Tag: 2024 College Football Season

A total of 13 Longhorns named to media preseason All-SEC team

Texas was well represented on this list.

The annual media days event has come and gone for the SEC. Now focus shifts to the start of the 2024 college football season. Before we get to the actual games, the SEC announced the media’s preseason all-conference teams. The Texas Longhorns were well-represented on the list.

Only two Texas players were named to first-team All-SEC. They are starting left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. and kicker Bert Auburn. A vast majority of the selections for named to the second team. Between offense, defense, and special teams, there were eight Longhorns named. This group is led by starting quarterback Quinn Ewers.

Without further ado, here is the list of Texas Longhorns named to the media’s preseason All-SEC team:

247 Sports projects Texas to play Florida State in the CFP Peach Bowl

Texas projected to play Florida State in the Peach Bowl playoff game according to 247 Sports

The Texas Longhorns may be transitioning to the toughest conference in college football, the SEC, but the expectations are still to compete for a conference title and Playoff bid.

The schedule is no joke for the Longhorns in 2024 with a road trip to the Michigan Wolverines, a visit from the Georgia Bulldogs, and renewed rivalry games against the Arkansas Razorbacks and Texas A&M Aggies. Fortunately, Texas enters the season with one of the three or four best rosters in college football despite massive turnover from last year’s team.

In 2023, Ewers guided the Longhorns to their first Playoff appearance and should take another massive step forward in his third year as a starter. Brad Crawford of 247 Sports projects that Ewers will lead them to their second consecutive Playoff appearance as he projects each SEC members potential bowl games.

Crawford projects that the Longhorns will finish second in the SEC behind Georgia and will earn the No. 5 seed in the Playoff. They will take on the No. 12 seeded Group of Five champion Liberty Flames in the first round saying,

“Back in a major game for the second-straight year under Jamey Chadwell, this time, Liberty should get to the playoff as the Group of Five’s unbeaten representative. The schedule is out of a bakery shop, so if there’s another Group of Five team with better wins saddled with a single loss, perhaps they get the nod. As for Texas, a projected second-place finish in the SEC in this spot puts the Longhorns with the No. 5 seed and a first-round home game with a guaranteed sellout coming.”

After being the Flames, Crawford expects Texas to take on the Florida State Seminoles in the Peach Bowl. Crawford says of the first-ever potential matchup between the two blue bloods,

“Can the Longhorns get back to the final four to cap their first season in the SEC? It’s possible. No disrespect to the Seminoles, our projected ACC champion, but battling this roster will be their toughest task of the season if we get to that point. Texas has a Herculean two-deep in terms of talent, while Florida State once again largely rebuilt its lineup through college football’s version of free agency. Surprisingly, these two bluebloods have never met on the gridiron.”

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What is the Texas Longhorns biggest X-factor in 2024?

How will Texas’ team chemistry in 2024 affect their Playoff chances?

For the Texas Longhorns, the 2024 college football season is going to come with a lot of change. A new conference, a new format of post-season play and a lot of new pieces on the roster. Despite the transitions, the expectations of the Longhorns are still to compete for a conference championship and to make their second consecutive Playoff appearance.

With a road trip to the defending national champion Michigan Wolverines in Week 2 and a visit from the pre-season No. 1 ranked Georgia Bulldogs in Week 7, it won’t take long to figure out just how good this Texas team is. The Longhorns have to replace a lot of lost production from the 2023 team, but Steve Sarkisian and company have done an incredible job reloading the roster.

Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning are two of the best quarterbacks in the country, but unfortunately, there is only one starting QB role. Texas also brings in three highly sought-after transfer receivers, but it will take some time for them to get caught up to speed. The Longhorns have all of the talent they could ever need in Austin, but putting the pieces of the puzzle together will be the tricky part.

Fortunately, Sarkisian has proven to be one of the best head coaches in the game, but making sure he gets the chemistry right in 2024 is the biggest X factor for the Longhorns in 2024 according to ESPN. Dave Wilson of ESPN breaks down why the chemistry of the team will be so important this year saying,

“Texas and quarterback Quinn Ewers took a huge leap forward last season on offense, with the Heisman contender leading a pinpoint attack. But the NFL draft showed how much talent the Longhorns lost. Wide receiver Xavier Worthy ran the fastest 40 time in combine history (4.21) and was picked in the first round. Fellow receiver Adonai Mitchell, a Georgia transfer who caught 11 TDs last year, went in the second. Tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders (99 catches the past two years) went with the first pick of the fourth round. Combine them with Jordan Whittington (Rams) and Jonathon Brooks, a running back who went in the second round and the Horns lost 76% of their receptions and more than 80% of their receiving yards. As expected, Texas reloaded, including signing transfers Isaiah Bond (Alabama), Silas Bolden (Oregon State) and Matthew Golden (Houston) along with five-star receiving recruit Ryan Wingo.”

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Amari Niblack primed for big breakout season in Longhorns offense

After thriving in a more significant role, Niblack will be motivated to prove that last year’s success was no fluke for a program with championship aspirations

When the Texas Longhorns start the 2024 campaign they will have a new face at tight end in Amari Niblack.

The Florida native spent two years at the University of Alabama before transferring to Texas in January. He replaces Ja’Tavion Sanders who the Carolina Panthers selected in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

As Niblack prepares to start a new chapter, he is coming off a career year. During the 2023 season, he hauled in 20 catches for 327 receiving yards. As he saw his role in the offense grow, Niblack was targeted more in the red zone, adding four touchdowns to his resume.

While the former Alabama tight end will have to adjust to a new quarterback, he was one of the best options available in the transfer portal. He was ranked the No. 28 overall transfer player and No. 1 tight end in the portal, according to 247Sports. Before his freshman year, he chose Alabama over programs such as Florida, Florida State, and Georgia. 

After losing a lot of talent offensively, Texas has been busy in the transfer portal. Over the last few months, they have added multiple wide receivers alongside Niblack to give Quinn Ewers more weapons. 

As Niblack looks to make his mark in Austin, he will have a former Alabama teammate to lean on in Isaiah Bond. The talented duo frustrated offenses last year, and the Longhorns hope that will continue. After thriving in a more significant role, Niblack will be motivated to prove that last year’s success was no fluke for a program with championship aspirations. 

College Sports Wire projects Texas Longhorns 2024 record game-by-game

How does College Sports Wire project the Longhorns to finish in their first year in the SEC?

The Texas Longhorns are gearing up for their first season as members of the Southeastern Conference, and to be honest, the transition could not have come at a better time.

When the departure from the Big 12 was announced in the summer of 2021, the Longhorns weren’t necessarily in a bad spot as they were coming off of back-to-back Alamo Bowl wins, but the Oklahoma Sooners seemed to much better suited for the move after winning six straight Big 12 titles. However, head coach Brent Venables is still trying to find his feet after posting a 16-10 record over the past two seasons.

As for Texas, they are in a great spot for the SEC as they are coming off of a 12-win season, a Big 12 title, and a College Football Playoff berth. The Longhorns also showed they are more than capable of competing in the SEC as just a season ago they were able to go into Tuscaloosa and beat Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide.

The schedule will be much more difficult in 2024 with eight SEC games, but Sarkisian’s side is well-equipped. College Sports Wire currently projects that Texas will go 11-1 in 2024 with their only loss being by a field goal against No. 1 ranked Georgia.

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Gavin Sawchuk gives Oklahoma Sooners big play ability

The Oklahoma Sooners have their lead back for 2024 and Gavin Sawchuk is set to have a big season.

It took about half the season for the Oklahoma Sooners running game to really take off. Yes, [autotag]Tawee Walker[/autotag] had played well in spurts, but the run game was largely inconsistent. That is, until [autotag]Gavin Sawchuk[/autotag] was healthy.

He began to show what he was capable of in the win over UCF when he carried the ball 10 times for 63 yards and a touchdown. But his season really took off following the loss to Kansas, where he only saw six carries as the Sooners rode Walker, who had a great game with 23 carries and 146 yards and a touchdown.

The next week against Oklahoma State, Sawchuk led the way at running back with 13 carries for 111 yards and a touchdown. It was his run of 64 yards that revealed the big play threat that the Sooners had in Sawchuk.

Sawchuk used that game as a springboard for the rest of the season, running for more than 100 yards in each of the final five games of the year. He totaled 744 yards and 9 touchdowns over the course of the season. Over the final five games, Sawchuk carried the ball 86 times for 617 yards and six touchdowns. He averaged 7.2 yards per carry.

If you take those numbers from the final five games of the season and prorate it over 13 games, Sawchuk would have carried the ball 223.6 times for 1,604 yards and 15.6 touchdowns.

Much of his success was found because of his ability to create big plays on the ground. He finished the season with a breakaway percentage (yards gained on runs of 15 yards or more) of 54%. Among 260 players with at least 59 rushing attempts last season, Sawchuk’s breakaway percentage ranked 14th in the nation last season, according to Pro Football Focus.

For perspective, that 54% finished just behind Oklahoma State’s Ollie Gordon, who finished with a breakaway percentage of 54.8%. Gordon is widely considered one of the best running backs in the nation.

Well, the Sooners may have one of the best running backs in the nation as well in Gavin Sawchuk.

Although there are questions about the offensive line, the Sooners have their answer at running back. Sawchuk is primed for a big-time season if the  Oklahoma offensive line can come together. And as Jackson Arnold adapts to life as the starter in the SEC, having a player that can create a big play in an instant will be a huge factor for the Sooners offense.

Sawchuk has the juice to turn a lot of heads in college football and put himself into the race for the Doak Walker award. If Sawchuk can create big plays in the running game it will go a long way to helping the Sooners be a contender in 2024.

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Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers’ 2024 snapshot profile

A look at redshirt junior quarterback Quinn Ewers as he heads into the 2024 season.

Texas Longhorns quarterback [autotag]Quinn Ewers[/autotag] heads into his third season on the Forty Acres and fourth season overall. The top quarterback in the 2021 recruiting class started 12 games last season. He missed two games due to injury and Maalik Murphy led them to wins in those games against BYU and Kansas State.

Ewers finished the season with a passing grade of 85.6, which ranked No. 16 among Power Five quarterbacks according to Pro Football Focus. According to most NFL draft analysts, Ewers is among the top passers available for the upcoming draft. Most mocks have the Texas gunslinger among the top 10 selections and top three passers along with Georgia’s Carson Beck and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders.

Ewers enters the 2024 season, No. 8 in passing yards (5,656) and No. 7 in touchdowns (37). He could climb as high as No. 4 in yards and No. 4 in touchdowns passing Chris Simms if Ewers repeats his 2023 output.

Preseason Quinn Ewers Profile

Hometown: Southlake, Texas

Ht: 6-2

Wt: 193

247Sports Composite Ranking:

Five-Star | No. 1 Quarterback | No. 1 Nationally (2021 Class)

Class in 2024: Sophomore

Career Stats

Year Games Comp% Yards YPA TDs-INTs
2022 10 58.1 2,177 7.4 15-6
2023 12 69.0 3,479 8.8 22-6
Via Stats Perform

Depth Chart Overview

Barring an injury leading up to the kickoff of the 2024 college football season, Quinn Ewers will be the starting quarterback for the third consecutive season. He leads a group that includes Arch Manning and incoming freshman Trey Owens. Last year’s primary backup Maalik Murphy left for the Duke Blue Devils in the offseason, where he is expected to start for new head coach Manny Diaz.

Quinn Ewers’ Photo Gallery

Where does Texas at Michigan rank among nonconference games in 2024?

Where does the Longhorns trip to Ann Arbor rank among the best non-conference games in 2024?

Going into the 2024 college football season, one could make the case that it is going to be one of the best years the sport has ever been.

The main headline of the season will be conference realignment and the introduction of the 12-team Playoff, however, it will also feature some of the best on-the-field products we have seen in a long time. Only a handful of players will still have COVID eligibility left to help even out the playing field.

Conference realignment is great in the sense that some of the regular season matchups we get are essentially Playoff previews with the Georgia Bulldogs traveling to the Texas Longhorns on Oct. 19 or the Ohio State Buckeyes going to the Oregon Ducks on Oct. 12.

Yet, some of the best games of the 2024 season will actually be taking place in the non-conference portion of the schedule. Jesse Simonton of On3 Sports ranked the top 10 nonconference games of the 2024 season where he had the Longhorns trip to the Michigan Wolverines as the No. 1 game on the list saying,

“The Wolverines will put the nation’s longest active winning streak to the test against a Texas team looking to make a road statement for the second straight season. Last year’s win over Alabama propelled Steve Sarkisian’s team to a Big 12 title and a College Football Playoff berth, and a victory in the Big House — even against a depleted Michigan team — could similarly catapult the Longhorns to a special season in Year 1 of the SEC. Sherrone Moore takes over the reigning national champs, and the former Wolverines’ OC isn’t a stranger to coaching in major matchups — beating Penn State and Ohio State as the team’s interim last season. A win against a Top 5 Texas team would more than validate Moore’s promotion, though.”

The Wolverines are coming off a national championship and will be tasked with replacing both their head coach Jim Harbaugh and quarterback J.J. McCarthy. Both departed for the NFL this offseason.

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian named to the 2024 Dodd Trophy watch list

Texas’s Steve Sarkisian named to Preseason Dodd Trophy Watch List for nation’s Coach of the Year Award

The Dodd Coach of the Year Award is presented annually to a college football coach whose team excels on the field, in the classroom, and in their community. The award is named after Georgia Tech legend Bobby Dodd who exemplified all three components and was first presented in 1976 when ironically Georgia Bulldog’s Vince Dooley was named the first winner.

In the award’s history, there have only been two multiple-time winners: Kansas State’s Bill Snyder and Penn State’s Joe Paterno. Mack Brown is the only Texas Longhorns head coach to have won the award in 2008. However, Steve Sarkisian hopes to bring the award back to the Forty Acres in 2024 as he has been named to the Preseason Watch List.

Sarkisian would become the first winner from the SEC since Nick Saban did it with the Alabama Crimson Tide in 2014. Mike Norvell of the Florida State Seminoles was the winner in 2023.

Texas defensive back Derek Williams Jr’s 2024 snapshot profile

A look at sophomore safety Derek Williams Jr. as he heads into the 2024 season.

Texas Longhorns wide receiver [autotag]Derek Williams Jr.[/autotag] heads into his sophomore season on the Forty Acres in 2024. One of the top safeties in the 2023 recruiting class saw the field plenty in his true freshman season. Overall, Williams appeared in 13 games for the Longhorns.

According to Pro Football Focus, Williams had the No. 7 best run defense grade, 77.8. That number was the highest among safeties on the team and he will be relied upon again in 2024 under the tutelage of defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski.

Preseason Derek Williams Jr. Profile

Hometown: New Iberia, Louisiana

Ht: 6-2

Wt: 193

247Sports Composite Ranking:

Four-Star | No. 4 Safety | No. 48 Nationally (2023 Class)

Class in 2024: Sophomore

Career Stats

Year Games Tackles Solo TFLs PBUs
2023 13 42 24 2.0 2
Via Stats Perform

Depth Chart Overview

We project that Derek Williams Jr. will be the starting safety opposite of Andrew Mukuba, who transferred from Clemson. He leads a talented room filled with young talent. Xavier Filsaime and Jordon Johnson-Rubell should see some snaps in rotation with Williams, however, the sophomore should get the bulk of the snaps at safety.

Derek Williams Jr’s Photo Gallery