Texas took over SEC Media Days but will the Longhorns dominate the league in 2024?
DALLAS — Alabama remains the sun in the SEC’s solar system, but at media days this week in the Longhorn State, all eyes have been on Texas.
For four days, Burnt orange has burned bright in Dallas. Hook’em is everywhere. Texas has been the talk of the town, with a large media contingent peppering nearly every player and coach in attendance about the team’s move to a new conference.
“Texas is back?” has been traded for “Will Texas takeover the SEC?”
Both Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin and South Carolina’s Shane Beamer were asked if the Longhorns’ addition to the league makes their job harder. One reporter prompted a question to LSU’s Brian Kelly with a preamble that noted LSU doesn’t even play Texas in 2024. Georgia head coach Kirby Smart was asked if Texas is one of the “best teams” in the country before the Bulldogs and Longhorns meet in October.
“Every team we play is the best that week. Please understand that. In the SEC humility is a week away. I have a ton of respect for Sark and the job he does,” Smart responded.
“But I got to watch them play last year against several common opponents, got to watch them play in the playoffs. They have a tremendous recruiting base. They do a tremendous job in recruiting, that includes NIL and everything included in that.
“They’re a big, physical team. They are built like an SEC football team, so looking forward to an opportunity to come play them. What a tremendous matchup it will be.”
So maybe?
Can Texas sustain its momentum with its move to the SEC?
There’s little debate that Steve Sarkisian has built a juggernaut roster down in Austin.
Texas’ head coach has stacked several Top 10 recruiting classes and an impressive transfer portal haul that included Alabama wideout Isaiah Bond and UTSA pass rusher Trey Moore.
Despite seeing 11 players drafted off last year’s 12-2 Big 12 title team, the Longhorns return a Heisman Trophy candidate in starting quarterback Quinn Ewers, one of the best tackles in the country in Kelvin Banks Jr., and a defense flush with edge rushers.
“For us to sit here and say this is the deepest team we’ve had, probably the most talented team we’ve had in my four years here, I can unequivocally say that,” Sarkisian stated.
Well then.
But three years ago, there was legitimate curiosity if Texas would be ready for the SEC.
Months after the stunning realignment announcement in July, the Longhorns were blasted by Arkansas. They would later lose Red River, get upset by Kansas at home and fail to make a bowl game in Sarkisian’s first season.
“I’ll tell you this much, 5-7 in Austin, Texas sucks,” Sarkisian said.
“That was hard. That was hard on me. That was hard on players. That was hard on a lot of people.”
But now the Longhorns are the ones dishing out the punishment — or at least they believe they will be. Texas is among the favorites to win the national title, and come Friday, they’re likely to be a popular pick to play for the SEC Championship in Year 1.
The program hasn’t won double-digit games in consecutive seasons in 15 years. But those are the expectations now. Momentum can be a fickle beast, especially in a tougher conference. Texas has teased us before (see: Upset over Notre Dame, beating Georgia in the Sugar Bowl), only to sputter in the spotlight.
But these Longhorns insist they’re for the challenge.
“(Beating Alabama last year) shows what we are capable of as a whole. I think the biggest thing for us is, yeah, we’re capable of playing games the way we played that one,” quarterback Quinn Ewers said.
“Now we have to really do it on a much more consistent level. Because week in, week out, we’re playing a tough opponent. But going into Alabama and playing one of the hardest stadiums to play in against one of the greatest coaches ever is definitely not easy to go in there and accomplish what we accomplished.”
So will “Texas takeover the SEC?”
Nick Saban scoffed at such a notion, but the folks on Forty Acres certainly plan on it.
“At the end of the day, we’re on the standpoint of where, you know, we respect our opponents but we don’t fear them,” Longhorns safety Jahdae Barron said.
“We’re going to get their best shot and we have to make sure we give them our best shot. It’s going to be an amazing season, it’s going to be a long season but it’s going to be an amazing season, and we are most definitely up and ready for the challenge.”