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Joseph Ossai is showcasing an impressive junior year with Texas which has significantly impacted his draft stock.
Texas’ standout defensive player Joseph Ossai continues to improve his draft stock. Continue reading “2021 NFL Draft: Two Texas Longhorns headline Todd McShay’s latest big board”
Texas is inching closer to landing four-star running back Jaydon Blue out of Houston, Texas.
Four-star running back Jaydon Blue is now likely to commit to the University of Texas. Continue reading “Four-star running back, Klein Cain product trending towards Texas”
Texas is inching closer to landing four-star running back Jaydon Blue out of Houston, Texas.
Four-star running back Jaydon Blue is now likely to commit to the University of Texas. Continue reading “Four-star running back, Klein Cain product trending towards Texas”
Heading into a bye week might be what the doctor ordered for the Texas Longhorns. ESPN’s Sam Khan Jr discusses what is next for the Horns.
Following the 17-13 victory over the West Virginia Mountaineers, the Texas Longhorns will enjoy a bye week. A week in which they hope to lick their wounds and prepare for the final leg of the season. Matchups with the Kansas Jayhawks, Iowa State Cyclones and Kansas State Wildcats await. The Longhorns are 5-2 (4-2) currently and are within striking distance.
The big key is getting healthy, we will monitor the status of Sam Ehlinger who appears to be pretty banged up. Plus Keaontay Ingram as he tries and recover from the high ankle sprain and how soon could we see Jordan Whittington?
ESPN’s Sam Khan Jr ponders what could be next for the Texas Longhorns team.
The Longhorns aren’t winning pretty, but they’re winning nonetheless, having strung together three in a row. The defense seems to have finally found its footing under new defensive coordinator Chris Ash, and it’s been huge, because the offense has been inconsistent as a banged-up Sam Ehlinger continues trying to tough it out. An upcoming off week is well timed, followed by a road game at Kansas. A win there means the Longhorns will go into the final two weeks with at least a remote chance of sliding into a Big 12 title game slot, but they might need help (as they do currently).
Khan (no relation) hit the nail right on the head, this team isn’t winning pretty. There are no style points for this team but at this juncture all they need to do is keep winning. A matchup with Kansas may be just what the doctor ordered coming off the bye. Get the starters out early on and prepare for a Friday night matchup with Brock Purdy and the Cyclones.
Longhorns Wire breaks down the top three reasons the Texas Longhorns were able to hold on for the 17-13 victory on Saturday.
The Texas Longhorns got another much needed win as they head into the bye week. They are still within striking distance of a Big 12 Championship game berth as long as they can stay on this win streak. Winners of three straight, they head into the final stretch of the season.
On this day Sam Ehlinger was a bit off for the offense but he still had the muster to get two touchdown passes in this game. He led it off with Brennan Eagles from seven-yards out to start the scoring. The way it looked early, many thought we might see a Big 12 barn burner. Instead a defensive struggle broke out.
Ehlinger finds Eagles pic.twitter.com/MjIdbSiw7E
— Longhorns Wire (@LonghornsWire) November 7, 2020
Later in the game Ehlinger would throw for his second touchdown of the game. This time it was a little further out after missing an opportunity with Eagles again, Jake Smith hauled in a 33-yard pass for the second touchdown on the day. This helped extend their lead for the 17-13 victory. At that point the game was tied at 10, facing a third and 11 was no problem for QB1.
QB1 finds Jake Smith for a 33-yard TD pic.twitter.com/z68gYPXpgR
— Longhorns Wire (@LonghornsWire) November 7, 2020
We break down the three reasons Texas won on Saturday
What was the Texas Longhorns key stat of the game? Well it came down to the rush defense that bottled up the WVU running game.
There is plenty to unpack after the Texas Longhorns took care of business and head into the bye week at 5-2. The defense was once again huge for the team in their 17-13 victory on Saturday. They allowed a touchdown on West Virginia’s opening drive that went nine plays and 75 yards. They forced the Mountaineers offense into a three and out on three separate occasions. Safe to say they were the key factor in the win.
For the second week in a row, the Texas defense took away the run. Essentially told the offensive coordinator that you better dial up the pass because the ground game isn’t going to work this week. In the Mountaineers’ four wins this year they have averaged 218.3 yards per game. The average for each game was 5.1 yards per carry on 43 carries in each game. That was not the case on Saturday.
WVU attempted a season low 26 times against the Longhorns defense. On those 26 carries, their run game averaged 1.7 yards per carry for a total of 43 yards. Leddie Brown has rushed from 115 yards per game this year, against Chris Ash’s unit he managed just 47 yards. Of the 47, 12 came on one run that scored their lone touchdown of the game. The rest of the way, he managed 2.5 yards per carry.
The Longhorns have managed to bottle up two of the best running backs in the conference. They will face the top back in a matter of weeks. Iowa State’s Breece Hall will be their toughest test. WVU falls to 0-3 on the road and when they fail to hit the 100-yard mark in rushing.
On the flip side, the Longhorns run game averaged five yards a pop on 36 attempts. Playing defense and running the football was the way to victory on this Saturday.
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The Longhorns have now won three consecutive games and have a clear path to the Big 12 Championship.
After suffering back-to-back losses earlier in the season to unranked teams, Texas has now managed win three consecutive games. Continue reading “Who was Texas’ Player of the Game in the 17-13 win over West Virginia?”
The defense for the Texas Longhorns rose to the occasion again as the team held onto a 17-13 lead to win their fourth conference game.
The Texas Longhorns struck quickly in this game marching right down the field with a 54-yard Bijan Robinson run to get the party started. Quarterback Sam Ehlinger found Brennan Eagles for the first touchdown of the game. The West Virginia offense would answer quickly to tie the game 7-7. Both defenses would settle down some to end the first with a tie.
In the second quarter the Longhorns would take a 10-7 lead at the half. The biggest question for Texas was what happened to Bijan Robinson. Despite having 77 yards rushing, the team went away from their top weapon as Ehlinger continued to struggled throughout the half. The defense for Texas keeping the Horns in this game until the offense could figure it out.
Ehlinger would throw the ball much better in the third quarter, even finding Jake Smith for a 33-yard touchdown pass. The defense would hold the WVU offense to just two field goals to head to the final quarter with a 17-13 lead. DeMarvion Overshown did save the defense with a sack on a blitz to force the second field goal in the red zone.
In the final quarter, the issues came with some questionable playcalling for both teams. WVU defense forced a punt early on and when they got the ball back, they turned the ball over on downs inside the Longhorns 20-yard line down four. Ehlinger has been trying to get the deep ball working but it just hasn’t been there for the last several games. Three straight incompletions that weren’t helped by drops forced the Longhorns to give the ball back to the Mountaineers.
WVU offense started moving much better with each drive but have seemed to fall apart as they close in on the red zone. The Mountaineers would convert their first third down of the second half to get in the red zone. Facing another fourth and one, but they would fail once again. The Longhorns get the ball back with under five minutes left in the game.
The Longhorns goal was to run the clock out and win the game. West Virginia had no timeouts and facing a third and five. Ehlinger finds Robinson in the flat for a long catch and run. That iced the game for the Longhorns and win the game 17-13.
Final Stats
| Ehlinger | 15/31 | 184 yards | 2 TDs |
| Robinson | 14 touches | 151 yards | 0 TDs |
| Smith | 3 receptions | 59 yards | 1 TD |
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The Texas Longhorns would extend their lead to four after outscoring WVU 7-6 to lead 17-13.
The WVU offense started the second half with the football. Leddie Brown would give them a quick first down on a run on second down. The Longhorns would give up another first down on a run Winston Wright Jr. The Mountaineers offense came out with more continuity early on. Bryce Ford-Wheaton would have a 18-yard catch and run to get into the redzone. Facing a third and two after stuffing Brown, T’Vondre Sweat swats another pass to force a field goal by Casey Legg to tie the game.
The kickoff went out of bounds so the Texas Longhorns offense would start at their 35-yard line. They open with back to back runs to freshman Bijan Robinson and then Sam Ehlinger finds Brennan Eagles for the first down. On the next play Robinson runs it up the middle for a first down. He would fumble but Joshua Moore would recover. Bijan would leave the field and have his left arm looked at.
After missing a touchdown to Eagles, Ehlinger would find Jake Smith two plays later for a Texas touchdown. The play would be reviewed but it would stand. Longhorns go up 17-10 on WVU.
QB1 finds Jake Smith for a 33-yard TD pic.twitter.com/z68gYPXpgR
— Longhorns Wire (@LonghornsWire) November 7, 2020
The WVU offense would get a first down after a pass to Sean Ryan. After a missed deep throw from Jarret Doege to Bryce Ford-Wheaton, Brown ran the ball for nine-yards to force a third and short. Linebacker DeMarvion Overshown stopped Brown on the third down run when he bounced it outside. That forced a Mountaineers punt back to the Longhorns.
The Longhorns would go three and out to punt it back to WVU. They stopped Roschon on first and second down. The pass to Jared Wiley falls incomplete. Alec Sinkfield returned the ball into Texas territory for WVU.
A run by Sinkfield and a screen to Sam James moved the WVU offense inside the Longhorns 35-yard line. Doege would find James and Ali Jennings on consecutive plays to get into a goal to go situation. On second down, Winston Wright double clutched the catch for the potential tying touchdown pass from Doege. It was ruled incomplete after review. Facing third and goal, Overshown flies through the line to sack Doege. Casey Legg would nail a 34-yard kick to cut into the lead.
Stats
Ehlinger: 12/23 138 yards 2 TDs
Robinson: 9 carries, 102 yards
Smith: 3 receptions, 59 yards, 1 TD
The Texas Longhorns took the lead into halftime over West Virginia on the leg of Cameron Dicker. He nailed one field goal in the quarter.
The second quarter opens as Cameron Dicker nailing a 34-yard field goal to take the lead 10-7. The defense forced a three and out that quickly gave the ball back to Texas. On the ensuing drive Sam Ehlinger would face a third down and eight, he found Jake Smith down the seem. The WVU defender made a fantastic play on the ball to force a Longhorns punt.
The Longhorns defense has been the dominant force early on in this game. After facing a third and 15, the WVU offense would run the ball but only get five yards. The Texas offense would take over near midfield after a punt from the Mountaineers.
After crossing into West Virginia territory, Sam Ehlinger was sacked at midfield on third and three. Texas punts the ball and twice Josh Thompson downed another punt inside the five for the Texas special teams unit. After getting a first down run by Leddie Brown, the defense stuffed his next run and Moro Ojomo sacked Jarret Doege. After what looked to be a D’Shawn Jamison interception, Isaiah Esdale snatched the ball away for a first down.
After it appeared that the Longhorns had stopped the offense on third down, Ta’Quon Graham was called for roughing the passer to extend the drive. WVU would face yet another third down where Anthony Cook tackled Brown in the open field to force a fourth down decision. T’Vondre Sweat swatted a Doege pass that he catch and threw it again. That would be a penalty and loss of down to give the Horns the ball.
After two Roschon Johnson runs, they faced a third down and four. Ehlinger ran it up the middle on a designed run to get the first down conversion. Christian Jones would be called a hold to push Texas back out of field goal range for the moment. The WVU defense would prevent Ehlinger from running the ball and then an incompletion to Roschon would set up Texas with third and 21. Ehlinger found Smith for 14 yards to set up another Dicker attempt.
Dicker misses the 48-yard attempt to keep the lead at three for the Longhorns.
Stats
Ehlinger: 9-18, 87 yards TD
Robinson: 5 carries, 77 yards
Smith: 2 receptions, 26 yards
Eagles: 2 receptions, 18 yards TD
