Double Coverage, 11-11-11 by The Daily Texan

A DEFENSIVE STAMPEDE

The Longhorns have played some of the nation’s most inspired defense the last two weeks, but will they be able to prey on the Tigers’ prolific offense? pg. 8

Friday, November 11, 2011

theLINEUP 4 page 6 8 Cover Photo: Elisabeth Dillon, Above: Elisabeth Dillon | Daily Texan staff

PrEviEws and notEbooks Double Coverage looks at how the Longhorns and other teams around the country are gearing up for Week 10.

5 - poweR page

RAnkings

7 - mAtchups 10 - pLAyeRs to wAtch

Rising FRom the Ashes

It took a little while, but David Ash is finally playing with the confidence of a Texas quarterback.

A RepAiRed Line

The Longhorns knew they needed to fix their offensive line after last season. This year they’ve done more than repair the unit, they’ve made it one of the team’s greatest strengths.

tAckLing the deFense

Texas’ defense has been unstoppable over the last two games. It’s defended the pass and run well against lowly teams, but how will it handle the dynamic Tiger offense?

through thE EyEs of thE tigErs The Double Coverage staff examines how the Missouri Tigers are preparing to pull off the upset against the Longhorns.

12 - gAmes to wAtch

5 - tRAsh-tALking 14 - A tALe oF page

13 - heismAn wAtch 15 - stAFF picks

Missouri’s players have been doing a lot of talking leading up to this weekend’s game. Columnist Trey Scott says this is a questionable tactic.

page

tigeRs

inconsistency

The Tigers have shown they are capable of winning big games, but they have been wildly inconsistent throughout the season.

Editor’s notE

The Daily Texan’s Double Coverage is printed the Friday before every Texas football game and twice during OU week.

The Daily Texan PresenTs:

Volume 6, Issue 10 • 2011 edItIon

Double Coverage Editor……………Sameer Bhuchar Design Editor…………………….Simonetta Nieto Photo Editor…………………………Ryan Edwards Copy Editor……….....……Sydney Fitzgerald Issue Designer...............Martina Geronimo Writers…….................................Austin Laymance ...............................................................Christian Corona .....................................................Trey Scott …………...........................…...............Nick Cremona ................................................................Lauren Giudice ..................................…......…...............Chris Hummer …………………....................…….....Wes Maulsby.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Byndom lets his play do the talking Sophomore defensive back on track to become next NFL-bound Horn By Austin Laymance Daily Texan Staff

Carrington Byndom isn’t much of a talker. But the cornerback sure knows how to listen. Of course, it helps to be around people who know what they’re talking about. Byndom’s postion coach, Duane Akina, has sent dozens of defensive backs to the NFL, with 10 currently in the league. “He hangs on to every word that Akina tells him,” said defensive coordinator Manny Diaz. “He’s not brash and boisterous but at the same time he exudes a quiet confidence.” Byndom spent his summer working out in Austin with Akina’s pupils, including Michael Huff, Aaron Ross, Cedric Griffin and Michael Griffin. He picked their brains and soaked it all in. So far, it’s paid off. The sophomore has started all eight games and leads the Longhorns with 11 pass breakups. “You’re around them and around their presence and they teach you their little secrets to improve your game,” Byndom said. “That was another key for me. They just give you their insight because they’ve

been through this. They’re helping us prepare our game and get that much better for the future.” His future certainly is bright. Give Byndom another year in Akina’s system, and he’ll be lining up at corner on Sundays. The defensive backs room at the football complex is home to the “Money Wall,” homage to the former Longhorns who have gone on to the NFL. It’s also a constant reminder of the high expectations that come with being Akina’s latest pupil. “Every DB wants to be on the money wall when they leave here,” Byndom said. “That’s another goal, another milestone for us, to have you picture up there on the wall so every DB who comes after knows he made the money wall. “I definitely aspire to be like one of those guys that came through our defensive back room. Being like them is a goal for me, maybe even going beyond that.” Byndom’s certainly gone above and beyond expectations in his first year as a starter. “He’s been a pleasant surprise,” Akina said. “I knew he was going to be a good player, but he’s really ahead of schedule, much more physical. He’s really just seeing the

Elizabeth Dillon | Daily Texan Staff

Carrington Byndom (23) tackles Texas Tech wide receiver Austin Zouzalik in the Longhorns’ recent 52-20 victory over the Red Raiders. Byndom has quickly become one of the Longhorns’ best defensive backs this season.

game. He’s an outstanding athlete and now the game is really beginning to slow down. All those reps are starting to catch up. “ Byndom routinely draws the assignment of covering the opponent’s best receiver and has done well in that role. He held his ground against Oklahoma’s Ryan Broyles and shut down Oklahoma State’s Justin Blackmon.

“He’s now one of the best corners in this conference, and his goal is to become national,” Akina said. Byndom may not be a big talker, but he let’s his game speak for him. And while his 6-foot, 180-pound frame might not be all that imposing, he’s not afraid to mix it up and hit somebody. “He’s just a class act, much like

Aaron Ross, Michael Huff and yet, on the field, very competitive,” Akina said. “Don’t let that demeanor fool you a little bit. He’s a physical, tough guy.” On Saturday against Missouri’s 37th-ranked pass offense, Akina will need to make adjustments on the fly and shout instructions between plays. You can be sure that Byndom will be listening.

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Friday, November 11, 2011

Elizabeth Dillon | Daily Texan Staff

True freshman quarterback David Ash (14) stiff arms a Texas Tech defender as he carries the ball. Ash has a record of 2-2 as the Longhorns’ starting signal caller this season.

Confidence, maturity play role in Ash’s success By Austin Laymance Daily Texan Staff

Mack Brown noticed something different about his quarterback last week against Texas Tech. Confidence. David Ash didn’t play like a true freshman making just his third career start. Instead, he didn’t turn the ball over for the first time in four games. Ash was as poised a quarterback as the Longhorns have had all season, tucking the ball and running for 47 yards when his receivers were covered down field and throwing the ball away when the pocket was collapsing. Still, the play that signaled to Brown that Ash was turning the corner was his 47-yard scamper to end the second quarter. “I thought David Ash ran faster because he was more confident,” Brown

said. “When he turned it loose on the 47-yard run, I have not seen him run that fast. And then he jumped up, he was aggressive and animated.” That’s exactly what the Longhorns have been missing from their signalcaller since Colt McCoy’s final year in 2009. Since assuming the starting role against Oklahoma State, Ash experienced the growing pains that come with being a freshman. But he’s also enhanced his play over the past two weeks, leading Texas to two straight wins. “I try to make my confidence the same level all the time and then my game will come,” Ash said. “But the confidence always has to be there.” He’s developing a rapport with bigplay receiver Mike Davis, a combination that will serve the Longhorns

well in weeks — and years — to come. The two connected on two passes for 72 yards against Tech, including a 48yard strike on play-action. And with Texas committed to running the ball, those plays will only open up more. “David has really grown up,” said Davis, who leads the team with 490 receiving yards. “He’s been stepping up, leading the team, making plays and making good decisions with the football.” Ash’s position coach, Bryan Harsin, has seen steady improvement in the Belton native over the past month. Ash made strides against Texas Tech with his decision-making, but his grasp of the game was just as impressive. The Red Raiders made several adjustments to their defense after halftime, but Ash quickly picked up on it

and adapted. “I thought he managed the game really well,” Harsin said. “We had several checks in that game that he got us out of and we made some adjustments at half time and he didn’t even blink an eye.” Granted, Ash only threw the ball seven times in that game with Texas controlling the game with the run. But the Longhorns aren’t asking their freshman quarterback to win the game with his arm. They want him to limit turnovers and master the deep play-action pass. But Missouri’s run defense is the best the Longhorns have seen in a month. When the Tigers played Baylor last Saturday, BU was forced to pass to soften up MU’s defense. Texas anticipates a similar scenario this week.

“This will be a game where we will have to throw the ball downfield,” Brown said. A month ago, that kind of statement would have been a reach. But Ash isn’t the same player he was in early October. He has the team, the coaching staff and the fans behind his back. “He’s starting to complement himself: being able to run the ball, making decisions, along with his ability to throw the ball,” Harsin said. “He’s starting to realize there’s a lot more in his toolbox that he’s got available to him. When you do that as a player, you become more confident.” And that’s exactly what Texas wants. “Confidence is a powerful thing, and lack of it’s a killer,” Brown said.

Friday, November 11, 2011

BIG 12POWERRANKINGS — By Nick Cremona | Daily Texan Staff

Oklahoma State

The Cowboys sure made things interesting last week against Kansas State but were able to squeak past the Wildcats to remain undefeated. Quarterback Brandon Weeden threw for 500 more yards as the Cowboys’ offense put up 52 points. Defense continues to be an area of concern with this team.

Baylor

Another close game for the Bears against Missouri last week. They were able to top the Tigers 42-39 and quarterback Robert Griffin once again put on an offensive clinic to help the Bears to victory. He leads the conference in total scoring with 30 total touchdowns compared to only four interceptions.

Four of the Tigers’ five losses this year have been decided by 10 points or less. The Tigers could be in a much different spot if they can figure out how to close out games. Running back Henry Josey has kept up his torrid pace on the ground as he gained another 132 yards rushing and two scores last week.

Missouri

Oklahoma

A win is a win at this point in the season, but the Sooners’ most recent victory against the Texas A&M came at a serious price. Wide receiver Ryan Broyles was lost for the year when he tore his ACL against the Aggies. The Sooners controlled time of possession and limited turnovers to win the game.

Texas Tech

Texas

Joe Bergeron and Fozzy Whittaker scorched Texas Tech for nearly 300 yards on the ground and the Longhorns didn’t turn the ball over. Sounds kind of like an SEC team (paging the Aggies). Texas didn’t necessarily stop the pass, however, its bend-don’t-break philosophy only gave up 20 points.

Wildcats’ quarterback Collin Klein is on absolute fire this year. He totaled four more touchdowns in defeat last week, pushing his total to 28 this season. The Wildcats were one goal line play away from pulling off a shocking upset over Oklahoma State. There’s no doubt this team has an identity, and that is power football.

Iowa State

Kansas State

Texas A&M

Not many people expected the Red Raiders to suffer a blow out on the road last week, but then again no one expected Iowa State to win in Lubbock two weeks ago. It’s been an odd year all around for the Red Raiders. Quarterback Seth Doege has played extremely well but the rest of the team has not stepped up.

It’s no coincidence that in the last two games the Aggies have lost, quarterback Ryan Tannehill has thrown four combined interceptions. When Tannehill is efficient with the ball the Aggies tend to follow suit and play much better, but when he’s not, the whole team suffers.

After sneaking past Kansas last week 13-10, the Cyclones will have two weeks to prepare for the Cowboys. If there’s one positive to take away from this bland of a team, it has been the play of quarterback Jared Barnett. The freshman has carried his team to two big wins the last couple of weeks and is only getting better.

Kansas

Not much left to say about the Jayhawks, but let’s give it a shot anyway. Seven consecutive losses, dead last in points allowed — starting to get the picture? They’re terrible. Three games remain on the Jayhawks’ schedule, but even winning all three wouldn’t make them bowl eligible.

Trash-talking Tigers think little of Longhorns By Trey Scott

Daily Texan Columnist

Maybe it has something to do with the breadth of fine journalists the school pumps out each year but, recently, those associated with Missouri have no problem speaking their mind. And it’s not making them any friends. Last summer, the Tigers did not try to hide their desire to join the Big 10, with Governor Jay Nixon leading the charge. As you might have noticed, that didn’t happen. But that’s old news now, I guess. A few months ago, head football coach Gary Pinkel was easily the most outspoken against Texas’ Longhorn Network and its unsuccessful attempt to show high school games saying, “You’re going to advertise your school on there, where you list all the

great recruits you have on there? There’s just no common sense there. That can’t happen. Are you kidding me?” Judging by Pinkel’s tone, it comes as no surprise that Missouri was fed up with the Big 12 and decided to take its zero Big 12 football and basketball championships and one basketball championship to the Southeastern Conference, a move that makes Texas A&M look smart. Friction between the Tigers and the Longhorns arose earlier this week when Mizzou defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson denounced the state of Texas. “I hate people from Texas,” he said. “I give people on our team from Texas a hard time because they’re from Texas. I hate Texas. I just do. I hate Texas.” “Overrated. Overrated. Overrated. It’s blown out of proportion. It really is.” That’s some Grade-A trash talk, except for the fact that 35 of Richardson’s team-

mates hail from the state, including offensive stars James Franklin, Henry Josey and Michael Egnew. When asked for a response to Richardson’s comments, the Texas players declined — at least they’ve been coached well by the media relations department. “We don’t do much talking, we just show it on the field,” said running back D.J. Monroe. Periodical clashes in the Cotton Bowl not withstanding, this is the last time Mizzou and Texas will face off for a long time. And you know what? I don’t think anybody really cares. This is a rivalry that should have had a lot of potential — the Tigers recruit the state of Texas like they’re based in Corpus and not Columbia, and both schools traditionally put a strong product on the field — but it’s never really gained much teeth. Missouri should be a great road trip (I would know, I almost went to school there), but the game’s treated like a second-tier match.

Texas holds a 17-5 series lead over Mizzou. The last two matches were won by Texas with a margin of 97-38. Overrated? Missouri is a good basketball school, no doubt. Awful in baseball, for sure. The best in journalism, for those of us who care about those sorts of things. And Shakespeare’s Pizza? Yeah, that famous Columbia pizza joint takes Homeslice to school. But it’s lost on me why Missouri thinks it can succeed in the SEC, if it struggled to stay relevant in the Big 12. The A&M situation confuses me for similar reasons, but it’s not too hard to understand the Aggies wanting to get out from under Texas’ shadow. Even stranger is the sort of game the Tigers are talking as they head out the door. “I played against their best recruits and I wasn’t impressed, at all,” Richardson said. Guy’s not afraid to voice his opinion. Sounds like a future columnist.

Friday, November 11, 2011

O-line unit emerging as strength after poor performance last year By Christian Corona Daily Texan Staff

In one short year, the Longhorns’ offensive line has gone from a glaring weakness to a definitive strength. Like most of the team, it went through many changes. Texas hired Georgia’s Stacy Searels to coach the offensive line this January. True freshman Dominic Espinosa has started at center since the first snap of the season opener. Senior David Snow, who started all 12 games at center last year, moved over to left guard. Another freshman, Josh Cochran, replaced senior Tray Allen as the Longhorns’ starting left tackle and backup guard Luke Poehlmann has made his presence felt at tight end. So far, the moves have paid off. “We’ve got the right five guys,” said co-offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin. “Running the football builds confidence for the O-line, the tight ends, the running backs and the receivers. Everybody’s doing their job.” The offensive line was highly

criticized last year as Texas averaged just 23.8 points per game and Garrett Gilbert threw more interceptions than touchdown passes. No Longhorns running back topped 600 yards rushing in 2010 but they have three — Malcolm Brown, Joe Bergeron and Fozzy Whittaker — on pace to do that this year. “Last year, we never got good at anything,” said head coach Mack Brown. “So we said let’s do something we can identify with. That was let’s get better in the running game and play action because we weren’t protecting very well.” One of the biggest reasons for the transformation up front has been the new leadership Searels has provided. Like Texas’ last three defensive coordinators, Searels, a two-time All-SEC selection at Auburn, came from the SEC to Austin. Searels, who coached at Georgia for three years and was in charge of LSU’s offensive line when the Tigers captured the 2004 national title, has worked wonders with Texas’ offensive line this season.

“Coach Searels has done a great job with those guys,” Harsin said. “He’s a technician with those guys and done a good job drilling them with what they’re trying to do, drilling them in their techniques and what they’re going to see. He’s constantly critiquing and coaching.” Like Searels, Malcolm Brown and Bergeron weren’t a part of the Longhorns program last year when Texas tried and failed to install an effective rushing attack. But the freshman tailbacks have resurrected the dormant running game this year, already combining to run for more than 1,000 yards. “Good backs help,” said Mack Brown. “One obvious advantage to [the offensive line] is Joe Bergeron and Malcolm Brown are good players. Fozzy’s a better player than he’s been and he’s been able to stay healthy.” Brown and Bergeron are not the only first-year players making contributions to the drastically improved run game. Cochran, whose Hallsville team went 4-6 in

Tamir Kalifa| Daily Texan Staff

Center Dominic Espinosa (55) opens a hole for running back Joe Bergeron (24) to run through. Espinosa has started every game this year.

his senior year of high school last season, has done his part to make sure Texas doesn’t have a similar year again. “Josh is really smart,” said Mack Brown. “He’s moving his feet. He’s gotten more comfortable. He can really run. He’s athletic. So Stacy and Major [Applewhite] and Bryan are using him on sweeps.” Poehlmann, a fourth-year junior, is a seasoned veteran compared to players like Cochran but is helping the Texas offense in new ways, too. The junior offensive guard moved over to tight end against Kansas and it hasn’t been a coincidence that the

Longhorns’ two most productive offensive outings have come with Poehlmann opening up holes on the edge of the offensive line. “The O-line is doing a great job,” Whittaker said. “When you look into their eyes, you can tell that they’re focused and ready to push them off the ball no matter what kind of play it is. When Whittaker is asked something, he almost always finds a way to work in the phrase “got to give credit to the offensive line” into his response. Not bad for a group that was considered a liability a year ago.

Next issue: Nov. 18

Kansas State

Friday, November 11, 2011

MATCHUPS — By Wes Maulsby | Daily Texan Staff

QUARTERBACK

RUNNING BACK This game will feature the two premier rushing attacks in the conference. Missouri has the No. 1 running back in the Big 12, Henry Josey. And Texas is the No. 1 rushing team in the country, rushing for more than 246 yards per game. Missouri features Franklin as a dualthreat quarterback as well as Josey, who is a smaller back. Both will pick up yards in space and off the edge. Texas, meanwhile, is very much more a downhill running team that picks up yards up the middle with Malcolm Brown and Joe Bergeron. Whittaker and Monroe take over in their package to create more misdirection in the run game, but Texas is still a downhill team at the core. Both teams are good on the ground, but Texas features more weapons in the backfield.

RECEIVERS Of these teams, Missouri has the more sophisticated passing attack. Almost half of the total passes have gone to two receivers for the Tigers. T.J. Moe is their leading receiver with 44 receptions for 547 yards and four touchdowns. One of the most dangerous for the Tiger’s passing game is their tight end Michael Egnew. He is their second leading receiver with 42 catches for 432 yards and two touchdowns. He creates mismatches on the field which should give Missouri the edge at this position. Texas’ receivers were a little thinner last week with Shipley out, but he is expected to return against the Tigers and will add another weapon to the passing game. He will combine with Mike Davis to be the primary threats for the Longhorns.

OFFENSIVE LINE Since the drubbing this unit suffered against Oklahoma, the Texas offensive line has been getting better each week. The center of the line has been particularly good, with Dominic Espinosa and guards Mason Walters and David Snow providing a punch right up the middle of the opposing defenses. Freshman Josh Cochren has taken over the left tackle spot and has already proven himself a valuable addition. The line has paved the way for more than 400 yards rushing in the last two games. Missouri’s offensive line has been about the same. Although Missouri is rushing for 245 yards per game, the line has given up a sack in all but one game and in total has given up 53 tackles for loss.

Advantage

Breakdown

David Ash had his best game of the season last week against Texas Tech. Although he only threw seven passes, he completed four of them for 125 yards and ran four times for 59 yards. He threw some nice deep balls that he will complete more of with experience. Missouri is running a different style with a mixture of the spread and west coast offense that involves a lot more passing. They use James Franklin to also serve as dual-threat runner to keep the defenses honest. Missouri ranks sixth in the conference in passing, so the Tigers utilize a more balanced offense than other schools. Franklin should definitely have the statistical advantage in this one, and will have more opportunities to make plays.

Advantage

Breakdown

DEFENSIVE LINE After being much maligned for the first half of the season, the Texas defensive line has finally come to life, and is starting to get the kind of pressure that Texas fans had gotten used to the past couple of years. Defensive ends Alex Okafor and Jackson Jeffcoat have been getting into the backfield both against the run and the pass, and are starting to get to the quarterback. Even converted running back Chris Whaley is getting into the fold as he single-handedly shut down a screen play against Texas Tech. Missouri is 60th in the nation in rush defense giving up 150 yards per game. In order for the Tigers to pull the upset in this game, the defensive line will have to be stout against the run, and make Ash win the game.

LINEBACKERS

DEFENSIVE BACKS

The leading tackler for the Tigers is sophomore linebacker Andre Wilson. He has 70 tackles on the season and has led the team in tackles in four games. He has his best games against running teams like Texas. Against Kansas State, he paced both teams with 13 tackles, including nine solo tackles — more than any other player in the game. He will lead the Tigers’ defense against the stout Texas rushing offense. The Longhorns are led by Emmanuel Acho, who has led the team in tackles in five out of their eight games. He reached double-digit tackles in each of those five games. Against Missouri with a mobile quarterback like Franklin, the linebackers will have to play a major role to stop the running game, as well as snuff out all the underneath routes.

The Tigers are 85th in the nation in pass efficiency defense and are 103rd in the nation against the pass, giving up 268 yards per game. They have gotten their hands on eight passes this season, but are still giving up large chunks of yards through the air. Fortunately for them, Texas is not a prolific passing team. Although Texas Tech passed for 381 yards last week, the Red Raiders were kept out of the end zone until there was just more than three minutes left in the third quarter with Texas up by 32 points. The Longhorn defensive backs got their hands on a few passes but weren’t able to pick off any passes. Fortunately for Texas, the Red Raiders couldn’t take advantage of those opportunities.

SPECIAL TEAMS Whittaker is proving dangerous even without touching the ball. Teams are trying not to give the ball to Whittaker after his two kick return touchdowns, and they are giving up good field position in the process. Justin Tucker has made every extra point this year, and has only missed on field goal all season. Missouri’s kicker, Grant Ressel, had made all of his extra points but is only hitting 56 percent of his field goals. The Tigers switched to Trey Barrow, who has made two out of three field goals. The Tigers are 104th in kickoff returns and has not scored on a return. In a close game, special teams could make the difference, which Texas has the clear advantage in.

MEETING

EXPECTATIONS

Ends have stepped up past two weeks, will be tested dow By Christian Corona Daily Texan Staff

Jackson Jeffocat’s dad was right. The sacks came and they came in bunches. Former Dallas Cowboys defensive end and current San Jose State defensive line coach Jim Jeffocat was confident his son would start racking up sacks. It was just a matter of time. His prediction came to fruition as Jeffocat piled up three sacks in his last two games, his first three of the season. The sophomore has also notched six of his 10 tackles for loss in the past two weeks. “He just told me to patient,” Jeffcoat said. “It feels good. I knew they’d come.” Missouri’s James Franklin, however, is going to be a lot harder to bring down than Kansas’ Jordan Webb or Texas Tech’s Seth Doege. The last two quarterbacks the Longhorns have been pocket passers, but Franklin can hurt a defense with both his arms and legs. The sophomore has close to 2,800 yards and 26 touchdowns on the season, with around 600 of those yards and 10 of the touchdowns coming on the ground. “You can’t run by the guy,” Jeffcoat said. “It’s fun to have a challenge like that with someone that gets

out of the pocket and moves around. It gets them off their feet if you can move them out of the pocket not throwing like they normally do.” But Franklin won’t be the last dual-threat man behind center Texas faces this year. In fact, the last three of the Longhorns’ opponents all have mobile quarterbacks. Kansas State’s Collin Klein, Texas A&M’s Ryan Tannehill and Baylor’s Robert Griffin III have combined to run for more than 1,500 yards, with more than 900 coming from Klein. Tannehill is a former wide receiver and Griffin broke state records as a high school track star. Both are from Texas, along with Franklin. “This is where everybody comes to mine their talent,” said defensive coordinator Manny Diaz. “The passing game is so well-coached in this state. This state produces good quarterbacks, unfortunately. And, unfortunately, they come to the schools that play Texas.” The Big 12 has certainly developed a knack producing prolific passers, boasting five of the country’s nine most productive quarterbacks. While not known for its running backs, the Big 12 has a few good ones, the best being Missouri’s Henry Josey, who has ran for 1,149 yards this year.

“He might be the most explosive back we’ve seen so far in terms of his ability to go all the way,” Diaz said. “He’s averaging nine yards a carry. That’s almost hard to say.” Jeffcoat and the rest of the Texas defense will have their hands full trying to slow down Franklin and Josie this week. But it’s possible, especially with fellow starting defensive end Alex Okafor on the opposite side of the defensive line. Okafor has had three of his five sacks in the last two contests. “He’s playing great,” Jeffcoat said. “He’s getting off the ball and getting in the backfield, making tackles for loss.” Apart from senior Kheeston Randall, the guys between Jeffcoat and Okafor were a question mark coming into the season. After Randall, Texas didn’t have much depth at defensive tackle. But sophomores Calvin Howell and Ashton Dorsey, the co-starters alongside Randall are coming along. Chris Whaley, one of the most highly-touted running backs coming out of high school, is making progress transitioning to his new position at defensive tackle, as evidenced by a sack made against Kansas. “Quarterbacks hate inside pressure because that’s when they can’t finish their throws,” Diaz said. “We al-

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9 Jackson Jeffcoat (44) stretches to pull down Texas Tech quarterback Seth Doege. Jeffcoat and the rest of the defensive corps have played exceptionally well in their last two games, but they will have their hands full against Tiger’s Henry Josey and James Franklin.

Elisabeth Dillon Daily Texan Staff

wn the stretch

that the defensive tackle is the closest to the ck. You can be a defensive end thinking that’s ur pass rush position but you’re way out there. d some good pressure up the middle this year.” Missouri’s defensive tackles, Sheldon Richarde headlines this week with his comments, sayhe hates people from Texas, thinks the football te is overrated and was not impressed when gainst its best recruits. nghorns’ defensive line, on the other hand, is ry to let is play speak for itself Saturday. If JefOkafor perform the way they have the last two eir play will be deafening.

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might be the most explosive back ve seen so far in terms of his ability to go all the way. — Manny Diaz on Missouri running back Henry Josey

Longhorn run defense will have its hands full against prolific Tiger offence By Austin Laymance Daily Texan Staff

The Longhorns can run the ball. That much is clear. But can they defend it? While Texas’ run defense has improved its national ranking over the last two weeks, the results speak more about the teams the Longhorns played. UT held woeful Kansas to -2 yards rushing, then limited Texas Tech to 30 yards on the ground. But the lowly Jayhawks have one of the worst offenses in the country and the Red Raiders are a pass-heavy team. Sacks count against a team’s rushing yards, and Texas totaled seven sacks in those contests. The Longhorns will have a clearer view of where their run defense stands after Saturday’s game against Missouri, though. The Tigers’ run game is second in the Big 12 behind Texas, and they are 12th in the nation with over 244 rushing yards per game. “It’s they type of game where you want to be physical, but there’s going to be more to it than that,” said defensive coordinator Manny Diaz. “You have to be tough and physical and disciplined to stop their running game.” Henry Josey leads the Tiger’s attack and is the top rusher in the Big 12 (127.7 yards per game). Mizzou’s quarterback, freshman James Franklin, is also a running threat and leads the team with 10 rushing touchdowns. Franklin is the No. 11 rusher in the conference and No. 81 in the nation. The Tigers present the most dynamic run game the Longhorns have seen all season. Texas can’t simply focus on Josey, the defense must also be aware of Franklin. “Any time a guy is in the top 100 in the country in rushing as a quarterback, and can get it done through the air, it’s one more thing you have to worry about as a defense,” said senior safety Blake Gideon. “That’s going to be a stress for us this week, to contain him and keep him corralled.” But the Longhorns are better equipped to stop the run this season than they’ve been in a while. For several years, the defense saw nothing but passes in practice. But with the offense harkening back to the old days of power football, the defense has gotten a leg up. “I like the fact that we are running it in practice so the defense is actually taking on the running game every day,” said head coach Mack Brown. “That wasn’t the case for three years and it was tough for our defense because they didn’t see double teams and they didn’t see power and they didn’t see pulls. These guys are getting after each other in the running game, so it will not be like we haven’t seen it.” Still, the Longhorns haven’t seen a running attack quite like Missouri’s. The Tigers utilize a spread offense, but balance the run and pass well. They average 11 yards more through the air than on the ground. They rely on the big play and Josey leads the country with 43 rushes of 10-plus yards. Texas was victimized by long scoring runs against

Elisabeth Dillon | Daily Texan Staff

Linemen Ashton Dorsey (85) and Alex Okafor (80) celebrate a defensive stop. Texas has held its last two opponents to 28 yards on the ground.

Oklahoma and Oklahoma State and must limit those defensive letdowns in this game. “When we don’t allow explosive runs, we’re generally happy at the end of the night,” Diaz said. “But they are really good at creating explosive runs. That’s a big challenge for us.” Fortunately for Texas, the defense has improved in recent weeks and Diaz’s new scheme is finally clicking. “We’ve gotten better an better as the year’s gone on because we’ve gotten more comfortable with how we play the run,” Diaz said. “It is hard to be unsure and aggressive at the same time. The more you get into the season and see it at game speed, by nature you get it and then you become more aggressive.” They will need that aggression if they want to become a dominant run defense. So could Diaz’s crew hold its own against Texas’ bruising running game? “I know this, we are happy that we don’t play Texas,” he joked. Missouri isn’t happy either.

Friday, November 11, 2011 Next issue: Nov. 18

Kansas State

PLAYERSTOWATCH

— By Wes Maulsby | Daily Texan Staff

James Franklin, Sophomore QB

♲

In recent years, Missouri has produced quality quarterbacks starting with Brad Smith who played from 2002 to 2005, Chase Daniel in 2006 and Blaine Gabbert who followed him. With all those players in the NFL, James Franklin has taken over the position with high expectations. Franklin is much more of a dual-threat passer in the mold of Smith. He is averaging almost 67 yards per game on the ground, with a 100-yard game against Oklahoma. He is averaging 243 yards per game passing with 16 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Most of those interceptions came in a three-game span against Kansas State, Iowa State and Oklahoma State. In three losses to Oklahoma, Kansas State and Oklahoma State, he completed less than 55 percent of his passes and threw five interceptions. Franklin is a dangerous player who can be effective in a variety of ways and can thrive in an offensive shootout.

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A preseason All-Conference selection, Madison had his biggest game this season against Western Illinois where he posted four tackles, three tackles for loss, a forced fumble, a sack and a quarterback hurry. He had his best in-conference game against Iowa State, where he recorded five tackles with a tackle for loss, a quarterback hurry, a sack and even an interception. He has had some positive numbers in their wins, but he needs to be able to apply pressure against higher quality teams if the Tigers are going to win and become bowl eligible. Against a running team like Texas, he will have to be able to get penetration to keep the runs contained in the middle and take advantage against the few times that Texas drops back to pass.

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Henry Josey, Sophomore RB Josey is fifth in the country in rushing and is the leading rusher in the Big 12 this season by a wide margin, averaging 127 yards per game this season. The next closest runner is Oklahoma State’s Joseph Randle with just more than 100 yards per game. He has rushed for more than 100 yards in all but three games, with a 263yard game against Western Illinois. Kansas State is the only team in conference play to hold him to less than 100 yards. He is averaging 8.5 yards per carry this season,and has had at least one 20-yard run in the last eight games. At 5-foot-10 and 190 pounds, he is more of a speed runner who will be getting his yards in space and off the edge.

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Friday, November 11, 2011

GAMESTOWATCH — By Chris Hummer | Daily Texan Staff

TCU @ No. 5 Boise State

Overall 7-2 MWC (4-0)

Overall 8-0 MWC (3-0)

No. 20 Auburn @ No. 15 Georgia Overall 6-3 SEC (4-2)

No. 2 Oklahoma State @ Texas Tech

Overall 7-2 SEC (5-1)

Overall 9-0 Big 12 (6-0)

Overall 5-4 Big 12 (2-4)

Bronco Stadium, Boise, Idaho Saturday 2:30 p.m. TV: Versus

Sanford Stadium, Athens, Ga. Saturday 2:30 p.m. TV: CBS

Jones AT&T Stadium, Lubbock Saturday 11 a.m. TV: ABC

Now with 48 wins, Kellen Moore just passed Colt McCoy as college football’s alltime win leader at quarterback. Now college football’s most successful quarterback faces Boise State’s biggest road block toward another undefeated season, TCU. The Horn Frogs and the Broncos have battled back-andforth the last few seasons for the title of the best non-BCS School, including a matchup in the 2009 Fiesta Bowl where both teams were undefeated coming in and Boise eked out a victory 17-10. Two years later, the rosters are almost completely different, but one thing remains the same — both schools are still powerhouses in the college landscape. TCU has experienced a few tough luck losses this season with a last second loss to Baylor and an overtime loss to Southern Methodist University. However it is still a high quality team with a stingy defense and an explosive offense that puts up 41.6 points a game. Expect a close game, but ultimately another win for the Broncos.

After two games, Georgia was 0-2 and its fans were calling for Mark Richt’s job after a pair of tough losses to top-15 teams. But since then all the Bulldogs have done is reel off seven straight wins. They now have the inside track to winning the SEC East division and a shot at the conference title. While the Tigers aren’t nearly as potent as they were last season, they are still a formidable foe for the Bulldogs. Auburn isn’t the most impressive team statistically, as its points-for and points-against numbers are only separated by a positive 1.6 points. This strikes itself as an anomaly for a ranked team, as most good teams usually have a spread of upwards of eight to 10 points. But they find ways to win, mostly through their running game and star sophomore Michael Dyer, who has carried the Tiger offense with 989 rushing yards on the season. No matter who comes out on top, expect a close game when Auburn’s involved, but look for the Bulldogs.

Oklahoma State was just involved in one of the best shootouts of the season, in a nail-biting seven point win over Kansas State. Now it should be prepared for another one, as they take on one of the most explosive offenses in the country this week, Texas Tech. If you’re a Texas fan you’re probably at bit confused at this point, as last weekend the Red Raiders were shut down by a strong Texas defense. However, numbers don’t lie and this Tech passing attack is very potent. It averages 362 yards through the air, and put up an impressive 36.8 points a game. But, as good as the Tech offense is, its defense does a lot to make up for it allowing 34.2 points a game. This is a dangerous precedent for the Red Raiders to set, especially going up against Oklahoma State which features the No. 2 scoring offense in the country. But the Cowboys don’t play the best defense either, giving up 28.6 points a game. Expect an entertaining, up-anddown game between the two.

No. 7 Oregon @ No. 4 Stanford Overall 8-1 Pac-12 (6-1)

Overall 9-0 Pac-12 (7-0) Stanford Stadium, Stanford, Calif. Saturday 7 p.m. TV: ABC

Andrew Luck is college football’s golden boy this season. He is the front runner for the Heisman, the future No. 1 overall pick, and on top of all of that is, he is leading Stanford to a potential Pac-12 title and national championship game. Except there is one more large obstacle in the way for Luck and Stanford: the defending national runners-up, Oregon. Competing for its second straight Pac-12 title, Oregon gets much of their yardage on the ground, being one of the fastest teams in the country. It utilizes that speed to run a hurry-up option offense that is spearheaded by running back LaMichael James, a Heisman finalist himself last season and quarterback Darron Thomas, each of whom put tremendous strain on opposing defenses with their quickness. Stanford on the other hand is quite balanced, relying on its future all-world quarterback to make plays on offense, and a solid defense that only allows 16.6 points. When these two teams met last season, the Cardinal received a beating 52-31 for their only loss of the season.

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Friday, November 11, 2011

2011HEISMANRACE

— By Nick Cremona | Daily Texan Staff

Now that the regular season is in its ﬁnal stages, Double Coverage came up with a rank of the top ﬁve, realistic Heisman hopefuls. With only four games left and such tight competition this year, slip-ups could drop any one of college football’s top players to the bottom.

Andrew Luck QB Stanford

Week 10 at Oregon State- 20/30 (66.7%) for 206 yards, 3 TD 1 INT Season Stats- Passing: 194/272 (71.3%) for 2,424 yards, 24 TD 5 INT Rushing: 29 carries for 147 yards, 2 TD

Luck certainly isn’t putting up “wow” numbers like some other candidates, but he’s been the Heisman front-runner for the majority of the season, simply because he refuses to let Stanford lose. The Cardinal face Oregon in a tough matchup of top-10 teams. A big game from Luck this week could all but solidify his standing as the player most likely to take home the Heisman. If he struggles or the Cardinal lose to the Ducks, the door will swing wide open for a number of other players contending for the annual trophy.

Kellen Moore QB Boise State

Week 10 at UNLV- 18/31 (58.1%) for 219 yards, 5 TD Season Stats- 192/259 (74.1%) for 2,229 yards, 29 TD 5 INT Pretty pedestrian stat-line last week compared to some of the huge games Moore has put up in his career. His five touchdowns came in three quarters of work and in the process Moore became college football’s winningest quarterback. He’s on pace for a career-best completion percentage and has only been sacked three times the entire season. His all-time wins total should only go up with four games left on the Broncos’ schedule. It’s a shame for Moore that the Broncos will most likely not have a shot at a national title, seeing as that would boost his chances at the Heisman ten-fold.

Brandon Weeden QB Oklahoma State

Week 10 vs. Kansas State- 36/46 (78.3%) for 504 yards, 4 TD 2 INT Season Stats- 282/391 (72.1%) for 3,212 yards, 26 TD 9 INT Weeden has the most interceptions of any serious Heisman contender, but he’s also leading one of the nation’s top-scoring offenses, so odds are voters will let a few of those picks slide. He’s still as accurate a passer as there is in the nation and his experience has led this squad all year. He went wild last week against the Wildcats, passing for more than 500 yards for the first time this season. Two games stand in between the colossal Bedlam matchup with Oklahoma to conclude the season. It will be a make-or-break game for both teams, with the winner likely moving on to a BCS bowl and even the national championship.

DOWN

Trent Richardson RB Alabama

Week 10 vs. LSU- Rushing: 23 carries for 89 yards Receiving: 5 catches for 80 yards Season Stats- Rushing: 172 carries for 1,078 yards (6.3 ypc), 17 TD Receiving: 23 catches for 292 yards, 1 TD In what was billed as “The Game of the Century” last week, Richardson couldn’t find the endzone but neither did any other player. For all intents and purposes, Richardson was the Tide’s offense in their 9-6 defeat at the hands of LSU. He has a skill for catching balls out of the backfield and is as close to a complete back as there is in the nation. Even with one loss, the Tide are still in contention for a national title and that means Richardson still has a shot at the Heisman. He’ll have an opportunity for a ”stat-padding” night against Mississippi State this week.

Case Keenum QB Houston

Week 10 at UAB- Passing: 39/44 (88.6%) for 407 yards, 2 TD Rushing: 2 carries for 2 yards, 2 TD Season Stats- Passing: 257/347 (74.1%) for 3,626 yards, 34 TD 3 INT Rushing: 32 carries for 27 yards, 2 TD

What more can be said about this guy? He’s like a combination of every great pocket passer that has ever played the game. Seriously, he’s completed more than 80 percent of his passes in four games this year, and if he were to somehow get a seventh year of eligibility from the NCAA he could eclipse 20,000 yards passing. That won’t happen, but if the Cougars keep winning they could find themselves in a BCS bowl. Three non-BCS threatening C-USA games remain for the Cougars. Are more big games on the horizon for Keenum, or will Houston go through its usual late-season slump?

Friday, November 11, 2011

Missouri’s season full of inconsistency By Lauren Giudice Daily Texan Staff

Missouri’s season has definitely been one of ups and downs. After coming off an exciting overtime victory against then-ranked No. 16 Texas A&M two weeks ago, the Tigers lost to Baylor 42-39 last weekend. Baylor set a school record by gaining 697 yards. Although the Tigers overcame an 11-point deficit to defeat the Aggies, the 14-point deficit in this game was too large to overcome. Missouri scored 25 points in the fourth quarter, but the rally wasn’t enough. This isn’t the first time this season inconsistency has disappointed the Tigers. “It’s all about consistency, and we made a lot of mistakes,” said Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel. “A lot of fundamental ... basic mistakes on both sides of the ball. It makes it very difficult to win when you do that.” Looking back at the season, the team has experienced hope on one Saturday and was then defeat the next. The Tigers had a convincing and

uplifting 52-17 win over Iowa State earlier in the season. Quarterback James Franklin had five touchdowns in the win. But, the next weekend, they faced Oklahoma State and were overwhelmed 45-24. “Generally the team with the fewest mistakes is going to win,” Pinkel said after the game. “We just had a lot of mistakes; we had a few chances to get back in it and we just couldn’t get it done.” The Tigers faced then-No. 1 Oklahoma in their third game of the season. Although they did not leave Norman with a win, they kept the game close and finished 38-28. This game, once again, gave the Tigers hope and optimism. The following game, the Tigers played sluggish and fell to Kansas State, 17-14. Franklin, who had been averaging more than 500 yards of total offense, finished the game with 214 passing yards. “We’re just not playing very good football right now,” Pinkel said. “It

starts with me, so I’m not doing a good enough job coaching these guys.” Throughout the season, the team and coaching staff has been emphasizing the importance of executing the little things during games. “I do not think it was a lack of care, we were just not crisp, we were not doing the real attention to detail that you need to win games,” Pinkel said. He also said the offense was sluggish during the Kansas State game. “We have been inconsistent where we have gone,” Pinkel said. “It is just a lot of things happening in the game; if you want to be good, you have to be better. A key aspect that has been missing in the Tigers game is third quarter scoring. The team has been outscored 43-0 in the third quarter in its four Big 12 Conference losses. “We have talked about it exhaustively, and we will continue to talk about it,” said offensive coordinator Dave Yost. Coaches and players appear to be stumped by the issue.

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Missouri defenders try to take down Robert Griffen III (10). The Tigers have had an up-and-down year, partly because of the play of the defense.

“I can’t put my finger on it,” said running back De’Vion Moore. “It’s nothing specifically we’re doing or not doing. We’re putting together good drives throughout the game, but we got to be consistent in every quarter

and not let up.” The Tigers have definitely had their struggles and triumphs this season. But they will be looking to improve their roller coaster of a season at home on Saturday.

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Friday, November 11, 2011

TEXANSTAFFPICKS Sameer Bhuchar

Trey Scott

Austin Laymance

Christian Corona

Nick Cremona

Lauren Giudice

Wes Maulsby

Chris Hummer

(7-3)

(9-1)

(8-2)

(7-3)

(8-2)

(9-1)

Overall Record

(54-26)

(59-21)

(61-19)

(55-25)

(48-32)

(56-24)

(57-23)

(61-19)

No. 16 Texas at Missouri

TEXAS

MISSOURI

TEXAS

OKLAHOMA STATE

TEXAS TECH

OKLAHOMA STATE

PENN STATE

NEBRASKA

PENN STATE

NEBRASKA

BOISE STATE

TCU

BOISE STATE

AUBURN

GEORGIA

AUBURN

GEORGIA

TEXAS A&M

KANSAS STATE

TEXAS A&M

KANSAS STATE

Last Week’s Record

No. 2 Oklahoma State at Texas Tech No. 19 Nebraska at No. 12 Penn State TCU at No. 5 Boise State No. 20 Auburn at No. 15 Georgia Texas A&M at No. 14 Kansas State

KANSAS STATE KANSAS STATE KANSAS STATE

No. 7 Oregon at No. 4 Stanford

STANFORD

OREGON

STANFORD

OREGON

No. 3 Alabama at Mississippi State

ALABAMA

MISSISSIPPI STATE

ALABAMA

Maryland vs. Notre Dame

NOTRE DAME

MARYLAND

NOTRE DAME

MARYLAND

NOTRE DAME

Miami (FL) at Florida State

FLORIDA STATE

MIAMI (FL)

FLORIDA STATE

LASTWEEK’SWINNER

Submit your weekly picks on the Double Coverage site for a chance to be immortalized as a “Fan Pick ‘Em” winner, as well as receive two free movie tickets courtesy of Regal Cinemas. Last week, Philippe won the contest with a 7-3 record. There were two other contestants with 8-2 records, but neither were eligible to win, since they were past “Fan Pick ‘Em” winners. It feels good to award the prize to its rightful owner this week. Keep the picks coming, readers!

HOBBIES: “I’m an avid golfer. I recently scored my first hole-in-one.” WHERE HE’LL BE WATCHING THE GAME: “I’ll throw a few racks of ribs on the grill and watch the game with a group of buddies at my place. We’ll celebrate the victory with a trip to Wurstfest.” Philippe Brady Petroleum engineering senior

FAVORITE TEXAS FOOTBALL PLAYER: “Of the modern era, I think Colt McCoy is my favorite. Even as a pro, I still cheer for him. He’s like the best friend I never got to have.”

Friday, November 11, 2011