Steve Sarkisian Made No Bones About Expectations Surrounding the 2026 Texas Longhorns

Since Steve Sarkisian arrived in Austin as the head coach of the Texas Longhorns, the standard surrounding the program has been unmistakable: excellence.

For the first several seasons, those standards were met relatively admirably. Back-to-back College Football Playoff appearances, SEC contention and a steady stream of NFL Draft picks helped reestablish Texas as one of college football’s premier programs.

But by Texas standards, the 2025 campaign was a disappointment. The Longhorns finished 10-3 and failed to reach the College Football Playoff after beginning the season as the consensus preseason No. 1 team.

Speaking at a press conference in Houston for the NFF's Touchdown Club, head coach Steve Sarkisian made it abundantly clear that simply being good is not enough.

“I came here to compete and win championships, and we didn’t do that last year,” Sarkisian said. “What did we do? Go right back to work.”

And by the looks of it, Texas has done more than enough this offseason to raise its ceiling in 2026.

Why Texas Looks Capable of Winning a National Championship Next Season

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) runs with the ball against the Michigan Wolverines. | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

For all the turnover Texas experienced after the NFL Draft, the Longhorns still look built to seriously contend for a national championship in 2026. In fact, this could be the deepest and most complete roster in the Sarkisian era.

It starts, of course, with Arch Manning.

The potential first-round NFL Draft pick has now spent two full seasons developing within Sarkisian’s system and appears far more prepared for the all-encompassing spotlight and brutal SEC schedule ahead. Sarkisian has already noted that Manning — along with several other players recovering from offseason procedures, including Ryan Wingo, Emmett Mosley and Trevor Goosby — has experienced no setbacks and is expected to be fully available by June 1.

And unlike last season, Manning should have no shortage of weapons around him.

Texas brought in the No. 3 transfer portal class this offseason, adding playmakers like Cam Coleman, Hollywood Smothers and Raleek Brown to inject explosiveness into an offense that often stalled in critical moments last season.

The running back room, in particular, could become one of the deepest of the Sarkisian era. Between Smothers, Brown, Derrek Cooper and James Simon, the Longhorns suddenly possess an attack much more deep and versatile than their 2025 counterpart.

The defense should hold up just fine as well, considering new defensive coordinator Will Muschamp is inheriting a defense that already ranked among the nation’s best last season. And despite losing NFL talent, the Longhorns still return arguably the SEC’s most dangerous pass rusher in Colin Simmons.

Simmons finished with 12 sacks in 2025 and looks poised for an even bigger year in Muschamp’s aggressive defensive scheme. His ability to consistently pressure quarterbacks changes the entire complexion of the defense and creates opportunities for the rest of Texas’ loaded defensive front.

Simply put, Texas has not taken a back seat this offseason. Now, all that remains is determining whether that work will truly amount to something different.

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