Kyle Flood Faces Challenges in Rebuilding Texas Offensive Line
Texas Longhorns’ Offensive Line Struggles: Is Kyle Flood’s Trust Justified?
Steve Sarkisian and Kyle Flood: A Decade of Collaboration
The partnership between Texas Longhorns’ head coach Steve Sarkisian and offensive coordinator Kyle Flood has spanned nearly a decade, a journey that began with the Atlanta Falcons in 2017. Both coaches were in the midst of rebuilding their careers, with Sarkisian coming off a stint with the USC Trojans and Flood taking an assistant offensive line coach position after parting ways with the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.
Successes and Challenges: A Closer Look at the Texas Offensive Line
Since their collaboration began, Sarkisian and Flood have enjoyed significant achievements, including reaching the NFL playoffs and winning a national championship with Alabama. However, recent performances by the Texas offensive line have raised questions about Flood’s recruiting and development strategies, particularly following the departure of four starters from the 2025 season.
Recruitment and Development: Analyzing the Players
Flood’s efforts have led to mixed outcomes for Texas. Center Jake Majors and guard Hayden Conner, legacy players under Flood, became solid if unspectacular contributors, with both struggling to secure long-term NFL positions. Meanwhile, the Longhorns managed to flip Kelvin Banks Jr. and Cam Williams after Mario Cristobal left Oregon for Miami, benefiting Texas considerably with Banks drafted in the first round by the New Orleans Saints.
The 2022 Recruiting Class: Hits and Misses
Most of the landmark 2022 recruiting class, ranked highly at the time, have underperformed. Key players like DJ Campbell showed inconsistent results, not fully living up to their potential. Junior left tackle Trevor Goosby stands out as a successful case of development and evaluation, while others, such as Connor Stroh, have struggled significantly on the field.
Transfer Portal Strategy: A Missed Opportunity?
During Flood’s tenure, the Longhorns have not heavily utilized the transfer portal, missing out on players like USC’s Emmanuel Pregnon, who’s performing admirably for Oregon. Such strategic decisions have led to gaps in depth and development within the team, impacting overall performance.
The Coaching Evaluation: Looking Forward
As the Longhorns continue to navigate through these challenges, questions arise regarding the trust placed in Flood by Sarkisian. The Texas staff believed in the potential of their squad, opting against heavily tapping into the transfer portal, believing their current lineup could meet high standards. Yet, results have not met expectations, prompting a re-evaluation of Flood’s long-term role and the necessity to bolster the roster through versatile recruitment strategies.
With the ongoing season’s obstacles, the focus will remain on whether the coaching staff can adjust strategies to manage the inherent growing pains and position the Longhorns for success, reversing recent setbacks and validating the trust once placed in Flood and his development plans.
