Skip to main content
Texas

3 things we learned in the last week of the offseason

by: Evan Vieth08/28/25
Steve Sarkisian, Tre Wisner
Steve Sarkisian, Quintrevion Wisner (Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

For some, the offseason never really starts. Our closest readers know Texas football reporting is year-round. Games from September to January, two months of the portal, recruiting, spring camp, and fall camp almost cover all 12 months.

[Sign up for Inside Texas TODAY and get the BEST Longhorns coverage!]

For most people, though, this was the final week of the college football offseason. Outside of a few random Week 0 games, the season begins this weekend.

That means we’re now just two days away from Texas football and the highly anticipated matchup with the Ohio State Buckeyes.

We’ve learned a lot about this team over the past month of fall camp, but this past week alone has brought some of the most important updates ahead of Saturday.

Freshman receivers have every opportunity to contribute

Stanford transfer WR Emmett Mosley will be limited for Saturday. What that means exactly isn’t clear, but he won’t be 100%. He’s been battling an injury since his first practice.

Sark has said freshmen need to earn his trust to play, and if anyone has done that so far, it’s wideouts Kaliq Lockett and Daylan McCutcheon.

Last year, Ryan Wingo played 21 snaps and broke off a 55-yard run against Michigan in Week Two. By season’s end, he was basically a starter. With Mosley’s availability in doubt, Texas will need a fourth receiver to step up. Based on head coach Steve Sarkisian’s praise, both Lockett and McCutcheon should get their chance on the big stage.

Quintrevion Wisner is the engine of the offense

Arch Manning may be the quarterback and leader, but the player who’s turned into the motor of the offense is RB Quintrevion Wisner.

We’ve always known Wisner as a hard worker and team-first guy, but the amount of praise he’s gotten this week has been eye-opening.

“Tre Wisner is a great guy to look to. I think that guy squeezes every ounce of juice that he’s got into the way he plays the game of football, and that’s the way we want to play,” Sarkisian said.

RB CJ Baxter echoed that sentiment, praising Wisner’s effort and leadership. It’s going to be tough to keep him off the field. Expect him to lead the team in carries Saturday.

The Longhorns continue to exude confidence

We’ve all heard enough about preparation and camp, but it’s obvious how confident this team is. They genuinely believe they’re the better team heading into Columbus.

When asked about his team’s identity, Sark eventually called them one of the most fun groups he’s ever coached. Something—whether it’s swagger, chemistry, or a mix of both—has led him to say that. He wouldn’t label them that way without reason.

You can feel it in the players, too. Manning has already talked about Texas putting a red dot on everyone else’s back. He’s ready. Defensive stars like Colin Simmons and Malik Muhammad share that same edge.

“I’m just glad they have a quarterback I’m ready to sack,” Simmons said about Ohio State’s Julian Sayin.

[Want to be the most informed Texas Longhorns football fan? Order the 2025 edition of Thinking Texas Football today!]

This roster is full of personalities: the calm and cool Manning, the Energizer Bunny in Wisner and the cocky Simmons. That mix of identities feels different from years past—and the players seem to feel it, too.

You may also like