There is Still Plenty of Work to Do in Austin
AUSTIN - In front of the second largest crowd in the history of Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, ESPN's College Gameday and a star-studded group of recruits in Austin, the No. 18 Texas Longhorns had a huge opportunity on Saturday night against the No. 4 TCU Horned Frogs.
In a 17-10 loss, Texas put forth what was without a doubt its worst performance of the 2022 season, dropping to 6-4, with just two games remaining.
"We didn't play good enough to win the game," head coach Steve Sarkisian said. "That's pretty easy to see."
Not only was it a blown opportunity for Sarkisian to get a true signature win, but it was an opportunity for the Longhorns to put the nation on notice that they were on the cusp of something great.
Instead, it was a stark reminder that there is still plenty of work to due on the 40 Acres.
"Offensively, zero rhythm in the game. We could not get out of our own way, which is extremely frustrating... I'd love to say it was (because of) just one thing, but it really wasn't."
That's not to say that Texas isn't heading in the right direction, because they are.
In just under two seasons, Sarkisian has put in the work and turned what was once a fledgling program, into one that can win against anyone on any given night.
The defense also had what was arguably its best defensive performance of the season.
However, there is much more work to be done than many would like to admit.
On Saturday, Heisman candidate and star running back Bijan Robinson was non-existent, and uber-hyped freshman 'superstar' quarterback Quinn Ewers could not hit the broadside of the barn through the air.
Not to mention, wide receivers were dropping footballs left and right and seemed to have multiple miscommunications with Ewers along the way.
"To me, it wasn't all on Quinn," Sarkisian said. "I think that everybody took turns tonight. We were just off."
Most of those things are fixable, and it starts on the recruiting trail.
At the end of the day, the Longhorns, despite all the glitz and glamor that came along with the day, are still a rebuilding program.
Depth is thin across the entire roster, particularly in the trenches on offense, where the Longhorns were manhandled throughout the entire game.
With that said, Texas IS heading in the right direction.
It is just going to take time.
Perhaps more than some Texas fans were hoping to wait.
You can follow Matt Galatzan on Twitter @MattGalatzan
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