The pieces seem in place for Texas football to make a championship run in 2026. The Longhorns welcome back an explosive and experienced quarterback in Arch Manning. Head coach Steve Sarkisian and his staff upgraded the skill spots as well as the offensive line. A series of highly ranked recruiting classes as well as some targeted portal additions will help fill several holes on defense.
But plenty of questions loom over the program, too.
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Like almost every other team in a power conference, Texas has to rebuild the bulk of its roster. The Longhorns lost 40 scholarship players from a year ago to the portal, graduation and early entry to the NFL. They welcomed in 19 portal players and 24 freshmen.
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That roster churn makes spring football especially important, Sarkisian says.
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“When you bring in 43 new players into a roster, into a locker room, into a culture, I think one of the main challenges is becoming a team,” Sarkisian said. “I touched on that with the team (in January). I looked around the room and I said, ‘We’ve got a very talented group of individuals in this room, and now our job is to become a really talented team.’ So, we’ve probably done more work this time of year than we ever have in the past, from a culture development standpoint.”
Now, Sarkisian and his staff will translate that work to the field for spring football, which starts Monday for the Longhorns. Texas will have three practices a week culminating with the return of the spring football game April 18 at Royal-Memorial Stadium. The Longhorns will not practice during the university’s spring break from March 16-20.
Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian is crowned by Prince Chedward as the Longhorns celebrate after winning the Citrus Bowl 41-27 against the Michigan Wolverines at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida, Dec. 31, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Here are nine key questions for Texas entering spring football:
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What impact will Will Mushchamp, new coaches have on Texas’ defense?
Sarkisian revamped his defensive staff by replacing defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski with Will Muschamp and secondary coach Duane Akina with Blake Gideon. But how will “Coach Boom” — a moniker earned by the emotional Muschamp during a three-decade career that included a previous stint as the Longhorns’ defensive coordinator from 2008-10 — change the scheme?
Look for more snaps by the big guys in the middle such as 387-pound Arkansas transfer Ian Geffrard, more blitzing and more of the “buck” position, which is a hybrid edge player in Muschamp’s scheme that looks like an ideal fit for a versatile player like the 6-foot-2, 241-pound Brad Spence.
What players will miss spring football with injuries?
Sarkisian proved a little coy in his first and only offseason meeting with the media a few weeks ago when asked about several injuries. Manning, receivers Emmett Mosley V and Ryan Wingo, defensive back Xavier Filsaime, left tackle Trevor Goosby and linebacker Ty’Anthony Smith each underwent what team officials called minor procedures, and all could be limited in spring football.
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Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) sends a pass in the first quarter of the Citrus Bowl against the Wolverines at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida, Dec. 31, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
How will the injury to Arch Manning affect the QB rotation?
Folks won’t know the full status of Manning until Sarkisian speaks publicly after the start of spring ball. But the redshirt junior did have surgery on his foot, and there’s no need to rush back a quarterback with three years of experience and 15 career starts in Sarkisian’s system. That could mean more snaps for youngsters like redshirt freshman KJ Lacey and true freshman Dia Bell, a five-star recruit and the prize of the Longhorns’ 2026 recruiting class.
Lacey will likely battle with veteran portal arrival MJ Morris as Manning’s top backup while Bell draws a redshirt. But spring will give both a chance to get extended reps with new receiver Cam Coleman as well as younger receivers such as Kaliq Locket and Daylan McCutcheon.
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Who will open spring as starters on the rebuilt offensive line?
The offensive line won’t be complete until Goosby is fully cleared from his offseason injury. But watch how Sarkisian and offensive line coach Kyle Flood handle the right tackle spot to get an idea how this maligned group will line up in the Sept. 5 season opener against Texas State. Brandon Baker returns after starting at right tackle in 2025 but looks poised to slide inside to guard if portal signee Melvin Siani takes over the position.
If Baker does move inside, will it be at left guard or right guard? Dylan Sikorski has been added from Oregon State and has starting experience, and portal arrival Laurence Seymore also has a wealth of starting experience in the interior — if he’s granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA.
Texas Longhorns offensive lineman Trevor Goosby (74) plays during the Longhorns’ game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Nov. 22, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
How will Texas use new RBs Hollywood Smothers and Raleek Brown?
The envisioned one-two punch of Quintrevion Wisner and CJ Baxter never materialized over the past two years, and both left via the portal. But the program quickly rebuilt its backfield by signing two all-conference running backs in North Carolina State’s Hollywood Smothers and Arizona State’s Raleek Brown.
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Fans of the thunder-and-lighting combination — or the former Sonic and Knuckles moniker for Detroit Lions fans — will see the 5-foot-9, 195-pound Brown as a bolt out of the backfield who excels in catching the ball. Smothers weighs the same as Brown, but runs with more authority between the tackles. Sarkisian in public comments will likely avoid pigeon-holing the pair into set roles, so the duo’s usage in the spring will hint at their roles in the fall.
What new faces should we watch on defense?
Keep an eye on the linebackers. The group lost stalwarts Anthony Hill Jr. (NFL) and Liona Lefau (to Colorado). But Muschamp will enjoy his new toys at the position. Ball-hawking middle linebacker Rasheem Biles arrived from Pittsburgh as one of the most coveted transfers in the nation, and Tyler Atkinson was signed from Grayson High School in Loganville, Ga., as one of the nation’s top recruits. Oh, and Rutgers transfer Bo Mascoe should be in the thick of the battle for a starting cornerback spot.
Who will start at the edge opposite Colin Simmons?
With Spence in line to get snaps at Muschamp’s Buck position, Texas needs a reliable pass rusher to keep pressure off All-SEC player Colin Simmons while still holding the edge against the run. Lance Jackson impressed as a freshman, and the 6-foot-5, 254-pound sophomore has some of the same skill sets as the departed Ethan Burke. Zina Umeozulu, a 6-5, 262-pound redshirt sophomore, also has the speed and size that Muschamp likes at the position.
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Texas Longhorns defensive back Graceson Littleton (29) celebrates after making an interception for Texas in the fourth quarter of the Red River Rivalry, as the Sooners play the Longhorns at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Oct. 11, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Which players will line up in a rebuilt secondary?
Graceson Littleton, an All-SEC freshman player in 2025 as a slot corner, and safety Jelani McDonald are the only regular starters back for Texas. Like his predecessor, Muschamp will likely use lots of bodies on the back-end of his defense.
But the spring battles for starting jobs look fierce; Warren Roberson, Kade Phillips, Kobe Black and Wardell Mack join Mascoe as cornerbacks that could make a claim on a starting job while safeties Jordon Johnson-Rubell and Zelus Hicks each could use a strong spring to make their case. Spring looks especially important for veteran safety Derek Williams Jr., who will see plenty of snaps since Jonah Williams shines for Texas baseball and Filsaime is nursing an injury.
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Who are these guys in the kicking game?
Texas lost its starting kicker (Mason Shipley), punter (Jack Bouwmeester) and longtime long snapper (Lance St. Louis) to graduation. In a philosophical shift away from high school recruits and toward the portal, the Longhorns signed transfers in Memphis kicker Gianni Spetic, Florida State punter Mac Chiumento and New Mexico long snapper Trey DuBuc as the replacements.