Hook Em....but hold your britches...

Let's get straight to it. The media is going to make you think that Arch Manning and his 95 career passing attempts is the reason that this team is #1. It's because of the defense alone that this team is a legit contender. I'm not a sugar-coater and let me remind you...I'm a Texas fan, not a Texas FOOL. This is the best defense in the country. Colin Simmons, Ethan Burke, Anthony Hill Jr., and Trey Moore are going to be giving QBs and offensive coordinators nightmares this season. This group of edges gives the rest of the defense room for error that they simply don't even need. Geezus, this group is scary talented and there's even more talent on the bench here. Texas lost a highly ranked edge recruit to zeroU this afternoon and I didn't even blink. We're good there. Oh...and a Colin Simmons that feels he's been disrespected is a good thing for Texas.

While we're on the defensive line, I'll keep the conversation about the defensive tackles short. Depth.

This was a group that was a glaring weakness as we lost players to the NFL draft, graduation, the portal. Sark and company actually kind of over-addressed this if I'm being honest. No complaints here, we no bullshit have 5 huge defensive tackles that will keep each other fresh as they rotate in and out of the lineup. I want to say Texas has about 10 players 312lbs and up. Don't get me wrong. You won't see any Warren Sapp or Aaron Donald impersonations in this group, but these are all future NFL players keeping each other fresh in the middle of a line where escaping to the outside is clearly NOT an option. This group is BIG, quick, and deep. Following me here? Good.

Anthony Hill Jr. Next subject. I'm only half-kidding. Man, Pete Kwiakowski has to feel like a kid in a toy store with this group of weapons. And yes, I chose to use "weapons" to describe this group of linebackers, not excluding the other position groups. Hill is the best linebacker in the country. Trey Moore was an all-conference edge that has been converted to weak side linebacker. Sark went out and grabbed an experienced Brad Spence from Arkansas, but he MIGHT be converted to full time edge..oh well. This coaching staff loves Liona Lefau, especially his coverage ability, but TyAnthony Smith is a freak and he'll be on the field plenty. Smith's trust from the coaching staff and his dynamic presence on the field will be the reason that Anthony Hill will be fresh as Texas enters the postseason. Our depth here could get scary in a long SEC season, but I think we're good. If Hill, Lefau, Moore, and Smith don't work out, Spence can be broken out the emergency glass and moved back to linebacker since he's played that for two years at Arkansas already. Ok, yall good? Good.

Who TF is #2? Thats what Texas casuals are asking, but the rest of us are very familiar. Derek Williams would've probably been the most talented player in a secondary last season that included All-American Michael Taafe as well as the now drafted Andrew Makuba and Jahdae Barron. Hey, injuries happen and Williams being hurt isn't what kept Texas from a ship last season. Actually, it worked out cause one of the reasons that this secondary is so talented is because of the growth and development of Taafe, who's return was crucial. Taafe might be slower than molasses, but his instincts and IQ essentially put a coach on the field, although I'm not crazy about him getting looks at Nickel in preparation for Hoe-State.  His presence on the field and the return of Duane Akina gives me all the confidence in the world in this group even IF they weren't all athletic studs. Oh shit, a teenager is about to tell me I'm glazing, let me watch my mouth! Shut up.

Boundary Corner: Malik Muhammad - this side will not be challenged much, which sucks cause Malik needs to prove he can get a few picks to bolster his draft status. Five-star stud, Kade Phillips, will get looks here when it makes sense.

Field Corner: this job will PROBABLY go to senior Jaylon Guilbeau due to his experience but freak of nature Kobe Black is on his ass and I'm ok with it.

Free Safety: Taafe obviously has this sewed, but Xavier Filsaime is one of the fastest guys on this team and has put things together...cant wait to see this kid.

Boundary Safety: the staff is experimenting with all their shiny toys, but this is Derek Williams' spot to lose and if he's anywhere near healthy, he won't be losing shit.

Nickel: Things get crazy here..McDonald was getting looks here, but (Taafe for the opener) freshman Graceson Littleton and ultra talented Warren Roberson have been running with the 1s here lately. More on all the freshmen later though. *insert mischievous smiley face*

When I say this group is talented...Jonah Williams is a true fresh, nursing a hamstring injury he got from UT's run this baseball season, and he might be a top 5 talented player on this damn roster. I aint saying shit else, google the kid. (or you could scroll down and watch the video I added for your convenience)

Oh...did I tell you Coach Akina is back? MAAAN!

By the way, please don't try to challenge me on NCAA as long as I'm allowed to select Texas. I haven't even got 2026 yet because I already know it's over for ya'll if I get on there. Man, this team is good, and you saw an offense last year that had a few things missing that hurt the enormous potential of that 2024 team. Quinn's injury/limitations. Penalties. Don't get me started there. Isaiah Bond's lack of production. Drum roll please....CJ Baxter being hurt.

Baxter was the best running back in the country when we signed him out of Florida and he initially started ahead of now Carolina Panther, Jonathon Brooks. Losing your starting RB right before the season starts can be deflating to say the less, but that blessing in surprise allowed for Blue and Risner, who are smaller guys, to showcase their ability and "carry" the load...see what I did there?

Tre Wisner surprised the shit out of me and ran for 1000+ yards in the SEC last year. I saw him play at DeSoto and that wasn't the role I saw for him at Texas. This is now a group of hungry dogs that are ready to eat. You'll see Risner get the bulk of the carries here, but SURPRISINGLY, there are talks that Baxter is ready to be the 1B. I'll tell you, last week I saw him in his brace and looking at him move in that brace didn't give me the warm and fuzzy. However, the talks are that Baxter is ready to take on the load and he truly doesn't need to be 100% in Colombus for us to be successful. Names in this group that you will learn very quickly are Christian Clark, (who probably has the most "flash" in the group) Jerrick Gibson (a rhino with a football that needs to add some wiggle to his game), and eventually former 4 star 6', 200lbs freshman James Simon. 

Some notes to add after today's scrimmage per Sark...he's taken the mental training wheels off of Baxter. Our talented, built for the goal line, former star running back is back. I will say that Thursday he said he was 100%, but Sark is saying 80%. Also, Christian Clark continues to prove he's the most dynamic in the RB room as he made several defenders look bad in today's scrimmage. Probably those same missed tackles that Sark complained about at the podium. It's also worth noting that sophomore Jerrick Gibson probably finds himself as the 4th back for the time being.

We're in better shape this season here, folks. This version of our line is better at run blocking than last season and you add Arch's legs to the formula...yeah, I'm good, you're good, we're good.

Tight end is home for me because it was my most natural position. I wish I loved football enough, maybe I could've actually been good at playing it! This is another position that Sark and the staff overreacted to due to a mostly unproven TE room. Fast forward to now and we're looking at a dynamic and somewhat irregular group of guys at the position. Getting Jack Endries from Cal was huge. I have a feeling that Arch is going to appreciate having the 2nd best TE in the portal at his disposal. I'll be honest, getting Endries was a huge personal relief. That being said, Jordan Washington thought the position was his and for pretty good reason. He's 6'4, 260 and a dynamic athlete due to his basketball background. Jordan is STILL getting rave reviews from the coaching staff due to his abilities shown during practices and scrimmages. Even when Texas deploys their 12 personnel group, the second TE will be 6'7 Spencer Shannon who has shown improvement enough to warrant the reps. Waiting in the shadows are dynamic freshman, Emaree Winston and Nick Townsend. Emaree suffered a shoulder injury later and probably needs to develop his game due to being 6'1 and trying to make an impact in the SEC as an undersized TE. His historical bully ball approach won't go as planned at this level. Nick Townsend is 6'4 and runs like a gazelle. Tight end is one of the hardest positions to learn in Sark's offense, but insiders keep calling Townsend one of the most athletic TE's Texas has had on its roster since Jermichael Finley. Go head and let that marinate as we move on.

Not going to lie. I've been looking forward to running my mouth about this position. Is this the best group of WRs in the country (like we had last year)? No. But top to bottom, this room's talent is full of potential and talent. Ryan Wingo is too humble to say it on a mic, but he believes he belongs in the convo with Jeremiah Smith and Ryan Williams. Now is the time to show it, my man. In the slot DJ Moore loudly and proudly wants to be the best WR in the country. Hey, listen...I'll be shocked too, but go off. Sark wisely went and got proven talent from the portal in the form of Emmett Mosley, a big body that will not only catch everything in his radius but also be a great blocker on the perimeter. Him being out lately fortunately has opened the door for Parker Livingstone, Kaliq Lockett, and super polished freshman Daylan McCutcheon to get much needed reps. Like Jonah Williams, Michael Terry was considered to be the or one of the best athletes in the country when he was recruited and he's currently buried in the depth of this position. Thank God that Sark loves sophomore, Ryan Niblett because he's the fastest guy on the team and he's going to get on the field somehow someway. I already know they have a few packages with his name on it because it'll be plain dumb if you don't. Aaron Butler has nearly the same kind of athleticism, but hands are a question. Last guy I'm mentioning is definitely not least and that guy is Jaime Ffrench. Our twin freshmen 5 stars, Lockett and Ffrench, are both 6'2 sure handed monsters known for their elite body control that won't exactly leave a trail of fire in their trails, but Arch will throw the rock up to them in the air and for good reason. Lockett will get earlier reps than Ffrench, but please don't get it twisted. Ffrench could very well end up being the better of the two when it's all said and done. Livingstone is likely to be the 3rd receiver (he's playing X in Sark's offense) and that's even when Mosley is healthy and good to go. The QB's roommate who happens to be 6'4 and runs like a gazelle, yeah, we've seen this movie before, and I like it. Super receiver Dakorien Moore ran a 21.7 200m in high school; Livingstone ran a 21.69 as a high school freshman. I'll talk about McCutcheon again cause the coaches never stop. He's impressed by not only looking more polished than all of his more naturally gifted peers but picking up the offense fast. Expect positions to not mean much because you have to play various positions to get on the field as a WR for Sark. I'm not crying, but I really wish Isaiah Bond was still on this team, but Arch's deep balls are still going to be in the reliable hands of the young guys in this group.

Oh boy. From the receiver room to the offensive line huh? Here's what I like. This group is a little less experienced, but we'll be better at run blocking this season than we were last year. DJ Campbell coming back (without all his damn penalties) was big in my opinion and brings back the meanest S.O.B from last year's room. At left tackle we have three future NFL guys: Trevor Goosby, Jadon Chatman, and the coaching staff's freshman darling: Nick Brooks. Goosby is so good, he could be gone after this one season of starting. Standing 6'7 with elite feet and improved strength, yeah, I can't blame him. Here's what I don't like. It's 12 days from the opener vs the Fuckeyes and we're still experimenting with moving guys around in the lineup. I'll just say our issue here is depth, people. You want 8 solid guys in rotation and that may have been the case prior to Andre Cojoe going down. Keep an eye out here, ladies and gents.

What can I say about Mr. 95 Passing Attempts that the Internet isn't screaming about right now? Seriously, this kid can play, but he's MAYBE a top 5 QB in the conference. Thats ok, Longhorn Nation! He does not have to be Peyton for this team. I'm confident that the conversations that Arch has had with his family, Sark, and himself will keep Arch in the right mindset for this season but let's kill all the Heisman noise for THIS year. We're going to see some growing pains here.  Arch is talented and he knows it and he also knows the leash is off. We're going to see him take some hits that he needs to avoid. We're going to see him throw picks on a long ball instead of taking the shallow drag. I'm still not worried. Arch in his limited experience has above average chemistry with all 3 projected starting WRs and reports are it's looking like that with TE, Jack Endries. Sark is going to run the ball and he's going to cuss Arch the F out when he needs it and we'll lick our wounds and move on.

Now if he goes down, come check on me.

I'm only kind of playing, the staff went out and picked up vet QB, Matthew Caldwell, from Troy. Considering his 3058 career passing yards, his 485 passing attempts, and the great reports from practices and scrimmage...I'm ok here. I still don't want to see Caldwell start any games this year, but I'm glad we have him. Big arm backup, Trey Owens, couldn't take the job obviously. With elite signal-caller Dia Bell coming next year, this is probably confirmation that Owens is best off going elsewhere. Freshman KJ Lacey reminds Sark of a Dollar General Bryce Young and though he's obtained a reputation of a baller with sneaky elusiveness, he's 5'10 and I only want him on the field for garbage time THIS year.

You remember a million words ago when I was telling you to calm down and 2027 is actually the year I think Arch win's the ship, the Heisman, and rides off to the NFL. Oh, I didn't say that last part? My bad, I'm saying it now. My reasons are simple. A full season of starts in the SEC for Arch. Just as importantly, the development and experience of this #1 recruiting class of 2025. Most of these kids are already on the heels of the experienced teammate ahead of them, I can't wait for them to gain game experience. The 2026 class is looking about right with instant contributors like (LB)Tyler Atkinson, (QB)Dia Bell, (Dollar Store Travis Hunter)Jermaine Bishop, (DE)Richard Wesley, and (RB)Derrek Cooper on the way. We lost speedy KJ Edwards to the Gaggies, but Cooper is faster than every RB we have on the current roster so he's a worthy consolation prize.

ANYWAY, our talent with these guys having a year of experience is going to be very exciting for the Horns:

WRs: Lockett, Ffrench, McCutcheon, Michael Terry.

Tackle: Nick Brooks.

TE: Townsend

DL: Justus Terry, Sharma, Lance Jackson

DB: Phillips, Littleton, Jonah Williams

A Texas team that loses Anthony Hill but returns Arch Manning and Colin Simmons, these 100 5 stars we have waiting in the trenches, and the instant improvement in some position rooms that the 2026 class provides....Yeah, we'll be even scarier in 2027.

*Charles Barkley voice* I COULD BE WRONG, BUT I DOUBT IT!