MAKING STRIDES PAGE 4
COME WATCH THE UT VS WEST VIRGINIA GAME
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PLAYERS TO WATCH
Skyler Howard Quarterback #3
Howard is the wizard behind West Virginia’s 7-1 record. The senior quarterback has thrived off of an accurate season, throwing 16 touchdowns and only six interceptions in 2016. Howard is a great game manager and has displayed his running ability multiple times this season. Last week, he picked up 64 yards and two touchdowns on the ground, along with 260 passing yards and three passing touchdowns. Howard is 17th in the FBS in completion percentage, completing an accurate 65.1 percent of attempts. In a 3820 victory over Texas in 2015, Howard completed 10-of-12 passes and was responsible for three total touchdowns.
Justin Crawford Running back #25
Crawford emerged from a community college to the Big 12 this season. The junior fits nicely as one of two primary backs in the Mountaineer offense. Last week against Kansas, he rushed for a career-high 129 yards on 13 carries. He found the end zone once, one of five total touchdowns this season. Crawford rushed for 100 yards in two other games this year against Missouri and Kansas State. Sharing the backfield with senior Rushel Shell has allowed Crawford to average an impressive 6.2 yards per carry. Look for Crawford to test the Texas defense on Saturday morning, a unit that allows 464 offensive yards per game.
Double Coverage Editor...................Daniel Clay Design Editor.................................Lillian Michel Photo Editor...............................Daulton Venglar Copy Editor....................................Victoria Recer Cover photo:.................................................Zoe Fu Writers Claire Cruz Trenton Daeschner Steve Helwick Shane Lewis Sydney Rubin Michael Shapiro Ezra Siegel
Friday, November 11, 2016
By Steve Helwick @naqwerty3
Noble Nwachukwu Defensive end #97
At six-feet-two-inches and 275 pounds, Nwachukwu is a force on the West Virginia defensive line. He leads the unit with three sacks this season and six tackles for loss and when he’s not in the backfield, he’s preventing forward progress by runners as evidenced by his 27 tackles in 2016. The Longhorn offensive line will be watching film of the senior all week. He scythed through the Texas frontfive to record three sacks in the victory last season. All eyes will be on Nwachukwu—the All-Big 12 Honorable Mention and native Texan—when Texas has the ball.
For the second week in a row Texas — a squad that was routinely embarrassed on defense in the early going — faced a team with an explosive pass offense and managed to pull out a surprise win. It’s not just an improved defense that has been responsible for the wins. Junior running back D’Onta Foreman is quietly mounting a Heisman campaign and freshman quarterback Shane Buechele is coming into his own as a passer. Now Texas faces what might be its biggest test of the year with Big 12-leading West Virginia coming to town. Stopping Mountaineer quarterback Skyler Howard will be no easy task, but Texas is making strides on offense and defense and the last two weeks suggest that the team just might be up to the challenge.
Rasul Douglas Cornerback #13
Douglas is tied for second in college football with five interceptions and also has returned one for a touchdown in 2016. He recorded two picks in a 48-21 victory over Kansas in Morgantown last Saturday. Douglas’ presence in the secondary is a headache for any quarterback. The senior has stepped up in his final year as a Mountaineer, recording 41 tackles in eight games this season and even has a sack from the cornerback position. Douglas lives all over the turf, and will be covering receivers from Texas’ versatile corps on Saturday in Austin.
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Friday, November 11, 2016
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WINS IF / LOSES IF By Shane Lewis @theREALsplewis
Texas Wins If
West Virginia has been the surprise of the Big 12 this season. The squad has lost only one game, and has performed like one of the more well-rounded teams in the conference. The oneloss Mountaineers currently lead the Big 12 in scoring defense, and are fourth in total offense. In finding a way to beat West Virginia, it’s useful to look at the team’s defeat against Oklahoma State. The Cowboys forced senior quarterback Skyler Howard into three turnovers, including two costly second half interceptions. Howard was also limited to his lowest passing yardage of the season, finishing with 212 yards. In the five games in which Howard has turned the ball over this year, the Mountaineers have only outscored opponents by a combined 19 points. In the other three games, West Virginia has won by an average of 27 points. The Longhorns win if they make Howard uncomfortable and force him into bad decisions. West Virginia goes where its quarterback does, and forcing him into turnovers would go a long way towards a Texas victory. After struggling early in the season to generate takeaways, the Longhorns have thrived in that category as of late. The defense has forced seven turnovers over its last three outings, and came away with a game-clinching interception in last weekend’s game against Texas Tech. If the unit can continue this trend, then Texas will beat West Virginia. Daulton Venglar | Daily Texan Staff
Texas Loses If
Texas has won three of its past four games, and junior running back D’onta Foreman is a huge reason for that. The back averaged 242 yards in the three victories, and accounted for six touchdowns. Just as West Virginia heavily relies on its quarterback, the Longhorns count on their stud running back to carry the offense. Texas loses if Foreman can’t keep up his current level of production. Foreman has passed the century mark on the ground during every game this year, but an off game could spell doom for the Longhorns. West Virginia has one of the best run stopping units in the conference, limiting opponents to less than 150 rushing yards per game. In recent weeks, the Mountaineers have held Oklahoma State’s Justice Hill and TCU’s Kyle Hicks largely in check. While these backs aren’t Foreman-caliber, they have had impressive seasons nonetheless. If the Mountaineers can bottle up Foreman, added pressure would be put on Texas’ freshman quarterback Shane Buechele. While Buechele has been solid all season, he’s yet to show that he can carry an offense by himself. He’s averaging less than 250 passing yards per game, and is yet to eclipse the 300 yard mark. If West Virginia can take away Foreman from the offense and Buechele is forced to air the ball out more than usual, then the Longhorns could be looking at defeat. Daulton Venglar | Daily Texan Staff
KEYS TO THE GAME By Sydney Rubin @sydneyrrubin
Follow Foreman’s lead
Junior running back D’Onta Foreman is leading the nation with an average of 180.75 yards per contest and continues to rise in the ranks after stringing together back-to-back eye-opening performances. Following a 250-yard outing in Texas’ victory over then No. 8 Baylor on Oct. 29, Foreman decimated the Texas Tech defense in the Longhorns’ 45-37 victory on Saturday — dashing for a career-high 341 yards and three touchdowns on 33 carries. Foreman’s 341 rushing yards are the most by a Texas running back since 1998 when Ricky Williams set the single-game record with 350. As Foreman’s production has skyrocketed, so has the team’s confidence and resilience. After a whirlwind start to the season, Texas seems to be progressing at a steady pace on both ends of the ball, but especially on defense. If the Longhorns continue to follow Foreman’s lead, they have a great shot at picking up their sixth win this weekend against West Virginia.
Pick apart weaknesses
No. 16 West Virginia sits atop the Big 12 in scoring defense, holding opponents to 20.6 points per game. The Mountaineers are 12th in the country in touchdowns allowed with 19 total as they’ve made the end zone unfamiliar territory for even the conference’s high-powered offenses. But the Mountaineers tend to give opposing quarterbacks an abundance of time in the pocket. Freshman quarterback Shane Buechele is throwing for 250.8 yards per game and continues to lead the Longhorns down the field with poise. Buechele should be able to
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Friday, Novem
Longhorns hitting stride down the home stretch By Ezra Siegel
Daily Texan Columnist @SiegelEzra
D’Onta Foreman stood on the sideline. The junior running back had gashed Texas Tech for 341 yards and three touchdowns Saturday in Lubbock — the second most yards in a game in Texas history. But with a chance to effectively end the game, Texas decided to keep Foreman out of the picture as senior quarterback Tyrone Swoopes ran into a wall on third and fourth down late in the game’s final moments. The sequence gave the Red Raiders the ball back with two minutes remaining and a chance to tie the game. “You know what, the play was set up for us to go get the first down,” head coach Charlie Strong said. “[Foreman] is on the sideline. We’ve been successful [in Swoopes’ short yardage package] … he can go get a yard.” Texas held on for a 45–37 win against Texas Tech. Still, the decision to keep their top playmaker on the sideline put the Longhorn defense in a precarious position to stop the nation’s top offense with the game on the line. Strong said he didn’t regret the third and fourth down calls. And he sticks by his staff ’s judgement. “I have a lot of confidence in [offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert],” Strong said. “They do a great job on offense. They know exactly what they want to do.” The Longhorns have made strides on the field this season, especially on defense. The team started the season 2–3 while giving up 40 points more in four of those games. Since then, Texas won three of its last four while piling up sacks and turnovers against some of the nation’s top offenses. “We beat ourselves up those other games,” sophomore linebacker Malik Jefferson said. “We’re always going to be a team and we’re never
going to give up on [one] another.” But Texas still can’t put itself in tough spots with its decision making. The coaching staff has puzzled Longhorn fans throughout the season with its game management. Notable instances include inexplicable timeouts late in the first half against both Baylor and Oklahoma State, giving each opponent ample time to score before the clock expired. A punt in the final minutes of Texas’ loss to the Golden Bears perhaps stings burnt orange faithful worst of all — Texas didn’t get the ball back while down by a touchdown. Some decisions have hurt the team more than others this season fortunately for the Longhorns, the team escaped with wins in the last two games. Still, Texas can’t afford to gift opponents extra chances to win. “We’ve had ups and we’ve had downs,” Gilbert said. “And we’ve been able to overcome them.” Overcoming self-inflicted wounds may prove more difficult in Texas’ final three games. The Longhorns face the Big 12’s top team on Saturday in No. 16 West Virginia, who sits at 7–1. Texas follows the matchup with a road game against Kansas before a special Friday showdown against a surging TCU team to end the season. Strong’s job security likely depends on an inspiring end to the season. With two more wins, Texas can finish above .500 for the first time since Mack Brown left the program in 2013. And with an improved product on the field, the coaching staff must uphold its end of the bargain. “I know this, our football team is going to come out and play well,” Strong said in October. “I’m not concerned about that at all. It’s about us as a coaching staff making sure we have a good plan in place.”
Linebacker Malik Jefferson was in a bit of a slump for much of 2016. But after some reflection and
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mber 11, 2016
Jefferson back to dominant form after lethargic start By Michael Shapiro @mshap2
Zoe Fu | Daily Texan Staff
d time with his family, the sophomore has rebounded to become a force on the Texas defense.
Malik’s Jefferson’s sophomore season wasn’t going according to plan. Following a freshman campaign in which he earned freshman All-America honors, the standout linebacker entered 2016 with the weight of the Longhorn program on his shoulders. He was looking to follow up his Big 12’s Preseason Defensive Player of the Year accolade, and resurrect a dormant Texas defense. But when the burnt-orange defense took the field for its first series against Baylor two weeks ago, Jefferson was nowhere to be found on the field. Instead, he stood on the sideline, helmet in hand, benched from the starting lineup. Yes, Malik Jefferson, the same guy who was once the No. 1 recruit in the state of Texas, stood on the sideline as the Longhorns attempted to stop the nation’s No. 6 offense. So why was Jefferson benched? Well, it may be easiest to ask the man himself. “The tape doesn’t lie,” Jefferson said. “I had opportunities to make plays and I didn’t go out there and execute… [head coach Charlie Strong] saw that and took me out of the game because I wasn’t being a factor.” The seven games prior to Texas’ matchup with Baylor hadn’t been pretty for Jefferson. He had accumulated just two sacks on the year, playing with more of a deer-in-the-headlights look than his usual attacking demeanor. Pundits throughout the country speculated as to what was wrong with Jefferson. Some claimed that he was placed out of position by Longhorn coaches, while others argued that it was an issue of effort. But the Poteet product had a different answer. “I was at a time in my life where I was unbalanced,” Jefferson said. “I didn’t focus on the things here and making sure I was doing my
job… I was mad at myself more than anything.” Whatever issues that plagued Jefferson prior to the start of the Baylor game have now faded into memory. He’s been a oneman wrecking crew for the Longhorns over the past two contests, anchoring a muchimproved Texas defense en route to backto-back wins. Jefferson has exploded for 17 tackles over the past two weeks, picking up two and a half sacks in the process. “Malik’s a special player,” Strong said. “A lot of times, when you’re a really good player, someone sits you down, they talk to you and tell you that you’re not playing at the level you should be playing at, a lot of guys kind of take it personal… But he can take criticism. He’s taken it right now and ran with it. The last two games, he’s really come on for us.” Jefferson though, doesn’t attribute his improved play to a change in technique or additional film study. Instead, he credits his parents, and a visit from his mom the week following Texas’ loss to Kansas State on Oct. 22. “[My parents] told me they love me and they’ll be there for me even if no one else is,” Jefferson said. “My mom came in and spent some days with me right before the Baylor game. We had a good dinner and some good talks. ” Whether it was the benching from Strong or the visit from his mother, Malik Jefferson has once again proved to be the athlete Texas fans thought he could be upon coming to Austin in 2015. Now, Jefferson says he must stay focused, and work to be the best player he can be. “There was a moment where I kind of got lost,” Jefferson said. “But that was on me and I take that responsibility. I’m stepping up for it now.”
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Friday, November 11, 2016
KEYS continues from page 3 weekend and execute plays in the air. West Virginia’s sole loss this season came at the hands of Oklahoma State. Cowboy quarterback Mason Rudolph had an exceptionally efficient passing performance in the upset, completing 26 of 36 passes for 273 yards and three touchdowns. When the Mountaineers gave Rudolph room, he took advantage, and Buechele needs to do the same.
Make the big stops
After being essentially absent at the beginning of the season, Charlie Strong’s defense has appeared to come to life. The Longhorns held Patrick Mahomes II, the nation’s leading passer, to 367 passing yards last weekend — a number well below his previous season average of 500. The unit stepped up in the team’s back-to-back victories, charging for a combined nine sacks and 17 tackles for loss. Both victories came down to the final play and the Longhorns made the big stops necessary to seal the deal. Sophomore linebacker Malik Jefferson led the team with eight tackles, 1.5 sacks and 1.5 tackles for loss against Texas Tech and sophomore corner Kris Boyd made the game-clinching interception that allowed the Longhorns to clinch their first road win of the season. Texas needs to make the big stops from start to finish against West Virginia — whether it’s the first or last play of the game.
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Nwachukwu, defense propelling Mountaineers to top of conference By Claire Cruz @claireecruz5
In just its fifth season as a member of the Big 12, West Virginia has a chance at the conference title. The No. 16 Mountaineers have turned in several good seasons since leaving the Big East, playing in bowl games four of those five seasons. But this year, West Virginia is finding new success by doing something not many Big 12 teams do — it’s letting a solid defense carry the team. “We used to be about high-powered offense, now it’s more of a balance,” said Noble Nwachukwu, a redshirt senior defensive lineman for the Mountaineers. “Defense is a big part of our game now, that’s the biggest difference.” West Virginia boasts the top scoring defense in the conference — ranked No. 20 nationally — and the secondbest total defense in the Big 12. And Nwachukwu is a big contributor to that success, for his attitude as well as his play. “In all the scandal around college athletics… a guy like Noble is a reminder that you can win games and be successful with guys with character who do things the right way,” said Daron Roberts, who was Nwachukwu’s main recruiter and now works at the University of Texas as director of the center for sports leadership & innovation. “He has a lot of integrity, he’s a diligent worker
and a special type of guy.” Nwachukwu is a quiet leader who’s quick off the line and a good pass rusher. He has recorded 27 tackles this season and leads the Mountaineers with three sacks and six tackles for loss. He started all 13 games his sophomore and junior years, and last season totaled 47 tackles and a team-high 8.5 sacks. But Nwachukwu didn’t pick up football until his junior year at Wylie High School. He found the sport too physical when he was younger and played basketball instead. Wylie head coach Bill Howard convinced Nwachukwu he would be more successful on the field than the hardwood and he instantly became a star, earning consecutive unanimous All-District 10-4A First Team honors. Nwachukwu racked up offers from in-state schools, but his decision wasn’t just going to be about football. His parents were much more concerned with the education and culture at the schools interested in their son and played a big part in Nwachukwu’s decision. “It was not your typical recruiting relationship,” Roberts said. “I spent as much time as the rules allowed with him. I can remember [his mother] asking a lot of good questions. It was not a football decision, it was
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Defensive end Noble Nwachukwu and the Mountaineer defense stand out in the otherwise offense-heavy Big 12.
an educational decision.” Nwachukwu has developed into a key part of West Virginia’s defense since arriving in Morgantown in 2012. He was named to the preseason All-Big 12 team and is the only Mountaineer to win two defensive champion awards this season, which the coaches give to the player who earns the best grade after every game. The personal honors show how hard Nwachukwu works during practices and games, but his only focus is on earning as much team success as possible — which includes a Big 12 championship. “Definitely, I think we have
a chance,” Nwachukwu said. “It’s in our hands. We just have to play hard and win out.” The first obstacle in that plan is a matchup with Texas at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on Saturday. Nwachukwu said his family will be in attendance and he’s trying to round up enough tickets for all the people who want to watch him play his final collegiate game in Texas. “It’s going to be a tough game,” Nwachukwu said. “It’s a crazy place to play. They’ve got a running back everyone’s talking about and we’re excited for the challenge. It’s going to be fun.”
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Friday, November 11, 2016
NOAH BROOKS
DANIEL CLAY
CLAIRE CRUZ
TRENTON DAESCHNER
STEVE HELWICK
TYLER HORKA
SHANE LEWIS
SYDNEY RUBIN
Overall Record
56-33
58-31
55-34
61-28
63-26
51-38
47-42
57-32
52-37
58-31
Last Week’s Record
6-4
9-1
7-3
6-4
8-2
6-4
4-6
8-2
6-4
7-3
Texas vs. No. 16 West Virginia University
West Virginia 38-35
Texas 31-28
West Virginia 35-31
Texas 34-31
West Virginia 30-27
West Virginia 37-33
Texas 35-32
Texas 35-24
Texas 34-26
Texas 27-24
Baylor vs. No. 11 Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Baylor
Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma
South Carolina vs. Florida
Florida
Florida
South Carolina
Florida
Florida
Florida
South Carolina
Florida
Florida
Florida
No. 10 Penn State vs. Indiana
Penn State
Penn State
Penn State
Penn State
Penn State
Penn State
Indiana
Penn State
Penn State
Penn State
No. 9 Auburn vs. Georgia
Georgia
Auburn
Auburn
Auburn
Auburn
Auburn
Georgia
Auburn
Auburn
Auburn
Texas Tech vs. No. 13 Okla. State
Okla. State
Okla. State
Okla. State
Okla. State
Okla. State
Okla. State
Texas Tech
Okla. State
Okla. State
Okla. State
Georgia Tech vs. No. 14 Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech
Georgia Tech
Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech
Georgia Tech
Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech
No. 24 LSU vs. No. 25 Arkansas
LSU
LSU
Arkansas
LSU
Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas
LSU
LSU
LSU
Ole Miss vs. No. 8 Texas A&M
Texas A&M
Ole Miss
Ole Miss
Texas A&M
Texas A&M
Texas A&M
Ole Miss
Texas A&M
Texas A&M
Ole Miss
No. 20 USC vs. No. 4 Washington
Washington
USC
Washington
Washington
Washington
USC
USC
Washington
Washington
Washington
MICHAEL SHAPIRO
EZRA SIEGEL
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MATCHUPS Quarterback Advantage: Tie
Freshman Shane Buechele has already played in his share of big games in his first season and has fared well. For a true freshman, Buechele has been very consistent and poised week to week. Senior Skyler Howard has also been very steady and consistent this season for the Mountaineers. Howard throws the ball well and has six rushing touchdowns.
Running Back Advantage: Texas
Junior D’Onta Foreman now leads the nation in rushing yards per game after a monster 341-yard, three-touchdown game
By Trenton Daeschner @TrentDaeschner
against Texas Tech. There’s not much to say at this point other than that Foreman is just shredding defenses. West Virginia has multiple talented backs, including senior Rushel Shell, junior Justin Crawford and freshman Kennedy McKoy. The Mountaineers rank third in the Big 12 in rushing offense.
Wide Receiver Advantage: Tie
Friday, November 11, 2016
Freshman Collin Johnson showed why he’s such a threat in one-on-one coverage last week, hauling in two jump balls in the end zone for touchdowns. Each week it seems a different Texas receiver breaks out. Senior Daikiel Shorts and junior Shelton Gibson are
Skyler Howard’s primary weapons in the passing game. Shorts and Gibson each had over 100 yards last week, and the two combined for three touchdowns.
Offensive Line Advantage: Tie
The Texas offensive line has been excellent at the point of attack this season and opened up a bevy of holes for D’Onta Foreman. The Longhorns’ pass protection can be shaky at times as they’ve given up 20 sacks. West Virginia has a stable offensive line that has only allowed 14 sacks on the season, which ranks second in the Big 12. The Mountaineers opened up lots of holes against Kansas last week
and paved the way for 341 yards on the ground for the Mountaineers.
Defensive Line Advantage: Tie
The Longhorns’ defensive line has been shaky against the run this season but effective in pressuring the quarterback. Texas is tied for first in the Big 12 in sacks with 34. Senior end Noble Nwachukwu is one of the most dynamic pass-rushers in the Big 12. West Virginia runs a 3-3-5 defensive scheme, which makes it tougher up front to defend against the run.
Linebacker Advantage: Texas
Sophomore Malik Jeffer-
son, once mired in a midseason slump, has wreaked havoc on the field lately. Jefferson had eight tackles and 1.5 sacks against Texas Tech and was key in containing quarterback Patrick Mahomes II. Senior Justin Arndt leads West Virginia in tackles with 46. He and the Mountaineers face a huge task in trying to stop D’Onta Foreman at the second level on Saturday.
Defensive Back Advantage: Tie
Sophomore cornerback Kris Boyd came up with the game-clinching interception in the end zone against Texas Tech. The Texas secondary has continued to steadily improve the past
few games after a rough start to the season. Senior cornerback Rasul Douglas has a Big 12-leading five interceptions this season. West Virginia ranks fifth in the Big 12 in pass defense.
Special Teams Advantage: Tie
Lately Texas has not suffered from the major special teams miscues that so often plagued the team early in the season. Senior kicker Trent Domingue has made seven of his last eight field goal attempts. Shelton Gibson had a 51-yard kickoff return last week against Kansas but overall, West Virginia has been pretty average on special teams.
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