1. On a night when offensive linemen were dropping like flies, D’Onte Foreman was held out of action for precautionary reasons and the team was playing on five days rest after an emotional win over Notre Dame, I’m going to stress the positives in a 41-7 win that wasn’t really as close as the final score indicated. While there were certainly reasons for pause, this was a night when Shane Buechele took another step towards stardom, the defense was dominant and the special teams made play after play. Perhaps it wasn’t a national championship-level performance, but we’re watching a team that’s very capable of winning a down Big 12. There were just so many more positives than negatives on this night.
2. None of the positives were bigger than Buechele, who posted Colt McCoy 2008 numbers in completing 22 of 27 passes for 243 yards and four touchdowns. Buechele makes throwing the football look so easy. After watching quarterbacks struggle to do the basics for the last six years, Buechele seems to execute the basics so effortlessly and there’s not a better quarterback in the Big 12 through the first two games of the season. If he can keep limiting the mistakes to a minimum, he has a chance to break every Colt McCoy freshman record.
3. With all due respect to the game Jerrod Heard had against Cal last year, I think this was the best-played game from a Texas quarterback, at least when it comes to slinging the football around, since Colt McCoy was in the middle of his junior season.
4. In addition to Buechele’s play, the defense absolutely dominated the UTEP offense for most of the game outside of the one long touchdown run it gave up in the second quarter. Outside of running back Aaron Jones, this wasn’t a capable offense and the Longhorns treated it as such. Each level of the defense contributed to a four-quarter effort that the entire unit can be proud of, especially after allowing 47 points a week ago.
5. How big was the unintentional move of Jerrod Heard to wide receiver? He’s not only been a revelation, but he’s an impact player (six receptions for 46 yards and two touchdowns) in the passing game. If I was Charlie Strong, I would have claimed that idea as my own.
6. Happy birthday, Jerrod.
7. I have to admit that I never thought Petey Warrick would amount to much as a receiver for the Longhorns after his first few seasons in Austin and he’s proven me to be dead wrong. I’m sorry for doubting you, Petey.
8. Chris Warren had a nice game (20 carries for 95 yards), but it’s perfectly clear who the best running back in the program is. The sophomore from Rockwall just doesn’t have the burst and big-play pop that D’Onte Foreman brings to the table.
9. How important is Connor Williams? Texas doesn’t really have a backup left tackle, as evidenced by Elijah Rodriguez’s struggles in the second quarter when he gave up back to back sacks. Get well soon, Connor.
10. In general, tonight was a good night of development for many of the back-up Texas offensive linemen. Was the group stellar? No. Was it respectable, especially in the second-half? Yeah, I think you can say that, especially when it comes to Patrick Vahe, Jake McMillon and Brandon Hodges. Obviously, Vahe is a starter, but McMillon and Hodges will be called upon again this season and they emerged as better football players after being thrown into the fire tonight.
11. The entire Texas defensive line earned a game ball from me tonight. In addition to owning the line of scrimmage, this group made plays and seemed to turn every UTEP snap into a fire drill in the backfield. Attaboy, Paul Boyette, Poona Ford, Charles Omenihu, Chris Nelson, Malcolm Roach, etc...
12. Speaking of Roach, that dude is going to play on Sundays one day. No offense to Naashon Hughes or anyone else playing the Fox position, but this dude looks like a guy that’s going to be taking snaps away from others all season until he’s eventually the full-time starter taking the majority of the reps.
13. Under Mack Brown, the Texas special teams units always ranked as one of the nation’s leaders in blocked kicks, but Brandon Jones’ blocked punt in the first quarter was the first for the Longhorns since Brown departed in 2013. That fact kind of blew my mind a little because I think I just took the program’s prowess in that area for granted.
14. It’s only a matter of time before Brandon Jones is playing more … and by playing more, I mean a lot more.
15. Ho-hum … Michael Dickson averaged 50.4 yards on five punts. Is he going to be this team’s only all-American?
16. Kris Boyd has been an all-American special teams player through two games. He’s been a young Kenny Gant out there.
17. Breck Hager made plays from the moment he stepped on the field, both in the running game and as a pass rusher. That guy has a lot of his daddy in him. Born a football player.
18. That was one hell of a football play by Davante Davis in the first quarter when he took a UTEP completion for a first down and turned it into a turnover. For him to come over and not only get in on the play, which wasn’t really his responsibility, but to create a forced fumble was really a standout moment for a kid that needed one after the mistakes from a week ago.
19. Texas can’t wait until the second quarter to get John Burt touches against good teams.
20. Poona Ford, no more taking bows. College football can’t be fun.
21. Holy cow, did 20 true freshmen play tonight? I'm going to have to go back and see the participation chart, but it seemed like the entire 2016 class played tonight and played well.
22. Texas should destroy Cal. This team is for real.
2. None of the positives were bigger than Buechele, who posted Colt McCoy 2008 numbers in completing 22 of 27 passes for 243 yards and four touchdowns. Buechele makes throwing the football look so easy. After watching quarterbacks struggle to do the basics for the last six years, Buechele seems to execute the basics so effortlessly and there’s not a better quarterback in the Big 12 through the first two games of the season. If he can keep limiting the mistakes to a minimum, he has a chance to break every Colt McCoy freshman record.
3. With all due respect to the game Jerrod Heard had against Cal last year, I think this was the best-played game from a Texas quarterback, at least when it comes to slinging the football around, since Colt McCoy was in the middle of his junior season.
4. In addition to Buechele’s play, the defense absolutely dominated the UTEP offense for most of the game outside of the one long touchdown run it gave up in the second quarter. Outside of running back Aaron Jones, this wasn’t a capable offense and the Longhorns treated it as such. Each level of the defense contributed to a four-quarter effort that the entire unit can be proud of, especially after allowing 47 points a week ago.
5. How big was the unintentional move of Jerrod Heard to wide receiver? He’s not only been a revelation, but he’s an impact player (six receptions for 46 yards and two touchdowns) in the passing game. If I was Charlie Strong, I would have claimed that idea as my own.
6. Happy birthday, Jerrod.
7. I have to admit that I never thought Petey Warrick would amount to much as a receiver for the Longhorns after his first few seasons in Austin and he’s proven me to be dead wrong. I’m sorry for doubting you, Petey.
8. Chris Warren had a nice game (20 carries for 95 yards), but it’s perfectly clear who the best running back in the program is. The sophomore from Rockwall just doesn’t have the burst and big-play pop that D’Onte Foreman brings to the table.
9. How important is Connor Williams? Texas doesn’t really have a backup left tackle, as evidenced by Elijah Rodriguez’s struggles in the second quarter when he gave up back to back sacks. Get well soon, Connor.
10. In general, tonight was a good night of development for many of the back-up Texas offensive linemen. Was the group stellar? No. Was it respectable, especially in the second-half? Yeah, I think you can say that, especially when it comes to Patrick Vahe, Jake McMillon and Brandon Hodges. Obviously, Vahe is a starter, but McMillon and Hodges will be called upon again this season and they emerged as better football players after being thrown into the fire tonight.
11. The entire Texas defensive line earned a game ball from me tonight. In addition to owning the line of scrimmage, this group made plays and seemed to turn every UTEP snap into a fire drill in the backfield. Attaboy, Paul Boyette, Poona Ford, Charles Omenihu, Chris Nelson, Malcolm Roach, etc...
12. Speaking of Roach, that dude is going to play on Sundays one day. No offense to Naashon Hughes or anyone else playing the Fox position, but this dude looks like a guy that’s going to be taking snaps away from others all season until he’s eventually the full-time starter taking the majority of the reps.
13. Under Mack Brown, the Texas special teams units always ranked as one of the nation’s leaders in blocked kicks, but Brandon Jones’ blocked punt in the first quarter was the first for the Longhorns since Brown departed in 2013. That fact kind of blew my mind a little because I think I just took the program’s prowess in that area for granted.
14. It’s only a matter of time before Brandon Jones is playing more … and by playing more, I mean a lot more.
15. Ho-hum … Michael Dickson averaged 50.4 yards on five punts. Is he going to be this team’s only all-American?
16. Kris Boyd has been an all-American special teams player through two games. He’s been a young Kenny Gant out there.
17. Breck Hager made plays from the moment he stepped on the field, both in the running game and as a pass rusher. That guy has a lot of his daddy in him. Born a football player.
18. That was one hell of a football play by Davante Davis in the first quarter when he took a UTEP completion for a first down and turned it into a turnover. For him to come over and not only get in on the play, which wasn’t really his responsibility, but to create a forced fumble was really a standout moment for a kid that needed one after the mistakes from a week ago.
19. Texas can’t wait until the second quarter to get John Burt touches against good teams.
20. Poona Ford, no more taking bows. College football can’t be fun.
21. Holy cow, did 20 true freshmen play tonight? I'm going to have to go back and see the participation chart, but it seemed like the entire 2016 class played tonight and played well.
22. Texas should destroy Cal. This team is for real.
Last edited by a moderator:
