On Saturday Texas returns home to play a Kansas Jayhawks team that in previous years was an automatic win on the schedule. Make no mistake, this will be the toughest opponent Texas has played this season other than Alabama. Kansas very well may end up being the second best team in the Big 12 team behind the Longhorns when it is all said and done. Below are my three keys to the Longhorns winning at DKR on Saturday against Lance Leipold’s talented Jayhawks.
Offense Must Be Productive
The Texas offense had spurts this year where they looked great. In fact, the Longhorns had their most complete offensive game in the Big 12 opener against Baylor last weekend. They threw for 328 yards and rushed for over 175 yards and if they can run the ball like that consistently they become a lot tougher for opponents to contain. With the way the defense is playing, a good offense will make this Texas team extremely difficult for any team to beat.
The Kansas offense that is coming to Austin will be a team that isn’t afraid to get into a shootout with Texas. That means the offense cannot afford to have lulls in which they cannot move the ball. I like the Texas offense against a slightly overmatched Kansas defense, but there were times in the Rice and Wyoming games that Texas could not move the ball. If that happens Saturday the Longhorns will be in for a dogfight.
Limiting Kansas’ Explosive Plays
The Texas defense, overall, has done a great job this season. Historically, Big 12 offenses can score in bunches and while the Longhorns have given up a big play here and there, they have been good at limiting them. Saturday will pose the biggest test for the Texas defense. Jalon Daniels is the best QB Texas has faced this year and the best quarterback outside of Austin the Big 12 has to offer. He is like Jalen Milroe but he can beat you more consistently with his arm.
This matchup will largely come down to which defense can make more stops. Neither defense will shut the opposing offense down, but for Texas the key will be to limit explosive plays and make Kansas beat you with 7 or 8 play drives and not 2 or 3 play drives. Nothing the Texas defense has shown thus far creates any doubt that they cannot contain the Kansas offense. The secondary has given up multiple big plays this year and will undoubtedly be tested, but if the defense passes this test the rest of the Big 12 is on notice that this Texas defense isn’t good, it’s great.
Eliminate Special Team Mistakes
Losing the special teams battle is one way for a superior team playing at home to lose. Texas is clearly the superior team to the Jayhawks, but the Longhorns better clean up their special teams play from what we saw in Waco last week. The Longhorns had two muffed punts, one muffed kick and a missed 26 yard field goal. Texas is lucky the Bears weren’t able to capitalize on the mistakes. Baylor managed only 3 points off those mistakes but a better team will make Texas pay.
Return man Xavier Worthy not only is a great receiver but can be a lethal returner as well. A punt or kick return can change the momentum of a game on a dime. Worthy is always looking to be a game-changer and there is no better opportunity to do so than at home. The Longhorns haven’t received much pressure from their punt block unit this year either. Look for Jeff Banks to have his special teams unit go after a Kansas punt or two. Texas clearly has the athletic advantage and the ability to block punts.
