Listed here are 5 explanation why Texas — a School Soccer Playoff semifinalist final season — shall be a nationwide championship contender:
1. Quarterback Quinn Ewers
Ewers believes groups will circle the date once they play Texas.
On Friday on the Manning Passing Academy, he told On3’s Matt Connolly, “We will be everyone’s largest sport, for positive.” Nevertheless, he feels the group is “greater than succesful” of profitable a nationwide title.
Ewers ought to again up the discuss. In 12 video games final season, he accomplished 69 p.c of his passes for 3,479 yards, 22 touchdowns, six interceptions and an above-average 78.3 QBR. As of Monday, DraftKings offers him the second-best Heisman odds (+900) behind Georgia QB Carson Beck.
2. Extensive receiver Isaiah Bond
After combining for 16 touchdown catches in 14 video games in 2023, Texas WRs Xavier Worthy and Adonai Mitchell left for NFL. Changing the duo shall be tough, however Bond might do exactly that.
“Bond is a playmaker — a superb route runner with the observe pace potential to take the highest off a protection,” wrote CBS Sports activities’ Blake Brockermeyer, a former Texas participant, who rated Bond the 14th-best participant in faculty soccer. “In some ways, he is a fusion of Mitchell and Worthy.”
Bond had 48 receptions for 668 yards and 4 landing catches in 14 video games with Alabama in 2023. He might produce even higher numbers below Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian, an offensive guru.
3. Sarkisian reloaded the roster this offseason
Within the 2024 NFL Draft, a school-record 11 Longhorns have been chosen. Sarkisian indicated they’ve viable replacements ready within the wings.
“That is what I at all times hoped it could possibly be like right here in that you simply lose an abundance of actually good gamers to the NFL after which we reload it with gamers that some is perhaps higher than these guys that moved on,” he stated of the group’s depth, per ESPN’s Heather Dinich.
Whereas it is a daring declare, Sarkisian’s assertion might show appropriate. ESPN’s Craig Haubert and Billy Tucker rated Texas No. 1 of their newcomer class rankings, which mix transfers and recruits.
4. Improved pass-rush
Final season, the Longhorns led the Large 12 in sacks (32). Their robust pass-rush could possibly be even higher this season.
Within the switch portal, they added edge-rusher Trey Moore, who completed with 14 sacks in 12 video games at College of Texas San Antonio final season.
“He’ll be an actual downside,” the HC recently told the media.
Additionally, regulate freshman edge-rusher Colin Simmons. In his listing of 10 true freshmen producing probably the most hype, 247 Sports activities’ Brad Crawford rated Simmons No. 5 and reported he is already climbing the depth chart.
5. Favorable schedule
SEC schedule-makers might have completed the Longhorns a favor. 247 Sports activities’ Phil Steele charges their schedule because the second best within the convention.
“The Longhorns face extra of the league’s bottom-five groups (4) than groups ranked within the high 5 of our SEC energy rankings,” wrote Steele. “Texas’ harder matchups, Oklahoma and Georgia, are available in back-to-back weeks, however the Longhorns get the Bulldogs at dwelling.”
Texas additionally faces defending nationwide champion Michigan on the street in Week 2. Nonetheless, the Wolverines might backslide after HC Jim Harbaugh left this system for the Los Angeles Chargers in late January.