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Assessing the Texas Longhorns' 2022 campaign

On3 imageby:Bobby Burton•11/28/22•

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On3 image
Steve Sarkisian (Tim Warner/Getty Images)

The regular season is complete. The Texas Longhorns finished 8-4.

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While I get the sense that most folks are generally pleased with the progress of 2022 and the corresponding record, others wanted more.

That’s easy to understand. The Horns had real chances to win three of the four losses.

But I come out somewhat differently on my feelings overall. I’m more than just “generally pleased”.

I’m excited by what I saw this season, especially when compared to a year ago and especially because we all know it could have easily gone a different direction.

Let’s start with last year. Teams with the talent of Texas don’t go 5-7 by accident. They go 5-7 when there is dysfunction and a general disconnect between players and coaches. When there are breakdowns of players and culture.

Given that 2021 was Steve Sarkisian and his staff’s first year in Austin, some of that disconnect was to be expected.

But, in a coach’s second year, almost all of those excuses are removed.

By the second year, you should start to see a team take on the real image and vision of its coach. That clearly started to happen in 2022.

A year ago, Texas jumped out to early leads only to see them evaporate in the second half in almost every contest.

This year started off that way. Texas held second half leads against Bama, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State.

But that ideology fundamentally changed as the season wore on. In fact, the last it happened was five games ago.

Instead, what we’ve seen over the last quarter of this season is a transformation of sorts. We’ve seen a team that finishes as strong as it starts. Even in the lone loss over the past four games to TCU, Texas stayed in the game through all four quarters.

What we witnessed was a team stepping up to the moment, not one wilting away.

I know the Horns and the 2022 season were far from perfect.

But I’m more than just pleased about the results of this year and I think Texas fans should be too.

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