The morning after (by: Chris Flanagan)

[HornSports Staff]

The morning after in Lawrence, KS

By: Chris Flanagan

The Texas Longhorns shut out the Kansas Jayhawks 23-0 Saturday afternoon. Yet we are here with more unresolved questions and more doubt about the future of this season.

While this was the first shutout by the Texas Longhorns since 2012, it's one that leaves Texas Longhorns fans with an uneasy feeling. Sure, the Texas defense looked dominant and kept a good running quarterback contained. However, they gave up a number of long runs and both running backs for Kansas averaged nearly 5 yards per rush.

The Texas defense nabbed 4 interceptions...but on one of the worst quarterbacks in the Big 12. Can they create those turnovers against the better Big 12 quarterbacks?

Tyrone Swoopes showed some flashes of greatness and then other times some questionable decision-making. Can Texas rely on him when they need to win a game?

I guess the hope was that they would build off the great but oh-so-close performance against UCLA and just destroy the Jayhawks. I didn't see that killer instinct that fans have been salivating for all season long. That didn't happen. 

This win was all about the defense. And that's a great thing to have as a football team. You want to win these type of games. If the opposing team can't score, you can't lose.

However, BYU was only 3 weeks ago. While the Texas defense has only 1 bad quarter, it was a really bad quarter. If your defense has 1 bad quarter against Baylor, Oklahoma State, and Oklahoma, you're done. The biggest thing many of us who follow the Texas Longhorns wanted to see was some great offense against a bad Kansas team.

Yet the Longhorns still couldn't run the ball, they couldn't consistently make big plays, and only converted 41% of their 3rd downs. Not to mention the offensive line couldn't hold the Kansas defensive line - not Kansas State, the Kansas Jayhawks.

At the end of the day, a win is a win but the question becomes how many will the Texas Longhorns enjoy?

Week 5 College Football thoughts:

- I know everyone is dying to hear my thoughts on the Texas A&M-Arkansas game...but, there isn't much to say. Both Texas A&M and Arkansas will benefit from this game. I wouldn't be shocked if Arkansas didn't get more votes than they got the previous week (they had 9 votes the previous Sunday's AP poll). Kansas State lost at least half of their votes even though they played a very close game with Auburn. If I see the Razorbacks get more AP points after losing, I am going to be upset but not shocked.

- I like the Florida State-NC State games in Raliegh. They are always entertaining and go right down to the wire. Great game.

- I wouldn't be shocked if Tennessee got some AP votes after losing to Georgia. Because insanity apparently runs rampant in poll voting.

- Wisconsin struggled with South Florida to the end. Another black eye to the Big 10.

- If you think Texas has it rough, then you haven't seen the mess in Ann Arbor. Michigan is absolutely terrible and are likely going to be on their 3rd coach since 2007. They might ask Les Miles again but he isn't leaving talent-rich Louisiana. Michigan as a state is losing people and the talent left behind has not been great. At least Texas has a rich pool of football talent to recruit from. Michigan as an elite football program is in a desperate situation. The good news may be that Texas could surpass them in all-time wins if the Longhorns get their act together.

 

[UTK66]

Good stuff Chris.

On Miles to Michigan, I really wouldn't be surprised to see him back in Ann Arbor, eventually anyway.

Rumor was that he was pretty close to jumping last time until some things were leaked.

 

[Matt Cotcher]

Michigan really, really needs Mack Brown.

 

[Lukus Alderman]

Kansas didn't have a bad defense. It was loaded with experienced upperclassmen, including all-conference LB Heeney. What has hurt them all season was the poor offense that insisted on running a hurry-up offense and lost the time of possession and field position battles.

 

[HornEsch]

Honestly, I know the decimated and inexperienced OL gets a lot of blame in the running game, but I think it is past time to stop giving a pass to our 5 star running backs. Neither seem to have any ability to break a tackle or evade tackles very well, this is even when they get out of the backfield. They just have not lived up to their potential.

Don't get me wrong when they are getting hit in the backfield there is not much anyone could do. However I've seen enough where they get out and still manage little to nothing after contact. Elite backs tend to have the ability to elude and/or break tackles. Neither MB or JG seem to possess that skill.

To me you combine the OL play with the running (lack of) and you really put pressure on a young QB finding his way.

Don't even get me started on the play calling.

 

[Duke C #11]

Neither of KU's RBs from yesterday would've seen the field if their two best RBs hadn't had their seasons ended in August, yet both of them easily outperformed Gray and Brown.

 

[Chris Flanagan]

Neither of KU's RBs from yesterday would've seen the field if their two best RBs hadn't had their seasons ended in August, yet both of them easily outperformed Gray and Brown.

Good point. 

I might also add that the cutback ability of Johnathan Gray is non-existent this season. If he is worried about being injured, guess what? NFL teams notice this. They are already not drafting Running backs very high anymore and you can't show any game breaking capabilities, you aren't getting drafted. Gray needs to get his confidence back and play like it's the last game of his life every game. If he does that, NFL teams will notice. 

 

[Duke C #11]

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Mri7Z4KdR_o/UwMAlaG4PFI/AAAAAAAAAJk/G5mEBIdz7Ow/s1600/Hands+of+stone+movie+teaser.jpg

 

[Juan]

Baylor opens -13.5

 

[doc longhorn]

Honestly, I know the decimated and inexperienced OL gets a lot of blame in the running game, but I think it is past time to stop giving a pass to our 5 star running backs. Neither seem to have any ability to break a tackle or evade tackles very well, this is even when they get out of the backfield. They just have not lived up to their potential.

Don't get me wrong when they are getting hit in the backfield there is not much anyone could do. However I've seen enough where they get out and still manage little to nothing after contact. Elite backs tend to have the ability to elude and/or break tackles. Neither MB or JG seem to possess that skill.

To me you combine the OL play with the running (lack of) and you really put pressure on a young QB finding his way.

Don't even get me started on the play calling.

I agree with you about the RB's.  It's a blooming medical miracle that Gray is even playing this year and he is showing why he needed to sit out.

I was disappointed in Swoopes in this game - he is way too inconsistent, even though he was responsible for the TD's.  He HAS to step it up and we can't use inexperience as an excuse anymore.

The sad truth is, we will win or lose this year dependent totally upon Swoopes play.  I know Strong just wants a QB that can manage the offense and for the most part Swoopes has done this.  He has not COST us a game and that is good.  But, now, he has to WIN games for us, because we are just too mediocre elsewhere to carry the day.  I'm afraid that is just too big a burden for him to negotiate.