The first year under Steve Sarkisian went about as poorly as it possibly could.
After showing signs of being a different team in comparison to previous regime, the Longhorns went on to lose six consecutive games that saw multiple double-digit leads blown.
The team had major flaws at seemingly every position, and it was obvious that Sarkisian and his staff had not inherited the roster that they thought they were. Flash forward to the end of the season, the staff put in an insane amount effort into rounding up talented players in their 2022 class.
The class will likely finish as the No. 5 class in the country per 247Sports recruiting rankings, and with the addition of multiple talented transfers, the team added crucial depth across the board.
So much so, that outlets like CBS Sports and Sporting News are putting a ton of faith in the team for 2022.
Sporting News released their way-too-early Top 25, and the Longhorns were featured. Here is what they said about Texas landing at No. 20:
SN had Texas ranked No. 6 in this poll last season and No. 11 in 2020. We admittedly fall for Texas hype every time, and it’s a nine-spot drop but we’re still “hooked.” Why would be on board given how the Longhorns fizzled to a 5-7 record in 2021? Five-star transfer Quinn Ewers, who has been compared to Trevor Lawrence, is a good start. Bijan Robinson is one of the best running backs in the FBS. The offense should score a ton of points, and second-year coach Steve Sarkisian can learn from the first-year mistakes. The Week 2 matchup against Alabama will be the most-watched game in September.
Whether this hype holds up is to be seen, but considering all the additions in the offseason from the players to Gary Patterson on the defensive side of the ball, the Longhorns seem to have a fantastic chance at improving.