ESPN Names 3 Keys To Texas Football Being Truly 'Back'

Four years ago, the Texas Longhorns knocked off Notre Dame in the season opener, which prompted a famous phrase "Texas is back."

Well, nearly four years later, the Longhorns have never truly gotten "back" to the top of the college football world. Texas has won important games, like impressive performances against Oklahoma and Georgia.

However, the team has failed to put together a College Football Playoff-worthy campaign. ESPN has three keys to fix the Longhorns and get them back to prominence.

The coordinators must...coordinate, somehow

"In a normal offseason, both [new defensive coordinator Chris] Ash and [new offensive coordinator Mike] Yurcich would have plenty of time to install their changes, get to know their personnel, break in new arrivals and get all set for the fall. But with practices canceled throughout the country, this has been the least normal offseason in 75 years."

Chris Ash must find a pass rush

"Texas was good in big-boy situations last season -- when the Longhorns could fill the box with eight-plus defenders, they allowed a 41% success rate (34th) and zero explosive plays. They were excellent as you got close to their end zone, too: sixth in success rate allowed between their 21 and 30, ninth between their 11 and 20, 34th inside the 10, 26th on the goal line. But when you could use the entire field, the Longhorns struggled."

Is there enough speed on the perimeter?

"I'm curious how Yurcich chooses to compensate. He's got an incredible deep-ball threat in Brennan Eagles (32 catches, 522 yards), but the most important player in the receiving corps could be sophomore Jake Smith, another former blue-chipper and Duvernay's 2019 understudy in the slot."

***

Texas fans have to hope the unique offseason doesn't derail the Longhorns football program as they enter the 2020 season with new coordinators.