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Glasses Half Poured: An optimistic look at the Longhorn pass catchers

by:RT Young•04/09/25
Steve Sarkisian, Daylan McCutcheon
Steve Sarkisian, Daylan McCutcheon (Will Gallagher/Inside Texas)

For fans, the offseason before football starts is like a schizophrenic seesaw ride.

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The obsessive individual (like me) talks themself into certain aspects of their team and talks themself out of others. If the outlook glass is half full or half empty simply depends on the day. Or which part of your favorite team you’re looking at.

The pessimist could gaze over the cliff at the realization the Longhorns don’t currently have a healthy wide receiver or tight end in Spring ball who has caught a pass before. No offense to Malik Agbo, but I am fading his 2025 fantasy breakout. I was in a conversation on the radio yesterday with Trey Elling and Inside Texas-Ex Bill Frisbie and they were both lamenting the state of the Texas pass catchers. I get their point. Because when you have a lottery ticket like Arch Manning in your pocket, inexperience at receiver and tight end isn’t ideal.

But, let’s look at the glass half full instead. There’s no magic pill for game experience, but the work done now can fortify some lack of stability which might strike during the season. Let’s also remember, Ryan Wingo and DeAndre Moore Jr. are 1) known quantities and 2) don’t have serious injuries. It was obvious Manning had rapport with Moore and clear he and Wingo had a stronger connection than Quinn Ewers did with the St. Louis native. But most importantly, the Longhorns, Steve Sarkisian, and Manning are allowing a competition to take place and chemistry to develop. Sarkisian said so in his press conference on Tuesday.

“You know, with Dre and Ryan being out, it’s created an awesome opportunity for young players, whether they’re running with the ones or the twos,” Sarkisian said. “Whether it’s Jaime Ffrench, it’s Kaliq Lockett, Parker Livingstone, it’s Daylan McCutcheon. These guys are getting some valuable reps.”

Manning threw to Livingstone all of last season and the Spring reports are that their connection has paid off. 

Also, for what felt like the tenth season in a row, Longhorn fans went into 2024 excited about the wide receiver depth, but when the end of the season rolled around, Johntay Cook was off the team, Isaiah Bond was a shell of his early season self.

Ewers had a great connection with Matthew Golden and Gunnar Helm, but struggled chemistry wise with newly inserted bodies. Left to his druthers, Sarkisian prefers a tighter wide receiver rotation like the NFL deploys, but last season might have proved instructive. The first year of the 12 team playoff and the SEC might have ended the notion Sarkisian can get by with a three man unit like he mostly used in 2023.

The Longhorns postseason aspirations will force them to expand he and Manning’s circle of trust. What’s more, if they get to the end of Spring and they don’t like what they have, I’d expect a Spring portal addition at wide receiver. We’re already counting on it for tight end.

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Texas wants to play football at the end of next January. To do that, you have to have wide ranging chemistry between quarterbacks and pass catchers. There can’t be just a few players Texas counts on. Trust is established now. It will benefit everyone later.

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