Photo Courtesy: Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Following an upsetting Red River Rivalry loss and a bye week, the Texas Longhorns look to continue their mission of earning a trip to Arlington this weekend against the Houston Cougars. Today, watch our Devon Messinger and Dylan DeRaud discuss their scouting report of the Houston Cougars by watching the YouTube video above.
If you want to watch their reaction to Texas’s 34-30 loss to Oklahoma a few weeks ago, click here.
Messinger’s Scouting Report of the Houston Offense:
Led by Donovan Smith at quarterback, a junior Texas Tech transfer, the Houston Cougars have had a decent attack through the air so far this season. Smith is the Big 12 Conference’s third-leading passer with 1,601 passing yards, and adds 13 touchdowns as well as three interceptions through the air. However, Smith, while certainly less mobile than some of the quarterbacks that Texas has faced so far this season, also has the ability to hurt defenses with his legs.
At wide receiver, sophomore Samuel Brown, a transfer from West Virginia, leads the team in receptions with 37 and has amassed 549 receiving yards and two touchdowns thus far. Behind Brown, sophomores Joseph Manjack and Matthew Golden have combined for over 600 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.
At running back, freshman Parker Jenkins has earned a majority of the carries but has only rushed for 242 yards and three touchdowns so far, with sophomore Stacy Sneed adding an additional 206 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
Currently, Houston’s offensive line ranks 97th in the country in sacks allowed – allowing an average of 2.5 sacks per game.
DeRaud’s Scouting Report of the Houston Defense:
Houston’s defense in the Big 12 has been a cause for concern this season, ranking last in the conference in several key defensive categories. They allow a whopping 429 yards per game and 6.1 yards per play, struggling to contain opposing offenses. Their run defense ranks 12th in the Big 12, giving up an average of 162 rushing yards per game, and their pass defense is equally vulnerable, allowing 267 passing yards per game, as exemplified by a 401-yard, 3-touchdown performance by Rice’s JT Daniels in week 2. The same JT Daniels put up a statline of 149 yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 interceptions against Texas in week 1. Most concerning, they surrender an average of 31.3 points per game, the highest in the Big 12.
Amid these struggles, there are a few standout players on the Houston defense. Senior linebacker Malik Robinson leads the team with 44 tackles, while sophomore defensive back Adari Haulcy is third in solo tackles in the Big 12 with 31 and has 43 total tackles. Junior defensive lineman Nelson Caesar has 7 tackles for a loss and 4.5 sacks, and cornerbacks Isaiah Hamilton and Mark Fleming have each recorded 3 interceptions. The Cougars will need to turn over a new leaf this week if they want a chance to pull off an upset against the Longhorns.
