David Pollack Raises ‘Major Red Flags” Around College Football Powerhouse Before 2026 Season

Former ESPN broadcaster David Pollack during the Rose Bowl. | USA TODAY Sports

There aren't many teams receiving more hype than the Texas Longhorns heading into the 2026 season.

Texas Longhorns Receive A Lot of Preseason Hype

It's for good reason, too. Texas is ranked as the most talented team in college football by Pump & Rally. The offense appears to be loaded with talent. Head coach Steve Sarkisian's group is led by star quarterback Arch Manning, who rallied last season after a struggle to start.

The Longhorns then went to work in the transfer portal by adding 900-yard rushers Hollywood Smothers and Raleek Brown. The team also added star wide receiver Cam Coleman, who is regarded as one of the most talented receivers in college football. He will be paired with Ryan Wingo, who is coming off 834 yards and seven touchdowns last season.

On top of that, the defense returns several talented players, like EDGE Collin Simmons. They also brought back Will Muschamp to orchestrate the unit. He's regarded as one of the better defensive minds in the sport. Despite all of that excitement, there have been some recent developments that are cause for concern.

Kentucky’s Kam Olds and Tavion Gadson (94) sack Texas’ Arch Manning. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

David Pollack Reveals Major Red Flags for Texas Ahead of 2026 Season

College football analyst David Pollack said on "See Ball Get Ball with David Pollack" that the Longhorns enter the 2026 season with some major red flags.

"Where there's smoke, there's fire; there's a lot of smoke in Austin," Pollack said. "That's not good, man. This is not how you want to start your season. Ty'Anthony Smith was dismissed last week from the team, big-time contributor... Then you have guys who are freshmen, their parents going on social media and blasting Texas... Arch is a little bit rusty from missing spring and a little bit off. The offense hasn't been dialed in. Not a good start."

Texas Has Too Much Talent to Ignore Its Warning Signs

Texas still has the roster to make a championship run, but the early concerns give the Longhorns something to prove before they can be viewed as one of the favorites they are being made out to be.

The biggest question isn't whether Texas has enough talent. It does. The question is whether Sarkisian can get all of that talent to operate together while putting the offseason distractions behind the team.

Pollack's comments ultimately provide a reality check for a program surrounded by enormous expectations. Texas doesn't need to panic, but it does need to answer these questions quickly. If the Longhorns can settle the issues before the season gets going, the talent remains good enough to put them in the national championship conversation. If those warning signs linger, however, the gap between preseason expectations and reality could become very noticeable.