Texas Football's New Approach Hints At Epic Bounce-Back Next Season

Despite all the pre-season expectations that followed the Texas Longhorns into 2025, the team is coming off of a season that looked more like a developmental year than the championship season that was predicted.

The Longhorns seemed to learn many valuable lessons in the disappointment of 2025, as fans watched quarterback Arch Manning step into his own after struggling during the first quarter of the season, and with the program making big-scale coaching staff and roster changes.

In a press conference in Houston for the NFF's Touchdown Club, head coach Steve Sarkisian spoke on the response that his team is conducting after 2025's disappointing ending, and the new approach that the Longhorns are taking in 2026.

Texas Switched Things Up While Building 2026 Roster

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian. — Oct 18, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian claps during warmups before the game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Kroger Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Exiting the 2025 season with a win over Michigan in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl after failing to clinch a playoff spot was a critical moment for the Texas Longhorns. With three losses over the season, Sarkisian and Co. knew that changes were both imminent and necessary.

Texas made those significant changes immediately over the offseason, recruiting one of the largest transfer portal classes in team history and focusing on quality to rank nationally at No. 3 with important additions in offensive weapons.

Running backs Raleek Brown and Hollywood Smothers, as well as wide receiver Cam Coleman, will go a long way to increase the number of explosive plays that were lacking in 2025 and are critical to the Longhorns' style of offense. Additions at the offensive line add the experience that last year's team was missing, resulting in heavy pressure that limited offensive production.

However, Texas also took care to integrate these transfers into the team culture in order to get everyone gelled together as quickly as possible.

"Coming out of spring, I'd say it was very effective for our team," Sarkisian said. "We took a little different approach with this year's team as it pertains to the culture aspect of it, getting this group to be a collective and being more cohesive together. I definitely felt that through spring ball."

Sarkisian is fully confident in the talent on his roster, which is already gaining preseason attention. It puts the Longhorns on the same path as when they entered 2025 — full of potential and possibilities which could finally result in a championship year as long as they fulfilled that potential.

Texas didn't follow through in 2025. This year, the Longhorns hope for a difference, although Sarkisian isn't blind to the fact that a lot of development will still be needed.

"We're not shy to say we're a good football team," Sarkisian said. "We're not a finished product, we've got a lot of work to do this summer, got a lot of work to do this fall in camp, and then we're going to have to get better as the season goes on."

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