Texas Longhorns Battle for Depth | Texas Longhorns Football News

Texas Longhorns gear up for a championship-or-bust 2026 season with Arch Manning back under Steve Sarkisian, but pressure mounts as they face a brutal SEC schedule. Returning stars like Trevor Goosby, Connor Robertson, and All-American EDGE Colin Simmons give hope, yet depth chart battles are heating up across the roster. The running back room is rebuilding with transfers Raleek Brown and Hollywood Smothers plus freshman Derrek Cooper, while left guard remains unsettled with veteran Cole Hutson, Jaydon Chatman, Dylan Sikorski, and Laurence Seymore all in the mix. Safety is another critical spot—Jelani McDonald leads, but Derek Williams Jr., Xavier Filsaime, and rookie Kobe Black (who impressed in scrimmage) are vying for his sidekick role. Every position matters as Sarkisian’s squad seeks to break their 20-year title drought. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/1c84014f427e9c52