Early look: What to like about No. 24 Texas in 2017

Each week, USA TODAY Sports will give a more detailed look at the teams listed on our early top 25 for the 2017 college football season.

Up next: No. 24 Texas. Led by a new head coach, Tom Herman, the Longhorns are built to win eight-plus games during the regular season. Of course, that’s what we expected in Charlie Strong’s debut — and Strong, now at South Florida, had three losing seasons in as many tries at Texas.

Why No. 24?

1. No major philosophical changes. It will help Herman and his offensive staff that Strong opted for a wholesale move to a spread-based offensive system before last season. Though the move didn’t save Strong’s job — and though the offense wasn’t nearly as productive as needed — the shift will pay dividends as Herman installs his potent scheme during the offseason. The learning curve will be far less dramatic than at the same point during the previous two seasons, basically.

2. Enough talent is there.

Each of the Longhorns’ past two signing class (not including the 2017 class inked on Wednesday) ranked inside the top 15 nationally, according to most recruiting services. In other words, the new coaching staff is inheriting a tremendous level of talent, even if not quite up to the program’s high standard from a decade ago. But talent has never been a question for Texas.

3. Herman’s done it before. And done so in the very recent past, in fact. Just two years ago, Herman inherited an underachieving Houston team and won 13 games, capping his first season as a head coach with a Peach Bowl win against Florida State. This isn’t to compare Houston with Texas — they’re different animals, obviously, and winning at one isn’t necessarily a guarantee you’ll succeed at the other.

But there’s something to be said of Herman’s experience in rapid turnarounds. While this sets up high expectations for 2017, that’s nothing new; expectations are always high at Texas. They’re simply higher heading into the start of Herman’s tenure, thanks in no small part to his effectiveness of quickly leading the Cougars to a New Year’s Six bowl.

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Why not higher?

1. Huge room for improvement. Let’s remember: Texas is 16-21 during the past three seasons, in the bottom half of the Big 12 Conference, and as far away from title contention as at any point in two decades. So it’s not going to be as simple as flipping a light switch to turn a three-year stretch of losing seasons into a top-25 finish.

2. The schedule. There’s Southern California to deal with in nonconference play, but the Big 12 schedule is a bigger concern. Texas will play road games against Baylor, TCU and West Virginia, three opponents set to occupy the same general area as the Longhorns — somewhere between bowl eligibility and the potential for a national ranking. Oklahoma comes in neutral-site Dallas and Oklahoma State at home, but beating either team will be a tall order.

3. Defense might need time. The metrics weren’t awful for last year’s defense, which ranked in the middle of the pack nationally in yards allowed per play despite living in the offense-heavy Big 12, but to contend for conference titles and New Year’s Six berths will demand a massive step forward defensively. Hiring Todd Orlando as coordinator is a great starting point. Nonetheless, look for the offense to remain a step ahead of the defense.

Biggest games

►Vs. Kansas State, Oct. 7

►Vs. Oklahoma (in Dallas), Oct. 14

►At Baylor, Oct. 28

Three players to know

1. OT Connor Williams. It’s strange to think that Williams has excelled in relative anonymity despite playing at Texas. But he’s easily one of college football’s elite offensive tackles.

2. LB Malik Jefferson. His sophomore season didn’t go as expected, but Jefferson has every tool needed to challenge for All-America accolades before moving to the next level.

3. RB Chris Warren. He’ll likely be the back tasked with replacing D’Onta Foreman in the starting lineup, though it’ll take a by-committee approach to duplicate Foreman’s production.

PRESEASON TOP 25 TEAMS FOR 2017