The Texas Longhorns position battles entering 2026 carry outsized consequences for the offense and the defense.
Key roster notes and camp developments are laid out in the linked report Sports Illustrated and form the basis of this local beat analysis as Austin prepares for kickoff.
Key Takeaways
- The Longhorns finished the 2025 season with 1,791 rushing yards, the program’s lowest total under the current staff.
- Transfers Raleek Brown and Hollywood Smothers reshaped the running back room after multiple departures to the portal.
- Left guard is a live competition with several experienced transfers and returning players vying for one starting spot.
- The safety rotation features veteran Jelani McDonald alongside several candidates, including a corner-to-safety conversion drawing praise in camp.
Texas Longhorns position battles shaping the 2026 roster
These Texas Longhorns position battles will determine how balanced the offense is and how reliable the defense can be across a long SEC slate.
Stability at quarterback is a plus, but unresolved spots across the trenches and in the secondary create ripple effects that could alter playcalling and personnel groupings early in the season.
Running back room showdown
Establishing a consistent run game was a major objective after the Longhorns finished 2025 with just 1,791 rushing yards and failed to top 100 rushing yards in five games.
Texas rebuilt the backfield via the transfer market, bringing in Raleek Brown — a 2025 First-Team All-Big 12 performer who surpassed 1,000 yards at his previous school — and Hollywood Smothers, who had multiple 100-yard outings and heavy-carry games a season ago.
Those veteran additions change the young-player timeline and set a higher bar for production than the unit showed last year.
Behind the transfers, spring and fall camp reps have elevated several internal options, and a five-star freshman has drawn public praise for his physicality and grasp of the offense.
How the staff blends two experienced transfers with emerging youth will determine whether the rushing attack complements the passing game or merely supplements it.
Left guard battle for the starting job
The left guard spot remains one of the clearest uncertainties on offense despite depth at other line positions.
Texas added experienced interior options and also kept a familiar face when an established veteran returned to the roster with an extra year of eligibility after recent rulings.
That veteran started the final five games of 2025 and brings nearly 2,000 career snaps of experience, putting him squarely in the conversation against other contenders and roster holdovers who offer continuity with the scheme.
Coaches will weigh proven starting experience against recent performance in practice and schematic fit when making the early-season call.
Safety depth and Kobe Black transition
The safety group is one of the more intriguing competitions on the roster with a senior leader anchoring the unit and multiple candidates pushing for roles beside him.
Jelani McDonald returns as the veteran presence and is on a national defensive award watch list, which sets expectations for the room’s playmaking and leadership.
Other rotation candidates bring different traits: a physically capable defender with meaningful snaps, a rangy athlete with coverage upside, and a player who moved from cornerback to safety and recently took his first substantial live reps at the new position.
Camp reports noted that the positional transition included an emphasis on tackling and run-read responsibilities, and staff feedback on recent scrimmages indicated that some of the new-look safety reps handled those demands well.
Rushing and transfer context
| Category | Verified 2025 / 2026 context |
|---|---|
| Team rushing total (2025) | 1,791 yards, the lowest total under the current staff |
| Running backs transferred in for 2026 | Raleek Brown (First-Team All-Big 12 in 2025), Hollywood Smothers (multiple 100-yard games in 2025) |
| Running backs lost via portal | Quintrevion Wisner, CJ Baxter Jr. Jerrick Gibson, Christian Clark departed before 2026 |
How position battles influence Texas’ CFP and SEC path
These position decisions matter for the Longhorns’ College Football Playoff hopes because offensive balance and secondary reliability will shape game plans against leading SEC opponents.
Roster construction this offseason — especially at left guard and in the backfield — will influence recruiting conversations and how the staff allocates snaps early in the season, which in turn affects short-term competitiveness and long-term depth.
Winning clean competitions in these areas improves Texas’ margin for error in conference play and gives more flexibility when facing top-tier defenses in late-season matchups.
