Jamaal Charles was a true freshman on the last Texas team to win a national championship, so he knows what it takes to go all the way. The former NFL running back and Longhorns legend advises current Texas players to continue to buy into coach Steve Sarkisian and his system, preaches unselfishness and emphasizes the importance of discipline. It also helps matters to have a Manning under center, which will be the case this season when Arch takes over as the Longhorns’ full-time starting quarterback.
Texas Legend Jamaal Charles Talks Arch Manning, Longhorns’ Title Hopes originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
ATLANTA — Jamaal Charles was a true freshman on the last Texas team to win a national championship, so he knows what it takes to go all the way. The former NFL running back and Longhorns legend advises current Texas players to continue to buy into coach Steve Sarkisian and his system, preaches unselfishness and emphasizes the importance of discipline.
It also helps matters to have a Manning under center, which will be the case this season when Arch takes over as the Longhorns’ full-time starting quarterback. Charles doesn’t think there’s much pressure on Manning’s shoulders, though, given the playing time he saw last season.
“A lot of people are talking, like ‘When we gon’ see him? When we gon’ see him?’ So now he knows he’s the man,” Charles told Athlon Sports, speaking on behalf of Bush’s Baked Beans. “When you know you the man, you really don’t have a big chip, you just gotta show up and play — and he knows how to show up and play. He got it in his lineage. He got it in his family tree, so he is the future now, and I think everybody is hype to see him.”
The scene at SEC media days on Tuesday certainly backs up the idea of Manning mania. The nephew of Peyton and Eli was swarmed by reporters at his press availabilities. Manning tantalized across two starts and 10 appearances last season, and Charles said the QB is an easy figure for the team to rally around as it vies for its first title since 2005.
Still, Charles pointed to a different area as Texas’ biggest strength.
“I think it’s the trenches on both sides, the D-line and the offensive line,” Charles said. “With [Colin] Simmons being on the D-end, he’s kinda scary. You don’t want to be in no third and long. He’s definitely a game-changer.”
Charles, who boasts the fifth-most career rushing yards in Longhorns history, is also excited about the potential of the running back duo of Quintrevion Wisner and CJ Baxter. He said each brings out the best in the other, adding that Wisner’s success last season with Baxter sidelined by a knee injury is only going to bring the best out of Baxter as he returns to the field.
Texas hasn’t had a problem putting up points with Sarkisian calling the shots. Charles compared Sarkisian’s offense to that of Chiefs coach Andy Reid, whom he played for in the NFL.
“They give their speedmakers plays, and that’s what you need to do,” Charles said. “You got a speedster on any team, you gotta get him the ball because he can be a game-changer. Speed is definitely something you can’t coach.”
Sarkisian’s coaching has seen the Longhorns make back-to-back College Football Playoff appearances and post a 25-5 record over the past two seasons. Texas acquitted itself well in its inaugural season in the SEC, dropping just one regular-season game to perennial powerhouse Georgia. After falling short in the CFP semifinal for the second year in a row, Sarkisian secured the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation, a group that was reinforced with a class of impact transfers.
“He knows how to bring the right players together,” Charles said. “He brings people in that fit his program, his system, and that’s what you gotta do. In college, it’s not like the pros where guys can stay six to eight years. He only has, most of the time, two or three years to develop a kid and to be able to do that — that’s amazing because to be able to develop kids in two or three years and try to win a national championship, that’s pretty hard.”
A title is the goal for the Longhorns, and they’ll begin their quest on Aug. 30 at defending national champion Ohio State, the same team that sent them home in the semifinals. The only other time the Longhorns have visited Columbus was that storied 2005 season.
Charles drew a comparison between the 2025 Buckeyes and the 2006 Longhorns given the production that both teams lost from title-winning rosters.
“They got a lot of shoes to fill even though they got some playmakers,” Charles said. “They gon’ make plays, but us having that chip on our shoulder, some of our players coming back that played in the game, it’s gonna be a good matchup.”
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: General Sports
