Shaky Special Teams play continues
Josh Rowland had another field goal blocked and Texas gifted Baylor good field position on multiple kickoff returns due to poor coverage and penalties. The Longhorns are simply not in a place right now where they can play subpar on special teams and expect it not to haunt them at some point. Baylor was not much better, especially the muffed snap by Connor Martin that gifted Texas the ball inside the Baylor 30.
Solid performance for Buechele
Aside from his interception, Shane Buechele played a very good game and continues to show a good feel for the passing game. He took care of the football and displayed very good accuracy. He didn’t seem hobbled at all by his ankle. While Texas can’t do a lot of the QB power stuff that they can when Sam Ehlinger is playing, Buechele still can make the defense pay with his legs, as his 24 yard touchdown run showed. I don’t know who should be the starting quarterback going forward, but Texas as the luxury knowing that either QB gives them a legitimate chance to win.
The freshman running backs get more involved
Daniel Young and Toneil Carter saw more action today than they’ve seen in any other game this season. Carter led the running backs with 15 carries for 70 yards. Carter looked very good in the second half and has definitely earned himself more playing time going forward. I was also impressed with the physicality Daniel Young showed running the ball and catching the ball out of the backfield. With Kyle Porter still banged up, the coaches seem to be opting with the youth movement at the running back position. The wildcat package with Carter was very ineffective today, but it’s something Texas can continue to work with and tweak.
Another dominant game from the defense
It was another outstanding performance by the defense. So many players have taken steps forward this year in their development that it’s hard to name them all. John Bonney, Deshon Elliott and Holton Hill all played exceptional games in the secondary. Malik Jefferson and Gary Johnson were all over the field and played great games in run support. The defense dominated like many expected they would coming into the game, and will look to slow down another elite offense next week in TCU.
Small steps forward on offense
The Longhorns were far from perfect on offense, but the unit as a whole took some small steps forward. Tim Beck opted to use a lot of counters and misdirections in the run game, which helped Texas run the ball successfully in the second half. In the passing game, the quick passes and screens that were a staple against Kansas State returned. The offensive line still struggled at times, but were helped out by the play calling more than the previous 2 weeks.
