Wait so ESPN has Texas Tech falling in their way-too-early Top 25 without Brendan Sorsby and I'm supposed to care? The Red Raiders went 6-7 last year and somehow losing their QB is the headline while Texas is sitting there with a 5-star QB in Dia Bell coming in and nobody wants to talk about what that actually means for the special teams battle in this state. Texas finished 2025 ranked 23rd in net punting average at 42.1 yards per punt which is solid but not elite and that's exactly where the Longhorns need to improve if they want to close the gap on Georgia. The Bulldogs ranked 4th nationally in punt return defense allowing just 4.2 yards per return and that field position advantage is what wins tight SEC games. Texas has the talent at kicker to be top-10 in field goal percentage after hitting 84% last season but the coverage units were inconsistent giving up 22.3 yards per kick return which ranked 67th nationally. That's not going to cut it when you're playing Alabama and Oklahoma and trying to win a conference title. The special teams coordinator needs to have these guys locked in during summer workouts because one blocked punt or one blown coverage in the fourth quarter against a top-5 team is the difference between the CFP and another 10-win season that feels like a disappointment. Texas has the horses to be special but the margins are thin.