Heading into the Red River rivalry, does Texas have the best offensive line in the country?

Heading into the Red River rivalry, does Texas have the best offensive line in the country?

Heading into the 2024 CFB season, On3 ranked the Texas Longhorns as the second-best offensive line of the year – high expectations for a veteran group, but which felt justified given the rest of the competition.

Just five weeks into the season, the Longhorns have more than proved On3 right. Texas has dominated in the trenches to start the season, with the unit’s most important game coming against Michigan in Week 2. Despite boasting two projected top-10 picks in the NFL Draft on the defensive line, the Longhorns’ offensive unit did not allow any sacks and passed the eye test with flying colors, consistently moving the line and creating time for quarterback Quinn Ewers.

The data supports all of these claims. Through the first five weeks of the season, Texas is by far the top-rated pass-blocking team in the country, according to PFF. In fact, 2nd place UCF (86.8 PBK grade) is closer to 17th place Clemson (81.4 PBK grade) than it is to Texas (92.4). A big part of that is due to left tackle Kelvin Banks, the SEC’s top-rated offensive lineman, who ranks first in pass blocking rating and is considered a top-15 pick in this year’s NFL Draft.

Texas has an elite group of pass blockers, with all four of the five starters ranking in the top five at their pass blocking positions. This is such an important part of the success of this Steve Sarkisian passing game, which generates 322 yards per game, 10th nationally and behind only Ole Miss and LSU in the SEC, teams that both attempt more passes per game.

The importance of this group of four returning starters and breakout right tackle Cameron Williams cannot be understated. Heading into the bye week, Texas has questions to answer at running back and the defensive side of the ball, but the only question it may have to answer on the offensive line is what great guard combination they should use. With Oklahoma and the Red River Rivalry game looming, Texas has the key to shutting down the Sooners’ biggest strength: their pass rush.

Oklahoma has PFF’s seventh-best pass rush group in the country, just ahead of Texas and behind only Ole Miss in the SEC. The Sooners’ greatest strength is this defense, but especially their ability to get to the quarterback. Oklahoma already has 19 sacks in its five games, and edge rusher R Mason Thomas is first in the conference with 5.5 of them. The Sooners also rank sixth nationally in forced turnovers.

The big difference for Oklahoma, however, is the depth behind Thomas. Senior Ethan Downs is one of the best every-down players, but once you get into a third-and-long sequence, beware. Oklahoma brings a fearsome duo to the top six by adding defensive lineman Gracen Halton and edge rusher Trace Ford, two elite players who specialize in rushing the passer. This is the type of defense that terrorizes an offensive line, but luckily Texas is the best equipped team to stop them.

Texas still isn’t perfect on offense. The Longhorns fall from first to 63rd nationally in blocking the run, a self-fulfilling prophecy given their struggling backfield. One of three things can be true: the team isn’t blocking its running backs well enough, the running backs aren’t good enough, or a mixture of both.

The most likely case is that the two weakest points of this Texas offense are the runners and those who block for them. Texas had to deal with a top-10 run defense in the country in Week 2 against Michigan, but Texas still needs to prove it can consistently run at an elite level. A lot of this has to do with CJ Baxter’s season-ending injury and the struggles with Quintrevion Wisner and Jaydon Blue, but Texas still seems a bit weak in that regard.

The final “issue” that can be found for this offensive line isn’t actually a problem at all, but is definitely a decision that needs to be reviewed. Texas has six offensive linemen who would start on almost any team in the country, with junior Cole Hutson coming off the bench predominantly at right guard in every game this season. According to PFF, Hutson is the team’s highest-rated run blocker behind Banks and has a case for starting ahead of regular right guard DJ Campbell.

Campbell has struggled in the running game, PFF has him lower than any other offensive lineman in the group, but it’s impossible to ignore his skills as a pass blocker.

Campbell, especially against Michigan, was dominant in the trenches, and while he had some issues on penalties, it’s unlikely head coach Steve Sarkisian will make any changes.