Texas finished 2025 ranked dead last in the conference in punt return average. Not last in the SEC, dead last in the entire Power Four. You cannot win a national title when your punt return game is giving you zero field position help and your coverage units are giving up explosive plays every other week. The Longhorns ranked 94th nationally in net punting average too. That is not a championship number. That is a "hope your offense scores every drive" number.
Meanwhile Indiana won a title because their special teams units were top 15 in nearly every category. Field position margin matters. Hidden yardage matters. Texas has a 5-star QB coming in and an elite defense on paper but if the special teams unit gives up a blocked punt against an SEC opponent the way they did twice last season, none of that matters. The coaching staff brought in a new special teams analyst this offseason and that is fine but the numbers from 2025 are brutal. 112th in turnover margin and 94th in net punting. You fix those two things and Texas is a top 5 team easily. Until then I am not buying the hype.