The Texas football team has waited a long time to be back, but after the season that the Longhorns had this year, I think it's safe to say that they were back. However, the big question is whether or not Texas is here to stay, or if they will fall back into the abyss after joining the SEC this season.
The Longhorns finished the regular season 11-1 this past season and earned a trip to the Big 12 Championship game against Oklahoma State. Texas cruised past the Cowboys in that one to win the Big 12 title and improve to 12-1, and it also earned them a berth into the College Football Playoff. This was the season that Texas fans had been hoping for for a long time, and it finally happened. Now, they have to continue to build on that momentum.
Obviously, things didn't go as planned for Texas football in the College Football Playoff. The Longhorns took on Washington in the Sugar Bowl, and it was a great game, but, the Huskies ended up finding a way to win the matchup. The game was tied at halftime, but the Huskies really started to impose their will in the second half.
It was clear the entire game, especially in that second half, that Washington was the better team, and Texas looked dead in the water in the late stages of the game. However, a couple big plays completely turned the tide, and the Longhorns found themselves with a chance to erase a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit. They got down into the red zone with a chance to win it with a touchdown, but the Washington defense stepped up and got the stop to seal the win. Texas was outplayed in that game, but they were still just one play away from competing for a national title. This was a really good team this season.
Texas is back, and now they have to stay back. There are a couple of good things going their way in that regard, but things will also be more difficult because of their conference schedule. One thing that will help Texas is that the College Football Playoff is expanding to 12 teams. Every team has the same goal in college football: make the College Football Playoff. That goal will be much easier to achieve with the 12 team format. Teams that lose two or even three games in the regular season will have a chance to make the playoff. That will be crucial for teams in the SEC and Big Ten with conference realignment as well.
The most important thing for Texas football, however, and the biggest piece of news regarding the team this offseason, is that quarterback Quinn Ewers will be back next year. This is absolutely massive for the Longhorns. QB in the most position on the field in football, and with their difficult schedule next season, it will be a luxury that they won't have to break in a new QB. Not only will they not have to worry about breaking in a new QB, but Quinn Ewers will also be one of the best QBs in college football next season. That is huge for Texas, but it has people wondering what Arch Manning should do.
This is where the transfer portal comes into play for the Texas football team. At this point it doesn't seem like Manning is going to enter the portal, and that's huge for the Longhorns. He is the future for this team at the quarterback position. Instead of Texas losing a key player like him to the portal, they are looking to the transfer portal to bring in more talent for what will be a crucial season in 2024. Texas is fortunate to be bringing a ton of talent back next year on both sides of the ball, and they have also landed some impressive players from the portal already. Here is one player that will have the most to prove for the Longhorns next season.
S Andrew Mukuba, Clemson
Safety Andrew Mukuba has the most to prove next season for Texas because of all the hype surrounding him as he comes into his first season with the Longhorns. Mukuba is coming over from Clemson, and he might be the most important player that Texas has landed in this transfer portal class so far.
Texas football had some issues in their secondary last season, and that is the main thing that they need to focus on before their first season in the SEC. The Longhorns want to get to the top of their new conference immediately, and with all the talent that they have coming back from last year, they are in great shape in most areas of their game. The secondary is an area they need to clean up, and getting Mukuba from Clemson is massive.
Last year for Clemson, Mukuba racked up 42 tackles on the season, and he has one sack and one interception in his career. He was one of the highest rated players in the transfer portal when Texas got him, and that is why he has so much to prove with the Longhorns. Expectations are high for him, and the pressure will be on next season as Longhorns fans are expecting him to help turn around the secondary, which is supposed to help bring their defense to a championship level, which is what they were lacking last season. That's a lot of pressure, and it will be interesting to see how Mukuba fares with the Longhorns in their first season in the SEC.
Texas football has a lot of transfers coming in with a lot to prove, and they will also likely land more players when the portal opens back up after spring ball. Next season is such an important year for the entire team, and the transfers coming in will immediately be put to the test. Mukuba will be a different story than the rest, however. He is going to go up against some great offenses next year, and it's going to be fun to watch him and Texas compete in one of the best conferences in college football.
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