Texas football returns second most production in Big 12 in 2020
The proven experience that the Texas football program brings back for the 2020 season could be a big determining factor on their hopes in the Big 12.
This should be a very prominent season for the Texas football program in 2020. Depending on how alterations and adjustments in the midst of the novel coronavirus pandemic impact the looming 2020 regular season slate, the Longhorns could be facing another appearance in the Big 12 Championship Game and potential dark horse status in College Football Playoff contention.
One major reason why the Longhorns could be considered a dark horse contender to nab a spot in the College Football Playoff this season and appear in the conference title game is all the proven experience that is returning to the Forty Acres. Texas brings back notable stars like rising senior quarterback Sam Ehlinger, junior safety Caden Sterns, and junior linebacker Joseph Ossai. And they also have an abundance of developing former blue chip recruits that could come to prominence this fall.
According to former SB Nation college football writer/analyst (now with ESPN) Bill Connelly, the Longhorns return the second most production of any Big 12 team in 2020. The only team that returns more production this fall in the Big 12 is the Oklahoma State Cowboys. They are led by returning stars like senior wide receiver Tylan Wallace and redshirt junior running back Chuba Hubbard.
Texas is tied with three other teams to crack the top 20 for most returning production in the FBS. The three other programs Texas is tied with the Ball State Cardinals, Purdue Boilermakers, and NC State Wolfpack, each returning 74 percent of their production from last season.
Most of the returning production for the Longhorns is on the defensive side of the ball. They rank in the top 15 in the FBS in returning defensive production (84 percent). That is more than the 66 percent of returning production they have on offense (ranking outside the top 60 in the FBS).
Texas also ranks second behind Oklahoma State in returning defensive production in the Big 12 for the coming season. Oklahoma State returns more than 85 percent of their returning production on defense this year, which ranks in the top 10 in the country.
Most other teams in the Big 12 don’t even rank inside the top 50 in the FBS in returning production this year. That should be a big leg up for the Longhorns come this fall. They didn’t have near as much returning production last year.
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The two best teams in the Big 12 last season, Baylor and Oklahoma, both rank outside the top 80 in the FBS in total returning production. Oklahoma might find a way to replicate that production they lost, but it will be more difficult for Baylor. They also lost the head coach that helped to rebuild their program, and are bringing in former LSU Tigers defensive coordinator Dave Aranda to replace Matt Rhule.