Texas Football: 3 big overreactions after UT’s dominant win vs. Texas Tech

Texas’ 2023 class will wind up being the most impactful of any in the Power Five

This was a huge game for Texas’ true freshmen from the 2023 recruiting class in the 50-point win over Texas Tech. On both sides of the ball, true freshmen were able to get in the game and make impactful plays.

On defense, Texas saw true freshman cornerback Malik Muhammad and linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. make multiple big plays that helped to shape the trajectory of the game in the first half. Muhammad snatched the football from Texas Tech wide receiver Jerand Bradley for his first career pick on an insane play in the first half.

Hill, meanwhile, was extremely productive with three defensive stops, no missed tackle, two money down stops, and one sack. Hill was also spectacular in pass coverage, giving up just two receptions and one receiving yard on three targets.

On offense, Texas got true freshman quarterback Arch Manning his first live-game reps of the season as early as late in the third quarter against Texas Tech. Arch got in the game with Texas up big in the third quarter since redshirt freshman quarterback Maalik Murphy suffered an upper-body injury on an accidental collision on the sidelines after a Texas kick return.

The crowd at DKR was pumped up for the entire fourth quarter with Arch in the game. And rightly so.

Arch led a Texas touchdown drive on his first possession of the game under center.

It’s also noteworthy that true freshman running back Tre Wisner got the first rushing touchdown of his career to cap off that scoring drive Arch led on his first possession in the second half.

It was great to see so many true Texas freshmen on both sides of the ball making impactful plays against a bowl-eligible Power Five team. These late-season reps are rare to get in this type of game, but they are ultra-valuable for Texas’ true freshman from the 2023 class.