Texas Head Coach Steve Sarkisian, quarterback Quinn Ewers, offensive lineman Kelvin Banks Jr, and defensive back Jahdae Barron will represent the Longhorns at SEC Media Days from July 15 to July 18.
Texas is coming off a 12-2 record and a Big 12 championship in addition to a College Football Playoff appearance in 2023 where they lost to Washington by a score of 31-37.
The Longhorns bring back starting QB Ewers and a loaded roster as they transition from the Big 12 to the SEC. With a recent taste of the playoff, what are some of the biggest questions facing Sarkisian as they speak at SEC Media Days?
Three Most Significant Questions For Steve Sarkisian at SEC Media Days
1) Can Texas Finish The Job?
After winning the Big 12 for the first time since 2009 and tasting a College Football Playoff berth, Texas will look to finish the job as they attempt to win a national championship for the first time since 2005 while joining a new conference in the SEC.
Aiding them in that endeavor will be the return of QB Ewers, who took substantial steps forward as the starter in 2023. Ewers threw for over 3400 yards with a 69% completion rate, 22 touchdown passes, and only six interceptions. Ewers will need to overcome the loss of his top five receivers but has the protection up front to post some monster numbers.
The Horns have one of the most favorable schedules to help them earn a playoff entry, with Georgia visiting Memorial Stadium for what looks to be the highlight matchup in October and finishes the season on the road at Texas A&M.
In between, Texas will face Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, Florida, Kentucky, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. That’s as favorable a schedule for a team projected to be a contender for the SEC championship.
2) Who Will Replace Adonai Mitchell and Xavier Worthy?
Adonai Mitchell and Xavier Worthy combined for 130 of Texas’ 317 total receptions and accumulated 1859 yards and 16 total touchdowns, with Mitchell accounting for 11 of those. Both landed on NFL rosters, with Worthy going 28th overall to the Kansas City Chiefs.
MORE: 2024 Texas Longhorns Depth Chart
Isaiah Bond and Silas Bolden arrived via the transfer portal to join wide receiver Johntay Cook and running back CJ Baxter as the leading returning pass catchers. Gunnar Helm will return, and the Horns added transfer Amari Niblack from Alabama to round out the tight end room in hopes of giving Ewers plenty of options.
3) How will Texas adapt going into a new conference?
Texas last changed conference affiliation in 1996, moving from the now-defunct Southwest Conference to the BIg 12. One year into the switch, Mack Brown took over and eventually led the Longhorns to a national championship. The Horns hope the current coaching staff will provide the same stability and results.
Sarkisian is in his fourth year at the helm, coming off his best record at 12-2. He also managed to keep Kyle Flood as offensive coordinator and offensive line coach, which allowed them to rank ninth in the country in total offense in 2023.
Defensively, Pete Kwiatkowski has anchored the defense since 2021 and recently produced two outstanding NFL defensive prospects in T’Vondre Sweat and Byron Murphy.
The consistency of the staff has allowed Texas to rebuild the culture within the program, and the results on the field show as much. WIth expectations now raised to winning the SEC and potentially a national championship, Texas has the kind of continuity on staff to make the transition to the SEC and have an immediate impact.
SEC Media Days Schedule: Steve Sarkisian, Texas Head Coach
- Date: Wednesday, July 17
- Time: 3:20 pm ET
- How to watch: SEC Network
For the Texas Longhorns, it’s all about building on what was accomplished in 2023. With Ewers returning for another season and the roster additions made via the portal, Texas should have the kind of firepower to compete with the best defenses as they move into the SEC.
Defensively, Texas will look to replace two of the best interior defensive linemen in the country last season in Sweat and Murphy, and while that task may take more than two players, the Horns have the kind of talent returning with eight starters that should maintain the standard that allowed them to be one of the top 15 stingiest defenses in points allowed.
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