View from the Cheap Seats-Bye Bye Bears
Blow Out at Baylor
Blow Out at Baylor
TEXAS puts Baylor in their rear view mirror. This is TEXAS’ 3rd longest series in our history dating back to 1901 and 113 games. TEXAS’ says bye bye Baylor with a record of 81-28-4, so we will not refer to this as a rivalry. Doubt we’ll be seeing Baylor on the schedule anytime soon. Of course if not for Gov Ann Richards, they would have never been in the BigXII anyway. Good riddance. Sorry, no love lost over Rape U and their Art Briles enabling.
This was supposed to be Baylor’s big reset game played in front of a fired up and sold out stadium. In the 1st quarter, one of the shots showed the upper deck at least 1/3rd empty. Not sure there is a worse team in the BigXII except maybe Cougar High. TEXAS did very much what it needed to do in the game but the road will get much harder for the Horns from here. TEXAS opened on defense with an impressive 3 and out which sent Baylor backwards. The offense would respond with a punt but would follow up with a better drive highlighted by J Brooks’ 40 yard TD run. Sark Ewers and company would then score 21 points in the 2nd quarter to put the game out of reach. Only really dark spot in the game was both Jordan Whittington and X Worthy muffing punts deep in TEXAS territory setting Baylor up for potential scores. Both times our D bowed up but losing the turnover battle generally gets you beat. Not sure you could have scripted the night any better for TEXAS.
Not unlike last week, the biggest bright spot of the game was Coach PK and his defensive charges. Now Baylor certainly not the best offense TEXAS will see in the BigXII but the TEXAS D abused Baylor early and often. Overall the defense held them to 2 FGs on the night. On 8 drives in the 1st half, Baylor would log both of the FGs, would be forced to punt 5 times and be stuffed on 4th and 2. Such a pleasure watching the TEXAS D this year. They fly to the football. Particularly impressive since Baylor managed to get into the red zone 4 times. That is some serious defense. TEXAS managed to get pressure from their defensive front while completely shutting down Baylor’s rushing attack. Baylor would log 60 yards on 31 carries and 1/3rd of that came late in the 4th with their 3rd string QB scrambling for 22 yards. The D would log 5 sacks and 8 tackles for loss including 2 sacks on the 1st drive to set the tone for the evening. This to go with Jaylon Ford’s end zone interception to snuff out a Baylor drive. Should be noted that Baylor had to start their back up QB who was hobbled.
Easily the best offensive performance of the season after the Alabama game. Sark made the game easy for Ewers to get into rhythm, taking what Baylor’s D was giving us without forcing the ball early on. With the run established, play action became even more effective. Sark added a wrinkle this week by focusing more on getting the TEs involved and that paid big dividends. Ja’Tavion Sanders lead all pass catchers with 5 grabs and 110 yards while Gunner Helm added 2 for 37. Sanders is such a match up nightmare. TEXAS did what it needed to do and didn’t let a mutt hang around. The team tore Baylor’s hearts out early and did not look back. Score would have been greater if not for giving away two drives on 2 muffed punts (both recovered by their OC”s son who is their long snapper, shades of Nate Boyer) deep in TEXAS territory. Cannot win games losing the turnover battle against decent opponents, this must be cleaned up. Should also be mentioned no pre snap penalties and TEXAS played a very clean game. Best drive of the night came in the 3rd quarter following Jaylan Ford’s end zone INT. Now why he brought it out of the end zone was a question. Guess he was setting Ewers and the O up to go 95 yards on 7 plays capped off by Xaiver Worthy’s 21 yard TD on a beautiful slant route.
3 biggest gripes of the night. The afore mentioned muffed punts are the clear #1. A close #2 was going 3 of 9 on 3rd down conversions. TEXAS is just not sustaining drives like it should. Our last gripe was not getting Maalik more meaningful snaps earlier in the 4th. Game was over by that point and it seemed pointless to risk injury among our starters. Getting Maalik and the back up snaps would be of greater value. This does not compare in importance to the 1st two problems mentioned but rather more in the opportunity lost category.
Offensive Player of the Game
Co-MVPs on the night.
Quinn Ewers-with his 2nd best game of the year. 18 of 23 and 293 yards with a TD to go with the 2nd longest streak of passes without an INT in our history. Not that he didn’t flirt with an INT or 2 in the game. He also completed his best looking “bombs away” of the season to Johntay Cook for 51 yards. To go with a very nice night passing, Ewers took off on a 29 yard scamper, tight roping the sideline to record a rushing TD to go with his passing. Noticed his footwork was very good on the majority of his throws. He is growing as a QB and field general.
Jonathan Brooks- 18 carries, 106 yards and 2 TDs, the 1st coming in the 1st quarter drive covering 40 yards. It would be the winning points of the game. Brooks ran hard and showed some elusiveness as well.
Defensive Player of the Game
This week it’s the defensive line who played extremely well. We have found the pass rush we have been looking for. We’re going to need it, we’ll face significantly better QBs in the next two weeks. Likely the 2 best QBs in the BigXII so the pass rush comes at a great time.
Stats that matter
50 Points allowed by the TEXAS D through 4 games, impressive.
3 of 9 3rd downs by the offense, not good, will hurt us against better teams
3 of 5 Redzone TD scoring which is above average with a FG & a missed FG
0 of 4 Red Zone Defensive TDs allowed, excellent.
5000+ Days since TEXAS was ranked in the AP Top 5, 2012 season Glad that’s over
On Deck
Kansas. Yep, right now they are likely the 3rd or 4th best team in the conference. They feature the best QB in the conference (Ewers is at best 3rd today but climbing) in Jalon Daniels. Think Jaden Milroe but a much better passer. TEXAS/PK needs to spy him and the pass rush needs to maintain their lanes or he’ll make us pay. This will be an excellent tune up game for the Red River War. Make no mistake, we lose the turnover battle again, this very well coached team can beat us. DKR doesn’t scare them, they won here on their last visit.
Athletic’s “Hiccup” ratings
Interesting piece this week on Sark/TEXAS’ chances to be upset on the way to the BigXII title game. Clearly, we know the score of the Baylor game but it was a good read on who is most likely to bump us off. Keeping in mind, from here we can drop one game and still control our own destiny. That destiny? Book end BigXII titles (incoming and outgoing) and potentially a playoff contender.
Baylor-Low Cheap Seats comments- yeah, they nailed this one
Kansas-Moderate, CS-they have a for real QB and are well coached
OU-High, CS-TEXAS’ biggest test in conference
Bye
@Cougar High-low CS-worst team in the conference?
BYU-Moderate. CS-BYU is a mid tier BigXII team
KSU-Moderate to High CS-another very well coached team
@TCU-Moderate to High CS
@ISU-low to Moderate CS
Tech-moderate to high CS- Sorry disagree bigtime. Think Sark curb stomps Sand Aggie and their HS coach. Maalik and Arch both lead scoring drives in the 3rd and 4th.
Next week we’ll start ranking the BigXII and providing our way too early playoff picks though the landscape now shaping up. Teaser, TEXAS #1 in the BigXII, dirt burglars #2.
Fighting Mack Brown’s
Drake Maye continues to produce and most likely gets an invite to NYC for the Heisman but everyone is still chasing Caleb right now. The Tar Heels took the lead with a 21 point 2nd quarter, added to their lead in the 3rd and never looked back. They still face Miami, Duke and Clemson in conference play.
Around College Football
Biggest game ranking wise, tOSU came back very late to bump off Norte Dame.
Biggest game hype wise, Oregon took Deion out behind the woodshed.
Bama righted their ship beating #15 Ole Miss at home.
Florida State (#4) came back to beat in OT, upset minded Clemson.
LSU survived Arkansas’ trip to Death Valley with a late FG to win.
TEXAS received the 2nd most 1st place votes in the last AP poll last week, will be interesting to see how or if that changes.
Game Highlights
Jimmy Buffett tribute tune of the week
As we continue to remember an icon we lost this year, we chose a fitting song as Sark is changing the “latitude” of both his career and of the TEXAS team.
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