Now a starter, Trevor Goosby works on building identity for Longhorns offensive line

AUSTIN (KXAN) — "I gotta protect my guy."

Those words from Texas left tackle Trevor Goosby are music to Arch Manning's ears as the Longhorns' rebuilt offensive line heads into 2025 with plenty of questions. After performing well last season when called upon, Goosby will be a main component of the unit alongside DJ Campbell, the only returning starter from last year's squad.

He made two starts late in the 2024 season against Texas A&M, filling in for an injured Kelvin Banks Jr., and then in the SEC championship game for an injured Cam Williams.

Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian said before training camp began that while not a "finished product," Goosby has "developed incredibly."

"When he arrived, he was around 270 pounds," Sarkisian said. "Here he is today, just under 320 pounds. He still has his athleticism, and he plays tough and physical. He's very mature and he's grown into a natural leader for us."

The transition to a full-time starter, not just a guy who fills in due to injury, has Goosby's confidence sky-high.

"I think I'm taking a lot more pride, being the starter," he said. "Every little thing matters, what time you go to bed, how much you hydrate, and just being prepared."

Protecting Manning's blind side is one thing, but Goosby is interested in keeping others clean, too. He takes just as much pride in no one touching the running backs as he does the quarterbacks.

"We're a really gritty O-line," he said. "We want to move people off the ball and establish that identity."

Goosby knows that the work he puts in now, when the Texas sun is blazing and the air almost has a dampness to it, will help them get to where they want to be in early 2026.

"God gives me 24 hours, what am I gonna do with it?" he said. "I'm gonna be the best version of myself, and I do it for my family, too. I have people who are counting on me, and that really keeps me going."