They say when a head coach walks into a locker room and lets the truth slip, you better listen. And when Steve Sarkisian pulled back the curtain on Texas’ tight end situation, he didn’t sugarcoat a damn thing. No, we’ll be fine, fluff. Just a raw, unfiltered confession about a roster gap nobody wanted to say out loud. But right when it looked like Texas might let Arch Manning cook with no chef in the kitchen, Sarkisian pulled out a chess move. Quiet. Calculated. And 1,031 yards worth of proof he’s not letting this thing slip.

Behind all the five-star noise and Arch-mania taking over Austin, there was a silent panic. Gunnar Helm? Gone. Amari Niblack? Portal-hopping. What’s left? A TE room looking real dry with guys who ain’t caught a single pass last season. Steve Sarkisian knew the vibes were off. That’s why, when he hit the spring portal, he didn’t just go grab a body—he snagged a dawg. Jack Endries, straight out of Cal, fresh off 1,031 yards in a Golden Bears uniform.

“Mike, I’m gonna go—and I’m gonna stay on the offensive side of the ball—I’m gonna go with Jack Endries,” Steven Lassan said on That SEC Football Podcast when asked about what was the biggest transfer portal flex for Steve Sarkisian’s squad. Steven Lassan doubled down on it too: “Mike, you know Arch Manning is the world’s greatest quarterback. He’s just getting more weapons with another pass-catching tight end. That was a question mark for Texas this spring, so I just love what he brought to the table on Cal’s offense. It was kind of an up-and-down group last year, but he was an honorable mention All-ACC guy. He can stretch the field. He’s really a receiving tight end.” Facts.

The former Cal tight end flew under the radar all last season, but his numbers were screaming. Endries racked up 623 yards on 56 catches and added two touchdowns. He was Cal’s top weapon—a steady, reliable route-runner who became a QB’s best friend. His game against Pitt? Career-high 118 yards. The man was consistent and gritty.

And let’s not play like Sark didn’t admit it straight up: “I would say the one room that we probably have our biggest question mark in is in the tight end room. So the offense is there.” Translation? We got WRs, we got Arch, but TE? That was a damn crisis. Jordan Washington and Spencer Shannon are still learning what the field looks like. Neither logged a catch in 2024. Sark wasn’t about to bet a championship run on dudes with zero production. Not with Arch’s legacy and the program’s playoff dreams on the line.

Look, Endries is that receiving tight end Sark needed. He’s not a blocker who occasionally catches a pass. He’s a legit route-runner who can attack zones, body up defenders, and keep the chains moving. For a QB stepping into his first full season as the face of the program, that’s gold. Especially with a Texas offense full of new faces. Gunnar Helm led the room last year with 786 yards and 7 TDs. This isn’t a fluke grab. Sarkisian made a business move, and it screams: ‘We comin’ back harder.’

Steve Sarkisian adds another key piece for Arch Manning’s offense

Turns out Jack Endries wasn’t the only toy Sarkisian slid into Arch’s arsenal. Man’s out here building an Avengers-level offense through the portal—and the next one up? Emmett Mosley. Another weapon. Another slick addition. Steven Lassan laid it down, “It’s not just going out and getting a playmaker at tight end… Emmett Mosley, the receiver from Stanford—he was one of the top freshmen in the ACC last year.”

Mosley’s stats aren’t just numbers—they’re low-key disrespectful for a freshman. 48 grabs, 525 yards, 6 scores—all in nine games. But it was the how he did it. When Stanford clashed with ranked Louisville, Mosley dropped 168 yards and 3 TDs like it was nothing. Mosley was moving like a Madden glitch. And now? He’s teaming up with Arch, under a coach who actually knows how to use him. That’s scary hours for SEC DBs.

Texas didn’t stop there. Everybody in Austin is still haunted by the Peach Bowl kick debacle. Not gonna lie, that missed field goal had Steve Sarkisian on choke. So what does Sark do? Goes and grabs Mason Shipley from Texas State. Mason Shipley’s been automatic—31-of-35 on field goals in his career. 3-of-4 from 50+. Reliable as hell. No more close your eyes and pray situations. This offense has just gained another level of trust.

With the WR group locked, the TE question answered, and a kicker that doesn’t fold in crunch time, the only thing left is chemistry. That’s where Sarkisian’s coaching gets tested. Arch got the keys, but Sark filled the passenger seats with dogs who know how to ride. This Texas team isn’t just reloading. They rebranded. They know they have unfinished business after that playoff L to Ohio State. Sark ain’t bluffing. He’s stacking weapons for a war. And when you’ve got a Manning under center, the only real question is: Who wants smoke?