Tag: big 12 football news

Concerns ahead of the matchup between Texas and Texas Tech

Texas played an incredible game against Iowa State, but some of its defensive strategies can be exploited by Texas Tech.

We are one win away from an 11-win season in Austin. The Texas Longhorns (10-1) need a home win over the Texas Tech Red Raiders (6-5) to accomplish that feat.

Texas Tech is having an underwhelming season, but there is reason to take the matchup seriously. Aside from past struggles with Big 12 foes, the Red Raiders have the makeup to give the Longhorns issues through the air.

Last season, the Raiders picked apart the ‘Horns in the short to intermediate game to the tune of 34 points in regulation time. 34 points might not guarantee a win against Texas this year, but would certainly give the team a chance.

Texas’ style of play at cornerback is concerning given what they concede. The Longhorns’ outside-leverage coverage (cornerbacks lining up slightly outside receivers and allowing in-breaking routes) has drawn criticism from multiple football analysts that cover the program, and with good reason.

Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht picked Texas apart with slants last week on his way to 323 passing yards on 24 completions. It was the fourth time in five weeks that the Longhorns’ pass defense allowed 300 passing yards to its opponent.

Next up is a Texas Tech team that loves to throw slants and in-breaking routes. And, if you watched last year’s matchup, the Raiders beat the Longhorns with passes over the middle in 2022.

The Texas defense would be wise to better protect the middle of the field in the passing game this week. If they don’t, we could be in for another back and forth battle on Friday.

Texas defense gets set to take on the No. 5 rush offense in the nation

Kansas State’s rushing attack could put a strain on the Texas defense.

Buckle up for a tough battle. The Texas defense will have a different than usual test this week. Continue reading “Texas defense gets set to take on the No. 5 rush offense in the nation”

Stopping K-State QB Avery Johnson among keys for Texas this week

Can Texas finally stop the quarterback running game this week?

Avery Johnson is a problem. The Kansas State backup quarterback poses a unique challenge to the Texas defense this week. Continue reading “Stopping K-State QB Avery Johnson among keys for Texas this week”

Texas play calling must reach next level with a backup quarterback

The Longhorns can ill afford mediocre game management the rest of the season.

The Texas Longhorns have become predictable this season offensively. They have become beatable on defense. Without starting quarterback Quinn Ewers, the team can no longer be complacent in how it calls plays.

The Longhorns’ offensive predictability became an issue against the Oklahoma Sooners as the team’s biggest rival sat on Texas’ staple plays, forced turnovers and stifled the offense. Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian may not have been predictable to start the Houston game, but the Cougars caught on to what he tried fairly quickly.

Defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski’s coverage-blitz combos appeared to be exposed on Saturday. Kwiatkowski’s defense surrendered underneath passes for significant chunks. And after a masterful start by the defense both in play calling and execution, the unit let the Cougars back into the game.

Sarkisian and Kwiatkowski need to be better on Saturday. They need to be better because they have proven capable. The high standard is one they have already set in their best games as play callers.

Every point matters for the Longhorns now. The team won by one score over the Houston Cougars who should finish in the bottom three of the Big 12 by season’s end. Texas is going to face close games. For the team to reach the conference title, the coaching staff will need to bring its A-game.

Texas begins its most trying stretch of the season against the BYU Cougars (5-2) on Oct. 28 at 2:30 p.m. CT on ABC.

Texas given six-day selection on Kansas State kickoff time

We won’t know the time of the K-State kickoff until after BYU.

The Texas Longhorns (6-1) take on the BYU Cougars (5-2) this week. We know the time for that game. We don’t know the time for next week’s game.

Texas and Kansas State, along with four other Big 12 games, were given a six-day selection for the announced kickoff time. The University of Texas issued the following announcement.

“Kickoff for Texas Football’s Saturday, Nov. 4 home game against Kansas State was announced as a six-day selection by the Big 12 Conference on Monday. The official announcement for network and game time will be made after this weekend’s games have been completed.”

Several games will vie for a premier time slot. One would imagine the final Bedlam game of the foreseeable future between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State would receive preferential treatment. It’s unclear where that preferential treatment would slot the two teams.

Texas could see a night game selection, but will have to wait for that to be revealed. The Longhorns take on BYU this Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT on ABC.

Ranking the remaining quarterbacks Texas has yet to face

It gets easier for Texas after facing Dillon Gabriel.

The Texas Longhorns are past their toughest quarterback test of the season. The Longhorns faced Oklahoma’s Dillon Gabriel. And while the passing stats might indicate they fared alright, the reality is different than the stat sheet.

Gabriel accounted for nearly 400 yards against the Texas offense. Some are hung up on the 55% completion percentage, but try this on for size: Gabriel and company went 6-for-6 in the red zone, scoring all 34 points from within the 20-yard line.

He dominated Texas, but the Longhorns’ remaining slate poses an opportunity for growth and practice. The team faces a couple of the best quarterbacks in the league but also faces average to below average opposing signal callers.

Let’s rank the Longhorns’ remaining quarterbacks on the schedule.

Five takeaways from No. 3 Texas’ 40-14 win over No. 24 Kansas

Texas found new ways to win against Kansas ahead of its biggest conference game of the season.

The No. 3 Texas Longhorns dominated much of their game against the No. 24 Kansas Jayhawks. The score wouldn’t show it, but the total yards comparison reveals how lopsided was the game.

Texas out-gained Kansas 661 to 260 in total yards. Save for a 58-yard Kansas deep-shot and a fumble recovery turned touchdown from Kansas running back Daniel Hishaw, the Jayhawks didn’t get much going in the game. It was a welcomed strong performance ahead of what will be a tougher matchup than we anticipated this week.

The Longhorns looked like many among Texas faithful would want it to look ahead of its annual Red River Rivalry clash this week. Here are a few thoughts on how the game unfolded against Kansas in Austin on Saturday.

Best Week 5 games in every time slot including Texas and Kansas

Conference play heats up with these big games, including No. 3 Texas and No. 24 Kansas.

Conference play is fully underway heading into Week 5. The Texas Longhorns have one of the biggest conference matchups of the week.

No. 3 Texas and No. 24 Kansas clash in a monumental game that could decide each team’s postseason fate among college football’s best. For Kansas, it’s a chance to assert itself as the top dog in the Big 12 conference. And as silly as that may sound, it’s a well-coached, technically sound team that maximizes opportunities.

Kansas gets both Oklahoma and Kansas State at home later in the season. A win over Texas could set the Jayhawks up for a memorable season. The Longhorns have other plans.

Texas enters the game ranked in the Top 4 of the AP Poll for the third straight week. The Longhorns are competing to be in the Top 4 of the initial College Football Playoff poll when it is first released.

Here’s a look at games in each time slot you might want to keep an eye on with Big 12 and national ramifications.

Comparing Texas QB Quinn Ewers in home games and road games

Quinn Ewers’ road completion percentage is 10% higher than at home.

Quinn Ewers is a better quarterback for Texas on the road so far this season. The stats bear it out despite the fact that the Longhorns have faced tougher competition on the road than at home.

Ewers’ road performances from the Alabama and Baylor games were statistically strong. He went 42-for-61 for a 68.8% completion rate with 642 yards and four touchdowns against those two Power Five opponents on the road. That’s championship-level quarterback play that the Longhorns got from the talented signal caller.

At home against Rice and Wyoming, Ewers completed 30 of 51 passes (58.8%) for 391 yards and five touchdown passes. Those simply aren’t winning numbers for Ewers at home no matter how well Wyoming and Rice might fare the rest of the season.

Receivers have played a role in those numbers. The high rate of drops we saw in home games went away against Baylor. The plummeting drop rate against the Bears likely coincides with Ewers throwing more to sure-handed tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders. Sanders has not dropped a pass all season.

Texas might have found a solution to Ewers’ fluctuating completion rate: Get the ball to Sanders. Even so, we would like to see the offense function at a high level at home for the first time in three tries.

Ewers will look to put up the performance he proved capable of against Alabama and Baylor on Saturday. The Longhorns will take on the Kansas Jayhawks at 2:30 p.m. CT.

Shut It Down: Texas defensive line can end the game against Kansas

The Texas defensive line can end Kansas’ upset bid before it starts.

The Texas defensive line has mauled its way into several backfields early this season. For the team to secure a win on Saturday, the Texas front needs to duplicate that performance.

Early this season, starting edge rusher Ethan Burke has emerged as a problem for opposing offensive tackles. The problem has yet to have been solved. Opposite him is Barryn Sorrell who is still bringing the impact he brought last season, despite what the stat sheet might lack.

It’s getting competitive in opposing backfields this season. Several Longhorns have secured a sack thus far. Against Baylor, defensive tackle Byron Murphy tallied two sacks of his own. The unit has been disruptive. Its disruption could spell chaos for its next opponent.

Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels is a true dual threat quarterback. He can run and pass at a high level. Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe brought a similar skill set against Texas, but with a much less consistently accurate arm. This week, Texas has to get Daniels on the ground.

The Longhorns can end this game with a dominant pass rush. They will look to bring that pass rush on Saturday afternoon.