If you’ve been keeping up with the Longhorns this offseason, you’d know that the offensive line is one of the major concerns coming into the year.

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Texas replaces four starters with two familiar faces and two relative unknowns, and the players behind them are an even harder task to predict. While there’s confidence in how this group can play in the run game and the experience some of the new starters possess, depth and health have been major concerns as of late.

Outside of backup C Connor Robertson, there was a lot unknown about the backup spots on the line. Most offenses prefer eight players in their OL rotation—a backup at tackle, guard, and center—but with the injury to Andre Cojoe in camp, it felt like Texas had six players they could confidently rely on.

But today, in head coach Steve Sarkisian’s press conference, fans got a much-needed piece of confidence and clarity from the shot-caller of the offense.

“I’ve been really impressed with Connor Stroh. I thought he’s had a really nice training camp,” Sarkisian said. “You know, Connor Robertson is another guy who’s had a really good training camp. I think Jaydon Chatman has really come on over the last two and a half weeks. So those three guys, on top of those other five, I feel very comfortable with.”

Stroh has been a fascinating case study this offseason. Known as one of the poster children of OL coach Kyle Flood’s “big human beings” recruiting strategy, Stroh had been stuck on the three-deep his first two years in college. Now, as a redshirt sophomore, Stroh has been mentioned by Sarkisian twice in the past two press conferences as one of the team’s most developed players since last season. Stroh now seems to have the reins over the backup guard spot.

Chatman is another name we’ve become more confident with over the last few weeks. According to our sources, he’s really turned it on in practice to win that OT3 spot. With starting LT Trevor Goosby already dealing with injury problems (though he will play this weekend), having confidence in his backup spot is vital. Chatman should at least be an average option at a backup tackle spot that, at one poin,t looked like the weakest on the team.

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There’s still reason for reluctance with this group. It’s going to be a brand-new one that faces the Buckeyes this weekend, and most depth behind it features unfamiliar faces. But with the energy of the team and Sark at today’s press conference, it’s hard not to buy into what has been developed on the offense going forward.