Double Coverage 2016-10-21 by The Daily Texan

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE PAGE 4

KEYS TO THE GAME

Friday, October 21, 2016

By Sydney Rubin @sydneyrrubin

PHOTOS Left: Zoe Fu Center: Emmanuel Briseño Right: Zoe Fu

Keep pounding on defense

Start fast on offense

Overcome road struggles

Texas is a perfect 3–0 at home this season, but the road woes that plagued the team last year have continued into 2016. The Longhorns have yet to snag a victory on the road this season and haven’t won a game in Manhattan since 2002. The Longhorns need to steal a few games on the road if they want to finish the season with a winning record. If Texas can go to Manhattan and emerge victorious, it will give them a much-needed confidence boost with Baylor coming to town on Oct. 29.

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

Shane Lewis Sydney Rubin Ezra Siegel

Texas trailed Iowa State 3–6 at the half last Saturday, before freshman quarterback Shane Buechele and junior running back D’Onta Foreman led a second-half offensive surge. Buechele connected with receivers for 296 yards and two touchdowns, while Foreman notched his seventhstraight game of 100-plus yards, tallying 136 rushing yards and a touchdown. Texas boasts an explosive offense that is averaging close to 39 points per game. But Kansas State’s defense, particularly its rushing defense, is tough to beat. The Wildcats sit atop the Big 12 in rushing defense and rank fourth nationally, holding opponents to less than 91 yards on the ground. Texas needs to score quickly and build up a lead to avoid getting worn out by the Kansas State defense.

Last week against Iowa State, the Longhorns finally looked like the team Charlie Strong needed if he was going to dig Texas out of the football doldrums. The Longhorn defense was able to rush the passer and lock down Iowa State receivers and the offense continued to deliver quick scoring strikes when necessary. Dwelling on those successes though, won’t do the 3-3 Longhorns any good now. With six weeks in the books, it’s time to look to the future. If Texas wants to salvage the 2016 campaign it needs to build off of last week’s performance, right the wrongs of the first half of the season and finish out conference play on a strong note.

Texas’ defense was on the verge of a meltdown before head coach Charlie Strong took over the unit’s play-calling duties two weeks ago. After struggling defensively against Oklahoma and ranking last in the Big 12 in total defense, Strong’s defense showed up early and often in Saturday’s 27-6 victory over the Cyclones. The unit came out refreshed and fired up, making the plays necessary to shut down the Cyclone offense. Texas held Iowa State to a mere 280 yards and six points in the victory, recording eight sacks in the process. Texas needs to bring that same defensive firepower to Manhattan on Saturday against Kansas State. Kansas State head coach Bill Snyder said quarterback Jesse Ertz will start for the Wildcats this weekend despite leaving last week’s game against Oklahoma with a shoulder injury. Kansas State’s passing offense, which ranks last in the Big 12 with 167 yards per game, doesn’t even remotely compare to the passing powerhouses Texas has previously faced this season.

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Friday, October 21, 2016

WINS IF / LOSES IF By Shane Lewis @theREALsplewis

Texas Wins If

In last weekend’s win over Iowa State, the Longhorns finally proved that they could win a game while relying on their defense. The unit held the Cyclones to under 300 yards, and kept the Iowa State offense out of the end zone. The Longhorn defense will have a prime opportunity to keep the momentum going in this weekend’s matchup against Kansas State. In a conference full of explosive offenses, the Wildcats are one of the few exceptions. Kansas State ranks last in the Big 12 in total offense, passing offense and is eighth in scoring offense. Junior quarterback Jesse Ertz has been one of the most inefficient quarterbacks in the country this year, completing less than fifty percent than his passes. On the ground, the Wildcats have been very inconsistent over the past three weeks. In a win against Texas Tech, Kansas State racked up 231 rushing yards. However, in losses to West Virginia and Oklahoma, the Wildcats only averaged 115 rushing yards. On paper, this looks like the ideal matchup for the Texas defense. The Longhorns have struggled mightily against the pass, but showed much improvement in last week’s win over Iowa State. A date with the struggling Ertz could give the pass defense even more confidence. The “strength” of the Wildcats offense is their running game, but the Longhorns have shown an ability to neutralize opponents on the ground. Texas wins if they take advantage of a middling Kansas State offensive attack, and build off of their successes against Iowa State. Emmanuel Briseño | Daily Texan Staff

Texas Loses If

While the Wildcat offense has been lackluster, the team has remained competitive thanks to its defense. The Wildcats rank in the top three of the Big 12 in scoring defense, total defense, and forced turnovers. But the most impressive aspect of the Wildcats has to be their rushing defense. They lead the Big 12 by a wide margin in the category, and are the only team to have limited opposing teams to less than 100 yards per game on the ground. Senior defensive end Jordan Willis has been an absolute beast for the Wildcats, and leads the conference in tackles for loss. Willis is complemented by junior linebacker Elijah Lee, who has been playing like one of the top linebackers in the country through midseason. The Texas offense is carried on the broad shoulders of 241 pound junior running back D’Onta Foreman. Foreman has been a stud throughout the season, and ranks second in the nation in rushing yards per game. He’s coming off of a solid outing against Iowa State, in which he ran for 136 yards and a touchdown. Texas loses if Kansas State’s rushing defense proves too much for Foreman and company to handle. While Texas certainly has weapons in the passing game, the Longhorn machine runs much smoother with the help of an effective ground attack. If the Longhorns are unable to manufacture a rushing offense, they could be in for some trouble. Gabriel Lopez | Daily Texan Staff

Willis rewarding Kansas State’s loyalty By Claire Cruz @claireecruz5

Jordan Willis hadn’t played a single down of varsity football when he verbally committed to play for Kansas State. He transferred to Rockhurst High School in Kansas City, Mo. midway through his freshman year and was ineligible to play for the varsity team his sophomore season. But in the summer of 2011 just before his junior year, he went to a oneday camp in Manhattan, Kansas and impressed the Wildcat staff enough to receive an offer. “One day in the summer he came up to me and said, ‘Kansas State wants me,’” said Tony Severino, who coached Willis at Rockhurst and lettered at Kansas State from 1968-69. “He hadn’t even played a game of varsity ball. Jordan’s one of those guys who has all the measurables- size, speed, strength. He impressed them.” Five years later, the senior defensive end continues to impress as the epitome of consistency and preparation. Willis entered the 2016 season tied for third in the Big 12 in most career starts with 26. He started every game his

sophomore and junior seasons and has developed into the heart of Kansas State’s defense. His work ethic on and off the field earned Willis the honor of being one of four team captains this season. “[Being named captain] shows how my team respects me and expects me to be a leader,” Willis said. “It’s about consistency. I’m always on time, actually 15 to 20 minutes early. I bring a positive attitude and consistent effort to the weight room, to practice and on Saturdays.” Willis is very quiet and prefers to let his play do the talking, so he originally tried to reject the team captain title. But once he accepted the role he immediately started to thrive. He’s currently in a three-way tie for the most sacks in the Big 12 with six and has notched 29 total tackles. Last season he recorded 35 tackles and led the conference in forced fumbles.

WILLIS page 8

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Friday, Octob

Strong preparing Texas for crucial second-half surge By Ezra Siegel

Daily Texan Columnist @SiegelEzra

Not much has changed from last year in the Longhorns’ first six games. Texas still struggles on the road. The defense still gives up too many big plays. And head coach Charlie Strong’s future still remains uncertain. Burnt orange faithful are yet to learn much about the 2016 Longhorns, who enter this weekend’s matchup against Kansas State at 3–3. The team won games it was supposed to win against UTEP and Iowa State and defeated a Notre Dame team that now stands as one of college football’s top disappointments at 2–5. But Longhorn fans should have an idea about the program’s long-term future very soon as Texas’ final six games include a variety of difficult matchups. After heading to Kansas State, the Longhorns still have dates at home with No. 9 Baylor and No. 12 West Virginia, both of whom are undefeated. The team also hosts a formidable TCU team and travels to Lubbock to take on an explosive Texas Tech offense. While it’s unclear how many wins Strong needs to keep his job, winning four games to finish above .500 for the first time since 2013 would be a good start. “The schedule is set up for us,” Strong said. “We’ve got three tough opponents coming in here at home and we’ve just got to go on the road. That’s why we haven’t played good. We’ve got to win on the road.” Texas has flashed dominance on both sides of the ball. The Longhorns have scored 30 or more in five of their six games this season, and the defense enters this week off its best performance of the season with just six points allowed against Iowa State. But now the team must play with consistency. The Longhorns’ downfall this season

Daulton Venglar | Daily Texan Staff

has been their inability to click on both sides of the ball at the same time. When Texas’ offense is scoring in bunches, its defense gives up even more. When the defense clamps down, the offense sputters. “If we’re playing good on the defensive side of the ball and special teams, then we’ve got to do our part on the offensive side of the ball,” offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert said. “Be consistent, start fast, be able to come out and then complete games. Those are where our focus is, and that’s where our development needs to go.” The Longhorns can set the tone for the rest of their season with a win against Kansas State. The Wildcats aren’t the flashiest team at 3–3, but they still present a massive challenge for Texas. Kansas State is 6–2 against the Longhorns in their last eight meetings. The team is also undefeated at home this season, but is yet to win a road game. The Wildcats boast the top defense on the Longhorns’ schedule, ranking first in the Big 12 in rush defense — Texas thrives on running the ball — and third in scoring defense. “They’re a great, well-taught team, and they’re going to play really hard and they’re going to force us to make mistakes,” sophomore tackle Connor Williams said. “So we just have to be on top of our game and outphysical them.” The next six game should be a defining moment in Strong’s tenure. If Texas falters, the program will look very different next year. If the Longhorns turn it around, Strong is likely here to stay. And with the pressure on, Strong knows it’s time his team performs. “Oh, I need [to win] ‘em all,” Strong said.

ber 21, 2016

Bonney set for opportunities in Longhorn secondary By Tyler Horka @TexasTy95

The rain poured and the wind gusted as Texas led Kansas State 16-6 early in the third quarter on Oct. 24, 2015. The Wildcats rode a rainy wave of momentum, scoring a touchdown just before halftime to dig into the Longhorns’ lead. The Wildcats snapped the ball on third and long on their first possession of the second half. Then redshirt freshman cornerback John Bonney didn’t retreat into coverage. Instead, he darted toward quarterback Joe Hubener. Bonney’s rush went unimpeded, and the cornerback sacked the Hubener for a loss of eight yards. One year later, Bonney’s stock has never been higher as a Longhorn. His playing time has increased steadily all season, and he started against Iowa State last week. He made the most of it, racking up six solo tackles. “That’s probably the best I’ve seen him tackle,” head coach Charlie Strong said. “I think one time there was like a 2nd and 3 and he goes up and makes the tackle and the guy only gets one yard.” Bonney doesn’t always hit the field with Texas’ first team defense. Though he started at cornerback six times in 2015, he had yet to see the field on the Longhorns’ opening defensive possession until this past Saturday. But that doesn’t stop Bonney from acting like a weekly starter. “I’ve definitely taken it one week at a time,” Bonney said. “Coach Bedford always tells every player, ‘Prepare as if you were a starter because you never know when your number is going to be called,’ and that’s something I’ve taken into account every week this season. I felt like I did well this week because of just keeping that in the back of my mind.” The Texas secondary has endured a

myriad of problems this season, leading to its 112th national ranking in pass defense. The Longhorns give up 278.5 passing yards per game. Bonney’s fellow cornerback, sophomore Kris Boyd, has been a staple at the position for Texas this season, for better or worse. He’s had his fair share of vicious hits, but also a collection of head-scratching blunders. Boyd’s inconsistency gave way to Bonney’s insertion into the lineup this past week, but senior safety Dylan Haines said both young defensive backs impressed him with their play. “They just have to keep that going,” Haines said. “Now they’ve got to know that one bad thing can happen in one game and one good thing can happen. It can go like that if you don’t keep preparing the way you have been.” Bonney and Boyd played well at home against Iowa State, but taking that same level of motivation and consistency on the road has been anything but smooth sailing for the Longhorn defense. Texas gives up an average of 48 points per game when playing away from home this season. Twenty-two of Bonney’s 36 career tackles — 61.1 percent — have occurred on the home turf of Darrell K Royal—Texas Memorial Stadium. Bonney knows just how hard it is to play well on the road, but he said he’d do whatever it takes to get it done. “I feel like our coaches are going to be hard on us this week about playing great defense on the road,” Bonney said. “Because that’s definitely something you need because you’re going into somebody else’s house and trying to beat them, and to do that, you have to play really good defense, and we have to prepare really well this week to do that.”

Karen Pinilla | Daily Texan file photo

MATCHUPS

Friday, October 21, 2016

By Trenton Daechner @TrentDaeschner

Quarterback Advantage: Texas

Running Back Advantage: Texas

Wide Receiver Advantage: Texas

Offensive Line Advantage: Texas

Defensive Line Advantage: Tie

Linebacker Advantage: Tie

Defensive Back Advantage: Texas

Special Teams Advantage: Kansas State

Freshman Shane Buechele wasn’t clicking on all cylinders in the first half against Iowa State last week. But he came alive in the second half, finishing the game with 296 passing yards and two touchdowns. Junior Jesse Ertz was injured last week against Oklahoma but will start against Texas. Ertz is not a great threat as a passer, but he has been very effective running the ball for the Wildcats this season.

After a slow start to the season, the Texas defensive line finally appears to be turning the corner. Last week, junior defensive end Naashon Hughes registered 2.5 sacks and sophomore tackle Chris Nelson had 1.5 sacks. The Wildcats are led by senior end Jordan Willis, who leads the Big 12 in sacks and tackles for loss. Kansas State has been excellent in stopping the run, only allowing 90.3 rushing yards per game.

Junior D’Onta Foreman has continued his torrid stretch, leading the nation with seven consecutive games of at least 100 yards rushing. Foreman faces his toughest challenge yet against Kansas State’s No. 1-ranked rushing defense in the Big 12. Senior Charles Jones saw success in last year’s game against Texas, rushing 18 times for 122 yards. Jones is having a respectable season so far and is averaging five yards per carry.

Freshman Jeffrey McCulloch saw substantial action against Iowa State and left his mark, finishing with four tackles and a sack. And of course, sophomores Malik Jefferson and Anthony Wheeler are always ready to create havoc in the box. Junior Elijah Lee is a force to be reckoned with at the linebacker position for Kansas State. Lee ranks third in the Big 12 in tackles, averaging 8.5 per game, and has one interception this season.

Freshman Devin Duvernay has caught fire recently, totaling 177 receiving yards and two touchdowns in his last two games. Junior Dorian Leonard and sophomore Jerrod Heard also continue to impress in the passing game. Sophomore Dominique Heath is coming off his best game of the season against Oklahoma, hauling in seven catches for 101 yards and a touchdown. The Wildcats are not a passing team, and it’s a rare occurrence when they have a 100-yard receiver in a game.

The Longhorns allowed only 182 passing yards against Iowa State as the secondary made significant strides last week. Whether the Texas secondary is fixed for good remains to be seen. Kansas State’s secondary fell victim to the explosiveness of the Oklahoma passing attack last week. It faces another tough test against multiple dynamic Texas perimeter players on Saturday.

The Longhorns’ offensive line has been as steady as they come this season. Texas ranks second in the Big 12 in rushing offense and third in sacks allowed. Sophomore right tackle Dalton Risner is the only returning starter for the Wildcats from last year’s offensive line. Kansas State ranks fifth in the Big 12 in rushing offense.

Kansas State has been very strong on special teams this season and has a dangerous return man in sophomore wide receiver Byron Pringle. Pringle is averaging 31.6 yards per kick return, which leads the Big 12. Texas has not had much to show for itself on special teams this season, other than the continued success of sophomore punter Michael Dickson. Dickson leads the Big 12 in punt average.

Friday, October 21, 2016

NOAH BROOKS

DANIEL CLAY

CLAIRE CRUZ

TRENTON DAESCHNER

STEVE HELWICK

TYLER HORKA

SHANE LEWIS

SYDNEY RUBIN

Overall Record

36-23

38-21

34-25

43-16

41-18

35-24

33-26

36-23

35-24

38-21

Last Weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Record

7-3

8-2

7-3

8-2

7-3

10-0

7-3

8-2

Texas vs. Kansas State

Texas 30-27

Texas 28-21

Texas 30-27

Texas 31-27

Texas 20-16

Texas 28-20

Texas 28-24

Texas 14-10

Texas 31-20

Kansas State 31-23

No. 6 Texas A&M vs. No. 1 Alabama

Alabama

Texas A&M

Alabama

Memphis vs. No. 24 Navy

Memphis

Navy

Memphis

Navy

Memphis

Navy

Memphis

Navy

TCU vs. No. 12 West Virginia

W. Virginia

TCU

W. Virginia

No. 19 Utah vs. UCLA

Utah

UCLA

Utah

UCLA

Utah

UCLA

Utah

No. 17 Arkansas vs. Auburn

Arkansas

Auburn

Arkansas

No. 16 Oklahoma vs. Texas Tech

Oklahoma

No. 23 Mississippi vs. No. 25 LSU

LSU

Mississippi

LSU

Mississippi

LSU

Mississippi

LSU

No. 2 Ohio State vs. Penn State

Ohio State

Colorado vs. Stanford

Colorado

Stanford

Colorado

Stanford

Colorado

Stanford

Colorado

MICHAEL SHAPIRO

EZRA SIEGEL

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Jesse Ertz Quarterback #16

In 2015, Jesse Ertz rushed once for five yards. That’s all the action the quarterback saw before a season-ending ACL injury. Now a redshirt sophomore, Ertz is overcoming a shoulder injury from last week’s loss to Oklahoma. He is expected to start on Saturday in Manhattan, hoping to lift his Wildcats above the .500 mark. With a completion percentage below 50 percent, Ertz has not been the model of accuracy, but he has been solid as a rusher. He averages nine rushes a game and has capitalized with four rushing touchdowns in 2016. The Wildcats run over 58 percent of the time, so expect Ertz to run a lot of options and quarterback draws against the Texas defense.

Friday, October 21, 2016

By Steve Hewlick @naqwerty3

Will Geary Defensive tackle #60

Charles Jones Running back #24

It’s been quite a journey for Geary at Kansas State. The junior defensive tackle transformed from a walk-on to First Team All-Big 12 in a matter of two seasons. Geary mans a Wildcat defensive line that only yields 90.3 rushing yards per game— good for fourth in college football. He produced 45 tackles and 3.5 sacks in a stellar 2015. Geary has recorded 20 tackles, including five at Oklahoma last week, through the midway point of this season. He may battle up front against Texas center, and former Kansas State commit, Zach Shackelford on Saturday. Geary is still hunting for his first quarterback sack of the season, and will have to fight through Shackelford and the Texas offensive line to achieve it.

Kansas State has established itself as a running team this season. Jones leads Bill Snyder’s rushing attack, earning 321 yards and two touchdowns on the ground this season. The senior’s best game occurred in the 44-38 victory over Texas Tech, where he accumulated a season-high 128 yards on 19 carries. As a three-year starter, Jones has become accustomed to facing the Texas defense. He scored a touchdown in the shutout in 2014 and rushed for 122 yards in the loss last October—the second best output of his career. Jones hopes to recover with a prolific performance on Saturday morning after struggling against the West Virginia and Oklahoma defenses this season.

WILLIS continues from page 3 Willis has improved tremendously from the true freshman who played in nine games and wants to continue that trend in his final year. “Honestly, for myself, the only goal is to continue to improve,” Willis said. “It keeps me in a focused mindset. You can miss a lot if you look at [your senior season] as your last time for everything. I see it as another season, that’s the best way to go about it.” Willis plans to take a shot at reaching the NFL after his time as a Wildcat ends, but if that doesn’t work out he said he wants to pursue a coaching career. He has been influenced by two legendary coaches in Severino

and Kansas State head coach Bill Snyder, who have been inducted into the Missouri High School Coaches Hall of Fame and College Football Hall of Fame, respectively. Severino was surprised to learn Willis’ current career plans — when he left Rockhurst, Willis was going to be a preacher — but said he wouldn’t be surprised if his former player finds success. “He’d probably do alright,” Severino said. “He’s a great preparation guy. He’s not a rah-rah guy, he’s very business-like. When he has a goal, he tries hard to achieve it.” But Willis is still a long way from planning a post-college life. Kansas State has six con-

Elijah Lee Outside linebacker #9

When it comes to tackling, Lee is among the Big 12’s elite. The junior outside linebacker has wrapped up for 51 tackles through six games this season. In a close 17-16 loss versus West Virginia, Lee recorded a career-high 12 solo tackles. Lee also has applied pressure on his way to 10.5 career sacks, including one this season. He recorded one sack in Austin last season and eight tackles in the 23-9 road loss to the Longhorns. The 2015 All-Big 12 member has demonstrated an ability to play in coverage as well, tallying four career interceptions heading into Saturday’s matchup.

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Courtesy of Kansas State Athletics

Jordan Willis (No. 75) has NFL aspirations once his illustrious career with the vaunted Wildcat defense comes to a close.

tests left in the regular season and Willis believes they can reach a bowl game. As for this weekend’s matchup with Texas, he said the Wildcats need to be ready for a fight.

“It’s going to be a physical football game,” Willis said. “[Texas] has no slack in their belt and a very balanced football team. We have a real challenge on our hands.”