ESPN Reveals Biggest Question About Texas Longhorns Ahead of 2024 Season
For the past decade, the Texas Longhorns have been working on getting back to being one of the best programs in the country, and in 2023 they finally reached that mark.
They were able to win the Big 12 title, while also appearing in the last four-team College Football Playoff. Now, heading into the 2024 season they are focused on sustaining their success, while also taking that next step, which is to play for the national title.
As expected, Texas lost a slew of talent to the NFL Draft following the big year, specifically on offense. This has led to questions from ESPN as to how the unit will look next year.
Quinn Ewers and the Texas team before a game
© Jerome Miron, USA TODAY
In a recent article by ESPN, the biggest spring questions about every top 25 team were discussed. The Longhorns, who ranked as the No. 4 team behind Georgia, Ohio State and Oregon respectively, are being questioned about how the passing game will look. From an overall perspective, the question is fair in the sense that Texas did lose their three top receivers and their star tight end.
However, the Longhorns did go to the transfer portal and bring in one of the best hauls in all of college football this offseason headlined by Alabama transfer Isaiah Bond. ESPN's Dave Wilson acknowledged that along with Bond, Oregon State transfer Silas Bolden, Alabama tight end transfer Amari Niblack, and Houston transfer Matthew Golden, the team did bring in some much-needed experience, but does need to find the right combos.
"This time last season, Steve Sarkisian said getting Quinn Ewers comfortable and the deep passing game going was a point of emphasis," wrote Wilson. "Ewers responded with 3,479 yards and 22 TDs to just six interceptions in Texas' final Big 12 season, and the addition of Adonai Mitchell opened up deep looks for Xavier Worthy. But Mitchell, Worthy, Jordan Whittington and tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders are off to the NFL, and Johntay Cook's eight catches from last year lead the incumbents.
"But that doesn't mean there isn't talent on hand. Sarkisian added transfers Isaiah Bond (Alabama), Silas Bolden (Oregon State), Matthew Golden (Houston) and tight end Amari Niblack (Alabama), as well as star receiver Ryan Wingo, No. 27 in this year's ESPN 300. Now, it's just a matter of finding the right combinations and getting the timing down."
Luckily for Texas, Ewers took a massive step in his development for what his second season as the starter, which means it is fair to expect he will again take another step forward. He is now the focal point of the offense more than ever, and will need to remain consistent in all aspects of his game. Adding three elite transfers should make remaining consistent easy, but it's now time for Ewers to turn things up one of the best signal-callers in the country.
