Latest news with #SteveSarkisian
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
After huge Sunday night commitment, Texas rises to No. 4 in team recruiting rankings
The Texas Longhorns had a great weekend. Not only did former Longhorn Scottie Scheffler win the British Open, but UT got a massive five-star commitment. Derrek Cooper, the No. 2 running back in the 2026 class, committed to Texas on Sunday evening. The pledge has skyrocketed the Horns up the recruiting rankings to No. 4 overall. Cooper is now the fourth highest ranked commitment in Texas's 2026 class, behind quarterback Dia Bell, linebacker Tyler Atkinson, and EDGE Richard Wesley. Things looked kind of dark for Texas recruiting in early July. The high-profile commitment of five-star offensive tackle Felix Ojo to Texas Tech stung. The Horns lost nine recruiting battles in a row after Wesley committed in late June. But things turned around 10 days ago with the commitment of four-star CB Samari Matthews. Texas beat out South Carolina, Miami and Florida State. Four days later, Atkinson committed to UT over Georgia, Clemson, and Oregon. A day later, Steve Sarkisian was able to flip five-star Georgia commit James Johnson. The flurry of commitments has lifted Texas to No. 6 in the team recruiting rankings. Cooper has given the overall class another boost to No. 4. UT also has the second most five-star commits of anyone in the nation. Sark has pledges from the No. 1 QB, No. 1 linebacker, No. 1 defensive lineman, No. 2 running back and No. 3 edge rusher. Any worries over the quality of this recruiting class has been put to rest. Many of the Texas 2026 class have also had a great summer. Bell, Arch Manning's probable heir apparent, was named the MVP of the exclusive Elite 11 QB event. His performance immediately was reflected in the rankings, as he was boosted to the No. 1 QB recruit in the country. Wesley was dominant at the Rivals Five-Star Challenge. The Longhorns had the No. 1 recruiting class in 2025. And while Sark and the recruiting team at Texas isn't done yet, the past 10 days have set UT on the path to another top five class and it may end up win another recruiting title before the cycle is done. Follow us on X/Twitter at @LonghornsWire. This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Texas rises to No. 4 in team recruiting rankings after big commitment
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Texas moves to No. 6 in Rivals industry rankings after flipping five-star DL James Johnson
The Texas Longhorns are on cloud nine after winning the recruiting battle for five-star linebacker Tyler Atkinson and pulling off the flip of five-star defensive lineman James Johnson from Georgia on Tuesday. The addition of Johnson catapulted the Longhorns up the recruiting rankings. Texas is No. 6 per Rivals industry team rankings. Johnson is joined by Atkinson, five-star quarterback Dia Bell and five-star edge Richard Wesley atop Texas' class. Other big-time pledges include four-star offensive lineman John Turntine, four-star athlete Jermaine Bishop, four-star cornerback Samari Matthews and four-star defensive lineman Vodney Cleveland. Bell is the only one of those who hasn't committed since May; he committed last June. Kudos should be given to coach Steve Sarkisian and his staff for landing so much premium talent over the last few months. Contact/Follow us @LonghornsWire on X (Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas news, notes and opinions. You can also follow Matthew on X @StarConscience This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Five-star flip puts Texas at No. 6 in Rivals industry rankings
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
SEC Media Predicts Worst Team For 2025 Season
SEC Media Predicts Worst Team For 2025 Season originally appeared on The Spun. The kickoff of the 2025 college football season will be here before we know it and this year's SEC Media Poll is officially in. As the conference attempts to retake its spot atop the sport following back-to-back Big Ten titles, media members from around the South predicted how the standings will turn out — and it wasn't pretty for one Mississippi school. According to reporters, Steve Sarkisian and the Texas Longhorns will reign atop the SEC and avenge their championship loss. While the Bulldogs (not not Georgia) will be relegated to the basement of the 16-team league. Here's a look at the final tally (via the SEC Network): Texas Longhorns Georgia Bulldogs Alabama Crimson Tide LSU Tigers South Carolina Gamecocks Florida Gators Ole Miss Rebels Texas A&M Aggies Tennessee Volunteers Oklahoma Sooners Auburn Tigers Missouri Tigers Vanderbilt Commodores Arkansas Razorbacks Kentucky Wildcats Mississippi State Bulldogs The Bulldogs are coming off a 2-10 campaign in Jeff Lebby's first year after taking over for Zach Arnett and interim Greg Knox in 2024. MSU has been reeling a bit since the tragic passing of head coach Mike Leach who had the Dawgs fairly competitive in the SEC in his three short seasons with the program. Mississippi State has only posted a few 10-win seasons in the school's history with the most recent coming back in 2014 but they've had their share of very respectable 9 and 8-win years. It may be a while before fans in Starkville see that kind of success again however. Especially with the gauntlet on the back half of MSU's schedule this Media Predicts Worst Team For 2025 Season first appeared on The Spun on Jul 19, 2025 This story was originally reported by The Spun on Jul 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
Fox News
4 days ago
- Sport
- Fox News
Texas' Arch Manning Dodges Question On Possible 2026 NFL Draft Entrance
Arch Manning has only started two games in his college football career. However, that hasn't prevented top NFL Draft experts from declaring the Texas quarterback as the top prospect in the 2026 class. But as some wonder if Manning will declare for the 2026 NFL Draft, he's keeping his focus on Texas' 2025 season. "I'm really just worried about getting through this interview and then getting through the run tomorrow," Manning told reporters when asked if he's given any thought about entering the 2026 NFL Draft during SEC Media Days on Tuesday. "I'm just focused on this year and getting better each day." Not only has Manning been viewed as the favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, but some have considered him to be one of the top quarterback prospects in recent memory. FOX Sports' Bucky Brooks wrote in May that Manning is more talented than his uncles, Peyton and Eli Manning, as he ranked him as his No. 1 quarterback for the 2026 draft class. [Related: Ranking 2026 QB draft class: Is Arch Manning clear-cut No. 1 of a stacked bunch?] With the possibility of Manning, who is a redshirt sophomore, declaring for the draft after the season looming, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian is hoping that he plays well enough in 2025 to make a tough choice. "I just want the guy to have a really good season this year, and we'll cross that bridge when he comes to it," Sarkisian told reporters on Tuesday. "I hope he has a really hard decision to make, because that means he played really good." The hype surrounding Manning began before he even arrived in Austin. He was ranked as the No. 1 recruit in the 2023 recruiting class, and his last name only added to the buzz surrounding his recruitment. But Manning mostly sat on the bench for his first two seasons at Texas, with Quinn Ewers starting for the Longhorns and leading them to the College Football Playoff in each of the last two years. As he moves into a starting role for the 2025 season, Manning admits that going from highly sought-after high school recruit to the Texas backup quarterback wasn't an easy transition. "This is not really a big deal, but I played every year in high school," Manning said on Tuesday at SEC Media Days. "It was a 2-A high school. That doesn't mean anything, but from sitting out and not playing, that was pretty tough." Manning passed for 939 yards and nine touchdowns and ran for four touchdowns last season, making the first two starts of his college football career when Ewers suffered an injury early in the season. He could have seen the field earlier had he gone elsewhere. But in an era where college athletes have newfound maneuverability thanks to the transfer portal — and the ability strike lucrative deals at interested schools — the quarterback chose to ride it out. "[Transferring] never really crossed my mind," Manning said. "I knew Texas was the place I wanted to be. It was the city I wanted to be in, a great education. I had friends there. I was still developing and growing as a football player and a person. So I never really wanted to leave. If there was somewhere else I wanted to be, I would have gone." Two years since first arriving in Austin, his days of watching offensive possessions from the sideline are likely behind him. Ewers moved on and up, drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the seventh round in April, passing the torch to the newest playmaker in one of football's most famous families. Manning's confidence masks the simple fact that the most talked-about player in college football has played in just 12 career games going into the Aug. 30 season-opener at Ohio State (on FOX and the FOX Sports app), the defending national champion and the team that beat the Longhorns in the Cotton Bowl last January. Now that the wait is over, coach Steve Sarkisian thinks he is ready. "He's got an unbelievable work ethic. And I think, if he stays true to himself, that's going to help him navigate these waters as they present themselves," Sarkisian said. "I think he's prepared for the moment, but now it's just time for him to go do it and enjoy doing it quite frankly." Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Urban Meyer Has Clear Advice for Steve Sarkisian as Texas Eyes National Championship Run
Urban Meyer Has Clear Advice for Steve Sarkisian as Texas Eyes National Championship Run originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Urban Meyer was a well-respected college coach, most notably serving as head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes for seven seasons. After a brief stint in the NFL, Meyer now serves as a college football analyst for Fox Sports. Meyer knows a thing or two about what it takes to make a national championship run as he has won three national titles with two different programs (Florida, Ohio State). Do the Texas Longhorns have what it takes to compete at that level in 2025? The Herd with Colin Cowherd released an episode with Meyer on Wednesday and Texas' expectations were a key topic of discussion. Meyer has been a long-time advocate of Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian, but he specifically noted the importance of the Longhorns having a great defense in order to bring home a championship. "I'm going to state the obvious first. He's an elite offensive coach. He was in the NFL. He was in college as an assistant, as a head coach. They're always going to be spectacular in offense," Meyer began. "But a lot like Lincoln Riley is that you have to grow as a head coach. You don't get championships for offense. That's not how this game works. You get championships for great defense, not turning the ball over, and efficient offense." Fortunately the Longhorns will enter the 2025 college football season with one of the top defensive units in the country. PFF recently ranked Texas with the No. 1 secondary and No. 1 linebacker room in the nation. Texas' defense will be led by All-American's Anthony Hill Jr. and Michael Taaffe this season. It's clear Sarkisian has stressed the importance of having a solid defense and he has consistently improved that side of the ball over the last few years, something Meyer has specifically noticed. "And I think he's grown into the position. He's still relatively young even though he's had some great jobs. So I view him as one of the top coaches in the country and that's why I got Texas as well. I haven't picked him for sure yet, but I'm still studying it, but I think most people have them preseason number one with a returning quarterback. " Texas will kick off the season against Ohio State on Aug. story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
