Double Coverage 2016-09-09 by The Daily Texan

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KEYS TO THE GAME

STOP THE RUN

UTEP’s running back Aaron Jones is the nation’s leading rusher after Week 1. After coming off an ankle injury that kept him out for most of the 2015 season, the junior racked up 249 rushing yards on 31 attempts and two touchdowns last week in UTEP’s 38-22 win over New Mexico State. Jones’ first touchdown was from 37-yards out in the first quarter to get the ball rolling for UTEP, and his second was a 75-yard run late in the game to seal the deal for the Miners. His ability to run the ball with poise and obtain big numbers will make him a threat to defenders all season for UTEP. To stop the run, Texas’ defensive unit needs to be quick and punishing. UTEP has been ranked among the nation’s best for time of possession the past few seasons, so the Longhorns need to control the tempo of the game like they did against Notre Dame and limit the Miners’ time on offense. Because the Miners have a sturdy run game, they excel at extending drives and converting on third down.

Double Coverage Editor................Daniel Clay Design Editor..............................Lillian Michel Photo Editor............................Daulton Venglar Copy Editor................................Victoria Recer Writers Claire Cruz Trenton Daeschner Shane Lewis Sydney Rubin

Michael Shapiro Ezra Siegel Leah Vann

Check out the rest of our Double Coverage stories online!

Friday, September 9, 2016

By Sydney Rubin @sydneyrrubin

AVOID A NOTRE DAME HANGOVER

Texas needs to come out with the same liveliness and confidence they had against Notre Dame, although the stage won’t be nearly as big against UTEP. The energy has been soaring in Austin all week coming off a thrilling double overtime win and landing a spot in the AP poll for the first time since 2012. Head coach Charlie Strong said in his weekly press conference that this season can’t be a “one-night wonder.” The Longhorns had a few days to bask in the glory of a statement victory and arguably the biggest victory of the Charlie Strong era. But Texas needs to keep the momentum rolling and not stay stuck in this past weekend. This game is the perfect opportunity for Texas to fix the little things they struggled with against Notre Dame, including a few botched snaps and a blocked extra point runback that led to two points the other way.

After Texas’ 50-47 upset win over then No. 10 Notre Dame, the hype on the 40-Acres is as high as it’s ever been under Charlie Strong’s tenure. AP voters have bought in, vaulting the Longhorns from unranked to No. 11 overall in the polls. The rest of the season, starting with this week’s game against UTEP, will determine if Texas football really is back, or if week one was just a flash in the pan.

DEFENSE NEEDS TO MAINTAIN ENERGY

Texas’ defense proved it has improved since last season, but the unit needs to maintain endurance and efficiency until the clock hits zero. Texas’ defense started off hot in the first half against Notre Dame, holding the Irish to only two scores. But the unit appeared a little slow in the second half, allowing Notre Dame to come back from a 17-point deficit to force overtime. UTEP has an efficient offense, so the Longhorns need to stay energized and get stops down the stretch to give the offense some comfort.

PHOTOS

Left: Zoe Fu | Daily Texan Staff Center: Gabriel Lopez | Daily Texan Staff Right: Gabriel Lopez | Daily Texan Staff

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Friday, September 9, 2016

Alvin Jones ready for opportunity with Miner defense

Senior Kevin Vaccaro is expected to hold down the starting safety spot with senior Dylan Haines potentially missing more time with a head injury.

By Claire Cruz @claireecruz5

All Alvin Jones wanted was a chance. He was a three-sport athlete at Burges High School in El Paso, Texas. He was a three-year letter and played both ways with a Mustang football team that clinched two playoff appearances and an area championship in 2012. He earned All-District 1-4A honors his senior year- First Team as a defensive back and Second Team as a quarterback. But when the phone would ring in the Jones household, coaches were asking to talk to his twin brother, Aaron. “[My recruitment] was pretty nonexistent,” Jones said. “I would sit in the library and send my highlights to different schools. Aaron told coaches about me, but I’m not sure how well it worked. UTEP looked at me only after they reached out to Aaron.” The redshirt junior linebacker has certainly done well with the chance UTEP gave him. Jones made an immediate impact when he began his career in 2014, recording the second-most tackles on the team with 55, including nine tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks en route to an AllConference USA Freshman Team honor. As a sophomore, he notched 6.5 sacks, two safeties and 14.5 tackles for loss, which tied for second most in Conference USA and put him in UTEP’s record books tied for ninth all-time in a single season. His 93 total tackles were the most in a single season for a Miner de-

fender in three years. “Alvin is relentless,” said Marcus Graham, who coached Jones at Burges. “He’s very smart, has a quiet intensity and is one of the most physical players I’ve coached. I always told him to prove those guys [who didn’t recruit him] wrong, and he has shown fortitude and character.”

[Playing together] was always a dream, but we didn’t know if it would be a reality. It’s made us closer, because some things you go through with teammates you can’t share with your family, but he’s both for me. —Alvin Jones Junior linebacker

Despite his individual accomplishments, Jones is most proud to be playing alongside his brother at the collegiate level just 15 minutes from where they got their start. “[Playing together] was always a dream, but we didn’t know if it would be a reality,” Jones said. “It’s made us closer, because some things you go through with teammates you can’t share with your family, but he’s both for me. What we’re

JONES page 6

Joshua Guerra Daily Texan Staff

WHO NEEDS TO STEP UP? Defensive Line The defensive line faced a tall order last week against Notre Dame. The Irish’s offensive line is one of the best Texas will see all season. DeShone Kizer is one of the best, most elusive quarterbacks the Longhorns will see this season, too. Although it wasn’t a great performance, the front four managed to help get some critical stops throughout the game to keep Texas in it. The defensive line is still the weak link on this Longhorn’s squad, but it’s improved from last season when it failed to stop anything with two legs and a football. This week’s matchup with a non-power five opponent presents an opportunity to give this group some confidence. Redshirt sophomore tackle Chris Nelson led the team with eight tackles last week. Senior tackle Paul Boyette Jr. and junior tackle Poona Ford need to help set the tone up front early. Also, it remains to be seen if the Longhorns can get a legitimate pass rush going. Junior Naashon Hughes

and sophomore Charles Omenihu each have potential, but both need to start showing it. Defensive Backs The Texas secondary is stacked with depth, but it still needs to shake out the cobwebs. The Longhorns gave up a few big pass plays for scores against Notre Dame. Senior safety Dylan Haines sustained a concussion in the second quarter and did not return. Haines may miss some time, which would require senior Kevin Vaccaro to continue to fill in for him. Overall, this unit should only continue to improve over the course of the season. Saturday presents a good chance to play a lot of these young defensive backs and get them some game reps. Special Teams The Longhorns weren’t terrible on special teams last week, but they certainly didn’t do anything great. The inexplicable blocked PAT in the fourth quarter that was returned for two points

nearly dashed Texas’ hopes of beating Notre Dame. Senior wide receiver Jacorey Warrick possesses a lot of speed but couldn’t find any open space in the punt return game. Freshman running back Kyle Porter somewhat surprisingly handled

By Trenton Daeschner @TrentonDaeschner

kick return duties. But his longest return was only 19 yards, and included an imprudent unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after the play that backed Texas up 15 yards. This week, the special teams unit has a chance to be much better.

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Friday, Septem

Joshua Guerra | Daily Texan Staff

THE BAR HAS BEEN SET Over 11 million people tuned in when Texas took on No. 18 Notre Dame last Sunday. And a good number of those viewers heard when ESPN’s Joe Tessitore exclaimed “Texas is back, folks” as senior quarterback Tyrone Swoopes dove into the end zone for the win. The national media followed suit, bumping the Longhorns from outside the top-25 to No. 11. But Texas still has a long way to go. Head coach Charlie Strong said one game “doesn’t make a season.” And his staff must stick to that philosophy for the team to avoid a major letdown. “Yesterday people said you were nobody, now all of a sudden you’re somebody,” defensive coordinator Vance Bedford said. “So forget about what people are telling y’all, the pats on the back. One day they love you, the next day they’ll put you in the outhouse. So let’s not worry about all of that.” Longhorn coaches and players have said all the right things so far. They emphasize there is still work to do on both sides of the ball and they can’t buy into the outside praise — especially when they’ve seen hype crash and burn before.

By Ezra Siegel @SiegelEzra

Last year, Texas was in a similar position in October after beating then-No. 10 Oklahoma at the Red River Showdown in Dallas. National experts were quick to proclaim the program was turning the corner after the upset. But the team took one step forward and two steps back: the Longhorns lost 24–0 to a two-win Iowa State team just two games later. Bedford said he won’t let his players get ahead of himself. He said he’s “past” the Notre Dame victory, and he’s working to fix a defense that surrendered 47 points to the Fighting Irish. “If you’re in the defensive meeting room, there’s not a doubt in their minds that we’re not back,” Bedford said. “This means as much to me as anybody walking around that we beat Notre Dame at home on national television … [But] we won one football game. That doesn’t mean a whole lot.” Strong said he’s pinpointed specific corrections for Texas to work on. He emphasized the need to cut down on penalties, dropped passes and defensive issues — especially run defense. The third-year head coach said the win won’t mean anything unless the team builds on it.

“You have to get better from game to game,” Strong said. “You’ve got to take this game, correct the mistakes, move on to the next one, and we can’t have the same ones.” Several Longhorns echoed their coaches’ sentiments. Senior defensive end Naashon Hughes said the team needs to stay humble and move forward. “They scored 47 points — as a defense we clearly got some work to do,” Hughes said. “[We just have to] stay focused. We all know what we’re capable of now. As long as we stay focused and do our job.” Texas will need that focus with a tough schedule looming. After taking on UTEP on Saturday, the team will head to the West coast to take on California before back-to-back games against ranked teams in No. 22 Oklahoma State and No. 14 Oklahoma. The Longhorns flashed the ability to become something special against Notre Dame. And even with fans and the media singing their praise, they must keep playing with a chip on their shoulder. “I prefer the underdog [role] going into the game,” Hughes said. “People doubt you, and then you prove them wrong.”

mber 9, 2016

By Michael Shapiro @mshap2

Jerrod Heard can do it all. The sophomore wide receiver is a jack-of-all-trades for the Texas offense, a triple-threat option with the ability to run, catch and throw the football effectively. “Heard is so athletic,” head coach Charlie Strong said. “He can do a lot of different things. I’d put him back there and let him run the kickoffs back because he’s so talented.” But entering fall camp, Heard was nowhere near seeing the field. Despite starting ten games at quarterback for the Longhorns in 2015, he trailed freshman Shane Buechele and senior Tyrone Swoopes on the depth chart. So rather than squander a season on the bench, Heard decided to make a change. The Guyer high school product chose to translate his skill set to another position, moving out wide after being under center. “[Heard] said to me, ‘Coach, I just want to play,’” Strong said. “And I said, ‘So you tell me where you want to play and I’ll get you on the field, because you’re too good of an athlete to be sitting on the sidelines.’ So he chose wide receiver.”

Heard’s transition to wideout was eased by his time as Texas’ quarterback. He spent all of spring and summer camp in the quarterback’s room, learning offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert’s system inside and out. Instead of a having a blank slate upon moving to wide receiver, Heard held a treasure trove of knowledge. “It was very advantageous for him,” Gilbert said. “When you start [with the quarterbacks], you know from a scheme standpoint you really get everything... He’s really honed in, he’s really focused, motivated, and determined about being a really good receiver.” Texas’ depth at wide receiver was one of its greatest assets heading into the season, even before the addition of Heard. The Longhorns feature sophomore John Burt — who led Texas with 111 yards receiving in week one — and junior Armanti Foreman, both of whom were key cogs for the Longhorns offense in 2015. And in addition to their veteran receivers, the Longhorns brought in a pair of four-star recruits in Devin Duvernay and Collin Johnson. But Texas’ bevy of receivers didn’t phase Heard. He entered the final two weeks of fall camp ready to learn a new position, even

embracing contact drills after relieving himself of the black, noncontact jersey worn by quarterbacks. “The day they took the black jersey away, I’m not going to lie, I was kind of scared because the DBs, they loved it,” Heard said. “It was pretty intense. I got hit a few times and I got to lay some hits on them. It was real fun though.” Heard’s position change has already paid dividends. He caught two passes in week one against No. 18 Notre Dame, including a 68-yard reception in the first half. Strong praised Heard’s ability to adapt to a new position, and his willingness to help the team. “[Heard] has an unbelievable attitude,” Strong said. “Now you see where this team is headed because now you’re getting guys who are very unselfish.” Jerrod Heard can do it all. But for now, he’s focused on just one thing — being a wide receiver who can consistently contribute to the Texas attack. “ I feel like I’m really coming into my game and the style of receiver that I wanted to be,” Heard said. “I just want to be that reliable receiver for those quarterbacks to throw to.” Gabriel Lopez | Daily Texan Staff

Friday, September 9, 2016

WINS IF / LOSES IF By Shane Lewis @theREALsplewis

TEXAS WINS IF...

TEXAS LOSES IF...

If past history is any indication of this weekend’s outcome, the Miners are in a lot of trouble. In the previous two matchups between the teams, Texas has outscored UTEP 10620. Overall, the Miners have never notched a victory against the Longhorns. The Miners will likely remain winless in the series after this weekend’s matchup. Texas wins if they go out, execute their game plan and exploit the many mismatches on the field. Last week, Buechele made good work of the Notre Dame secondary, finding success throwing the ball down the field. This week, the Longhorns will be passing against a much less formidable secondary, one that features two inexperienced corners. If Buechele and his receivers play like they did last week, they should have no problem putting points on the board. Part of the reason for the Longhorns’ win against Notre Dame, was their balanced attack offensively. Just like last week, Texas will win if they can support the passing game with a solid effort on the ground. The strength of the UTEP defense is its front seven, but they won’t see a tandem like junior running back D’Onta Foreman and sophomore running back Chris Warren all year. Throw in senior quarterback Tyrone Swoopes, who terrorized the Irish on the ground, and UTEP is going to have their hands full. Offensively, Texas should be too much for UTEP to handle, and if that is the case it should lead to a Longhorn win.

The Miner offense was unstoppable in their first matchup of the season against New Mexico State. UTEP amassed 518 yards of offense and nearly rushed for 300 yards on the ground. Junior running back Aaron Jones had a career day on the ground, juking past defenders on his way to 249 yards and two touchdowns. Another monster effort by Jones might be the only way that UTEP pulls out a win against the Longhorns. Texas was susceptible to Notre Dame against the run, surrendering 206 yards on the grounds. Jones is an elusive back in the same build as Notre Dame’s senior running back Tarean Folston, and could potentially cause some problems for the Longhorn defense. The Miner’s main objective should be keeping Shane Buechele and the Longhorns offense off of the field. If UTEP can rush for upwards of 250 yards, and control the clock, they’ll at least have a shot at reaching that objective. The last thing the Miners want is a shootout in Austin. UTEP has a very small margin of error in this game, and the turnover battle becomes very important. The Miners cannot afford to cough the ball up at all during this game. And on defense, they have to be as opportunistic as possible. Ultimately, UTEP wins if they play mistake-free football and explode on the ground. Stephanie Tacy | Daily Texan Staff

Gabriel Lopez | Daily Texan Staff

JONES continues from page 3

Courtesy of UTEP Athletics

Alvin Jones was overshadowed by his brother Aaron during the recruiting process, but has made a name for himself in the UTEP linebacking corps.

doing, it doesn’t happen often. It’s been unreal.” Sometimes competition can cause a rift between siblings, but that hasn’t been the case for the Joneses. Even though Aaron, who is the youngest by 30 minutes, gets most of the attention when it comes to athletics, Alvin was never bitter. “He took it very well,” Graham said. “We had conversations about it, and most kids would have been upset or complained but he never did. He was always a team player and very supportive.” But as Jones develops into “a historically great football

Personally, I want to be the conference Defensive Player of the Year...I want us to win a conference championship and go to a bowl game and win that, too player for the Miners”, as Mike Craven of Dave Campbell’s Texas Football said during the summer, he’s generating just as much attention as his brother. He was named to ESPN’s Preseason All-Conference USA First Team and ranked No. 38 on Dave Campbell’s list of the most important college players in Texas. He may not be the biggest or the strongest defender on the field

every game, but his football IQ, natural instincts and work ethic make him one of the best. “Personally, I want to be the conference Defensive Player of the Year,” Jones said. “I want us to win a conference championship and go to a bowl game and win that, too.” Jones knows those goals won’t come easy, but all he needs is a chance.

Friday, September 9, 2016

NOAH BROOKS

CLAIRE CRUZ

TRENTON DAESCHNER

STEVE HELWICK

TYLER HORKA

SHANE LEWIS

SYDNEY RUBIN

MICHAEL SHAPIRO

EZRA SIEGEL

LEAH VANN

Last Week’s Record

6–4

5–5

7–3

6–4

5–5

8–2

7–3

No. 11 Texas vs. UTEP

Texas 52-24

Texas 41-17

Texas 45-17

Texas 42-13

Texas 56-17

Texas 56-7

Texas 35-7

Texas 41-10

Texas 63-14

BYU vs. Utah

Utah

BYU

Utah

BYU

California vs. San Diego State

California

San Diego

California

Penn State vs. Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh

Penn State

Pittsburgh

Penn State

South Carolina vs. Mississippi State

S. Carolina

Mississippi

S. Carolina

No. 15 TCU vs. Arkansas

TCU

Texas Tech vs. Arizona State

Texas Tech

Utah State vs. No. 20 USC

USC

Virginia Tech vs. No. 17 Tennessee

Virginia Tech

Tennessee

Virginia Tech

Tennessee

Virginia Tech

Washington State vs. Boise State

Boise State

Washington State

Boise State

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Running Back Aaron Jones Jones received a medical redshirt after tearing his right ligament in the Texas Tech game last year. Before going down in the second half, Jones had rushed for 139 yards, including a school record 91-yard scamper. Eleven months of rehab later, he is ready to take the stage as one of UTEP’s top playmakers on offense. The 5-foot10, 205-pound running back not only has the speed, but also isn’t an easy tackle. In 2014, Jones rushed for 1,321 yards, averaging 5.5 yards per carry and has put up the numbers against teams outside of Conference USA in the past.

Friday, September 9, 2016

By Leah Vann

@Vanntastic_Leah

Linebacker Alvin Jones Starting with his freshman year in 2014, Jones was already making an impact with 55 tackles on defense, second most on the team. During his sophomore year, he nearly doubled the number, leading the team with 93 tackles while also recording the second most tackles for loss in Conference USA. The 5-foot-11, 225-pound junior is capable of testing the Longhorns’ fast-paced offense. A former member of a state-qualifying track team in high school, Jones has the speed of a running back, which accounts for a sneaky, dangerous pass-rush and a lot of hard hits.

Tight End Hayden Plinke Standing as one of the tallest on UTEP’s roster, the 6-foot-4, 265-pound tight end is hard to overlook. He is dangerous as both a blocking and receiving tight end. As a blocker, Plinke led the Miners to three games with over 200 rushing yards. Plinke also added 37 receptions for 405 receiving yards with a career high of four receptions for 87 yards against Texas Tech. For a team that doesn’t have much of a passing game, Plinke can be one of UTEP’s few receiver targets.

Safety Devin Cockrell Junior Devin Cockrell has the experience and the numbers to make an impact on defense. In 2013, he led the freshman in Conference USA with 76 tackles. He continued as a starter his sophomore year, recording 52 tackles in addition to an interception and two sacks. After being named honorable mention Conference USA for both years as a starter, Cockrell suffered a knee injury prior to last season. After receiving his medical redshirt, the 6-foot, 200-pound Cockrell still has two years left of eligibility. He will return as one of the top threats on defense against Texas this weekend.

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