This Texas Position Group has Finally Found its Form After a Struggle-Filled Season

The Texas Longhorns suffered a significant setback last weekend in Athens, as they took a road trip to face the Georgia Bulldogs, with Texas coming out on the losing end, falling 35-10.

Texas fell significantly in this week's national rankings, dropping seven spots to No. 17 in both the College Football Playoff Rankings and AP Poll, while falling to No. 18 in the Coaches Poll. With the recent CFP rankings, the Longhorns would seemingly be watching the postseason, which they've been a part of for the last two years, from the sidelines.

The Longhorns will want to close out the regular season strong in their two-game home stand to end the year, beginning this weekend as they take on the Arkansas Razorbacks and then end with the No. 3 Texas A&M Aggies, a week later. Looking to make any possible impression to find a shot at the postseason, the Longhorns will have to lean on one of their position groups that has finally found its rhythm.

Longhorns Offensive Line Play Has Improved

Texas Longhorns offensive lineman Trevor Goosby (74) blocks Oklahoma Sooners defensive lineman R Mason Thomas (32). | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Longhorns' offensive line unit has been under fire throughout the season, with subpar play in both pass and run blocking, which has heavily disrupted the Longhorns' ability to run a flowing offense.

As before the Georgia game, quarterback Arch Manning had been sacked 21 times and hit many other instances, with the two standout games. The first was the loss against Florida, where the pressure was rampant and Manning was sacked a season-high six times, and the second was the win against Mississippi State, where Manning was sacked five times on the night.

Recently, the unit has been able to turn things around, and one of the leaders of that unit in Trevor Goosby, speaks on the offensive line's improvement.

"Staying consistent, just having that same mindset that we came out with and just executing at a really high level, especially, it starts up front with us as an offensive line," Goosby said. "Arch should be able to get the ball off, and the receivers to be able to make their plays."

While the Longhorns surrendered three sacks to the Georgia Bulldogs, a team that continues to be dead last in the SEC in sacks, two weeks ago, was the offensive line's best performance all season.

As against Vanderbilt, Manning's jersey was spotless with the offensive line not giving up a single sack, which is just the second time that's happened this season; the other came against UTEP.

The offensive line will have to continue to build on this level of play that they've found late in the season, with Arkansas coming into town this weekend, which is tied for No. 11 in sacks in the SEC, followed by the No. 1 team in sacks visiting Austin as the Longhorns end the season with the Aggies.