Quick Thoughts and Takeaways: Texas blows 21 point lead in loss to Oklahoma

[Jameson McCausland]

It was a wild day at the Cotton Bowl. Let's jump right into some quick thoughts and takeaways:

• Texas was the better team for about 3 quarters, but the Longhorns faltered in the 4th quarter and that was the difference in the game. There is a lot of finger pointing that can go around, but the bottom line is Texas allowed 662 yards total yards, including 339 yards via the ground. You are not winning many football games giving up those numbers. The Longhorns defense collapsed in the second half and could not contain Kennedy Brooks, who ran for 217 yards.
• Pete Kwiatkowski and the Texas defensive coaching staff appeared to have a solid gameplan in place for Spencer Rattler and the Oklahoma offense, but once Lincoln Riley chose to make a quarterback switch it was all downhill for Texas. Caleb Williams brought a different dimension to the offense with his legs and the Longhorns were never able to adjust.
• All around, it was not a good performance for Texas defensively. The blame can go to the players or the play caller, but the bottom line is it was ugly. The number of missed tackles had to have been close to 20. The defensive line seem poised for a big day early, but after Williams entered the game they were a complete non-factor.
• Switching to offense, Texas did enough to win the game. Yes, the Longhorns went through a scoring drought in the second half, but if you would have told me before the game that Casey Thompson would throw for close to 400 yards and 5 touchdowns, I would have said Texas won the game by double digits. Steve Sarkisian had some excellent play calls early in the first half to get the Texas offense going, and credit to Casey Thompson for connecting on several deep shots. 
• The Longhorns offensive line spent much of the second half on roller skates. Both tackles struggled mightily and the run game disappeared at a point in the game when Texas would have been happy to hand the ball to their Heisman caliber RB.
• Speaking of BIjan Robinson, he finished the game with 20 carries for 137 yards. The damage could have been far worse, but Alex Grinch decided in the second half that he was bringing extra men nearly every play. Robinson had what could have been a Heisman moment on a beautiful 50 yards run the second quarter that was nearly a touchdown, but is performance will be a side note considering how the rest of the game unfolded. 
• Xaiver Worthy bounced back from a rough game in Fort Worth to haul in 9 receptions for 261 yards and 2 TD's. Worthy is a special WR and stepped up in a big way for Texas. Joshua Moore also a good game with 4 catches for 70 yards and a pair of TD's. Overall, it was a solid day from the Longhorns WR's.
• Texas had a huge special teams play early when they blocked an Oklahoma punt, but the lasting special teams play in people's minds will be Worthy running out a kickoff deep in the endzone which resulted in a fumble. Texas was not generating any momentum in the kickoff return game and Worthy has to know to take a knee in that situation if the kick is into the endzone.
• This is going to be a tough pill to swallow for Texas. The Longhorns could easily be 3-0 in conference play and be in the driver's seat in the Big 12. Instead, they now have to turn their attention to a huge game against Oklahoma State next Saturday. If Texas is able to pull out a win, they should feel fairly confident heading into a bye week. A loss would be a huge blow to their hopes of making the Big 12 championship game.  

[jrthorn]

I am 100% behind the horns despite this loss. Forget about it and March forward.

 

SARK can lead us to victory in the remainder of our schedule starting this week.

 

Then, we give OU the ultimate beatback in the Conference Championship game in December.

 

HORNS, stay focused! Remember why you wear the burnt Orange.

 

I am 100% behind SARK and the team. Let's keep lazered focus on our goal, which is to bring Texas back and stay there.

HOOK 'EM

 

JRT

Edited October 10, 2021 by jrthorn
Forgot the HOOK 'EM

[Eastexhorn]

If you cannot beat OU with a 21 polnt lead, you cannot do it in Dec,

Not Worthy's mistake on staff, See Akers.

[Drb522]

1.  Sark could’ve seen that leaning on the run game wasn’t going to work in the second half real early in the third quarter.  Ou’s defense made a commitment to stopping the run and was gonna force the pass.  To me that was dumb because the passing game was eating them alive in the first half.  Sark did not adjust in the third.  
 

2.  Special teams did Texas no favors. Jamison is a senior returner and should not have to be reminded to not fair catch a punt on the 5.  If it bounces and they pin you, oh well.  But you don’t pin yourself back there.  Let it bounce and go in the EZ.  RoJo, Jamison and Worthy should all know you get the ball at the 25, don’t bring a KO out of the EZ.

 

3.  This is the one I’m gonna get flack over, but I’ve seen it too much.  Overshown and Brockermeyer suck against the run.  Overshown looks great side to side, but can’t get through traffic against runs up the middle.  He’s too lightweight.  Brockermeyer wears concrete shoes.   He’s way too slow.  
 

4.  DBs were exposed against Tech.  What I saw yesterday did not surprise me in them.  Inconsistency plagues them.

 

5.  Casey Thompson is a baller.  I hate I doubted him.  When given time, he is pretty good.  

[Eastexhorn]

Number 4 right on. Number 2 is on coaches. No. 3 not sure of will have to watch some reruns.

Secon half out coached and out played.

[NEOkHorn]

Thanks for the write up JM. Good stuff as always.

[tejasrulz]

Guess we know why Sark is recruiting so many defensive players.

As stated in Cheese's thread, Texas for decades has fair caught the ball inside the 10 yard line, no matter who is coaching them. Guess that is a new tradition in Austin.

[dillohorn]

see my post on the game thread today 10/10/2021

[Drb522]

20 hours ago, tejasrulz said:

Guess we know why Sark is recruiting so many defensive players.

As stated in Cheese's thread, Texas for decades has fair caught the ball inside the 10 yard line, no matter who is coaching them. Guess that is a new tradition in Austin.

Yep!  Texas’ back 7 is lacking.  Starting a Safety at LB isn’t working.  
 

im still pissed about the fair catch at the 5

[North Texas Golfer]

21 hours ago, dillohorn said:

see my post on the game thread today 10/10/2021

Seeing as how there are 13 pages and 300 posts in that thread, can you give us a hint 

[dillohorn]

4 hours ago, North Texas Golfer said:

Seeing as how there are 13 pages and 300 posts in that thread, can you give us a hint 

Hint. Try looking at the post on 10/10/21 like it says.

[longhorn_mig]

It was downright brutal to sit through that in the stands. I turned to my wife at halftime and told her that felt too easy and I was worried about the second half. I assumed that feeling was from years of disappointment in this game. Then I had to watch another loss play out.

I still believe in Sark and think he can lead this program in the right direction. However, he's going to need to bring in some help via the transfer portal and recruiting to address the clear flaws with this team. The O-line has essentially become a turnstile, and I give credit to Casey for putting up the stats he did behind that line. Honestly, I'm happy and somewhat surprised he didn't get hurt (besides dinging his wrist) in that 2nd half.

The defense is downright disappointing at this point. We just had a QB throw for 388 yards and 5 TDs. We also had a WR go for 261 yards and 3 TDs, and a RB go for 137 yards and 1 TD on the ground. We scored 48 points. I'm sorry, but that should be enough to win. The defensive line was supposed to be the strength of this team, and for the great majority of the season, they have been unable to get pressure on the QB. The DBs gave up multiple desperation heaves to a freshman QB that a competent secondary does not give up. The LBs have their own flaws, but they're the least of our problems right now.

As for Special Teams...just use common sense. On kickoffs, for the love of goodness, just fair catch it or take the touchback. Getting the ball at the 25 is just fine. On punts, if you can't catch it at the 10 yard line, let it go over your head and make the other team make a play to down it inside the 10. More times than not, it will be a touchback. It's not that hard. Admittedly, I know we're talking about kids and emotions get the best of these kids. Sometimes they make a decision they otherwise wouldn't make because they want to make a big play to help the team. I appreciate the passion and effort, but sometimes you have to live to fight another day, take the safe field position, and make a big play under more favorable circumstances.

[North Texas Golfer]

1 hour ago, dillohorn said:

Hint. Try looking at the post on 10/10/21 like it says.

Thanks for the hint 

 

[Eastexhorn]

Coach to KO returnersif you run a kickoff back from inside the five, keep on running to the locker room.

Coach to DBS look at the ball instead of looking at the sky or your girlfrind in stands.

[Rotty22]

I haven't seen this mentioned, Jeb Bush is NOT, repeat, IS NOT a Defensive End.  He doesn't belong on the defensive line PERIOD.  He is too undersized.  It sucks that Jones went down.  But are we that under-manned at DE?

 

[Sirhornsalot]

"I sure would like another crack at those guys" . . Sark on OU, after the game.

I like this.

Sark is a competitor.

[Sirhornsalot]

2 hours ago, Rotty22 said:

I haven't seen this mentioned, Jeb Bush is NOT, repeat, IS NOT a Defensive End.  He doesn't belong on the defensive line PERIOD.  He is too undersized.  It sucks that Jones went down.  But are we that under-manned at DE?

 

No. Alfred Collins will be starting in that spot (Jack) this week, according to the depth chart released today.

[Soldierhorn]

On 10/10/2021 at 8:49 AM, Drb522 said:

4.  DBs were exposed against Tech.  What I saw yesterday did not surprise me in them.  Inconsistency plagues them.

Foster is an absolute liability at this point. The sad thing is that he is still starting; meaning the backups are likely worse.  I havent rewatched the game but during replays during the game of big plays, Foster failed in containment and his coverage was incredibly bad.  Seriously, Drake Stoops neutralized Foster on 0U's go-ahead TD - DRAKE STOOPS. Foster looked like he was satisfied to NOT engage Stoops in an effort to get to the RB who ran right by him. Critical third and long CalebW was scrambling and threw a rainbow pass that had a punt-like hangtime to the 30 yd line for TD. Foster should of had it but, instead, was falling all over himself.  If he has another game like this one, they might as well give a younger player the experience.

[david ficken]

Solid post by Jameson.

However, I do disagree  that we were the better team for 3 quarters.  It took OU 1 quarter  to get caught up to us.

 

I do think our best front 7 on defense is:

Collins at Jack, Thornton at the other DE/LB, Sweat has shown more at the nose/1 position, Ojomo/Broughton split at the 3/4 position, the kid from ND name starts with an O at 1 LB position, Davis at middle or strong side LB, and Overshown at the other LB.

DBs: Cook has been good at the star, Thompson has been okay to good at one corner, Jamison has left a lot to be desired at the other corner, neither starting safety is worth talking  about. J. Thompson seems to be better close to the line of scrimmage.    Maybe Coffey, Owens, and Adimora should see the field more. Barron looks like a good corner, Crawford does as well, and J. Johnson and I. Ibraheem both seem to be players.  

The coaches on the BD, the former ND( Terry Joseph) and Blake Gideon are leaving a lot of questions a out their hires with no improvement of the players.

 

Maybe Sark has told PK to be more attacking on defense. 

[dillohorn]

If ou had a 3td lead on UT, the Horns would never catch up.

[Eastexhorn]

If Horns had played fourth quarter like first three a victory would have occured.

OU did not pull out a win .Two bone head KRS gave the game to them.

[Austin Horn]

I miss Joseph Ossai this year

[Jameson McCausland]

4 hours ago, Austin Horn said:

I miss Joseph Ossai this year

Texas misses Ossai more than any other player from last years team. He covered up for a lot of mistakes on the DL in both the run and pass game. 

[zion3d]

Question for the experts.  Are the issues with the Texas defense:

A.  Talent

B. Scheme

C. Both

D. Consistency

[Soldierhorn]

39 minutes ago, zion3d said:

Question for the experts.  Are the issues with the Texas defense:

A.  Talent

B. Scheme

C. Both

D. Consistency

I'm no expert but, IMO, mostly technique (skill set); Foster being a prime example.  It takes more than a summer and a fall to fix. with some players it would take more than a year or two to fix their bad habits.