Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian and his staff have been busy plucking quality players out of the NCAA transfer portal this offseason.
Just in regards to the linebacker position, the Longhorns have landed LSU’s Ray Thornton, Alabama’s Ben Davis, Notre Dame’s Ovie Oghoufo and New Mexico State’s Devin Richardson. Each are critical pieces at a position of need under new defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski.
Needless to say, Texas is making moves to win right away. There will be no rebuilding phase under the new coaching staff.
College Football News recently previewed Texas’ 2021 season and chose the top incoming transfer along with the key game for the Longhorns this year. Take a look at what CFN had to say:
Top incoming transfer for Texas: LB Ben Davis
At the very least, the expectations are for the former five-star superstar get for Alabama to blow up with the move to the Longhorns. He didn’t do much for the Tide with just seven tackles and a sack in his two years, but with his size and athleticism he’s exactly what the linebacking corps needs.
Key game to the 2021 season: at Iowa State, Nov. 6
If Texas really is good enough to be Texas right out of the gate for the Steve Sarkisian era, this is a two game season. It has to beat either Oklahoma or Iowa State and both games are away from Austin.
Obviously the base will demand a win over the Sooners, and obviously that’s a neutral site game, but the Iowa State has to go to Norman. The Longhorns lost the last two years to the Cyclones, and that’s just not the way things are supposed to work.
Lose to OU? Okay, it might be the preseason No. 1 team and definitely top five. Iowa State might be preseason top ten – or higher – but the balance of Big 12 power can’t be partially residing in Ames.
It’s understandable that Davis was chosen as the top incoming transfer considering his five-star grade throughout his recruiting process. He was rated the No. 1 overall recruit from Alabama in the 2016 cycle and a top-10 prospect nationally.
There’s several key games for Texas this upcoming season when focusing on the Big 12 — Oklahoma, Iowa State, Oklahoma State and TCU — but Matt Well’s squad has to be at the top of the list. Losing to one of the top teams in the country in Oklahoma won’t be the end of the world for Texas, but losing in Ames shortly after could derail their title hopes.
Texas will have to defeat at least two of these three programs to stay alive in the conference title race: Oklahoma, Iowa State and Oklahoma State. The Longhorns absolutely cannot afford to lose the contest to TCU, something they’re far too familiar with doing recently.
We’re in for a wild ride.