ESPN poses one lingering question for Texas football heading into 2026
By Ethan Stone
Published:
There’s a lot riding on the 2026 season for Steve Sarkisian and the Texas Longhorns.
The Longhorns boast what should be one of the nation’s best defenses to go with an excellent QB in Arch Manning (one who should perform even better in 2026), elite receivers and talented rushers with Hollywood Smothers and Raleek Brown in the backfield.
The Longhorns are ESPN’s No. 5 preseason team heading into SEC Media Days, the unofficial start of football season. Yesterday morning, ESPN revealed one lingering question for each of its top 25 teams, including the Longhorns.
Here’s ESPN’s one lingering question for Texas: Will Texas’ offensive line be improved?
We already noted that incoming RB transfers Smothers and Brown are talented, but that means little to nothing if Texas’ offensive line can’t create gaps for them. Texas ranked 11th in the SEC last season in rushing yards per game at 137.7 yards — the lowest average of Sarkisian’s career in Austin. As ESPN noted, that average improved as the season wore on and the Longhorns moved Connor Robertson to center.
Robertson is back for Texas this year, as is star left tackle Trevor Goosby and projected right guard Brandon Baker. That’s a good core, supplemented by the additions of Wake Forest RT Melvin Siani and Western Kentucky IOL Laurence Seymour, who earned All-American nods for the Hilltoppers.
As already mentioned, the rest of the offense is absolutely loaded with talent. This is the year for the Longhorns to put it all together and make a run at a national title — but only if the offensive line can live up to its potential.
Texas starts its season on Sept. 5 against Texas State.
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Ethan Stone is a Saturday Down South News Editor and an advocate for the return of the Seattle Supersonics.
