Double Coverage 2012-10-19 by The Daily Texan

the daily texan presents

OCTOBER 19, 2012

Vol. 7, issue 8

manning up | page 12

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friday, october 19, 2012

thelineup

No. 7 Demarco Cobbs and No. 2 Mykkele Thompson | Andrew Torrey | Daily Texan Staff Cover photo by Elisabeth Dillon | Daily Texan Staff

previews&Notebooks 7

keys to the game

players to watch

national notebook

big 12 notebook

the daily texan presents

OCTOBER 19, 2012

Vol. 7, issue 8

Wilson Waits his Turn

Defense Doesn’t apply

Baylor is near the bottom in just about every statistical category defensively this season. The Longhorns are hoping to capitalize on the Bears’ ineptitude.

Time to Hang ‘Em up?

MIssing their Man

19 Double Coverage Editor............Nick Cremona Design Editor............................Natasha Smith Photo Editor.............................Elisabeth Dillon Copy Editor........................................Trey Scott Writers...................................Christian Corona ..................................................Lauren Giudice ...................................................Chris Hummer ....................................................Wes Maulsby ...............................................Peter Sblendorio ................................................Sara Beth Purdy .......................................................Hank South ....................................................Matt Warden

Following a season-ending injury to Jackson Jeffcoat, Reggie Wilson now has a chance to shine in a starting role at defensive end.

Mack Brown’s career will go down as one of the best in Texas history, but Double Coverage editor Nick Cremona thinks he’s past his prime.

The Longhorns can’t seem to get a grip when opposing offenses come their way. With Baylor on deck, that could be problematic.

Heisman Watch

Two Big 12 gunslingers top this week’s Heisman rankings, but with plenty of football left to play — including a headto-head matchup — there’s still time for anyone for the rest of the pack to catch up.

The Longhorns came out on the wrong end of another shellacking in Dallas last week, but with Baylor and its facade of a defense coming to town, things could be looking up for Texas. Given its recent performances, Texas may need to put up a score more reminiscent of a basketball game in order to grab a win. My prediction—Texas over Baylor 51-48. Double Coverage is back in action next week to preview Kansas.

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Blowing out Bears a must for UT By Christian Corona Sports Editor

Perceptions change quickly in college football. The Longhorns should be counting on that to be true for them this week. After the debacle in Dallas that was Texas’ 63-21 loss to Oklahoma last weekend, the Longhorns come back home to face a Baylor team that is winless in conference play. The Bears are giving up more yards per game (558.8) than anyone in the country. Even after suffering a 42-point defeat in this year’s Red River Rivalry that was more lopsided than the score indicated, Texas has to dominate Baylor the way Oklahoma dominated it to get its season back on track. “It all comes down to this Baylor game,” senior defensive end Alex Okafor said. “This is the most important game of the season right now. It’s going to determine whether we’re an 8-5 team or an 11-2 team. I’m excited to get to work and work towards that 11-2.” With trips to Lubbock and Manhattan to play road games against Texas Tech and Kansas State left on the Longhorns’ regular season schedule, it’s

hard to see them running the table from here on out. But posting an 8-5 record this year — the same mark it held after last season — would be an extreme disappointment. This Texas team was supposed to a major step toward restoring the football program back to the powerhouse it was when Colt McCoy and Vince Young were under center, back to contending for conference and national titles every year and back to making 10-win seasons look routine. But if the Longhorns play the rest of the year like they did at the Cotton Bowl last Saturday, they might make a return trip to San Diego for another Holiday Bowl appearance. Texas is favored by double-digits against Baylor this weekend but needs to put at least a three-touchdown whooping on the Bears to prove that the embarrassing loss to Oklahoma was an anomaly. “I think we just need to win,” sophomore quarterback David Ash said. “Winning fixes a lot of problems, I’ll tell ya.” Ash and the Longhorns’ offense took a big step back in the loss to the Sooners. Before Ash suffered a broken left wrist, he was held to 113 yards passing and was picked

Andrew Torrey | Daily Texan Staff After getting run out of Dallas, the Longhorns need to make a statement against Baylor if they are to stay afloat this season.

off twice. Texas’ offense never scored against Oklahoma’s first-team defense. Ash will play through the pain this weekend, but he’ll need to play much better than last week. “I think we need to win more than anything,” junior guard Trey Hopkins said. “I

don’t think the score really matters as much as people would think. We just need to get back to winning.” But it’s the Longhorns’ defense that is most concerning. Landry Jones logged his first 300-yard game since last November, Damien Wil-

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liams reeled off the longest touchdown run in Red River Rivalry history and left Texas to take the Big 12’s worst rush defense into its game against Baylor on Saturday. “A win is a win for us,” junior cornerback Carrington Byndom said. “We’re just

going in each weekend trying to correct problems from the week before and trying to back to that Texas standard.” Even if the Longhorns won’t say it, a seven-point win over Baylor this week just won’t cut it. They need to blow the Bears out.

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friday, october 19, 2012

Lawrence Peart | Daily Texan file photo

Reloading at defensive end By Chris Hummer Four sacks, 31 tackles, two forced fumbles, 11 tackles for loss and one touchdown. Those are the stats Texas will attempt to replace after it lost defensive end Jackson Jeffcoat for the season when he ruptured his right pectoral muscle during the Longhorns’ defeat to Oklahoma this past Saturday.

“It’s a big loss,” cornerback Quandre Diggs said. “Jeffcoat is an All-American at end, a great guy and a great team leader. We’re going to miss him for sure, and we have got to get the young guys to step up.” The Longhorns may not be able to plug another AllAmerican in at the spot — that would be the only way to truly replace someone with the talent and drive of

Jeffcoat — but a long-time backup is eager to capitalize on the opportunity. Reggie Wilson will be the man who lines up in Jeffcoat’s place at “buck” end against Baylor on Saturday, and it’s a chance for a player who Alex Okafor, the team’s leader in sacks, labeled as a super-sub to shine in the leading role. “Reggie has just been a player in waiting,” Okafor

said. “Honestly before this game, he was one of the best backups in college football. It’s his time now. It’s time to prove why he is one of the best backups.” The stats backup Okafor’s claim. Despite limited playing time behind two workhorses, Wilson has compiled 11 tackles, three quarterback hurries and a sack through six games. Now he’ll have the oppor-

tunity to put his talents on display every down. A possibility that’s almost outrageous when you consider Wilson’s humble football beginnings. Wilson, who was born in Africa’s Ivory Coast, spent his first 11 years in Africa — much of which was spent in and out of a refugee camp — until his parents relocated to the United States to escape a volatile civil war that was raging in

neighboring Liberia. Even with his move to a football-crazed country, Wilson didn’t begin playing the sport until seventh grade. A late start for most kids, and that Wilson knew little to nothing about the game, he was on a steep learning curve. But thanks to a knack for picking up the fundamentals

WILSON continues on page 20

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Rocky offseason forces PSU expat to adjust quickly By Lauren Giudice Anthony Fera’s decision to leave Penn State this offseason was more complicated than any other Nittany Lion transfer. While sanctions and controversy were surrounding the University, the kicker was dealing with something much more personal. Soon before he arrived on the Penn State campus in 2009, his mother was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. A Cypress, Texas, native, Fera had the opportunity to transfer to Texas and be closer to home, and he took it. “It was really hard,” Fera said. “I was there for threeand-a-half years I really loved it there. But I had to make a family decision.” He doesn’t hesitate in calling his mom the most important person in his life. Before coming back to his home state, he lived in a house with seven of his friends. He was the only roommate to transfer and his decision to leave his life at Penn State was extremely difficult. But his roommates understood and where his priorities stood. Fera knew what he had to do and that family comes first. While he was closer to home, things weren’t always easy for Fera on the field. When Mack Brown saw him kick for the first time, Fera restrained his groin. The injury would keep him out for the Longhorns’ first four games of the season.

During that time period, freshman Nick Jordan kicked for the Longhorns and went 3-for-7 on field goal attempts. Once Fera was healthy enough to step on the playing field, he didn’t make the impact he had originally hoped for. During the Longhorns’ loss to West Virginia, Fera’s first game in burnt orange, he went 1-for-2 and missed what would have been a gametying 41-yard field goal late in the Longhorns’ eventual 48-45 loss. During Oklahoma’s rout of Texas on Saturday, Fera’s only action was a missed extra point attempt. Both of his sisters graduated from Texas, and though he is a Longhorn now, he has different plans. He will still graduate from Penn State. “He promised Coach Paterno when he got to Penn State he would graduate from Penn State,” Brown said. “I do have compassion for the Penn State program and even my friendship with Coach and Sue Paterno, and at the same time this young man reached out to us and had some circumstances that were beyond football, and we felt like that we could also help him and we also need to do what was best for Texas because he needed to get closer to home.” Everything that happened with former coach Jerry Sandusky and the death of Joe Paterno was very emotional for Fera. He has had the op-

Elisabeth Dillon Daily Texan Staff Following an unfortunate set of circumstances, Anthony Fera found himself in search of a new place to play football. Texas was a logical choice for him to land considering he is from the Houston area.

portunity to be coached by both Paterno and Brown, two of the most influential and successful coaches in college football history. He feels lucky to have that opportunity. Though he is sad to see the struggles of the Penn State program, he is confident head coach Bill O’Brien and the rest of the staff will get the program back to where it once was. “Everything that went down, it was sad to see what happened,” Fera said. “You know, I really loved it there. It’s such a great university. Just kind of got a little messed up from one guy. They’re trying to overcome it. O’Brien is doing a great job up there.”

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friday, october 19, 2012

Andrew Torrey | Daily Texan Staff RIGHT: Trey Millard (33) hurdles Adrian Phillips (17) during a run. BELOW: Oklahoma Sooners celebrate following a dominant perfomance in a third-straight win over Texas at the Cotton Bowl.

SOONERS

STOMP HORNS

Elisabeth Dillon | Daily Texan Staff Sophomore Blake Bell (10) sets his sights on the endzone on his way to one of four rushing touchdowns against the Longhorns last weekend in Dallas.

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Battered and beaten both physically and mentally, the Texas Longhorns enter Saturday’s matchup against Baylor with a lot to prove. Following a blowout loss in the Red River Rivalry game against Oklahoma, Texas will face the Bears with a lot of exposed flaws in its plan of attack. Although Baylor is winless in the Big 12 so far, the Longhorns still need to do a few things to avoid a third consecutive loss.

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tighten up tackling As children, a lot of sports fans played a game with their friends that involves one man running with the football until someone else tackles them and takes possession. If this were the game the Longhorns were playing the past few weeks, they might never have gotten the ball. Against Oklahoma, the Texas defense was embarrassed on the ground, allowing 343 rushing yards. Missed tackles which allowed receivers to turn five yard gains into 20 yard gains were prevalent. Much like the offensive attack the Longhorns faced against West Virginia, Baylor has a talented group of receivers who gain the majority of their yards after the catch with speed and elusiveness. Already vulnerable to long passes, the Longhorns need to make sure to wrap up ball carriers in this game to avoid another loss. The defense currently ranks No. 102 in total defense as they enter a matchup with the No. 4 scoring offense. If the Longhorns want to contain this attack the plan is simple: tackle the man with the football.

run, run and run some more Oklahoma took a few things from Texas on Saturday, its quarterback being the most important. In the loss to Oklahoma, David Ash injured his wrist, and although he claims he will play against Baylor, his impact could possibly be marginalized. Although backup quarterback Case McCoy has some valuable starting experience, Texas should look to minimize any impediments of Ash’s injury with a strong running game. The Texas offense has proven most efficient when the running game is firmly established. In their two Big 12 losses, the Longhorns only managed 135 and 74 rushing yards respectively. Freshman Johnathan Gray and sophomore Joe Bergeron have been the most impressive runners for the season, each averaging over four yards a carry for a team that averages over 187 yards a game on the ground. If the Longhorns want to avoid another Big 12 loss, which would all but ruin their chances at a noteworthy bowl game, they need to run the ball relentlessly against Baylor whose total defense currently ranks No.124 in the nation.

play to strengths If there’s one thing the Texas Longhorns do well it’s getting pressure in the backfield. With one of the best defensive lines in the conference, Texas dials up the pressure every game to allow its defense to make plays and get the ball back in the hands of its offense. Although the pressure wasn’t enough against Oklahoma, Landry Jones was still hurried and pressured, throwing one interception while being sacked once. The main game plan for the defense has to be to wrap up and get guys to the ground, but it can help itself out a bit and facilitate this game plan by rushing Nick Florence often. The Texas linemen must show up in a big way in this game to force the Baylor offense into positions of discomfort. This is turn should make everything else fall into place.

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friday, october 19, 2012

Bears’ defense still shaky, with no signs of improving By Sara Beth Purdy

Michael Bancale | Associated Press TCU wide receiver Cam White (88) leaps over Baylor safety Sam Holl (25) and linebacker Bryce Hager (44) for a touchdown in the second half of the game Saturday, Oct. 13 in Waco, Texas.

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At the risk of being blunt, the Baylor defense is terrible. Longhorn fans can breathe a very small sigh of relief, even after what went down in the Cotton Bowl last weekend, knowing that despite the struggles the Texas defense has had this season, the Baylor defense is much worse. Like the Longhorns, the Bears are riding a two-game losing streak. They are 0-2 in conference play and 3-2 for the season. Unranked when the BCS was released earlier this week, they are second to last in the Big 12 standings. At the beginning of the season, after a 59-24 win over Southern Methodist University, it looked as if the Baylor defense would be a step up from the one seen last season. Against SMU, the Bears didn’t surrender a touchdown until the end of the third quarter. The Bears held the Mustangs to 145 yards on the ground and 362 yards through the air. Not spectacular numbers, but respectable. The Bears even forced two interceptions out of SMU quarterback Garrett Gilbert. In 2011, Baylor gave up an astonishing 37 points per game. Without Robert Griffin III and a high-scoring offense, the Bears would have not finished 10-3 in one of their best seasons in school history. Last December, the Bears were ranked in the bottom three in the Big 12 in every defensive category, coming in dead-last in total defense. Compared to the rest of the 124 FBS teams in 2011, the Bears were ranked around 100 in most categories and 116 in total defense. It is safe to say the expectations for

baylor defensive rankings 124 in total 123 in passing 121 in scoring 91 in rushing 124 in 3rd down conversions (56/88, 63.64) 15 in 4th down conversions (2/8, 25.00) Given up 208 points this year Opponents are 91 percent in red-zone scoring this year’s Baylor defense included at least some from of improvement. However, after five games, the Baylor defense is just not living up to those expectations, however low those may have been. It seems they’ve gotten even worse than 2011. The Bears are giving up almost 42 points and more than 550 yards per game. Most of their problems lie in their pass defense, which is giving up over 350 yards in the air per game. It is one thing to say that the Bears’ defensive unit was bad after their game against West Virginia — they gave up 70 points against one of the most productive offenses in football and everybody’s favorite quarterback, Geno Smith. But in the 49-21 loss to TCU, the Baylor defense showed how much they haven’t improved. The TCU offense put up 248 yards on the ground and 261 yards in the air without a single turnover. The Horned Frogs were also a perfect 6-for-6 in the red zone, scoring a touchdown on all but two possessions. “We played well enough in the first half defensively to give ourselves a chance to win,” said Baylor head coach Art Briles. “We have to work together and we didn’t ... as the game progressed, TCU gained some confidence and

they made some big plays on third down.” Both of Baylor’s losses came at the hands of the defense. Currently, the Bears are ranked dead-last in total defense, 119th in passing defense and 118th in scoring defense. Their only redeeming quality is their rushing defense; in which they are ranked 88th. “We have to make plays and we need to tackle better,” junior safety Sam Holl said. “We know we have to get better and we will.” However, the pass rush was the only part of the defensive unit that was expected to be worse than in 2011. They lost their team leaders in sacks and only returned two starters. This year, Baylor’s secondary was supposed to be their strongest element on defense. All four starters returned including Holl, a veteran safety who earned second team AllBig 12 honors last season. Their incredible depth alone should have improved their performance, however the secondary has given up 1,862 yards through the air. In the offseason, the Bears converted several wide receivers to defensive backs, including junior Darius Jones, in order to try and make some improvements. One bright spot: linebacker Bryce Hager is ranked first in the Big 12 in tackles per game with 12.2, so theoretically, the Bears could be worse.

friday, october 19, 2012

big 12 power rankings wes maulsby daily texan staff

kansas state

oklahoma

texas tech

The Wildcats celebrate their return to the top of the Big 12 with their first top five national ranking since the prime of the first Bill Snyder era in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s. The Wildcats continued their tradition of being unpredictable this season with a closer than expected game against Iowa State last week. Now Kansas State would have to lose twice in order to give up the conference crown. And with the Big 12 field starting to separate itself, it would be a lot to ask for the toughest and most complete team in the conference to lose two games.

In destroying Texas, Bob Stoops cemented himself as the king of the Big 12 conference. Seven conference championships do not lie, and just when people were starting to question his team, they responded with a resounding win over what was supposed to be an improving team. But as it stands today, Oklahoma is still behind the eight ball with a home loss to Kansas State standing out as the only blemish on its record.

A win over West Virginia was not completely unexpected, but completely dominating a top five team fresh off its biggest win of the season was. Now the Red Raiders find themselves in the spotlight with a top-15 ranking in the BCS rankings with three consecutive games against ranked opponents approaching. The toughest of those three will be a road matchup against Kansas State. If the Red Raiders can get by that one, they suddenly become a favorite to make it to the BCS.

tcu

texas

baylor

oklahoma state

west virginia

Right when the Mountaineers were riding high, they dropped the ball. In the race for the Big 12, the loss isn’t that bad, as it gets to play Oklahoma and Kansas State in Morgantown. But its national title dreams have fallen by the wayside. National title teams rarely lose, and they never lose by five touchdowns. West Virginia can’t stew on the loss to Texas Tech for very long though, as Kansas State will take it to the Mountaineers if the opportunity presents itself. A win this weekend will keep the Mountaineers in the conference picture, but a loss will keep them on the outside looking in.

iowa state

So Iowa State lost its second game in three weeks and went up in the rankings? Yes. The Cyclones may have suffered a setback to Kansas State at home, but it was a close game that they were in until the final gun. Kansas State was just a little too tough and too good for Iowa State. But the Cyclones cannot possibly be ranked below TCU, a team that it beat by two touchdowns in Fort Worth. And with so many other teams having poor performances in losses last week, Iowa State gets the benefit of the doubt for not having been blown out this season.

The Horned Frogs had been a turnover-prone team before their trip to Waco. They had committed nine turnovers in their first two conference games, but held onto the ball while forcing six turnovers for the second time this season. Trevone Boykin, in his second game filling in for the suspended Casey Pachall, completed 73 percent of his passes for four touchdowns in TCU’s highest offensive output since the first game of the season. The Horned Frogs scored on all of their trips to the red zone against the Bears in their most complete game of the season.

What can be said that hasn’t already been? The Longhorns looked slow, weak and were completely unprepared for their matchup against the Sooners in Dallas. With its conference championship hopes now lost for the season, Texas has to circle the wagons in order to avoid losing this season all together. Its defense, projected to be the best in the conference, is giving up 209 yards per game on the ground. And since conference play began, it is giving up 270 rushing yards per game. Texas’ defense now ranks in the bottom third of the conference with West Virginia and Baylor, and unless it can suddenly figure out how to tackle, that should only get worse with Baylor next.

The Bears defense is, to put it mildly, horrid. They gave up 509 yards to a team run by a freshman quarterback in his second career start. In two conference games this season, the Bears have given up 1,209 yards in offense, and 119 points. That is not a winning combination. But it may be coming up against the only defense in the conference that plays as poor as it does. And Baylor does have one of the most prolific offenses in the nation when it can keep its hands on the ball. Baylor will beat a team it’s not supposed to this season.

The Cowboys’ 84-0 win over an FCS opponent to begin the season seems awful far away right now. They have fallen to both of the ranked teams they have played and barely managed to hold off a Kansas team which was vying for what may have been its best shot at a conference win this season. Oklahoma State looked good against teams that were obviously overmatched by its offense, but with conference play here, it is finding it much harder to move the ball. It was actually outgained by the Jayhawks last week. And its defense, which made a living off of taking the ball away last season, has not been close to that level of production.

kansas

The Jayhawks were so close to their first conference win since 2010. Kansas had the ball in the fourth quarter with a chance to win the game but it failed on its fifth fourth-down conversion of the game. A win certainly isn’t expected this week as the Jayhawks travels to Norman to face a surging Oklahoma team.

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Brown’s greatness buried among recent fallibility By Nick Cremona

Double Coverage Editor

Andrew Torrey | Daily Texan Staff During his 15-year stint at Texas, Mack Brown has experienced highs and recent lows with the program. His overall record is one to be proud of, but lately Brown has fallen short of expectations.

A week removed from embarrassment in Dallas, the Longhorns once again seem to be headed in a direction that’s become all too familiar the past two seasons: South. Much like what transpired after the 5-7 season the Longhorns endured in 2010, it could be time to start thinking of another spring cleaning for Texas come wintertime. “We definitely need to start winning again,” sophomore quarterback David Ash said. “That’s the bottom line.” Armed with a defense that has self-proclaimed confidence issues, an aging coach who seems to be losing his touch and a quarterback who almost lost part of an arm, Texas has found itself just ahead of winless Kansas in the Big 12 standings. The overall lack of defensive tact throughout the year has become the most noticeable flaw for the Longhorns, but Texas’ problems haven’t stemmed just from poor play. Consecutive losses to West Virginia and Oklahoma aren’t reason enough to call Mack Brown’s job security into question, but maybe a 6-9 career record against the Sooners coupled with a 7-13 Big 12 record over the past two-and-a-half seasons (including this year) make a stronger case to let Mack go with a nice payout.

It would have been absurd to even mention this thought just a few years ago, but as the landscape of college football continues to evolve, success is measured on a week-to-week basis. As of the last two weeks, Brown and the Longhorns simply haven’t been succeeding. “We just need to all come together because right now I feel like it’s a little bit embarrassing how we’re playing when last year we were playing so well,” senior safety Kenny Vaccaro said. Athletic Director Deloss Dodds and UT President William Powers Jr. have pledged to give Brown as much time as he needs to reboot the program, but they may have no choice but to rethink that plan if things continue to sour. Since 2000, Oklahoma has hung 50 or more points on Texas four times. In the previous 100 years of the rivalry the Sooners had reached 50 points just two times (1908, 1973). The game that is supposed to pit bitter rivals against one another has too often turned into a Longhorn beatdown under Brown, and at Texas that’s not going to leave many folks pleased. “We changed our style two years ago to be a more aggressive, physical football team on offense, and we were not [against Oklahoma],” said Brown. Yes, Brown has led Texas to two national championship games in the past eight years, even bringing an NCAA title

to Austin, but wasn’t Kansas in a BCS game in the not-too distant past as well? The point is, things change, players come and go and sometimes a coach or two are let go. It shouldn’t become blasphemous to suggest change when it becomes clear the system in place may not be the best anymore. Let’s not discount what Brown has meant to the entire Texas program. The Longhorns have enjoyed great success during Brown’s tenure and many great individual players have him to thank for their significance within Longhorn lore. Brown is, and always be, a kind, thoughtful and proven leader who does things the right way. Given the relationship Brown has with the Texas administration, it’s not likely he’ll be going anywhere soon, which isn’t to say that is the worst that could happen. Brown very well could lead another Texas team to greatness, but his recent record hasn’t shown that to be the case anytime soon. It’s always tough to think about the future of a program when a coach like Brown is still firmly in place and doesn’t have any apparent plans of leaving the sidelines for at least a few more years. But it should at least be in the minds of the powers that be that a change could benefit the well-being of a program that has suddenly become more mediocre than dominant.

next issue october 26 Texas vs. Kansas

11 friday, october 19, 2012

Elisabeth Dillon | Daily Texan Staff Sophomore running back Joe Bergeron (24) is stuffed by the Oklahoma defense, resulting in a safety during last week’s 63-21 loss.

As ground game goes, so does Texas By Lauren Giudice To say the Longhorns struggled on offense against Oklahoma may be a bit of an understatement. The passing game was ineffective. They couldn’t run the ball. The offensive line was overpowered. The team couldn’t convert on third down. But perhaps the most surprising issue of them all was the lack of production on the ground for Texas. When the passing game couldn’t produce points over the past two years, the running backs were almost always there to pick up the slack. Where were

they against the Sooners? Malcolm Brown’s absence due to a sprained ankle has had a negative impact. But depth at running back is something the Longhorns prided themselves on entering the season. Joe Bergeron was coming off a four-touchdown game against West Virginia. At the Cotton Bowl, he had one yard and was tackled for a safety. True freshman Johnathan Gray had 16 yards. For a team that had been averaging 209.4 yards of rushing per game before Saturday, the productivity was subpar. “It’s kind of shocking not moving the ball,” Gray said after the loss.

The offensive line had a lot to do with the lack of yards. They were overwhelmed by Oklahoma’s defensive line all day. Quarterback David Ash had very little time with the ball and the running backs couldn’t find gaps. That’s a pretty bad combination. Junior guard Trey Hopkins knows continuing that kind of play won’t work. “Besides the schemes and all the fancy stuff we do in the backfield, when we do our assignments, it’s all about hitting people and that’s what we have to get back to doing,” Hopkins said. “We have to have an effective running game to win, and that’s one thing the

past two weeks have shown, we haven’t been consistent with that.” Texas had two rushing yards on 10 carries at the end of the first half against Oklahoma and finished the game with 74 rushing yards. Head coach Mack Brown said the offense needs to average four yards per rush. They averaged 3.2 against the Sooners. Texas’ struggles with the run game started early. The Longhorns started the game with four-straight threeand-outs. Texas finished the game with seven three-andouts on 16 possessions. The three-and-outs put the Texas defense on the field for a sig-

nificant portion of the game. For a defense that ranks 99th in total defense in the country, extra time on the field is certainly not ideal. “We can be more intense for sure,” said senior offensive tackle Luke Poehlmann. “We need to step it up a lot and we’re working on that. Really, we’re just focused on individually getting better and getting better as an offensive line.” During the Red River Rivalry last year, Texas accumulated 36 rushing yards. Doubling that number this year with 74 isn’t much of an accomplishment. Bergeron, Brown and Ash were all freshmen last year

and although Brown didn’t play this time around, the production on the ground should be much more significant by now. “We have to establish drives with a little bit more length,” said junior offensive guard Mason Walters. “What we put out there today was disappointing, it’s unacceptable. We’re going back to work tomorrow.” Oklahoma’s defense was the best the Longhorns have faced this season. But in order to turn this season around, the offensive line and the running backs need to perform at a higher level. “We have to get back to fighting,” Hopkins said.

Tackling tough issues

By Chris Hummer Entering last week’s game at the Cotton Bowl, run defense was an issue for the Longhorns. Then, 343 yards later, Texas’ inability to stop the run has the season in danger of coming to a screeching halt. Texas’ paper-thin run defense has mystified defensive coordinator Manny Diaz and the players and it’s gotten to the point that they’re at a loss for words as of what to do. “Right now, we have no confidence in our run defense,” defensive end Alex Okafor said. The Texas defense has allowed 209.2 yards per game on the ground and opposing offenses have garnered 5.1 yards a carry. Texas is 106th in the country — out of 124 teams — in rushing defense and 102nd in total defense, staggering numbers for a unit which was ranked seventh and 11th, respectively, in these two categories last season.

“Our run defense was horrendous on Saturday, and the responsibility for that goes to me,” Diaz said. Diaz is responsible for some of the blame; his linebackers have been the main source of the problems, after all. But overall the majority of the issues stem from the players. An inability to tackle has plagued the defense and turned a tough-minded and cagy 2011 defensive iteration into the 2012 version – a group that’s hesitant, inexperienced and at times lacks passion. It’s something safety Kenny Vaccaro — an unquestioned team leader — has noticed, and it baffles him that players don’t give 100 percent each and every down. “It’s your decision what caliber of player you want to be,” Vaccaro said. “I don’t get why people wouldn’t play hard every play.” Passion has not been the only issue, however. The young players on defense have had a hard time staying in their lanes, and it’s

equaled an extreme amount of explosive run plays for opposing offenses. Texas is 118th nationally in allowing rushes of over 10 yards and has given up 17 runs of over 30 yards through only six games – in 2011, the Longhorns only surrendered 11 such plays all season. The biggest run Texas has allowed this season came against Oklahoma when Damien Williams danced his way to a 95-yard touchdown. Williams was hardly touched on the play and it was a missed assignment by a linebacker, according to Vaccaro, that allowed the longest run in Red River Rivalry history to coalesce. “I think young guys don’t understand that what they do in the game matters so much in a play, like what gap you hit might affect the person next to you,” Vaccaro said. “Young players don’t know their role as much as they need to, sometimes.” A big part of Texas’ issues in defending the run comes from a hesitancy the players have displayed to attack, according to

Okafor and Vaccaro. Instead of seeing the ball carrier and instinctively wrapping them up, some members of the secondary and linebacker corps are waiting for the skill player to make the first move, an issue that’s cost Texas time after time. “In those open field tackle situations, which are the most critical in the game of football, you got to have the confidence to just let it go,” Diaz said. “You can’t be afraid of failure.” Failure is exactly what this defense is on the cusp of it doesn’t start performing up to even a fraction of its preseason expectations. The Longhorns have already faced three straight top-15 offenses and will clash with another one this week in Baylor. It’s a tough test for Diaz and the defense, but they must find a way to stop the run or the season will continue to be a whiff. “We’re going through a run of historically good offenses,” Diaz said. “But we have to represent ourselves the way Texas deserves to be represented.”

No. 80 Alex Okafor | No. 2 Mykkele Thompson | No. 11 Tevin Jackson | Photos by Elisabeth Dillon | Daily Texan Staff

matchups

friday, october 19, 2012

peter sblendorio daily texan staff

QUARTERBACK This game features a pair of quarterbacks coming off of their toughest weeks of the season. David Ash threw for a season-low 113 yards Saturday against Oklahoma and was intercepted twice, but that was the first dent in an otherwise impressive season. On the year, Ash has completed 71.9 percent of his passes for 1,389 yards and has thrown 11 touchdown passes to just three interceptions. Baylor’s Nick Florence is also having a nice year, compiling 1,874 yards through the air along with 18 touchdowns, but he has been plagued by turnovers, throwing nine picks in five games and four in his last contest. He is also completing nearly eight percent fewer of his passes than Ash. This inefficiency has held the Bears back at times against top-flight defenses.

RUNNING BACK The Longhorns struggled to run the ball against Oklahoma, but overall the strength of this Texas team is its ability to move the ball on the ground. Three Texas runners have rushed for at least 245 yards through six games, with Joe Bergeron leading the way with 301 yards and nine scores on the ground. The Bears are also capable of running the ball, but Baylor relies far more heavily on the pass. Only one Baylor back has accumulated more than 200 yards rushing thus far and as a team the Bears only average 4.3 yards per carry. This pales in comparison to the Longhorns, who average 4.8 yards per rush attempt.

wide RECEIVERS Much of the reason Nick Florence has been able to step in and shoulder the load for the Bears is the effectiveness of the Baylor wide receivers. A trio of Bears’ receivers have hauled in at least 23 passes, and they have scored a combined 19 times through the air. The Baylor receiving corps is led by senior Terrence Williams, who leads the team with 37 catches, 830 yards and eight touchdowns. While the Texas wideouts have done a nice job this year, Mike Davis’ team-leading 24 catches and 352 yards would rank no better than third for the Bears.

advantage

DEFENSIVE LINE One week after its most explosive game of the season against West Virginia, the Texas defensive line did not make much of an impact Saturday against Oklahoma. That said, Alex Okafor is still among the best defensive ends in the Big 12 and rounds out a talented Texas defensive line. The loss of Jackson Jeffcoat hurts Texas, but younger players like Reggie Wilson, Cedric Reed and Toshiro Davis will be called on to fill the void. The Bears have struggled to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks all season, as they allow more than 370 yards passing per game. Overall, Texas’ 14 sacks trumps Baylor’s eight sacks, but the ability to affect the passing game even without bringing down the quarterback is what gives the Longhorns the edge.

advantage

OFFENSIVE LINE Although it is coming off of its worst performance of the year, the Texas offensive line has been a solid unit for most of the season. Through five games the Longhorns had one of the nation’s most efficient offenses, and this was due to its balance in running and passing the ball. Even after its woeful offensive performance against Oklahoma, Texas is averaging 4.8 yards per rush, and David Ash is averaging 8.32 yards per pass. The veteran offensive line has done a nice job of opening holes for the Longhorns’ stable of running backs as well as setting up screens for receivers for Ash to pass to. Baylor has put up gaudy offensive statistics in several games this year, but it has completed a lower percentage of passes and rushed for a lower average than have the Longhorns.

advantage

LINEBACKERS Every week a new running back seems to torch the Longhorns’ defense. Texas has been unable to stop the run all season, allowing 209.2 rushing yards per game. This is a direct result of poor tackling as opposing runners have made a living on big gains once they get past the Texas defensive line. Texas’ linebackers have been a large part of the defense’s inability to stop the run and it has been evident that the unit misses Jordan Hicks dearly. Baylor middle linebacker Bryce Hager is third nationally with 12.2 tackles per game.

advantage

SECONDARY

SPECIAL TEAMS

Even after allowing strong performances by opposing quarterbacks in three straight games, the Longhorns enter this game in better shape than Baylor as far as stopping the pass. Texas has limited opponents to 240.5 passing yards per game and 11 touchdowns through six games, while the Bears have given up an average of 372.4 passing yards and 18 touchdowns through the air in five games. Moreover, the Longhorns’ secondary has intercepted eight passes compared to six picks by Baylor. The fact that Baylor had to convert offensive players to fill holes in its defensive backfield should be proof positive the Bears’ secondary is reeling.

The Longhorns have been able to create better field position than has Baylor, as they have been more explosive on both kick and punt returns. Texas has returned kickoffs for an average of 24.9 yards and punts for 16.2 yards, while Baylor has averaged totals of 19.8 yards and 11.9 yards, respectively. Both teams have had their share of struggles on field goal attempts, with Texas kickers going 4-of-9 with a pair of missed extra points and Baylor going 5-for-9 in field goal tries. That said, Texas punter Alex King’s ability to provide the offense with manageable field position makes their special teams unit just a bit stronger than the Bears’.

advantage

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texan staff picks

friday, october 19, 2012

nick cremona

lauren giudice

chris hummer

christian corona

sara beth purdy

PETER SBLENDORIO

wes maulsby

hank south

matt warden

3-7

7-3

5-5

6-4

5-5

6-4

5-5

Overall Record

29-26

39-16

33-22

37-18

32-23

35-20

40-15

32-23

Texas vs. Baylor

Texas

Baylor

Texas

LSU

Texas A&M

LSU

Oklahoma St.

Iowa State

Oklahoma St.

South Carolina

Florida

Texas Tech vs. TCU

TCU

Texas Tech

TCU

Texas Tech

Kansas St. vs. WVU

Kansas State

West Virginia

Kansas State

West Virginia

Cincinnati vs. Toledo

Toledo

Cincinnati

Toledo

Cincinnati

Alabama vs. Tennessee

Alabama

Nebraska vs. Northwestern

Nebraska

Northwestern

Mich. St. vs. Michigan

Michigan

Michigan St.

Last Weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Record

LSU vs. Texas A&M

Iowa St. Oklahoma St.

South Carolina vs. Florida

South Carolina South Carolina

Florida

South Carolina South Carolina

players to watch

friday, october 19, 2012

matt warden daily texan staff

nick florence senior quarterback Florence entered this season with possibly the toughest job of any other player in the nation; replacing Heisman trophy winner Robert Griffin III. He isn’t the game changer RG3 was and doesn’t propel the Bears to that level, but the senior has put together a solid year. Florence has completed 63 percent of his passes this season, with 1,874 passing yards and 18 touchdowns. Florence is a smaller quarterback standing at 6-foot-1, but his arm strength and accuracy are second to none in the Big 12 thus far in the season. Although the Bears are 0-2 in the conference at this point, Florence’s arm and poise have kept them in both contests. Against West Virginia, Florence had a career game passing for 581 yards and five touchdowns despite being overshadowed by Geno Smith. The Texas defense has proven vulnerable to solid passing attacks this season, so Florence should be a player to watch when the Bears takes on the Longhorns this week.

terrance williams senior receiver Every quarterback needs at least one reliable receiver to throw the ball to when the game is on the line. Williams fits that bill perfectly. At 6-foot-2, 205 pounds, Williams possesses impressive quickness and the ability to pick up yards after the catch. in five games he has amassed 37 catches for 830 yards and eight touchdowns. It should be noted that 314 of these yards came in the shootout against West Virginia, but Williams has proven to be a man of consistency, compiling at least 100 yards and two touchdown catches in all but one game this season. Williams is a receiver that pads his stats with speed. He is currently averaging 22 yards per catch, and has recorded a reception for at least 45 yards in every game this season. The Longhorns have had a hard time tackling speedy receivers so the coverage should be tight with Williams. Fans should expect Terrence Williams to make a big impact in this game.

Photos by Associated Press

bryce hager

sophomore linebacker

Hager currently leads the Bears in total tackles this season with 61 and is third nationally with 12.2 per game. Hager is a stocky defender who causes the most trouble in stopping the run game. Hager has also forced two fumbles. Two other factors that will boost Hager’s play are location and history. The sophomore defender is an Austin Westlake product and will probably look to step up his game in his hometown and his father, Britt Hager (1986-88), is Texas’ career tackles leader. A strong and compact run stopper, Hager should be a player for Texas to keep in their sights as he returns to Austin for a matchup against the rival Longhorns.

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heisman watch

friday, october 19, 2012

wes maulsby daily texan staff Photos by Associated Press

1. Collin Klein Senior QB, Kansas State

2. Manti Te’o Senior LB, Notre Dame

3. Geno Smith Senior QB, West Virginia

4. Braxton Miller Sophomore QB, Ohio State

Last Week: 16-24 (67 percent) for 187 yards. 25 rushes for 105 yards (4.2 yards per carry) and three TDs. Season: 79-118 (67 percent) for 1074 yards for seven TDs and two INTs. 98 rushes for 510 yards (5.2 yards per carry) and 10 TDs.

Last Week: 11 tackles. Season: 57 tackles and three INTs.

Last Week: 29-55 (53 percent) for 275 yards and one TD. Season: 195-259 (75 percent) for 2271 yards and 25 TDs.

Last Week: 13-24 (54 percent) for 211 yards and two TDs. 23 rushes for 149 yards (6.5 yards per carry) and one TD. Season: 96-159 (60 percent) for 1271 yards, 11 TDs and four INTs. 129 rushes for 912 yards (7 yards per carry) and nine TDs.

With West Virginia falling on its face against Texas Tech last week, Klein has vaulted to the top of the Heisman rankings. Again, his numbers aren’t off the wall, but he simply continues to get things done. He had just his second game without a passing touchdown, but he made up for it with his rushing performance. He rushed for over 100 yards for the second straight game and had three touchdowns for the first time since Kansas State’s crushing of Miami. Klein’s consistency will be put to the test this weekend against the explosiveness of the West Virginia offense. Fortunately for Klein, he should have no problem moving the ball against the Mountaineers. A win could cement Klein as the Heisman frontrunner with a little over a month to play.

Notre Dame has held its last five opponents under 20 points and last week Stanford’s only touchdown came on a defensive score. Stanford’s 148 yards rushing are the seconded highest total given up by the Irish defense this season, which has yet to allow over 200 yards on the ground. Te’o continues to be the primary defender for Notre Dame and had his nose in the middle of the goal line stand that kept the Irish undefeated for at least another week. It’s not enough for Notre Dame to keep winning, but it has to keep shutting teams down and dominating up front. The Irish offense isn’t exactly dynamic and explosive, but its defense is allowing only nine points per game, second only to Alabama. The Irish have played much more explosive teams than the Tide and will continue to with Oklahoma and USC still to come. If Notre Dame can lock down those offenses, Te’o will have the strongest resume for a defensive player since Ndamukong Suh in 2009.

It finally happened. West Virginia’s offense hit a bump in the road, stalling out against the Red Raiders. This was an offensive system the folks in Lubbock were familiar with and it showed as Tech had an answer for everything the Mountaineers did on offense. West Virginia’s 14 points were a season low, but not by a huge margin. It was held to 31 by Maryland, and going back to last season, has been held in check more times than it probably should be. But Smith still has a chance to recover and become the front-runner for the Heisman again. First, a matchup against the toughest team in the Big 12 awaits in Morgantown this weekend. That’s if he can light up Kansas State, something no one has been able to do since Texas A&M did last season. But if he continues to struggle, his campaign will suffer a monumental setback.

Miller is a one-man wrecking crew for Ohio State. He had to be last week as the Buckeye defense could not stop two-win Indiana. He is always dangerous with the ball in his hands, but it’s a different story once it leaves his hands. Though he has only thrown four interceptions, he has completed less than 60 percent of his passes in four of his seven games this season. The schedule continues to help Ohio State as it faces two of the worst teams in the Big Ten over the next three weeks. But Penn State can be dangerous on the road, and games against Wisconsin and Michigan wait to close out the season. What will hurt Miller is that he will not play during the final week of the season, due to NCAA sanctions.

5. Mike Gillislee Senior RB, Florida

Last Week: 17 rushes for 67 yards (3.9 yards per carry). Season: 120 rushes for 615 yards (5.1 yards per carry) and seven TDs. Not a stellar game last week for Gillislee, but it didn’t really matter. Florida is riding high right now off of its home win against LSU and against Vanderbilt, Gillislee wasn’t needed as his quarterback stole the show. His campaign was hurt slightly with his poor showing against the Commodores, but it wasn’t going to build much either. That comes over the next two weeks. Florida plays South Carolina and Georgia in games that will decide who wins the SEC East. If Florida is going to get back to the SEC title game, it will do it on the legs of Gillislee. Quarterback Jeff Driskel is getting better, but Gillislee is the senior who will need to come up with big plays if Florida is to stay in the national spotlight. South Carolina is giving up just 108 yards per game on the ground, and if it can bottle up Gillislee, consider his Heisman run over. But if he carries the Gators through a stout Gamecocks defense, look for his stock to rise significantly.

6. Kenjon Barner Senior RB, Oregon Last Week: 20 rushes for 122 yards (6.1 yards per carry). Season: 116 rushes for 727 yards( 6.3 yards per carry) and nine TDs.

Forget De’Anthony Thomas, if an Oregon Duck is going to win the Heisman, it is going to be Barner. He is as explosive as any other player on the Ducks roster and he gets far more looks than his backfield mate. He has 20 rushes in each of the past three games, and with four road games remaining on the schedule, Oregon will need a steady ground game. A steady ground game means Barner will be getting the ball more and more. Oregon is heading into the toughest part of its schedule and its opponents will start to actually play some defense. Barner is the No. 12 leading rusher this season and his numbers should only get better as Oregon looks to secure wins and return to the Pac 12 Championship game. While Thomas is a niche back in a niche offense, Barner is a legitimate back in a niche offense. The difference between the two will become apparent as the season wanes.

guest column

friday, october 19, 2012

WILSON continues from page 4 quickly and jaw-dropping athleticism, Wilson managed to make it on Rivals’ Top 100 recruit list during his senior year at Haltom High and landed at Texas. Still, Wilson had quite a bit of work left to do in order to elevate his game to the collegiate level. And after two years of dogged training, Wilson has transformed into a player the team can rely on. “Coming in, the coaches knew that I was raw,” Wilson said. “I always had speed and strength. But as far as the little things like which steps to take, eye control, just little things with my technique are things I’ve tried to work on over the years. I see improvement and I just need to keep getting

better. I feel like I have improved every year and it’s time for me to help Texas win.” Defensive coordinator Manny Diaz has seen Wilson take huge steps in the past year, and not just in terms of his ability to attack the football. “Reggie Wilson is a guy that has really, really come a long way since last season,” Diaz said. “Not just in terms of his ability to come off the edge and pressuring the quarterback, but just in terms of being a dependable guy.” He might not put up the same gaudy stats Jeffcoat did, but if Wilson can manage to be a dependable asset, he could manage to put a sizeable dent in those numbers.

Tony Gutierrez | Associated Press Baylor wide receivers Tevin Reese (16) and Terrance Williams (2) celebrate in the end zone following Williams' touchdown reception in the first half of the game against TCU Saturday, Oct. 13 in Waco, Texas.

Offensive prowess gives Bears slight advantage By Krista Pirtle The Baylor Lariat

After former TCU quarterback Casey Pachall withdrew from the University last week, Baylor fans were already putting a check in the win column for the Bears. But four interceptions and a pair of fumbles later, it was obvious things weren’t going as planned. A win looked promising after a long touchdown pass from senior quarterback Nick Florence to senior wide receiver Terrance Williams 26 seconds into the game, but a lack of rhythm offensively and a need for defensive stops allowed TCU to carry the game away. After the game junior nickelback Ahmad Dixon was asked what the defense was going to do in practice

to prepare for Saturday’s matchup against Texas. “We’re just going to go back to the basics,” said Dixon. His response was met by a firm question from the media, “Wasn’t that what you did on the bye week?” True, that’s what we had heard the team was doing but it didn’t turn out quite right. With Baylor’s conference slate well underway, a loss like that was enough to set a spark under the Bears toward a better outcome at Texas. This matchup has been a toss-up ever since the beginning of the season: both teams have things to prove offensively and teams to stop defensively. While Texas wins the defensive battle on paper, Baylor wins on the offensive side. Even after an uncharacteristic four interceptions last weekend, Florence leads the nation in total offense with 404.4

yards per game and ranks No. 2 nationally in passing yards per game (374.8) and quarterback rating (176.6). “The thing we have to remember about Nick [Florence] is that he really hasn’t played that many football games,” Briles said. “We look at him like he is a really experienced quarterback, but his actual game-time experience is not that much.” Surrounding him are four talented wide receivers: seniors Terrance Williams, Lanear Sampson, Darryl Stonum and junior Tevin Reese. Williams leads the nation with 166 receiving yards per game. The ground game for Baylor features senior running back Jarred Salubi, who could put up big numbers while facing a Texas defense that has struggled to defend the run. Junior Glasco Martin and sophomore transfer

Lache Seastrunk, from Oregon, could also see playing time and add diversity to the Bears’ running game. One prominent statistic to Baylor’s wins and losses so far this season is the turnover margin. During the team’s threegame win streak to open the season, Baylor’s defense forced 10 takeaways and lost only four turnovers, a plus1.5 per-game margin. However, during the past two games the Bears haven’t forced any takeaways and have lost seven turnovers, a negative-3.5 per-game margin. In order for the Bears to win this ball game, they must win the turnover battle. When that happens, Florence and the offense find a rhythm that puts points on the board and keeps the defense on the sideline for a little while longer.

games to watch

friday, october 19, 2012

peter sblendorio daily texan staff

no. 9 south carolina at no. 3 florida Overall 6-1 SEC 4-1

no. 6 lsu at no. 20 texas a&M Overall 6-1 SEC 2-1

Overall 6-0 SEC 5-0

Overall 5-1 SEC 2-1

no. 4 kansas state at no. 17 west virginia Overall 6-0 Big 12 3-0

no. 18 texas tech at Tcu Overall 5-1 Big 12 2-1

Overall 5-1 Big 12 2-1

Ben Hill Griffin Stadium Saturday 2:30 p.m. TV: CBS

Kyle Field Saturday 11 a.m. TV: ESPN

Mountaineer Field Saturday 6 p.m. TV: FOX

Amon Carter Stadium Saturday 2:30 p.m. TV: ABC/ESPN2

This week’s top matchup will be a struggle between two of the nation’s top teams. The Gamecocks and Gators each boast superb defensive units, as each team has allowed just 12.3 points per game to opponents. South Carolina is coming off its first loss of the season against LSU, making this Saturday’s game a must-win for both its SEC and National Title hopes. Winning will be no easy task, as Florida is 6-0 and is allowing just 7.7 points per game at The Swamp. A win for either team will greatly improve its chances moving forward in the conference as well as in the BCS poll.

LSU is coming off of a huge win against South Carolina that might have saved its season. The Tigers were able to answer questions about their ability to compete against elite SEC teams and their offense will have a chance to continue to quiet doubters against a Texas A&M team that allowed 57 points last week against LA Tech. Johnny Manziel has had a remarkable season at quarterback for A&M, leading the SEC in rushing with 676 yard. Each team is coming off of a win against a ranked opponent and both will look to win another this week.

West Virginia came up empty last Saturday in an ugly 49-14 upset against Texas Tech. Geno Smith is still likely the Heisman frontrunner and gives the Mountaineers the chance to win any game. This will be an especially tough game to win, as Kansas State is among college football’s most balanced teams. Defensively, the Wildcats are allowing just 16.5 points per game, while on offense they are scoring 40.8 per contest. Collin Klein, another Heisman hopeful, has broken out this year and has accounted for 17 total touchdowns. The winner of this game will be sitting in the driver’s seat for the Big 12 title.

Seth Doege is having a strong year for the Red Raiders, throwing for 1,891 yards and 21 touchdowns. He will have a tough assignment this week though, as TCU has a smothering defense that is allowing just 14.5 points per game. After losing their first game without suspended quarterback Casey Pachall, the Horned Frogs got back on track last week in a 49-21 drubbing of Baylor. These two teams sit in a tie for second place in the Big 12 and a win for either would be huge in creating separation in the conference standings.

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national notebook

friday, october 19, 2012

Hurricanes hoping Morris returns to full health By Hank South With the return of Notre Dame to national acclaim, to Oregon State sitting pretty at No. 8 in the polls, the final six games of the college football season shouldn’t disappoint. Let’s take a look at some of the national notes heading into the weekend. • South Carolina junior running back Marcus Lattimore is questionable for the Gamecocks’ matchup with Florida this weekend with a bruised hip. Lattimore has historically been injury prone, tearing a ligament in his knee in 2011, which held him out the final six games of the season. Lattimore has 584 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on the season.

• Notre Dame quarterback Everett Golson has cleared concussion tests and returned to practice earlier this week. The redshirt freshman sustained the concussion late in Notre Dame’s overtime win versus Stanford last Saturday. Golson has started five of six games this season for the Fighting Irish, splitting time with junior quarterback Tommy Rees. Notre Dame hosts Brigham Young this weekend, which fields the country’s No. 5 total defense. • Former Louisiana State cornerback Tyrann Mathieu might be in trouble with the NCAA again after allegedly promoting a party at a Baton Rouge nightclub while he was still a member of the football team, according to a report

by Sports Illustrated. Mathieu was kicked out of the Tigers’ football program before the season began after failing multiple drug tests. • Miami is holding out hope that junior quarterback Stephen Morris will be ready to go this weekend when the Hurricanes host Florida State. Morris is nursing a sprained ankle suffered in an 18-14 loss versus North Carolina. Morris has thrown for 1,991 yards and nine touchdowns this season, including a Miami and Atlantic Coastal Conference record 551 yards versus North Carolina State. • Northwestern will take a team nap prior to its 2:30 p.m. kickoff versus Nebraska this weekend. The Wildcats struggled in a 2:30 p.m. game against Boston College a few

weeks ago and when head coach Pat Fitzgerald asked his leadership council what the issue was, the unanimous answer was tiredness. According to the team itinerary the nap will happen at about 9:30 a.m. and is mandatory. • Dartmouth had to use a water bottle as a kicking tee versus Yale a couple of weekends ago. The Big Green asked the Bulldogs’ equipment manager to borrow a tee prior to the game, but just before kickoff Yale head coach Tony Reno walked over to the Dartmouth sideline to ask for the tee back. • Idaho State head coach Mike Kramer may be in a bit of legal trouble after a video of him pushing wide

Miami QB Stephen Morris Charles Rex Arbogast Associated Press

KRAMER continues on page 23

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big 12 notebook

friday, october 19, 2012

Kansas to use two QBs, Tech faces old coordinator By Hank South The second weekend of October had its share of surprises, between West Virginia going down in Lubbock and Oklahoma putting on a spectacle against the Longhorns. As the dust settles, the Big 12 looks to be Kansas State’s to lose. Let’s take a look at some of the conference notes heading into the weekend. • Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy is one win away from becoming the all-time winningest head coach in Cowboy history. Gundy is currently tied with former coach, Pat Jones, with 62 wins and looks to surpass the mark this weekend when Iowa State visits Stillwater. • Kansas will use both senior Dayne Crist and redshirt freshman Michael Cummings at quarterback this weekend at Oklahoma. Cummings replaced Crist, who has struggled this season throwing seven interceptions, last weekend in the third quarter versus Oklahoma State trailing 20-0. While the Jayhawks eventually lost, Cummings showed promise for the future in leading Kansas to 14 unanswered points. • West Virginia wide receiver Stedman Bailey is questionable for the

Mountaineers’ game versus Kansas State this weekend. The junior receiver has an apparent ankle injury. Head coach Dana Holgorsen hinted at starting true freshman Travares Copeland in place of the injured Bailey. Copeland’s redshirt was burned last weekend when the freshman entered the game versus Texas Tech, catching one pass for five yards. It goes without question quarterback Geno Smith will rely more heavily on senior receiver Tavon Austin who has eight receiving touchdowns on the season thus far. • Kansas State has allowed one touchdown of longer than 20 yards this season and it didn’t come until last weekend versus Iowa State. Thus far, West Virginia has scored 14 touchdowns of longer than 20 yards. The matchup in Morgantown will undoubtedly be the most intriguing Big 12 game Saturday. • One of the biggest surprises in college football is the Texas Tech defense. The Red Raiders finished last year ranked No. 114 in total defense, giving up 485.6 yards per game before inevitably firing defensive coordinator Chad Glasgow. In comes former North Carolina defensive coordinator, Art Kaufman, who through

six games has the Red Raiders ranked fourth in total defense giving up a mere 243 yards per contest. Tech travels to TCU this Saturday, where Glasgow is coincidentally the new secondary coach for the Horned Frogs. • In additional Texas Tech news, senior offensive lineman Deveric Gallington will play this weekend versus TCU after being arrested for public intoxication and disorderly conduct early last Sunday morning. • Oklahoma is 13-0 in the game following the Red River Rivalry under head coach Bob Stoops. In fact, the Sooners don’t just win, they win big following the annual game. Over the past three seasons, Oklahoma has outscored its opponent after facing the Longhorns, 134-30. The trend should continue as Kansas visits Norman this weekend. • Baylor is revamping its entire athletic facility landscape. Besides the $250 million football stadium under construction, the Bears are in the works of an on-campus track stadium, an indoor tennis center and an equestrian facility. Baylor also looks to add an athletics hall of fame wing to its new football complex. One of the ultimate missions is to move everything on campus.

KRAMER continues from page 22 receiver Derek Graves in practice surfaced on the internet. Kramer allegedly became enraged when Graves waved off a corner in practice in favor of a more experienced player to cover him. The University and the police are investi-

gating whether Kramer’s actions will be considered criminal behavior. • After breaking his neck in a game against Tulsa last month, Tulane senior safety Devon Walker has issued his first statement, thanking everyone for their over-

whelming support. Walker has been in a rehabilitation center since Sept. 18 after undergoing a three-hour surgery to stabilize his spine and neck. Walker’s injury fuels the ongoing debate as to whether football is becoming too dangerous.

Scott MacWatters | Associated Press West Virginia’s J.D. Woods has a pass broken up by Texas Tech’s Bruce Jones, center, and D.J. Johnson.

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