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Texas Football: 5 takeaways from successful 2018 season

By Andrew Miller

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JANUARY 01: P.J. Locke III #11 of the Texas Longhorns celebrates with teammates after intercepting a Georgia Bulldogs pass during the second half of the Allstate Sugar Bowl at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on January 01, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JANUARY 01: P.J. Locke III #11 of the Texas Longhorns celebrates with teammates after intercepting a Georgia Bulldogs pass during the second half of the Allstate Sugar Bowl at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on January 01, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) /
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AUSTIN, TX – SEPTEMBER 22: Shawn Robinson #3 of the TCU Horned Frogs is tackled short of the goal line by Caden Sterns #7 of the Texas Longhorns and Brandon Jones #19 in the second half at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on September 22, 2018 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
AUSTIN, TX – SEPTEMBER 22: Shawn Robinson #3 of the TCU Horned Frogs is tackled short of the goal line by Caden Sterns #7 of the Texas Longhorns and Brandon Jones #19 in the second half at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on September 22, 2018 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) /

5. Recruiting can make an immediate impact

The reliance on freshman talent for Texas football wasn’t as strong as the offensive side of the ball as it was on defense. But, even the offense got some immeasurable contributions from incoming freshmen that helped it to become more efficient than it ever previously was under Herman or Strong. Freshman running back Keaontay Ingram is a good example of the immediate impact felt from just one player.

However, possibly the biggest impact on either side of the ball from an incoming freshman came from the nation’s top rated safety recruit for the 2018 cycle, Caden Sterns. Fellow former five-star freshman safety B.J. Foster also helped to establish a new standard of success for first-year defensive players.

Beyond what Foster, Sterns, and Ingram brought to the table for the Horns, there were some valuable contributions that will extend to 2019 and beyond from this 2018 recruiting class. Freshmen wide receivers D’shawn Jamison and Josh Moore might’ve been limited due to other skill position standouts playing, and injuries, but their presence will be felt in 2019.

If you consider the impact from first-year Texas football players altogether, the impact felt from all freshmen and transfers was absolutely pivotal to the success on the field in 2018. Running back Tre Watson and offensive tackle Calvin Anderson did a magnificient job filling departed talent and positional holes all while exceeding any expectations they had on them as graduate transfers.

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