The Texas Longhorns seem to stay in the national spotlight despite the lack of consistent performances from the football team over the last decade. It has been over 10 years since their last conference championship in 2009. Before that it was 2005. For all of their success during the Mack Brown era, he only produced two conference champions despite all of those 10 win seasons. Nine consecutive to be exact. However, Texas is still viewed as top tier program according to ESPN.
According to a recent article from ESPN they laid out a plan for Texas to get back into the title hunt. A four “if” plan that could return them to prominence.
The first part of the plan revolves around such a young defense.
If … 2019 pain means 2020 gain for the secondary.
The stats were much more pessimistic about Texas than the eyeballs last season, and the stats were eventually proved correct. But those same numbers are quite a bit higher on the Longhorns this time around. Why? Experience. This defense had a ridiculously young spine (tackles, ILBs, safeties) last season, and the sophomore-heavy secondary suffered a run of injuries as well. The Horns now return 10 defensive backs who logged triple-digit snaps and add a new batch of blue-chippers. This unit should be both talented and experienced enough to thrive.
Todd Orlando is now gone and Chris Ash steps up to take the defensive mantle. Ash will be tasked with implementing a new scheme. Changing from a defensive scheme that many felt did the defense any favors. Just ask former Longhorn Malcolm Roach. Add in the veterans like Caden Sterns, B.J. Foster and D’Shawn Jamison among others. For Texas to take the leap, it will start on that side of the ball.
Provided Sterns and Foster can stay healthy this upcoming season, the defense on the back end should be much improved. Sterns showed so much promise as a freshman leading the team with four interceptions. Jamison picked up that mantle in 2019. Both need to be able to create more turnovers to help out the defense in 2020. They also lost a leader in Brandon Jones who finished second in interceptions.