360 Sports begins its countdown of the top 10 college football teams in the country starting today with No. 10 Texas. We will be #9 tomorrow? Here's a clue: This team was one of the original members of the SEC and still has a live mascot.
#10 Texas
Coach: Tom Herman (17-10, 3rd season)
2018: Lost the Big 12 Championship game to Oklahoma but followed it up with a dominant victory over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.
Key losses: WR LJ Humphrey (1,176 yards, 86 receptions in 2018), LB Gary Johnson (90 tackles in 2018), and RB Tre Watson (4.2 yards per carry in 2018)
The good news: Junior QB Sam Ehlinger returns along with veteran wideouts Collin Johnson and John Burt to help the offense run smoothly and rack up tons of yards through the air.
3 Ws
Who will be the leaders on offense and defense?
QB Sam Ehlinger: Ehlinger is unquestionably the leader of this offense as he leads by example. He takes plenty of hits, plays hard and stays cool under pressure. Those are the intangibles in a quarterback and one of the things that has helped this offense prevail in tight game situations. He’s also a strong runner who was third on the team in rushing last year scoring 16 touchdowns on the ground.
Brandon Jones: The most experienced starter on an inexperienced defense, Jones will be a cornerstone and leader for the newcomers. The top returning tackler, he's always flying around the field, breaking up passes, rushing the quarterback or in pursuit of a running back who’s breaking away.
What is their projected 2019 record?
11-2 overall, 9-1 Big 12
When will they face their toughest opponent?
On October 12, the Horns face top five ranked Oklahoma in the Red River Showdown. The Sooners have a talented grad transfer from Alabama in QB Jalen Hurts, RB Trey Sermon and speedy WR CeeDee Lamb. This is a Sooner offense for the ages and possibly one of the toughest teams Texas will play all year. The showdown in Dallas is always close. Last season, the Horns won on a last second field goal. Will the result be the same in 2019?
My take:
Tom Herman’s 2019 squad is one of the best Texas has had in years, with a dependable quarterback, top recruits to fill the holes on defense and a favorable schedule. Honestly, they would have had a higher ranking had they been returning more than two starters on defense. Defense was a major problem prior to defense coordinator Todd Orlando’s hiring and could be a possible problem again. That will be the biggest question that is answered when Texas faces LSU on Sept. 7th. Can a young defense stop one of the premier rushing teams in the SEC?
Is Texas back for real? Texas fans sure hope so, but only time will tell.
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