Joel Klatt Expresses Growing Confidence in Texas Longhorns as 2025 Season Approaches With Championship Expectations and SEC Transition Looming
Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt has never been shy about offering strong opinions on college football, often leaning into bold takes and high standards. And when it comes to the Texas Longhorns, he’s historically been cautious—if not outright skeptical—about their chances of regaining national prominence. But in the lead-up to the 2025 season, something has changed. Klatt is coming around. And now, he believes this Texas team might finally be for real.
“There’s something different about this group,” Klatt said recently on his podcast. “For the first time in a long time, Texas actually looks like a program that’s built to compete at the highest level—not just for a Big 12 title, but for a national championship.”
That statement carries weight. Texas has spent more than a decade trying to live up to the “we’re back” mantra, only to fall short time and again. Under head coaches Charlie Strong and Tom Herman, the Longhorns teased progress but never sustained success. Now, under Steve Sarkisian, the signs of real growth are starting to stick—and Klatt has taken notice.
Klatt pointed to several key reasons behind his newfound confidence in the Longhorns: quarterback depth, trench dominance, play-calling continuity, and most importantly, a culture shift that’s created internal belief and accountability.
At the heart of the team’s transformation is quarterback Quinn Ewers. Klatt has watched Ewers evolve from an overhyped young passer with inconsistent decision-making to a polished, battle-tested leader who nearly carried Texas to a national title game last season. His performance in the 2024 College Football Playoff semifinal loss to Washington—where he threw for over 300 yards—left a lasting impression on Klatt.
“Quinn Ewers is no longer just a talented kid with a strong arm,” Klatt said. “He’s a guy who can read defenses, make big-time throws under pressure, and command the huddle. That growth is what separates good teams from great ones.”
But Klatt’s belief in Texas goes beyond just the quarterback. He’s repeatedly emphasized that college football is won in the trenches, and in his eyes, Texas has developed an SEC-ready offensive and defensive line rotation. That’s crucial as the program makes its long-anticipated move into the Southeastern Conference in 2025.
“This team is finally built like an SEC contender,” Klatt explained. “They’ve got size, depth, and versatility across the line of scrimmage. And that’s where you win games against Alabama, Georgia, LSU—the real heavyweights.”
Indeed, the Longhorns return four of five starters on the offensive line, anchored by All-American candidates Kelvin Banks Jr. and DJ Campbell. On the defensive side, while Byron Murphy II is off to the NFL, T’Vondre Sweat’s return adds both leadership and dominance to the interior front. Linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. and defensive back Terrance Brooks round out what Klatt sees as a potential top-10 defense.
“This defense doesn’t just fly around—they hit, they communicate, they finish,” Klatt said. “There’s a maturity and physicality that you have to have in the SEC, and I think Texas is getting there.”
Another reason for Klatt’s optimism? Steve Sarkisian.
Though Sarkisian’s first season in Austin ended with a disappointing 5-7 record, he’s since orchestrated a methodical rebuild grounded in elite recruiting, staff continuity, and a commitment to player development. Klatt noted that Sarkisian’s offense, long revered for its creativity, now comes paired with disciplined execution.
“Sark’s system has always been good on the whiteboard,” Klatt said. “But now, the players are running it with confidence and rhythm. They know where to be, they trust the reads, and it shows in how efficient they’ve become on third down and in the red zone.”
Texas ranked among the top offenses in the country in 2024, and with weapons like Johntay Cook, Isaiah Bond, and tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders, they’re expected to be even more explosive in 2025—even without stars Xavier Worthy and AD Mitchell, both now in the NFL.
But Klatt’s praise isn’t rooted only in statistics or player grades. He’s been vocal about the intangible things that championship teams possess: identity, resilience, and a sense of collective mission. Texas, he says, finally has that.
“They’ve stopped reading headlines and started doing the dirty work,” Klatt observed. “I’ve talked to people around the program, and there’s this quiet confidence. It’s not hype anymore—it’s belief.”
Klatt admitted that in years past, he viewed Texas as more style than substance. Talented rosters would collapse under pressure. Early season wins would be followed by inexplicable losses. There was flash, but no toughness. Now, he sees a program that’s battle-tested, driven by experience, and aligned from top to bottom.
One of the biggest turning points, in Klatt’s mind, was Texas’ win over Alabama in Tuscaloosa in 2023. It was a game that showed Texas could not only hang with the best—but beat them, physically and mentally. That win, and the lessons from a grueling 2024 campaign, have galvanized the team for what’s next.
“Those moments matter,” Klatt said. “When you go on the road and beat Nick Saban, when you make the College Football Playoff, it builds belief. And belief leads to consistency.”
The 2025 schedule offers no room for complacency. Texas will face a brutal slate of SEC opponents, including matchups against Georgia, Alabama (again), and LSU. But Klatt believes the team’s depth and maturity will help them weather the storm.
“They don’t have to go undefeated to make the Playoff,” he noted. “But they do have to win the big ones, avoid the letdowns, and keep improving. And I think this roster is built to do exactly that.”
Klatt has also highlighted the Longhorns’ strong recruiting pipeline as a reason to believe in their long-term trajectory. Sarkisian’s 2023 and 2024 classes were among the best in the nation, and the 2025 class is shaping up the same way. But more importantly, those recruits are contributing.
“You’re seeing young guys step in and play right away—and play well,” Klatt said. “That’s the sign of a healthy program. They’re not just collecting stars. They’re developing players.”
He also praised the team’s approach to the transfer portal, noting that Texas has filled key holes—particularly at wide receiver and cornerback—without overhauling the core culture of the locker room.
“It’s not just about adding talent,” Klatt said. “It’s about adding the right kind of talent. And Texas seems to have figured that out.”
While he stopped short of guaranteeing a national title, Klatt made it clear that he views Texas as one of the few programs capable of winning it all in 2025.
“Georgia, Ohio State, Oregon, Alabama—and now Texas,” he said. “That’s the tier I’m looking at right now. It’s going to be a battle, but Texas absolutely belongs in that conversation.”
That’s a far cry from Klatt’s tone just a few years ago, when he routinely questioned Texas’ toughness and focus. He now sees a different program—one rooted in structure, belief, and an authentic football identity.
“I’ve been hard on Texas in the past,” Klatt admitted. “But they’ve earned this. They’ve done the work. And I’m buying in.”
For Longhorn fans, Klatt’s shift in tone reflects what they’ve seen growing under the surface for the past few seasons. While national pundits often focused on hype and history, Texas fans have witnessed real growth: better execution, stronger leadership, and a clearer vision.
As the 2025 season kicks off, Texas won’t just be fighting for wins—they’ll be fighting to rewrite the national perception of who they are. And with respected voices like Joel Klatt now on board, the narrative is already beginning to shift.
They’re no longer a sleeping giant. They’re awake. They’re armed. And they’re coming.
