The magic number for Steve Sarkisian this offseason is 33.
That is how many new scholarship players he expects to be on the roster in his second year as the head coach for the University of Texas. At a quick glance that seems like a huge number, but when you factor in the 2022 recruiting class, which currently includes 22 players, it likely gives room for about three more high school players and a handful of transfers.
There are many positions of need that badly need to be addressed by this staff in order to bounce back from however this season ends. While many may question why players would want to attend Texas and play for Sarkisian at this point, the coaching staff will mention Xavier Worthy’s name as much as possible. The true freshman is the lone player that Sarkisian has recruited to Texas, and he’s already put together a record-breaking season.
With iffy quarterback play, and defenses being able to key in on him due to the fact that none of the other receivers are able to poise a true threat, Worthy recorded the most touchdown receptions and most receiving yards by a freshman in school history.
Throughout the five-game losing streak, parents of recruits have been vocal about the fact that Sarkisian and his staff have made sure to reiterate to them that they are aware of the issues within the roster, and have a plan to solve them. Texas’ 2022 class is currently ranked No. 7 nationally, and is in the mix for a few more crucial recruits at offensive line and receiver that could really help this team next year.
The only issue is the fact that it seems unlikely to get all of their desired recruits, which is where the transfer portal comes into play. There will be seemingly infinite options in the portal by the end of the season that can help address needs and problems for Texas.
While Texas missed on Oregon transfer Kingsley Suamatai, who elected to play closer to home and transfer to BYU, there are still a ton of great options to bolster what is the worst unit on the team along with other positions of need.
Here are six transfer portal options that the Longhorns should pursue. The majority of them are offensive lineman, and that is on purpose. We will update this list in a couple months, as several talented players are expected to enter the portal this offseason.