Ole Miss' Pete Golding Sees More Than Just Poor Execution in Texas' Offense

Texas’ offensive problems have been blamed on just about everything this season. From the criticisms surrounding Steve Sarkisian and his quarterback to a ground game that just can’t get going, the list is seemingly never-ending.

But Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding believes there’s one factor that most might miss.

Bad luck.

Pete Golding Isn’t Too Quick to Underestimate the Texas Offense

During a Monday media availability, Golding suggested that the Longhorns’ offensive inconsistencies haven’t always been the result of poor execution or playcalling, but rather unfortunate bounces and missed opportunities.

“I think what’s unique about this year to me is when you watch them on tape, they’ve had a lot of bad luck,” Golding said.

Golding specifically pointed to passes hitting receivers in stride, only to be dropped or deflected into an incompletion or interception. And looking back on Texas’ season, there are certainly examples that support his assessment.

Perhaps the most obvious case is the Cam Coleman drop that miraculously landed in the hands of Ohio State safety Jaylen McClain. 

Later in the first half, another missed opportunity occurred when Arch Manning had an open Ryan Wingo for a touchdown. Wingo dropped the pass, and Texas was forced to settle for a field goal.

And these aren’t necessarily isolated incidents.

According to SEC StatCat, Texas has recorded 14 dropped passes through six games, with Manning holding an 8.6% drop percentage. His adjusted completion percentage, which accounts for drops and other factors that may deflate a completion percentage, sits at 72.8% — his regular completion percentage sits at 61.7% for comparison.

While those numbers provide some support for Golding’s assessment, they don’t necessarily mean Manning has been let down by his team all season. 

Golding's perspective is particularly interesting considering his familiarity with Sarkisian.

The two worked together under Nick Saban at Alabama, with Sarkisian serving as the team's offensive coordinator and Golding as the defensive coordinator. Having seen what his former colleague is capable of firsthand, Golding remains confident in both him and Manning.

“I think somehow it’s been lost that they beat the No. 1 team in the country,” Golding said. "They were the No. 1 team in the country at some point, and they haven’t played perfect. But Arch is still an elite player. They’ve got elite skill and a really, really good coach. So we’re going to have our work cut out for us."

Golding Still Recognizes Texas’ Weaknesses

While Golding remains confident in Sarkisian and Manning and believes some of Texas’ misfortunes can be chalked up to bad luck, he hasn’t overlooked the weaknesses opposing defenses have exposed.

He acknowledged that defenses have had success applying pressure and taking away Manning’s initial reads. Golding also pointed to Texas’ struggles to establish the running game in recent weeks, which have limited Sarkisian’s ability to set up play-action passes.

For Ole Miss, Golding believes the key will be stopping the run with four defenders and creating negative plays on early downs. That would force Texas into more obvious passing situations without requiring the Rebels to commit additional defenders to the box and risk leaving the Longhorns’ talented receivers in favorable one-on-one matchups.

Golding's comments offer some insight into how opposing coaches might evaluate Texas. Despite the Longhorns' recent performances, their talent and coaching remain highly regarded. Still, defenses have also identified vulnerabilities that can be exploited.

With Texas now 4–2 and its playoff hopes hanging in the balance, the Longhorns have to prove they can overcome those weaknesses and turn that on-paper potential into actual production.

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