All eyes will be on Arch Manning in his second year as Texas' starting quarterback ... but that's if he has enough time to work in the pocket.
Arch Manning is poised to lead the preseason No. 5-ranked Texas Longhorns into 2026 with immense expectations on his shoulders, but the pressure isn't placed solely on the redshirt junior quarterback.
Manning's struggles with accuracy may have been the result of last season being his first time under center on a full-time basis, but they also could have been the result of subpar offensive line play at the beginning of the season.
Now entering 2026 with a new-look unit, that area is being labeled as Texas' biggest weakness for Manning and the offense.
ESPN says the group was "a work in progress" last year, and that this year could be more of the same because of the major renovations done through the transfer portal.
The Longhorns lost two starters to graduation and the rest of the group to the portal. Left tackle Trevor Goosby remains a prominent figure from last season's room and will be key in bringing leadership to a group of transfers that need to gel quickly in the spring.
The biggest questions will be newcomers Lawrence Seymore at left guard and Melvin Siani at right tackle, who come via the portal. Thankfully, they each come with a breadth of starting experience from their time at Western Kentucky and Wake Forest, respectively. Connor Robertson and Brandon Baker will also need to make big leaps entering their second year as regular starters guarding Manning.
There is some continuity here with the quarterback being close in age and experience level to his linemen, but in a group where communication and consistency are key, it will remain a challenge for the newcomers to adapt and mesh.
As it relates to Manning, the NFL legacy is expected to be one of the top quarterbacks off the board in the 2027 NFL Draft. That will mean the veteran Longhorn will be asked to fix a program that has in general long been broken, and the Arizona Cardinals are an early candidate to be one of those teams needing fixing.
However, Manning won't get there without first showing improvements for the Longhorns this season as Texas, once again, aims to reach its preseason expectations.
That all begins with the new-look offensive line executing at a high level.
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