The Daily Texan's Double Coverage 2021-11-19 by The Daily Texan

T H E D A I LY TEXAN PRESENTS

Double Coverage VOL. 16 ISSUE 12 | Nov. 19, 2021

jack myer

/ the daily texan file

friday, NOVEMBER 19, 2021

TEXAN

STAFF PICKS

Myah Taylor

Kaitlyn Harmon

Nathan Han

Matthew Boncosky

Payne Williams

Christina Huang

Hannah Williford

Jenny DeVico

Blaine Young

No. 7 Michigan State @ No. 5 Ohio State

Ohio State

Michigan State

Ohio State

Iowa State @ No. 12 Oklahoma

Oklahoma

No. 13 Wake Forest @ Clemson

Wake Forest

Clemson

Wake Forest

No. 21 Arkansas @ No. 2 Alabama

Alabama

SMU @ No. 3 Cincinnati

Cincinnati

SMU

Cincinnati

SMU

Cincinnati

Texas @ West Virginia

West Virginia

Texas

West Virginia

Texas

West Virginia

Nebraska @ No. 19 Wisconsin

Wisconsin

Nebraska

Wisconsin

Nebraska

Wisconsin

No. 4 Oregon @ No. 24 Utah

Oregon

Utah

Oregon

Auburn @ South Carolina

Auburn

South Carolina

Auburn

South Carolina

Auburn

Georgia Tech @ No. 6 Notre Dame

Notre Dame

Week 11 Results

7–3

6–4

5–5

6–4

7–3

6–4

Overall Record

79–31

72–38

68–42

73–37

68–42

72–38

75–35

69–41

77–33

73–37

69–41

Wake Forest Wake Forest

EDITOR’S NOTE

overall STANDINGS 1.

To some, Texas Football is on thin ice as the Longhorns enter Morgantown 4-6 on the season. After an embarrassing loss to a then 1-8 Kansas team, Texas has much to fix on both sides of the ball as the Longhorns fight for bowl eligibility. Even with a shaky locker room status, injuries and players entering the transfer portal, the Longhorns have no other choice but to figure it out on the field come Saturday to secure at least a sliver of hope for a bowl game.

Jenny DeVico

Hannah Williford

T-4

Matthew Bonocosky,

T-5.

Christina Huang,

Blaine Young Kaitlyn Harmon Vicente Montalvo, Angelina Braese

Kaitlyn Harmon

T-7.

Nathan Han, Payne Williams

Angelina Braese

Wake Forest Wake Forest

Wake Forest

DOUBLE COVERAGE Double Coverage Editor Kaitlyn Harmon

Myah Taylor

T-6.

Vicente Montalvo

Design Editor

Jenny DeVico

Photo Editor

Blaine Young

Copy Editor

Angelina Braese

Writers Nathan Han

Matthew Boncosky

Vicente Montalvo

Christina Huang

Hannah Williford

Payne Williams

Designers Isabella Waltz

Sally Parampottil Managing Editor Myah Taylor

DOUBLE COVERAGE

GAMEsTO WATCH By Hannah Williford

@howdy_itshannah

No. 3 Oregon at No. 23 Utah Nov. 20, 6:30 p.m. CT, ABC Oregon will face its first ranked opponent since an eye-catching win over Ohio State in early September. The Pac-12 matchup will feature the only ranked teams within the conference, and despite the Utes suffering three losses this season, both teams hold 6–1 conference records and less than a point separates them in average points per game. When the two programs meet in Salt Lake City, the game will hold Oregon’s playoff chances in the balance.

Iowa State at No. 13 Oklahoma

No. 21 Arkansas at No. 2 Alabama

Nov. 20, 11 a.m. CT, FOX

Nov. 20, 2:30 p.m. CT, CBS

If Oklahoma ever struggled to make the playoff before last weekend, the Sooners are now fighting for their lives. Head coach Lincoln Riley and team fell to Baylor on the road last week in a 14-27 defeat. The program will now need convincing victories over Iowa State this Saturday and Oklahoma State in Week 13 to even be a College Football Playoff contender. While the Cyclones also lost to the Bears this season, they took out No. 8 Oklahoma State earlier in the season and have put forward an impressive defense, allowing just 20 points per game in a conference dominated by heavy offenses.

This SEC West matchup could cause confusion in the conference with an unexpected upset. In the past few weeks, Alabama has been less than perfect. Against LSU — once a powerhouse program with a now losing record — the Tide barely squeaked out a 20-14 win. While Arkansas has suffered losses this season to Auburn, Ole Miss and Georgia, the Razorbacks have also shown promise after defeating the Aggies who defeated Alabama in Week 6. Fans who enter Bryant-Denny Stadium should prepare for a possible showdown.

No. 7 Michigan State at No. 4 Ohio State

No. 9 Oklahoma State at Texas Tech

Nov. 20, 11 a.m. CT, ABC

Nov. 20, 7 p.m. CT, FOX

The destiny of Big Ten teams will finally start to clear up this week as frontrunners No. 7 Michigan State and No. 4 Ohio State face off Saturday. For both one-loss teams, winning out is essential for their playoff hopes. The teams promise to create an offensive battle as the Buckeyes boast 46.3 points per game, while the Spartans sit under at 34.6 points per game. Ohio State showed its skills in Week 11 against Purdue, the same Boilermaker team Michigan State suffered its first loss of the season to in Week 10. But Spartan running back Kenneth Walker III, a potential Heisman Trophy candidate, could be the difference maker for Michigan State with a strong performance come Saturday.

One-loss Oklahoma State will travel to Lubbock this weekend to take on the Red Raiders in what could be a telling matchup before Week 13’s Oklahoma versus Oklahoma State showdown. But before Oklahoma State gets ahead of itself, the Cowboys will face Texas Tech, a program coming off an impressive 41-38 win over Iowa State with new head coach Joey McGuire. The Red Raiders have struggled this season on defense, allowing an equal amount of points per game that they score. Oklahoma State has held opponents to just over 16 points per game. The Red Raiders will need to put up a top-notch performance on both sides of the ball to have hope of a victory.

TEXAS

friday, november 19, 2021

WINS IF...

… Roschon Johnson carries the backfield With news that star sophomore running back Bijan Robinson will be sidelined for the remainder of the season with an elbow injury, the backfield turns to a friendly name in junior Roschon Johnson. Johnson made headlines in 2019 when the former quarterback transitioned to running back and rushed for over 600 yards on the season. Johnson will get the start in the backfield and has the capability to break out for big gains with his elusive moves. Look to see how the running attack is with Johnson as the feature back. … the offense does not turn over the ball A big blow to Texas’ chances of winning against the Jayhawks was the turnover margin. Kansas scored on three of the Longhorns’ four turnovers while the Texas defense did not produce a turnover all game. Sarkisian and staff need to stress the importance of how a

By Vicente Montalvo | @Vmont20 In his first season as Texas head coach, Steve Sarkisian is setting records — just not good ones. After losing to Kansas in overtime on a 2-point conversion, Sarkisian became the first Texas head coach in program history to begin his first year 4–6. If the Longhorns want to finish the season strong, they are going to need a win on the road in Morgantown this Saturday to battle for bowl eligibility.

positive turnover margin can greatly benefit the team. If the offense does not give the ball away at all, then the Longhorns will be one more game away from bowl eligibility with the chance to finish the season on a high note. … the defense stops the run The Texas defense is currently allowing an average of over 200 yards on the ground through 10 games this season. The West Virginia offense doesn’t rely heavily on the run, but based on how Texas struggles to stop the run game, look to see the Mountaineers hand the ball off to senior Leddie Brown frequently. Brown is an explosive back who has rushed for over 750 yards and 11 touchdowns this season. The Longhorn defense will need to be ready to stop the experience back because if they do, Texas will have won three straight games against the Mountaineers over the past three seasons.

Welcome back,

Students!

loses IF...

… quarterback changes are constantly made After Sarkisian listed “or” between Hudson Card and Casey Thompson in last week’s depth chart, the head coach has given the starting nod to Thompson against West Virginia. Instead of going into the game with uncertainty, Sarkisian knows who will be under center. If the coaching staff decides to make changes to the man under center during contest, then it could hinder the offense’s ability to grow into the game. To build and keep momentum, Texas will need the same quarterback on the field to take charge of the offense. If the coaches switch between both Card and Thompson, then the blue and gold crowd will be singing “Take Me Home, Country Roads” in

celebration after the contest.

… West Virginia receivers take advantage of Josh Thompson’s replacements Senior cornerback Josh Thompson will be out for the remainder of the season after suffering an injury against Kansas. Defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski will rely on senior Darion Dunn and sophomore Kitan Crawford to fill the void. With little playing time this season, look to see how these Texas corners match up against the Mountaineer wide outs. West Virginia offensive coordinator Jake Spavital will test the two replacements early and often. If Dunn and Crawford don’t step up, then it could be a long trip back to Austin for the Longhorns.

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DOUBLE COVERAGE

HEISMAN WATCH By Ethan Ferguson

@ethan_ferguson6

The race to New York continues to get closer in Week 12, which could pose the biggest test for this year’s Heisman candidates.

C.J. Stroud — Quarterback

Freshman C.J. Stroud led the No. 4 Buckeyes to a decisive 59-31 win over No. 19 Purdue last week. With five touchdown passes and 361 yards on the day, Stroud’s talent was on full display. Out of 38 pass attempts, Stroud had an impressive completion rate of 81.6%, and a quarterback rating of 204.8. Ohio State had valid reasons to have nerves coming into a matchup against a Purdue team that has taken down two impressive programs this year against then-No. 2 Iowa earlier on in the season and then-No. 3 Michigan State in the latter part of the season. The real test awaits the freshman quarterback in a Heisman contender matchup on Saturday against No. 7 Michigan State. To close out the season, the Buckeyes will face No. 6 Michigan – a matchup that will be a true test for Stroud.

Bryce Young — Quarterback

Alabama star quarterback Bryce Young and team defeated New Mexico State last week in a dominating fashion. For No. 2 Alabama, there was a period of 44 seconds where the Tide were in fact losing, but it didn’t hold for long. Alabama won in typical fashion with a final score of 593, and the Tide defense limited the Aggies from scoring a single touchdown. Young found receivers in the endzone five times for 270 yards. The Heisman contender recorded 21-of-23 passing attempts for a completion rate of 91.3%. Young averaged 11.7 yards per play and earned a quarterback rating of 261.7. While he fumbled the ball once on the day, Young attempted to rush the ball four times with his longest run being 12 yards. The New Mexico State Aggies never posed a threat to the Crimson Tide, but the Tide’s luck could run out ahead of matchups against No. 21 Arkansas and Auburn in the next two weeks.

Matt Corral — Quarterback

Matt Corral and the No. 15 Ole Miss Rebels accomplished a much needed upset against No. 11 Texas A&M last week. With a final score of 29-19, Corral threw for one touchdown and 247 yards. With 37 pass attempts, Corral had a completion rate of just 64.9% – an expected completed passing rate against what is arguably one of the best defenses in the SEC West. Having earned a quarterback rating of 129.9, Corral and the now-No. 15 Ole Miss Rebels look to finish the season on a strong note with upcoming matchups against Vanderbilt and Mississippi State.

Kenneth Walker III — Running back

Spartan running back Kenneth Walker helped guide his team to a 4021 win last week against Maryland. With 30 carries, Walker rushed for two touchdowns and recorded 143 yards on the day. The running back averaged 4.8 yards per carry with his longest play being a 36-yard run. Walker also brought in two receptions for 29 yards, averaging 14.5 yards per catch. This season, Walker has 227 rushing attempts averaging 6.5 yards per carry. In addition, the Spartan has 1,473 total rushing yards and 17 touchdowns to his name. No. 7 Michigan State will need Walker on his A-game when the Spartans travel to Columbus, Ohio to take on No. 4 Ohio State Saturday.

NOTES FROM THE OPPONENT By Matthew Boncosky @mboncosky

The Daily Texan spoke with Charles Montgomery, sports editor of West Virginia’s The Daily Athenaeum, ahead of Texas football’s trip to Morgantown on Saturday. What are West Virginia coaches and players saying about a 4–6 Texas team that is coming off of a five-game losing streak and a home loss against Kansas? The

Daily

Texan:

Charles Montgomery:

They are still very cautious of this team … (Texas’) defense has definitely had its problems. They talked about that, but I don’t think (West Virginia) is in the position to say anything about an opposing team’s defense when they tout the offense that they have. So they’re not saying that Texas is the greatest defensive team that they’re going to

face this year, but they’re also not writing them off.

what we’ve seen in the past with how the road team does.

DT:

Interestingly, both teams in this series have better records on the road against the home team. What do you make of that from West Virginia’s perspective and what will the home environment be like come Saturday? CM:

That is still one of the most wild things … it’s going to be a pretty good atmosphere because it is Texas, and for some reason West Virginia fans like to consider Texas a rival, which is not the case. It’s never been the case, but it will still be a pretty good atmosphere. When it comes between West Virginia and Texas, it doesn’t matter where the game is played. Home-field advantage is completely thrown out the window between these two teams because of

What is redshirt senior quarterback Jarrett Doege like from a leadership perspective and what skills does he bring to the field? CM:

Two years ago when he came on late in the year and West Virginia made a late push in the season and won a couple games, he really kind of rallied the team around him. I think he has decent leadership. He’s not a game-changer. He’s not a guy that is going to make plays that are going to win you games … last year, we all talked about his consistency. He was so consistent, and he never really did things to hurt the team. Well, he didn’t really do a lot of things to help the team. So, that’s one of his problems,

(that) he has this great ability to be consistent at times and he makes the game move along, but he’s not gonna change the game with his play. What are some other names on West Virginia’s offense to look out for?

opportunity to really break the game open when he can. Winston Wright Jr. is a very versatile player. You can pop him in the slot. You can do a little end around with him because he’s so fast, but he’s also an incredible receiver. He can catch a lot of great balls.

CM:

DT:

Definitely Leddie Brown at running back. Because West Virginia hasn’t run the ball as much as they said they would, his name has kind of been lost to a lot of people. He’s still one of the better running backs in the Big 12. I think now without Bijan Robinson playing, he’s probably right there behind Breece Hall as the second-best back in the conference. Bryce Ford-Wheaton is (also) fantastic. He’s got incredible size and he can really make plays. He has a great

West Virginia is currently favored by 2.5 over the Longhorns. What is your prediction for what happens on Saturday? CM:

I don’t know why I’m gonna do it, but I’ll pick ‘em. I’ll pick West Virginia. I’ll say 34-30. It’s always a good one against Texas … when (Bijan Robinson) was ruled out Monday and then the Texas (versus Kansas) game, watching how that unfolded, and then just how much I think Bijan Robinson’s injury affects Texas … is another (reason why).

friday, november 19, 2021

BIG 12

By Kaitlyn Harmon

@kait_harmon

POWER RANKINGS

1. BAYLOR BEARS After an astonishing victory over No. 8 Oklahoma, Baylor ruined the Sooners’ chances at a College Football Playoff bid. Ranked fifth in the Big 12 for fewest yards allowed, the Bears arguably have one of the most talented defenses in the conference. At home, Baylor gave the Sooners a final knockout punch with a 13-point defeat and a field goal to claim the Big 12 tiebreaker. On the other side of the ball, the Bears have an exceptional offense, recording the second-most offensive yards within the conference with an average 453 yards per game. And there’s no stopping the Bears anytime soon.

T2. OKLAHOMA SOONERS T2. OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS The Sooners fell far from their Big 12 throne on Saturday in Waco, meeting the Cowboys in a tie for second place. In a post-game interview by Baylor head coach Dave Aranda, Aranda claimed that the field goal with a few seconds left on the clock was for the Big 12 tiebreaker between Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Baylor. Down went the Sooners to a second-place tie with Oklahoma State, and the two programs will duel it out in Week 13 in Stillwater. Oklahoma dominates the Big 12 in total offensive yards per game at 455.3 yards, comparable to Oklahoma State’s 412.4 yards per game. On the defensive side of the ball, the Cowboys allow the least amount of yards per game at 276.6 yards while the Sooners allow 386.9 yards per game. Week 13’s matchup between the two will surely be a battle on all fronts.

3. IOWA STATE CYCLONES While the Cyclones are 6–4 on the season with losses to then-No. 10 Iowa and unranked Baylor and Texas Tech, Iowa State could find itself in bowl game contention come early December. With quarterback Brock Purdy at the helm of the Cyclone offense, Iowa State ranks fifth in total offensive yards and second in total yards allowed on defense. The Cyclones will fight for a bowl game berth in matchups against No. 13 Oklahoma and an unranked TCU team to close out the season.

4. TEXAS TECH RAIDERS With new head coach Joey McGuire moving into Lubbock, McGuire has his new job cut out for him when the Red Raiders match up against No. 9 Oklahoma State and No. 11 Baylor in the coming two weeks. Before this Saturday’s matchup, Texas Tech will have only played one ranked opponent – then-No. 4 Oklahoma – this season. The Red Raiders have the third-most offensive yards on the season but could struggle against arguably two of the best offenses and defenses in the Big 12.

T5. KANSAS STATE WILDCATS T5. TEXAS LONGHORNS The 7–3 Wildcats are equally as talented as a 4–6 Texas team that has struggled this season. The Longhorns dominate the Wildcats in total offensive yards while the Wildcats dominate the Longhorns in the least defensive yards allowed. Texas was arguably dealt one of the hardest schedules within the Big 12, and after losses to an unranked Arkansas team and then-ranked No. 6 Oklahoma, No. 12 Oklahoma State and No. 16 Baylor, the Longhorns are not without talent. The Wildcats have only faced one ranked opponent this season in then-ranked No. 6 Oklahoma and will match up against No. 13 Baylor on Saturday. Both Kansas State and Texas will close out the season against one another in Austin, with both teams likely not finding themselves in a bowl game.

6. WEST VIRGINiA MOUNTAINEERS For a 4–6 West Virginia team, the Mountaineers have endured one of the easiest Big 12 schedules. The Mountaineers have only faced four ranked opponents in then-ranked No. 15 Virginia Tech, No. 4 Oklahoma, No. 22 Iowa State and No. 11 Oklahoma State, winning half of those matchups. West Virginia will close out its season against Texas and Kansas and will more than likely not be bowl eligible, but could win against a Texas team with a Mountaineer defense that allows the fourth-least yards per game.

7. TCU HORNED FROGS With the departure of former longtime head coach Gary Patterson, the Horned Frogs have struggled in recent weeks. With an impressive 2-point win over then-No. 12 Baylor, the Horned Frogs quickly fell to No. 10 Oklahoma State in the following week. TCU ranks second in most defensive yards given up among the Big 12, and ranks sixth in most offensive yards on the season. The Horned Frogs will likely not find themselves in bowl contention in December, and will wrap up the season against Kansas and Iowa State to head into the new year.

8. KANSAS JAYHAWKS Even with a surprising victory over Texas on the road in Week 11, a singular upset win against a 4–6 Texas team is not enough to warrant anything better than last place. The Jayhawks’ upper hand against the Longhorns may only be temporary as Kansas faces TCU in Fort Worth and West Virginia at home in Weeks 12 and 13.

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By Kaitlyn Harmon

@kait_harmon

Kansas loss was tip of iceberg for weak Texas defense. exas defenders are getting walked all over, and while the Longhorns have substantial problems on both sides of the ball, defenses ultimately win games. But this Texas defense is embarking on what might potentially become a six-loss streak, and they’re not winning games anytime soon. The Longhorns have not endured a five-loss streak since 1956. The closest Texas ever came to one was in 2010, when under former head coach Mack Brown, the Longhorns lost four consecutive games to Iowa State, Baylor, Kansas State and Oklahoma State. But head coach Steve Sarkisian and team have now surpassed 2010’s losing record, marking the worst losing streak in Texas history in over a half century. In that 2010 season, Texas ranked first among the Big 12 — a conference with then 12 teams instead of the current 10 teams — in the fewest yards allowed on total defense. But Texas’ current problem, while different from 2010’s problem, is chalked up to the defensive performance game after game. The Longhorns rank third overall in the most yards given up on defense within the Big 12, behind Kansas and TCU. Through Week 11, the Texas defense has allowed an average of 435.5 yards per game against opposing offenses. Longhorn defenders have been beaten by 2,322 total yards in the air and 2,033 yards on the ground. This is a big problem. News from Steve Sarkisian’s Monday press conference confirmed that starting cornerback Josh Thompson suffered from

MONDAY, DEC. 6 & TUESDAY, DEC. 7

DOUBLE COVERAGE

a fractured fibula against Kansas and is out for the remainder of the season. Against Oklahoma State in Week 7, linebacker DeMarvion Overshown took a big hit, resulting in a concussion. The Texas defense has seen its fair share of injuries, and it’s only getting worse. So, where does the problem begin, and where does it end? Longhorn faithful can make the argument that the defense is under conditioned and gassed. That the defense — and the offense — cannot fully play for 60 minutes. That Texas defenders are getting beaten in the air and on the field time and time again. That the defense cannot read opposing offensive plays. For what is now a 4–6 Longhorns team that has faced multiple ranked opponents this season, there is no well-argued reason for Texas to have lost to a 1–8 Kansas team in overtime. The Jayhawks rank last in the Big 12 for most offensive yards, tallying up an average of 317.7 yards per game, and yet, the Texas defense could not hold

off the worst offensive team in the Big 12. Against Texas, the Jayhawks had a 64.7% third down completion rate and dominated the game in time of possession, holding the ball for just over 35 minutes. Texas defenders were beaten on the ground by 218 yards and through the air by 202 yards. The Jayhawks chalked up four rushing touchdowns, putting up the most points against any opponent all season, and turned to the run-game to solidify a win in overtime. Maybe Texas failed to prepare for a well-executed run-pass option scheme by the Jayhawks, or maybe the Longhorns are just burnt out in more ways than one on the season. But one thing is for certain As Texas heads into the final two games of the season — the defense isn’t winning games. It’s losing them, and Kansas definitively revealed the weakness of the Longhorn defense. It’s much worse than anticipated.

blaine young

/ the daily texan file

opponents to watch

friday, november 19, 2021

By Christina Huang

@stina_huang

Texas’ postseason chances are on the line as the Longhorns now fight for bowl eligibility after an embarrassing loss to Kansas last week. A 4–6 Texas team must contain four Mountaineers if the Longhorns wish to continue their season into December.

Dante Stills

Taijh Alston

Senior defensive lineman Dante Stills matched his season-high total in tackles with four last weekend in West Virginia’s 17-34 loss to Kansas State. The 2020 AllBig 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year is still riding high on the wave of momentum after an impressive October performance. Stills produced some of the best football of his career last month with the highlight being a sack in the end of the Iowa State game that sealed the Mountaineers’ 3831 upset victory over the Cyclones. He also currently leads the team in sacks with six total on the season. West Virginia’s depth chart has Stills listed as the starting defensive tackle against Texas Saturday. Stills does a great job of disrupting the opposing offense and plays in a way that pushes other West Virginia linemen to the next level.

Jarret Doege

Redshirt senior quarterback Jarret Doege will return to the field under center as West Virginia’s starting quarterback against Texas. Doege has started in 13 out of his 14 games played for the Mountaineers. Doege ended October on a high note with an upset win over Iowa State, but November has not been going very smoothly for the redshirt senior. Doege was sacked seven times in West Virginia’s 24-3 blowout loss to Oklahoma State, and he threw two interceptions in last week’s Kansas State loss. However, Doege currently leads the Big 12 in passing with 2,448 yards on the season. Doege will look to break his team’s twogame losing streak Saturday. He proved himself a solid quarterback in the Iowa State upset after throwing for 370 yards and three touchdowns. It will be up to the Texas defense to keep Doege from breaking out on Saturday.

Redshirt junior defensive lineman Taijh Alston has had a solid comeback season. Alston had a season-ending knee injury in 2019 and missed the entire 2020. He has been a crucial piece to the West Virginia defense, racking up 28 tackles, five sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss this season. Nominated for the 2021 Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year Award, Alston had a stellar rebound and journey back to the field. He has started in all of West Virginia’s games this season and will continue the trend as the starting defensive end against Texas. Alston’s bounce back from such a devastating injury is not only impressive, but a true testament to his talent and dedication to nurturing his skillset.

Leddie Brown

Senior running back Leddie Brown will have no problem running through Texas’ defense if he gets a hot start. Like his quarterback, Brown had a solid ending to October. The senior rushed for a season-high three touchdowns against TCU on Oct. 23 for a 29-17 win and rushed for two touchdowns against Iowa State. He has not found his way into the end zone since then due to the Mountaineers’ offensive struggles as a whole. He is West Virginia’s top rusher, making a solid performance from Brown key to a Mountaineer win. Brown’s impressive performances against TCU and Iowa State showed that he is able to run the ball and score in key moments. The Texas defense will need to keep the ball out of Brown’s hands as much as possible, or at the very least, minimize his runs.

DOUBLE COVERAGE

TEXAS FEATURE By Nathan Han @NathanHan13

QUARTERBACK DILEMMA jack myer

/ the daily texan file

blaine young

/ the daily texan file

A lingering, nagging thumb injury could have changed the fortunes of the Longhorns’ season.

n Texas’ second drive of last Saturday’s loss to Kansas, Casey Thompson led the Longhorns down the field for

a touchdown. Then, the redshirt junior quarterback spent the next few drives on the sideline, watching as his replacement, redshirt freshman quarterback Hudson Card, committed two costly turnovers that would result in 14 points for the Jayhawks and a 35-14 deficit heading into halftime. In the moment, it seemed like an odd decision. Why take out your starting quarterback after he just marched down the field for a touchdown? But the switch was head coach Steve Sarkisian’s plan all along, no matter the score or situation. “The idea going into the game was

(that) Casey was going to play the first two series of the game,” Sarkisian said. “Hudson was going to come in (on) the third series, and then we were going to monitor it from there.” The quarterback situation hasn’t always been this much of an ordeal. But in the second quarter of the Red River Rivalry, when Texas led 28-14, Thompson hurt his thumb before returning to the game after a few snaps. Save for a highlight Bijan Robinson run and a beautiful arcing touchdown pass to wide receiver Xavier Worthy, the Texas offense ground to a halt in the second half in the epic collapse. The next week, Oklahoma State continued the blueprint: load the box to stop the run game and dare Thompson to beat the defense with constant pressure in his face from poor pass protection. It worked — Baylor followed the same game plan to take

down Texas in Waco, where Thompson nursed his taped thumb as the Longhorns headed off the field. Thompson is quick to point out that many players compete hurt at this point in the season, even if he said himself he hasn’t been 100% since the Oklahoma loss. It’s easy to play the ‘What if?’ game — especially if quarterback play might not even be on the list of top five things to fix for Texas. Even with the injured thumb, which has been taped every game since the Oklahoma loss, Thompson threw for six touchdowns and 358 yards against Kansas. “I try to build my game by Kobe Bryant,” Thompson said. “He played through a lot of injuries during his time, and I remember he had a finger that he just dislocated and popped back in place and ended up scoring a lot of points. So, then it really inspired me that

(NFL quarterback) Tua Tagovailoa played through a dislocated finger last week for the Miami Dolphins. So, I was like, ‘Well, I have a sprained thumb and I have some damage in there, but I’ll be fine.’” Only Thompson truly knows if the thumb played a role in the rare mistakes he made against Kansas, including an overthrown ball to an open Marcus Washington on a curl route in the fourth quarter that gave Kansas the ball back, or an ensuing interception intended for Xavier Worthy in the end zone. But it’s clear the sprained thumb — suffered on his throwing hand — affected the quarterback in the slim losses to the Cowboys and the Bears. So, as Longhorn fans look back and point to the crucial juncture of the season — up 38-20 at halftime to then-ranked No. 6 Oklahoma, before

collapsing in epic fashion in the second half to fall 55-48 and lose five straight games, there’s one more moment right before that deserves its own due. It’s Thompson’s thumb injury. It played a role in Sarkisian’s decision to pull Thompson out of the game against Iowa State, creating a quarterback carousel that came back to bite Texas against Kansas after a Card picksix and fumble turned into 14 points for the Jayhawks. Sarkisian indicated that the carousel will come to a stop this Saturday against West Virginia, naming Thompson his “obvious” starting quarterback. “I think that we’re both very good quarterbacks,” Thompson said. “And I think that a few years from now we’ll both probably end up in the NFL, hopefully. So it will all work out in the end. But right now, we have to focus on what’s best for the team.”

LONGHORNS IN THE NFL friday, november 19, 2021

By Payne Williams | @paynewilliams5

shelby tauber

/ the daily texan file

elisabeth dillon

/ the daily texan file

JORDAN HICKS ADRIAN PHILLIPS ARIZONA CARDINALS

Jordan Hicks once again proved dominant on the Arizona Cardinals defense Sunday despite a loss to the Carolina Panthers. Hicks led the team in tackles with 10, including another team-high eight solo tackles. The former Texas linebacker also recorded a deflected pass. In an acrobatic effort, the vet nearly snagged an interception followed by a long return, but the ball was ruled incomplete after review. The pick would have been a huge momentum shift for the Cardinals, but without quarterback Kyler Murray, Carolina proved too much for the Cardinals in Week 9. While Arizona fell 34-10, Hicks has played a crucial role in the Cardinals’ defense this season and serves as a reason they sit atop the NFC West. The Cardinals will look to bounce back next week and hope to see Murray return to lead the offense.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS New England Patriots safety Adrian Phillips has made plays all season, and the former Longhorn safety didn’t let up this week. In a matchup against the Cleveland Browns, Phillips and the Patriots broke up a sure-tobe touchdown in the first quarter. Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield hit a wide open David Njoku in the endzone which looked like a promising six points, but Phillips seemingly came out of nowhere to break up the pass. Phillips displayed his veteran IQ to swipe Njoku’s arm and break up the pass before the tight end could secure possession of the touchdown. In addition to the pass break up, Phillips ended the day with two solo and four total tackles. The eighth-year safety could see a Pro Bowl on the horizon if he keeps making key plays and continues his success in the Patriots secondary.

eddie gaspar

/ the daily texan file

daulton venglar

/ the daily texan file

BRANDON JONES D’ONTA FOREMAN MIAMI DOLPHINS

TENNESSEE TITANS

Week 10’s Thursday night matchup between the Miami Dolphins and Baltimore Ravens featured another monstrous performance from Dolphins’ safety Brandon Jones. The second-year safety was critical in Miami’s upset victory over Baltimore. Jones finished the game second in tackles for Miami, but the real story came from his blitzes off the edge and up the middle. Jones’ pass-rushing ability opened up a plethora of opportunities for the former Longhorn to get in the face of former MVP Lamar Jackson. Jones leads all safeties in pass rush snaps this season with 74, and is second in pressures only to fellow Miami teammate and safety Jevon Holland. The safety duo is proving to be one of the best pass-rushing tandems in the league with Jones lighting it up in Miami.

D’Onta Foreman contributed on the ground and through the air during the Tennessee Titans’ victory over the New Orleans Saints. The former Texas running back, drafted in 2017 by the Houston Texans, landed on the Titans roster in 2020 and filled in exceptionally well for an injured Derrick Henry on Sunday. Foreman led Tennessee in rushing yards and was second on the team in receiving yards. Foreman’s highlight of the day came on a screen pass from quarterback Ryan Tannehill which resulted in a 39-yard gain and nearly six points for the Titans back. While Foreman hasn’t solidified himself as a reliable starting running back in the league, the fifth-year back sure looked like one on Sunday and is sure to receive more carries and targets in the coming weeks.

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The Daily Texan's Double Coverage 2021-11-19

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