Juwan Mitchell, Middle Linebacker
Against West Virginia the Texas defense will be tested in space. According to PFF, the Longhorns are ranked 105th in tackling. Against the Oklahoma Sooners and TCU Horned Frogs, the team missed 33 tackles combined. Last week against the Cowboys, Texas only missed 12 and eight the week before against Baylor. They need to be solid in the open field.
Juwan Mitchell will need to be a key factor, especially against the run. When he was off the field after the targeting call, TCU was able to take advantage on the ground. The Longhorns need to limit the run game by WVU with Brown and Alec Sinkfield. The two backs average 5.3 yards per carry.
In their two losses, West Virginia ran the ball 71 times for an average of 2.2 yards per carry. Stop the running game and then force them to be one dimensional, that plays into the hands of Texas. Allowing the pass rush to pin their ears back. They allow a pressure rate of 30%, so stopping the run should be the key.