Texas Longhorns Reload Running Back Room With Portal Additions

Steve Sarkisian brought in Arizona State's Raleek Brown and NC State's Hollywood Smothers to bolster the backfield.

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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After losing several key running backs to the transfer portal, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian rebuilt the team's running back room by adding Arizona State transfer Raleek Brown and NC State transfer Hollywood Smothers. Sarkisian believes the two experienced, explosive running backs will help the Longhorns return to being the type of explosive offense they are accustomed to.

Why it matters

The Longhorns struggled to consistently run the ball effectively against elite defenses in 2024, despite having talented players like Quintrevion Wisner and CJ Baxter. The departures of those players, along with others, left Texas needing to add speed and game-changing ability to the backfield.

The details

Sarkisian brought in Brown and Smothers to fix the Longhorns' rushing woes. Brown, who played at Arizona State in 2025, had a breakaway percentage of 45.8% and 31 runs of 10+ yards. Smothers, an Oklahoma signee who transferred from NC State, had a breakaway percentage of 52.3% and 24 runs of 10+ yards last season. The two have already developed a close relationship since arriving in Austin in January.

  • In 2024, Texas struggled to run the ball effectively against elite defenses.
  • In January 2026, Brown and Smothers enrolled early at Texas after transferring from Arizona State and NC State, respectively.

The players

Steve Sarkisian

The head coach of the Texas Longhorns football team.

Raleek Brown

A transfer running back from Arizona State who joined Texas in 2026.

Hollywood Smothers

A transfer running back from NC State who joined Texas in 2026.

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What they’re saying

“We have to get back to being the explosive offense that we're accustomed to be.”

— Steve Sarkisian, Head Coach, Texas Longhorns (burntorangenation.com)

“NIL didn't play a big factor for me... I honestly just want to win. And I feel like we are in the best position to go win it all with the talent and depth at Texas.”

— Hollywood Smothers (On3)

What’s next

The Longhorns will look to Brown and Smothers to provide an immediate boost to the running game and help the offense return to being an explosive unit in 2026.

The takeaway

By adding two experienced, explosive running backs in Brown and Smothers, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian has rebuilt the team's backfield with the goal of restoring the Longhorns' identity as a dominant rushing attack.