Longhorns Orange-White Game: Preview, What to Watch For

With the conclusion of spring football for the Texas Longhorns, here's what to look for in Saturday's Orange-White game.

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The Texas Longhorns took a noticeable step forward last season in year two under Steve Sarkisian, improving from 5-7 to 8-5 while earning Sarkisian's first bowl berth in Austin.

While their season didn't end how they would have liked for it to in the 27-20 Alamo Bowl defeat to the Washington Huskies, there was a lot to like in year two. 

Now, the Longhorns are entering year three under Sarkisian with a clear goal in mind - take another step forward and compete for a conference title while trying to bring home the first conference championship since 2009.

With spring practice wrapping up on Saturday in the Orange-White game, there has been plenty to like this spring with this team. From Quinn Ewers continuing to grow comfortable within the system to members of the elite 2023 recruiting class making strong first impressions, it has been a productive spring for Texas. 

As the Longhorns prepare to wrap up spring up with the Orange-White game, here are three things to look out for on Saturday when they take the field at 1 p.m. CT. 

Quinn Ewers' development

The last time we saw Quinn Ewers he put together a solid performance in the Alamo Bowl loss, completing 31-of-47 passes for 369 yards and a touchdown. It capped off an up and down season for the freshman quarterback, who showed flashes of elite quarterback play but struggled to put it together consistently. 

However, Sarkisian and the rest of the Longhorns have had nothing but praise for the young quarterback all spring long. With all eyes on him on Saturday it is the perfect opportunity to show why this is still his team. Of course, a spring game isn't the end all be all, but if Ewers can continue to take strides of improvement heading into his second year then he could take that next step in Sarkisian's offense. 

Running back room

Replacing an NFL-caliber running back is never easy, but the Longhorns find themselves having to replace two this season. Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson are both set to hear their names called when the draft comes, leaving the door open for a deep running back room to grab the lead-back role.

Jonathan Brooks, Savion Red, Jaydon Blue and Cedric Baxter will all be vying for touches in a crowded room, with Brooks likely to be the lead back. That being said, the trio of Red, Blue and Baxter are nothing to scoff at and will fight for every rep possible. As well, Keilan Robinson won't be available on Saturday but is another name that will feature heavy in the running back rotation for Texas. 

First look at the freshman

Speaking of Baxter, he is one of the several talented freshman that are part of Texas' elite 2023 recruiting class that have been part of spring ball. Now, on Saturday, Longhorns fans will get their first glimpse at some of the young guns in the Orange-White game.

The headliner, of course, is quarterback Arch Manning - looking to be the next in line following Ewers and the crown jewel of the 2023 class. He and second-year quarterback Maalik Murphy will look to compete for the backup quarterback spot. Elsewhere on offense you have Baxter who is competing for playing time early in the running back room, as well as receiver Johntay Cook II. Cook is part of a deep receiver room but has a chance to electrify with the ball in his hands. 

Defensively, a couple names to look for are linebacker Anthony Hill and cornerback Malik Muhammad. Hill was one of the biggest recruiting wins for Sarkisian and his staff, and has looked the part throughout spring ball so far. Muhammad has also impressed this spring and will look to continue his push to see the field early as a freshman on Saturday. 

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You can find Connor Zimmerlee on Twitter @Connorjz98

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