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We don’t need to waste time nitpicking the Texas Longhorn offense on a Sunday morning. Texas has played in 10 regular-season games. Only two games remain before the postseason begins. If you’re expecting some dramatic offensive change in the upcoming weeks, you’re like a kid sitting on the corner waiting for their irresponsible father to come through on his broken promise to take you to an amusement park this weekend – it probably won’t happen.
There’s a huge difference between game-week and preseason practices. During the offseason, coaches spend a lot of time improving the skills of individual players. That’s when you work on every aspect of football, such as timing between the quarterback and his receivers. During the season, coaches focus on implementing a game plan. They don’t have time to go over the basics while preparing for an opponent.
Quinn Ewers will have great games, like his performances against Michigan and Florida. He’ll also have subpar games, like his performances against Arkansas and Georgia. Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian is willing to live with it. Sarkisian believes Ewers is good enough to lead this team to an SEC Championship, the playoffs, and a national championship.
Here’s the reality:
1. Texas is 9-1.
2. Sarkisian has a championship-level defense.
Let’s start with the most important fact about this team:
Texas is one of two one-loss teams in the SEC and currently shares the same conference record as Texas A&M (5-1). Sarkisian’s team controls its own destiny. If the Longhorns defeat Kentucky and Texas A&M to close out the season, Texas will advance to the conference championship game – and that should be enough to solidify a playoff spot.
Let’s put that in perspective.
Before the season, college football observers constantly questioned whether Texas was ready for the SEC. They didn’t think Texas could handle the rigorous SEC schedule. The skeptics expected Texas to struggle in year one.
Now, those same skeptics are complaining that Texas is benefiting from an “easy” SEC schedule.
You can’t reason with the unreasonable.
I get it.
You want something sexy.
Something like Ole Miss.
That team is averaging 40.7 points per game. The Rebels are racking up 540 offensive yards per game. Lane Kiffin has arguably the most potent offense in the country. His team dropped 63 points against Arkansas. Jaxson Dart looks like a Heisman Trophy contender. This team could be dangerous if it makes the playoffs.
Do you mean the same Ole Miss that lost to Kentucky?
Or the same Ole Miss that lost to LSU?
Okay, you want the Texas Longhorns to look like Alabama.
When Jalen Milroe is cooking, he’s a top-level football chef. The Crimson Tide can produce explosive plays at any time. Kalen DeBoer led his team to quality wins against Georgia and South Carolina.
Do you mean the same Alabama that lost to Vanderbilt?
Tennessee?
The Vols lost to Arkansas, right?
Are you picking up what I’m putting down?
Each of those teams would give an NIL check to be in Texas’ boots. Those coaches understand that winning matters more than style points. Sure, style points are great, and every Longhorn observer would love for this team to play better on offense.
But as long as Texas keeps stacking wins, style points are irrelevant.
This season is reminiscent of Clark Griswold doing everything he can to give his family a great experience. Griswold works tirelessly to plan family vacations and holidays, but the kids and family members fail to appreciate the little moments because it doesn’t fit their idea of a perfect experience.
“Who’s the moosiest moose we know? Marty Moose!”
“Hey, look, kids, there’s Big Ben!”
"We're gonna press on, and we're gonna have the hap-hap-happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tap-danced with Danny-f—cking-Kaye."
Eventually, everyone realizes how special the journey is and appreciates how much effort Clark put into creating the perfect family experience.
Sarkisian isn’t going to apologize for “ugly wins,” and neither should you. He didn’t apologize after close wins against Houston, TCU, and Kansas State last year. There wasn’t a Longhorn fan who refused to book Sugar Bowl tickets because Ewers didn’t excel against Wyoming in 2023. The only thing that mattered was the bottom line – Texas won a lot of games.
If Texas knocks off Kentucky and Texas A&M, Longhorn fans will just have to deal with winning at least 10 games every year, competing for conference championships, and securing a playoff spot.
Oklahoma wishes it had your problem.
Here’s the other reality:
This defense is salty.
Texas held Arkansas to 10 points in Fayetteville – tied for its second-lowest point this season (LSU defeated Arkansas, 34-10).
It’s easy to say Texas has only played one good offensive team this season. However, Texas has dominated its opponents, which is hard to pull off in college football.
Remember when Northern Illinois defeated Notre Dame in week two?
No matter what you think about the Longhorn offense, this defense has been outstanding.
“Well, I think, one, we're minimizing the explosive plays,” Sarkisian said. “We're not giving up yards in chunks. I think we gave up the one deep ball down their sideline, but we're making people earn it. And you make people earn it by, one, being stout and having the ability to make your plays. But, two, there's not a bunch of busts. Our coverages are sound. We're gap sound in the run game and those types of things. Then it’s having good players that make plays when you got to have it, and our guys are doing that right now.”
Texas is 9-1.
Sarkisian has a championship-level defense.
Save the nitpicking for another day.
“I do think we're light years different from where we were [three years ago],” Sarkisian said. “The beauty of it is I don't think anybody in that locker room is content. I think they know there's more work to be done. We got to continue to try to improve in all three phases. But the versatility of this team, I think, is probably somewhere where we weren't three years ago either. We can win games in different ways, and to win this style of game, I think, was important for us.”
Player Notes
(Provided by UT)
QUINN EWERS, QB
• On a 1-yard completion to Isaiah Bond on Texas' third offensive play on the day, Ewers passed Peter Gardere (1989-92) for fifth on the program's career passing yardage list.
• With Ewers' first-quarter touchdown toss to receiver Matthew Golden, the Southlake native has now tossed at least one touchdown in 21 consecutive games played, the second-longest streak in program history.
• By connecting with Golden for a 1-yard touchdown throw with 9:05 remaining in the game, Ewers threw his 58th career passing touchdown, which ties him with Chris Simms (1999-02) for fourth on the program's career passing touchdown list.
MATTHEW GOLDEN, WR
• To cap Texas' third offensive series of the afternoon, Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers connected with Golden for a 20-yard touchdown for not only the game's first score but also Golden's fourth receiving touchdown over the last three Longhorn games.
• Golden now has three multi-touchdown receiving performances this season, including in back-to-back games against Florida and Arkansas, respectively. He also had a two-touchdown outing in the Longhorns' season-opening win against Colorado State on Saturday, Aug. 31.
JAKE MAJORS, C
• Saturday marked the 51st career start for Majors, which ties the senior center with Mason Walters (OL, 2010-13), Justin Blalock (OL, 2003-06) and D.D. Lewis (LB, 1998-01) for fifth on the program's career starts list.
COLIN SIMMONS, EDGE
• By bringing down Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green for a 10-yard sack on the final offensive play of the first quarter, Simmons became just the sixth freshman defensive student-athlete in the program to be credited with 5.0-or-more sacks in a single season.
• With his 8-yard sack of Green on a 3rd-and-17 play with 12:01 remaining in the third quarter, Simmons was credited with his second sack of the game, marking the freshman's second career multi-sack contest.
• Simmons' 2.0 sacks on the afternoon moved him into third place on the program's single-season sacks by a freshman list with 6.0 on the season.
JAHDAE BARRON, DB
• Barron halted Arkansas' second offensive drive of the game by picking off a pass from Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green, the interception was the fourth of the season and seventh of the career for the Texas native.
BERT AUBURN, K
• With his 39- and 33-yard field goals during the second and third quarters, respectively, Auburn has now connected for 58 field goal attempts throughout his career on the Forty Acres, which is tied with Kris Stockton (1996, 1998-00) and Jeff Ward (1983-86) for third on the program's career made field goal list.
Funniest Things You Will See This Week
Daily showers are not necessary?
We left in the morning, came back at night, no cell phones - and lived
Imagine your wife going to this yoga studio (adult content)
There was a time when we were cool (before kids)
Golf humbles you like no other sport
Sports On A Dime
1. Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian on Quinn Ewers’ performance against Arkansas: “Thought he played pretty efficiently. They were going to play it in a manner and a style where they were going to try to keep the ball in front of them and make us work the ball down the field. When you get into games like this, the possessions start to matter; they start to count because the clock starts working in each team's favor when they do it that way. They were running the ball really effectively, too, especially in that third quarter. So, when you just don't have as many opportunities, you got to try to maximize them when you get them. But again, him taking care of the football, converting on third downs, and what a play for him there on the fourth down to kind of seal the game. I was proud of him for that.”
2. Sarkisian’s response when asked if he was concerned about his team’s vertical game: "They were going to make it really difficult for us to hit some shots down the field. I got to look at the film to see exactly what and why. But every game is different. Every game takes on a life and a personality of its own, and then it's my job to adjust things, to put ourselves and our team in the best position to try to win the game.
“I felt like we had to reestablish ourselves on the ground coming out of halftime. I told the team that at halftime, that was the plan, so that we could stay ahead of the sticks, stay out of third-and-longs, extend drives, and play efficient football. You have to adjust, that's part of it.
“We talked about play calling here, I think, earlier in the week. You have a plan, and then in-game, you have to be able to adjust those things to put your team in the best position to win the game, and not worry so much about the stats and the numbers. How are we going to win the game? Because the one stat that matters is the W coming out of here today.”
4. Sarkisian’s response when asked about his offense struggling against a defense that Ole Miss lit up: "They played exclusively with the three-safety defense with guys deep. They were going to try to make us earn it and see how patient we would be moving the football. That's when you get in the locker room, halftime, you make those adjustments. I thought we played really efficient football in the second half. I was proud of the guys that way.”
5. Sarkisian’s response when asked if he discusses winning an SEC Championship with his team: "I'm not one to shy away from that kind of stuff. I think we all know what our goals are for the season. We want to be in Atlanta in December, compete for an SEC championship, and we want to be playing January 20.
“But I don't have to belabor the point. I don't have to talk about it all the time with our guys. They know, and then once they know, we get focused on the task at hand, and that's next week's game. We'll celebrate this one here, get home, and then it's on to Kentucky.”
6. I was told Texas will continue its pursuit of Michael Fassusi until signing day. One person told me they know it is an uphill battle, but the staff is not going to give up.
7. The SEC wanted to use this season as a trial run to decide if an eight-game or nine-game conference schedule makes sense in the future.
This season is showing us that an eight-game conference schedule makes sense. The SEC will be able to present more playoff-potential teams to the committee with an eight-game conference schedule, as opposed to adding another potential loss for their teams with a ninth contest.
I think the SEC should make a greater effort to encourage its teams to schedule tougher non-conference opponents (Texas is a great example). However, risking a second or third loss in college football’s toughest conference is counterproductive.
8. Cade Klubnik is doing the damn thing. I jumped off his bandwagon, but he has emerged as the difference-maker many thought he would become while watching him at Westlake.
9. Florida Atlantic coach Tom Herman and Temple coach Stan Drayton each entered their game on Saturday with 2-7 records. The Fighting Stan Draytons won in overtime.
And he was fired on Sunday morning
10. I missed Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson and every person told me it would be a waste of time to watch it. I will have to trust those who regret watching it live. However, we know Tyson would have destroyed Paul in 90 seconds during his prime.
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