Texas Longhorns 2024 Preview | Full Depth Chart and Schedule Breakdowns

Intro/2023 Season Review what is up everybody welcome back here to the de Royale YouTube channel we're back with our top five series we've made it all the way down to number four we are talking about the Texas Longhorns today we're going to go on over the 2024 preview diving into the recruits what they got this season are they a national title Contender can they challenge for an SEC title as they're in the SEC there and all of the above going over every single thing you can think of for the 2024 program but let's go a little bit deep last year what they did 12-2 they finished third in the AP pole uh you know when they're looking at the season they did very very good Conference record 81 Big 12 Champions on their way out going to the SEC their two losses though when you're looking at it were Oklahoma and that that last drive for Dylan Gabriel out there and into Washington a game they they they should have won I think offensively I think if they had a couple of those drives there they could have easily been playing for a national title that's how close Texas was last year now they did lose some on the defensive side we're going to get into that but overall they were very very saw SAR hadam Rolland and Texas is back we can finally say that there Quinn yers last year 3,400 yards 22 touchdowns six interceptions well obviously be diving into them and I think the big thing that happened to their offin last year Jonathan Brooks 1100 yards 10 touchdowns tore ACL and I think that kind of hurt them down the stretch to have that extra guy with them but overall fantastic season for this team now heading to 2024 though they have some lofty ass expectations out there 2024 Offense people are talking about them being National Title contenders and I and I know that is one of those things is like hey you know will they there's always that thing in the back of the mind even for me I I love Texas just as a college football fan uh just with Vince Young that that team was one of my favorites watching it and there's always that thing as last 10 years like well are they back or was it that one year are can they can continue to be back especially in the SEC and offensively I think a lot of people are really liking what they can do out there when you're looking at their offense last year they averag 34 5.8 points per game was number 13th in the country yards per game they were top 10 unit at 4 55 yards uh from a passing perspective they were very very good last year coin ERS was good when you're looking at yards per pass they were top 20 unit there passes per game you know they didn't necessarily they were a top 50 unit they were really efficient though completion percentage was one of the best in the country last year now they got some new wide receivers that we're pretty excited about we're going to get dive into them however they did suffer an injury so we're going to be talking about that that just happened in Camp so Christian what do we take away from their offense heading into 2024 yeah I think everything starts with qu ERS of course having CJ Baxter back there would have made that a little bit easier that's the injury that you're talking about where he's out for the season it's a six to eight month recovery I think I remember seeing and so that's a huge hit we saw what that offense looked like down the stretch and and while they did they they got some transfer wide receivers that's for sure um I'm curious to see if this group can live up to the Xavier worthy adite Mitchell uh you know Duo that was out there last year reports are good though I I mean Isaiah Bond we know what Isaiah bond is from his time in Alabama and Alabama didn't even use him correctly I think he's got immense upside in this offense specifically with Quinn's strengths Silas balen is turning some heads um not surprising he's just he's an undersized kid so he's not always on the the Debbie radar but like he he's gonna be impactful for this offense and then Matthew Golden's one of your favorites I know um where you know good route Runner it didn't all come to fruition last year for him but I think this new scene is going to be be good for him especially when he can play kind of like a secondary or even tertiary role and then you've still got jonte cook who I still believe in um you've got Ryan Wingo coming in this wide receiving core might be better than it was last year when all is said and done offensive line is looking really good you got Kelvin Banks and and Jake major specifically that are coming in and and really anchoring uh the returners on this offensive line they were a little iffy in run blocking and and I would say that's not Kelvin Banks's over at left tackle so I think my main question for this offense is is Jaden blue going to be enough who's that secondary back now and is he going to be enough to overcome maybe some of the the Run blocking woses that this offensive line saw last year yeah I mean I think that from like a like a Hogs perspective who they got up front they got dudes I mean Kelvin Banks camer Williams those guys like they can push guys around and and they're good enough to block an SEC like they got guys that can block those defensive fronts are going to face and all of that um you obviously need to improve right like this was that t touted freshman class from a couple years ago um and you're probably going to see that improvement from that side but yeah I mean CJ Baxter that's a big loss I mean he was one of the best running backs at coming out last year as a freshman um had some moments last year down the strats after Brooks got injured like who Baxter okay he's got that different space now I do like Jaden blue I I even talked about them being more 1 a 1B this year too it's just okay what's next like what comes back in that room there and think what biggest thing is is jarro Gibson I think you know the recruit number three ready rated running back coming in the class we'll get into him in a little bit he he might have a little bit more run this year like he might be that guy you're like oh okay they're gonna have to do that that is nice about Sark he's recruiting at a top five level every year where it's kind of similar to these big programs now it's like okay we lost some guys let's plug in and I think that is a very very kind of key factor there it all starts at Quinn though and it ends with Quinn like Quinn's got to be that that got to be more consistent this year uh losses on their side you know they had some losses Notable Losses like on offensive side when you're talking about Xavier worthy ad Mitchell Jonathan Brooks Christian Jones tavien Sanders Jordan Whittington is a bigger loss than people think I love Jordan Whittington he was an absolute glue guy for them like he was that leadership in that room on that offensive side did all the little things blocking um possession even could be a deep threat at times like if he needed to he kind of gave him that that key leadership role there obviously offensively worthy and Mitchell being there they replenish that but I do think Jonathan Brooks based on the injury to CJ backer and all that you know that running back room is a huge huge mystery right now yeah I I think losing Christian Jones is a a pretty impactful thing until you look at what Cameron Williams did when he did see some snaps last year and you're like all right they'll be all right um the tight down position's a little little iffy right now they did um get Amari n NE black in um to hopefully give that pass catching roll a little bit more juice but really with the three wide receivers now I think you're looking at more wide production I'm glad you mentioned Whittington did you see he's doing well in Camp too he just uh turned some heads in the the their preseason game so good for them this wide receiving core was was great last year I think it's up to these new guys to to kind of fix that Gap close that Gap and and make sure that Quin can still be productive for them this year no 100% And from the recruiting Trail like we talked about 2024 Offensive Recruits number five overall sark's been cooking on recruiting like he does he's done a great job there um composite rank was six so he is right there and Ryan Wingo is a guy that you know he's he he he's special he can be special in this offense it's funny because they really are recruiting that wide receiver position very very well Aaron Butler is just as good when you looking at him number 31 ranked wide receiver but hey fits a need and he does a really good job there uh Brandon Baker you know offensive tackle 65 285 number three recruit there could definitely fill a role there especially when they lose some tackles I know that is probably a big emphasis on the recruiting Trail this year we talked about Gibson uh Trey Owens Jordan Washington they do a great job they get some good guys here defensively they really attacked it they did a great job grabbing a guy like a guy like Colin Simmons who will mention later uh but offensively philled needs got some guys and if Ryan Wingo pans out you know this Texas wide wide receiver room could really see a big bump next year yeah I I like Wingo I'm curious to see what his path to snaps looks like um just they that room's loaded and hopefully he sticks around and we kind of see that same thing with Butler I'm I really like Trey Owens I I like Owens more than I thought I would for a guy of his size I also just like betting on yourself going where arch Manning is sitting waiting in the wings and saying I'm gonna go compete for that job um you know after Quinn leaves I think that's a an honorable thing I think he's gonna lose that competition but I I think he'll stick it out and and I think he's pretty invested in the Texas program so good on him this is a good class the defensive side is is what I'm excited about though yeah 100% And when you look at transfers I mean we like isah Bond I Key Offensive Transfers think Isaiah B bond is their wide receiver one I think Isaiah Bond last year when you look at Alabama didn't necessarily use him in the right ways I think from a passing perspective they were limited with milro being there all of those things open it up now with Quinn uers and SARS ability to scheme open guys right we think of like Devonte Smith at Alabama those type of guys Bon can be kind of that that level of athlete that they can get the ball to that was a huge get by them silus Balton is a sneaky one I kind of like cus balt from Oregon State you know when we thinking of him um out there he he's fun he could be in the slot he's versatile can play X as well get on the outside I'm a big Matthew golden guy have been for a while I think he feels just a very very he feels that Whittington role I think a 61190 can come in and kind of do a lot of different things for them and you mentioned am Mario NL is also coming over from Alabama lot of separators here man like all three of these dudes can get open and the the best part is they don't really have to all that much because of like like you're saying about Sark so um this is a great transfer class I mean they and they said we're losing two uh first round talents I know ad and I didn't go there but we're losing two top end wide receivers let's go get three and plug them into our starting lineup right now I think that's a smart smart decision smart move here yeah and the thing is when you're going over this like you know you you can you can Impact Players - Offense pontificate about ERS if you'd like I mean Isaiah bondy is the it's kind of that Lynch pin for them right like you know the production 668 yards last year on 48 catches you know when you look at that you're like oh well you know how good is he I'm telling you right now Isaiah Bond could have easily over a th yards receiving this year for in this offense and what he's able to do his over under I think in yards which I'm going to write an article later it's like 650 smash is over for me if he stays healthy like I I don't see a a role for him that doesn't see him seeing the targets enough having an 80 catch like 1100 yard season I think that's in the cards for him if he does that he gives that weapon they need a weapon like that out there and I know they have a lot of M A feed I know that wide receiver room is deep but bond is that special level talent that could be possibly a first round wide receiver he has that in his bag there so if he does that this offense can take off I think yeah there are two potential first round players on this list right here and and that's speaking to to Quinn as well I know um there are a lot of folks that are iffy about him because he's pretty um non-traditional and that like his mechanics are are a little iffy and and arguably bad at times but he is as talented as you know there's a reason he was the number one quarterback recruit of all time at one point I don't know if he still is um but the talent is there it's been there he's supremely accurate he makes good decisions if he can just get the stupid deep ball timed up better because he's got an arm it's not like he can't throw it if he can just get that timed up better everyone's gonna have a different opinion nationally of Quin I think Texas fans know this um so I'm just kind of preaching of the choir here but man I just I I think this offense has so much potential despite losing all those guys um I think it comes down really to the first two uh on this list here yeah if B N can be a first round draft pick you cannot sit here and tell me that Quin yers can't be a first- round draft pick like and Shout Out b Nick he did a great job last year he developed he did those things but remember this is Quinn y really his third year this is really his third year of actually playing and really he's been injured right there's been that too where it's like hey can you get that full year in there and I think for Texas fans out there from an offensive perspective if ERS goes down you still got Arch so like there is like a less like oh my gosh we lost ERS now who's going to be out there right now it's hey we have Arch Manning here to kind of set up that offense as well and 2024 Defensive Breakdown from the defensive side last year when you're looking at them last year they were top 12 unit in points per game at 18.9 I'm allowed you know we going over kind of opponent yards per play they were only five yards per play they averaged there was the top 30 unit I the the big thing for me is that they got off the field in third down they were number one in the country last year getting off the field and third down at 25% conversion rate that's phenomenal like hey they get they let their offense kind of get as many opportunities as they can as many possessions as they could and that's a big reason why they had success last year and their and their Rush defense wo boy you could not run against this team they were fantastic number two an opponent rushing play percentage opponent yards per Rush 2.9 they were top five unit that just did not happen opponent rushing rushes per game at three I mean opponent rushing yards per game you know 82 yards they they gave up that's top three in the nation last year back in though backend they struggled a little bit in that secondary they up some big plays but from a rushing standpoint they did not let teams run all over them and that's huge especially going to the SEC yeah and they are obviously losing the two BigTime talented defensive tackle but the the secret that probably not a secret to most people watching this is Alfred Collins is an outstanding football player uh every time I watched those other two I was like man who's this kid um and it's Alfred Collins always he's he's just gonna step right in Phil kind of B rols it's listed here as a nose tackle but he can get to the quarterback um he's he's a force uh you know against the run as well so I think he's going to be a big reason why this defense doesn't really suffer um from those losses now uh Andrew makuba coming over from Clemson uh massive massive G to really Shore up that secondary Malik Muhammad was good last year they bringing in Jon Cole to start opposite him I think this team right here is in a better spot I think you know I have some questions about the linebacking room I I think you know there were some high expectations for the the two starters last year didn't really play um as well as people hoped uh and they they're young players there uh Anthony Hill Jr had a ton of hype coming into the year and just didn't really play as well as everyone hoped so hopefully he takes a step forward this year Baron cell uh coming off the edge I think is going to be good Trey Moore as well another transfer in there I think this defense uh might not be as Stout as last year but I think we're going to make up for that on offense and I think this team should still win a ton of games yeah no I think they win the national I don't know if they had the offense they probably gonna have this year last year and that defense but that's all right I mean the one area you want is a a team that can score right I mean that's the big part there and I think you did mention him um but Anthony Hill like he was still a freshman All-American last year second leading tackler so yeah he might not have lived up to those expectations but maybe him moving the middle is going to help maybe that's the position for him and and that staff realized that from un notable losses yeah I mean they lost some guys right so Notable Losses you know the 2023 Outland Award winner sweat uh defensive lineman of the year in Byron Murphy and in two time first team all Big 12 middle linebacker Ford like those are big shoes to fill there and Ryan rots I don't want to just throw Ryan wat it's out of the level but those three guys right there I mean that is a lot of big part of their defense when you're looking at what they were able to do last year you know sweat he was huge last year in terms of you know total tackles just just in the inside like the teams could not run up the middle and they just stopped trying like as simply they just said we're not going to do this we're just going to throw yep yeah I mean he was huge figuratively and literally like that is a massive dude uh Byron Murphy though was one of my top three players in the class last year I just um just an outstanding football player that you know I think they're going to be looking to replace that level of pocket disruption um you know they're taking a lot of shots at at guys that can do that but Byron Murphy was consistently just making quarterbacks uncomfortable I I don't necessarily know that Alfred Collins is going to be enough to kind of replace both of those guys they're going to need some guys to step up um because two phenomenal football players and really add in Jaylen Ford in there as well and it's tough but this Texas the recruiting well they're gonna have guys that they can plug right in yeah oh yeah they do let's talk about some of those guys uh on on this on this 2020 recruiting class that 2024 Defensive Recruits they did a great job I mean let me be clear about Colin Simmons I wrote about Colin Simmons lastek week in our substack this dude is one of the best edges linebackers to come to Texas in a very very long time when you're looking at him like he was phenomenal 44 and a half sacks in high school um that's what they've needed so as much as the defensive side we talked about with Texas you know the last time the last time they had a five and a half sacks or more was in 2018 so they don't go after the quarterback when you're looking at that kind of guy Simmons could be that guy when you're talking about his ability and when you watch the T this dude just flies like you see him there um he was absolutely phenomenal unguardable as a junior he had 22 and a half sacks That season and 15 and0 like he could be that kind of that Gary Johnson S Type guy for Texas out there not you know not to say Kobe black these other guys here Wardell Mack um Smith Wilson these other guys aren't there Simmons is already Making Waves out there in Camp like he's already challenging Finley and bassic for second team reps at Edge so he's getting in there already and I think the one thing for Simmons that I mentioned he really could just be used as pass rush is a specialty like hey throwing Downs we're going to get you on this field and we're going to go out the quarterback and that is I think what could help this defense out a lot yeah 247 Sports compared him to Nick Bonito and threw a a first round tag on him um Nick Bonito was one of my favorite players to watch I know he went to the the opponent uh the Rival over there but he was a a really fun player to watch and and you see that already like I would argue that Colin Simmons looks like Nick Bonino did in his last year in college already so um on top of that Kobe black is a dude I think he's going to work his way on in the field here they they do have a lot of transfers in that corner room but like I think black is g to get some playing time this year and then you just fill it out with some more four stars and and really some of these three stars that can kind of work in this is a really really good class those top two uh specifically are are two of my favorite players to watch in general in the entire recruiting class yeah no a fantastic job on the recruiting side over there transfers too I mean they did Key Defensive Transfers a great job they were number six rated transfer class coming in um I think that from a defensive side you know M Muk ah man Andrew makuba out there from Clemson shout out Clemson just giving up transfers like that I think that was a great gift there Bill Norton from Arizona um when you're looking at him and what he's gonna able to bring there 66 285 like when you're looking at you're trying to find a guy to fill up the middle I mean Bill Norton could be that guy for you there black shrier as well coming over from Alabama like these are the type of guys that you have to get in that line and I think um even Savia from Arizona too 63265 so I think they did a good job of just filling gaps now you got to see that progression you're gonna have to see that development but they do a great job in that transfer portal yeah Bill Norton's one of those guys I didn't mention him a whole lot on the the defensive depth chart but like he's your big guy that plugs up the middle he's not probably getting into the back field um as much you're hoping that Alfred Collins can kind of take that rooll on but uh Norton will be a pretty big factor on the inside of that defensive line jvon Cole um you know coming in transferring from a smaller school I think it's a battle to to move into the SEC but he's looking like he's going to do it I think he is going to start um for them which is a good sign and then makuba just he's been great um you know I think he probably could have declared um and been a highly rated uh draft prospect last year so um we'll see what Trey Moore can give them as well but over were all really good transfer class I think they really went hard um you know they went hard on offense to get those wide receivers but like they really went hard to just fill out the whole roster on the defensive side which I really respect I think it's a good way to do it it's a good combination filling it out and then also having some depth there they can kind of get keep keep the guys fresh as well when you're looking at that defensive line um from an impact Impact Players - Defense players who's your guy who who do you think out there is the guy you're like hey gotta really step up for this defense and kind of get him back in the playoff yeah I just keep talking about him but Alfred Collins to me um just the way they relied on those two defensive tackles and and Collins was a big part of that last year but I think just elevating his game he's an experienced player um you know he's gonna have a lot of snaps this year they do like to rotate their defensive lineman a ton but I think if he can be that game wrecking type of player which was all over the film last year but if he can continue that I think that gives this defense another level because then that stuff you know you're not able to send doubles at at guys coming off the edge you have to worry about the guy coming up the middle Collins is that it's just can he take on a larger workload I think he can I think he's gonna be a big reason why Texas is successful on defense this year yeah I mean the guy that I he's not on here he could have been um but Malik Muhammad cornerback out there I mean it's gonna be interesting to see you know I think they really got to sh up that that back in the secondary out there and and he got a ton of snaps last year he's number eight in total snaps so he has that kind of when you're thinking about him hey can he really kind of Step Up for them I think he can um he's seconde guy now and he can really take that next level and he was 79.9 coverage grade from PFF which was the best on the team last year so he can definitely have that coverage size there so if he takes that next step too along with that defensive line if that secondary could just be a little better just hey just get a little bit better there and to get more pressure on the quarterback that's where Colin Simmons and some of these other guys come to play then this defense could be better as a unit I think just overall like hey maybe they can come in and kind of just be more balanced overall when you look at their schedule let's over under 10 so it 2024 Schedule dropped a little bit was 10.5 but I did see some movement out there where it's gone to 10 now you know big game early right at Michigan that's that's the game that's the game that really is gonna kind of it's gonna be interesting to see kind of how both these teams are there to me that game's coming down to the fronts defensive front versus offensive front and like can because I think Michigan's defensive front's the best in the country and we can argue that another day but I think they are so they're if they're playing them how's that Texas offense in front go and can they turn Quin ERS over I think that's the game right there in a nutshell is how well can they block that defensive front there after that not a not a terrible schedule when UTSA Louisa Monroe Mississippi State obviously Oklahoma um they would like to get that game back versus Georgia is a big one but at home so you have to like that Vanderbilt Florida Arkansas Kentucky Texas A&M 10 feels like the perfect number uh that that just that that's a push to me but where are you at with this schedule yeah man at Michigan is really tough and I I do think that having I we play the quarterback game as we always do but yeah Quinn ERS has to elevate his game uh at Michigan and so I think that's going to be the differentiator I think Texas does walk in there and take that win I think they win against Oklahoma this year because of you know playing the quarterback game love Jackson Arnold but I Quin ERS is my qb1 U for everyone who didn't know that but I think they probably lose to Georgia I think they sweep the rest of their schedule at Texas A&M to end this season though that's a fun one and and we're really going to know what Connor Wegman is at that point too and so that could be that could be a a a really tough game for them I'm gonna go over I'm gonna say they get to 11 wins uh and make the college football playoff again I'm gonna cheat and say push over because I do think 10 is perfect but I do think that over is probably I'll I'll lean over there as well I think they're going to go back to college football playoff for sure I think this team is talented enough to do that um and I think I like the depth of the quarterback position if it's Quinn or it's Arch I think those two guys can lead him there um Michigan's the big one though I mean they lose that game then you get a little nervous because then they got to beat Georgia right and like I think that's how close it is it's not what I'm comfortable betting but it's definitely out there in the realm of possibility and do your point about the Michigan one because there's so much uncertainty with the Michigan quarterback spot I've heard three different starters the last three days based on all the stuff that I've read like that could play a role right that's going to really look in there and we'll see how that goes but overall I Outro - Overall Outlook mean Texas is is is back I mean we can pretty much say that especially from the recruiting next year's 25 class already a top 10 unit pretty close number 12 overall um but there's still a lot of guys out there they've recruited at a high level now in the SEC I mean they definitely have the guys to compete there they can compete this year and look at that they ran a college football playoff last year so sar's done a great job of getting them back into that into where they need to be to be an elite program and it's and with the expanded playoff they they have a chance to make the playoff every single year sec is gonna get four or five teams Texas should be one of the most years yeah and I I mean quite frankly they're just going to have too much talent it's the the Georgia Alabama effect right like Ohio State you know even though they haven't really made it um but it's it's just that effect where like you're taking shots on so many four and five star kids that you're gonna have a talented team especially when you can coach as well as SAR does uh when you're able to entice people like Arch Manning to come to Texas who and and he knew that he was going to be sitting for a couple of years yeah that's impressive stuff and that's that that was kind of the moment when I knew Texas was back but now they're they're really back I think they have a shot at winning the national title this year because I think Quinn yers is going to elevate some more I think you know this offense is going to be good enough the defense shouldn't take too many steps down so uh to me this is a legit title Contender I'm excited to see what they do this year yeah let us know Texas fans what do you think do you think that they are a legitimate title they go in their playoff can it win the SEC what do you think they overr under is going to be what are their win totals uh we love seeing your projections down there and hey who do you want to step up on this team offensive defensive who are your guys so we appreciate you guys hanging with us during the series we've had a lot of fun doing it uh but let us know Texas fans where are you going into the season how confident are you [Music] oh