As Steve Sarkisian’s Texas program transitions into the heart of the 2026 offseason, the Longhorns faithful are holding their collective breath. Following a 2025 campaign that ended with a dominant 41–27 Citrus Bowl victory over Michigan and a glimpse into a championship-caliber future, the focus has shifted from the scoreboard to the training room.
The Longhorns enter 2026 as legitimate national title contenders, but they must first navigate a spring defined by rehabilitations. While the roster remains one of the most talented in the country, the health of redshirt junior Arch Manning and a cluster of elite pass-catchers will determine if Texas can finally push past the good but not great barrier that has defined recent playoff appearances.
Steve Sarkisian Has a High Demand for Arch Manning and Fellow Longhorns
Sarkisian addressed the uncommon wave of injuries that sidelined a group of foundational stars this spring in a conversation with Josh Pate. While every program deals with wear and tear, Sarkisian admitted that the timing and personnel involved have created a unique challenge for the Longhorns’ 2026 playoff aspirations.
“We’re obviously coming out of the 2025 season where we had a fair amount of offseason injuries that required surgery. That’s not uncommon, but ours just happened to be on really high-level players, you know, Arch Manning, Trevor Goosby, Xavier Filsaime, Ty’Anthony Smith, Ryan Wingo, and Emmett Mosley,” Sarkisian said.
For Manning, a favorite for the 2026 Heisman Trophy, a preventative foot procedure in January required him to take a backseat during 11-on-11 spring drills. While Manning did return to 7-on-7 work by mid-April, the staff opted for extreme caution, giving extra reps to KJ Lacey and MJ Morris. Sarkisian identified June as the pivotal month for the program’s trajectory, the point where physical recovery meets locker room hierarchy.
“My biggest key for us is when we get back going here in June, that continuity of those guys being back in the fold full-time with the rest of the team flows well,” Sarkisian explained. “I want to see those guys getting back involved where it’s not just about them, but still about the team,” he added, signaling that culture remains his top priority even as he manages elite egos.
The 2026 spring became a developmental goldmine for the rest of the roster. With Wingo (wrist) and Mosley limited, five-star freshman Cam Coleman and fellow newcomer Kaliq Lockett turned heads during practice sessions. Despite the surgical setbacks, Sarkisian remains a staunch believer in the roster’s depth, noting that the urgency is real with a massive Week 2 showdown against Ohio State on Sept. 12 looming.
If Manning, Wingo, and left tackle Trevor Goosby hit the ground running in June as expected, the injury wave of the spring may just be the final hurdle before a historic run. As Sarkisian put it, the goal is simple: Get the stars back, keep the culture intact, and prove that this Texas team is built to survive the battered and bruised nature of the SEC.
