From 5-7 to No. 1: How Texas transformed into 2024 College Football’s top team in four years under Steve Sarkisian
Once you’re the pinnacle coach at Texas, there are two modus operandi: Greatness or discomfort. There are not any in-betweens at a program through which each useful resource is given, and the expectations are clear, if not traditionally over-optimistic: nationwide championship competition.
Sarkisian is aware of the discomfort. He went 5-7 in his Texas debut, the worst debut file of any Longhorn head coach since World Battle II. The conversations about whether or not he may do the job have been had by Thanksgiving as Texas misplaced 5 one-score video games down the stretch of a bizarre season that noticed it blow an enormous result in Oklahoma in 2021 — falling sufferer to Caleb Williams’ off-the-bench nationwide breakout — and lose to Kansas again when it was, effectively, Kansas.
“I will let you know this a lot: 5-7 in Austin, Texas, sucks,” Sarkisian mentioned in July. “That was arduous. That was arduous on me. That was arduous on the gamers. That was arduous on lots of people.”
Sarkisian this summer season may converse candidly about Texas’ challenges in 12 months 1 as a result of, coming off a Faculty Soccer Playoff look, they really feel so way back and safely previously. The Longhorns went 8-5 in 2022, made the playoff in 2023 and now, simply three weeks into the 2024 season, rank No. 1 within the Related Press ballot. It is the primary time the Longhorns have been No. 1 since 2008.
Greatness is again in vogue at a faculty the place, as famed Texas booster Purple McCombs as soon as put it, “All the cash that isn’t up on the Vatican is at UT.”
How did Sarkisian flip issues round so shortly? Cash helps. However once you dive into the roster, the strides are apparent in nearly each space. They’re apparent to the coaches who’ve performed Texas, too.
UTSA confronted Texas in 2022 and entered halftime of that sport tied with the Longhorns earlier than ultimately shedding 41-20. When the 2 colleges matched up once more Saturday, it changed into a 56-7 Longhorn onslaught.
“They’ve an opportunity to run the desk,” mentioned a UTSA coach that confronted Texas each seasons. “In the event that they do, I actually will not be shocked.”
Listed here are 5 keys we have recognized that greatest clarify Texas’ climb out of faculty soccer purgatory.
The very best QB room in school soccer
It would be silly to fake Sarkisian inherited a poor quarterback room from Tom Herman and his employees. The duo of Casey Thompson (a four-star QB within the 2018 class) and Hudson Card (the No. 70 total participant within the 2020 class) have been greater than respectable in 2021, combining for two,703 yards, 29 touchdowns and a 62.7 completion share.
Card continues to be a starter on the Energy 4 stage for Purdue. Thompson began 10 video games at Nebraska after he left Texas.
However neither Card nor Thompson are first-round skills. Texas now claims two such gamers in Quinn Ewers (the No. 1 total recruit within the 2021 class) and Arch Manning (No. 1 total within the 2023 class). Given what Manning did Saturday in opposition to UTSA after Ewers exited with an harm — 9-for-12, 223 yards, 4 touchdowns and a 67-yard dashing landing — it is honest to counsel he is already one of many prime 10 quarterbacks in school soccer.
Having two of these gamers on the identical roster nearly by no means occurs within the switch portal period of faculty soccer. One can think about a world through which Ewers and Manning every go No. 1 in whichever years they resolve to enter the NFL Draft. Are you aware how insane that’s?
Ewers, who will retake his QB1 throne when he returns shortly from a strained stomach, offers Texas an immense ceiling with the throws he could make in Sarkisian’s offense. He is gotten higher yearly, too. Ewers accomplished 58.1% of his passes as a first-year starter in 2022. Final yr that jumped to 69%. He sits at 73.4% by way of three video games and was the Heisman frontrunner earlier than he left the UTSA sport with an harm.
“Their QB is REAL,” mentioned the UTSA coach.
Improved offensive line play (lastly)
That is one thing we lined not too long ago at Faculty Soccer Additional time for 247Sports after Texas whipped Michigan alongside the strains of scrimmage. I am undecided it is getting sufficient play nationlly.
Take a look at the place Texas’ go blocking ranks by way of three video games, per PFF, in comparison with how did in 2021 throughout the whole season:
2021: 72nd total whereas permitting 17 sacks and 113 pressures
2024: fifth total whereas permitting 1 sack and 13 pressures
Texas is at the moment permitting .33 sacks and 4.3 pressures per sport in comparison with 1.4 sacks and 9.4 pressures per contest in 2021.
That is an enormous distinction!
The expertise distinction is apparent. The Longhorns begin a sure-fire first-round choose at left sort out in Kelvin Banks. They have not produced a first-round choose alongside the offensive line since 2002. Sarkisian’s time at Texas has produced only a single draft choose alongside the o-line. That is going to alter quickly. A number of Texas starters — a bunch with greater than 100 mixed profession begins — may hear their identify referred to as subsequent April.
Stellar offensive line play makes every little thing simpler. Ewers is extra snug within the pocket and Texas, which options among the many quickest group of receivers within the nation, can dial up longer creating routes for these weapons.
It ought to be famous that Texas’ dashing manufacturing is down a bit in comparison with Sarkisian’s preliminary season. That Texas crew averaged 5.23 yards per carry whereas the 2024 model sits at 4.81.
However that speaks extra to the Longhorns’ operating again room than the rest. The 2024 group, which has been devastated by harm, is likely one of the few questions marks on Texas’ roster. The Longhorns’ prime operating again trio in 2021 — Bijan Robinson, Roschon Johnson and Jonathon Brooks — averaged 4 yards per carry after contact. The Longhorns’ prime three backs this yr are right down to 2.72 yards after contact.
A WR corps with pace to burn
Texas’ standout receivers this yr and the way they ranked as recruits or switch additions:
| Title | Stars | Total Rank | Place Rank | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isaiah Bond | 5 | 4 | 1 | 2024 (Switch) |
| Ryan Wingo | 5 | 32 | 7 | 2024 (Recruit) |
| Johntay Cook dinner | 4 | 38 | 7 | 2023 (Recruit) |
| Matthew Golden | 4 | 50 | 9 | 2024 (Switch) |
| Silas Bolden | 4 | 134 | 26 | 2024 (Switch) |
The Longhorns had two receivers drafted within the first 52 picks within the 2024 NFL Draft. Most groups would have a drop off in expertise. Texas is ridiculously loaded and could also be even scarier with out the beloved trio of Xavier Worthy, Adonai Mitchell and Jordan Whittington.
It is the pace that is essential to notice with that group. Let us take a look at some monitor instances for these 5 go catchers from their junior seasons.
| Title | 100 Meters | Further Verified Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah Bond | 10.48 | — |
| Ryan Wingo | 10.50 | — |
| Johntay Cook dinner | — | 22-foot lengthy bounce, 1.55s 10-yard cut up |
| Matthew Golden | 10.93 | — |
| Silas Bolden | 10.61 | — |
Lengthy pace is not every little thing in school soccer. However that is FAST. There are not any brakes with the Longhorns’ huge receivers. That kind of pace, which Texas utilized so effectively with Worthy the previous couple of seasons, offers Sarkisian a myriad of choices as a play-caller.
I am not saying Bond will break Worthy’s 4.21 40-yard time on the NFL Mix, however his highschool instances are quicker. I am certain opponents are past pissed off that Sarkisian can outfit separate however related weapons in his wideout rotation in consecutive seasons.
The Longhorns by no means lacked high quality huge receivers, even in this system’s worst intervals the final decade. However you really cannot over-emphasize how tough Texas is to defend with that kind of pace on the perimeter and a quarterback like Ewers (or Manning final week and this week) who could make any throw.
A much bigger, quicker, stronger protection
Austin American-Statesman reporter Danny Davis did a pleasant job summarizing Texas’ defensive progress earlier this week by noting what number of factors the Longhorns have allowed in non-conference play during the last decade. However let’s focus in on Sarkisian’s 4 seasons with this system.
| 12 months | Factors allowed in non-conference |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 19 |
| 2023 | 44 |
| 2022 | 50 |
| 2021 | 58 |
Clearly, the standard of competitors can decide a crew’s defensive output in non-conference play. But it surely’s arduous to argue Texas’ 2024 non-conference schedule is comfortable. Colorado State has a legit NFL huge receiver in Tory Horton and Michigan is the defending nationwide champions. UTSA is in a down cycle this yr however is a revered program within the state. Now we have sufficient to go on to counsel the Longhorns shall be a special defensive animal in 2024. The attention take a look at backs that up. too.
In 2021, Texas’ protection ranked 102nd nationally in yards allowed per play. That group gave up 40 factors to Arkansas, 55 factors to Oklahoma and 57 to Kansas. The 2024 Longhorns rank No. 18.
So, what’s allowed Texas to go from beneath common to elite on that facet of the ball so shortly? Pete Kwiatkowski appeared out of his depths to some in 12 months 1 however is a superb defensive coordinator and simply wanted a while to put in his system after inheriting a really completely different defensive prototype from the earlier defensive employees. There are a couple of areas to level out that talk to the bounce.
The secondary is a lot better. Texas ranked eightieth nationally in opposing passer score that season as Texas’ beginning cornerbacks (D’Shawn Jamison, Anthony Cook dinner) each allowed opposing passers to finish 69-plus % of their passes in opposition to them. The protection play wasn’t a lot better.
Texas’ beginning cornerbacks this season, Jahdae Barron and Malik Muhammad, are holding opposing passers to a 47.3% completion charge.
An enormous drawback from that 2021 protection was the shortcoming to generate strain — a lot so {that a} then-freshmn defensive sort out Alfred Collins led the Longhorns with 15 pressures that season. Stress from the inside is welcome, nevertheless it’s a significant concern when your prime edge rusher (Ovie Oghoufo) manages simply two sacks all season.
The Longhorns have aggressively tried to improve that place. Not solely have program veterans Barryn Sorrell and Ethan Burke emerged as steadying contributors as upperclassmen, however Texas was severe about including go rush expertise heading into 2024. The Longhorns landed AAC Defensive Participant of the 12 months Trey Moore (three pressures in opposition to Michigan) and five-star edge Colin Simmons, who’s already equaled Oghoufo’s 2021 sack complete in simply three video games and appears like a terror.
Linebacker play was a legal responsibility for Texas in 2021. Now it is the power of the crew, headlined by sophomore Anthony Hill Jr., a five-star recruit within the 2023 class and one of many freakiest gamers in school soccer. He is a sideline-to-sideline chess piece the Longhorns can make use of as a go rusher or in protection with glorious success. In the meantime, program veteran David Gbenda is a freakish tester himself (4.7 40 time, 32-inch vertical) who’s proven to be a wonderful run stopper.
The Longhorns are higher in each space of their protection in comparison with 2021. Like at huge receiver, they’re additionally, uh, quick. The Longhorns have recruited huge, lengthy and speedy defensive gamers who fly to the soccer. It makes operating something on the perimeter in opposition to Texas a chore.
Mentioned the UTSA coach of those Longhorns: “Their defensive pace is what stands out.”
Texas is recruiting higher than ever
Texas develops effectively below the present employees. The crew’s 11 draft picks in 2024 have been essentially the most for this system within the seven-round period. However they’re recruiting at a special stage than something we have seen in Austin since Mack Brown’s peak, and earlier than you say “Texas at all times recruits effectively,” check out how Texas ranked within the 247Sports Workforce Expertise Composite in 2021 in comparison with now and you may see what we’re speaking about.
2024: 4th
2021: eleventh
That 2021 roster had 5 former 5-star gamers. The 2024 Longhorns have 11. The 2021 roster featured 33 three-star gamers. The 2024 Longhorns have solely 19 such athletes (with all due respect to three-stars).
These are small however measurable jumps in top-end expertise that separate the great from the elite. There is a cause why Alabama, Ohio State and Georgia are aggressive each single yr: It is more durable for regression to happen when you will have extra expertise than everybody else, and the margin of error is solely a bit greater.
And it is no accident that the primary time Texas hit No. 1 within the polls since 2008 corresponds with this system having a top-five most-talented roster for the reason that metric debuted in 2015.
The appearance of Title, picture and likeness introduction mixed with fashionable switch guidelines drastically profit Texas. Loads of that cash McCombs as soon as bragged about is now funneled towards NIL, the place Texas is likely one of the most aggressive and profitable operations within the nation.
For 2 offseasons in a row, the Longhorns’ hallmark switch provides have been future professionals from the prior SEC champions (Adonai Mitchell from Georgia, Bond from Alabama). And within the first full offseason below Sarkisian, his banner switch add was Ewers, who the Longhorns secured after batting away a spirited financial effort from a motivated Texas Tech.
It might have been comprehensible if Texas took a step again this yr after shedding 11 starters to the draft from this system’s greatest crew in additional than a decade. As a substitute, the Longhorns supplemented their already proficient roster with the nation’s No. 6 highschool and No. 5 switch class throughout the 2024 cycle.
That mixture of elite recruiting with elite NIL backing means roster holes really feel like a factor of the previous for the Longhorns.