Adam Loewy is one of the top personal injury lawyers in Austin. Adam is a proud graduate of the University of Texas School of Law and started his law firm in 2005. Adam helps people who have been injured in car crashes, slip and falls, dog bites, and other assorted ways. He is actively involved in every case he handles and is always available to talk or text. If you or a loved one has been injured, call the Loewy Law Firm today at (512) 280-0800.
That was one heck of a year we just endured. I am not talking about COVID-19 restrictions, the pandemic, elections, that snowstorm in Austin, or the incoherent posts of @drunk randoke after 10 p.m. Instead, I am talking about your Texas Longhorn football team.
On January 2, 2021, we thought it would be a Saturday would prove to not be eventful. Texas recently defeated Colorado in the Alamo Bowl. Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte previously told the Austin American-Statesman that Tom Herman would be in the coach in 2021. We just did not know Del Conte meant Herman would be the coach for two days before being fired. Several hours later, Steve Sarkisian was introduced as the program’s new football coach. Sarkisian was not Urban Meyer, which meant he had not perfected the art of letting a woman grind on him while his wife was home with the family. He also was not Mario Cristobal. However, Sarkisian was supposed to be a coaching upgrade.
Nope, I will not recap all of the disappointments from the 2021 season. I am sure many of you have resolved to say positive things and avoid hostility in 2022. There will be other people who test your dedication to that goal. I will not make you toss the phone into the nearest body of water (unless you have Spectrum Mobile and their poor signal renders your phone useless anyway). Instead, lets us briefly recap 2021 and look ahead to next season.
It is time for a few way too early Longhorn predictions.
The one thing I hate about preseason predictions is writers who never double-back and recap their expectations. The majority of college football reporters never hold themselves accountable. Of course, if they are correct about one preseason prediction, we never hear the end of it.
I believe it is important to keep the same energy at all times.
So, let us recap my preseason predictions.
Texas' record in 2020: 8-4
Comment: Most Longhorn fans thought eight wins was too low. I never thought it would be too high.
Predicted Big 12 finish:
Oklahoma
Iowa State
Texas
TCU
Oklahoma
State
Kansas State
West Virginia
Baylor
Texas Tech
Kansas
Comment: Oklahoma and Iowa State entered last season with the most talent, but Baylor’s Dave Aranda and Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy were elite last season. Aranda is arguably the best coach in the Big 12.
Here were my other preseason predictions.
Texas will appear in this bowl game: Texas Bowl
Comment: You never know how much you miss the Texas Bowl until it is gone.
Big 12 Champion: Oklahoma
Comment: It does not matter what I write. You will just say OU sucks and move on.
Worst team in the Big 12: Kansas
Comment: I was correct. Nevertheless, nobody predicted one of Kansas’ two wins this season would occur against Texas.
Texas offensive MVP: Bijan Robinson, RB
Comment: He was a Heisman Trophy candidate for a portion of this season.
Texas defensive MVP: D’Shawn Jamison, DB
Comment: DeMarvion Overshown was probably more valuable.
Texas special teams MVP: Cameron Dicker, P
Comment: He did it all. Dicker was so good we are still waiting for him to decide if he will return for the 2022 season.
Texas Freshman of the Year: Xavier Worthy, WR
Comment: He was the Big 12’s best receiver. There are Oklahoma defensive backs who are still having nightmares after Worthy torched their secondary.
Rushing yards for Robinson: 1,450 yards, 16 touchdowns
Comment: He finished with 1,127 yards and 11 touchdowns in 10 games. He could have easily topped my prediction if healthy.
Texas leader in TD receptions: Jordan Whittington (five)
Comment: Worthy finished with 12 and Whittington battled injuries.
Texas leader in sacks: Ray Thornton (six)
Comment: See, what had happened was …
Texas leader in interceptions: D’Shawn Jamison (four)
Comment: Maybe I was a year early on Jamison, but he only had one interception. B.J. Foster led the team with three.
Texas leader in tackles: DeMarvion Overshown (121)
Comment: Overshown led the team with 74. I expected Overshown to have a great statistical season. It could occur this year.
Longest FG made: 53 yards
Comment: Dicker’s longest was 50 yards.
# of passing yards/TDs by QB: (3,450/21)
Comment: Casey Thompson and Hudson Card combined for 2,705 passing yards and 29 touchdowns. I drank the quarterback whisperer Kool-Aid too much before last season.
# of times fans ask about Casey Thompson transferring: 158
Comment: That number had to be close and the inevitable occurred after the regular season.
# of times the OB staff engages in a Twitter war: 1
Comment: I am sure Ketch surpassed that number the day my column ran (just joking)
Texas scores most points against: Rice
Comment: Texas scored 70 points against Texas Tech and 58 against Rice (second-highest total)
Texas scores fewest points against: Iowa State
Comment: This was correct. Iowa State defeated Texas, 30-7.
Texas allows most points against: Oklahoma
Comment: That should have been correct. Oklahoma scored 55 points against Texas. However, Kansas scored 57.
Texas allows fewest points against: Kansas
Comment: I am never going to disrespect Kansas again. If I do, feel free to give me a gentle reminder of this season.
# of team sacks allowed: 26
Comment: Texas allowed 27 sacks (seventh-most in the Big 12)
First loss by Texas in 2020: Louisiana (I want to be wrong)
Comment: I thought Louisiana would be a tough game followed by an easy win against Arkansas. I did not foresee Arkansas beating down Texas.
Nobody will see this coming: Jared Wiley leads the tight ends in touchdown receptions
Comment: And nobody saw it at all. Cade Brewer had three touchdown receptions and Riley finished with two.
There was nothing overwhelmingly embarrassing about those predictions. Unfortunately, no Longhorn observer predicted their program would take a step back and go into a rebuilding mood.
Here are 10 predictions for the 2022 Longhorn football season. This is my initial draft before spring and fall practice, injuries, transfers, and every other unforeseen transaction two days into the new year. In other words, wait until late August to bookmark my predictions in the hopes you have ammunition to use against me during any disagreement.
Be patient.
1. Texas record: 7-5
Comment: I noticed Longhorn fans on Twitter are already talking themselves into a breakout 2022 season. Even though the history of this program since 2009 suggests it is wise to take a “don’t tell me, show me” approach, that will not prevent the annual belief that this could be the year Texas breaks through. Even my man Adam Loewy is calling his shot.
I also saw a poll from Texas_Junkie on Twitter with 49 percent of respondents predicting between nine to 12 wins for Texas this year. That number was greater than 47 percent of respondents who predict seven to eight wins. This account has only 200 votes, but I cannot imagine these numbers will change drastically with a larger number of voting participants.
I can write every offseason Kool-Aid story now and take the rest of this year off. Players will tell us this will be a different season because it is their second year in the system. The team will be more unified now because of their offseason BBQ. Player A looked great one day in spring practice and Longhorn nation will rejoice. By the time August rolls around, Oklahoma will be vulnerable with a first-year coach, Baylor cannot repeat the same success, Iowa State lost everybody, and Texas is stacked with talent. And maybe this will be the year when Ctrl+C proves to be right.
However, this team still has a lot of question marks on defense, the Longhorns will likely have another first-year starter, and Sarkisian’s greatest number of regular-season wins in his career is eight. I might talk myself into eight wins before the season opener, but anything higher than that requires operating on blind faith.
2. Quinn Ewers is the opening day starter
This may not be the boldest prediction. I believe most Longhorn fans expect Ewers to take over the reins at some point in 2022. Ewers has an NFL arm and should easily earn the confidence of Sarkisian.
However, Ewers must beat out Hudson Card, who knows the playbook and has multiple starts under his belt. I expect Card to finish the spring as Sarkisian’s No.1 quarterback just to keep Ewers hungry. Ewers will officially win this job in the fall, assuming Card does not see the writing on the wall and transfers before training camp.
3. Xavier Worthy wins the Biletnikoff Award
Think about Worthy’s freshman season for a moment. You remember the explosive plays, his tenacity, and fearlessness. Worthy could not be stopped whenever either quarterback could deliver the football.
Now, think of all the times Worthy was open and Thompson or Card could not get him the football, whether it was because of a bad pass or sack. Ewers should be able to deliver the football to Worthy, which could create a 1,500-yard season for the sophomore. The recent hiring of Pitt receivers coach Brennan Marion should create an unstoppable duo this season.
4. Cameron Dicker returns for another season
If Dicker wanted to turn pro, it would have occurred by now. However, Dicker missed an opportunity to play in the Senior Bowl and increase his draft stock. Dicker could turn pro and rely on his tape, which is pretty damn good. Nevertheless, I predict Dicker returns for another year.
5. Texas will beat Kansas
Do not despise these small beginnings.
6. Kelvin Banks starts on opening day
With all due respect to the current offensive linemen, Banks has a combination of size and athleticism that will make it impossible to keep him off the field this year. This will be a rebuilding year for Texas and learning with young players makes the most sense. Even if there are growing pains, the long-term payoff with Banks will be worth the risk.
7. Nick Saban will try to run up the score in Austin
Unless you are taking shots of burnt orange Kool-Aid, most Longhorn observers are not expecting Texas to pull off an upset win against Alabama. Saban is not going to waste an opportunity to rub it in the noses of his former staff members. If Saban’s team has a big lead in the second half, he will try to make Sarkisian say, uncle.
8. Texas will rebound with an easy win against UTSA
I respect the hell out of Jeff Traylor. He has proven to be an outstanding head coach. UTSA agree to a long-term extension with Traylor last year, but it is just a matter of time before somebody pays that buyout and he joins a Power 5 program. However, I will not hype up UTSA like I did Louisiana last year.
If UTSA pulls off an upset, there will not be enough hamsters running on the Rivals wheel to prevent this website from crashing.
9. Jaylan Ford has a breakout season
I am not the only Longhorn observer who believes Ford is destined for greatness. @Alex Dunlap put Ford in his Tier 1 grades after the linebacker’s performance last season. He was incredibly disruptive against Oklahoma State, according to Alex’s research. I will only drive Ford vehicles @Covert Hutto . In addition, I am ready to purchase a lot of Jaylan Ford stock.
10. Run D-M-C will perform at Longhorn City Limits
Del Conte likes to bring in one rap artist/group per year that appeals to the older generation (that includes me). Salt-N-Pepa performed last year. Ludacris performed in 2019. There are only a handful of old rappers with a big name and can be family-friendly.
Missy Elliott would be my first choice because of her energy and likeability. Busta Rhymes is another rapper who has performed at halftime of basketball shows because he can be family-friendly. I think Del Conte takes us back into the time machine and brings the Kangol hats to Austin.
Funniest Things You Will See This Week
I want her enthusiasm
I would not want to start my day with a heart attack
RIP Betty White
Sports On A Dime
1. Kudos to Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian for going after the best and brightest in this industry. Pittsburgh receivers coach Brennan Marion appears to be a relatable position coach and an instant upgrade at this position. It was hard to see improvement in the receiver room over the past two seasons, but Marion should make every pass-catcher in that room better.
2. In an ideal world, Pittsburgh receiver Jordan Addison follows Marion to Texas and lines up opposite Xavier Worthy, creating the most potent 1-2 pass-catching combo in the country. So far, Addison seems content to remain at Pittsburgh since he is a made man after winning the Fred Biletnikoff Award. Clearly, anything can happen. However, from what I was told, it would take a lot of convincing to pluck Addison out of Pittsburgh.
3. One of the most underrated aspects of Bijan Robinson’s game is his pass-catching ability. However, he finished with 26 receptions for 295 yards and four touchdowns last season.
4. I am not sure what was more impressive on Saturday – Chris Beard leading Texas to a dominating win against West Virginia or him clapping back after he was recently asked about Longhorn fans being a wine and cheese crowd.
5. I love multisport high school athletes. Clearly, there is a benefit to focusing on one sport. Nevertheless, Arch Manning is proving a young athlete’s life does not have to revolve around one sport.
6. Kirk Herbstreit sounds like a grumpy old man. Questioning a player’s love for football when they decide to skip a bowl game to focus on … football … is very ironic.
7. If I still had a vote, Jared Allen, Andre Johnson, and Tony Boselli are no-brainers. Each player was viewed as the player at their position for multiple years. However, I would need to hear convincing arguments for the remaining candidates. Overall, it will end up being a weak class.
8. RIP, John Madden
9. What a way to go out on top. Congrats to Todd Dodge.
10. F1 fans, feel free to correct me, but I would take Carlos Sainz over Lando Norris. Am I wrong?
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