Texas Longhorns Preview 2022: Offense
The whole point of having a head coach like Steve Sarkisian is to crank up the offense to a dominant level. That might be coming as the talent continues to build, but averaging 424 yards and 35 points per game – as solid as that might have been – wasn’t enough.
Worse yet, the offense stalled way too often over the second half of the season as the team fell apart.
There’s no excuse this season.
Talent-wise, Texas might have the best skill players in the Big 12 and have NFL-caliber parts as good as any in college football. The line is experienced enough to be better, the coaching is in place, and …
Texas has a quarterback, and it’s not Arch Manning quite yet. The program has to wait a year for the superstar to show up, but first, Quinn Ewers gets to show what he can do.
Every bit the prospect that Manning is, Ewers comes in from Ohio State as one of the most talented quarterbacks the program has ever had. It’s his job with Casey Thompson off to Nebraska, and Hudson Card is established as a great second option.
The receiving weapons are fantastic. Xavier Worthy is a First Team All-Big 12 talent coming off a 62-catch, 981-yard, 12 touchdown season and second-leading receiver Jordan Whittington is back. Isaiah Neyor is a big-time target and great get from Wyoming – who averaged 22 yards per catch in his two seasons and scored 12 times last year – but he suffered a knee injury in preseason practice and expected to be lose for teh season.
Top tight end Cade Brewer is done, but Ja’Tavion Sanders is a big-time talent ready to show what he can do, and Jahleel Billingsley is a great one coming over from Alabama.
The passing attack might get all of the attention with all the fun parts, but Texas will revolve everything around the best running back in college football.
Bijan Robinson averaged 5.8 yards per carry and 1,127 yards with 11 touchdowns – and with four receiving scores – despite being banged up over the second half of the year and out for the final two games. When he’s right, he’s got the ability to carry the team on his own.
The offensive line has to be better in pass protection and it needs to be far more consistent. It was good for a ground game that averaged 199 yards per game, but its main job will to keep Ewers from getting popped.
Tackle Christian Jones is the best of the bunch at either spot – he’ll likely work on the right side – there’s good size across the board, and Cole Hutson is a big-time prospect at guard.
Texas Longhorns Preview 2022: Defense
Defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski had a year to try building up the D. Now it has to be far, far stronger after finishing 100th in the country and allowing 31 points per game.
The run defense that got hammered for 202 yards a game and gave up over five yards per pop needs to start tackling. The talent is in place, the experience and options are there, and the transfer portal and recruiting class helped. The production has to follow.
The linebacking corps should be the strength early on. DeMarvion Overshown led the team with 74 tackles, Luke Brockermeyer was second with 70 stops, and ends rusher Ovie Oghoufo has to be more of a factor in the backfield. Getting Diamone Tucker-Dorsey from James Madison was a great signing for the rotation.
Where’s the pass rush from the front four? Texas only came up with 20 sacks last season, and most of the work was done by linebackers – no one came up with more than 2.5 sacks.
Moro Ojomo is a quick interior presence, Keondre Coburn is a 336-pound all-star on the nose, and Alfred Collins made plenty of plays at the end. there’s too much size and too much depth for this group to be so mediocre again.
The lack of pass rush didn’t help, but the secondary has to make more big plays. BJ Foster led the team with three picks, but he’s gone to Sam Houston State.
Ryan Watts comes in from Ohio State to work at one corner job on the other side of good veteran D’Shawn Jamison. Honorable mention All-Big 12 safety Anthony Cook and Jerrin Thompson made tackles, but they need to do more when the ball is in the air.
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