It’s unusual, it’s Thursday, but it’s gameday for the Texas Longhorns, who are on the road tonight at Iowa State. Ames is like a Bermuda Triangle on weekdays for opponents. The biggest of the seven victims to date for the Cyclones was then #2 Oklahoma State two seasons ago. To avoid being number eight, the Longhorns need to do a few simple things:
1. Tackling and Fundamentals
This area of the Horns game has improved already under current Defensive Coordinator Greg Robinson, but the Longhorns must keep it up. The Cyclones offensive and defensive lines won’t be mistaken for BYU, but they can cause all sorts of trouble if Texas allows it. Hit the gaps, hold blocks, and get the ball carrier down.
2. Protect the young linebackers
The Horns, by way of suspension and injury, will finally be putting all three 2012 LB recruits on the field at the same time. Tim Cole will see his first significant time, we know what we have in Peter Jinkens, and Dalton Santos is a budding eater of worlds. The trio may not give those jobs back to anyone, but as they jell by fire tonight, Robinson must put his guys in position to gain confidence and make plays.
3. Establish the running game by any means necessary
With no David Ash, and Mack Brown’s man crush on Case McCoy, we know the downfield passing attack will be very limited. The Longhorns have to establish the run early, control tempo, and control the clock. As Woody Hayes and many others have stated through the years, three things can happen when you throw the football, and two of them are bad. If the Longhorns rush for 200 yards they win by 13-17 points. With all the injuries and turmoil, I’d take that.
4. Tyrone Swoopes MUST see real playing time tonight
Case McCoy isnt beating Oklahoma, the staff refused to give Jalen Overstreet an opportunity to try, and David Ash is going to be damaged goods going forward. Texas does not want Swoopes first game action to come against the Sooners, but its clear the kid is going to have to play. Get him out tonight, running the offense in legitimate situations and have something to go on going forward.
5. Take Aaron Wimberly out of the game
Wimberly is the Cyclones only legitimate offensive threat, much in the mold of a Daje Johnson. If he is taken out of the game by the defense, the Cyclones will be extremely hard pressed to gain yardage. Texas has to contain him and keep gaining confidence headed toward OU.
Game Prediction: It is not going to be pretty at times, and I’d think it’ll be close at the half, but the Longhorns just have too much talent to lose this game, Longhorns 35, Cyclones 24
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