Now that we’re a full week removed from the Texas Longhorns season ending in the college football playoff to Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl, it’s a good time to take a look back at the season.
Was 2024 a success or failure? If you are a “national championship or bust” kind of Longhorns fan, then the answer is obvious. Texas did not win the national title. But there are a lot of layers to whether a team has a good year or not.
On a base level, Texas made it back to where they finished 2023, a CFP semifinalist. Texas was the only semifinalist from last year to even make the playoff, much less another semifinal.
The question, “Is Texas Back?” is now a thing of the past. “They are a perennial contender now. That’s what I expect them to be, now and moving forward under (Texas Coach Steve Sarkisian) as long as he’s there. … I think Texas is going to be a player every year,” Josh Pate of CBS Sports said.
That right there should be cause for celebration from Texas fans. From the end of the Mack Brown era to the wilderness of tenures by Charlie Strong and Tom Herman, UT wasn’t a contender for much of anything. Sark has built the program into one that should always have a bite at the apple.
What went right?
The Secondary:
After losing to the Washington Huskies in last year’s Sugar Bowl CFP semifinal, one weakness identified by much of the national media and fans was the Texas secondary. The UT defensive backs were one of the team’s strengths in 2024.
Led by Jim Thorpe Award winner Jahdae Barron, the secondary was electric most of the year. The trio of Barron, Michael Taaffee and Andrew Mukuba was the backbone of the back field and provided the front seven a safety net to rush more.
Tight End:
The emergence of Gunnar Helm was a godsend for Sark and the offensive coaching staff. Helm stepped up into the starting role this season and thrived. The senior from Englewood, CO was UT’s leading pass-catcher with a total of 60 receptions for 786 yards and seven touchdowns, while averaging 13.1 yards per catch this season. Helm was a semifinalist for the John Mackey Award this past season for the best tight end in the country.
Watch the Michigan game and you can see how a good tight end can destroy a defense. Helm caught seven passes for 98 yards and a touchdown in Ann Arbor.
Arch Manning:
You never want an injury to a key position like quarterback, but Quinn Ewers’ oblique injury in the third game of the season did create an opportunity for Sark, and the rest of the college football universe, to get a good long look at Manning. We got a glimpse into the future.
Arch played in two and a half games after Ewers went down and had a lot of electric moments. After his five touchdown performance against UL Monroe, Manning was the primary topic of conversation on ESPN and other media that week. But it was UL Monroe.
There were mistakes along the way and some lessons learned by the celebrity backup. Arch played solid in his final game against Mississippi State and saw spotted time in certain situations towards the end of the year.
But the experience is valuable. Even Manning’s dad Cooper said he was thankful Arch got some extended starting time before opening next season at the Horseshoe at Ohio State. “Selfishly, I’m glad that he had a few snaps and knows like what it is to start and play a little bit. Because going into Columbus for your first start of your life would probably not be the ideal opener, so I’m glad he has a little gray hair there,” Cooper said.
Rivals Vanquished:
With old rivals Arkansas and Texas A&M back in the same conference, Texas faced a lot of rivals in 2024. It was just like the old Southwest Conference days. But Texas stood tall, crushing Oklahoma 34-3, outlasting Arkansas in Fayetteville 20-10 and quieting the Aggies 17-7 at Kyle Field after over a decade of noise.
What went Wrong?
Quinn Ewers:
If the Quinn Ewers that played the first two and a half games in 2024 was the Quinn Ewers of the entire season, Texas might have rolled into the national title game. He was in control, confident and pinpoint, especially against Michigan at the Big House. But then he got injured against UTSA and he was never the same the rest of the way.
He was never looked right again, mentally of physically. Sark talked about his admiration for what Ewers fought through. And he should. I’m sure behind the scenes, Ewers had some monumental struggles fighting through the pain and the general limitations injuries put in front of you. Quinn certainly isn’t to blame.
Whether we’ve seen Ewers talent ceiling or he’s injury prone or its been luck and bad coincidences, the Southlake Carroll product never hit the heights fans hoped for. Did Sark’s reputation as a QB guru take a hit? Or did Sark get Ewers to the highest level possible? It certainly didn’t help his perception having a back up fans can’t wait for. Whatever the case, can you say Ewers “developed” this year? The answer is marginally at best.
Running Game:
Fall camp injuries to projected starting running back CJ Baxter and freshman Christian Clark put the Texas run game behind the eight-ball from the start of the season. Jaydon Blue started to begin the campaign, but while electric at times, Blue developed fumble problems and seemed to struggle getting tough yards.
Sophomore Quintrevion Wisner took over the starting role midseason and was very solid. He showed a lot of quickness and grit, with a couple huge games, most notably against Clemson in the first round of the CFP. But consistency was a problem, be it the backs, the blocking or the scheme.
Big Moments:
Think of the history the Longhorns could have made this season? Texas could’ve won the SEC in its first year in the conference. With all the talk about Texas not being ready, UT was most assuredly ready. But the feat of winning the conference would’ve been an all-timer. UT could’ve gone to the national title game. Texas was one yard away from tying Ohio State late in the Cotton Bowl.
But in ever huge game this season, Texas failed. Twice against Georgia and once against Ohio State. Texas was beaten by the Georgia backup QB in the SEC championship game. There were some questions around play calling. There were some bad performances, like the Texas offensive line against Georgia in October.
And there was an up and down QB. It’s a shame our last snapshot of Quinn is him sitting on the ground as his fumble is being returned 83-yards for a game-clinching touchdown by former Ohio State roommate Jack Sawyer.
Conclusion?
Ultimately, Texas didn’t win the national title. That was the goal at the beginning. That is what the fans hoped for and after last season’s final four appearance, it was a logical expectation.
But Texas also maintained their status as one of the top four programs in the country and were a play or two away from winning it over.
The future seems bright, despite losing 19 players to the NFL Draft and ten players to the transfer portal. “They’re gonna be right back there. They’re gonna be in the mix. It’s going to be Arch Manning’s team now,” Josh Pate said about Texas future.
In the end Texas’ season was successful in 2024, but ultimately disappointing at the same time. But disappointment gets greater as the stakes rise. It’s good to consistently be playing in big stakes games again.