College football teams are turning the page to the 2020 season. For several of the sport's historic programs, the urgency to improve is greater than ever. We are examining four teams that have fallen on hard times and diagnosing what each needs to do to get back on track this fall.
After breaking down USC, Nebraska and Florida State, we complete the series with the Texas Longhorns. Texas was supposed to be back, at least according to quarterback Sam Ehlinger, after a 2018 season that ended with a Big 12 championship game appearance and a Sugar Bowl win over Georgia. But the team slipped last year, going 7-5 in the regular season before a dominant Alamo Bowl win against Utah.
Coach Tom Herman replaced most of his staff, including both coordinators, and enters a pivotal fourth year. Since losing to Alabama in the BCS championship in 2009, Texas has no Big 12 titles or College Football Playoff appearances, only one season of 10 or more wins and only three AP Top-25 finishes.
For Texas to return to its heyday, it hopes its recruiting gains translate to an overdue breakthrough season in Ehlinger's fourth year as a starter.
Recruiting
Recruiting really hasn't been an issue under Herman, at least not with landing highly ranked classes. Herman was hired in 2016, while the 2017 class was being recruited, and only had a few months to salvage the class.
Texas ended the 2017 cycle with the No. 33-ranked class and only 18 commitments. That wasn't Herman's fault, but Texas' low ranking did hurt its depth and was an indication that it didn't have a ton of talent coming in. There were only five ESPN 300 commitments in that class, but luckily one of those commitments was Ehlinger.
Once Herman had a full year to recruit, he and his staff signed the No. 3-ranked class in 2018, then No. 5 in 2019 and finished at No. 9 in the 2020 recruiting cycle.
Safety B.J. Foster was the No. 1-ranked prospect in the state of Texas in the 2018 class, and after signing with Texas, he remarkably became the first No. 1 in-state recruit to choose the Longhorns since 2013.
Of the 19 ESPN 300 commitments in the 2018 class, nine were on defense, which was a necessity. The 2019 class still had talent despite having fewer ESPN 300 commitments (13) than in 2018, but the Longhorns lost two major players from that class.
Top-ranked signee Bru McCoy transferred from USC only to transfer back to the Trojans shortly after arriving at Texas. And linebacker DeGabriel Floyd, another top commitment in the class, was forced to medically retire from football.
The staff was able to add quite a bit in the 2020 class, led by running back Bijan Robinson, who rushed for more than 7,000 yards in his high school career. Two quarterbacks are in the class with Hudson Card and Ja'Quinden Jackson, both of whom could legitimately contend for a starting spot once Ehlinger is gone.
In each of Herman's full classes, he and his staff have added talent and playmakers. In the three recruiting classes from 2018 to 2020, Texas has signed 28 prospects ranked in the top 10 of their respective positions, a large amount of highly sought-after recruits.
However, that has not yet translated on the field. The defense has an infusion of young players, but the coaches need those recruits to now fill voids and make plays.
With three recruiting classes on the roster, and really not a ton leaving from this past season, there should be enough talent and depth for the coaches to put together a winning season that Texas fans are happy with.
The staff is recruiting at a high level and has already landed five ESPN Junior 300 commitments in the 2021 class. Outside of battling Texas A&M and some out-of-state schools for the top in-state recruits, there isn't much more Texas needs to do in terms of recruiting or landing elite prospects.
There is room for improvement, but a lot of it comes down to developing and coaching the players so they can play at the level Texas requires of them.
What coaches are saying
Texas' midseason slide and postseason staff shuffle got the attention of coaches both inside and outside the Big 12. After a 4-1 start, Texas dropped four of its next six games to fall out of Big 12 contention.
"It's like they got worse," an offensive coordinator who faced Texas said. "Sometimes, everything can snowball on you. Once that black cloud sets in over somebody, it was like the kids felt it, the program felt it."
Coaches don't think defensive coordinator Todd Orlando was the problem. He had established himself as one of the nation's top defensive playcallers with his varied and aggressive scheme and had been with Herman at both Houston and Texas. But after a strong finish in 2018, the Longhorns struggled to replace most of their starting front seven and struggled with injuries in the back end.
Texas' defensive backs, namely safeties Caden Sterns and Chris Brown, jump out to coaches. New coordinator Chris Ash must identify and develop more playmakers in the front seven, especially on the line but also at linebacker to complement Joseph Ossai, who exploded for three sacks and six tackles for loss in the Alamo Bowl win over Utah. Coaches also think Ash, who coached alongside Herman at Ohio State under Urban Meyer, will push a toughness that Orlando promoted but ultimately could not instill.
An equally important addition is offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich, who returns to the Big 12 after helping Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields to a record-setting season. Coaches think Yurcich's time as Oklahoma State's offensive coordinator (2013-18) will benefit him in Austin.
He inherits a veteran in Ehlinger, top running back Keaontay Ingram and a receiving corps that loses top targets Devin Duvernay and Collin Johnson but remains talented with Brennan Eagles, Jake Smith and others. Texas' midseason slump in 2019 didn't spare Ehlinger, who threw four interceptions against TCU and completed only 55% of his passes against Iowa State, but coaches still love what the dual-threat senior brings to the field.
"He's a good one," a Big 12 coach said. "And they've had the ability to have receivers that are just mismatches. When you've got a guy that can run the ball at the quarterback spot as well as get the ball out quick for the three-step and be effective, as well as, 'Hey, they're tightening it down to take this all away, so maybe you hit them over the top,' now you're talking."
Coaches wonder if Yurcich can diversify and ultimately improve a run game that has been overly reliant on Ehlinger, who led Texas in carries last season and enters his final season with 441 career rushes. Herman's penchant for the quarterback run is obvious, but Texas has other options such as Ingram (5.9 YPC in 2019) and the incoming freshman Robinson, ESPN's No. 3 running back and No. 21 overall player in the 2020 class.
Although there's uncertainty along most of the offensive line, Texas regains a key piece in left tackle Samuel Cosmi, who could have jumped to the NFL.
"They can add some things to what they do offensively," a Power 5 coordinator said. "In hiring Yurcich, that will bring some more creativity. There was no creativity to create run lanes. It was, 'We'll just pull it and run Sam.' It's like they haven't grown in the last 3-4 years of what they've done on offense."
Coaches generally like Herman's hires but point to 2020 as a pivotal season. Texas announced it was "back" after reaching the 2018 Big 12 championship game and beating Georgia in the Sugar Bowl, but it clearly backslid last season. Coordinator changes are usually a precursor to a head coach on the hot seat, and while Herman doesn't appear to be in imminent danger, he must make tangible progress in Year 4, as Oklahoma keeps winning the Big 12 and reaching the CFP.
"It will be interesting to see," a Power 5 head coach said. "I think Tom is revitalized. We'll see how long that lasts, but I think he's very much looking at things through a new lens."
The key for Herman, a Big 12 defensive backs coach said, is making sure the new coordinators, both proven coaches, can complement each other with schemes.
"All parts of the program have to be on the same page," the coach said. "That comes from the top."