Texas' O-line is gaining meaningful experience + Steve Sarkisian SEC Coaches Teleconference updates

Though Texas was replacing four starters on the offensive line ahead of the 2025 season, two returning players with a significant amount of experience were set to step into key roles.

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Right guard DJ Campbell and center Cole Hutson, two members of the Longhorns’ class of 2022 who played during their true freshman seasons, entered the year with almost four years of experience. Hutson had 38 games under his belt while Campbell had 37.

Texas had to lean on their experience early in the year, but the results weren’t as good as hoped. Six games into the year, Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian sees other members of his O-line following the examples Hutson and Campbell set throughout August, September, and October and start to do the same for others.

“I think it’s the experience they have where you can lean on those guys early in the season, but I’m seeing now more leadership out of Trevor Goosby,” Sarkisian said Wednesday on the SEC Coaches Teleconference. “I’m seeing a much more confident version of Brandon Baker. Like I said Saturday after the game and on Monday, I think Nick Brooks is providing us a spark of energy, nastiness, and attitude which is helpful as well. All those components together helps make that unit kind of what they are right now.”

Hutson and Campbell helped pave the way for the Longhorns on Saturday against Oklahoma. Texas ran for 136 yards on a Sooners team that gave up under 80 yards per game on the ground entering the contest. While Oklahoma had 12 tackles for loss, a number of those were not the responsibility of the offensive line. Plus, Texas allowed just one sack via a quality rush from R Mason Thomas.

The third down numbers weren’t anything otherworldly, but they were improved from previous weeks. Texas was 10-for-17 on third downs versus OU with an average distance to gain of 9.2 yards. The Longhorns were 1-for-6 on third and long (9+ yards to go), but they were a much-better 5-for-6 on third and short (1-4 yards to go).

A late 29-yard run from Arch Manning does skew the averages some, but Texas averaged 9.8 yards per rush on third down and moved the sticks three times via the ground game. Not to be outdone by his rushers or his own legs, Manning was 11-for-12 for 117 yards passing thanks often to the efforts given by the O-line.

While Hutson and Campbell haven’t been perfect — Hutson posted an iffy 54.6 Pro Football Focus grade against the Sooners while Campbell logged a solid 77.5 — the two have helped the Longhorn offense grow not only the course of the season, but also since the loss at Florida. They’ve helped true freshman Brooks acclimate to the college game. They’ve been sources of information for players classified as sophomores like Baker and Goosby.

Sarkisian hopes to see those two, as part of his O-line quintet, continue to help Texas march toward its lofty aspirations and develop the whole way.

“It’s a fun process,” Sarkisian said. “I think we all would want to play perfect football from the line of scrimmage from the very beginning. I’m seeing growth. We’re not a finished product, but I’m seeing growth in individual players and the unit as well.”

Other updates from Steve Sarkisian on the SEC Coaches Teleconference

Steve Sarkisian: “Obviously, another SEC ballgame for us on the road again. That’s been a little bit of a theme in the month of October, just being away from DKR. I think it’s important for us to understand the magnitude of this game, being on the road at night in the SEC against a very dangerous Kentucky team. I’ve got a ton of respect for Coach Stoops and his staff, his team. This is a very important game in the grand scheme of things for our season. It’s going to take an effort in all three phases to try to get the job done.”

Steve Sarkisian on Jerrick Gibson and Will Stone: “They wanted to redshirt and transfer.”

Steve Sarkisian on short yardage going forward: “Who will take those carries is everybody, whether that’s Tre (Wisner), whether that’s Christian (Clark), whether that’s James (Simon), whether that’s Cedric (Baxter) when he gets back. We’ve got ample bodies, we should be okay in that aspect of it”

Steve Sarkisian says Mason Shipley will handle kickoffs.

Steve Sarkisian on what’s dangerous about Kentucky: “I think one is their ability to run the football and possess the ball. They’re a big, physical front. They’ve got two good runners. You’ve got to really fight to not let them control the game that way and shrink the game that way. Two, they’ve got speed on the perimeter so if you commit too much to the run game, they can take their shots on you. The second part of it all defensively is they’re a very good defensive front and they do a really good job in the back end to keep the ball in front of them. They’re going to make you earn it. They force you to play a clean football game. Those two aspects alone can make it dangerous, especially on the road. If you don’t play well early and handle your business, they can start shrinking the game on you.”

Steve Sarkisian: “I think the biggest thing we learned about our team on Saturday is I thought we grew up. I thought we showed a sense of maturity coming off a difficult loss. Our ability to regroup, stay connected, play as one, play complementary football, to not play great in the first half offensively but show some resolve and play really well in the second half. What I liked most about our team, as I said, was the resolve and the ability to stay connected because I think culture wins. I know we have talented people in our building, but it’s our culture that’s going to allow us to persevere throughout our season. I thought that showed up Saturday.”

Steve Sarkisian on Anthony Hill: “I think Anthony’s playing really good football for us right now. We’ve got a really versatile group of players and people and what we’re trying to get done. We had a little different package going Saturday with Brad Spence on the field as well. I think (Pete Kwiatkowski) is doing a great job changing things up and giving people different looks where they can’t hone in on us. I think Anthony’s playing really well for us right now.”

Steve Sarkisian reiterates he’s an advocate for five years to play five seasons, says the five years to play four seasons puts players, agents, and family members in a difficult position to make business decisions in the middle of the season.

Steve Sarkisian on if there’s been any conversation about the SEC increasing the football scholarship limit from 85: “I think we’ve discussed it. I don’t know if we’ve gotten to a final decision on that. I think over time it could become an issue where as teams are stacking 105 scholarship players and we only have 85.” — “Over time, especially with the length of the season since we’re adding a ninth SEC game which is brutal on everybody, not to mention the extension of the playoffs, you sure would like to have more capable bodies to compete at the highest level.”