As far as I’m concerned, the Longhorns are likely going to play Ohio State and Georgia a total of four combined times this season.
Steve Sarkisian and Co. will get each on the road in the regular season. My gut tells me that they’ll see the Dawgs again in an SEC title game re-match and at some point they’ll likely see one of those two teams in a national semifinal or national championship game.
Hell, they might actually play them a combined FIVE times if the playoff bracket falls against them in an unlucky bounce kind of way.
Whatever one predicts for the Longhorns this season, the prediction really centers around what you believe the Longhorns will do in these match-ups that will define the season. Personally, I’ve got Texas winning the rest of them, while splitting the games in Columbus (win) and Athens (loss).
11-1.
I don’t have a real sense for what will happen in the SEC Championship Game, but something tells me that the Dawgs win their third straight over the Longhorns in Atlanta. The winner of the SEC Championship game will be the No. 1 seed in the playoffs and the loser will likely be the No. 3 seed, which means that the Longhorns and Dawgs wouldn’t see each other a third time unless there’s a national championship on the line.
While I don’t mean to completely dismiss the likes of Alabama, Oregon and Clemson, the 2025 season feels like it will come down to Texas, Ohio State and Georgia. Part of me wonders if the winner of the national championship is the SEC team that might avoid having to play Ohio State and the other SEC giant in back-to-back weeks in January.
Yet, I think the team with the highest ceiling is Texas. Like Ohio State a year ago, it’s simply not the team you’re going to want to face in January, no matter what happens to it in games played in 2025. And just like Ohio State eight months ago, I’m taking the Longhorns to win every game scheduled in January, whether or not they have to play both Ohio State and Georgia along the way.
The road may never be paved better than during a 2025 season that should see the Longhorns walk into the 2025 campaign with an edge at the quarterback position over every true national title contender outside of Cade Klubnik’s Clemson Tigers.
Give me Texas with a 14-2 season. Second in the SEC. First nation-wide.
Just like the 2024 Buckeyes, the team that the 2025 Longhorns have been desperate for the last eight months to emulate.
No. 2 – A Decade of Predicting the Longhorns …
I’ve got a weird thing going on in odd years. Back in 2023, I was a little too cool on a Texas team that some were predicting big things for. Yet, in 2021, 2019 and 2017 … I gave way too much benefit of the doubt to Tom Herman and Steve Sarkisian in their first seasons, while I fell in love with Sam Ehlinger in 2019 coming off of the UGA upset win, which I correctly predicted.
What the hell does it mean for this year?
Let’s look at the last decade …
2024: “I’ve got Texas at 11-2 and losing the SEC championship against Alabama in Atlanta. That will lead to the No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament. After winning its first-round match-up against a team like Missouri, it’ll match up with the Big 12 winner in the quarterfinals, which will end up as an easy Texas win. That would set up a national semi-final showdown against No. 1 Ohio State and this is where I have the 2024 season coming to an end for the Longhorns, in a 33-29 loss to the Buckeyes.”
Predicted final record: 13-3, national semi-finalist and No. 2 in the SEC
Actual final record: 13-3, national semi-finalist and No. 2 in the SEC
2023: “From where I’m sitting, I still think this program is a year away from truly competing for really big things. It still needs to learn how to win in big moments. It still needs to learn how to play consistently, week in and week out. It still needs to learn how to play at its highest levels on the road. It still needs another year for all of the super blue-chip talent on hand to grow up a little. People will see a 9-3 prediction that I think comes with a bid in the Big 12 title game and they’ll ask if my hesitation is related to questions about starting quarterback Quinn Ewers and Steve Sarkisian. Yup, them, too. It’s not any one thing as much as it’s all of the questions I have and hurdles this team has to prove it can clear all rolled into one that has me slightly cooler than a lot of others.
Predicted final record: 9-3
Actual final record: 12-2, national semi-finalist and No. 1 in the Big 12
2022: “On one hand, you’ve got a team with as good of a one-two running back/wide receiver punch as anyone in the country. That’s not hyperbole, either. Bijan Robinson and Xavier Worthy are that good. Meanwhile, when you add in the rest of the running backs, wide receivers and tight ends that are on the two-deep, we’re probably talking about a group of players that should be playing for significant things during the season … Heisman invites, all-America honors, NFL draft positioning … and yes … championships.
On the other hand, this is a Texas team that is young and inexperienced at both the quarterback position and along the offensive line, it lacks definite playmakers on a defense that was abysmal a season ago and the kicking game is an Elmo shrug gif just waiting to happen.”
Predicted final record: 8-4, No. 3 in the Big 12
Actual final record: 8-4, No. 3 in the Big 12
2021: “When it comes to predicting a won-loss record for this team, I suppose it boils down to how much benefit of the doubt we’re all willing to give a program with inexperienced quarterback play and questions at several key positions under yet another new set of first-year coaches. Personally, I’m willing to give this team some, just not all of the benefit of the doubt. Texas finishes the season 9-3 and ranked No. 14 in the country at the end of the regular season. It wins all three of its final “tricky” games of the season.”
Predicted final record: 9-3, No. 3 in the Big 12
Actual final record: 5-7
2020: “Until I see a weekly level of anger and unbreakable resolution from the boys in burnt orange, you’ll forgive me if I don’t see 7-3 as unrealistic when it represents more than this program has regularly accomplished since Charlie Sheen was the highest-paid actor on television.”
Predicted final record: 7-3
Actual final record: 7-3
2019: “Boosting my faith in Ehlinger is the sophomore-to-junior/second year to third year bounce that we’ve seen players like Chris Simms, Vince Young and Colt McCoy all enjoy during the good ol’ days. It’s an enormous amount of pressure to put on the young man because this whole season will be a massive disappointment if he’s not the Longhorn legend-in-the-making that we all believe he’s on his way to becoming, but this is where we are. This is what he came to Texas to become.
In Ehlinger, I obviously trust. The 2019 Texas Longhorns will be the 2019 Big 12 Champions. Write it in ink.”
Predicted final record: 11-2, Big 12 Champions
Actual final record: 7-5
2018: As he enters his second season as the head coach at Texas, it’s impossible to get away from the fact that he was hired because Texas decision-makers believed that in this offensive age of college football, they were getting an elite offensive coach who would emphatically fix the Texas offensive issues of this decade. The thinking was that if you opened the pocketbook and paired him with an elite defensive coordinator, the sky was the absolute limit.
Well, Todd Orlando did his part as the highly-paid elite defensive coordinator. I think we all believe that he’ll do his part again this season. Why? Because we believe he’s truly elite, so much so that you could argue that he’s the most valuable asset in the Texas program at the moment.
The issue that I would suggest exists is that Tom Herman was hired to be the most valuable asset in the program, no one else. Therefore, when the 2018 season kicks off on Saturday, it represents a chance to completely reset the narrative for this program on the offensive side of the ball.”
Predicted final record: 9-3, Big 12 runner-up
Actual final record: 9-3, Big 12 runner-up
2017: “Texas will win nine games. Even if they lose three of four out of USC, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and TCU, it seems like it comes down to whether you think this team beats West Virginia on the road in late November. I believe the start to the season will be good enough that …”
Predicted final record: 9-3
Actual final record: 6-6
2016: “Lost in the agony of the current quarterback discussion in Austin over who should start is the reality that top-shelf quarterback play won’t be available this season, which puts a glass ceiling on what is possible for this team. Period. The single best case for throwing caution into the wind and starting Shane Buechele is that he potentially gets you a step closer towards the level needed, even if his playing in 2016 is nothing more than a testing ground needed before he can take a real step forward in 2017. Otherwise, he might have to burn 2017 to learn the things he’ll need to learn before he’s of championship quality. At some point, the investment needs to be made. Trying to win the Big 12 without high-level quarterback play is like taking the stairs up 30 stories when others are taking the elevator. All of the other elements in the program just aren’t going to mean much until the quarterback question has a real answer … and we’re not there yet.
Predicted final record: 6-6
Actual final record: 5-7
No. 3 – Depth Chart Musings …
* I’m just not sure that Emmett Mosley is healthy and/or has played enough in the last two weeks to make the depth chart until he fully returns and is able to establish himself.
* I’m not sure if Kaliq Lockett will 100% be slotted above Aaron Butler because they might not want to shove him out the door, which officially being third and behind a younger player might do the trick. Therefore, I think an “or” might be officially in play.
* Spencer Shannon is going to play a lot in 12 personnel. I think he’s probably the unofficial (and possibly official) second-team tight end.
* That back-up offensive line scares the crap out of me. Sarkisian talked about hoping to have eight guys he can trust. He doesn’t have eight. Don’t shoot the messenger, but I’m not sure he truly has five. That group as a whole is not remotely close to the talent levels that have been accumulated at every other position the field.
* If Arch Manning lost an arm in a tragic bass finishing accident tomorrow, I think K.J. Lacey is the true backup quarterback. In an emergency pinch-hitting situation early in the season, it’s going to be Matthew Caldwell. It’s literally why they brought him in and I’m pretty certain they still do not want to burn Lacey’s redshirt season.
* It’s crazy how young this defense is. If you look at that graphic from the middle to left, there’s virtually nothing to see. This defense should be l-o-a-d-e-d in 2026, even without Anthony Hill.
* It really does feel like Michael Taaffe might be the starting nickel because the coaches want their starting five to include Derek Williams more than Graceson Littleton for Ohio State.
* I’m really starting to wonder how much of Jonah Williams we are even going to see this season. Is he going to be ready to play in September … at all? If not, is that it, at least with regards to being any kind of an impact player?
* If Colin Simmons didn’t exist, I wonder if we’d be projecting Brad Spence as a possible double-digit sack starter at the buck position?
No. 4 – Ohio State Kibbles and Bits …
* The best vs. best match-up in this game for the second consecutive year is going to be the Ohio State wide receivers (and first-time starter Julian Sayin) against the Texas secondary. I’m not sure Ohio State can win this game if it can’t win this battle, barring a massive special teams advantage or critical turnovers from the Texas offense. There’s been as much talk in Buckeyes camp about Carnell Tate and Brandon Inniss as there has been with Jeremiah Smith. Buckle up.
* Heralded Rice transfer Ethan Onianwa hasn’t been good enough to apparently win either tackle position and will likely come into the season as the swing tackle. Yikes. Former Minnesota junior transfer Phillip Daniels has made three career starts and he’ll be asked to play at a level he’s never reached in a game up until now. His PFF Grades in his three games against Illinois, Rutgers and Penn State were 54.3, 55.2 and 53.4, respectively. Fellas, it ain’t just Texas …
* Ohio State is either so good at defensive end that star transfer Beau Atkinson isn’t a lock to be a starter or maybe Atkinson isn’t the impact player they hoped he would be. Regardless, Kenyatta Jackson, Caden Curry, C.J. Hicks and Atkinson will all test the Texas tackles in ways they likely won’t face again for a couple of months … except in practice every day.
* Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese (great name) are a strong 1-2 punch, but the Buckeyes aren’t as deep at linebacker as the Longhorns as game one approaches. It’ll be interesting to see how much rotation we’re going to see. Will former Texas prep standout Payton Pierce play much? He’s the third guy. Will Riley Pettijohn see the field at all? A source I spoke with this weekend seemed a little cooler on him this weekend than last.
* Former three-star 2023 prospect Jaylen McClain has been a standout in camp for the Buckeyes and might be the biggest surprise starter on the defensive depth chart.
No. 5 – Final True Freshmen Power Rankings …
This week …
1. WR Kaliq Lockett
2. CB Graceson Littleton
3. WR Daylan McCutcheon
4. QB KJ Lacey
5. DE Lance Jackson
6. CB Kade Phillips
7. OT Nick Brooks
8. WR Jamie Ffrench
9. LB Bo Barnes
10. TE Emaree Winston
No. 6 – Quinn’s NFL pre-season journey continues and other Longhorns in the NFL musings …
I’m pretty sure Quinn Ewers did enough to make the Dolphins. In playing for much of the second half, Ewers finished the game 7 of 8 for 66 yards, while taking 2 sacks and leading the Dolphins to zero points on 2 1/2 drives. It was kind of weird at the end of the game because the Dolphins were up eight in the final 20 seconds and were throwing the ball inside Jacksonville’s 20-yard line, despite the fact that the Jaguars weren’t calling timeouts and were seemingly content to end the pre-season. It just seemed like the Miami coaches know they won’t see Ewers play again for another 11 months if all goes well and they wanted to see him making as many confidence-building throws as possible before going into hibernating.
I think it’s a good sign. Cutdown Day is Tuesday.
A few other thoughts …
* Bill Norton might not make the Rams, but he’ll always have the time when he sacked Prime Time’s kid in an NFL pre-season game.
* It had to have been demoralizing for the wide receiver group in Cleveland to see Isaiah Bond sign a three-year deal with day two money this week because he’s going to get a spot on the 53-man roster without playing so much as a single pre-season snap. Someone on the Browns is going to get cut on Tuesday when they probably thought they were in good shape by just looking around the locker room a week ago. That’s the life in the NFL, man.
* Keilan Robinson isn’t expected to make the Eagles and might not make the practice squad, but he did get a chance to put some stuff on film in rushing for 23 yards on 9 carries against the Jets.
* Cam Williams is squarely on the cut line in Philadelphia, even with the Eagles expecting to keep 10 offensive linemen. One Eagles reporter from The Athletic wrote while leaving Williams off the team, “I wanted to keep Williams on here for development — that pick was made with the future in mind — but has he shown enough promise this summer?” Another reporter covering the team in the same article kept Williams around. We’ll see.
* Whatever you think of last season’s offensive line … Kelvin Banks, Jake Majors and Hayden Conner look like they’ll be in NFL rosters on opening day. Cam Williams might join them. That group was better than many of y’all think. They are like the Greg Davis of Texas offensive lines.
* Look for Sam Ehlinger to end up on Denver’s practice squad. They like him a lot, but maybe not so much that they will want to use a third quarterback spot for him. We’ll see. Fingers crossed.
* There’s a better than decent chance that Barryn Sorrell will spend the first four weeks of the season in IR while recovering from a sprained MCL against the Colts.
No. 7 – About last week’s Orangebloods Live Youtube section …
Sometimes all you can do is laugh at yourself.
Last week, in a section I called “Don’t Hate The Playa, Hate The Game,” I wrote the following: “
1. At some point this week, Orangebloods Live will likely become the No. 1 Texas Longhorns YouTube channel in terms of subscribers. We’ve seen an amazing amount of growth in the last two months. Long may it continue. We’re not yet seeing internal data that would indicate a sudden stoppage of the rate of growth we’ve seen.
2. We could become the first Texas channel to cross the 100,000 mark in terms of subscribers the week of the Ohio State game.”
At the time I had posted last Sunday night, Orangebloods Live was sitting at 82,000 subscribers and On Texas Football was sitting on 88,400 subscribers.
On Tuesday, OTF had 90.2K
On Wednesday, OTF had 95.1K
Fast forward to Sunday night and the channel has grown to 143,000 subscribers … just days after my column … all I could do was tip my cap to the channel this week on social media and offer them congrats.
Hey, the good news is that we did hit 90,000 subscribers this week and if our current pace from this month continues, we should hit 100,000 by 11 a.m. on Saturday rolls around. I can take solace in having the No. 1 subscription website and No. 1 message board in our market by miles. I think we’re also No. 1 in terms of total views per week on the YouTube side.
No. 8 – BUY or SELL …
B/S Arch throws for over 250 yards and rushes for over 50 Saturday
(Sell) I don’t see either quarterback posting 300+ yards of total offense on Saturday.
B/S After all is said and done, do you still truly believe that Texas defeats Ohio St. next weekend?
Also, who will be the MVP of the game? Texas defense or Arch or somebody else?
(Buy) I think Texas is the better team and will have better quarterback play. Give me Ryan Wingo as the week one star. If he’s not, Texas probably loses this game.
B/S: (This is by no means a knock, but body for body…) Arch will be working with lesser talent and weapons during his reign in Austin compared to Quinn Ewers during his run.
(Buy) Texas was significantly better at wide receiver in each of the last two seasons.
Turnovers doom Ohio State against Texas. Arch plays a clean game, Sayin does not.
(Buy) That’s where my head is, yes.
B/S – assuming Arch plays this season and next, he leaves with 4 or less L’s on his starting QB ledger.
(Buy) It’ll be a very, very disappointing next two seasons if the answer is sell.
I was thinking about defensive players over the last 25 years that opponents had to gameplan for. It is even more rare when Texas had 2 on the same team.
Corey, DJ, Huff, ET, Rak, and Kindle changed gameplans. It has been 20 years since there were 2 of these players on the same defense from my view.
Buy or Sell: Hill and Simmons will terrorize the SEC this year
(Buy) Hill wins the Butkus and Simmons finishes the season with 15 sacks.
B/S: Jeremiah Smith has over 120 yards and 1 TD.
(Sell) I don’t think he breaks 75.
B/S We are getting way out over our skis thinking MNC, SEC champs, etc. We have a new QB and 4 new OLs. Pile onto that we lost to the draft our top 2 DTs, our top 2 WRs, our TE, the best CB in the country and an All-American S. We should be tapping the brakes a bit.
(Sell) This is the third most-talented roster in the country (by just a smidge) and Texas has a better quarterback situation than everyone but Clemson among teams that truly matter. **** dem brakes.
B/S: This team will eventually have 28+ players drafted to the NFL.
Historical context, 2005 Texas had 20 draft picks. From what I can tell, the top 10 teams with the highest total draft picks since 2000 had between 19 – 39 picks. 8 of those teams won national championships. The two that lost were 2005 USC and 2015 Ohio State, which both won the NC the year before.
(Buy) Yes, Texas will break 28. I would comfortable go with … QB (1) Manning, RB (2) Wisner and Baxter, WR (5) DeAndre Moore, Ryan Wingo, Parker Livingstone, Kaliq Lockett and Daylan McCutcheon, TE (1) Jack Endries, OL (2) Trevor Goosby and DJ Campbell, DT (2) Hero Kanu and Maraad Watson, DE (2) Colin Simmons and Brad Spence, LB (3) Anthony Hill, Trey Moore and TyAnthony Smith, CB (6) Jaylon Guilbeau, Malik Muhammad, Warren Roberson, Kobe Black, Graceson Littleton and Kade Phillips and two of the younger guys and S (3) Michael Taaffe, Jelani McDonald and Derek Williams. That’s 27 and I’m being pretty conservative in my projections at a couple of positions.
Also, the 2005 national championship team had 32 NFL players on it: Justin Blalock, Tarell Brown, Jamaal Charles, Quan Cosby, Tim Crowder, Jermichael Finley, Brandon Foster, Cedric Griffin, Michael Griffin, Ahmard Hall, Tony Hills, Michael Huff, Nate Jones, Colt McCoy, Richmond McGee, Henry Melton, Roy Miller, Rod Muckelroy, Chris Ogbonnaya, Frank Okam, Brian Orakpo, Brian Robison, Aaron Ross, Jonathan Scott, Lyle Sendlein, Jordan Shipley, Kasey Studdard, Limas Sweed, David Thomas, Rod Wright, Selvin Young and Vince Young
B/S: With Caldwell’s ascendance to #2 over Owens and Lacey–and in the light of the totality of Ewers’ career at Texas–there is at least some basis for concern regarding Sark’s ability to actually develop QBs.
(Sell) Arch Manning will define his career as a quarterback developer. His previous history makes me think that Quinn Ewers is an anomaly.
B/S: In a post NIL world, Texas drawing OU, A&M, and Arkansas as the 3 permanent rivals is more favorable than not relative to what else could be awaiting in the SEC
(Buy) None of those programs are scary. Two of them are definitely not.
B/S: Since this isn’t a conference game coming up and it’s not required Sark doesn’t mention an injury of a player who won’t possibly play next week?
(Buy) You can smell it coming a mile away.
B/S
1. “We are slower and less explosive this year” will be a narrative a week from now.
2. “This WR room is special” will be a narrative a week from now.
3. O/U 175 yards from Wingo/DMo/Livingstone
(Sell/Sell/Buy) That 175 number is probably very close to the number we’ll see.
B/S- Horns sign at least one of the two legacy recruits.
(Buy) I think Texas will want a trophy for the class in December and they’ll make the big offer.
After listening to Buckeye podcasts, they seem VERY confident about the game going their way. I realize that talking season is just that, but I can’t escape the idea that they are suffering from a Natty hangover and over-estimating their team, ESPECIALLY at the QB position.
B/S: You expect Julian Sayin to commit 2-3 turnovers, throw for less than 200 yards, and to be sacked 4-5 times
(Buy) Yes.
@Ketchum B/S, your top 3, in order, concerns for this football team going into the season are 1. OL 2. RB 3. Backup QB
(Sell) OL, Arch’s inexperience and game-breakers on offense.
B/S- this year’s O-line proves to be one level better than last year’s group, especially in the run game?
(Sell) I have no idea why you would think that. I don’t think Texas is better at a single spot on the offensive line going into the season.
Buy/Sell: Mack Brown would have one more national title and three more conference titles if he had the transfer portal and instant eligibility during his time at Texas.
(Buy) I think young Mack would have loved the Portal. He loathed losing as much as anything.
No. 9 – This and that ..
… Scottier Scheffler didn’t win the Tour Championship because the Tour Championship is stupid, but he did finish off his 14th straight Top 8 finish, the first time that has happened since Ben Hogan had 14 straight in the 1950s.
… Tommy Freaking Fleetwood! The 2025 Fed-Ex Champion. lulz.
… I’m not sure what I’m supposed to say after watching the Iowa State win over Kansas State on Saturday other than mediocre college football actually isn’t a lot of fun. I didn’t feel like I saw a kid on either team that would start for Texas.
… I didn’t see a single live snap of a single Cowboys pre-season game. I don’t feel like I missed anything. Anyone want to give me the cliffnotes?
… Spencer Rattler is about to be an NFL starting quarterback. Nothing should give Quinn Ewers more hope about what’s possible in the future.
… Y’all wanna see a pile of dead bodies?
… I really, really, really could have done without seeing the news on the ESPN ticker on Saturday that Phillies ace Zach Wheeler is going to miss the rest of the season. Is that the end of his career? &^%$.
,,, Kody Clemens with one of the all-time bat flips. What would his old man have done to him if he was on the mound?
… Well, we can’t pretend like the Chinese Taiei team wasn’t the rightful champion at the LLWS. 7-0 is emphatic.
… Good news for Austin FC? It scored twice at worst-place Montreal on Saturday. The bad news? They lost and have still scored only 26 goals in 26 league matches. That’s just freaking depressing.
… Premier League Week 2 Scattershots: Nice work, Spurs. I enjoyed the hell out of that, as it represented one of the rare wake up at 6 a.m. wins for the early Saturday watch. I’m not even sure Arsenal got out of second gear in a 5-0 win over Leeds. I don’t know that they’ve played silky football this season, but six points is six points. Home teams on Saturday (not named Man City) outscored road teams by a combined score of 9-0. Man United has 1 point through 2 games… perfect. I have two requests for the next few days for the Reds … handle your business at Newcastle, sign Mac Guehi and sign Alexander Isak. Just get it done.
No. 10 – The List: Top 10 What-If Prospects in UT Football History …
This one comes per request. It’s real simple … who are the biggest what-if recruiting misses in Texas football history? My list will probably look quite different than yours.
Let’s get on with it!
Honorable Mention: D.J. Williams, Garrett Wilson, Jarvis Moss, Matt Stafford, Rhett Bomar, Martellus Bennett, Travis Minor, David Warren and Marcus Dupree
10. Caden Durham – I’m just sneaking this one in here at No. 10 because I think Texas might have gone undefeated last year with him in the backfield. I also think he would make this 2025 team immeasurably better. He’s exactly what this offense needs from a skill standpoint at that position and I would contend it lacks it going into this season. Discuss.
9. Tommy Harris – If Harris signs with Texas in 2001, does it flip the entire Texas-OU series on its head from 2001-2003? Harris called me in the summer after he signed with OU and was desperate to transfer to Texas because of an issue that had occurred that spring with an OU assistant coach. He told me he called Texas and was told they couldn’t talk to him … but if the rules of 2025 had been around in 2001 … there’s an excellent chance he would have been a Longhorn.
8. Drew Brees – Texas didn’t even offer Brees, but that didn’t keep his step-mom from calling me numerous times during his senior season/recruiting cycle when I worked at KEYE-TV to complain about the lack of an offer and the fact that John Mackovic chose Major Applewhite over her son. Texas’ recruiting coordinator Randy Rogers was at a ton of Brees’ games during his senior season. It’s kind of inexcusable that it happened.
7. Eli Manning – If Chris Simms doesn’t go to Texas, there’s an incredibly good chance that Manning would have. Texas might have won the national title in 2001 with Manning at quarterback (it at least wins the Big 12) and it might have completely changed the dynamics of what happened in 2002 and 2003.
6. Joe Washington – Battling a bit of a racism image problem in the early 1970s, Darrell Royal actually called on former president Lyndon B. Johnson to help him land the future College Hall of Fame running back. “Every kid grows up wanting to go to Texas,” Washington told ESPN in 2012. “I was no different. When Coach Royal’s [TV] show came on, I think it was Tuesday nights, they would play ‘The Eyes of Texas’ and my brother and I would stand up with our hands over our hearts.” Might a backfield of Joe Washington and Earl Campbell changed the dynamics of Royal’s career if he had been able to land Washington?
5. Tommy Brockermeyer – It’s kind of as simple as this … if Brockermeyer had committed to Texas, along with his brother, right before the start of the 2020 season, would Tom Herman have lost his job following a season that witnessed Texas finish ranked in the top 20 for only the third time in the previous decade? The recruiting momentum that was lost played such a huge role in the decision to move on from Herman that you can make at least a small case that landing the Brockermeyer twins that year might have been enough to keep him around.
4. Ryan Perrilloux – Colt McCoy’s dad literally called me on National Signing Day in 2005 to make sure that Perrilloux had signed with LSU before Colt signed with the Longhorns. In a world where Perrilloux had remained committed to the Longhorns, McCoy very possibly would have signed with LSU (he took at least one unofficial visit with Nick Saban’s staff). It’s one of the great sliding glass moments in the history of Texas recruiting.
3. Kyler Murray – Could the future Heisman winner have actually saved the Charlie Strong era? Or sent the Tom Herman era into the stratosphere? I mean … yeah … probably.
2. Robert Griffin III/Andrew Luck – I’m lumping these two together because they fall into the same category – bad *** quarterbacks that Texas basically ignored in the 2008 recruiting class because it was so head over heels in love with Garrett Gilbert. Mack Brown almost certainly does not go down in flames at the end of his Texas career if he hadn’t ignored two of the all-time great players that have ever come through the state. Luck actually visited Texas on a Junior Day and Mack Brown never spoke with him.
1. Adrian Peterson – The 2005 Texas Longhorns team might have been the greatest college football team of all-time … now imagine it with Peterson. Imagine Peterson in the same backfield as Vince Young in 2004 and 2005. Texas might have gone undefeated in both seasons with back-to-back national championships. VY was already unlike anything college football has seen before or since. Now imagine him next to the greatest running back the state has ever produced. The trickledown impact of landing Peterson probably means that Texas lands Malcolm Kelly in 2005. Hell, it might mean that they land Matt Stafford in 2006 coming off of such historic success. It’s the recruiting loss that might have cost Texas a dynasty.
