Following a massive comeback victory against the then No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes last weekend, the Texas Longhorns achieved an expected, if not somewhat sloppy, 30-6 victory over the UTSA Road Runners on Saturday.

Texas led its UT-system brethren for 58 minutes and 34 seconds of game clock, yet somehow performed well below its potential. Still, it was not all bad.

While the game itself was less heart-palpitating than last weekend's affair, the Longhorns and their fans still learned plenty of things about the 2026 incarnation of the team.

The Freshmen Will Be Involved In The Offense

True freshman running back Derrek Cooper led Texas in carries on Saturday with 11, finishing the game with 44 yards and his first collegiate touchdown.

The four-star Chaminade-Madonna High School product is unlikely to take over a backfield that features top-six portal backs Hollywood Smothers and Raleek Brown; however, his usage indicates that he will be a feature of head coach Steve Sarkisian's offense going forward. Cooper is more of a power back than either Smothers or Brown, so he could see snaps as a short-yardage option.

While some may dismiss his carry number as coming against UTSA, it is worth noting that it took an injury to starter Tre Wisner last season for any true freshmen to receive a carry, let alone the 11 that Cooper took.

Jermaine Bishop Jr., the class of 2026's No. 2 wide receiver recruit, also caught two passes, marking his second multi-catch game of the season.

Sarkisian clearly has a desire to get the young guys involved, and fans should not expect that to just go away as Texas opens Southeastern Conference play against the Tennessee Volunteers next Saturday.

Texas Has Fixed Its Biggest Problem On Offense

The Longhorns committed the second-most penalties of any team in the FBS last season, bringing a growing issue under Sarkisian to a head.

Texas has committed penalties at nearly half the rate that it did last season, with the biggest change coming along the offensive line. Last year's group committed 43 fouls, while this year's unit is on pace for just 12.

While that number is due for some regression to the mean, it is unlikely that it will spike up to the levels of the 2025 season. With the Longhorns as talented as they are, shooting themselves in the foot significantly less will make a big difference in their offensive performance.

The Longhorns Are Controlling The Clock

Another weakness of the 2025 Texas team was their inability to temporally control games.

Last year's Longhorns controlled the ball just 47.59% of the time, good for 110th in the country. This year's squad has held the ball 54.41% of the time, the 30th-best mark.

This change is due to many factors, chief among them being new defensive coordinator Will Muschamp's shutting down of the quick-passing game for opposing teams. The Longhorns had an elite rushing defense last season; however, teams could too easily use easy-access underneath passes to get consistent gains and keep the clock moving.

The Longhorns' ability to dictate the clock should allow them to play their game and let Sarkisian keep his playbook open, leading to more burnt-orange victories.

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