Double Coverage 2014-11-26

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DOUBLE presents

COVERAGE Wednesday, November 26, 2014

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Wednesday, November 26, 2014

FEATURES

As his first season in Austin winds down, head coach Charlie Strong is laying the foundation for the future.

PAGE 10 An upset victory over TCU would be a fitting end for Texas’ seniors after an eventful tenure.

PAGE 11

Shelby Tauber | Daily Texan Staff

QUICK HITS By the Numbers PAGE 4 Keys to the Game PAGE 5 Scenarios PAGE 7 Matchups PAGE 9 Players to Watch PAGE 12 Heisman Watch PAGE 14 Big 12 Power Rankings PAGE 17 Big 12 Notebook PAGE 18

Mere months after many said he couldn’t play the position, TCU’s quarterback is a Heisman hopeful.

PAGE 12

EDITOR’S NOTE It may seem as though Texas doesn’t have much to play for, considering it has already clinched a bowl birth and likely won’t be going anywhere in the Big 12 standings. But given the nature of Senior Night and the Longhorns’ opportunity to ruin TCU’s College Football Playoff aspirations, expect Charlie Strong’s bunch to come out flying against the Horned Frogs on Thursday night.

Stefan Scrafield, Double Coverage Editor

DOUBLE presents

COVERAGE Vol. 9, Issue 12

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Writers: Evan Berkowitz Garrett Callahan Nick Castillo Daniel Clay Jori Epstein Sebastian Herrera Drew Lieberman Jacob Martella Peter Sblendorio

Double Coverage Editor...............................................................................Stefan Scrafield Design Editor................................................................................................Omar Longoria Photo Editor..................................................................................................Shelby Tauber Copy Editor............................................................................................................Taiki Miki

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BY THE NUMBERS

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51-23-2

By Drew Lieberman

23-12

The average score of Texas’ 86 contests against the Horned Frogs. The Longhorns beat TCU by an average score of 29-8 in their wins but have been outscored 21-7 in losses.

252

The Longhorns have a perfect record in games in which senior wide receiver Jaxon Shipley has attempted a pass. Shipley has thrown two of his eight attempts on Thanksgiving Day.

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The number of interceptions by TCU safety Chris Hackett this season, most in the Big 12 and tied for fourth most in the nation. The Horned Frogs have picked off 17 passes thus far, which is tied for the sixth most in the country.

1998

2

1.4

1967

The average turnover margin for TCU on the season — the best margin in the Big 12.

The Horned Frogs have forced a league-best 28 turnovers while only losing the ball 14 times.

The number of receiving yards senior wide receiver John Harris needs in order to reach the 1,000yard plateau. Harris would become the sixth player in school history to hit the mark and the first player to do so since Jordan Shipley did it in 2009.

The number of national awards junior defensive tackle Malcom Brown is a finalist for. He is one of three players, and the only one on defense, who is a finalist for the Outland Award, which is given to the nation’s top interior lineman. He is also one of five finalists for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, which is awarded to the nation’s top defensive player.

The Longhorns knocked off No. 6 Texas A&M on Thanksgiving in 1998. TCU enters Thursday’s matchup ranked No. 6 in the AP Poll as well.

The all-time series record between Texas and TCU, in the Longhorns’ favor. The Longhorns have not dropped two out of three in the series since 1967.

The average score of Texas’ Thanksgiving Day games against various opponents.

Texas’ record against the Horned Frogs when TCU enters with more wins.

Senior linebackers Jordan Hicks and Steve Edmond have combined for 252 tackles this year and enter the game against TCU ranked second and third, respectively, in the conference in tackles.

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21-12

15-9

The number of passing touchdowns by TCU quarterback Trevone Boykin this season, tied for the most in the conference. The Longhorns have only surrendered nine touchdowns through the air, the fewest in the conference and tied for sixth fewest in the nation.

8-0

64-21-1

@DrewLieberman

Texas’ all-time record on Thanksgiving, a win percentage of 67 percent. This is only the second game the Longhorns have entered with a 6-5 record. They previously beat Pittsburgh in the 1987 Bluebonnet Bowl to finish the season at 7-5.

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Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Charlie Strong Head coach

The last time the Longhorns failed to win consecutive games against the Horned Frogs.

541.6

The average yards of total offense produced

by TCU this season, second most in the Big 12. The Longhorns only average 366.9 yards of offense per game, ninth in the conference.

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KEYS TO THE GAME

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

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By Daniel Clay @Dclay567

MAKE BOYKIN THROW

HOLD THE LINE

CREATE TURNOVERS

Since Taysom Hill romped his way to a blowout win for BYU, the Texas defense has done a great job containing mobile quarterbacks, but TCU junior Trevone Boykin may pose an even bigger run threat than Hill did for the Cougars.

Boykin’s speed and athleticism is well documented, but he has been less than stellar through the air. His 24 touchdowns to five interceptions are nice, but his 58 percent completion rate is atypical for a Heisman candidate.

If Boykin can run all over the Texas defense, the passing lanes will open up, and the Horned Frog offense will score too many points for the Longhorns to match. Senior defensive end Cedric Reed will have to put his pass rushing instincts aside for a week and keep Boykin in the pocket, forcing him to beat the Longhorns’ top-flight pass defense.

TCU is one of the few teams in the nation that run a 4-25 base defense. As a result, even the most senior opposing quarterbacks have to spend extra time in the film room to figure out how to make the proper reads.

Sophomore quarterback Tyrone Swoopes has struggled with reads, even against the most standard of defenses.

TCU’s star linebacker, Paul Dawson, will be working his hardest to make sure Swoopes does not have enough time to make more complex decisions.

Pass protection will be a vital component to Texas pulling off the upset. More importantly, however, the line will have to make sure that it gets enough push to establish a solid ground game.

If junior Johnathan Gray and senior Malcolm Brown find themselves smashing into the front seven, Swoopes will have to win the game on his own, and the sophomore has done little to show he can achieve that against a playoff contender like TCU.

TCU’s 45.9 points per game average is the second-highest total in the nation. The Texas offense has been much improved in recent weeks, but it will almost certainly be unable to match the titanic numbers the Horned Frogs put up on a regular basis.

The defense will have to help close the gap by forcing turnovers and giving the inconsistent Texas offense a short field. Dylan Haines, Duke Thomas, and Quandre Diggs each have three interceptions on the season, but they will be hard pressed to add to those totals against a TCU offense that has thrown just six passes to opposing defenders.

A good pass rush would help force more takeaways, but the Longhorns would be better off sitting back to keep Boykin from running. The odds of a turnover barrage happening are not in Texas’ favor, but it will need one if it hopes to match the Horned Frog offense.

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Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Thanksgiving rivalry must be renewed between Texas, A&M

By Garrett Callahan Daily Texan Columnist @CallahanGarrett

Over the past 11 months, much has changed within the Texas football program.

After the departure of Mack Brown, Charlie Strong came into Austin with his own staff and has worked to change the Longhorns’ culture and attitude.

Its been a welcome change for much of Longhorn nation, but, especially around this time of year, there’s one tradition many wish would be restored.

For 96 years, Texas and Texas A&M met every year on Thanksgiving weekend in a matchup that quickly turned into one of the

biggest college football rivalries in the nation.

But in 2011, the Aggies left the Big 12 for the SEC, ending the annual contest between the two schools.

Since then, Texas has tried to replace the rivalry by substituting in other in-state schools, but it simply isn’t possible to replicate such a game.

For the sake of football in Texas, and, in the best interest of both universities, the rivalry must return.

In the Longhorns’ first season without the Aggies in the Big 12, they faced TCU at home on Thanksgiving.

Texas lost, and the game-day atmosphere was noticeably different, lacking any spark or excitement.

Last season, Texas Tech came to Austin, and, despite the Longhorns’ victory over the Red Raiders, the environment didn’t nearly equal that which was common against the Aggies.

And while rivalries take time to develop, the Longhorns will be hard-pressed to find one similar to what they had against Texas A&M. The tradition and rituals behind the “Lone Star Showdown,” as it was branded, stretch far into the history of both universities and had made their way into family traditions across the state.

Since 1915, the rivalry provided a link between the two most prominent state schools. With the two institutions just over 100 miles

Lauren Ussery | Daily Texan Staff

From 1915 to 2011, the Longhorns and Aggies engaged in one of the most historic rivalries in college football. Texas A&M’s decision to move to the SEC put an end to the annual contest.

from each other, the annual contest provided a cultural connection between Longhorns and Aggies, within families and friend circles.

In addition, since the rivalry ended three years ago, there has been a constant “what-if ” factor between both schools.

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Without any way to be certain, Longhorn and Aggie fans argue that their

RIVALRY page 16

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Wednesday, November 26, 2014

SCENARIOS

be Agre-

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By Nick Castillo @Nick_Castillo74

Texas Wins … If it can contain TCU junior quarterback Trevone Boykin. Boykin is having a phenomenal year, and for the Longhorns to upset TCU, they must stop Boykin. Boykin has thrown for 3,021 yards and 24 touchdowns already this season. Additionally, Boykin has run for 548 yards and seven touchdowns. Boykin’s meteoric rise to prominence has been a huge reason for the Horned Frogs’ success, but if Texas can stop the Dallas native, the Longhorns will win. … If sophomore quarterback Tyrone Swoopes plays efficiently. The 6-foot-4, 243-pound sophomore has had his fair share of ups and downs this season. When Swoopes is performing at his best, the Longhorns look really good. Inversely, when he’s bad, Texas looks really bad. In Texas’ 28-7 thrashing of Oklahoma State, Swoopes threw for 305 yards and two touchdowns. If Swoopes can duplicate that performance against TCU’s stingy defense, Texas will have no problem downing the Horned Frogs. … If the special-teams units don’t make mistakes. It sounds simple enough, but the Longhorns’ special teams have been horrific. During its game against Oklahoma State, Texas’ junior kicker, Nick Rose, somehow hit a career-long, 51-yard field goal and then missed a 21-yard chip shot. The Longhorns have also had trouble punting and in coverage. If Texas can be more consistent, it will be in position to win on Thanksgiving.

Texas Loses … If the Longhorn defense has an uncharacteristically bad night. The trend this season has been for Texas’ defense to keep it in the game. The defense has had a few lapses during the season, but it can’t afford to struggle against the Horned Frogs. TCU has a ton of offensive weapons, and if the Longhorns can’t stop them, it’ll be a long night. … If the running game struggles. During the Longhorns’ three-game winning streak, the running game has been successful. Texas’ running backs — senior Malcolm Brown and junior Johnathan Gray — have rushed for 495 yards and seven touchdowns during the streak. If the running game isn’t present against TCU, the Longhorns will lose. … If Swoopes can’t find his rhythm. When Swoopes struggles, it’s normally because the opponent is blitzing, and he can’t find an open man fast enough. Swoopes likes to run laterally, but when an opponent contains him, he struggles. If the Horned Frogs prevent the sophomore quarterback from finding his stride, the Longhorns will have no shot.

Texas’ special teams have been the team’s biggest weakness this season, often making major mistakes that have cost the Longhorns an opportunity to win on multiple occasions.

Shelby Tauber Daily Texan Staff

Lauren Ussery | Daily Texan Staff

Sophomore quarterback Tyroone Swoopes will have to be it his finest in order for the Longhorns to upset TCU at home this Thursday. Swoopes has been very inconsistent this season.

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MATCHUPS

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

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By Daniel Clay @dclay567

QB

Advantage: TCU

RB

WR

TCU feature back B.J. Catalon’s status is still up in the air for Thursday due to a shoulder injury that has held the junior out of his last two contests. His backup, Aaron Green, has performed brilliantly in relief and is a threat to score on every carry.

Junior Johnathan Gray has been on a tear in recent weeks despite senior Malcolm Brown getting most of the team’s carries. Gray’s explosiveness and Brown’s hard running style are just now combining to create the dangerous backfield that Texas was lacking in the season’s early going.

Senior Jaxon Shipley got shaken up against Oklahoma State, but the coaching staff says he will be ready Thursday.

His uncanny ability to get open will be a great help to a young quarterback playing against the Horned Frog’s confusing 4-2-5 defense.

TCU’s leading receiver, Josh Doctson, has been relatively quiet this season, save for a 225-yard game against Oklahoma State, but his 6-foot-4 frame still makes him a threat anywhere on the field, and a strong supporting cast has picked up the slack.

Advantage: TCU

TCU junior quarterback Trevone Boykin is the key to the second-best scoring offense in the country. Boykin may be the quickest running quarterback that the Longhorns have faced this season, but his 59.3 completion percentage is unbecoming of a Heisman contender.

Sophomore Tyrone Swoopes has the talent to revitalize the Texas offense as Boykin has done TCU, but the results have been inconsistent this season.

Swoopes’ rushing totals have dropped off recently, and he will have to start using his big arm more intelligently.

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DL

Advantage: Texas

The defensive line has looked like one of the best units in the country in the last few contests. The Hassan Ridgeway-Malcom Brown combo has clogged the middle all season and most recently helped hold Oklahoma State to just 34 yards on the ground.

Three of the four starters on TCU’s defensive line were high school teammates, and their excellent chemistry has helped hold opponents to just 3.1 yards per rush.

Chucky Hunter, a hefty senior defensive tackle, has made life miserable between the tackles for opposing running backs.

Advantage: Texas

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LB

Advantage: Texas

Senior Jordan Hicks has turned around a defense that was embarrassingly bad at times last season. His linebacking colleagues, Steve Edmond and Peter Jinkens, have played well enough this season to indicate they can help neutralize Boykin’s run threat.

Linebacker Paul Dawson is a game changer against the run and the pass. The senior has snagged three interceptions, made 15 tackles for a loss and recorded five sacks in 2014. He could add to those totals against Texas’ inexperienced linemen and quarterback.

OL

DB

Advantage: TCU

Cornerback Kevin White has been locking down receivers all season. The secondary will give up significant yardage, but a crew of ball-hawking safeties, including junior Chris Hackett, who has six interceptions on the season, makes up for it with big plays.

Quandre Diggs’ move from nickelback to corner has done wonders for the pass defense. He may be needed in run support against an explosive TCU ground game, leaving inconsistent safeties Dylan Haines and Mykkele Thompson to neutralize the air attack.

Advantage: TCU

This group was a major question mark for TCU back in August, but the offensive line, led by tackle Tayo Fabuluje, has meshed well over the course of the season. Run blocking is always solid, but pass protection has been a problem at times for the Horned Frogs.

The unit that was once a deadweight dragging down the Texas offense has stepped up in recent weeks. Right tackle Camrhon Hughes has worked his way back from some rough performances and is now an important cog on a unit that has started five straight games together.

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ST

Advantage: TCU

B.J. Catalon’s injury could leave the Horned Frogs without a returner who is averaging 31.8 yards per attempt. Sophomore punt returner Cameron EcholsLooper has a return touchdown on the season, and kicker Jaden Oberkrom has been solid all year.

The Longhorn special teams have played well enough this season to show they can neutralize Echols-Looper and the Horned Frogs’ explosive return game.

Good kick coverage will mean little if senior punter Michael Davidson continues to perform inconsistently.

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Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Em

Lauren Ussery | Daily Texan Staff

Head coach Charlie Strong and the rest of his staff have quickly established a positive relationship with their players off the field. The team’s performance on the field has been dissapointing in 2014, but Strong has been impressed by his team’s development off of it, now that they’ve bought into what he is selling.

Staff building Strong foundation for future

By Stefan Scrafield @StefanScrafield

When head coach Charlie Strong first outlined his five core values, Texas safety Josh Turner understood them to be a solid guideline for him and his teammates — a set of rules to help steer the football team in the right direction.

It wasn’t until the senior, who likely doesn’t have a future in football, went out into the real world that he realized Strong’s values apply outside the bounds of the 40 Acres, too. “[He] came to me the other day and said, ‘Coach, I interviewed for an internship,’” Strong said. “The guy who was talking to him, he was talking about core values. He was talking about just leadership ability. Josh [Turner] said, ‘When you step out in the real world, that’s really what’s going to happen

to you.’”

It’s a small anecdote, but it’s a great example of the positive impact Strong has had on his players off the field, even if his first season at the helm has been a disappointment on it.

When he first arrived in Austin, Strong’s players were hesitant to buy into what he was selling.

Here he was, the new guy in town, telling them how to behave and challenging them in ways they had never been challenged by the previous staff.

He quickly removed several players from the team, many of whom had established strong bonds with their teammates, who were certainly upset to see them go.

But as the season wore on and the new head coach has had a chance to develop relationships with each of his players, the student-athletes have grown to understand the method behind his madness.

“[The] first couple months, everything surprised me about Coach Strong, but now nothing he does surprises me,” senior defensive end Cedric Reed said. “Guys he is helping out right now, I thought it would take Dr. Phil to get through to them. But Coach Strong is helping them out, and I’m pretty sure it will help in the long run.”

In an era of collegiate sports when many coaches talk about the importance of academics and life outside football, it’s uncommon to find one who actually cares about anything more than wins and losses.

Given what his players have had to say about him over the past couple weeks, it appears Strong may be one of the rare few.

“He just tries to point guys in the right direction,”

STRONG page 16

Shortly aft ginia on Nov lie Strong su went viral.

The win It was Texa nent since 2 under Strong Following a “signature that it was a to build.

Fast-forwa over West Vir taineers have The Longh Night bowl e an opportuni tive signature “You look a we’re going to be good for th Strong said.

A victory ate the trajec ther proof th start to the s in Austin.

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“I think w er through i nerback Qu class to do back around From 2000 tiple contests home in 2010 each of the la But if the Frogs, the co get the senior Memorial Sta “We’ve just

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mbattled seniors aim for victory in DKR finale

By Drew Lieberman @DrewLieberman

fter the Longhorns defeated No. 23 West Virv. 8, an Instagram video of head coach Charurfing over and celebrating with his players

was significant for a variety of reasons. as’ first home win over a ranked oppo2008 and its first multi-game win streak g. the game, players were hesitant to call it win,” but nearly everyone acknowledged huge step towards what Strong was trying

ard two-and-a-half weeks, and the victory rginia has lost a bit of its luster, as the Moune now dropped three games in a row. horns, on the other hand, approach Senior eligible, on a three game win streak and with ity to cap off the regular season with a definie win over No. 5 TCU. at it, and it’s the No. 5 team in the country, so o go out, going to go compete, and it would he program — get us to [win] number seven,”

on Thanksgiving could drastically accelerctory of the program. It would also be furhat the Longhorns did not quit after a 3-5 season, giving Strong a monumental victory

would really set the foundation of this pror wide receiver John Harris said. “You get a op-25 team, then you get a win over a top-5 month of November; you’re basically undefeatur-game win streak. So I think it would be a ntum swing going into next year and especially e bowl game.” me the Longhorns went undefeated in Novem009. Despite the struggles the senior class has oup has worked to help change that trend for

we’re a prime example of sticking togethit all and continue to strive,” senior coruandre Diggs said. “We want to be the great things and get this thing turned d.”

0-09, they went 55-4 at home, only losing muls in Austin in 2006. Texas lost five games at 0 alone and dropped multiple home games in ast five seasons.

Longhorns find a way to beat the Horned oaching staff knows people will generally forrs’ struggles to protect Darrell K Royal-Texas adium. t got to make sure our players understand this

SENIORS page 16

Above: Senior receiver John Harris has flourished in his final season at Texas, after spending four years as a bonafide bench warmer.

Harris is just 24 yards short of becoming the Longhorns’ first 1,000-yard receiver since Jordan Shipley, who did it in 2009.

Left: Linebacker Jordan Hicks is one of several fifth-year seniors who have endured more losses in the past half-decade than the program did in 11 years before they got to Texas.

Photos by Lauren Ussery (above), Shelby Tauber (left) Daily Texan Staff

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Wednesday, November 26, 2014

PLAYERS TO WATCH

By Peter Sblendorio @petersblendorio

Quarterback Trevone Boykin Few teams rely as heavily on one player as TCU does on Boykin. The junior has enjoyed a tremendous season so far, passing for a career-best 3,021 yards and 24 touchdowns against five interceptions through 10 games. He has passed for at least 219 yards in nine games this year and has thrown a touchdown pass in every game. Boykin also ranks second on the team with 548 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns, and he torched Kansas State two weeks ago for 123 yards and three scores on the ground. After flirting with a move to wide receiver last year, Boykin emerged as arguably the Big 12’s most dangerous quarterback this season. Boykin has had mixed results in his two games against Texas, but he’s a far different player this year than he has been in years past.

Running back Aaron Green

Elisabeth Dillon | Daily Texan file photo

TCU quarterback Trevone Boykin, pictured here being tackled by several Longhorn defenders, has come a long way from where he was a year ago. Now a junior, Boykin has his Horned Frogs in the thick of the College Football Playoff discussion.

Boykin proving many wrong in 2014

By Jori Epstein @JoriEpstein

Junior quarterback Trevone Boykin isn’t your typical student-athlete.

In 2013, Boykin became the first TCU player ever to tally a 100-yard rushing game, 100-yard receiving game and 200-yard passing game. In 2014, he made the permanent move to quarterback, and he quickly vaulted himself into the Heisman conversation.

His incredible skill, in combination with the story of his broken, blended family, led Sports Illustrated to take interest in the Dallas native. Its Nov. 17 magazine devoted five pages to Boykin’s role with the Horned Frogs.

“Led by Heisman hopeful quarterback Trevone Boykin and the eighthranked passing attack in the

nation, TCU hasn’t simply caught up to the Big 12,” said the subhead of Lindsay Schnell’s article. “It’s hoping to make the jump from 4-8 to the final four.”

The teaser underplays the story’s focus on Boykin. He is unquestionably the central character of the story and his team. As reporters write his story, they often start with anecdotes from an earlier time in Boykin’s life, long before he arrived in Fort Worth.

Much of the coverage of Boykin’s ascent circles back to West Mesquite High School, where Boykin combined for 4,729 yards of total offense and 58 touchdowns.

A dual-threat quarterback, Boykin’s production was split between 1,799 rushing yards and 30 rushing touchdowns and 2,930 passing yards and 28 touchdown

tosses. That production garnered him attention as Rivals’ No. 24 dual-threat quarterback in the nation and No. 5 in the state of Texas. High school coach Mike Overton described his excitement when he first saw Boykin’s arm.

“We’ve just uncovered a gold mine,” Sports Illustrated quoted Overton telling his coaching staff.

Throughout his time in college, however, that gold mine has really flourished.

As the quarterback’s numbers have continued to improve, TCU head coach Gary Patterson doesn’t appear to be the least bit surprised.

“For two years people have been telling him he can’t play quarterback and we’d never win,” Patterson told The Dallas Morning News. “He’s like anybody

else I know with fire in him.

They’re going to try to prove people wrong.”

Boykin has proved most of his critics wrong. At season’s start, many questioned whether he’d be able maintain his role as quarterback or return to wide receiver. Ten games and nine wins later, Boykin’s still behind center.

He also leads the Big 12 in total offense, producing 359.6 yards per game — third-highest average in the country. And should he keep it up, he’ll join Heisman trophy recipients Robert Griffin III and Johnny Manziel as the only players since 2009 to average more than 300 yards passing and 50 yards rushing each game. He’s also vying for a Heisman — TCU’s first

OPP FEAT page 16

Green ranks only third on the team in carries, but he’s established himself as the Horned Frogs’ most consistent runner. He leads the team with 677 rushing yards on just 82 carries, good for an eye-popping average of 8.3 yards per carry. He’s also scored six touchdowns on the ground, good for third on the team. He’s starred in B.J. Catalon’s absence the last two weeks, amassing 299 yards and three touchdowns against Kansas State and Kansas. He set a new career high in rushing attempts in each of the last three games, and if he keeps running the way he has of late, his number of touches should continue to increase.

Wide receiver John Doctson By all accounts, Doctson is the Horned Frogs’ No. 1 receiving target. He leads TCU with 43 receptions and 693 yards, and he’s tied for the team lead with seven touchdown grabs. Doctson has only compiled more than 76 receiving yards once this season — he exploded for 225 yards against Oklahoma State last month — but he has five games with at least five receptions and three games with at least two touchdowns. At 6 feet 4 inches and 190 pounds, Doctson presents a considerable mismatch for most defensive backs. Look for senior Quandre Diggs, Texas’ top defensive back, to line up against Doctson on Thursday.

Linebacker Paul Dawson There’s not much that Dawson can’t do. He leads the Horned Frogs with 105 tackles — 31 more than anyone else.

He also has the most tackles for a loss on the team with 15, and he’s tied for the team lead with five sacks. In addition, Dawson has three interceptions, five pass breakups, eight passes defended and two forced fumbles so far. Expect to see him making plays all over the field this Thanksgiving.

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Wednesday, November 26, 2014

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FRAMES featured photo

Lauren Ussery | Daily Texan Staff

Junior running back Johnathan Gray attempts to stiff-arm an Oklahoma State defender while staying inbounds in the Longhorns’ 28-7 victory over the Cowboys in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

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HEISMAN WATCH

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

By Sebastian Herrera @SebasAHerrera

TCU’s Trevone Boykin has been one of the biggest surprises in college football this season. The former receiver has made the transition to quarterback look easy.

1. Oregon QB Marcus Mariota Last week (W, 44-10, vs. Colorado): 24-for-32, 323 passing yards, 3 passing TDs, 73 rushing yards, 1 rushing TD 2014: 3,103 passing yards, 32 passing TDs, 2 INTs, 597 rushing yards, 9 rushing TDs Right now, there is no definite leader in the Heisman race, with Mariota and Melvin Gordon battling fiercely for the top spot. But when taking into consideration that Mariota has a greater overall impact than Gordon does and that the junior has his team in a playoff spot while facing tougher opponents, he deserves the edge.

Mariota has been the Peyton Manning of college football this year. He’s been almost

flawless, putting up some of the best numbers in the country and giving his team a chance to reach the national championship game.

Elisabeth Dillon Daily Texan file photo

2. Wisconsin RB Melvin Gordon

3. TCU QB Trevone Boykin

Last week (W, 26-24, vs. Iowa): 31 attempts, 200 rushing yards, 2 rushing TDs, 64 receiving yards 2014: 254 rushing attempts, 2,109 rushing yards, 25 rushing TDs, 147 receiving yards, 2 receiving TDs

Last week: BYE 2014: 3,021 passing yards, 24 passing TDs, 5 INTs, 548 rushing yards, 7 rushing TDs

Another week, another 200-yard performance by Gordon. With one regular season game left, the junior has already rushed for at least 200 yards five times this fall. He’s the fastest player in FBS history, based on number of carries, to reach 2,000 yards in a season, and last week, it was his touchdown that made the difference in the Badgers’ 2-point win over Iowa. Gordon, in the minds of many, is the Heisman frontrunner based on his spectacular season. But, while he’ll probably finish behind Mariota, this has certainly been one of the best seasons in history for a college running back.

TCU wasn’t supposed to win the nine games they have by now, but then again, not many saw Boykin doing what he’s done this season either. It’s been simple for the Dallas native. He has had a sheer will to win, and that’s what has gotten him here. Boykin has meant everything to TCU’s success, and he’s done it while putting up school records, similar to Mariota. So far this season, he’s been the second-best quarterback in the nation.

4. Mississippi State QB Dak Prescott

5. Ohio State QB J.T. Barrett

Last week (W, 51-0, vs. Vanderbilt): 16-for-21, 193 passing yards, 3 passing touchdowns, 30 rushing yards, 1 rushing TD 2014: 2,714 passing yards, 23 passing TDs, 10 INTs, 891 rushing yards, 12 rushing TDs

Last week (W, 42-27, vs. Indiana): 25-for-35, 302 passing yards, 4 passing TDs, 2 INTs, 78 rushing yards 2014: 2,658 passing yards, 33 passing TDs, 10 INTs, 849 rushing yards, 9 rushing TDs

Prescott’s Heisman chances took a blow two weeks ago, when he played poorly and his Bulldogs lost to Alabama, but last week against Vanderbilt, the junior was back to his winning ways. He led Mississippi State to its biggest margin of victory in the SEC since 1936 and did so by scoring four total touchdowns. By the time the season ends, Prescott could potentially total more than 3,000 passing and 1,000 rushing yards, making it a certainty that he will be in New York as a Heisman finalist in December.

Barrett has slowly inched himself into the Heisman conversation, and now, he’s got a good chance to reach the award ceremony as a finalist. Ohio State is ranked No. 6 in the College Football Playoff rankings — a feat that would have been highly unlikely had Barrett not carried the offense. He has 3,507 allpurpose yards and 42 total touchdowns, and most notably, he’s done it all as a freshman. At 6 feet 1 inch and 225 pounds, Barrett is not the most physically gifted quarterback, which makes everything he does that much more impressive.

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16

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

OPP FEAT

continues from page 12 since 1938.

“When crunch time happens, he’s going to make the plays he needs to,” TCU junior receiver Kolby Listenbee told The Dallas Morning News. “We all support him.

He’s our leader.”

As their leader, Boykin will aim to steer the Horned Frogs to victory in Austin this weekend. Texas knows it will have its hands full.

“A couple years ago, he was just the guy on the run,” senior defensive end Cedric Reed said. “Now, he’s the full

RIVALRY

continues from page 6

Shelby Tauber | Daily Texan Staff

Pat Moorer, Texas’ strength and conditioning coach, is one of many new staff members who have quickly developed a strong relationship with the Longhorn players. After a rocky start, players are starting to buy into the new regme’s message.

STRONG

continues from page 10 senior receiver John Harris said. “Make sure they go to class, get their education — everything that matters once you’re done with football whether you’re going to the next level or if you go get a job.”

More than anything, Strong and his staff have

SENIORS

continues from page 11 is a big game,” Strong said.

It’s big, and I always look at it from the seniors’ standpoint in that it’s their last home game in the stadium, and we need to send them off the right way.”

Despite what is at stake for the opponent, the Longhorns insist the matchup is not so much about trying to ruin TCU’s season but rather just keep winning for their own sake.

made themselves available to the players. They embrace an open door policy, which has encouraged players to come by and discuss everything from a given week’s game plan to their career goals.

“You can go up and speak to the coaches whenever you want,” Harris said. “The door is always open. They’re just fun to talk to. Outside of my teammates, they’re like

“We are not going in with the mind-set [that] we [can] spoil their season,“ senior defensive end Cedric Reed said. “We are going in [with the mindset] to beat TCU.” A win would mean Texas’ second Senior Night victory in a row, after dropping three straight from 2010-12.

“We want to end the season right,” Reed said. “You know it’s [the last] home game for the seniors. We are going to give them everything we got.”

big kids to us.”

So far, the on-field product hasn’t lived up to expectations, as Strong continues to stress that a five-loss season won’t be tolerated at the University of Texas.

But off the field, it is clear the new regime is making strides, and, according to Strong, that’s far more important than anything that goes on inside Darrell

K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.

“I never feel like winning isn’t important, but I also want to make sure you develop the young person too,” Strong said. “They have to understand that, once you leave here, then there’s issues.

If you don’t know how to handle it while you’re in college, you will never be able to handle it once you leave here.”

respective school would win a head-to-head matchup each year. If the rivalry is renewed, there will be no need for debate.

This year, albeit either school’s doing, there is a very real possibility Texas and Texas A&M face each other in a bowl game.

While both school’s administrators have their own reasons as to why the rivalry

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Sports @texansports Editorial @texaneditorial Shelby Tauber | Daily Texan Staff

TCU QB

package. He can throw the long ball, the short ball; he can run it. He’s reading the defense well. He’s just become a complete quarterback in a running back’s body.” likely won’t be rekindled anytime soon, it is a common opinion among fans, players and even coaches that Texas should face the Aggies once again.

“That’s political,” defensive coordinator Vance Bedford said. “One day, if you ask me not as a football coach and as a former University of Texas football player, it would be a totally different answer, but politically, I’m not supposed to speak on that. Therefore I’m going to take the fifth.”

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Running back Malcolm Brown (28) is one of many Longhorn seniors hoping to go out on top with a win over TCU.

Trevone Boykin

Comics @texancomics

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

17

BIG 12 POWER RANKINGS

By Evan Berkowitz @Evan_Berkowitz

1

No. 5

TCU

6

West Virginia

2

No. 7

Baylor

7

Oklahoma State

3

After TCU steamrolled them in their biggest game of the year, the Wildcats bounced back to take care of West Virginia last week.

Quarterback Jake Waters put up 400 yards through the air, further proof that he has been one of the most consistent quarterbacks in the Big 12. He has completed fewer than 60 percent of his passes just twice this season, while throwing for at least 223 yards in every game. Most importantly, he limits turnovers, throwing just five picks on 295 attempts.

No. 12

8

Texas Tech

4

No. 20

9

Iowa State

5

Texas

The Horned Frogs struggled in a surprising game at Kansas, but quarterback Trevone Boykin continues to show he deserves to be in the Heisman conversation. Their defense, which was supposed to be their strength, has been a bit disappointing. They aren’t bad by any means, but they aren’t superb. They allowed 30 points against Kansas, 61 at Baylor, 30 to West Virginia and 33 against Oklahoma.

Fortunately for them, their offense is unstoppable.

Only one team scores more than TCU, and that is Baylor. The Bears average 50 points per game. It doesn’t matter how bad your defense is when your offense is putting up those kind of numbers. They aren’t one dimensional on offense either. While their passing game is fourth in the country, their rushing attack is no slouch. They are averaging 239.5 yards per game on the ground.

Kansas State

Oklahoma

Head coach Bob Stoops is getting plenty of criticism in Norman, but overall, the Sooners aren’t that bad. They are 8-3, and two of those losses were by four points or less. Last week, true freshman Samaje Perine ran for an FBS record 427 yards. He’s the real deal, and with Joe Mixon, who will return from suspension next year, the Sooners will have the scariest backfield in the nation.

Its defense is for real. Since allowing 45 to Iowa State, the Longhorns have allowed less than 15 per contest. Their pass rush is getting to opposing quarterbacks, and their defensive backs are legit. The only thing holding them back is the inconsistency of the offense. Besides senior receiver John Harris, there isn’t a single player on the offense who has been consistent all year.

After shooting up the rankings, the Mountaineers have quickly lost three straight. For the first time this year, they struggled on offense in the loss to Kansas State. All of sudden, they are sitting at 6-5 overall and just 4-4 in the Big 12.

My, oh, my, how the Cowboys have fallen. Remember when they were 5-1 and ranked No. 13? Since that time, they have lost five straight and will finish the season with games against Baylor and Oklahoma. It’s hard to be believe this team likely won’t be in a bowl game, but their offense has been terrible.

Daxx Garman has 12 touchdowns and 12 picks behind one of the worst offensive lines in the Big 12.

The Red Raiders’ defense might be the worst in the nation, and their offense isn’t very good. That’s a losing combination.

The Cyclones may not win a Big 12 game, but they stayed close with a few teams. The loss to Kansas really hurt Paul Rhoads’ bunch.

10

Kansas

The Jayhawks gave TCU a scare and won a Big 12 game. That’s a successful season, given the lack of talent within their roster.

17

18

18

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Oklahoma running back Samaje Perine (32) has had an incredible freshman season for the Sooners, highlighted by his recordbreaking performance against Kansas last weekend. Perine rushed for 428 yards, setting the single-game rushing record.

BIG 12 NOTEBOOK

By Jacob Martella @ViewFromTheBox

OU’s Perine breaks NCAA rushing record Former TCU running back LaDainian Tomlinson held the NCAA single-game rushing record for roughly 15 years. Wisconsin junior running back Melvin Gordon, who took it from him, held the record for only a week.

Neither a lightning delay nor the Kansas defense could stop Oklahoma freshman running back Samaje Perine just Saturday, as Perine surpassed Gordon’s mark of 408 rushing yards with 427 yards on the ground in the 44-7 win over Kansas.

Perine had five rushing touchdowns as well — all from at least 27 yards out.

The back-to-back record-setting games for Gordon and Perine come after Tomlinson was the only running back to rush for over 400 yards in college football history.

Rudolph gets the start for Oklahoma State After junior quarterback Daxx Garman suffered concussion-like symptoms against Texas on Nov. 15, there were a number of questions about whether he would be ready to play or if freshman Mason Rudolph would get his first start at Baylor. That question was answered pretty quickly, as Rudolph trotted out with the offense on the Cowboys’ opening possession against the Bears, and, even though the result was a loss, he had a pretty solid debut. Rudolph finished the night 13-of-25 with 281 passing yards and two touchdowns against the top defense in the conference. His stats were also good enough to be the best first career start for a quarterback in Oklahoma State history.

Tech defense down on safeties To say the Texas Tech defense has had it rough this season might be the understatement of the year. First, its defensive coordinator was fired just a few weeks into the season. Then, said defensive coordinator allegedly gave away the defensive signals to Tech’s opponents. And now, the Red Raiders are down to their last two players at safety. Three safeties went down in Texas Tech’s 34-31 win over Iowa State on Saturday and another didn’t make the trip to Ames, Iowa, forcing freshman safety Derrick Dixon and junior defensive back John White into the game — the last two players who could play the position. There’s no word yet on the severity of those three injuries, but Tech’s odds against Baylor this Saturday just got a lot longer.

Minnesota helps out TCU with close win In the ongoing debate between Baylor and TCU, Horned Frogs fans have pointed to two arguments that make their case: their 14-point win at West Virginia and their slightly better non-conference schedule, thanks to a win at home against Minnesota. On Saturday, that argument got a little better as Minnesota picked up a big 28-24 win over Nebraska to keep the Golden Gophers in the Big Ten West race and added to the Horned Frogs strength of schedule. So far, the selection committee has said Baylor and TCU’s résumés are not equal — making the head-to-head matchup irrelevant — with the assumption that TCU’s win over Minnesota is better than Baylor’s non-conference wins against SMU, Northwestern State and Buffalo. Each team will get one more “showcase” game to impress the committee, with TCU playing at Texas on Thanksgiving Day and Baylor facing Kansas State on Dec. 6.

19

STAFF PICKS

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

19

EVAN BERKOWITZ

GARRETT CALLAHAN

NICK CASTILLO

DANIEL CLAY

JORI EPSTEIN

SEBASTIAN HERRERA

DREW LIEBERMAN

JACOB MARTELLA

PETER SBLENDORIO

STEFAN SCRAFIELD

6-4

5-5

6-4

4-6

4-6

6-4

4-6

5-5

5-5

7-3

Overall Record

69-41

64-46

69-41

70-40

70-40

73-37

68-42

73-37

75-35

70-40

TCU vs.

Texas

TCU 44-10

TCU 27-17

Texas 31-28

TCU 28-21

TCU 28-24

TCU 35-20

Texas 34-21

Texas 28-21

Texas 31-28

Texas 28-24

Arizona State vs.

Arizona

Arizona State

Arizona

Arizona

Arizona

Arizona State

Arizona

Arizona

Arizona State

Arizona

Arizona State

Auburn vs.

Alabama

Auburn

Alabama

Alabama

Alabama

Alabama

Alabama

Alabama

Alabama

Alabama

Alabama

Ole Miss

Mississippi State

Mississippi State

Mississippi State

Mississippi State

Mississippi State

Ole Miss

Mississippi State

Mississippi State

Mississippi State

Georgia Tech

Georgia

Georgia

Georgia

Georgia

Georgia

Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech

Georgia

Georgia

Texas A&M

Texas A&M

LSU

LSU

LSU

LSU

LSU

LSU

LSU

Texas A&M

Arkansas vs.

Missouri

Arkansas

Missouri

Arkansas

Arkansas

Missouri

Arkansas

Arkansas

Arkansas

Arkansas

Arkansas

Stanford vs.

UCLA

Stanford

UCLA

UCLA

UCLA

Stanford

UCLA

UCLA

UCLA

UCLA

UCLA

South Carolina vs.

Clemson

South Carolina

Clemson

Clemson

Clemson

Clemson

Clemson

Clemson

South Carolina

Clemson

South Carolina

Florida

Florida State

Florida

Florida State

Florida State

Florida State

Florida State

Florida State

Florida State

Florida

Last Week’s Record

Mississippi State vs.

Ole Miss

Georgia Tech vs.

Georgia

LSU vs.

Texas A&M

Florida vs.

Florida State

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