Here are a few thoughts from the hip on the lackluster win against the Golden Hurricane this evening in Austin.
The Lack of Killer Instinct
This team still has not figured out how to beat up on an inferior opponent and step on the throat when the opportunity presents itself. This Tulsa team won two games last year and on paper isn’t even close to the talent level of Texas. Yet after shutting Tulsa out in the first half, the Golden Hurricane managed to rally and make this a close game when Texas sputtered on offense and the defense finally started breaking after bending on several occasions in the red zone.
This was a game that Texas was supposed to be able build an early lead, get the starters out, and allow your reserves to get some valuable live game reps and that was never able to happen. If you can’t beat up on a team that probably cashed a check to come play in Austin this weekend, then I don’t even want to begin to think what will happen when USC rolls into town.
Feed Keontay Ingram
Every time number 26 in burnt orange and white touches the ball, he flashes. The talent he shows is undeniable and he once again found himself in the end zone this week. Ingram received more carries, but I still want to see him get the ball put in his belly because it’s obvious he can be a play maker for this offense, but just needs the opportunities.
This is nothing against Tre Watson, who had a solid night at the office, but Ingram is the long-term bell cow back for this offense and his development needs to be put on the express lane going forward.
This Isn’t Last Year’s Defense
I expected the defense to struggle some against Maryland, but I was not expecting some of the struggles I saw tonight. This game was a few missed field goals and some dropped passes away from looking very different and would have swung the game in favor of the Golden Hurricane. On one hand you want to commend the defense for bowing its neck on several occasions early on and keeping Tulsa off the board, but on the other side of the coin they conceded several big plays and 4th down conversions down the home stretch that allowed Tulsa to stay on the field and make it a game.
Another thing to note is that Texas once again struggled to get pressure on the quarterback and didn’t record a sack when the defensive front was expected to be a strength coming into the season. None of this bodes particularly well, as the schedule only gets tougher going forward.
The Future Is Bright At Safety
A bright spot from tonight that I have to mention is the highlight plays made by freshmen safeties Caden Sterns and BJ Foster. Both former five star recruits have forced their way onto the field early and both came away with interceptions tonight. It’s hard to understate how difficult it is to see the field so early at a position that requires so much cerebral awareness, but so far Foster and Sterns have taken to it like fish to water and have rewarded the defense staff with some solid play the first two weeks.
Offensive Line Performance
While the offense still has some kinks to work out, the offensive turned in a pretty solid performance and once again provided Sam Ehlinger with good protection and kept him clean. On top of keeping Ehlinger off his back, the big fellas up front paved the way for the run game to the tune of 241 yards at 5 yards per carry. Texas will take that all day and twice on Sundays.
While this game will certainly be graded on a curve because of the opponent, it is encouraging to see this unit playing much better than they did last year and that will be very beneficial for offense as they try to hit their stride.
