Steve Sarkisian addresses loss of continuity along Texas OL, how 'Horns rebuilt in offseason

Steve Sarkisian is very encouraged by the progress of the Texas offensive line, considering the loss of continuity from last season. Guys like Kelvin Banks aren’t walking through that door in 2025.

The unit up front seems to be everyone’s biggest concern for Texas, if you’re going to try and find a flaw. The Longhorns are a likely candidate to be ranked No. 1 overall when the season starts.

But a lot of their goals this season hinge on the offensive line’s performance. It’s something Sarkisian doesn’t seem too worried about this summer. 

“I think it’s gone well,” Sarkisian said on Always College Football. “You know, the biggest thing we lost, you lose a Kelvin Banks, so that’s a big loss. Speaking about a top 10 pick. I think one of the biggest things we lost was the continuity that that group had, you know, they played so much football together, and it started with Jake Majors at center. You know, he started for four years for us at center. And so Cole Hudson is sliding into the center spot, a guy who’s played a lot of football for us the last three years, you know, has kind of grown his way into it. 

“It’s just him playing center now with Arch and that continuity and DJ Campbell’s back at right guard. I think we learned a ton about Trevor Goosby at the end of the season, his ability to play both tackle spots when Kelvin was hurt. When Cam Williams got hurt, Trevor Goosby was blocking Georgia, he was blocking Texas A&M, he was blocking Arizona State, all right, so four pretty good teams and pretty good pass rushers that he had to play against, that we learned a lot about.” 

Sarkisian praises Kyle Flood for coaching up the offensive line and getting the next crop of guys ready. The pair have been working together for nearly a decade now. 

“And then we have some young, budding stars that we feel like, man, they’re ready,” Sarkisian said. “You know, whether it’s Nick Brooks, whether it’s Brandon Baker, you know, a guy who’s been in the program in Neto Umeozulu, another guy who’s kind of grown up in the program. So we’ve got plenty of talent in that room. It’s getting these guys to play as one unit, and that’s where coach Flood comes into play. Coach Flood and I are going into year nine together from our time with the Atlanta Falcons, Alabama, and now here, and so we’re definitely singing the same tune of where we need to get on the offensive line.” 

Texas can’t win on talent alone. Getting coached up by Sarkisian, Flood and ultimately the offensive line being on the same page is the key.

“But it won’t be because of talent,” Sarkisian said. “It’s just going to be about those guys playing together and having the confidence to do so, and then having to do it Week 1, like we don’t get a couple preseason games to get ready to go. When you go to the horseshoe to play Ohio State in Week 1, we’ve got to get them ready to play, and (there is no better way) to get them ready to play than having them block our front, you know, every day in practice because our guys are really good.”