Texas finished 2022 with an above-average 8-4 record. The team played Alabama down to the wire, with each of its losses coming by single digits. As for wins, Texas shut out Oklahoma 49-0 and defeated some of the stronger teams in the conference like Kansas State. This year, FanDuel Sportsbook has opened the bidding on Texas’ win total at 9.5, with the over juice to -124. Texas comes in as the favorite to win the Big 12 at +115 odds. In fact, the Longhorns sit at +320 to make the College Playoff and +2500 to win the national championship. With all of that said, let’s dive into the Texas roster.
2023 Texas Football Season Preview & Predictions
Texas Football 2023 Season Preview: Coaching Staff
Texas now enters year three of the Steve Sarkisian era, who is 13-12 during his tenure. Many believe this will be the year Texas puts everything together under this staff. Offensive coordinator Kyle Flood returns for his third season. Flood previously coached offensive line and has been with Sarkisian since the Alabama days. Pete Kwiatkowski also enters his third year as defensive coordinator after coordinating Washington’s defense previously. As postseason odds indicate, a lot is expected of this coaching staff this year.
Texas Football 2023 Season Preview: Offense
Quarterback
Texas returns its starting quarterback Quinn Ewers after an up and down 2022. Ewers completed 171 of 296 passes (57.8%) for 2,174 yards (7.3 yards per attempt), 14 touchdowns and six interceptions. While Ewers actually handled pressure well, he accounted for -52 rushing yards on just 24 carries, which included ten sacks. There is optimism that there is more to his mobility and superior efficiency to what he showed last year. It should be noted that Ewers did battle injury after leaving midway through the Alabama game. Needless to say, this will be a prove-it year for the former 5-star recruit. Behind him, Texas recruited the top overall player in the 2023 class in Arch Manning. Manning should be the quarterback of the future, but early reports indicate that this is Ewers’ job to lose this season. Texas retained Maalik Murphy after many thought he would hit the portal. Murphy is a former 4-star recruit and top-200 player from the 2022 class. Ultimately, this is among the deepest quarterback rooms in the entire country.
Running Back
Texas loses generational rusher Bijan Robinson and change of pace back Roschon Johnson to the NFL. While Robinson is impossible to replace, Texas hopes to get the most out of its current running back room. Many believe that incoming 5-star freshman and 22nd overall player Cedric Baxter will immediately win this job. Lucky for Baxter, Texas dealt with a few running back injuries this spring, allowing him to receive extra reps with the first team. This room does retain Jonathon Brooks and Keilan Robinson from last year’s squad. Brooks is 6-foot-0, 204 pounds and rushed 30 times for 197 yards and five touchdowns. Brooks proved hyper-efficient on a small sample, averaging 5.07 yards after contact and forcing a missed tackle on 26.7% of his attempts. Robinson is 5-foot-9, 185 pounds and rushed 25 times for 86 yards. While far less efficient on the ground, Robinson accounted for 20 receptions for 219 yards in the pass game. There is a chance this backfield could take a committee approach, but Baxter could end up being the lead back if he lives up to his recruiting pedigree.
Wide Receiver
At receiver, Texas basically returns all of its elite production and even upgraded a few spots. Xavier Worthy returns for his third season after breaking out as a true freshman in 2021. Worthy is 6-foot-1, 163 pounds and caught 59 passes for 757 yards and eight touchdowns last year. He played out wide 77.4% of the time and his 1.91 yards per route tied for 15th in the Big 12. Worthy actually took a slight step back in 2022 after recording 981 yards and 2.61 yards per route as a true freshman. Regardless, he is one of the best receivers in the country. Slot specialist Jordan Whittington also returns. At 6-foot-1, 203 pounds, Whittington caught 50 passes for 652 yards and one touchdown last year. He played in the slot 63.5% of the time and his 1.57 yards per route ranked 27th in the conference. From there, Texas added elite Georgia transfer Adonai Mitchell. Mitchell missed most of last year with injury, but he caught nine passes for 134 yards. In 2021, he caught 29 passes for 428 yards and should contribute for Texas immediately. Texas also returns former Wyoming transfer Isaiah Neyor, who suffered a season-ending injury last summer. Neyor is 6-foot-3, 216 pounds and previously caught 44 passes for 878 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2021. As a boundary receiver, his 2.87 yards per route bordered on the elite category. For depth pieces, Texas brings back Casey Cain and Savion Red. Both of whom played a fair amount last year. Cain recorded eight receptions for 201 yards, averaging over 25 yards per catch. Finally, Johntay Cook II comes in as a 5-star freshman and the 29th overall player in the 2023 recruiting class. Needless to say, this receiver room is loaded with talent.
Tight End
At tight end, Texas returns elite production from Ja’Tavion Sanders. Sanders is 6-foot-4, 249 pounds and caught 54 passes for 613 yards and five touchdowns last year. His 1.76 yards per route even ranked 20th among all Big 12 pass catchers last year. Sanders also played well as a blocker, which he did on 54.8% of his snaps. Backup tight end Gunnar Helm also returns after playing 260 snaps last year. Like receiver, this is a position of depth for Texas.
Offensive Line
Last year’s Texas offensive line finished 30th in pass blocking and now returns all of its legitimate contributors from 2022. Kevin Banks Jr. returns at left tackle after 858 snaps last year. He immediately lived up his 5-star recruiting pedigree as a true freshman last year. At left guard Hayden Conner returns 850 snaps. Center Jake Majors also returns 860 snaps and solid production in the pass game. Unlike Banks and Conner, Majors now has two years of starting experience. Right guard should be Cole Hutson after 781 snaps last year. Hutson looks like the weakest link on this unit and the only one who could be replaced. At right tackle, Christian Jones also returns after 877 snaps last year. Jones brings three years of starting experience, making tackle a position of elite strength for Texas. The team retains D.J. Campbell (64.6) for depth at guard after 129 snaps last year. He was another 5-star recruit from the 2022 class and provides the most competition for Hutson on the interior. Ultimately, this group brings a blend of strong returning production and elite high-end talent.
Texas Football 2023 Season Preview: Defense
Texas ranked 24th on defense in 2022. This included the ninth-ranked run defense, 34th-ranked pass rush and 62nd-ranked secondary. Texas will lose a bit of starting production this year, which primarily comes from the front seven. Linebacker DeMarvion Overshown and defensive linemen Keondre Coburn and Moro Ojomo were all drafted this offseason. However, Texas added three defensive transfers and 11 freshman of at least 4-star ranking.
Defensive Line
Mentioned above, Texas lost a bit of production from the interior of its defense. Coburn and Ojomo both gave Texas strong snaps, but the Longhorns had the luxury of rotating their defensive tackles last year. This gives returning players T’Vondre Sweat and Bryon Murphy II 463 and 393 snaps of experience. Neither player stuffed the stat sheet, but Sweat weighs 340 pounds and both operate as elite run defenders. Texas also returns 242 snaps from Vernon Broughton and another 260 from Alfred Collins. From there, Texas added Minnesota transfer Trill Carter to give them elite depth on the interior.
The edge group lost Ovie Oghoufo to transfer, but Barryn Sorrell returns as a full-time pass rusher. Last year, he played 631 snaps and finished with 9.0 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. It looks like he will be joined by Ethan Burke, who played 53 snaps last year. Justice Finkley played 162 snaps off the edge as well, but this position does not have as much proven talent as the interior. A pair of high 4-stars in Colton Vasek and Derion Gullette did enroll early this offseason.
Linebacker
In addition to losing Overshown, Texas also lost Diamonte Tucker-Dorsey at the linebacker position. The team does return Jaylan Ford after 815 snaps last year. Ford actually led the team with 119 tackles and contributed another 10.0 tackles for loss. David Gbenda is the favorite for the other backer spot after 70 snaps last year. A four-year veteran of the program, Gbenda has received praise this offseason. If Gbenda cannot put it together, Texas has 5-star recruit and 18th overall player Anthony Hill waiting in the wings. An early enrollee, Hill is going to get onto the field soon.
Defensive Back
At corner, Texas lost D’Shawn Jamison, but it returns two full-time starters in Ryan Watts and Jahdae Barron. Watts played 773 snaps last year, breaking up three passes and recording one interception. Barron broke up three passes himself with a pair of interceptions. He also recorded 78 tackles and 11.5 tackles for loss from the nickel position. Texas has a few options for its final corner spot. 2022 4-star and top-100 player Terrance Brooks earned 186 snaps of experience in his first year. Now a second-year player, many expect him to make a jump. Gavin Holmes also transferred in from Wake Forest with two years of starting experience. Even Jaylon Guilbeau played 215 snaps last year, giving Texas plenty of experience at corner.
At safety, Texas lost Anthony Cook, but it returns elite starter Jerrin Thompson. Thompson played 861 snaps last year and recorded seven pass breakups along with 83 tackles. He will be joined by Arkansas transfer and former All-American Jalen Catalon. Catalon went down with an injury in Arkansas’ season opener last year, but he put together a pair of seasons with elite starting experience prior. Injury has been the biggest obstacle with Catalon of late, but he is an elite player when healthy.
2023 Texas Football Season Preview: Schedule & Predictions
Texas Football 2023 Schedule
From a scheduling perspective, a non-conference road game against Alabama gives Texas arguably the most difficult schedule in the conference. This also factors in Rice and Wyoming sandwiching that game. In conference, Texas faces some of the tougher competition in Oklahoma, Kansas State, TCU, Baylor and Texas Tech.
Texas Football Futures Bet & Prediction
Ultimately, Texas deserves its 9.5-win total based on the roster of elite talent. Outside of Alabama, it should be favored in every game it plays. With that said, questions still exist and the main one comes at quarterback. Ultimately, if Texas eclipses its 9.5-win total (-124), the Longhorns will have an excellent shot at winning the Big 12 (+115) and making the College Football Playoff (+320). While a national championship is farfetched, a sprinkle at +2500 is not the craziest idea.
Best Texas Football Futures Bet: To Make College Football Playoff +320 at FanDuel
You can read the rest of Matt Gajewski’s 2023 college football season previews and predictions below!
- Alabama Season Preview & Predictions
- Arkansas Season Preview & Predictions
- Auburn Season Preview & Predictions
- Georgia Season Preview & Predictions
- Kentucky Season Preview & Predictions
- LSU Season Preview & Predictions
- Mississippi State Season Preview & Predictions
- Missouri Season Preview & Predictions
- Ole Miss Season Preview & Predictions
- South Carolina Season Preview & Predictions
- Tennessee Season Preview & Predictions
- Texas A&M Season Preview & Predictions
