<\/p>\n
Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) talks to receiver Cam Coleman (8) during practice on fan day at Darrell K Royal\u2013Texas Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Aril 18, 2026 in Austin.<\/p>\n
Aaron E. Martinez\/Austin American-Statesman<\/p>\n
For the Texas football<\/a> team, this is a game week. Finally.<\/p>\n Last week, however, was a mock week. When it came to its schedule and practices, Texas acted as if a game was happening. The team even stayed in a hotel Friday and went through its pregame routine Saturday.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n MORE: Subscribe to the Statesman’s Texas sports newsletter<\/a><\/p>\n The concept of a mock week isn\u2019t new, but it may have served a greater purpose for the Longhorns this season. As head coach Steve\u00a0Sarkisian pointed out Monday as UT prepared for\u00a0Saturday\u2019s opener against Texas State<\/a>, the Longhorns welcomed nearly 50 newcomers into their program this offseason.<\/p>\n “When you look at 48 scholarship additions on our roster, how we go about a game week is new to them. It’s foreign to them,” Sarkisian said. “I thought the mock week was very important.”<\/p>\n Two of the newcomers that partook in their first mock week at Texas were transfer receivers Cam Coleman and Sterling\u00a0Berkhalter. The same could be said for freshmen pass catchers\u00a0Jermaine Bishop Jr., Kohen Brown and Chris Stewart.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n NO. 5 TEXAS VS. TEXAS STATE<\/p>\n When\/where:\u00a02:30 p.m. Saturday at Royal-Memorial Stadium<\/p>\n TV\/radio:\u00a0ESPN; 1300 AM, 98.1 FM.<\/p>\n Those fresh faces in the Texas receiving corps\u00a0will look to emerge in a passing attack that returns a\u00a0Heisman Trophy candidate in quarterback Arch Manning<\/a>. Ryan Wingo, who led the Longhorns with 54\u00a0receptions, 834 receiving yards and seven touchdown catches is back. The Longhorns also retained the services of Emmett\u00a0Mosley V after his 28-catch season that included a game-winning touchdown at Mississippi State.<\/p>\n Texas, though, still needs to replace 57.4% of last season’s receptions. That\u2019s where someone like Coleman, an Auburn transfer and possible first-round draft pick<\/a>, is expected to emerge.<\/p>\n MORE: Arch Manning hosted Texas football\u00a0WRs in New Orleans. Here’s where they ate<\/a><\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Coleman and his fellow newcomers, however, will head into the opener without an established connection with Manning. Sure, there have been practices \u2014 Manning was limited during the spring as he recovered from foot surgery \u2014 and a trip the receivers took to see their quarterback in New Orleans this summer, but that\u2019s different than a game.<\/p>\n On Monday,\u00a0Sarkisian was asked what\u2019s the key to a quarterback developing a rapport with a new receiver. A former quarterback himself\u00a0who transferred to BYU before his junior year<\/a>, Sarkisian insisted that off-field work is as important as on-field reps.<\/p>\n “Ryan and Arch and Emmett and Arch, they’ve got banked reps,” Sarkisian said. “Cam, I give him a lot of credit, he’s been very intentional to be close to Arch, and I think Arch has been intentional with him as well because they know they’ve got some ground to make up. I think their rapport is really good. I would say time on task (is important), physical and non-physical time on task of just being with one another.”<\/p>\n Texas wide receiver Cam Coleman (8) catches a pass while running drills during Longhorns football practice at Frank Denius Fields in Austin, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026.<\/p>\n Mikala Compton\/Austin American-Statesman<\/p>\n Texas QB Arch Manning: ‘Cam wants to be great’<\/p>\n When asked the same question as his coach, Manning later echoed\u00a0Sarkisian’s sentiments. “(It’s) definitely really important building rapport,” he said. Manning later told reporters\u00a0that Coleman responds well to criticism<\/a>, which is something he learned while spending time with the receiver during the\u00a0offseason.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n “Cam wants to be great, which is a good thing,” Manning said. “He takes coaching well. I can yell at him. I can also say whatever I want to him. He doesn’t care. He wants to be great. So it’s nice having that.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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