2012-09-28 Double Coverage

the daily texan presents

september 28, 2012

Vol. 7, issue 5

STiff Test IN Stillwater Mike Davis | page 12

2

friday, september 28, 2012

thelineup 4

NOT so fast

9

Gundy’s got a plan

11 No. 8 Jaxon Shipley | Lawrence Peart | Daily Texan Staff Cover photo by Lawrence Peart | Daily Texan Staff

previews&Notebooks 6 16 20

12

Keys to the game

19

Big 12 notebook national notebook

the daily texan presents

September 28, 2012

Vol. 7, issue 5

Double Coverage Editor............Nick Cremona Design Editor............................Natasha Smith Photo Editor.............................Elisabeth Dillon Copy Editor........................................Trey Scott Writers...................................Christian Corona ..................................................Lauren Giudice ...................................................Chris Hummer ....................................................Wes Maulsby ...............................................Peter Sblendorio ................................................Sara Beth Purdy .......................................................Hank South ....................................................Matt Warden

Oklahoma State has defeated Texas the past two seasons, but the Longhorns are hoping to break the Cowboys’ winning streak by stopping their explosive offensive weapons.

The Daily O’Collegian’s sports editor Brendon Morris takes a look at Cowboys head coach Mike Gundy’s gameplan heading in to this week’s game.

Early season superlatives

Associate Managing Editor Trey Scott breaks down the Longhorns’ top performers and disappointments and also looks ahead to the end of the season.

Wide Open SPaces

The Texas receivers have patiently waited to break out, and now that quarterback David Ash is throwing the ball with precision they seem have finally developed a productive rapport.

HARD-worn trail

Although Texas has a substantial lead in the all-time series against Oklahoma State, the Cowboys still believe they have a chance at pulling off an upset over the Longhorns in Stillwater.

Texas took last week off in preparation for Big 12 play and faces Oklahoma State this week in what should be a tightly-contested game. Can the Longhorns keep up with the quick-firing Cowboys? My prediction is Texas wins 49-33. Get those cowbells ready! Double Coverage returns next week with a preview of West Virginia.

friday, september 28, 2012

3

Missed tackles mar Texas defense

By Lauren Giudice One wouldn’t expect tackling to be a skill that the Texas players struggle with, but the Longhorns are having difficulty stopping their opponents from gaining big yardage in the early goings of this season.

Defensive coordinator Manny Diaz said the team missed 11 tackles for an extra 120 yards against Ole Miss.

Against Wyoming, they whiffed on roughly nine.

“You watch film and you see things that need to be fixed and we have guys on the team that will get that fixed,” sophomore cornerback Quandre Diggs said.

“You can believe that.”

Safety Kenny Vaccaro said he didn’t realize how big the problem was until he watched the tape of the Longhorns’ last game. But he said it’s a correctable problem.

Two of the missed tackles against Ole Miss, one

by Ryan Roberson and the other by Alex De La Torre, allowed the Rebels’ Jaylen Walton to score on a kickoff return. Though those tackles hurt the Longhorns and allowed a quick score for the Rebels,

various mistakes from the defense this season have added up and given yards to offenses that should not be getting them.

“We could have had a lot more tackles for losses,” defensive tackle Desmond Jackson said. “We could have so many picks and we had missed opportunities. We just have to go in there and keep working.”

Defensive end Jackson Jeffcoat said the team has been doing tackling drills since two-a-days this summer.

The Longhorns analyzed tapes of their games and are focusing on their angles of pursuit.

“I think you have to coach fundamentals every week,” Diaz said. “That’s just what we do.”

Cornerbacks Diggs and Carrington Byndom have missed their share of tackles. Diggs made up for it with his two interceptions against Ole Miss. But these kinds of mistakes aren’t game-changing when facing teams that aren’t a huge challenge.

But when the Longhorns play Oklahoma State on Saturday, these

mistakes will be much more costly if not corrected.

“We can’t continue to do that with this league, the way that people score,” head coach Mack Brown said.

“We just have to keep working on it.”

The coaches have shown players exactly where their mistakes are and, because of the bye week, they’ve had two weeks of practice since their last game.

The Longhorns’ practice regiment hasn’t changed and they have continued with their normal tackling drills.

Ok lahoma State leads the nation with

686.67 yards per game. Although it had an upset loss to Arizona, quarterback Wes Lunt still threw for 436 yards and four touchdowns. The Cowboys still managed to accumulate 636 total offensive yards in the game. The Longhorns do not need tackling mistakes to help to this highpowered offense score

more points.

“We can still be a great defense,” Diggs said. “It’s things that are all correctable. We’re playing some alright opponents. We’re not playing bad teams.

It’s all things that can be corrected.”

Brown has the team split the season up. Their first three games are

considered preseason while the remaining games are the actual season.

The Longhorns should be hoping this new season brings more success when it comes to tackling.

They’ll need it over the next three weeks against Oklahoma State, West Virginia and Oklahoma.

Senior defensive end Alex Okafor Lawrence Peart | Daily Texan file photo

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Trent Lesikar | Daily Texan file photo Brandon Weeden (3) engineered two straight wins over the Longhorns in 2010 and 2011, but now Texas is looking to snag a victory from the ‘Pokes in Stillwater.

Two years later, Texas seeks revenge

By Chris Hummer It’s a rare occurence for Texas to lose at home during the Mack Brown era — it’s only happened nine times in Big 12 play over 14 years — but Oklahoma State has managed the feat in two straight seasons.

The games weren’t particularly close, either. In 2010 the Cowboys rolled into Austin and blasted Texas, 33-16, and then a year later they did it again, dropping the Longhorns, 38-26. That’s two losses by a combined 29 points at DKR in a twoyear stretch, leaving painful memories which haven’t

faded for the players.

“It’s not sitting very well,” offensive guard Trey Hopkins said. “It’s not something that happens, and it’s been unacceptable the past few years. We know that we have to change it, and that motivation will help us go on the road and get a little payback I think.”

In order to flip the script on Oklahoma State the Longhorns will have to come up with a game plan to contain the Cowboys’ prolific offense. Oklahoma State enters the game as the top scoring offense in the country averaging 62.3 points a game, including a staggering 84 points in its

season opener.

The Cowboys have done it by pounding the ball to the tune of 308 yards per contest with their powerful backfield tandem of Joseph Randle and Jeremy Smith. But, just as it was when Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon were at the helm, the passing attack is the Cowboys’ sharpest tool.

Oklahoma State is putting up 378 passing yards a game through the air, the second highest total in the FBS, and have done it with not one, but two freshman quarterbacks. Wes Lunt was the preseason starter, but J.W. Walsh stepped in when Lunt exited the Cowboys third game

with a knee injury.

And Walsh just didn’t fill in; he thrived, throwing for 347 yards and four touchdowns while adding 70 yards rushing to boot.

“I don’t know of anybody else in the country that could lose their starting quarterback and have a guy come in and set the record for total offense in school history,” defensive coordinator Manny Diaz said. “There’s no great speech needed this week.

They have our full attention.”

Lunt and Walsh are listed as co-starters for Saturday’s contest, so the Longhorns will be forced to prepare for the pocket presence of Lunt and the duel threat

capabilities of Walsh.

However, the Longhorns feature a defense that’s been touted as one of the best in the nation, and the players want to use this game as an opportunity to finally prove it.

“The next two weeks will be different,” cornerback Quandre Diggs said. “We can go out and show guys we’re serious and all the hype is real.”

But against a potent attack like that of the Cowboys, the final result will come down to Texas’ ability to put up points.

The past two seasons the Longhorns didn’t have the firepower to compete in a track meet with Oklahoma State, but this year they’re

much more equipped to do so. Texas is the seventh ranked offense in the country, assaulting opposing defenses for 49.3 points a game, numbers that have significantly boosted the confidence of the offense.

“We know when we’re on the field we’re going to score,” Hopkins said.

They’ll have to against the Cowboys, and the defense must live up to its billing as well in order to come away with a victory to begin a new streak against Oklahoma State.

“They definitely got the upper hand the last two years,” safety Kenny Vaccaro said.

“We want to change that.”

games to watch

friday, september 28, 2012

5

Peter Sblendorio daily texan staff

No. 14 ohio state at no. 20 michigan state Overall 4-0 Big Ten 0-0

Overall 3-1 Big Ten 0-0

no. 25 baylor at no. 9 west virginia Overall 3-0 Big 12 0-0

Overall 3-0 Big 12 0-0

wisconsin at no. 22 nebraska Overall 3-1 Big Ten 0-0

tennessee at no. 5 georgia Overall 3-1 SEC 0-1

Overall 3-1 Big Ten 0-0

Overall 4-0 SEC 2-0

Spartan Stadium, East Lansing Saturday 2:30 p.m.

TV: ABC

Mountaineer Field, Morgantown Saturday 11 a.m.

TV: FX

Memorial Stadium, Lincoln Saturday 7 p.m.

TV: ABC

Sanford Stadium, Athens Saturday 2:30 p.m.

TV: CBS

This matchup features a pair of strong teams in what is a possible conference championship game preview. Ohio State has looked strong on both sides of the ball this year in winning each of its first four games. Braxton Miller has been a star for the Buckeyes thus far, leading the team in both passing and rushing yards while being involved in 14 touchdowns in three games. He will face his toughest test yet, as Michigan State has held opponents to just 11.8 points per game in 2012. The Spartans have struggled on offense at times, however, averaging just 21 points per game through four weeks. This could very well come down to who performs better between the Buckeyes’ offense and the Spartans’ defense.

An aerial display between two top quarterbacks will be on display in this one. Nick Florence has transitioned into the starting role seamlessly thus far, throwing for 1,004 yards and 11 touchdowns in leading Baylor to a 3-0 record.

Geno Smith has been even better for the Mountaineers, passing for 1,072 yards and 12 touchdowns without an interception in his first three games. It will be interesting to see how well West Virginia performs in its first Big 12 game since joining the conference and the Bears will be their toughest test so far in the season.

Another enticing Big Ten contest, this one features a pair of 3-1 teams that love to run the football. Nebraska’s Ameer Abdullah has made strides this season, recording 416 yards on 69 carries this season and leading the team with six overall touchdowns. Montee Ball has not gotten off to quite the start that many expected him to after rushing for nearly 2,000 yards last season, but he has still earned 360 yards on the ground and has scored three touchdowns in four games. The Cornhuskers have outperformed the Badgers to this point, but this could be a game where Wisconsin looks to make a statement to the rest of the conference with a big win.

In the SEC’s biggest matchup of the week, the Bulldogs should be at full strength for the first time this season with the return of a few suspended players. Led by Tyler Bray’s 1,301 passing yards, the Volunteers are ranked 17th in the nation in total offense, just four spots behind the Bulldogs. Quarterback Aaron Murray and a duo of freshman running backs have paced a strong Georgia offense this year, but it is the Bulldogs’ defense that has been most impressive. Bray and the Volunteers will have to be able to complete drives with touchdowns if they are to have a chance at an upset, but that is easier said than done against one of the country’s best defenses.

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stop the run The Oklahoma State offense has put up colossal statistics through the first three weeks of the season. They currently rank No. 1 in points, averaging just over 62 per contest. Although they rank No. 2 in passing yards for the year, it is the Cowboys’ run game that will need to be contained in this outing. With a redshirt freshman quarterback at the helm in his first game against a powerhouse like Texas, the Cowboys will likely look to run the ball relentlessly. The team ranks No. 6 in the nation in rushing yards with just over 308 per game. The offense features two backs who have each scored four rushing touchdowns on the season and a quarterback in J.W. Walsh who has proven the ability to run when needed.

Junior Joseph Randle leads the rushing attack for the Cowboys and will likely be the main player to watch out for. The Longhorns must get constant pressure in the backfield in order to clog up the running lanes in this game. The Longhorns must step up by attacking hard and containing the rush if they hope to keep the offense in check.

throw the football While the Cowboys’ offense is known for its big play potential, the defense is also known for giving up big plays. Currently ranked No. 81 in points allowed, the Cowboys’ defense has allowed almost 28 points per contest.

Against Arizona the defense was torched for nearly 400 passing yards, which exposed some weaknesses in the secondary that could easily be exploited by David Ash and the Longhorns. Ash has shown a huge improvement in the passing game and should look to throw the ball with relative frequency in this matchup to shed light on the weaknesses of the Cowboys.

The Longhorns are currently averaging 49 points per game including 255 passing yards per game. With this arsenal of tools and proven results, the Longhorns should test the secondary every chance they get.

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The Longhorns’ week five matchup will take place in Stillwater, where Oklahoma State will have a huge advantage with their always raucous home crowd. In order to silence the crowd and shift the momentum in their favor, the Longhorns should waste no time getting on the scoreboard. The offense should go for big plays early to disrupt the Cowboys’ methodical offensive tempo. If this means running a trick play or two to start the ballgame then that’s exactly what Texas should do. If the Longhorns can marginalize the impact and confidence advantage the Cowboys will enter this game with, they should have no problem sticking to the rest of their game plan.

friday, september 28, 2012

players to watch

7

matt warden daily texan staff

blake jackson junior wide receiver j.w. walsh freshman qb Continuing with the offensive theme of a team that is known for its high-powered offense, receiver Blake Jackson is a guy that could cause many matchup problems for the Longhorns.

Jackson has reeled in 12 receptions for 217 yards and a touchdown in two games this season. At 6-foot-3, 235 pounds Jackson could present a significant size mismatch from the flex if the Longhorns decide to cover him one on one. The junior college transfer (Scottsdale CC) was named an NJCAA AllAmerican last year and has a knack for finding space when he’s on the field. While he may be forced to do a fair amount of blocking against the imposing front line of the Longhorns, Jackson should definitely be on everyone’s radar from start to finish in this matchup.

Due to the injury of starting quarterback Wes Lunt, Walsh was thrust in to the starting role in week three for the Cowboys. Including action that he saw in week one in the rout of Savannah State, Walsh has passed for 496 yards and six touchdowns in two games this season. His 67-percent completion rate proves that the redshirt freshman can throw the football just as well as Lunt and that his arm should be respected by the Longhorns’ defense. Walsh has also shown the ability to run the football, compiling 112 rushing yards on 10 carries this season. Although he’s not as prolific as the dual-threat quarterbacks the Longhorns have already faced this season, Walsh has proven that he can make plays in a number of ways. The Longhorns should look to rattle the freshman and force him to make mistakes in his first collegiate game against a legitimate opponent.

joseph randle junior running back Through three games this season Randle has carried the ball a staggering 50 times while racking up four touchdowns for his trouble. He has rushed for over 100 yards in every game, compiling 335 total rushing yards. Randle possesses a unique blend of strength and speed that makes him a breakaway threat any time he touches the ball. Also a formidable receiver, Randle has caught the ball nine times for 77 yards this season, including eight catches against Arizona in week two.

Sue Ogrocki Associated Press

8

friday, september 28, 2012

offensive matchups Peter Sblendorio

quarterback advantage

PRINT

Coming off one of the best performance of his career against Ole Miss, David Ash will be looking for another big game in Texas’ first Big 12 tilt of the season. Ash has been remarkably accurate thus far, completing 76.4 percent of passes in three games for 703 yards. Even more impressive, he has thrown seven touchdowns without an interception to start his sophomore campaign. Oklahoma State has also benefitted from strong quarterback play, but it will likely be without starter Wes Lunt due a knee injury. Backup J.W. Walsh is a threat to pass or run the ball, but it is difficult to predict how he will fare in his first career start.

running backs advantage

MOBILE

The Longhorns seem to get a big game from a different running back every week. It was Malcolm Brown who led the Longhorns against Ole Miss, tallying 128 yards and two touchdowns against the Ole Miss. Brown is the team’s leading rusher with 237 yards on the year and Joe Bergeron is not far behind with 207 rushing yards of his own. The Cowboys have been even more balanced at the position this season, with three rushers accumulating at least 160 yards on the ground. Oklahoma State running backs have scored 13 touchdowns on the ground and as a team the Cowboys average seven yards per carry. Texas fans should already be acquainted with the Cowboys’ tandem of junior backs in Joseph Randle and Jeremy Smith, who torched the Longhorns’ defense for over 200 yards and three scores on the ground last season in Austin.

wide receivers advantage

ONLINE

The Texas and Oklahoma State receiving corps are fairly similar, as both teams have averaged 12.8 yards per reception through three games. The Cowboys rely primarily on Blake Jackson and Josh Stewart, who have each recorded more than 200 yards receiving through the air and Tracy Moore is the team’s top scoring threat with four touchdowns. The Texas wideouts are coming off of a game in which they notched 326 yards and four touchdowns through the air and Marquise Goodwin had his first big receiving game of the year. With the OSU receivers likely without their starting quarterback, look for the Longhorns corps to be the bigger performers.

offensive line advantage

mobile website coming Sept. 27 dailytexanonline.com

Neither team has much to complain about along the offensive line. Texas has benefitted from strong blocking while both passing and running the ball thus far and the team has had very few plays go for a loss. The Cowboys’ line has also been the anchor of their offense, especially running the ball. The team has averaged more than 300 yards per game on the ground and five different OSU players have gained at least 91 yards running the ball.

That’s very good efficiency and the line deserves a lot of the credit.

friday, september 28, 2012

9

Graduation, injuries force Gundy to revamp strategy

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By Brendon Morris The Daily O’Collegian

Oklahoma State’s game against Texas on Saturday will be a measuring stick for OSU coach Mike Gundy and the program he’s built.

Sometimes it’s an overused term, but in this case it fits.

Oklahoma State’s football team was hit hard by graduation after the 2011 season, losing two first-round NFL draft picks in Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon. The Cowboys also lost defensive captain Markelle Martin in the fourth round and both of the team’s starting defensive ends.

Since the departures, Gundy has constantly had to answer two questions: Will he reload or rebuild, and who is his quarterback?

The latter was announced at the end of spring practices when freshman Wes Lunt won the starting job. His 6-foot-4 frame and electric arm was exactly what Gundy and offensive coordinator Todd Monken wanted for Weeden’s replacement.

Lunt’s play this season was initially strong, and included him breaking the Big 12 single-game passing record for a freshman against Arizona when he threw for 436 yards and three touchdowns. It seemed as though Gundy had answered both of the offseason questions with ease — at least until the first quarter of the Louisiana-Lafayette game.

Lunt was tackled as he rolled to his right and remained on the turf while grabbing at his knee in obvious pain.

Just like that, the second question came back into play.

Will the Cowboys reload, or will they rebuild?

Gundy has said several times that his goal is to have a two-deep depth chart, a

s

s

e

Sue Ogrocki | Associated Press Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy talks on his headset as he watches from the sidelines in the fourth quarter of a game against Louisiana-Lafayette in Stillwater, Okla. on Sept. 15. Oklahoma State won, 65-24.

situation that would provide flawless transitions between the starter and backup in an injury situation.

It’s a recruiting plan much like Texas coach Mack Brown has in place, though Oklahoma State doesn’t quite have the power that the Longhorns have in their offseason acquisitions.

“There’s a number of advantages in playing or coaching for Texas,” Gundy said.

“If you started writing down the big-time guys they’ve

had, you’d take up an entire notebook ... We’re starting to get into that geographical region more than we have in the past, but we’re obviously not on their level.”

But Gundy is moving in the right direction, and it showed two weeks ago when former Denton Guyer quarterback J.W. Walsh lined up behind center in Lunt’s absence.

Walsh, a redshirt-freshman, torched the Ragin’ Cajun defense for 420 total

yards, which was good for the eighth-best single-game total in Oklahoma State history.

The backup looked strong but it was also against La.-Lafaeyette, who’s obviously not a Big 12-quality football team.

Now, Walsh faces a bear of a challenge in a Texas defense that boasts two of the best defensive ends in the nation in Alex Okafor and Jackson Jeffcoat, and the talent doesn’t stop there. The Longhorn secondary is just as loaded, and is

so athletic that they play man defense a majority of the time.

That game plan is something that has given OSU some trouble against the Longhorns in their last two match ups.

“This will be a good test for both of us to find out where we’re really at, at least in my opinion,” Gundy said.

“I don’t know that we’ll play anybody that will be as athletic as these guys.”

This game will show where Gundy stands. Is he where he

wants his program to be, a two-deep football team capable of sustaining their level of play even when the injury-bug bites? Or is the team still trying to get there, trying their hardest to rebuild after the mortar of Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon was removed from their brick wall?

Saturday’s match up against the best defense in the Big 12 will tell you all you need to know.

Rebuilding, or reloading?

10

friday, september 28, 2012

quotes to note

next issue october 5

bryan harsin

Manny diaz

Mason walters

Mack Brown

co-offensive coordinator

defensive coordinator

offensive guard

head coach

“I think there’s a mindset regardless of how do you handle adversity, success, business. Your mentality doesn’t change regardless.

That’s hard to do. It’s human nature to get excited when you’re up, and it’s the same way when you get down, to kind of get down on yourself.”

“Last year at this meeting we all would have talked about [Justin] Blackmon and [Brandon] Weeden. It just shows you in this game, they have a system that is predicated on taking what the defense gives them. So we will have to be sound regardless of who the people are.”

“There’s something that has to be paid by every individual before they can go out and compete in the Longhorn uniform.”

“Even if you’re given an opportunity, you have to earn the right to keep it. You’re not going to play because of how many stars you had in high school, or who your family is or because you’re fast. You’re going to play because you’ve earned the right.”

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friday, september 28, 2012

Early-season superlatives

Best player David Ash, QB After two years of shoddy quarterback play, it’s alarming anybody would gripe about Ash underthrowing a few receivers.

Those issues will get ironed out. It’s not surprising Ash has been good — come on, look at the defenses he’s gone up against — but it is surprising just how good he’s been. He’s third in the nation in completion percentage and passer rating, seventh in yards per attempt and one of only 14 qualifying quarterbacks (minimum of 15 attempts per game) to have not thrown an interception.

Don’t forget, this is the guy who threw eight of ‘em as a freshman last season.

Can he keep it up?

We’ll see. If he can, it’s not hard to imagine Texas being in the hunt for a conference championship come November.

11

By Trey Scott Associate Managing Editor

Projected finish 10-2

Losses to West Virginia and at Kansas State

Best group

Elisabeth Dillon | Daily Texan file photo

Most disappointing Carrington Byndom, CB Byndom’s still an above-average collegiate cornerback, but he simply hasn’t made the strides expected of him after a promising sophomore season. He has one interception, but doesn’t rank in the top 100 nationally in passes defended or passes broken up. Heck, he doesn’t even have a PBU. This isn’t a case of quarterbacks not throwing his way — they most certainly are. Byndom has whiffed on several tackles in the secondary to allow long plays. When he was most effective a year ago, Byndom was bumping receivers at the line of scrimmage, then blanketing them the rest of the way. Now, most of the time, he’s playing eight yards off and allowing curl route after curl route. With four consecutive games against fantastic receiving corps on the horizon, Byndom has a chance to prove he hasn’t lost a step.

The Texas offensive line has made major strides since last season, when it gave up one sack every 13 passing attempts. The rate the Longhorns are at now, they’re giving up one sack every 36. It’s no wonder the Longhorns are racking up 514 total yards a game.

The group has taken on the nasty mentality of its leader, right guard Mason Walters (left), who had 12 pancake blocks in the season opener.

“Coach [Mack] Brown always talks about how great players can’t have a bad day, and that’s extremely true,” Walters said.

The JUCO addition of Brandon Hawkins at left tackle been big.

Seven of the Longhorns’ 11 rushing touchdowns have been run in his direction.

Trend to watch Yes, total yards rushing and yards per carry are a perfectly fine way to measure running backs, but what matters more is what a runner does with each of his carries. I’ve been tracking “quality carries” this season, which is classified as one that gains four-plus yards or results in a first down or touchdown. Broken down into percentages, here’s how it looks for Texas’ three main ballcarriers.

Joe Bergeron — 73 percent Malcolm Brown — 59 percent Johnathan Gray — 43 percent Will Bergeron and Brown continue to share the workload? It’s worth asking after the latter was handed the ball just twice against New Mexico, though Brown rebounded with a brilliant showing against Ole Miss. And when will Gray be ready for 10plus carries a game? That needs answering, too, especially when head coach Mack Brown said his ideal carries distribution would be 15-15-15. Gray, the No. 1 running back recruit out of high school last season, did not come to Austin to play a bit role.

Due for a breakout Josh Turner, cB

Oklahoma State, West Virginia, Oklahoma and Baylor all utilize multi-receiver sets.

To counter, the Longhorns will slide Kenny Vaccaro to the slot to play the nickel and bring in either Turner or Mykkele Thompson as the fifth defensive back. While Thompson might have better long-term upside, the nod here goes to Turner, who is fluid in coverage and boasts good ball skills. Right now, he just seems more comfortable in the secondary than Thompson.

receivers in motion

By Lauren Giudice

When Mike Davis sees David Ash throw the ball to him, he thinks, ‘Yes, it’s coming. Time to score a touchdown.’

Based on what the Longhorns’ offense accomplished against Ole Miss, it looks like Davis and the other wide receivers will be getting those opportunities more often.

Davis had five catches for 124 yards and a touchdown against the Rebels, but he wasn’t the only member of the wide receiver corps who got the opportunity to show what he can do.

Marquise Goodwin also had two catches for 102 yards and a touchdown, Jaxon Shipley accumulated 35 yards and D.J. Grant and Ryan Roberson both had receiving touchdowns as well.

Not what you’d expect from a team that has structured its offense around its running backs.

“Whenever you have a balanced offense, it’s like a championship team,” Davis said. “I just feel like whenev-

er you can do both it’s the best thing for a football team.”

Ash went 19-for-23 and threw to nine different players against the Rebels. All of the offensive weapons at his disposal leads to opposing defensive backs not knowing whom to key on, giving the Longhorns an advantage downfield.

Until recently, Texas hadn’t utilized them enough. The Longhorns came in eighth in both scoring offense and passing offense in the Big 12 last season. The Longhorns have been focusing even more on balancing the offense this season and the Ole Miss game showed that.

“Teams are going to have to play the passing game as well as the running game,” Shipley said. “Because I know that they’ve been playing the run a lot, because we do have a good run game. I think last game showed that we’re dangerous downfield, and they’re going to have to play that as well.”

Against Oklahoma State last season, none of the Texas receivers scored touchdowns and Ash threw for just 139 yards. With Ash having more experience under his belt, that gives his receivers the opportunity to catch the ball more.

Though some of Ash’s passes in the Ole Miss game were underthrown, the athleticism of the receivers, especially that of Goodwin, compensated and they led the offense to one of its best games in the past two seasons.

“They’re all blocking for each other, more of a team concept,” head coach Mack Brown said. “Marquise Goodwin showed his ability to score on the run, and in the air. That speed really helps us as well. But I thought the guys really helped the quarterbacks and went after the ball, which is something we’ve been encouraging them to do.”

The game against Ole Miss was the first time in Texas football history the team has passed and rushed for at least 300 yards during a road game.

While it’s not the offense’s job to stop OSU from scoring, it is its job to score at least one more point than them.

“We’re all on the same page now,” Davis said. “We’ve always been on the page with running. But now we’ve clicked with our passing game and that’s why our offense is so good right now.”

Photos by Elisabeth Dillon, Lawrence Peart, Zachary Strain and Andrew Torrey | Daily Texan file photos

Wideouts look to Goodwin for inspiration, leadership

By Chris Hummer Marquise Goodwin lines up on the outside and you can see the defensive back adjust. They always takes a few steps back in preparation for Goodwin’s Olympic-level burst of speed off the line, a speed his teammates can only compare to a fleet cartoon hedgehog.

“Man, Marquise is like Sonic out there,” wide receiver Mike Davis said.

That’s pretty lofty praise considering Davis isn’t exactly a plodder himself, but Goodwin seems to be on his own level when he glides over the hash marks. His quick acceleration has helped him become Texas’ big play threat early this season, a role the senior shined in most recently against Ole Miss.

In the Longhorns’ first road test of the season, the elder statesman of the Texas receiving corps exploded for 106 yards receiving, 80 yards rushing and a pair of touchdowns. Impressively, Goodwin put up these numbers in only four touches, which means

he averaged a staggering 46.5 yards each time he handled the ball.

However, as potentially prolific as Goodwin has the ability to be, his role on the team is greater than just being an occasional highlight waiting to happen. He’s a leader, a positive role model to his younger teammates and one of the hardest workers on the team.

“He’s one of those guys that I look up to and look to learn from,” wide receiver Jaxon Shipley said.

“Just to have an older guy to look up to and just know that ‘I want to practice like this guy, I want to play like this guy’ is very good for us.”

When you consider all that Goodwin has on his schedule it’s incredible to hear from his fellow wideouts about his work ethic. Not only does Goodwin deal with the daily grind of being a football player at one of the most prestigious programs in the country, but he also carves out time to be an international track star.

Goodwin is a two-time US outdoor world champion in the long jump, a four-time NCAA All-Amer-

ican and was able to represent the U.S. this summer in the Olympics. Goodwin, the U.S. trials champion in the long jump, finished a disappointing 10th in London last month, but he was upbeat when looking back on the situation, considering himself lucky to just have had the experience. “[It taught me] perseverance and fighting,” Goodwin said. “I got to experience international competition, which is something most American football players don’t get to do.”

With Goodwin’s schedule it would be easy to understand if he overlooked the “student” in his student-athlete, but Goodwin also excels in the classroom. He’s a two-time All-Big 12 Honor roll selection and a four-time member of UT’s Athletics Director’s Honor Roll. “[An] amazing guy,” head coach Mack Brown said. “Never made [less than] an A or B. He is a guy that could be headed to New York for the National Scholarship Hall of Fame. He’s that type of student with his success. He’s really a breath of fresh air for us.”

14

friday, september 28, 2012

defensive matchups Peter Sblendorio

defensive line advantage

The big difference here comes down to how much pressure these teams are getting when they are unable to get to the ball in the backfield. The Longhorns have held opponents to 7.3 yards per pass attempt — more than a yard more than the Cowboys have allowed — but have recorded 30 quarterback pressures in addition to their seven team sacks. Texas’ ability to provide pressure and rush the quarterback has led to six interceptions and the defensive line is wreaking havoc even when they’re not recording sacks.

linebackers advantage

Jordan Hicks is having another strong season for the Longhorns, and Steve Edmond has responded well to an increase in playing time this year. As a whole, however, Texas has had some inconsistency at the position, and Hicks is likely to be sidelined in this week’s game with an ankle injury. The Cowboys’ linebackers have been solid, especially in run defense, as the team has limited opponents to just 3.0 yards per carry. OSU’s stability at the position should give the Cowboys the edge, especially if Texas is without its best linebacker.

defensive backs advantage

The Cowboys have been less forgiving than the Longhorns in the sense that they allow fewer yards per pass on average. Oklahoma State has limited opponents to just 6.1 yards per pass and 10.9 yards per completion, compared to totals of 7.3 yards and 13.8 yards for Texas, respectively. That being said, the Longhorns’ defensive backs have been considerably more explosive, recording six interceptions to the Cowboys’ two. The Longhorns’ big play ability in the secondary could prove to be important against a team that likes to throw the ball.

special teams advantage

Texas has excelled on returns through three games, averaging 19.0 yards on kickoffs and 22.0 yards returning punts. These totals are far superior to Oklahoma State’s numbers, as they have averaged 14.5 yards on kickoff and nine yards on punt returns.

The Cowboys have been much more solid kicking the ball, however, as Quinn Sharp has missed just one field goal and is perfect so far on extra points. Texas has not been as consistent at splitting the uprights, as Nick Jordan is 3-of-7 on field goal attempts. If this game comes down to a field goal, the Cowboys would probably have the upper hand.

heisman watch

friday, september 28, 2012

15

wes maulsby daily texan staff

e

s

s

s

Aaron Murray Junior QB, Georgia

E.J. Manuel Senior QB, Florida State

A.J. McCarron Junior QB, Alabama

Geno Smith Senior QB, West Virginia

Matt Barkley Senior QB, USC

Colin Klein Senior QB, Kansas State

Last Week 18-24 (75 percent) for 250 yards and two TDs. Season 69-104 (66 percent) for 1092 yards, 10 TDs and two interceptions.

Last Week 27-35 (77.1 percent) for 380 yards and two passing TDs. Season 69-94 (73.4 percent) for 905 yards, eight TDs and one interception.

Last Week 15-25 (60 percent) for 212 yards and three TDs. Season 51-81 (63 percent) for 819 yards and 10 TDs.

Last Week: 30-43 (69.8 percent) for 338 yards and three passing TDs. Season: 96-118 (81.4 percent) for 1,072 yards and 12 TDs.

Last Week 22-34 (64.7 percent) for 192 yards, two TDs and two interceptions.

Season 88-143 (61.5 percent) for 1,005 yards, 12 TDs and five interceptions.

With Arkansas falling apart at the seams, Murray has dethroned Tyler Wilson as the top passer in the SEC. Murray’s stats are solid, but he has yet to play any elite competition. That should change as the Bulldogs get deeper into their SEC schedule. He will have a showdown against Tennessee’s Tyler Bray this weekend in what should mark the start of his Heisman campaign. The Dawgs’ schedule really heats up in two weeks when they head to Columbia to play South Carolina in a game that could decide the SEC East.

Three weeks later, Georgia will host a tough and resurgent Florida team. If Georgia navigates its schedule, and gets past either LSU or Alabama in the SEC title game, Murray has a chance to take over the top spot in the Heisman race.

The victory over Clemson at home was the Seminoles’ first marquee win of the season, and could be the last one. The ACC is not a strong conference this season. Outside of Florida State and Clemson, there is not another ranked team in the conference. Virginia Tech can still be dangerous, and the Seminoles have a road game against Virginia Tech in November, but that is about all the ACC has to offer. Florida State needs for Florida to continue to get better and provide another marquee game — and, for Manuel, a stage — at the end of the season. Manuel is the most dynamic player Florida State has had in years and his play has been key for the Seminoles being relevant again on the national stage.

The Crimson Tide is almost the unanimous choice for the top team in the country.

Although most of the attention will fall on its defense, when it faces LSU, it will be up to McCarron to guide the Alabama offense to victory.

Without Trent Richardson in the backfield, McCarron takes on a larger role in the offense, and he will have to show that he can take full control of the offense as defenses stack the box to stop the run. Traditionally, the quarterback on the nation’s top ranked team has a guaranteed spot in the Heisman race. While Alabama doesn’t necessarily conform to that trend, McCarron will be in the spotlight a lot as the season goes on and he belongs on this list until the Crimson Tide stumble.

The Mountaineers’ signal caller is the leader of one of the most prolific offenses in the nation. Smith’s profile has a chance to skyrocket over the next few weeks as West Virginia faces Baylor, Texas, Texas Tech and Kansas State.

West Virginia is near the bottom of the Big 12 in total defense, so for the Mountaineers to win the conference, it will be relying on Smith and the offense to carry the load..

Baylor brings one of the most high octane offenses in the nation into Morgantown, and if West Virginia is going to stay unbeaten Smith will need to be on top of his game. With both defenses near the bottom of the Big 12, Smith will have a golden opportunity to put up monster numbers and cement his place atop the Heisman race. Smith’s biggest opposition could come from his own team if Tavon Austin erupts.

Barkley’s Heisman chances may have taken a shot, but they are not dead just yet. He is still one of the best quarterbacks in the country and USC can still make its way back into the National Championship chase, but it has some work to do. With only two games left against opponents currently ranked, the Trojans need to make sure they run the table in order to keep Barkley in contention. The strength of the Trojans’ schedule is at the end, with Oregon and Notre Dame both making trips to the Coliseum in November.

Matchups against dangerous UCLA and Arizona State squads also highlight USC’s November schedule. Barkley will need to put up stellar numbers if he wants to climb the Heisman ladder, otherwise he is going to passed up by other players as their teams eye national titles.

Last Week 13-21 (61.9 percent) for 149 yards. 17 rushes for 79 yards (4.6 yards per carry) and one TD. Season 56-80 (70 percent) for 758 yards for five TDs and two interceptions, 63 rushes for 289 yards(4.6 yards per carry) and five TDs.

Kansas State’s trip to Norman did more than lift the veil on a Sooners team that is filled with holes; it proved that the Wildcats are not a one-hit wonder. There is not a more disciplined and technically sound team in the country than the Wildcats, not surprising for a team coached by Bill Snyder. The other signature trait of Snyder’s teams is that they are tough, and there may not be a tougher player in the nation than the man some call “Optimus Klein.” If Kansas State wins in Morgantown in a few weeks similarly to how it won in Norman, then expect Klein to stick around on this list for a long time.

Photos by Associated Press

big 12 notebook

16

friday, september 28, 2012

TCU streaking, Tech’s defense surging

By Nick Cremona

ing to be a good game,” Baylor quarteback Nick Florence said.

• The longest active win streak in the nation belongs to TCU at 11 games. The Horned Frogs will look to extend that streak this week against SMU, but will be without the services of running back Waymon James, who was lost for the remainder of the season after suffering a knee injury against Kansas on Sept. 15. James had averaged 9.9 yards per carry on 17 carries in TCU’s first two games.

• Texas Tech leads the nation in total defense.

The Red Raiders are giving up less than 76 yards rushing a game and have drastically improved their statistics from last year when

For teams around the Big 12 it’s time to put the cupcakes down and start conference play.

Here’s what’s happening around the conference in this first week of games that matter slighlty more than those played in previous weeks.

• Baylor heads to Morgantown, W.V. with a ninegame win streak in tow. If the Bears were to upset the Mountaineers this weekend the 10-game win streak would be the longest in school history.

“Their fans will be excited, and so will we. They have a lot to prove, and so will we. It’s go-

they were ranked 114th out of 120 FBS teams in total defense.

“It’s good to have some success,” head coach Tommy Tuberville said. “I think our guys are building confidence.

The reality will set in in terms of what we are getting ready to get into.”

• West Virginia will play in its first Big 12 game against a scrappy Baylor team this weekend. Quarterback Geno Smith is second in the nation in passing efficiency, just behind TCU’s Casey Pachall and one spot ahead of the Longhorns’ David Ash. • Oklahoma State punt returner David Glidden made his debut against La.Lafayette last week, fielding seven punts and returning five for 19 yards. The redshirt freshman could look to make an impact this week against Texas. The Cowboys’ offense line has

yet to allow a sack this season and has paved the way for a rushing attack that ranks second nationally in yards per carry at 6.95.

• According to a report by The Tulsa World, Oklahoma defensive tackle Stacy McGee may become available after the Sooners’ Oct. 27 game against Notre Dame. McGee was suspended prior to the Sooners’ season opener against UTEP. Wide receivers Jaz Reynolds and Trey Franks, along with defensive back Quentin Hayes all remain suspended from game action but remain on the active roster.

• After starting in the Wildcats’ opener, Kansas State offensive guard Nick Puetz has missed the last three games with a foot/ ankle injury. Head coach Bill Snyder is always a joy to watch in front of the media, and he didn’t disappont this

week either.

“I’m going to have to get back on the coaches’ poll so I can get us down in the rankings a little bit more,” Snyder said.

• Kansas suffered its 14th straight road loss against Northern Illinois on Sept. 22.

“It’s tough, but this is a loss we’ve got to build on,” said running back James Sims. “It’s going to be with us throughout, but we have to move on from it. It’s over and done with. We just didn’t come through like we were supposed to.”

• Iowa State wide receiver Quenton Bundrage’s status is unknown for the Texas Tech game. Bundrage was charged with purchasing alcohol for a minor during the Cyclones’ bye week. Head coach Paul Rhoads remains confident that running back Jeff Woody will be ready for this week’s game.

Do you know your line?

stole

sexually agressive

belligerent

obnoxious

eat while drinking

stay with a buddy

peed your pants

avoid drinking games

sweaty

threw up on the e-bus

alternate with non-alcoholic beverages

passed out & missed the game

Most students have 4 drinks or less when they go out. Visit our tailgate, have fun at the game, and Know Your Line!

KnowYourLine UT Division of Student Affairs University Health Services © 2012

Orlin Wagner | Associated Press Kansas State coach Bill Snyder watches from the sideline during the second half of a game against Miami in Manhattan, Kan. Sept. 8. Kansas State defeated Miami, 52-13.

Above Left: Iowa State wide receiver Quenton Bundrage Charlie Neibergall | Associated Press

friday, september 28, 2012

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big 12 power rankings wes maulsby daily texan staff

kansas state Kansas State is certainly not the most glamorous team in the conference, but it may be the toughest and most physical. It forced Oklahoma into three turnovers, and ran for over 200 yards while holding the Sooners to just 88. The Wildcats have the week off as they enter the easiest part of their schedule with games against Kansas and Iowa State. Kansas State will have to be ready for the end of the season though as its road game against West Virginia is one of four games against ranked foes to end the season.

west virginia The Mountaineers had a tough time against Maryland, which limited West Virginia’s potent offense to 363 yards while piling on 351 on the Mountaineers’ defense. Even more concerning for the Mountaineers is that they were only able to run for 25 yards against the Maryland defense. If West Virginia cannot remedy its defense and run game then it will have a tough time against the offenses in the Big 12. Saturday’s home game against an explosive Baylor team will be important one for the Mountaineers to see where they stand.

texas The Longhorns had the week off to nail down what went right on offense and what went wrong on defense against Ole Miss. Texas had its highest offensive output since hanging 70 points on Colorado in 2005. However, the defense gave up a 75-yard touchdown pass, a 48-yard touchdown run and an uncharacteristic 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. The Texas defense came into the season with lots of hype, but has had a tendency to give up big plays, and has the unfortunate habit of committing drive-extending personal fouls. The task gets a lot tougher this week as the Longhorns go on the road to take on Oklahoma State.

oklahoma The Sooners experienced a setback on Saturday as they fell at home to Kansas State in a poor offensive showing. Oklahoma was done in by turnovers and its inability to get anything going on the ground. Additionally, its defense was unable to stop the Wildcats on the ground and only managed one tackle for loss and could not register a sack. The Sooners’ lofty preseason expectations seem to have given way for doom and gloom up in Norman. Also, Landry Jones has not been able to become the Heisman candidate that some had expected.

tcu The big problem for the Horned Frogs comes in the red zone. TCU is No. 117 in red zone efficiency so far this season. The Horned Frogs have only managed to score on 56 percent of their trips into the red zone and they have developed a habit of turning the ball over when they get close to the end zone. TCU goes on the road to play SMU before diving completely into conference play in October. TCU will have to take advantage of its scoring opportunities if it wants to have a chance to win the conference.

6

baylor

7

texas tech

8

oklahoma state

9

iowa state

10

The sixth spot in the conference is essentially a toss-up between Baylor and Texas Tech. The Bears get the nod for going on the road and beating a Louisiana-Monroe team that may be the best in program history. The Bears have an offense that can challenge any team in the conference and are probably more vertical than any other Big 12 team. But the big issue for Baylor is its lack of defense. La.-Monroe actually outgained Baylor last Friday, and were if not for three turnovers, that five-point game might have gone the other way.

The Red Raiders got bumped down a little for not having played anyone worth mentioning. Their defense seems to be improved, having only allowed three touchdowns so far this season while leading the nation in total defense (yes, that stat is correct). But the Red Raiders’ offense is still rolling and makes up one of the four Big 12 teams in the top five nationally in passing offense.

The Red Raiders also lead the nation in first downs, averaging 35 a game. Texas Tech gets its first test of the season with a road trip to Ames to play an Iowa State team that is capable to beating high profile teams at home.

The Cowboys rebounded two weeks ago with a win over outmatched Louisiana-Lafayette. The Cowboys’ offense is one of the best in the country, but it was held in check by Arizona in its first year under Rich Rodriguez. After leading the conference in turnover margin last season, Oklahoma State is No. 105 in turnover margin this season, which has left its defense exposed. Oklahoma State will have to make sure its defense is ready for a Texas offense that is starting to click and its offense will need to avoid turnovers if it wants to beat Texas for the third consecutive season and have a chance to repeat as Big 12 champions.

The Cyclones are 3-0 for the second consecutive season, and for the third time in last ten years. With the Big 12 as strong as it has been in years, the Cyclones need to take as many games as they can at home if they wants to return to a bowl game. This weekend’s game against the Red Raiders is one of the few games on the schedule not against a ranked opponent. Iowa State is third in the conference in total defense and with Texas Tech leading the nation in total defense, Saturday’s game should be a defensive slugfest. Actually, scratch that. This game should be a highscoring affair, same as every game in the Big 12.

kansas After starting the season off with a win, it’s all been downhill for Kansas. The Jayhawks are last in the conference in scoring and total offense, and in the bottom third of the conference in total defense. The addition of Charlie Weis and Dayne Crist have not provided good results as the Jayhawks are only averaging 21 points a game. Kansas has a week to prepare for its next game against in state rival Kansas State. It’s going to be difficult for Kansas to stay out of the basement in the Big 12, but with so many unlikely results every year in college football, who knows what kind of surprises the Jayhawks can manage over the next two months.

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friday, september 28, 2012

19

Cowboys plan on corraling confident Longhorns

By Sara Beth Purdy This weekend’s game between Texas and Oklahoma State might as well be a battle between two Texas teams. After all, 66 members of the Oklahoma State football team are from Texas in addition to safeties coach Van Malone, who played at Texas from 1990-1993.

Saturday evening, Texas will open its Big 12 slate of games against the Cowboys in Stillwater, Okla. at Boone Pickens Stadium. The Cowboys are 8-8 in Big 12 openers, and 6-2 under head coach Mike Gundy.

The Longhorns hold a 22-4 advantage over the Cowboys and have won the last 10 games at Pickens Stadium, the last win coming in 2009. However, Oklahoma State took advantage of the Longhorns’ two-year slump and are riding a twogame win streak over Texas.

Last season the Cowboys won a close game 38-26 in Austin. The Oklahoma State defense forced three turnovers, logged five sacks and 13 tackles for a loss. Although Texas quarterback David Ash passed for 139 yards last year, he also fumbled once and threw two picks.

The Cowboys still have not released the name of their starting quarterback for Saturday although it is not because they are trying to be secretive.

Gundy and the football team’s medical staff are remaining optimistic about quarterback Wes Lunt. Lunt was the Cowboys’ starting quarterback until he suffered a knee injury two weeks ago against Louisiana-Lafayette.

“They’re going to cut off his knee brace today,” Gundy said.

“They looked at it a few days ago, and it was even better than what we thought...we’re excited about the feedback we’re getting from the medical staff.”

Texas would fare better

against a cautious Lunt who is hesitant to risk the big plays that have been hurting the Texas defense lately.

It would be better than a healthy J.W. Walsh, the explosive redshirt freshman who turned in 732 total yards of offense last weekend coming off the bench for Lunt.

The Texas defense will also have its hands full with Joseph Randle, who is Oklahoma State’s leading rusher and is currently the top rusher in the Big 12 with 335 total yards.

For comparison’s sake, Texas’ Malcolm Brown is currently fifth with 238 yards on the ground. So far this season, the defensive unit from Texas has given up 148.3 yards rushing per game, despite only giving up 16 points on average. “[The Longhorns] are aggressive and well-coached,” Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Todd Monken said.

“You have to make sure you are sound in everything you do I think they do a really good job and their guys play hard. They fly around the football.”

In addition, Oklahoma State has the top-rated offense in the Big 12 through the first three games in all categories — rushing, passing, scoring and total offense.

On defense, Texas has outperformed Oklahoma State in every category so far this season. The Cowboy’s biggest challenge, like Texas’ previous three opponents, will be to stop the prolific run attack that Texas has been utilizing in non-conference games.

“I think we’re doing a good job of establishing that in practice,” OSU cornerback Justin Gilbert said. “We’re practicing pretty heavily against the run.

They have some big backs, so we have to work on going out there and stopping them.”

Last season, Ash was the quarterback who got the nod for Texas against the Cowboys.

Above: Joseph Randle spearheads a vaunted Oklahoma State rushing attack that averages over 300 rushing yards per game.

Wily Low | Associated Press Right: Freshman quarterback Wes Lunt is helped off the field after injuring his knee against Louisiana-Lafayette.

Sue Ogrocki | Associated Press

Although Oklahoma State has seen Ash in action before, it is facing an entirely different quarterback this season. While Ash had three turnovers in the game against Oklahoma State last year, he has yet to throw an interception this season. If Ash continues to progress in his passing game, the Cowboys’ secondary will have a hard time controlling Jaxon Shipley,

Mike Davis, and the rest of the Texas wideouts.

“They’re a better football team overall and not just on offense,” Gundy said. “In my opinion, because the quarterback has gained some experience ... he seems to have a better understanding of what they’re trying to accomplish on offense.

The running backs are making plays and running the ball

effectively, which keeps the defense off the field ... experience

would be the main reason that they’ve improved on offense.”

national notebook

20

friday, september 28, 2012

Osborne set to retire after season, Tate gets earful

By Hank South As the college football season heads into its fifth week, there has been no shortage of thrills. Lets take a look at some of the national headlines as conference play begins.

• Notre Dame has called it quits with Michigan. The Fighting Irish agreed to a deal earlier this month with the Atlantic Coast Conference to play five games annually versus the conference, keeping the University independent. The announcement comes sooner than expected, terminating the rivalry after the 2014 season. The two schools were already scheduled to take a hiatus after 2018.

• Nebraska athletic director Tom Osborne announced he will retire in January.

The 75-year-old Osborne coached the Cornhuskers from 1973-1997, winning three National Championships in the process. Each of Osborne’s teams won at least nine games per season en route to his 255-49-3 overall record as head coach.

• Atlanta, Georgia, and Arlington, Texas, are among the six cities in contention to host the National Title game when the revised four-team playoff format commences in 2014. The other four cities are the current BCS-bowl sites (Miami, Glendale, Pasadena and New Orleans).

• Arkansas head coach John L. Smith will remain head coach until at least the end of the season, according to athletic director Jeff Long. After a preseason Top 10 ranking the Razorbacks (1-3) are coming off a 3526 loss to Rutgers. Under former head coach, Bobby Petrino, Pig Sooie had a record of 34-17.

Left: Wesley Tate had an eventful week after his brother, Golden, caught a disputed touchdown.

Mark Humphrey Associated Press Below Left: Despite a 1-3 start to the season, Arkansas head coach John L. Smith will remain at the helm until at least the end of the year.

April L. Brown Associated Press Below Right: Nebraska athletic director Tom Osborne will retire in January after 39 years with the program.

Nati Harnik Associated Press

• Central Washington will have to relocate its home game for the second straight week due to wildfires. The Division II Wildcats will move to a 4,500-seat high school stadium just outside of Seattle.

• Vanderbilt running back Wesley Tate, brother of Seattle Seahawks receiver Golden Tate, has been getting an earful of opinion about his brother’s controversial touchdown catch Monday night versus the Packers.

When asked his opinion on the catch, “I’m a little neutral on this one, players play, coaches coach, and referees call the game. So for (Golden) he was just playing the game,” Tate said.

• Alabama tight end/Hback Kelly Johnson might be in a bit of legal trouble. Former student Logan Herring

filed suit against Johnson, claiming Johnson assaulted him at a fraternity pledge event in 2010. Herring attests he sustained “a concussion, brain injury, memory loss, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and depression,” and had to go as far as transferring schools because of the incident. Johnson has

just one catch for 16 yards on the season.

• Harvey Updyke, the man alleged to have poisoned the trees at Auburn’s Toomer’s Corner, was arrested for terrorizing when he was trying to return a lawn mower to a home improvement store in Louisiana. The store manager said Updyke became

angry when the store would not credit a full reimbursement of $150. Updyke is currently wanted in Texas for the same charge and is due in court on Monday for his actions at Auburn.

• Another player has left the Penn State football program.

Quarterbackturned-tight end Paul Jones

withdrew from the team for personal reasons according to head coach Bill O’Brien.

Jones will remain a student at Penn State, but becomes the 14th player to have either transferred or left the team. Nittany Lions players still have until next year to transfer schools and be eligible immediately.

friday, september 28, 2012

21

LOOKING BACK: Longhorns surge past Rebels in first road test Originally published Monday, Sept. 17, 2012.

By Chris Hummer Last weekend Texas stepped into SEC country to play Ole Miss but felt right at home in what ended up being a Big 12-style shootout.

The Longhorns’ offense exploded for 676 yards en route to a 66-31 victory over the Rebels. David Ash was 19-for-23 on the night, passing for 326 yards and four scores, setting career highs in each category.

“Whenever you get 66 points on a team, you know

the offense was very prepared for this week,” defensive end Alex Okafor said. “They just executed the game. They went out and dominated.”

However, despite Ash’s incredible stat line, it was the players around him who really engineered the sophomore’s breakout performance.

Per design, the rushing attack once again set up the Texas passing attack. The Longhorns pounded the Rebels early with Joe Bergeron, and after he exited the game with a shoulder injury in the second half — Mack Brown says he should be fine — Malcolm Brown picked up where he left off, rushing for

128 yards and a pair of touchdowns. In total, the Longhorn ground game combined for 350 yards and four scores, with nine different players registering positive yardage.

The rushing production has been there; the real question entering the season was whether the passing attack could provide a complement to the ground game.

If last Saturday’s game was any indication, the answer is yes.

Ash was more than efficient in his role as a game manager, and more importantly, he showed no hesitation on his reads. When he saw one-on-one coverage to

the outside he threw it deep.

It wasn’t always perfect, but his playmakers compensated for any mistakes he made.

“I was really excited about the number of explosive plays we had tonight,” Mack Brown said. “After Marquise’s big play, our offense really played well and played with a lot of confidence the rest of the way.”

It wasn’t all about the receivers though. Ash had some very nice throws. He was deadly accurate on short and midrange passes, and his 45-yard completion to Davis in the second quarter, a play in which he placed the ball perfectly in between the corner and the safety

on a deep post, was beautiful.

Those are the kind of throws that display how much Ash has grown since last season. The chances were there for him last year and through the first two games of this season, but against the Rebels he was finally able to capitalize.

“We finally took advantage of opportunities that have been there for two games,” Ash said.

Still, despite all of the positives the offense displayed, the defensive performance was troublesome.

The Longhorns — who were the eighth-ranked defense in the nation entering the game — were gashed by

the Rebel attack for 399 yards.

But not only that, most of those gains came on explosive plays of 10 or more yards.

Even the Longhorns much maligned “Wild Bunch” kickoff coverage unit showed weakness, allowing a 100-yard return early in the fourth quarter.

However, the defense did flash signs of their potential.

Texas’ pass rush was also fierce, registering five sacks in the first half, numbers that help put a shine on what was a poor defensive effort.

“After every game you have concerns,” Mack Brown said. “But when you win 6631 you have to be pleased.”

are we watching the same game?

Andrew Torrey | Daily Texan file photo Mack Brown voices his displeasure with an official during the Longhorns’ 66-31 victory over the Ole Miss Rebels Sept. 15, 2012.

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texan staff picks

friday, September 28, 2012

23

nick cremona

lauren giudice

chris hummer

christian corona

sara beth purdy

PETER SBLENDORIO

wes maulsby

hank south

matt warden

6-4

6-4

7-3

9-1

6-4

5-5

7-3

9-1

6-4

Overall Record

14-11

16-9

17-8

19-6

16-9

15-10

18-7

19-6

16-9

Texas vs. Ok. State

Texas

Texas

Texas

Texas

Texas

Texas

Texas

Texas

Texas

Baylor vs. West Virginia

West Virginia

West Virginia

West Virginia

West Virginia

West Virginia

West Virginia

West Virginia

West Virginia

West Virginia

Ohio St. vs. Michigan St.

Ohio State

Ohio State

Ohio State

Ohio State

Ohio State

Michigan State

Arkansas vs.

Texas A&M

Arkansas

Texas A&M

Texas A&M

Texas A&M

Arkansas

Arkansas

Texas A&M

Texas A&M

Texas A&M

Texas Tech vs. Iowa St.

Iowa State

Texas Tech

Iowa State

Texas Tech

Iowa State

Texas Tech

Texas Tech

Texas Tech

Iowa State

Oregon State vs. Arizona

Oregon State

Oregon State

Oregon State

Arizona

Arizona

Arizona

Oregon State

Arizona

Arizona

Tennessee vs. Georgia

Georgia

Georgia

Georgia

Georgia

Georgia

Georgia

Georgia

Georgia

Tennessee

VA Tech vs. Cincinnati

Cincinnati

Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech

Cincinnati

Virginia Tech

Cincinnati

Cincinnati

Wisconsin vs. Nebraska

Wisconsin

Nebraska

Nebraska

Nebraska

Wisconsin

Nebraska

Nebraska

Nebraska

Wisconsin

Minnesota vs. Iowa

Minnesota

Minnesota

Minnesota

Iowa

Iowa

Iowa

Iowa

Iowa

Minnesota

Last Week’s Record

Michigan State Michigan State Michigan State

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