Greg McElroy discusses what needs to happen for Texas to return to being a top team

The expectations in Austin, Texas are always high for the Texas Longhorns, but heading into the 2023 season they seem higher than they’ve been in quite some time.

College football analyst Greg McElroy ranked Texas the No. 7 team in the country in his preseason Top 25 Poll, which would be the team’s highest preseason ranking since the 2010 season. But he also explained why he has them ranked so high and which areas the Longhorns will need to deliver in if they want to be regarded as one of the nation’s top teams again.

“It’s all banking on the assumption that Quinn Ewers is going to be a different guy this year, I’m banking on that assumption,” McElroy said. “I think he’s more mature, I think there’s a certain sense of urgency, I think his footwork at times got sideways last year which led to him being sporadically inaccurate. But I do think another year in the system, another year getting reps, and having fended off two worthy competitors in Maalik Muphy and of course Arch Manning has only increased his own confidence in his own abilities and what he might ultimately be able to do.”

Ewers had a solid first full season as a collegiate starter following his transfer from Ohio State, throwing for 2,177 yards and 15 touchdowns and earning honorable mention honors for the Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year award. There’s definitely still room for improvement for the former No. 1 ranked quarterback in the nation, and the arsenal of playmakers surrounding him should definitely have a positive impact on his sophomore season.

“Now let’s talk a little bit about the defensive side, can they get after the quarterback and finish this year?” McElroy asked. “They led the country in hurries last year, that doesn’t matter, I don’t care if you can harry the quarterback, can you finish? That I think is going to be a big part, can you turn those hurries into sacks, those hurries into tackles for loss, because if they can, now we’re talking about a massive difference.”

The Longhorns’ defense definitely took a major leap last season, ranking top five in the Big 12 in yards and points allowed for the first time since 2018. They still almost managed to lead the conference in sacks last year with 27 on the season and could increase that number with the talent they return this upcoming season.

“I think they have some really good pieces up front: T’Vondre Sweat, Byron Murphy, Barryn Sorrel. These are guys that are pretty dang solid up front, but what I love most is their second level. I love Jaylan Ford, guy’s a breakout contender, had nearly 120 tackles last year, 10 TFLs, a couple interceptions,” McElroy said. “This is a guy that can take over the game and if you have an eraser at the second level that’s a massive thing to rely on for Pete Kwiatkowski the defensive coordinator there for the Texas Longhorns.”

It’s clear McElroy likes what he sees in Texas’ front seven, but also believes there’s a potential different maker in the secondary. And if all three levels of the Longhorn defense are solid and the offense is as explosive as anticipated, then this could be the year where Texas is officially ‘back’.

“So very very optimistic about what they have, and then here’s a bonus, Jalen Catalon he transfers down from Arkansas. Now he has not often been healthy for the Razorbacks, if he can stay healthy for the Longhorns he is a dynamo. He’s not very big, he’s not very physical, he tries to be that’s why he gets hurt. But he can be, I don’t want to say Honey Badger like, but he has some of those qualities, he has some of those instincts,” McElroy said.