What Is Going On at Texas Right Now?

Texas entered the offseason with national championship expectations, Arch Manning hype and one of the most talented rosters in college football.

Now, two weeks before kickoff, things are getting a little weird in Austin.

Junior linebacker Ty’Anthony Smith has officially been dismissed from the Texas football program for what Steve Sarkisian called “conduct detrimental to the team.” Sarkisian declined to elaborate on exactly what happened, but made it clear the decision was about putting the team first.

That’s not some random player buried on the depth chart, either.

Smith played 450 defensive snaps last season, finishing with 60 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, two forced fumbles and two interceptions. He was especially impressive against Michigan in the Citrus Bowl, recording nine tackles and two interceptions.

With Anthony Hill Jr. and Trey Moore gone to the NFL and Liona Lefau transferring to Colorado, Smith had an opportunity to become an important piece of the linebacker rotation this season. Instead, he’s gone before Texas even plays a game.

And the timeline makes the whole situation even stranger.

Smith missed Texas’ first scrimmage, which Sarkisian initially attributed to illness. Reports also indicated Smith was dealing with personal matters. He then returned to practice and reportedly performed well before suddenly being dismissed.

Then there’s the other drama floating around the program.

A viral post from The Tunnel Longhorns claimed that, in addition to Smith being kicked off the team, the parent of a true freshman was threatening to “expose everything.”

For now, that second situation should be treated carefully. There isn’t enough verified reporting publicly available to know exactly what happened, who the parent is referring to or what supposedly needs to be “exposed.”

But even without jumping to conclusions, the optics aren’t exactly ideal.

Two weeks from opening kickoff, one contributor has been dismissed, there are rumors of another dispute involving a player’s family and Texas isn’t exactly firing on all cylinders during camp.

Sarkisian also described Saturday’s offensive performance as “sloppy,” with Manning struggling with his efficiency early while the Texas defense forced four turnovers.

None of this means Texas’ season is falling apart.

The Longhorns are still loaded with talent, and transfers Rasheem Biles and Justin Cryer give them experienced options at linebacker. Young players like Tyler Atkinson and Kosi Okpala could also see increased opportunities following Smith’s departure.

But Texas is entering a season with enormous expectations, and this isn’t exactly the calm buildup Sarkisian probably envisioned.