Keondre Coburn (31.9), Moro Ojomo (31.3), Murphy (30.2), Collins (21.6) and Broughton (20.3). When looking back at the snap totals within the tackle group in 2021, the Longhorns got more from Sweat (26.3 snaps per game in 2021) and Murphy (24.8), which helped Ojomo (35.9) and Coburn (32.4) maximize their time on the field. A deeper, more effective tip of the spear helped Texas finish 22nd nationally in yards per rushing attempt allowed (3.48) and 32nd in rushing yards per game allowed (125.7), a drastic turnaround from Kwiatkowski's forgettable debut (201.6 yards per game and 5.15 yards per attempt allowed). According to PFF’s snap totals from the 2024 season, Watson (37.9 snaps per game) logged the most playing time at his previous stop, followed by Brevard (34.7), Shaw (25.9), Johnson (20.5) and Kanu (7.8). Based on their season-long PFF grades, a rotation could help Texas get more consistent production from Watson and Brevard. No defensive tackle in the Sarkisian era has logged as much playing time in one season as Watson did as a true freshman in the ACC. A few fewer snaps per game could do for Watson what it did for Brevard, whose PFF grade improved from a 60.6 in 2023, when he played in 11 games for the Boilermakers and averaged 35.6 snaps per game, to a 75 last season (a PFF grade of 70 is considered above average). The competition for snaps will bleed into the regular season, which is fine with Sarkisian. If the master plan Sarkisian put into motion works, and the 2025 defensive tackle outlook rivals what happened in 2022, Baker's group should have a lot left in the tank when it matters most in December and January. “That's what my goal was coming into the season: Could we develop that room into where we can play a lot of players, a lot of people, so that over time, that wear and tear wouldn't take its toll on us?” Sarkisian said. “I think we've done that.” View full news story

Justice Finkley, who transferred from Texas to Kansas, is doing well with the Jayhawks. I talked to someone yesterday in the know in Lawrence who said Finkley has been everything the Kansas staff thought he'd be on the field, and that his leadership is so strong that he's in the mix to be a captain as a one-and-done transfer.

I asked two different team sources to describe the play of freshman QB KJ Lacey. Received two different words back that I think fit him tremendously. *** "Gamer." "Elusive" *** Bobby Burton, Jeff Howe and I spoke about the quarterbacks behind Arch Manning on a recent video, with the Saraland Slinger receiving plenty of praise.

Several Texas players will meet with the media following the Longhorns Thursday afternoon practice. Notes and quotes in the comments below.

This question was posed to Rod, CJ and me on the livestream last night: If you were told Texas was guaranteed to split the following four games (at Ohio State, at Florida, at Georgia and vs. Texas A&M), would you take it right now? I'm assuming in this scenario that the Longhorns win the other eight games on the schedule. That means Texas is guaranteed to end the regular season with a 10-2 record. On one hand, a loss to Ohio State and one conference loss means Texas is likely headed to the SEC title game, probably as the No. 1 seed for the second year in a row. On the other hand, two conference losses, including one to the Aggies in the regular-season finale at home, mean the Longhorns would probably be sweating it out to see if they're in the 12-team CFP. Due to what a loss to Texas A&M would mean, I wouldn't take it. With that said, I've seen more than a few 9-3 predictions on the board, so I'm assuming there are members of the community who would sign up for 10 wins, regardless of which two games are the losses. So, would you take it?

Steve Sarkisian is scheduled to meet with reporters after Texas concludes practice on Monday. He’s probably going to be asked about the Longhorns being the No. 1-ranked team in the Associated Press Top 25 for the first time in school history. History suggests Sarkisian will step in front of the cameras with his response ready to go. “I don't really care about the rankings, truth be told,” he said last month in San Antonio at the Texas High School Coaches Association Coaching School and Convention. Sarkisian was answering a question regarding SEC Media Days, which ended with the media picking Texas as the preseason favorite to win the conference championship. Still, Sarkisian didn’t wax poetic on the Longhorns' chances of getting to Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the second year in a row and taking care of unfinished business on Dec. 6. “I've sat up here and said the rankings don't matter when we weren't ranked very highly,” he said. “I don't think that's going to change if we're ranked higher.” No matter what anyone thinks of preseason rankings, the Longhorns (1,552 total points based on poll votes, including 25 first-place votes) edging out fellow College Football Playoff semifinalist Penn State (1,547 points and 23 first-place votes) and reigning national champion Ohio State (1,472 points and 11 first-place votes) should be taken as a two-fold sign of respect from the college football world. First, it’s a sign of respect for what the current regime has achieved since the 2023 recruiting class, one headlined by Anthony Hill Jr. and Arch Manning, arrived on campus. Over the last two seasons, Sarkisian’s program has made back-to-back CFP semifinal trips, ended the longest drought in program history without a conference championship (14 years) and racked up 25 victories. Furthermore, it’s respect for a roster chock-full of former blue-chip recruits with arguably more talent, fewer holes and a higher number of future NFL draft picks than any in the country. Even though ESPN’s Bill Connelly ranked Texas No. 103 when he unveiled his returning production percentage rankings in February, the Longhorns’ (No. 5 in Connelly’s post-spring SP+ rankings, of which returning production is a piece of the formula) inexperience could be minimized. Almost all of the players with extra eligibility stemming from the pandemic-impacted 2020 season have cycled through college football, which should result in younger, less-experienced rosters across the board. If there were a season in which a lack of experience at key positions might not be a detriment, it could be this one. That, along with Manning’s first season to be QB1 from the jump, might best explain Texas coming out on top of the closest preseason AP vote since 1998, when five points separated No. 1 Ohio State (1,668 points and 30 first-place votes) and No. 2 Florida State (1,663 points and 22 first-place votes). “They're great for the fans and they're great for the popularity of our sport,” Sarkisian said of preseason rankings last month. “It keeps the conversation of college football [at] the forefront of people's minds and the media and things of that nature. "I think that's awesome for our sport, and the fact that we're talking about Week 1 matchups and all of those things, but, in reality, they don't matter," he added. "What we do on the field, the way we perform, is going to be, ultimately, what dictates how our season goes." Nevertheless, the rubber will meet the road in 19 days, when the Longhorns travel to the Horseshoe to meet the Buckeyes in a rematch of last season’s heartbreaking Cotton Bowl loss. To Sarkisian’s point about marquee Week 1 battles, Ohio State’s No. 3 ranking means the Aug. 30 showdown in Columbus is tied with a clash between No. 1 Alabama and No. 3 Florida State on Sept. 2, 2017, for pitting the highest-ranked teams against each other in a season opener since the first preseason poll was released in 1950. Anyone invested in Longhorn football should take pride in Texas, which went into the 2024 campaign ranked No. 4 in the AP Top 25, garnering a top-five preseason ranking for the second consecutive season. Sarkisian joining Darrell Royal (1960-65 and 1967-71) and Mack Brown (2001-03, 2005-07 and 2009-10) as the only coaches in program history to do so is another sign that the Longhorns are on the cusp of a historic run. That should be celebrated by the burnt orange faithful, even if it doesn’t resonate within the walls of the Moncrief Complex. Internally, nobody takes for granted what Texas has accomplished over the last two seasons. Still, the Longhorns are focused on doing whatever it takes to get over the hump and claim the program's first national championship in 20 years. "The coaches do a great job reminding us that this is our main goal, but we have to do the work every single day to reach the goal," linebacker Liona Lefau said after a recent camp practice. "We can't skip any steps. We can't skip any days. We've got to stack days. "[Sarkisian] called it 'the summit,'" he added. "Right now, we're at the bottom, trying to work our way up to the national championship." View full news story

Texas entering into Steve Sarkisian’s fifth season on the Forty Acres as the No. 1 in the Associated Press Top 25 doesn’t guarantee anything. Still, the history of preseason No. 1 teams since 1998 — the first season in which the Bowl Championship Series decided college football’s national champion — is a sign that the Longhorns can almost bank on a prosperous season. The proof will be in the pudding, whether Texas is destined for a third consecutive trip to the College Football Playoff under Sarkisian. Regardless, there’s a baseline level of success that the previous 27 clubs voted No. 1 in the preseason by AP Top 25 voters has reached. — Only one of the 27 previous preseason No. 1 teams failed to win 10 or more games. USC opened the 2012 season ranked No. 1 by the AP (LSU was No. 1 in the Coaches Poll) and went 7-6 with a loss to Georgia Tech in the Sun Bowl. Lane Kiffin’s last full season as coach of the Trojans saw USC join Ole Miss (1964) as the only preseason No. 1 teams in history to not appear in the final poll. — Texas will attempt to join Florida State (1999), USC (2004) and Alabama (2017) as the only preseason No. 1 teams in the BCS/CFP era to win a national championship. — In the BCS era (1998-2013), four preseason No. 1 teams — Miami (2002), Oklahoma (2003), USC (2005) and Ohio State (2006) — reached the national championship game. The Hurricanes, Trojans and Buckeyes won their respective conference championships; the Sooners lost to Kansas State in the Big 12 title game. — While Alabama (2017) is the only preseason No. 1 to win a national championship in the CFP era (since 2014), nine other No. 1 teams made it to the CFP: Florida State (2014), Alabama (2016, 2018 and 2021), Clemson (2019 and 2020) and Georgia (2023 and 2024). Of those eight teams, four (Alabama three times and Clemson in 2019) reached the national championship game. — Nick Saban’s 2017 Crimson Tide won the national championship with a walk-off victory over Georgia, but the Bulldogs won the SEC title with a win over Auburn. Of the 27 previous preseason No. 1 teams, 14 won at least a share of a conference championship, while Oklahoma (2003), Florida (2009) and Georgia (2023) lost their respective conference title games. — Eleven preseason No. 1 teams since 1998 didn’t win a conference championship, reach the BCS title game or make the CFP: Nebraska (2000), Florida (2001), Georgia (2008 and 2023), Florida (2009), Alabama (2010, 2013 and 2022), Oklahoma (2011), USC (2012) and Ohio State (2015). The 2015 Buckeyes, the 2022 Crimson Tide and the 2023 Bulldogs are the only AP preseason No. 1 teams since 2014 to not qualify for the CFP in the four-team format. — Georgia was No. 1 to open the 2024 season, the first in the 12-team CFP format. The Bulldogs went 11-3 and won the SEC championship with an overtime win over Texas before falling to Notre Dame at the Sugar Bowl in the CFP quarterfinals. Final results for preseason AP Top 25 No. 1 teams since 1998 2024: Georgia (11-3, SEC champions, lost in the CFP quarterfinals to Notre Dame) 2023: Georgia (13-1, lost the SEC championship game to Alabama, Orange Bowl champions) 2022: Alabama (11-2, didn’t make it to SEC championship game, Sugar Bowl champions) 2021: Alabama (13-2, SEC champions, Cotton Bowl champions, lost the CFP national championship to Georgia) 2020: Clemson (10-2, ACC champions, lost in the CFP semifinals to Ohio State) 2019: Clemson (14-1, ACC champions, Fiesta Bowl champions, lost the CFP national championship to LSU) 2018: Alabama (14-1, SEC champions, Orange Bowl champions, lost the CFP national championship to Clemson) *2017: Alabama (13-1, didn’t make it to the SEC championship game, Sugar Bowl champions, CFP national champions) 2016: Alabama (14-1, SEC champions, Peach Bowl champions, lost the CFP national championship to Clemson) 2015: Ohio State (12-1, didn’t make Big Ten championship game, Fiesta Bowl champions) 2014: Florida State (13-1, ACC champions, lost in the CFP semifinals to Oregon) 2013: Alabama (11-2, didn’t make SEC championship game, lost the Sugar Bowl to Oklahoma) 2012: USC (7-6, didn't make the Pac-12 championship game, lost the Sun Bowl to Georgia Tech) 2011: Oklahoma (10-3, Insight Bowl champions) 2010: Alabama (10-3, didn’t make the SEC championship game, Citrus Bowl champions) 2009: Florida (13-1, lost the SEC championship game to Alabama, Sugar Bowl champions) 2008: Georgia (10-3, didn’t make SEC championship game, Citrus Bowl champions) 2007: USC (11-2, Pac-10 co-champions, Rose Bowl champions) 2006: Ohio State (12-1, Big Ten champions, lost BCS national championship game to Florida) 2005: USC (12-1, Pac-10 champions, lost Rose Bowl/BCS championship game to Texas) *2004: USC (11-0, Pac-10 champions, BCS national champions) 2003: Oklahoma (12-2, lost the Big 12 championship game to Kansas State, lost the Sugar Bowl/BCS championship game to LSU) 2002: Miami (12-1, Big East champions, lost the Fiesta Bowl/BCS championship game to Ohio State) 2001: Florida (10-2, didn’t make the SEC championship game, Orange Bowl champions) 2000: Nebraska (10-2, didn’t make Big 12 championship game, Alamo Bowl champions) *1999: Florida State (12-0, ACC champions, BCS national champions) 1998: Ohio State (11-1, Big Ten co-champions, Sugar Bowl champions) View full news story

Steve Sarkisian Monday Media Availability Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian is speaking with the media Monday afternoon. The Longhorns were on the practice field this afternoon in shells (helmet and shoulder pads). Texas also received the top spot in the 2025 preseason AP Top 25. @Jeff Howe and I will be on campus providing updates in the comments down below.

The Preseason AP Poll released this morning and The University of Texas comes in ranked as the No. 1 team in the country. Of course, the preseason poll is merely a conversation point, but the program will certainly be able to flaunt the No. 1 by its name for a few more weeks. A few talking points I wanted to expand on following the release of the poll will certainly have some implications on the greater picture of the college football landscape. *** – First, we were robbed of a true No. 1 vs. No. 2 battle to begin the season. I am positive the AP voters did not care to make that a priority, but it sure would have been fun to discuss for the next three weeks. On top of that, week one is shaping up to be an all-timer. No. 1 Texas vs. No. 3 Ohio State No. 9 LSU vs. No. 4 Clemson No. 6 Notre Dame vs. No. 10 Miami (Fl.) As we sit today, we are also just 12 days away from a top-25 matchup between Kansas State and Iowa State. *** I wanted to compile a rundown of how many ranked opponents each SEC school faces. Entering the season, Texas will face five top-20 opponents. 7 – Florida, LSU, Miss State, Oklahoma 6 – Arkansas, Kentucky, South Carolina 5 – Alabama, Georgia, Ole Miss, Texas, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt 4 – Auburn, Missouri, Tennessee Any conversation about Texas' schedule being easy falls on deaf ears. But the greater conversation is in regards to the B1G vs. SEC scheduling difficulty and how it plays into the College Football Playoff conversation. Especially in regards to why the eight vs. nine conference game schedule was such a point of contention. For instance, Illinois is ranked No. 12 in the country by the AP poll and has just two teams ranked on its schedule entering the 2025 season. Michigan, ranked No. 14, plays just two as well, one of which being Oklahoma in a non-conference meeting. And Oregon sees just two ranked foes as well. 4 – Ohio State 3 – Indiana, Penn State 2 – Michigan, Illinois, Oregon *** The Big 12 only has four teams ranked inside the top 25, but if the list expanded to a top 30, the conference would have as many members mentioned as the B1G. Each would have seven. BYU, Utah and Baylor came in just outside the initial ranking, with the three coming in at 26, 27, and 28 respectively.

The fourth and final Longhorn who met with the media before Saturday's scrimmage was cornerback Malik Muhammad. Here are a few things he said on select players, including his first thoughts on Duane Akina. On his first impression of Duane Akina: “I don't want to call it old because that sounds kind of bad, but to be that age and still have that juice and still run around at practice — do the flying eagle around the field — and just have that energy. The first impression was great.” On what Graceson Littleton has shown throughout camp: “Physical, plays with high, fanatical effort. He's smart, is about his business and he's just consistent, on and off the field… [Littleton came in] ready to play. Ready to take on whatever he had to take on, whether it’s special teams, whether it’s on defense… He came in with the right mindset, for sure.” On Jaylon Guilbeau's transition from STAR to cornerback: “He's adjusted to corner well, because at [STAR], it's more into the box, more short yardage, but out at corner, you have more space. You have to think, you have to know whether you're in the boundary or the field, so you've got to know how to play. In the boundary, you have to play tighter because it's more quick throws. Into the field, you've got more space, more time to break.” On what stands out about Warren Roberson: “He's a monster at corner. Great technique, explosive, physical at the point of attack and he just plays hard with fanatical effort.”

Like the quotes I posted from Thursday's media availability with DJ Campbell and Quintrevion Wisner, linebacker Liona Lefau spoke highly of a few Longhorns when asked about them individually. On Trey Moore’s transition from EDGE to linebacker: “That's not a hard transition at all, especially the level that we play at. He's been doing a great job. He's a very smart player. He learned the playbook pretty fast. Now he’s just [working on] little movements and transitions here and there, like dropping into coverage and all of those things. He's doing a good job of getting extra work in to learn how to do that at a high level. I think he's doing a great job.” On Ty’Anthony Smith's growth at linebacker: “I'm thankful for Ty because he's pushing us every single day, bringing the right energy, bringing the right juice. Every time he makes a play. He plays very physical, very violent.” On what to expect from Brad Spence: “A very physical and violent player. He's exciting to watch.” On what he’s seen from CJ Baxter: “He's picking up where he left [off]. They're pushing him in slowly. They don't want to rush him in and push him past the [limit], but he's doing a great job picking up where he left off.” On competing against Jack Endries in practice: “As a linebacker, we play a lot of coverage on him and he blocks down on us, and a thing that stands out the most is his effort every play. He gives good effort in the run game and the pass game. He wants to do that stuff. There's not a lot of tight ends who want to block and run routes. He's good at doing both as well. It's a good challenge for us and we're happy we got him because he pushes us every single day.”

From Thursday's media availability, here are some player-specific thoughts from the junior running back: On how Arch Manning has looked in camp: “That's my dog — [number] 16. Arch looks real good. He's doing a better job also of being a vocal leader, whether it's to the defense or the offense. He's definitely stepped up and he's playing a major role. He knows what's at stake whenever it comes to him being in that backfield, so he's doing a great job of tapping into everybody. Whether it's a young guy or older guy, he's tapping into everybody.” On what a healthy CJ Baxter will bring to the backfield: “I’m glad my brother is back. We came in together, so there's nothing like being able to play with the running back that you came into college with. He went down last year, so that kind of tilted things, but just being able to have him back in the room with us and me and him attacking defenses like we're about to, it's going to be crazy. That's what he brings." On seeing some of himself in true freshman Rickey Stewart: “The thing I could give Ricky, though, for my freshman year, he's faster than me. I can't cap. Ricky's got some speed. But the thing I like most about Ricky — he's good with adversity. Not many freshmen you see come in and could face adversity and keep it going, but Ricky didn't shut down. He faced his adversity, came back and he's looking good right now. He's gaining weight, looking faster and he's keeping his head on right.” On what DJ Campbell means to the running game: “Coming in my freshman year, over these three years I've been here, being able to participate on this team with DJ, I can see the improvement — not only in him as a player, but him as a person when it comes to the facility and the culture we've got. DJ is definitely an O-lineman that we look to whenever we need that juice and that energy to get going in practice and game day. He's definitely a key factor to the way we run the ball… It takes a real dog to not have someone get him going. DJ could come out and even if he's not feeling it, he's still going to go because that's who he is. That's what we look for whenever it's time to run a ball — somebody that's always on go. That's what DJ does.”

These are a few quotes from Texas right guard DJ Campbell during Thursday's post-practice player availability, which was two days before the team's first camp scrimmage. On what stands out about right tackle Brandon Baker: “Probably his relentless effort. He reminds me a lot of Kevin Banks because KB was a technique freak. That reminds me of Brandon Baker as well. Whenever I see his game — that’s a technique freak right there. He's doing everything fundamentally right.” On the health of the running back room with CJ Baxter and Christian Clark back from injury: “I've just been seeing, like I said, the relentless effort from all of us. It's all gas, no breaks for everybody in that running back room, from Christian Clark to Tre Wiser... They're all going at each other. Having them all back and healthy, it's going to be exciting for us to watch.” On left guard Neto Umeozulu taking advantage of his opportunity to start: “It's been real fun, I'd say, because he's one of my tightest friends. Seeing him develop through the years, and now he's finally got his chance to showcase his talent, it's been fun.” On Cole Hutson taking over for Jake Majors at center: “I really don't see much difference from Jake and Cole. Cole has been doing a great job of stepping into that center position and actually leading us, just as if Jake [were].” On what he’s seen from true freshman tackle Nick Brooks: A real young guy coming in — got a lot of talent — that can really showcase early. As long as he keeps going, keeps [developing] with the offense, I'm pretty sure he'll be in early.”

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!

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).

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