Texas Among Most Improved Teams Ahead of 2022 Season
For the Texas Longhorns, there is only room for improvement, after finishing 5-7 in Steve Sarkisian’s first season as head coach.
On the Late Kick Extra podcast, host Josh Pate listed his picks for the most improved teams in 2022. One of the teams listed was the Longhorns.
Pate had this to say about the Longhorns:
“Texas, I think, will be the most fascinating theme in the country this year, high level or otherwise, but especially since they're a national brand. Think about how many ingredients have been thrown in the blender here. Quinn Ewers, big-time quarterback. Number one quarterback in the cycle a couple of years ago. That alone would make Texas must-see, but then when I tell you they brought in other guys, they overturned like 40% of the roster, they got the No. 6 transfer portal class, they finished No. 5, don't forget this, they had a top-five recruiting class to go along with this No. 6 portal class. Plus they improved the lines of scrimmage in recruiting, at least on paper they did. That's all we can go by right now. I think Texas, when you look at them last year failing to make a bowl game, but you look at their over-under win total in the 8.5 or even nine-win range, depending on where you look this year, yeah, it's a lofty expectation, but that's an improvement. They might have the best running back in the country. Who knows, maybe they've got the best quarterback in the country.”
Nebraska, USC, and UCLA rounded out the rest of Pate’s list.
The Longhorns added pieces to the roster that will elevate the team to a level it was not capable of reaching a season ago.
As Pate mentioned, Ewers is the most notable addition to the Texas roster. The Longhorns added other immediate impact players through the transfer portal including WR Isaiah Neyor from Wyoming, WR Agiye Hall from Alabama, TE Jahleel Billingsley from Alabama, CB Ryan Watts from Ohio State, and most recently LB Diamonte Tucker-Dorsey from James Madison.
Texas also signed a top-five recruiting class in 2022. Many of these talented young Longhorns will make an impact as freshmen, most notably OT Kelvin Banks, OG Devon Campbell, and EDGE Justice Finkley.
Texas will begin its season with an improved roster on September 3rd when they host UL-Monroe.
You can follow Michael Gresser on Twitter @gresser_michael
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