Five reasons Texas could fall below expectations in 2022

Once again, the Texas Longhorns football program is facing lofty expectations.

Texas was recently ranked No. 7 in ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) for the upcoming season. Some expect the Longhorns to contend for a nine-win season and Big 12 championship. While that is within reach, there are factors that could prevent Texas from reaching those goals.

Last season, the Longhorns lost seven games including a home loss to Kansas. The season unearthed multiple deficiencies, particularly on the defensive side of the football.

Texas will attempt to combat those flaws with a strong recruiting class and transfer portal haul, but opponents will aim to attack Texas’ weak points in 2022.

Here are five reasons why Texas could fall below nine wins for a fourth straight season.

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Assignment integrity

The Longhorns hardly ever lack the ability to do the spectacular. They simply struggled to execute fundamentals correctly. If the Texas defense can simply master the mundane, like proper edge setting, they could experience the same success other Big 12 defenses enjoy.

Repeating the same mistakes

The above play wasn’t the first time Oklahoma ran G-H counter against Texas. You would have never known based on how poorly they executed. While Lincoln Riley used incredible design in this variation of Nebraska coach Tom Osborne’s classic play, Counter Trey, Pete Kwiatkowski’s defense was wholly unprepared for this call. In Kwiatkowski’s defense, the players did not help him out much. Getting fooled twice without adjusting could haunt the Texas defense.

Losing the physicality battle

Arkansas bullied Texas last season. Later in the season, Baylor and Iowa State did the same. Whether or not this issue was timidity, lack of strength, or a combination of both, the offensive line did not give Texas a chance to compete. Texas will need to be more physical this season.

Pass coverage

Aside from the missed penalty call that you might detect near the line of scrimmage, the featured play is one of many instances pass coverage failed Texas. While they will attempt to combat the issue by moving multiple defensive backs to different positions, the secondary is still in many ways unproven.

Inexperience

AP Photo/Eric Gay

Quinn Ewers, Kelvin Banks, and Devon Campbell possess all the traits necessary to become elite players at their position, with one exception. Neither of the three have college football playing experience. With the exception of Quinn Ewers’ few handoffs at Ohio State, none of the three have played at this level. While they will elevate the team with natural ability, they could experience growing pains.

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