After getting a firsthand view of Texas’s Orange-White spring game Saturday afternoon, one prominent ESPN football analyst came away thoroughly impressed.
Former Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III heaped immense praise on Steve Sarkisian’s club looking ahead to a pivotal 2023 season.
“Just called the Texas Spring Game and Sark has this team ready to win a Big 12 Championship and contend for a National Championship,” Griffin tweeted.
Those are pretty strong words from a Heisman Trophy winner who attended a conference rival in Baylor.
The Longhorns, who went 8-5 in 2022 in Sarkisian’s second season at Texas, are among the early betting contenders to win the College Football Playoff championship this upcoming season.
Texas, which came within one point of upsetting mighty Alabama last season, will get a second crack at the Crimson Tide in the second game of its 2023 season, in Tuscaloosa on Sept. 9.
Success for the Longhorns likely will hinge on quarterback Quinn Ewers taking the next step in his second season in Austin. On Saturday, he was tabbed the starter for 2023, beating out highly touted Arch Manning.
Just called the Texas Spring Game and Sark has this team ready to win a Big 12 Championship and contend for a National Championship.
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) April 15, 2023
Still, the Longhorns will need to replace Doak Walker Award winner Bijan Robinson, who led the team with 1,580 rushing yards last season.
Despite the loss of Robinson, Ewers will have star wideout Xavier Worthy making plays downfield. However, Sarkisian will need to balance the immense expectations of fans who were hoping Manning would be under center in his freshman campaign.