Double Coverage 2015-11-13 by The Daily Texan

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COVERAGE Friday, November 13, 2015

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Friday, November 13, 2015

KEYS TO THE GAME By Akshay Mirchandani @amirchandani41

BANISH ROAD DEMONS The Longhorns are still winless on the road this season, and all three of those games have been blowouts. Part of the Longhorns’ road struggles could be a mental road block. Scoring a grand total of 10 points in three road games would kill the confidence of any team. Morgantown is no easy place to play, but the Longhorns have to come out swinging to win this game. They can’t be too conservative and need to channel what they did against Kansas in the second half. If Texas can strike first and gain some momentum, it would go a long way in regaining confidence on the road. KEEP FEEDING FOREMAN Sophomore running back D’Onta Foreman is Texas’ best rusher this year other than redshirt freshman quarterback Jerrod Heard. Against Kansas, Foreman carried the ball 12 times for 157 yards and two touchdowns, including 93-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter. Foreman has the ability to break off for explosive plays, which can suck the life out of the opposing team. Texas needs to balance its passing and rushing attacks while also giving Foreman the right amount of touches. REALIZE BOWL HOPES DEPEND ON THIS Texas will be 4-6 if it loses this game. That means the Longhorns would need to beat Texas Tech at home Thanksgiving Day and Baylor on the road the following week to make a bowl. That’s a tough feat for a very inconsistent Texas team. But should Texas beat West Virginia, the Longhorns only have to beat either Tech or Baylor to reach six wins. That’s a much easier proposition. The Longhorns have to keep in mind the significance of this game. West Virginia is a beatable team — a win would make the road a lot easier for Texas.

DOUBLE

presents

COVERAGE

Vol. 10, Issue 11 Friday, November 13, 2015

Double Coverage Editor...................................Nick Castillo Design Editor..................................................Iliana Storch Photo Editor......................................................Amy Zhang Copy Editor.............................................Blanche Schaefer Cover Photo...................................................Thalia Juarez Writers: Jacob Martella Claire Cruz

Akshay Mirchandani

Jori Epstein

Blanche Schaefer

Jason Epstein Jillian Kushner

Ezra Siegel Aaron Torres

Joshua Guerra | Daily Texan file photo

Sophomore running back D’Onta Foreman stiff-arms an Oklahoma State defender Oct. 26. Foreman has been a bruising back this season.

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EDITOR’S NOTE Texas travels to West Virginia in search of improving its bowl hopes and securing its first road win of the season. The Longhorns look to overcome their road struggles, as they’ve been outscored 112-10 as visitors this season. They’ve also gained an averaged 175 yards less on the road in 2015. Texas looks to start off fast and score first — it’s undefeated under head coach Charlie Strong when it finds the endzone first. The Longhorns will try to prevent West Virginia junior running back Wendell Smallwood from gashing them. Texas needs to win two out of its last three games to become bowl eligible, and a road win over the Mountaineers would help them reach their bowl goals.

fourstarevents@trudys.com

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Friday, November 13, 2015

West Virginia quarterback leads Mountaineer offense By Aaron Torres @aaron_torres95

Junior Skyler Howard’s drive is inspired by his mother’s work ethic. Diedre Kelly worked multiple jobs while Howard grew up. She lost sleep so that both of them could have a better living. “That fueled me,” said Howard, West Virginia’s starting quarterback. “My mom’s worked hard my entire life.” Howard needed that energy, especially since his journey to Morgantown wasn’t easy. Howard was a threeyear letter at Brewer High School in Fort Worth. He passed for 4,171 yards and 32 touchdowns in his high school career. Senior year was his best year, as he

threw for 1,377 yards 13 touchdowns and ran for 597 and eight touchdowns. But Howard wasn’t recruited by any power-5 conference school. High school teammates suggested junior college football — but that wasn’t enough for Howard. “That’s one thing I told the guys when they said juco after my senior year and I said, ‘Nah, I’m going to go Division I,’” Howard said. “I told them ‘I’m not going to do it, no matter how I get [to a Division I school].’” Howard walked on at Stephen F. Austin. But he left after his freshman year and ended up at Riverside City College in California. Even then, Howard didn’t start. He played behind the guy who started

PLAYERS TO WATCH

at Utah. Then one game, “coach looks at me at halftime and said ‘you’re in,’” Howard said. Howard passed for 33 touchdowns and more than 3,000 yards in his only year at Riverside. He led the Tigers to a 10-2 record, a conference championship and an appearance in the California State championship game. “All the West Coast schools started calling in,” Howard said. “My first thought was New Mexico State. Utah was interested, Cal was interested.” But he bolted to West Virginia because his eyes lit up when he saw the high-powered Mountaineers offense. “Playing in the Big 12 was the biggest thing for me,” Howard said. “Just be-

ing able to go back home and play in Texas and play those teams that said I was too small all of my life.” Howard is still short for a quarterback – he’s listed at 6 feet tall – but he started two games in his first season at We s t

Virginia. Head coach Dana Holgorsen named him the starting quarterback this season. “He’s tired of hearing how he is not big enough, fast enough or good enough,” said Holgorsen. “He wakes up every day competing with himself and doing what

he has to do to make all of that go away. He’s going to be focused on what he’s responsible for, and I’ve been happy with what he has done.” Howard says it’s the haters that fuel him. The doubts. He won’t be complacent because he’s a starter. “I’m going to keep working like I had nothing,” Howard said. “I’m going to keep working until God has a different plan for me.” He’s refueling his tank.

By Blanche Schaefer @schaefer_bb

Running back Wendell Smallwood Earlier in the season, head coach Dana Holgorsen called junior running back Wendell Smallwood the Mountaineers’ best offensive player. Smallwood has lived up the title, running for 954 yards on 143 attempts. He’s the No. 2 rusher in the Big 12 behind Baylor star running back Shock Linwood. Smallwood is consistent, averaging 6.7 yards per carry. He played a large role in West Virginia’s 31-26 win over usually highscoring Texas Tech last week. Smallwood picked up 163 yards – to put that in perspective, the Red Raiders had 179 total rush yards that day. Smallwood is one of the reasons West Virginia’s offense is tabbed the “ground raid” attack. Texas’ defense needs to be in top form Saturday to keep Smallwood from finding holes and breaking through. Quarterback Skyler Howard Junior quarterback Skyler Howard is a consistent dual threat, despite the Mountaineers’ 1-4 record against Big 12 teams. Howard passed for at least 140 yards in every game this season and has 256 rushing yards so far. Surprisingly, his worst showing of the season came last week in a 31-26 win over Texas Tech. He completed just 12 passes for 149 yards and no touchdowns. But those underwhelming numbers aren’t the norm for Howard. He threw for 289 yards and four touchdowns against No. 4 Baylor on Oct. 17. Texas faces West Virginia in Morgantown, where the Mountaineers are 4-1 this season. Texas needs to limit Howard’s pass options and contain his run potential if the Longhorns hope to walk away with a win.

Wide receiver Shelton Gibson Redshirt sophomore Shelton Gibson is West Virginia’s leading receiver. He’s averaging 23 yards per catch and has seven touchdowns so far this season. He’s put up big numbers sporadically but struggles with consistency week-to-week. Gibson is a dangerous playmaker when he finds his groove. He scored a 70-yard touchdown in the first quarter against Baylor several weeks ago but barely played last week against Texas Tech. Gibson has the potential to make big plays, and Texas’ secondary needs to be prepared for that.

Quarterback Skyler Howard Courtesy of Garrett Yurisko | Daily Athenaeum

Safety KJ Dillon Senior safety KJ Dillon is a big reason the Mountaineers defeated the Red Raiders. He was assigned to Texas Tech stud receiver Jakeem Grant – one of the top 15 receivers in the country. But Dillon shut him down, holding Grant to only five catches for eight yards. Texas Tech’s No. 5 scoring offense only managed 26 points and 378 yards of total offense without Grant’s usual level of production. Dillon has 40 total tackles on the season and is a positive aspect of an injury-riddled Mountaineer defense. Texas has struggled with its passing game all season, and taking chances against Dillon and West Virginia could be deadly.

Friday, Novem

Vahe brings toughness, reliability to offensive line By Nick Castillo @Nick_Castillo74

Patrick Vahe towers over his opponent, standing at 6-foot-2, 319 pounds with black hair flowing out his helmet. Vahe, a freshman offensive guard from Euless, worked his way into the starting role by showing up to practice early and working hard to prove his ability to the coaches. “I wouldn’t say I was trying to fight for a starting spot,” Vahe said. “I was just trying to make sure if I do step on the field they can trust me and rely on me if I’m on it.” He’s been reliable since his first game as the starting right guard. Vahe said his performance earned him A’s from offensive line coach Joe Wickline. Vahe said his worst start came against Notre Dame in the season opener. “I’ll say I had eagles in my stomach, not butterflies, I had eagles in my stomach going into that stadium,” Vahe said. “I walked back out [after warm-ups], I look out and boom, everybody is out there, lights are on you. I was just like ‘dang.’ It was very different. The crowd was crazy.” Vahe also brings a tough and mean mentality to the offensive line. Vahe said he leaves his long hair — he hasn’t cut it since freshman year of high school — down for a reason. “I’m kind of intimidated, and so when people pull my hair I get mad,” Vahe said. “When people start pulling on my hair a lot, like the OU game, I get very angry.” His play on the line has impressed his fellow linemen. They no longer see him as a freshman, but a veteran. “On the offensive line, we have young guys playing at a very high level,” senior center Taylor Doyle said. “I think they’re mature beyond their age. They’re playing sound football and playing like old vets.” Vahe accomplished his goal of being reliable. His coaches see him as an important part of the offense. “He’s one of my favorite guys,” play-caller Jay Norvell said. “Just his competitive nature. He’s physical. He plays with a great base. I think more than anything else, he plays with a great competitive spirit. He loves the game and if you watch end of plays, he’s wearing his guy out until the whistle. He loves to play. I think that’s one of the most exciting things about him.” Vahe said he still wants to learn more, despite starting throughout the season. He wants to improve with three games remaining in his freshman year. “I’m a work in progress,” Vahe said. “I’m the type of guy that wants to get coached, wants to learn everything he can, and whenever I go out on the field, I want to make sure that all the notes I took down shows in the game.”

Freshman offensive guard Patrick Vahe (77) runs onto the field at the beginning of an offensive drive against Notre Dame on Sept. 5. Vahe has worked his way into th

mber 13, 2015

Rachel Zein | Daily Texan file photo

Freshman wide receiver John Burt hauls in a 69-yard touchdown pass from redshirt freshman quarterback Jerrod Heard in the Longhorns’ 42-28 win over Rice on Sept. 12.

Texas searching for offensive resurgence By Ezra Siegel @SiegelEzra

Amy Zhang | Daily Texan file photo

he starting role and brings a tough mentality to the offensive line.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Jerrod Heard dropped back and tossed a ball 47 yards. Freshman wide receiver John Burt snatched the ball over a Kansas defender, broke a tackle and took it 84 yards for a touchdown. The play jump-started a 598-yard offensive performance and a 59-20 rout over the Jayhawks. It also re-ignited Texas’ confidence in its passing game. “It meant a lot,” Heard said. “Just to get on the boards first. When we get that option to go out there, we have to make points every time. That was our statement, and I know John and I really had it going that we were going to connect it on this deep ball.” Texas hopes that statement turns into a common occurrence. The Longhorns have struggled to pass the ball this season, ranking last in the Big 12 in passing offense. Additionally, the team notched just two passing performances for more than 150 yards in nine games. The Longhorns’ passing struggles stem partially from the team’s success on the ground. Texas runs the ball on 67 percent of its plays, leaving little opportunity to throw downfield. The team also showed it can win games on the ground while rushing on at least 76 percent of its plays in wins over Kansas State and No. 12 Oklahoma. However, the team still needs to throw the ball to keep the offense balanced. “We can beat a team just [running] straight at their throats the whole game,” Heard said. “But, you definitely have to put

the ball in the air to make the game balanced and to keep the defense on their toes.” Texas has struggled to achieve that balance at times. In fact, the offense stumbles when it fails to run the ball efficiently. The Longhorns are 1-4 in games where they failed to reach 200 yards rushing. In those games, the team was unable to rely on the passing game for a spark while failing to pass for 125 yards in each contest. Play-caller Jay Norvell said the team’s passing struggles come down to confidence. He said the young offense flounders when the team fails to convert passing opportunities early in games. Now, he hopes that confidence isn’t an issue after finding success against the Jayhawks. “I just think the things we’ve been doing in practice need to carry over to the game,” Norvell said. “That’s more confidence than anything else … Some of that has to do with immaturity, young players learning lessons at different times of the year, but we have to press forward. Everybody has to understand they can bring something.” Texas’ remaining schedule will test its confidence and balance. Two of its three remaining games are against top-seven passing offenses in Texas Tech and No. 4 Baylor. If Texas is able to build off its recent passing success, it will go a long way toward earning a bowl invitation. “We have to push this team, we’ve got to ride them,” Norvell said. “We’re certainly capable of all these games on our schedule. If we perform the way we are capable of, we can put together games where we can win on everybody left on our schedule.”

TEXAN STAFF PICKS

NICK CASTILLO

CLAIRE CRUZ

JORI EPSTEIN

JASON EPSTEIN

Overall Record

61-29

54-36

Last Weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Record

5-5

Texas vs. W. Virginia

W. Virginia 27-21

Oklahoma vs. Baylor

Friday, November 13, 2015

JILLIAN KUSHNER

JACOB MARTELLA

AKSHAY MIRCHANDANI

BLANCHE SCHAEFER

53-37

59-31

62-28

63-27

54-36

59-31

57-33

7-3

5-5

6-4

5-5

7-3

5-5

6-4

W. Virginia 28-17

W. Virginia 34-20

Texas 35-31

W. Virginia 21-7

Texas 21-17

W. Virginia 27-17

Texas 28-24

Texas 24-21

W. Virginia 31-23

Oklahoma

Baylor

Oklahoma

Baylor

Oklahoma

Baylor

Oklahoma

Baylor

Washington St. vs. UCLA

UCLA

Alabama vs. Mississippi St.

Alabama

NC State vs. Florida St.

Florida St.

Memphis vs. Houston

Houston

Memphis

Houston

Memphis

Georgia vs. Auburn

Auburn

Georgia

Auburn

Virginia vs. Louisville

Louisville

Virginia

Louisville

Virginia

Oregon vs. Stanford

Stanford

Washington vs. Arizona St.

Washington

Arizona St.

Washington

Arizona St.

Washington

Arizona St.

Washington St. Washington St.

EZRA SIEGEL

AARON TORRES

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Friday, November 13, 2015

BY THE NUMBERS By Jason Epstein @jwepstein96

The number of points Texas scored last week against Kansas. This is the first time the Longhorns scored more than 50 points in 33 games. The number of points Texas scored in the fourth quarter last week. This included a 40-yard catch by sophomore wide receiver Armanti Foreman and junior quarterback Tyrone Swoopes’ fourth and fifth touchdowns of the night.

33.5

West Virginia’s average number of points per game in 2014. Texas held it to less than half of The number of yards that with a 33-16 win. Swoopes gained on four carries last week. Each carry resulted in a touchdown.

The score of a Texas loss when it first played West Virginia in 1956. Texas missed the extra point before a crowd of 30,000 fans. That year, Texas championed a 1-9 record under head coach Ed Price.

598 31

7-6

The number of yards of total offense Texas accumulated last week.

The percentage of third downs converted by West Virginia’s opponents this season. Texas’ opponents have converted The Mountaineers’ average 48.65 percent. number of rushing yards per game — No. 20 out of FBS schools.

220.1

The number of rushing yards by sophomore running back D’Onta Foreman, a career-high performance last week against Kansas.

158

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Friday, November 13, 2015

BIG 12 POWER RANKINGS No. 1

Baylor

The No. 4 Bears snuck by Kansas State 31-24 in freshman Jarrett Stidham’s first game at quarterback. Stidham was as good as advertised, passing for 419 yards and three touchdowns. A game against Oklahoma at home should be his first real test.

No. 2

Oklahoma State

The No. 5 Cowboys became legitimate Big 12 contenders with a 49-29 win over then-No. 5 TCU. The road to the Big 12 could run through Stillwater with Baylor and Oklahoma still due for visits. But that’s contingent on Oklahoma State taking care of Iowa State this week.

No. 3

Oklahoma

The Sooners dismantled Iowa State 52-16 and remain the darkhorse in the Big 12 race. Oklahoma plays Baylor on the road, TCU at home and Oklahoma State on the road. Winning all three would clinch the Big 12, and give the College Football Playoff committee something to really think about.

GAMES TO WATCH

By Akshay Mirchandani

No. 4

@amirchandani41

No. 7

TCU

The Horned Frogs’ thin defense came back to bite them in their 49-29 loss to Oklahoma State. To make matters worse, star wide receiver Josh Doctson left the game in the first half with a wrist injury, but TCU head coach Gary Patterson confirmed Doctson is not out for the season. TCU can still salvage its season with wins over Oklahoma and Baylor, but that seems like a tough feat for this bunch.

No. 5

West Virginia

The Mountaineers took down Texas Tech 31-26 to improve to 4-4. West Virginia has the chance to end its season on a high note with Texas, Kansas, Iowa State and Kansas State coming up next.

No. 6

Texas

The Longhorns looked shaky in the first half against Kansas, but exploded in the second half to win 59-20. A win against West Virginia on Saturday would go a long way in helping Texas reach a bowl game.

No. 8

Kansas State

The Wildcats made it close against Baylor, but didn’t have enough to stop Stidham. Kansas State now sits at 3-5. To make a bowl, it needs to go 3-1 in its final four-game stretch against Tech, Iowa State, Kansas and West Virginia.

No. 9

Iowa State

The Cyclones fell back to earth with a 52-16 loss to the Sooners and have to deal with Oklahoma State next.

No. 10

Texas Tech

Tech’s potent offense only scored 26 points on West Virginia. The Red Raiders have now lost three straight games, but their final two games come against Kansas State and Texas. Texas Tech only needs to win one for bowl eligibility.

Kansas

Kansas is still winless in head coach David Beaty’s first season and goes on the road to play TCU next.

By Jacob Martella @ViewFromTheBox

No. 25 Memphis at No. 16 Houston Saturday — 6 p.m. — ESPN2 No. 12 Oklahoma at No. 4 Baylor Saturday — 7 p.m. — ABC The Big 12 sees time in the spotlight with ESPN and College GameDay in Waco. Playoff implications are on the line in the showdown between the Sooners and Bears. The Sooners struggled in recent years in this rivalry. They fell 48-14 last year at home. But they may have the upper hand this time around, even on the road. Baylor freshman quarterback Jarrett Stidham looked good in his first start at Kansas State, but he hasn’t faced a top defense yet. If Oklahoma can get to him early, it’ll be an upset alert along the Brazos.

This game doesn’t quite have the luster — or maybe even the playoff implications — it would if Memphis had won last week. But this is still a huge game for the American Athletic Conference. The Tigers still have a great quarterback in junior Paxton Lynch, who comes into the game with 3,014 passing yards, 19 touchdowns and two interceptions. Houston counters with junior quarterback Greg Ward Jr., with 2,116 passing yards and 13 touchdowns, and senior running back Kenneth Farrow, with 857 yards and 10 touchdowns. This likely won’t impact the playoff, but the showdown in Houston is a must-see.

No. 3 Alabama at No. 20 Mississippi State Saturday — 2:30 p.m. — CBS Oregon at No. 7 Stanford Saturday — 6:30 p.m. — FOX This game doesn’t have the same feel it had in the past. Oregon’s three losses put it well out of the Pac-12 North race. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t playoff implications on the line for the conference. A Stanford win is a must for a conference that failed to place a team inside the playoff committee’s top five. A loss for the Cardinal would likely doom any chance the Pac-12 has of getting a final-four team, barring anything crazy. That alone is worth tuning in Saturday evening.

The Crimson Tide are at the top of the SEC right now, but that doesn’t mean there’s time to relax. Following the demolition of LSU, Alabama now travels to Mississippi State. The Bulldogs have quietly become a contender in the confusion of the SEC West. After effectively shutting down LSU sophomore running back Leonard Fournette, the Alabama defense is tasked with stopping Mississippi State senior quarterback Dak Prescott. Prescott has thrown for over 2,300 yards, 18 touchdowns and just one interception, along with seven more scores on the ground. Mississippi State doesn’t have the hype it had last year, but expect the Bulldogs to give Alabama a run for its money and maybe throw another twist into the SEC season.