Best in the Country? Offensive Line Might Be Longhorns' Trump Card vs. Oklahoma

Kelvin Banks and the rest of Texas' offensive line have turned themselves into the best group of quarterback protectors in the league. Now it's time to prove it ahead of the Oklahoma matchup.

Aug 31, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns wide receiver Isaiah Bond (7) and lineman Jake Majors (65) celebrate after a touchdown against the Colorado State Rams in the first half at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Meullion-Imagn Images / Aaron Meullion-Imagn Images

Entering the 2024 CFB season, On3 ranked the Texas Longhorns as the second-best offensive line entering the year, lofty expectations for a veteran group but one that felt deserved given the rest of the competition.

Just five weeks into the season, the Longhorns have done more than prove On3 right. Texas has dominated the early parts of the season in the trenches, with the unit’s signature game coming against Michigan in week two. Despite housing two projected top-10 picks in the NFL Draft on the defensive line, the Longhorns' offensive unit allowed zero sacks and passed the eye test with flying colors, consistently moving the line and generating time for quarterback Quinn Ewers.

The data backs up all of these claims. Through the first five weeks of the season, Texas is far and away the highest-rated pass-blocking team in the nation according to PFF. In fact, 2nd place UCF (86.8 PBK grade) is closer to 17th place Clemson (81.4 PBK grade) than they are to Texas (92.4). A lot of this stems from left tackle Kelvin Banks, the SEC’s highest-rated offensive lineman who ranks first in pass blocking grade and is seen as a top-15 pick in this year’s NFL draft.

Texas has an elite group of pass-blockers, with all four of five starters ranking within the top five at their positions as pass-blockers. This is such an important part of the success of this Steve Sarkisian passing game that generates 322 passing yards per game, 10th in the nation and only behind Ole Miss and LSU in the SEC, teams that both attempt more passes per game. 

The importance of this group of four returning starters and a breakout from right tackle Cameron Williams cannot be understated. As Texas enters the bye week, it needs to answer questions at running back and on the defensive side of the ball, but the only questions it may need to answer on the offensive line is which great guard combination they should use. With Oklahoma and the Red River Rivalry game awaiting, Texas has the keys to shut down the Sooners' biggest strength: its pass rush.

Oklahoma has PFF’s 7th-best pass rush group in the nation, just ahead of Texas and only behind Ole Miss in the SEC. The Sooners' biggest strength is this defense, but especially its ability to get to the quarterback. Oklahoma already has 19 sacks in its five games, and edge rusher R Mason Thomas is first in the conference with 5.5 of them. The Sooners are also sixth in the nation in turnovers forced.

However, the big difference maker for Oklahoma is the depth behind Thomas. Senior Ethan Downs is one of its best every-down players, but the second you get into a third and long sequence, look out. Oklahoma will bring in a fearsome duo to the front six, inserting defensive lineman Gracen Halton and edge rusher Trace Ford, two upperclassmen who specialize in rushing the passer. This is the kind of defense that terrorizes an offensive line, but thankfully Texas is the best-equipped team to stop them.

Texas, still, isn’t perfect on the offensive line. The Longhorns drop from first place to 63rd in the nation when blocking the run, a self-fulfilling prophecy with its banged-up backfield. One of three things can be true: The team isn’t blocking for their running backs well enough, the running backs aren’t good enough, or a mix of both. 

The most likely case is that both of the weakest points of this Texas offense are the runners and the ones blocking for them. Texas had to deal with a top-10 run defense in the nation when it played Michigan in week two, but Texas has yet to show it can consistently run at an elite level. A lot of that has to do with CJ Baxter’s season-ending injury and bang-ups to Quintrevion Wisner and Jaydon Blue, but Texas still seems a bit weak in that regard.

The last ‘problem’ that can be found for this offensive line really isn’t a problem at all, but definitely is a decision that needs to be visited. Texas has six offensive linemen who would start on almost every team in the country, with junior Cole Hutson switching in mostly at right guard throughout every game this season. Hutson is the team’s best-graded run blocker after Banks, according to PFF, and has an argument to start over regular right guard DJ Campbell.

Campbell has struggled in the running game, PFF has him below every other offensive lineman in the group, but it's impossible to ignore his ability as a pass blocker.

Campbell, specifically against Michigan, was dominant in the trenches, and though he’s had some problems with penalties, it’s unlikely head coach Steve Sarkisian will make any kind of change.