One Stat that matters for the main Texas skill players

With under a week separating now and the beginning of the Texas Football season, we’ve officially entered peak overthinking season.

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You’ve had your offseason to hype up your team and debate the strengths and weaknesses of the roster, but all of that is just projection and speculation. Then you’ve been able to learn about the team from fall camp reports and media availabilities with head coach Steve Sarkisian.

But it’s been the quietest week of August so far, and football is closer than ever. That means everyone you talk to has some sort of take on something Texas is going to be terrible at.

Recently, I’ve been hearing a lot about the lack of returning production on offense for Texas. Nearly 50% of all touches from last year are off the team, and Texas is starting a brand-new quarterback and a fairly inexperienced offensive line.

But with the level Texas recruits at, each of these players has some sort of stat that stands out to other teams preparing for what Texas can throw at them in 2025.

QB Arch Manning: 126.1 NFL Passer Rating

Yes, any stat from Arch Manning has a bit of an asterisk, as the bulk of his work came against bad teams like UTSA, ULM, and Mississippi State. Still, his 2024 season was fantastic on an efficiency basis. Of every QB with 100 dropbacks last year, Manning had the highest passer rating in the country—not just among SEC QBs, not just among returners. Anyone. When Manning was on last year, he was playing like the best QB in the country.

RB Quintrevion Wisner: Only returning SEC RB with 1,000 yards

You may be tired of this stat or think it’s not all that important, but it shows why Wisner is so important to this team. Efficiently or not, having the proven ability to tote the rock at that volume is a factor few teams can rely on from their RB. That goes for most teams in the nation, but specifically in the SEC, Texas has the most proven runner on the biggest stages of the sport.

RB CJ Baxter: 227 pounds

Baxter had impressive stats as a freshman, but the most important story with him is his ability to stay healthy. Thankfully, he looks to be in one of the best physical spots of his career. His knees are, of course, the concern, but he should have fantastic contact balance and upper-body strength now that he is 10 pounds heavier than when he came into college. Texas needed a bruiser; they’re going to get one.

RB Jerrick Gibson: 36% 1st down rate

Gibson may be the fourth back in this room, but he brings a skill set the other three don’t. “Baby Rhino” is already a strong short-yardage runner, converting a first down on 36% of his runs in 2024. Both Wisner and Jaydon Blue had numbers under 27%. He probably should’ve been used more in those situations last year.

RB Christian Clark: 12 months

Clark has passed the one-year anniversary of last season’s torn Achilles. In that time, he’s had superhuman regenerative powers and is somehow better than ever in Austin. He’s fast, healthy, and ready to play.

WR Ryan Wingo: 9.3 YAC/Rec

Wingo ranked second among true freshmen and SEC players in yards after the catch per reception. Wingo’s best skill set is his ability to move and be a nuisance to tackle after the catch. You saw it a ton early in the year, and the hope is that Manning can find him more in open space.

WR DeAndre Moore Jr.: 4/104/2

DeAndre Moore’s best game came in the SEC Championship against Georgia, but before that, his most impressive performance was against Mississippi State: four catches, 104 yards, and two touchdowns. His quarterback in that game? Manning. Their connection is already advanced—that’s what happens when you come into the program together.

WR Emmett Mosley: 26 first downs

Just three freshmen receivers had more first downs than Mosley last year: Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith and Clemson’s TJ Moore and Bryant Wesco. Three of the most hyped players from that class, and then it’s Mosley. His hands are already extremely reliable and will be used to pick up those important catches in big moments.

WR Parker Livingstone: 6’4″

He didn’t play much last year, so there’s not a lot to go off, but what helps Livingstone get on the field is that 6’4″, 190-pound frame. He’s going to be an elite deep threat because of his size and speed, which is seen as one of the best of the group.

WRs Kaliq Lockett, Daylan McCutcheon, Jamie Ffrench, and Michael Terry III: Four of the Top 17

Texas brought in four of the top 17 receivers from the 2025 class. If you counted Terry as a receiver by rating, it would be three of the top 10. That wouldn’t include McCutcheon, but he may be the most advanced of the quartet right now. This was easily the best WR recruiting class in the 2025 cycle.

TE Jack Endries: > 2 YPRR and > 600 yards

Endries is one of just five returning TEs with over 600 receiving yards on over two yards per route run. Efficient and on good volume. Of those five, however, Ohio State transfer Max Klare, Vanderbilt’s Eli Stowers, and Endries are the only three to do it in a P4 conference. He enters the year as one of the five best TEs in the nation and will be a fantastic safety net for Manning.

TEs Jordan Washington and Spencer Shannon: 264 and 6’7″

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The No. 2 tight end in this offense must be able to block. Though we haven’t seen either of the TE2 candidates play much football, we do know that they are big. Big guys block. Washington has risen to 264 pounds on an already large frame, and Shannon is 6’7″ and packs 250 pounds into his frame. Both players should be above-average blockers for this team.