Double Coverage 2019-09 -20 by The Daily Texan

T H E D A I LY TEXAN PRESENTS

Double Coverage VOL. 14 ISSUE 4 | SEP. 20, 2019

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september 20, 2019

TEXAN O K L A H O M A S TAT E AT NO. 12 TEXAS NO. 7 NOTRE DAME AT N O. 3 G E O R G I A

staff picks

MARCUS KRUM

WILLS L AY T O N

DONNAVAN SMOOT

MYAH TAY L O R

STEPHEN WAGNER

ALEX BRISEÑO

CLARK D A LT O N

DANIELA PEREZ

CAMERON PA R K E R

TEXAS

GEORGIA GEORGIA GEORGIA GEORGIA GEORGIA GEORGIA GEORGIA GEORGIA GEORGIA

N O. 1 1 M I C H I G A N AT NO. 13 WISCONSIN

WISCONSIN MICHIGAN

MICHIGAN WISCONSIN WISCONSIN WISCONSIN WISCONSIN WISCONSIN WISCONSIN

N O. 8 AU B U R N AT NO. 17 TEXAS A&M

TEXAS A&M

AUBURN

TEXAS A&M

AUBURN

TEXAS A&M

AUBURN

TEXAS A&M

NO. 10 UTAH AT U S C

UTAH

NO. 22 WASHINGTON AT B Y U

BYU

WASHINGTON

BYU

WASHINGTON

BYU

AUBURN AUBURN

UTAH

WASHINGTON WASHINGTON WASHINGTON

NO. 16 OREGON AT S TA N F O R D

OREGON OREGON OREGON OREGON OREGON OREGON OREGON OREGON OREGON

NO. 23 CALIFORNIA AT M I S S I S S I P P I

MISSISSIPPI CALIFORNIA CALIFORNIA CALIFORNIA CALIFORNIA MISSISSIPPI MISSISSIPPI MISSISSIPPI CALIFORNIA

M I C H I G A N S TAT E AT N O RT H W E S T E R N

MICHIGAN STATE

NORTHWESTERN

NO. 15 UCF AT P I T T

UCF

LAST WEEK’S RECORD OVERALL RECORD

4-6 20-10

5-5 16-14

7-3 18-12

5-5 16-14

4-6 16-14

5-5 19-11

5-5 18-12

5-5 19-11

6-4 21-9

DOUBLE COVERAGE Double Coverage Editor Design Editor Photo Editor Copy Editor

Marcus Krum Maria Perez Joshua Guenther Megan Shankle

MICHIGAN MICHIGAN MICHIGAN STATE STATE STATE

NORTHNORTHWESTERN WESTERN

MICHIGAN MICHIGAN STATE STATE

EDITOR’S NOTE Nonconference play is a thing of the past. It’s time for the real deal. After a beatdown of Rice last week, the Longhorns start the true test, opening up Big 12 play against eternally-pesky Oklahoma State. Don’t overlook the Cowboys - playmakers on both sides of the ball make Mike Gundy’s team tough to take down. Buckle in for what could be a classic Big 12 high-powered shootout.

Writers Daniela Perez Donnavan Smoot Myah Taylor Stephen Wagner

Clark Dalton Wills Layton Cameron Parker

Marcus Krum, Double Coverage Editor

double coverage

BIG 12 By Marcus Krum

POWER RANKINGS

1. OKLAHOMA SOONERS The Sooners just keep making statements, with graduate transfer quarterback Jalen Hurts as the exclamation point. Hurts went to the Rose Bowl and took care of UCLA 48-14, throwing for 289 yards in three touchdowns in the process. Through three games, they have averaged 56 points per game. I think they’ll be just fine without Kyler Murray.

@marcuskrum

3. TCU HORNED FROGS The Horned Frogs went up against a Purdue team that has been a tough out for big programs recently and disposed of them handily, winning 34-13. Senior running back Darius Anderson ran for 179 yards and two scores on just 16 carries, and the TCU defense contained star wide receiver Rondale Moore to just three catches for 25 yards.

7. KANSAS STATE WILDCATS Kansas State may very well be a good team this year. The Wildcats went to Starkville, Mississippi, and upset Mississippi State, 31-24. There aren’t necessarily any offensive stars on this team, but they picked off the Bulldogs twice to win the turnover battle.

4. IOWA STATE CYCLONES It looked as if the Cyclones would have a chance to pull off the upset against in-state rival Iowa, until a punt went off the back of a special teams player to secure the 18-17 win for the Hawkeyes. While it’s not the start to the season that Matt Campbell’s squad envisioned, Iowa State is still right in the thick of things with the onset of conference play weekend.

5. OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS It’s time to start taking the Cowboys seriously. While redshirt freshman quarterback Spencer Sanders looked average in a 40-21 win over Tulsa last weekend, head coach Mike Gundy always seems to find a way to make the mediocre look magical. Check back in 50 years, when Gundy and his mullet will surely still be putting bowl-bound teams on the field in Stillwater.

9. TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS

8. WesT VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS After an embarrassing blowout loss to Missouri, the Mountaineers managed to come back with a big win over a Power Five team, beating North Carolina State 44-27 at home. Will Grier successor Austin Kendall finally looked like a legit Big 12 quarterback as he threw for 272 yards and three scores.

While sophomore quarterback Alan Bowman threw for over 300 yards in Week Three, the Red Raiders lost to Arizona and lost Bowman to an injury. He’ll miss a few weeks, and Texas Tech will have to face Oklahoma and Oklahoma State without him. It’s not an easy task ahead for the Red Raiders.

2. TEXAS LONGHORNS As John F. Kennedy said 57 years ago, Rice plays Texas because it is hard. Well, it was tough sledding for the Owls last Saturday, and the Longhorns rolled to a 48-13 victory at NRG Stadium. The rebound from the LSU loss was important, but Texas jumps right into tough conference play with Oklahoma State at home this weekend.

6. BAYLOR BEARS The Bears were off last week, but it’s been a solid start for a team looking to make the jump back to where it was during the Art Briles era. So far, junior quarterback Charlie Brewer has led the offense to average 60 points through two games against lesser opponents. Baylor then gets Rice before picking up Big 12 play against Iowa State.

10. KANSAS JAYHAWKS Kansas scored … 48 points? Against a Power Five team? Yeah, you read that right. The Jayhawks put the hurt on Boston College, winning 4824 last weekend. It’s a landmark win for Les Miles, but until the ACC is no longer a dumpster fire, wins over Boston College don’t count for much. Still, it’s a big step in the right direction for Kansas.

BUY OR SELL: BesT BETs for WEEK 4 By Cameron Parker For Week Four I’m introducing a new pick called the “Marquee Matchup” where I’ll select one of the week’s top matchups. And as a reminder, I’m not an expert by any stretch of the imagination. I’m just a college student who watches too much college football and places bets he can’t afford — like most of y’all. This weekly column is where I will give you my best bets for the week in college football. I am not responsible for any money lost, so don’t request money from me on Venmo. Last Week: 2–1 Overall: 7–2 Oklahoma State at No. 12 Texas(-6)

Did you know the last time Texas beat Oklahoma State at home was in 2008? Oh, you’ve heard that statistic only a few hundred times this week? Did you also know that

Texas hasn’t won since head coach Mike Gundy started growing his mullet out? Don’t fact check that statistic, but it probably is true. Usually this game is a mixture of awful refereeing (see 2015), Texas just shooting itself in the foot by throwing to the opposing team during overtime in the endzone (see 2017) or just simply not showing up to play (see 2016 and 2018). So what could go wrong this year? Pick: Texas(-6) Marquee Matchup No. 11 Michigan at No. 13 Wisconsin(-3.5)

The last time Wisconsin lost at home to Michigan? 2001. In fact, since the programs began playing each other annually in 2016, the home team has won every meeting. Michigan’s defense has looked underwhelming so

@camerondparker

far, which is not ideal when you have to face one of the nation’s top running backs in Jonathan Taylor. The Wolverines just barely escaped Army last weekend at home, and head coach Jim Harbaugh still, for some reason, has something against winning big games. Pick: Wisconsin(-3.5)

Lock of the Week No. 8 Auburn at No. 17 Texas A&M(-3.5)

I’m sorry, but what indication do we have that the Aggies are a good football team? I know Auburn’s Bo Nix is a freshman quarterback and hasn’t played a true road game yet, but are we sure junior Kellen Mond is a good quarterback? I have yet to see anything from A&M that makes me have faith in head coach Jimbo Fisher as more than field goal favorites against a superior program. Even

the 100,000 farmers and the “12th man” at Kyle Field can’t do that much for the Aggies. Pick: Auburn(+3.5)

Degenerate Gambler Pick of the Week No. 16 Oregon(-10) at Stanford

It has been two straight double-digit losses for the Cardinal, and now they host a high-powered Oregon team that dropped 77 points on Nevada two weeks ago. Senior quarterback K.J. Costello didn’t look great last week against UCF, but maybe the rust will have worn off by the time they play the Ducks. But you know who has looked great? Justin Herbert. The senior quarterback is playing every bit like a first-round draft pick, and I look for him to have a big day against Stanford when Oregon needs him the most. Pick: Oregon(-10)

september 20, 2019

GAMES t o wat c h By Clark Dalton | @Clarktdalton1T

oklahoma state AT nO. 12 texas Saturday, 6:30 p.m., ABC

Oklahoma State has been a thorn in Texas’ side for the past five years. The last time Texas captured a win against the Cowboys was in November of 2014, and they will prove to be a challenge once again as they’re off to a 3–0 start. Junior running back Chuba Hubbard has totaled 521 rushing yards, the highest in college football. On the other side, the Longhorns look to match the ground power with their passing attack. Junior quarterback Sam Ehlingher is off to the best start of his career with 11 touchdown passes through three games. As both offenses continue to run up the scoreboard, look forward to a game that has the pace of a pinball machine.

no. 22 washington at byu Saturday, 2:30 p.m., ABC

Washington is still trying to shake off last week’s upset against Hawaii. However, the Huskies may be on upset alert when they head to Provo, Utah. Teams have had trouble closing out BYU late in games, illustrated in the Cougars’ last two games when they pulled off overtime victories against Tennessee and USC. BYU sophomore quarterback Zach Wilson is starting to grow more confident, showing his ability to improvise when a play breaks down. For Washington, junior quarterback Jacob Eason has grown comfortable in this system, tossing seven touchdowns this season. If both teams are neck and neck late in the game, it could come down to who has the ball last.

no. 11 michigan at NO. 13 wisconsin Saturday, 11:00 a.m., FOX

Michigan was facing criticism headed into the season, but since then it has only grown. The Wolverines open up Big Ten play on the road against Wisconsin. Michigan’s offense has not found its footing after an injury to junior wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones. The process will not get any easier when facing the No. 1 defense in the country, and Wisconsin also has the offense to match. The Badgers have averaged 55 points per game through their first two games. Junior running back Jonathan Taylor was named to the All-American team last season, and is making a strong case for a second nomination. Taylor is already averaging 6.8 yards per carry. Michigan is headed into a difficult situation against a Wisconsin team that’s off to a quick start.

no. 8 auburn at no. 17 texas a&m Saturday, 2:30 p.m., CBS

The SEC West schedule starts with a ranked matchup in College Station, Texas. Auburn is starting to regain its swagger after a 2–0 start. Sophomore running back JaTarvious Whitlow is developing a nice control of the game, rushing for 341 yards on 5.3 yards per carry. Senior defensive back Jeremiah Dinson has led the secondary with a team-high 27 tackles. The Aggies still need a signature win for head coach Jimbo Fisher. The Texas A&M defense has lived up to the preseason hype, allowing just 4.38 yards per play. Both teams are even across the board, so the game could come down to which quarterback steps up. Auburn’s Bo Nix is a freshman who has shown high upside but is still adjusting to the college game, while Texas A&M’s junior Kellen Mond has improved tremendously as a junior.

HEISMAN WATCH Our Heisman contenders didn’t exactly face challenging defenses in Week Three. Last weekend, Alabama, Oklahoma, LSU and Texas had an unimpressive slate of matchups, the most competitive being Alabama’s 47-23 victory over South Carolina to kick off SEC play. But with three of our four Heisman contenders kicking off conference play this weekend, the front-runners say goodbye to FCS and Group of Five tuneup games and welcome the gauntlet of conference competition. Here’s who to watch in Week Four: Tua Tagovailoa – Quarterback, Alabama

In three games, Alabama has outscored opponents by a whopping combined score of 151-36. Junior Tagovailoa has been nearly perfect, already surpassing the 1,000 passing yard mark for the season while completing nearly 78% of his passes to go along

with 12 touchdowns. But the most surprising stat? Tagovailoa has yet to play a full game. The Tide’s prodigal son has made his Heisman case in the first three quarters of Alabama’s blowout games so far before sitting the final quarter. This week, don’t expect any different as Alabama takes on Southern Mississippi in what should be another resounding win for the Tide. Jalen Hurts – Quarterback, Oklahoma

Statistically, graduate transfer Hurts is the most compelling Heisman contender. Even compared to Tagovailoa’s domination through the first quarter of the regular season, Jalen Hurts is having one of the best seasons by a college quarterback since Vince Young. Although Tagovailoa leads Hurts in passing by 127 yards, Hurts has amassed a staggering 373 rushing yards to go along with a completion rate over 80%,

By Stephen Wagner @stephenwag22

not to mention a 96.8 quarterback rating, the highest in college football. Oklahoma’s Week Four matchup against a weak Texas Tech defense shouldn’t deter Hurts from his Heisman pace. Last season, the Red Raider defense allowed an average of 31.1 points per game, 86th in the FBS, including 51 to Oklahoma. Although Texas Tech’s defense appears to have improved through three games, they haven’t faced an opponent like Jalen Hurts. Joe Burrow – back, Alabama

Quarter-

Senior Joe Burrow is at the epicenter of a rejuvenated LSU offense. In three games, Burrow has thrived in Ed Orgeron’s new offensive system modified by the hiring of former New Orleans Saints assistant Joe Brady as passing game coordinator. HEISMAN

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double coverage

T exas F eat u r e

Texas Secondary

Senior safety Brandon Jones engages a blocker in Texasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 45-38 loss to LSU in Week Two. The Longhorn secondary allowed LSU senior quarterback Joe Burrow to throw for 471 ya

Finding their w

Led by Jones, young defensive backfield looks for newfound confidence after LS By Donnavan Smoot | @Dsmoot3D

september 20, 2019

joshua guenther

/ the daily texan staff

Sophomore corner Kobe Boyce tries to tackle LSU junior running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire during the Longhorns’ Week Two loss to the Tigers. Boyce and the defensive backfield will face another challenge in Week Four against freshman quarterback Spencer Sanders and a productive Oklahoma State offense.

eddie gaspar

/ the daily texan staff

ards and four touchdowns in the shootout loss.

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SU test.

he season has already been a roller coaster for the Texas secondary, and they’re just three games in. Filled with youth and inexperience, Texas knew this unit would be a topic of conversation all season long. And this week, the ride takes another turn with star Oklahoma State wideout Tylan Wallace stepping into Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. “If you load up the box, and you go on the outside — one-on-one with Wallace, it’s not even a 50/50 ball. It’s like 90/10 with him,” defensive coordinator Todd Orlando said. “He’s probably the most complete wide receiver in the country. … It’s a unique challenge for us.” Oklahoma State bears little resemblance to the LSU Tiger team Texas faced two weeks ago. However, the threat Wallace and the rest of the Cowboy passing attack will pose for the Longhorns is one that will seem familiar. After two solid performances and Group of Five opponents and a less than stellar performance against the Tigers, Saturday is not only another game for the Longhorns, but another chance for the young secondary to raise their confidence. “We’re definitely still working on it,” senior safety Brandon Jones said. “That’s

a big spot that we want to improve on. Because we know that what we see in practice is what we’re going to see in the game. … The biggest thing is being able to have a 1–0 mindset. I think the LSU game was a really good test.” Right now, three of the four starters in the secondary are underclassmen, with Jones being the lone senior. That inexperience has turned into one of the glaring weaknesses of the secondary. Although talented, many moments arise that they haven’t seen before. After a rough outing against LSU, the secondary was able to bounce back against Rice. But that result has to be taken with a grain of salt as the Owls are a non-Power Five team that sit at the bottom of their conference. “We are what our stats say we are,” said head coach Tom Herman on Monday. “The LA Tech game was not nearly as concerning to me … but we’ve got to do a better job against the elite teams like the LSUs of the world. We’ve got to do better, and I think we have been.” The learning curve for the secondary has been more than simply understanding and executing the calls, but also believing in the call when it comes to them. As a signal-caller, Jones’ job is not only to make

his play, but to make sure everyone else is in a position to make theirs. “Overall understanding, just being able to actually trust what the safeties tell them,” Jones said. “Usually we communicate to them what they’re supposed to do, and a lot of time they have so much stuff going on in their head that … they’re listening but they’re not really understanding what we’re telling them.” Saturday will put that mental concentration to the test. The Cowboys have consistently been a tough matchup for the Longhorns, regardless of ranking. Last season, Texas travelled to Stillwater, Oklahoma, with a six-game winning streak under their belt. Oklahoma State ended it. “On the defensive side it was tough,” Jones said. “The key for us is to make teams (as) one-sided as possible, and the fact that they were able to do what they wanted, (running) the ball and throwing it, making it real hard for coach Orlando to call certain calls — it was tough.” Oklahoma State will have no sympathy for the young defensive backfield when 6:30 p.m. hits at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on Saturday. Jones will try to have his secondary ready, but it is up to the rest of the group to be prepared for the Cowboys.

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Burrow has over 1,100 passing yards with 11 touchdowns on a team that finished 32nd last season in points per game. After LSU’s 65-14 win over Northwestern State, LSU’s offense climbed to 10th in total yardage out of 130 FBS teams. Although Vanderbilt had two weeks to prepare for LSU, expect the Tiger offense to shred a Commodore defense which has allowed an average of 36 points per game.

development under Tom Herman’s belt, Texas now has a mix of playmakers and offensive linemen unseen since 2009. Senior wideout Collin Johnson looks like an early-round draft pick. Senior receiver Devin Duvernay is yet to drop a pass. And freshman quarterback-turned-running back Roschon Johnson

has filled in nicely to round out Ehlinger’s offense. Texas begins conference play against Oklahoma State on Saturday. If Ehlinger plays anywhere near his level of conference play from the 2018 season, Texas could have their first Heisman finalist since Colt McCoy in 2009.

TEXAS....

By Wills Layton @willsdebeast

After a strong rebound against Rice following the disappointing loss to No. 4 LSU, the Longhorns will begin Big 12 play this week against Oklahoma State. Recent history suggests Texas should be concerned, given that the team has lost to the Cowboys four years in a row, including a 13-10 loss in overtime the last time they met at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. The road to the Big 12 Championship truly starts on Saturday, and the team will have to buck the recent losing streak in order to start off on the right foot. Here’s how the first game of conference play could go:

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Sam Ehlinger – Quarterback, Texas

Last, but certainly not least, stands junior Sam Ehlinger, fresh off of a bounce-back win over Rice. Even with Ehlinger’s emergence as an elite quarterback last season, the largest barrier to his Heisman contention was his lack of yardage due to an absence of big-play ability. This year, Texas has solved that problem. With another year of

… the defense can shut down redshirt sophomore running back Chuba Hubbard.

rocky higine

/ the daily texan staff

joshua guenther

/ the daily texan staff

Freshman running back Roschon Johnson eludes a defender during Texas’ 45-14 win over Louisiana Tech in Week One. Johnson has rushed for 117 yards on 25 carries so far.

FOR FALL

Hubbard has been electric for the Cowboys so far this season, having rushed for over 200 yards in two out of three games this season. In their last game against Tulsa, he ran for 256 yards and three touchdowns, leading the offense to a dominant win. The Longhorns have performed well against the run so far this season, which has made up for some lapses in the secondary. If Texas wants to win its third game of the season, the defense will have to step up once again and force redshirt freshman quarterback Spencer Sanders to beat the team through the air. … freshman Roschon Johnson continues to impress.

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The Longhorn running back room was an absolute mess when sophomore Keaontay Ingram was the only healthy scholarship running back on the roster. Enter Johnson, who has, for the time being, switched over from quarterback to add depth. In his first three games at the position, Johnson has provided a nice change of pace from Ingram, even scoring a touchdown against Rice on a 25-yard pass from junior quarterback Sam Ehlinger. After another solid game rushing against the Owls, Johnson has become a trusted member of the offense. With junior Daniel Young returning to the fold, the offense should remain balanced and dangerous enough to win if Johnson can continue to produce at his current level. LOSES IF

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september 20, 2019

S T N E N O OPP

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As a sophomore last season, Tylan Wallace established himself as one of college football’s elite wide receivers, stacking up All-American Honors. In 2018, Wallace led the Cowboys in receptions at 86, ranked second in the FBS with receiving yards at 1,491 and was third in receiving yards per game at 114.7. Last October, Oklahoma State sent then-No.6 Texas home packing in a dramatic 38-35 win in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and Wallace had a lot to do with that. The Fort Worth native gave the Texas defense trouble, recording 10 catches for 222 yards and two touchdowns. Wallace has also dominated so far this season, recording 15 receptions for 390 yards and six touchdowns through three games. Defensive coordinator Todd Orlando and the Texas defense must learn from the mistakes made two weeks ago against LSU’s talented receiving core. For this game, that means finding ways to limit Wallace.

For the past three seasons, Rodarius Williams has been a consistent player for the Cowboy defense. Last year, the redshirt junior from Shreveport, Louisiana, led the team with two interceptions. Recording pass breakups against Big 12 opponents Texas, Texas Tech and Kansas, Williams performed on big stages last year. During the Cowboys’ upset win over then-No. 7 West Virginia last November, Williams recorded six tackles that helped lead Oklahoma State to victory. Last week’s game at Rice saw Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger pick apart the Owl defense by throwing to a plethora of receivers. Against a talented corner like Williams on Saturday, Texas receivers will have to fight harder for the ball and remain on the same page as their quarterback.

Sanders didn’t see any action last season, but now as a redshirt freshman has assumed a starting position. The Denton, Texas, native has done well for himself so far this year, throwing for 622 yards and seven touchdowns through three games. In Oklahoma State’s first two games, Sanders’s talent was on full display. However, at Tulsa last week the quarterback went somewhat cold, going 12 of 22 for 169 yards and throwing an interception into tight coverage. Week Three exposed Sanders as a quarterback who is still developing. While the Texas defense shouldn’t discount the young passer, capitalizing off of Sanders’ relative inexperience should be a goal.

a.j. green Cornerback If there’s any player on the Cowboy defense that has a history of shutting down some of the Big 12’s most dominant wide receivers, it’s senior cornerback A.J. Green. The 2018 Second-Team All-Big 12 player broke up 11 passes last season to complement an interception. One of Green’s best games last year came against Texas when he limited star wideout Collin Johnson to five receptions on 13 targets with two passes broken up. Last October’s game in Stillwater is history now, but Johnson will still need to figure out a way to find separation from Green on Saturday.

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… the injury to Zach Shackelford rattles the offensive line.

A primary goal for last week’s Rice game was to come out on the other side with no new injuries. Unfortunately, the injury bug bit senior offensive lineman Zach Shackelford in the second quarter as the center suffered a right foot injury. The cornerstone of the offensive line struggled with ankle injuries during preseason camp, but Texas head coach Tom Herman said he was “probable” in his weekly press conference on Monday. Junior lineman Derek Kerstetter moved inside to center with junior lineman Denzel Okafor taking over at tackle.

… the cornerbacks continue to struggle.

The secondary had a less than stellar showing against the only high-powered offense they’ve seen so far in LSU. The duo of starting corners, sophomores Kobe Boyce and Jalen Green, had a rough go of it against the Tigers, and the game-sealing touchdown Texas allowed on third and 17 will forever haunt those at the game and those watching at home. If the corners continue to struggle against the Cowboys and against the powerful offenses the Big 12 boasts, this will be a long season for the Longhorns.

joshua guenther

/ the daily texan staff

Senior offensive lineman Zach Shackelford holds his ground against the LSU defense in the Longhorns’ 4538 loss to the Tigers. Shackelford left last week’s win over Rice with an injury, but was listed as “probable” for this week.

september 20, 2019

Notes from the opponent The Daily Texan talked to Joseph Fazio, sports editor of the O’Colly at Oklahoma State. Here is the conversation ahead of No. 12 Texas’ matchup with the Cowboys from Stillwater. By Marcus Krum

Daily Texan: (Junior) Tylan Wallace had a huge game last year at Texas. What does Tylan present as a receiver that turns him from a great receiver to one of the elite of college football? Joseph Fazio: When you look at Tylan Wallace as a player, he has the ability to gain yards in the short-yardage situations, but also go for that deep ball. Last year … he absolutely lit up the Texas secondary, but he also was able to get those wide receiver screens, and with the ball in his hands going downhill is able to get those yards. That’s the difference that I’ve seen that makes him different from most wide receivers in college. DT: Throwing him the ball is Spencer Sanders, the freshman quarterback. What have you seen from him so far as a redshirt freshman stepping into this role, and do you think

@marcuskrum

he’s going to be the next great OSU quarterback? JF: I definitely think he’s going to be the next great OSU quarterback. For a while, Mike Gundy’s offense has been the type of pocket passer situation, and this is the first year in a while (Oklahoma State) has had a run-andgun quarterback, which I think with the type of offense (Oklahoma State) has is a little different than normal stuff at OSU. But seeing Spencer Sanders is being able to run out and get past defenders, it is good for OSU to have that different type of quarterback this year. Looking at the year that he’s had, he had a good start against Oregon State, he had a decent start against McNeese State and watching him against Tulsa, there were some things to kind of look out for, specifically the deep ball. He is a freshman quarterback, that

is probably one of those things he needs to work on. DT: (Senior defensive back) A.J. Green last year had a great matchup with (senior wide receiver) Collin Johnson. (Green) had one of his best games of the season. How do you think he matches up with this year’s receiving corps, with Johnson returning? JF: When you look at Texas’ receiving corps, it’s not just Johnson who can get the yards. It’s Devin (Duvernay), it’s Brennan (Eagles), it’s Jake (Smith), those are all guys who will be able to get those receiving yards. When you have a thin defense that OSU has … they have many people injured at the moment. … Specifically talking about A.J. Green, he has had a good season so far, minus the Tulsa game. They did leave a wide receiver wide open for a touchdown, and you can’t let that

happen in college football. But going back to last season, it was his best game of his career in my opinion. Collin Johnson is 6-foot-6, A.J. Green is 6-foot-1, he’s going to have that same matchup this year. DT: Going back to this OSU offense, (redshirt sophomore) Chuba Hubbard is the nation’s leading rusher. What has he done this season so far to get out to such a fast start? JF: When you look at Chuba Hubbard, his speed and elusiveness is better than 99% of the running backs in college football. … He has that ability to look at the defenders coming, and make that decision. When you look at a running back like Le’Veon Bell, he has that type of intensity and wants to look at what’s ahead before he makes his starting movement. That’s the same thing Chuba Hubbard has in my opinion.

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