If … Jake Smith plays like the next Devin Duvernay.
The Longhorns will still need efficiency, though, and last season they got that primarily from the quick pass. Slot man (and new Baltimore Raven) Duvernay enjoyed an unreal 64% success rate over his 130 pass targets; he could take a horizontal pass and burst upfield better than anyone. Blue-chip sophomore Smith backed him up and enjoyed a 56% success rate — if he can continue to help UT stay on schedule and pick up easy yards, the deep shots are that much more likely to succeed.
Jake Smith just might be the straw that stirs the drink in 2020. The former Gatorade Player of the Year will be looking for a breakthrough performance in 2020. In limited playing time during his freshman season, Smith caught 25 passes in nine games. He averaged 11 yards per reception and scored six touchdowns. That tied Eagles for second most touchdown receptions behind Duvernay.
Smith and Whittington both will be key but given how Jake performed in 2019, it is hard to believe he won’t build on that this season.