Double Coverage 2016-10-14

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TIME TO FOCUS

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Friday, October 14, 2016

KEYS TO THE GAME

By Sydney Rubin @sydneyrrubin

Photos by Joshua Guerra

Capitalize on turnovers

Maintain offensive explosiveness

Improve the secondary

The Longhorns have an abundance of young talent in the secondary, but the once-promising unit has been a weakness for the team so far this season. Texas ranks last in the Big 12 in passing defense — and 120th nationally — as the secondary continues to let receivers slip by and make catches week after week. Texas is allowing 297.8 passing yards per game and allowing a 66 percent completion rate. With some high-powered passing offenses like Texas Tech and TCU still on the Longhorn schedule, head coach Charlie Strong needs to fix his secondary, and he needs to fix it fast.

Double Coverage Editor................Daniel Clay Design Editor..............................Lillian Michel Photo Editor............................Daulton Venglar Copy Editor.................................Victoria Recer Cover photo:.................................Juan Figueroa Writers Noah Brooks Claire Cruz Trenton Daeschner Steve Helwick

Sydney Rubin Michael Shapiro Ezra Siegel

If anything is working for the Longhorns this season, it’s offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert’s hustling offense. Texas, ranked third in the Big 12 in scoring offense and second in the Big 12 in rushing offense, is racking up 41 points per game. The Longhorn running backs, led by junior D’Onta Foreman, are racking up yardage and points at an impressive clip.

Freshman quarterback Shane Buechele is also performing well for the Longhorns, accounting for 12 touchdowns and averaging almost 241 passing yards per game. But the Longhorns need to generate more big plays to make a truly great offense. Two of Texas’ three losses this season have been by one touchdown or less, so the Longhorns are going to need that extra spark on offense to top the Cyclones.

Despite three-straight losses, the Longhorn defense showed a spark of progress in the first quarter of their 45–40 loss to the Sooners last weekend. After failing to record a single interception through its first four games, Texas tallied two against Oklahoma. Both of the picked-off passes landed in the hands of senior safety Dylan Haines.

The Sooners turned the ball over four times throughout the back-and-forth game, but the Longhorns failed to execute off the turnovers — only scoring three points.

Against Iowa State, the Texas defense needs to continue to force turnovers and the offense needs to execute off the turnovers and take the ball into the end zone. The Cyclones have fumbled the ball six times this season, turning the ball over to opponents on four of those occasions. In the air, Iowa State junior quarterback Joel Lanning has thrown three interceptions in comparison to his nine touchdown passes. If Iowa State makes mistakes on Saturday, the Longhorn offense needs to take advantage and put more points on the board.

Last year’s Iowa State game was the low point in Texas head coach Charlie Strong’s career. The heavily favored Longhorns got shut out 24-0 three weeks after a rousing win against then No. 10 Oklahoma, killing all of the momentum of the 2015 season. Strong said the team that took the field that game lacked the focus necessary to pull off a win on the road. This year’s contest will happen in Austin, but now there are perhaps more distractions than ever. After the dramatic win against Notre Dame, the Longhorns have lost three straight games and again stirred up rumors of Strong’s dismissal. A win against the Cyclones won’t save the season. But at this point if Texas loses focus and suffers a second straight loss to an underdog Iowa State team, it might kill all hope of a successful 2016.

Check out the rest of our Double Coverage content online!

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Friday, October 14, 2016

STOCK UP STOCK DOWN

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With cancer tackled, Meyers turns focus to football field

By Noah Brooks

By Claire Cruz

@NTBrooks1011

Stock Up Shane Buechele

Freshman quarterback Shane Buechele was thrown into the fire with his first Red River Showdown on Saturday, and he came out of it looking consistent and strong.

Despite some mistakes, including an interception and a near pick-six that slipped through a defensive back’s hands, Buechele provided much of Texas’ offense and kept his team in the game in the third quarter with three passing touchdowns, including two deep bombs down the field.

Buechele does need some polishing as he develops, but his showing against the Sooners showed that his role as a pocket passer will help Texas this season and in the future.

Stock Down Charlie Strong

After the demotion of Vance Bedford, it looked like head coach Charlie Strong taking over the defensive play calling made little difference.

Texas’ defense allowed a whopping 672 yards in Dallas, and many of the same problems that plagued the Longhorns in previous games persisted against Oklahoma.

While the defense certainly wasn’t expected to get exponentially better in a week, Strong’s first week as the makeshift defensive coordinator didn’t inspire confidence about the rest of the season.

As a head coach, Strong has struggled with playing while trailing the opposition. Strong needs to quickly improve the defense and his play-calling in order to salvage the season.

@claireecruz5

Stock Down Defensive line

Texas’ defensive line had an awful game against the Sooners, to the point where it seemed like there was significant regression from the previous games.

Oklahoma rushed for 282 yards, including 214 by running back Samaje Perine. In addition, the defensive line couldn’t seem to get to quarterback Baker Mayfield, only sacking him once in the game.

The line’s poor performance in the Red River Showdown was surprising given that they’ve had some success in limiting the yards on the ground in more recent games.

The defensive line will need to increase pressure and stuff the run in future Big 12 matchups.

Stock Up Dylan Haines

While Texas’ secondary struggled mightily against Oklahoma, Haines stood out in the game when he nabbed the Longhorns’ first interception of the season off of a tipped pass from Sooner quarterback Baker Mayfield.

Later in the first half, Haines once again intercepted a pass from Mayfield, this time snatching it while wide open and returning it for 38 yards all the way to Oklahoma’s 13-yard line.

While he hasn’t exactly been a stand out figure in the secondary this season, Haines undoubtedly helped get the monkey off of Texas’ back with his first interception and then provided Texas with excellent field position with his second.

Senior defensive end Mitchell Meyers is a big part of Iowa State’s football team.

Not just for his play, leadership and unquestionable work ethic, although those characteristics earned him a team captain role for the 2016 season.

It’s the heart and fight in Meyers that most inspires his team.

Meyers was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in February 2015 after a swollen neck led to an x-ray that revealed a mass in his chest. But he kept his spirits high and fought hard, and he’s back as a leader for his final season.

“He has this innate ability to impress you every day,” first-year Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell said. “I think it teaches everybody… tough times don’t last, tough people do and Mitchell defines that.”

His parents, Scott and Laura Meyers, were home in The Woodlands, Texas and learned about Meyers’ condition over the phone.

They initially wanted their son to return to Texas for his chemotherapy treatments, but the two-time First Team Academic All-Big 12 athlete decided to stay in Ames, Iowa so he

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could continue his studies.

“We got on a plane and went right away,” Laura Meyers said. “When I heard cancer, I thought he needed to be home. But he was still in school and didn’t want to get behind. I went up every two weeks to Iowa… I kept telling him, ‘life happens, we make adjustments.’”

Not long after his treatments began, Meyers started working out with the team again.

He got tired faster and couldn’t lift quite as much as usual, but his heart was as strong as ever.

“I realized [chemotherapy] didn’t affect me too much so I started to work out with the team,” Meyers said. “[My workouts] were ramped down when I first started, but once summer started I told myself to do everything the team did.”

In August 2015 he went home for radiation, but doctors found a cancer growth and Meyers had to endure a second round of chemotherapy. After a successful stem cell transplant and radiation he returned to Ames in

MEYERS page 6

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Friday, Octob

RIGHTING TH

By Ezra Siegel

Daily Texan Columnist @SiegelEzra

Sophomore linebacker Malik Jefferson walked off the field at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa, to the sound of jeers from the costume-clad Cyclone fans last Halloween.

One small child particularly irked Jefferson for his ruthless heckling after Texas’ 24–0 loss to then-one-win Iowa State.

“He was being very rude,” Jefferson said. “It was the worst feeling … [I was] like ‘where’s your mom?’”

The Longhorns nearly cringe when recalling the burn of last year’s loss in Ames.

Texas came into the game as heavy favorites, but left humiliated as the Cyclones dominated from wire-to-wire.

“That whole game was a nightmare to me,” Haines said. “We go up there and it’s away, it’s just a crazy environment and we just kind of blew it.”

And Texas can’t forget that feeling heading into Saturday’s matchup with Iowa State at Darrell K Royal — Texas Memorial Stadium. The Longhorns once again enter the contest as the heavy favorite with an 18-point spread, according to OddShark. But the betting lines don’t matter when the two teams hit the field. “[We’re] definitely not taking this team lightly,” Haines said. “This team is going to be treated like any other team.”

The Cyclones enter the matchup in a similar position to last year with just one win. However, new head coach Matt Campbell hasn’t let his team go down without scaring opposing fanbases.

Iowa State nearly pulled off two massive upsets in the last two weeks. The Cyclones led both undefeated No. 11 Baylor and Oklahoma State by double digits heading into the fourth quarter. But an inability to close games cost the team the two contests by a combined 10 points.

“They’re a good team, and that’s it,” Haines said. “Their record doesn’t show it, but they’re playing good ball. They’re competing with everyone, and I know they’re going to come in here and give us their best shot.”

Head coach Charlie Strong must have his team prepared this time around. The thirdyear head coach said he sensed Texas was in trouble before kickoff in Ames last year.

“You saw it coming because before the game,” Strong said. “We were out there, and I think it may have been like a little dew on the grass or something, and they’re like, ‘oh, it’s slippery’. Okay, so we’re going to worry about the grass?”

Strong can’t let his team lose focus before the game again, or Texas may find itself on the wrong end of another massive letdown. At 2–3, every game is a mustwin for the Longhorns, and they can’t afford to drop winnable games.

“We have a different team now and this is a critical game for us and we need to go play well,” Strong said. “This is a conference game. We’re coming back home, been away from home for a month, and we need to just get our fans back into it and make sure we play well.”

Conquering Iowa State won’t be an easy task despite its 1-5 record. The Cyclones boast the conference’s No. 2 pass defense and have recently flashed an explosive offense, averaging 31 points per game against Big 12 teams.

Texas holds the edge on paper and will have homefield advantage. The team also brings the motivation to snap a three-game losing streak.

Still, if Strong wants to avoid another letdown to the Cyclones, perhaps the best motivator is bringing back the memories.

“I can’t forget about that,” senior receiver Dorian Leonard said. “We have to go out there and give it our all this weekend.”

Joshua Guerra | Daily Texan Staff

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ber 14, 2016

HE WRONGS

By Michael Shapiro @mshap2

Tyrone Swoopes looked near unstoppable on opening night in Texas’ 50-47 upset win over Notre Dame. The senior quarterback bulldozed through Notre Dame defenders on 13 carries, finding the endzone twice.

His last carry of the night was a six-yard touchdpwn scamper up the middle to give Texas the victory. While Swoopes didn’t start against the Fighting Irish, his impact was undeniable in the Longhorns’ signature win.

“We’re going to line up and we’re going to let the 18-wheeler just run over people,” head coach Charlie Strong said after the victory. “He came in there with his package and we knew he was going to play.”

That 18-wheeler package looked to be a primary piece of Texas’ offense after week one. But five weeks into the season, Swoopes’ involvement in the offense has decreased dramatically.

Swoopes has not eclipsed ten carries in a single contest since that opening-night upset, averaging just 4.5 rushing attempts per game. He reached pay-dirt twice in a 49-31 loss to Oklahoma State in week four, but has been shut out of the end zone in Texas’ three other matchups.

The advent of the 18-wheeler package came in 2015, after Swoopes was demoted from the starting-quarterback role. After losing the role to then-freshman Jerrod Heard after week one, Swoopes, relegated to the bench, was unsure of his future with the program.

But he returned to the Longhorn offense three games later, serving as a shortyardage specialist against Oklahoma State. The Longhorns ultimately lost 30-27, but Swoopes role with the offense was reborn, thanks in large part to a seven-yard touchdown in the second quarter.

“I was excited to get another chance to get on the field and help the team out,” Swoopes said following the loss. “I’m just staying ready… If something were to happen, then I just kind of pick up where I left off.”

Swoopes’ success continued in the Longhorns upset win over undefeated Oklahoma a week later at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, with the then-junior throwing for a touchdown as well as running for one. By the end of the 2015 season, Swoopes had accumulated 12 touchdowns on the ground, rushing for 451 yards on the year.

After competition for the starting quarterback job in preseason, Swoopes ceded the role to freshman Shane Buechele. While Texas now sports a new system installed by offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert, Swoopes’ role within the offense remains the same: run it up the middle, and dare a defender to bring you down.

Five games into the 2016 season, defenders have proved more adept at driving Swoopes to the turf. He is still a load to tackle at six -feet -four inches and 249 pounds, but not an immovable force against multiple defenders.

An explanation for the struggles of the 18-wheeler comes from the defenses facing it. Most teams have come to recognize what will occur when Swoopes enters the game, as have stacked the line of scrimmage accordingly. Instead of seeing six defenders in his face before snapping the ball, Swoopes is now seeing eight or nine opposing jerseys.

“What they did is they over-loaded the box,” Strong said on Monday. “They’re playing really tight. Everyone have seen it and if you see it enough, people can adjust to it.”

The 18-wheeler package is still a potent force for the Longhorn offense, and a tool for generating significant yards and points within the redzone.

But it has gotten predictable, and has become easy read for opposing defenses. Now, it must adapt if it wishes to survive and aid the Longhorn attack moving forward.

Ethan Oblak | Daily Texan file photo

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PLAYERS TO WATCH

Joel Lanning — Quarterback

Lanning pioneered the 24-0 shutout of Texas for the Cyclones in 2015.

The junior has stepped up his game after a slow 0-3 start for Iowa State.

In his last three contests, Lanning has thrown six touchdowns and zero interceptions, completing 65.1 percent of his passes during the span.

Lanning, who rushed for 64 yards against the Longhorns last October, is coming off of a season high 67 rushing yards in a tough loss to Oklahoma State.

The quarterback’s improved play has worked wonders for the Cyclone offense, averaging 39 points per game in their last three matchups.

Mike Warren — Running back

The No. 2 jersey in cardinal and gold may be a familiar sight for the Texas Longhorns. Warren caused nightmares for the Texas defense last Halloween, rushing for 157 yards and a touchdown in the win for Iowa State.

The sophomore halfback has eclipsed the 100-yard mark twice this season, against San Jose State and Baylor. Warren displayed his ability to serve as a workhorse in the Baylor game, earning 30 total carries and converting them into 130 yards and a score.

He is one of 30 running backs in the nation to receive 100 carries, so his presence on the field should be felt this Saturday.

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Friday, October 14, 2016

By Steve Hewlick @naqwerty3

Trever Ryen — Wide receiver/Punt returner

Ryen featured in the backfield for most of last season but now focuses on starting at the wide receiver position.

He ranks second on the team in receptions with 24 and receiving yards with 288. But his impact goes beyond the offense.

Ryen has assumed punt return duties this season for the Cyclones, currently 13th in the nation with 147 punt return yards. He averages 14.7 yards per return, for fifth-best in the FBS. The Texas passing defense allowed 196 receiving yards to Chad Hansen and 232 yards to Dede Westbrook, so Ryen and the receiving corps could be in for a breakout day in Austin.

Brian Peavy — Cornerback

Peavy is emerging as one of the leaders of the Iowa State defense. Through six games, Peavy has recorded 30 tackles from the cornerback position. He led the Cyclone defense in multiple statistical categories in 2015 with 57 tackles and two interceptions.

Peavy also specializes in forcing turnovers, earning an interception and a forced fumble on the season. His secondary held Baylor to 178 passing yards and Oklahoma State to 283, challenging quarterbacks Seth Russell and Mason Rudolph.

Peavy and the defensive backs will head to Austin with their sights set on contesting a true freshman quarterback in Shane Buechele in week seven.

MEYERS continues from page 3 March 2016 but didn’t participate in spring practice.

Meyers was declared cancer free in June, and shortly after he joined the Cyclones for summer workouts. His tenacity helped him climb the depth chart and he earned back his starting spot and a team captain honor.

Out on the field I just felt like a normal dude.

“It was pretty surreal,” Meyers said. “The whole process had lots of ups and downs. I didn’t know if I’d be able to get back. Putting in all the work helped me forget about the cancer stuff. Out on the field I just felt like a normal dude. I think my teammates respected the fact that I fought hard to get back, it’s a very great feeling.”

Meyers has recorded 12 tackles through six games this season. He started every game as a sophomore in 2014 and tallied 30 tackles, third-best on the team. He played in all 12 games his redshirt freshman season and registered 14 tackles.

Although Iowa State is off to a rough, 1-5 start, Meyers believes his team can fight like he did and earn a few wins in the second half of the season.

Courtesy of Iowa State Athletics

Defensive end Mitchell Meyers, left, was declared cancerfree in March and is now a key part of the Cyclone defense.

Laura Meyers- who graduated from the University of Texas with a computer science degree in 1984- said family, friends and Mitchell’s high school coaches will be in Austin on Saturday to watch the game.

“You bet we haven’t and won’t miss a game this season,” Laura Meyers said. “[Mitchell’s] my hero. He’s a very strong person and I’m just happy he got his life back.”

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Friday, October 14, 2016

NOAH BROOKS

DANIEL CLAY

CLAIRE CRUZ

TRENTON DAESCHNER

STEVE HELWICK

TYLER HORKA

SHANE LEWIS

SYDNEY RUBIN

Overall Record

29-20

30-19

26-23

36-13

33-16

28-21

26-23

26-23

27-22

30-19

Last Week’s Record

6-3

8-1

6-3

8-1

7-2

6-3

6-3

5-4

6-3

6-3

Texas vs.

Iowa State

Texas 45-44

Texas 31-27

Texas 34-27

Texas 38-24

Texas 41-38

Texas 41-31

Texas 35-28

Texas 28-14

Texas 41-24

Texas 41-31

No. 1 Alabama vs.

No. 9 Tennessee

Alabama

Alabama

Alabama

Alabama

Alabama

Alabama

Alabama

Alabama

Alabama

Alabama

Duke vs.

No. 7 Louisville

Louisville

Louisville

Louisville

Louisville

Louisville

Louisville

Louisville

Louisville

Louisville

Louisville

Kansas State vs.

No. 19 Oklahoma

Oklahoma

Oklahoma

Oklahoma

Oklahoma

Oklahoma

Oklahoma

Kansas State

Oklahoma

Oklahoma

Oklahoma

North Carolina State vs. No. 3 Clemson

Clemson

Clemson

Clemson

Clemson

Clemson

Clemson

Clemson

Clemson

Clemson

Clemson

North Carolina vs.

No. 16 Miami

Miami

Miami

Miami

Miami

Miami

Miami

Miami

N. Carolina

N. Carolina

Miami

No. 2 Ohio State vs.

No. 8 Wisconsin

Ohio State

Ohio State

Ohio State

Ohio State

Ohio State

Ohio State

Ohio State

Ohio State

Ohio State

Ohio State

No. 12 Mississippi vs.

No. 22 Arkansas

Mississippi

Mississippi

Mississippi

Mississippi

Mississippi

Mississippi

Arkansas

Arkansas

Mississippi

Mississippi

No. 20 West Virginia vs. Texas Tech

Texas Tech

W. Virginia

W. Virginia

Texas Tech

W. Virginia

Texas Tech

Texas Tech

W. Virginia

Texas Tech

W. Virginia

No. 24 Western Michigan

Western Michigan

Western Michigan

Western Michigan

Western Michigan

Western Michigan

Western Michigan

Western Michigan

Western Michigan

Western Michigan

Western Michigan

vs. Akron

MICHAEL SHAPIRO

EZRA SIEGEL

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MATCHUPS

Quarterback Advantage: Texas

Freshman Shane Buechele struggled in the first half last week against Oklahoma. But he rebounded in the second half with a couple of deep balls for touchdowns.

Cyclone Junior Joel Lanning has taken most of the snaps at quarterback and tossed six touchdowns and no picks in his last three games, but sophomore Jacob Park has also filled in well from time to time.

Running Back Advantage: Texas

Even without sophomore Chris Warren III last week, the Texas run game showed no sign of slowing down.

Junior D’Onta Foreman rushed for 159 yards and

By Trenton Daeschner @TrentDaeschner

two touchdowns. Foreman has run for at least 130 yards in each of his four games played this season.

Sophomore Mike Warren and freshman David Montgomery combined for only 16 carries and 79 yards last week against Oklahoma State. The Cyclones rank seventh in the Big 12 in rushing offense.

Wide Receiver Advantage: Tie

Friday, October 14, 2016

Texas Junior Dorian Leonard and freshman Devin Duvernay each smoked the Oklahoma secondary last week with long touchdown receptions. Junior Armanti Foreman also had a touchdown catch.

Juniors Trever Ryen and Allen Lazard as well as emerging sophomore

Carson Epps headline a talented Iowa State receiving corps. Ryen and Lazard combined for 129 yards and three touchdowns last week.

Offensive Line Advantage: Texas

The Texas offensive line turned in another solid performance last week and returned senior right guard Kent Perkins from suspension. The Longhorns have opened up a lot of holes this year for their running backs.

The Cyclones feature four seniors on their offensive line, including 6-foot 7-inch, 310-pound left tackle Nick Fett. However, Iowa State ranks last in the Big 12 in sacks allowed with 19.

Defensive Line Advantage: Tie

Iowa State, despite having the worst rushing defense in the Big 12, handled Oklahoma State’s run game well last week, allowing only 108 yards and 3.3 yards per carry. Senior end Jhaustin Thomas has recorded three sacks this season.

The Longhorns had a tough day up front against Oklahoma, failing to contain junior running back Samaje Perine. Texas also struggled to put pressure on junior quarterback Baker Mayfield.

Linebacker Advantage: Texas

Sophomore Anthony Wheeler quietly continued

his standout season with another solid outing last week for Texas. Wheeler ranks fourth in the Big 12 in tackles this season with 43.

Sophomores Willie Harvey and Reggan Northrup and senior Kane Seeley lead the way for the Cyclones. The trio have combined for 104 tackles this season.

Defensive Back Advantage: Iowa State

Iowa State is only giving up 218 passing yards per game, good for second in the Big 12. The Cyclones are led by junior safety Kamari Cotton-Moya, who ranks ninth in the Big 12 in tackles.

Sophomores Davante

Davis and Holton Hill were each torched on big passing plays for touchdowns against Oklahoma. The Texas secondary still is nowhere near fixing its woes.

Special Teams Advantage: Tie

The Longhorns didn’t make any drastic mistakes on special teams for once last week. Texas did a good job of containing the dangerous Oklahoma sophomore running back Joe Mixon in the return game.

Iowa State’s Trever Ryen struggled last week on punt returns, totaling -9 yards on two returns. The Cyclones are the only team in the Big 12 to have not missed a field goal this season.

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