Skip to main content
Texas

From Concern to Confidence: Texas Longhorns Running Backs and D-Tackles Regroup

Eric Nahlinby: Eric Nahlin08/08/25
On3 image
Steve Sarkisian, Quintrevion Wisner (Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

At the conclusion of spring ball, I asked the question, “Did Jeff Banks already fix Texas special teams?” The question was rhetorical, as I went on to offer reasons why I believe special teams are about to boomerang back into form. Since then, I only feel better about that prediction. If there’s one question remaining, it’s how kicker Mason Shipley will perform under the bright lights — but that’s something we’ll have to put on the back burner for now.

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

Think back to December and January. The biggest concerns for the 2025 season at the time included running back and defensive tackle. We wondered if Texas might turn to the transfer portal for a running back, given the injury status of CJ Baxter and Christian Clark. We also questioned how the Longhorns would replace NFL-bound starters Alfred Collins and Vernon Broughton at defensive tackle, as well as Jermayne Lole and Bill Norton.

Since arriving at Texas, Steve Sarkisian has taken the approach of “see a problem, fix a problem.” His success rate has been uncanny, resulting in incremental — yet noticeable — improvement from one season to the next. His portal work at defensive tackle this offseason might be his most impressive roster management feat to date.

Defensive Tackle

Texas is now the deepest it has been at the position since 2022. Thanks to a few standout freshmen, the 2025 unit could be even deeper than the one that sent six players to the NFL over three successive drafts.

Right now, Texas is guaranteed to throw at least three waves of tackles at opposing offenses. How those waves will be composed remains to be seen, but currently, transfers Hero Kanu (Ohio State) and Travis Shaw (North Carolina) are most consistently with the ones. Behind them are transfer Cole Brevard (Purdue) and homegrown sophomore Alex January. Then there’s Maraad Watson (Syracuse) and freshman Josiah Sharma, who has filled in for Lavon Johnson (Maryland).

Our sources believe both Shaw and Brevard will be drafted after this season. That would make for an incredible four-year run of two tackles being selected each year. Even if this unit is simply big, active, and used on shorter snap counts, it’s going to be a nationally strong group.

It’s an amazing turnaround given the outlook back in December.

Running Back

Here, Sark is being rewarded for his decision to hold the line. It would have been easy to go out and grab a solid, experienced running back from the portal — plenty were available. Instead, he trusted his medical and strength and conditioning staffs to oversee the rehabilitation of his two injured backs. He also trusted the two players to continue to work hard. So far, that decision has been rewarded.

Clark, remarkably, returned in the spring from a torn Achilles, and Baxter came back slightly earlier than expected from his knee injury.

Sark has also been rewarded for his belief in Tre Wisner, a player he described last season as being made from “Brillo pad.” The toughest player on the team now has the talent and health and added weight (five to seven pounds) to match his heart.

Another reason the staff passed on adding a running back was the expected development of sophomore Jerrick Gibson, who has indeed shown year-over-year improvement.

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

If the running backs reach their potential — and get some help from the reshuffled offensive line — Sark’s “see a problem, fix a problem” approach could overlap with a significant boost in red zone efficiency.

You may also like