Missouri’s 72-yard touchdown offered a clear correction as the Longhorns prepare for LSU.
Texas finished strong at Missouri, but one third-quarter play supplied a warning that needs to travel with the Longhorns to Baton Rouge. Missouri wide receiver Naeshaun Montgomery turned a short completion into a 72-yard touchdown, putting Missouri ahead 20–13 and forcing Texas to respond. The Longhorns did, eventually winning 34–20. They can’t count on erasing every explosive play that way.
The correction starts with finishing the tackle in front of them. A defense can have the right coverage call and enough players near the football, then lose the value of both when the first tackle fails. Short completions are part of football. Allowing them to become long touchdowns changes the demands on every possession that follows.
Against LSU, Texas needs pursuit that works together. The first defender must close space under control, maintain leverage and give himself a sound opportunity to finish. The next defenders must keep coming rather than assuming the play is over. That support can turn an imperfect first attempt into a manageable gain instead of a sideline sprint.
Physicality matters, but arriving hard is only useful when it produces a stop. Texas needs to take disciplined pursuit angles and secure finishes at the point of contact, particularly when a receiver catches the ball with room to move. Going for the football has value when the opportunity is there, but securing the tackle has to remain the foundation.
The Longhorns have already shown they can make a decisive takeaway, with Warren Roberson and Graceson Littleton combining for the late forced fumble and recovery against Missouri. The next step is pairing those impact plays with dependable execution on ordinary snaps. Texas does not need every defensive possession to end with a highlight. It needs fewer routine plays to become highlights for the opponent.
