College football teams across the country are losing plenty of experience along the offensive line. Texas is one of the few that is retaining the core of its line. It’s a huge advantage.
Kelvin Banks Jr., Devon Campbell Jr., Hayden Conner and Cole Hutson enter their third year of consistent playing time in Austin. They’re joined by fourth year starting center Jake Majors, key contributors Cam Williams and Malik Agbo and another lineman primed to break out in Neto Umeozulu.
The list above includes seven or eight starter quality offensive lineman. That’s not the norm in college football and certainly not on Texas’ 2024 schedule.
There is some confusion as to why Texas is expected to win 10 games and return to a College Football Playoff. Much of that revolves around what it lost on the defensive line.
In fairness, losing two All-American caliber defensive tackles is a huge deal. Albeit, given the offensive line turnover among teams on the Longhorns’ schedule it’s uncertain how many teams can capitalize.
Of the four most difficult matchups on the Texas schedule, three face significant upheaval on the offensive line. Michigan, whose offensive dominance was predicated on bullying opponents in the trenches, loses all five offensive linemen. Oklahoma, who seemed to do better than Michigan in the portal, will have five new starters on the offensive line.
Texas A&M wasn’t the most shining example of great offensive line play in 2023. It loses multi-year starter in five-star center Bryce Foster.
So who is going to make Texas’ defensive interior pay for what it lost? Outside of Georgia, there’s question about several teams’ ability to attack the Longhorns’ perceived weakness.
More than being able to impose its will in the running game, which should happen for Texas in 2024 with former freshmen starters becoming juniors and seniors becoming super-seniors, the Longhorns are more set up to succeed in handling stunts, twists and blitzes that teams dish out.
Like it or not, first year offensive lines are almost certain to struggle against various pressures that defenses throw at them. It’s much easier for defensive tackles to maintain gap integrity than for five new offensive linemen to read several variables at one time and act in cohesion. It’s simply an unrealistic expectation regardless of how those players have performed elsewhere.
While Texas won’t be immune to giving up pressure, it doesn’t have the same level of concern many of its top opponents should have in their offensive line. For the Longhorns and head coach Steve Sarkisian it’s a huge advantage, and one that could vault the team to another College Football Playoff in 2024.