College football teams across the country are missing a lot of experience on the offensive line. Texas is one of the few that maintains the core of its line. It’s a huge advantage.
Kelvin Banks Jr., Devon Campbell Jr., Hayden Conner and Cole Hutson enter their third year of consistent play in Austin. They join four-year starting center Jake Majors, 2023 contributors Cam Williams and Malik Agbo and another forward primed to break out in Neto Umeozulu.
The list above includes seven or eight starting quality offensive linemen. That’s not the norm in college football and certainly not on Texas’ 2024 schedule.
There is some confusion as to why Texas is expected to win 10 games and return to the College Football Playoffs. A lot of that revolves around what he lost on the defensive line.
To be fair, losing two All-American caliber defensive tackles is a big deal. Although, given the offensive line turnover among teams on the Longhorns’ schedule, it’s uncertain how many teams can capitalize.
Of the four toughest matchups on the Texas schedule, three face significant upheaval on the offensive line. Michigan, whose offensive dominance was based on intimidating opponents in the trenches, loses all five offensive linemen. Oklahoma, which appeared to have fared better than Michigan in the portal, will have five new starters on the offensive line.
Texas A&M wasn’t the brightest example of excellent offensive line play in 2023. It loses its multi-year starter in five-star center Bryce Foster. So who will make the Texas defensive interior pay for what it lost? Outside of Georgia, there are questions about several teams’ ability to attack the Longhorns’ perceived weakness.
More than being able to impose their will on the run game, which is expected to happen for Texas in 2024 as former freshman starters become juniors and seniors become superseniors, the Longhorns are more prepared to succeed in handling stunts. , comebacks and blitzes that teams dish.
Like it or not, first-year offensive lines will almost certainly struggle against the various pressures defenses throw at them. It’s much easier for defensive tackles to maintain gap integrity than it is for five new offensive linemen to read multiple variables at the same time and act in cohesion. It’s simply an unrealistic expectation, regardless of how these players perform elsewhere.
While Texas isn’t immune to giving up pressure, it doesn’t have the same level of concern that many of its top opponents should have for its offensive line. For the Longhorns and coach Steve Sarkisian, it’s a huge advantage, one that could lead the team to another College Football Playoff in 2024.
