The Longhorns are headed to a once familiar place in Fayetteville, Arkansas to take on the Razorbacks in what used to be one of the most heated rivalries in college football.
Texas is fresh off a 20-point win against a then ranked Louisiana squad, and is now focusing their attention onto an Arkansas team, who many people are predicting will give them a tough time will be a one score game.
Texas’ major area of concern stemming from the first game is likely the offensive line play, as quarterbacks Hudson Card and Casey Thompson constantly had a man in their face when they dropped back to pass.
Not to say every other aspect of the game was perfect for the Longhorns, but other than the offensive line, no group preformed badly.
Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman addressed the media earlier in the week prior to the Texas game, and was asked about some players that stood out to him. Granted, Bijan Robinson is a standout, but he is not the same No. 5 that returns punts and kicks as coach Pittman thought. Here is what he said about Robinson when he wasn’t confusing him with D’Shawn Jamison:
“I think his running back is really, really special. He has more than just Robinson, but Robinson is just special.” He continued saying. “Robinson is hard to tackle. He has elusiveness as far as in space, but he also runs over you. He’s got a lot of speed. I just really like him. …”
Robinson was not the only player that Pittman praised, as redshirt freshman quarterback, Hudson Card, was another player he pinpointed as a standout for Texas. Here are his thought’s on the young quarterback:
“I like Card. I like him a lot because he’s got enough mobility to hurt you. Early in the Louisiana game he hurt them with his feet. He certainly can throw the football. He looks like a really, really fine player with touch on the ball. He runs the offense well.
Pittman mentioned the Longhorns defense gave the Ragin’ Cajuns offense a ton of issues Week 1, and tackled worlds better than they did last season. Pittman spoke about what he noticed from the Pete Kwiatkowski led defense, and what he thinks they will do to slow down his offense.
“They’ll probably move all over the place after I say this. They are very very sound, not a tremendous amount of movement. Lot of 5-man pressure. I tell you what, I like Overshown, he’s a really good player. Can run. They’ve got a redshirt guy in there Brockmeyer that I like. And they’ve got a huge guy, Coburn at nose guard, big 350-pound guy. … Against Louisiana they were primarily a 2-high safety look and said we can stop with safeties rotating down. I look for them to put another guy in the box just because the running ability of KJ (Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson) and make him throw it.”
Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian was able to get somewhat familiar with Pittman led teams while he was at Alabama, and is hoping to replicate the success he had taking on the Razorbacks. The players Pittman mentioned are crucial to Texas, and if the Longhorns want to avoid being upset, they need each and everyone of them to live up to their expectations and perform.