Texas Football Has a Numbers Problem at Wide Receiver, and That's a Good Thing

The Longhorns have more weapons who can line up out wide and wreak havoc than anyone.

Texas is seriously stacked in its ranks out wide offensively | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian gave Arch Manning as many big-play weapons on the outside as humanly possible. The main reason? Sarkisian recruited versatile slot receivers who can also line up out wide.

The Longhorns have a deep room that will likely hinder individual numbers. For Sark and for Manning, there's not a better problem they can have. Manning's numbers certainly shouldn't fall from last year, which were still top-30 passing numbers in most major categories.

They should jump significantly. There's simply too much talent up and down at every position in the receiving corps not to.

Cam Coleman and Sterling Berkhalter Are Weapons at the WR-X Position

Cam Coleman is an obvious WR1 who, more than anyone else, has inspired enough hype to land Texas in the top four in the coaches poll. The Longhorns and Fighting Irish were the only two teams in the top 10 that weren't in the CFP last year. No singular newcomer moves the needle for poll voters more than Coleman, who often finds himself in top-two-receiver conversations alongside Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith.

Don't write off Sterling Berkhalter either. The Wake Forest transfer went 6/9 on contested catches last year and is 16/28 overall in a five-year-plus career that also saw him suit up for Cincinnati and North Carolina A&T.

The Longhorns Are Loaded at the Flanker and Slot Positions

The flanker spot features Ryan Wingo, Manning's WR1 last year, sophomore standout Kaliq Lockett, and even Jermaine Bishop Jr. Emmett Mosley V can be a WR-Z in a pinch, but will likely be primarily line up in the slot.

Wingo will get the bulk of the targets, but Lockett showed in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl win against Michigan that he's capable of big plays himself. Bishop may be too dominant to keep off the field, resulting in his increased reps out wide.

Texas Even Has RBs Who Will Be Factors in the Passing Game

Things get particularly unfair for defenses when they realize that Sarkisian specifically brought two transfers in the backfield who have the ability to be dangerous in screens, swing passes, and wheel routes.

NC State transfer Hollywood Smothers and Arizona State transfer Raleek Brown make the passing game a severe undertaking for opposing defensive play-callers.

Good luck to all green dot helmet linebackers out there who have to deal with Sark's pre-snap adjustments this fall. Opposing coverage schemes will have to account for so many weapons at every level against Texas in 2026.

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