Media/$9.95-er postgame analysis articles (Week 12)

[satyanash 15559]

Collecting post-game $9.95-er analysis articles from the Arkansas game here:

(Gerald Goodridge) No. 3 Texas 20, Arkansas 10: Three things we learned

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It wasn’t the prettiest game of the year, but the No. 3 Texas Longhorns are in “win and you’re in” mode for the SEC Championship game and did just that against the Arkansas Razorbacks in Fayetteville on Saturday. After getting ran off of the field the last time they went on the road to face the Hogs, an ugly win in which they iced it late is a result the players and coaches can live with.

The offense has it in them to respond and finish games

Arkansas was building momentum and it looked like Texas would snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, surrendering 10 unanswered points in the second half and leading by just a field goal after the Razorbacks kicked a field goal with 12:48 remaining in the fourth quarter. However, the offense came out and answered the call for what felt like the first time in the second half, putting together an eight-play, 75-yard drive that ate up 3:36 and extended the lead to 10 points on a one-yard touchdown reception by wide receiver Matthew Golden, giving Texas some breathing room and sapping Arkansas’ momentum.

The Longhorns defense responded by forcing a turnover thanks to safety Michael Taaffe recovering a fumble forced by defensive tackle Alfred Collins on a screen pass, putting the Texas offense back on the field. With 6:55 left on the clock, the Horns held onto the football for the remainder of the game. That drive included a perfectly-executed screen pass to beat a blitz on 3rd and 13 and a fourth-down keeper by Quinn Ewers on a zone read to send the Arkansas fans to the parking lot.

The defense continues to be the engine for the team

Outside of one drive in the third quarter, in which they were visibly gassed due to a lack of complementary offense, the Longhorns defense had an answer for everything the Razorbacks did on Saturday. The defense once again held the opponent to less than 300 yards surrendering just 82 rushing yards on a 2.4 yards per carry clip to an offense that averaged 191 yards per game entering the contest.

Texas played in the Arkansas backfield for most of the game, bringing them down for a loss nine times and sacking quarterback Taylen Green six times in the contest. Collins and cornerback Jahdae Barron showed that they were among the elite players at their positions in the country, both having career games and forcing a pair of turnovers that set the pace for the game.

Quinn Ewers doesn’t need to be perfect for Texas to win

Coming off of a season-best performance a week ago against Florida, the Razorbacks managed to keep Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers off of his game and force him into some errors. While the quarterback got lucky with a few passes bouncing off of defenders’ hands, he did enough with the game on the line for Texas to come out with a win. On the dagger drive for Texas, Ewers was 3-of-3 for 29 yards and a touchdown, converting all three throws going for a first down or a score.

He finished the game completing 63 percent of his passes for 176 yards and two scores, finding eight different receivers in the process. It wasn’t impressive, but it was enough.

(Ian Boyd) Five quick thoughts: Texas edges out Arkansas

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Road rivalry games against Razorbacks are usually pretty tough for the Texas Longhorns and this contest was no exception. After a solid, scripted start the Longhorns appeared in control but never built much of a lead. Soon the offense was facing repeated stall outs and the Longhorns were trapped in a mud fight with a delighted herd of pigs. This lead to a harrowing 3rd quarter surge by Arkansas which narrowed the game to 13-7 and then 13-10 early in the fourth.

From there, the Longhorn O-line and defense took back over and took things home with a forced fumble and 76 4th quarter rushing yards to bring home the rivalry game win. The Longhorns survive and advance in both the SEC Championship standings and National playoff picture.

Quick thought no. 1: The Texas O-line dominated

It was a tough day for Quinn Ewers. He finished 20-32 on the day for 176 yards at 5.5 ypa with a pair of touchdown passes and zero interceptions. Ewers was also sacked twice, which contributed to a total of five carries for -5 yards that also included a key 4th down scurry on a zone-read keeper which caught Arkansas by surprise and secured the victory.

Most of Texas’ success on the day and in the fourth quarter was afforded by good blocking, particularly on a few screens such as the late slip screen to Jaydon Blue which set up the Ewers keeper on 4th down. Blue ran hard and had a solid day with 14 carries for 83 yards and three catches for another 19 yards. He did have a fumble out of bounds on Texas’ final touchdown drive where he was caught from behind and stripped. Quintrevion Wisner had 17 carries for 59 yards and Jerrick Gibson added five more yards and a short-yardage conversion on a fullback dive play.

Arkansas predictably rolled out the three-deep safety “Flyover” defense, sat on flat routes, and dared the Longhorns to either throw through the coverage or run the ball. The passing game struggled to hit the windows and the Texas running backs added up 33 carries for 147 rushing yards at 4.5 ypc which was just good enough.

Quick thought no. 2: Collins and Barron were tremendous

The main heroes of this game were Jahdae Barron and Alfred Collins on defense. Collins made seven tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack, and a forced fumble. The sack sabotaged one of Arkansas’ only positive drives and pinned the Hogs back at the 50. The forced fumble sabotaged an Arkansas drive which was approaching the end zone and had the potential to make the game just 20-17 in Texas’ favor.

Barron also had seven tackles, two tackles for loss, and a sack but his turnover contribution was an interception on a bobbled seam route Taylen Green was trying to force past Jaylon Guilbeau. The Longhorns should remain the no. 1 ranked defense in FEI after this game and these two seniors are a major reason for the leap of improvement.  Barron’s move outside to cornerback has unleashed the Texas secondary and helped result in what’s probably the nation’s best pass defense. Collins made a leap as well and is shedding blocks and owning interior gaps extremely well. Those two are perhaps your defensive MVPs on the year and not just for this game.

Quick thought no. 3: Zone-read at the center

Credit ol Bobby Petrino for the fact Arkansas had a better plan in the zone-option game than did Vanderbilt or some of Texas’ other vanquished foes. But it wasn’t good enough. Green was sacked six times which obscures some occasional damage he landed on keepers. If the Hogs had been able to stick with the run game and Ja’Quinden Jackson they might have had a better chance in this game. Jackson kept his legs churning in the their midzone game and had 59 yards and a score on 11 carries.

They ended up running the ball on Texas’ nose tackle side multiple times, triggering scrape exchanges from the Edges and inside linebackers which had mixed results. The fact Texas was able to keep the ball out of Jackson’s hands proved huge, if Arkansas had run more straightforward zone plays they would have had more success. Instead, Green had to attempt 25 passes and completed 17 for 149 yards at 6.0 ypa with an interception.

Meanwhile, Texas’ diverse run game landed on zone-read to ice the game. You can see the end chase Ewers with no linebacker to scrape and replace him.

Ewers’ effort to run forward through contact and ensure the first down was commendable.

Quick thought no. 4: Texas has issues on offense

The lack of vertical passing attack from Texas continued and there weren’t good excuses for the issues this time. Arkansas’ Flyover did keep defenders over the top for much of the game but Steve Sarkisian also managed to help scheme open some deeper post routes, slants, and crossing patterns only for the Longhorns to come up empty with errant passes.

The fact the Longhorns were able to tunnel screen and run their way to success in this game were entirely the result of strong O-line play. The running backs lack the size and strength to truly maximize a power run game which could credibly grind down opponents. After a great showing against Florida where Texas’ speed on the perimeter confused and overwhelmed a beaten down Gator secondary, things looked back to normal in the worst way in this contest.

Without the deep bomb component of this offense or consistency throwing intermediate or quick game routes with the right timing and accuracy, this offense becomes a pretty finesse oriented unit which struggles against fast and disciplined defenses. There are only fast and disciplined defenses on the schedule from here on out. If Texas was hoping Gibson would be ready in time to take over in the run game, that isn’t looking terribly likely although he’s been situationally effective for the Longhorns.

Creating shots down the field has been hard unless they are built off the threat of perimeter screens, although Texas hit one throw under those circumstances early on:

The priority for the rest of the season on offense needs to be finding more ways to dial up plays which create open receivers down the field.

Quick thought no. 5: On to Kentucky and Texas A&M

Texas is in control of its own destiny provided the Longhorns can avoid overlooking the Kentucky Wildcats at home next week and be ready to play the Aggies in College Station. The Wildcats are only the 43rd best defense in the country by FEI but Mark Stoops tends to coach up strong defensive units and they’ll be well prepared for the Longhorn unit. So long as Texas avoids catastrophe with another great defensive performance, they’ll face the Aggies with the season essentially on the line.

That contest should be an absolute war with a pair of great defenses working off a season’s worth of film and tendency. Buckle up, Longhorn fans.

Carter Yates: What's the panic level for the Texas offense?

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One side of the Texas Longhorns has played like the No.3-ranked team in the country. Since Quinn Ewers returned from an oblique injury for the Oklahoma game, the offense has only done so against a team whose season was so off the rails its athletic director had to give the head coach a vote of confidence.

Two things can be true after a 20-10 win over Arkansas: Texas can win in various ways and is a smart bet to reach the SEC Championship Game. Also, the offense will prevent it from reaching the sport's final four if it continues like this. Let's start on a positive note: Ewers and the offense made complimentary plays with the defense to win this game.

Ewers threw a 20-yard touchdown to Matthew Golden to capitalize on a Jahdae Barron interception. He turned in his best drive of the game when Arkansas cut the deficit to 13-10, piloting an 8-play, 75-yard drive with his best throw of the day to Golden on a one-yard touchdown. After Alfred Collins forced a fumble, Ewers iced the game by truck-sticking an Arkansas safety on a 4th-and-2 read option, prompting the normally reserved Ewers and Sarkisian into a boisterous celebration.

Sometimes, in a hostile environment when the offense doesn't have its best, the quarterback needs to make an attitude play, which Ewers did on that drive. Two weeks after Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart went 25-for-31 for 516 yards and six touchdowns, a performance that forced Arkansas to hold open tryouts in the secondary over the bye week, Ewers put up a more pedestrian 20-for-32 for 176 yards and two touchdowns.

Of course, Arkansas gears up for Texas in a way it doesn't for Ole Miss, and the only thing that matters is the win. Color commentator Jesse Palmer praised Ewers for avoiding the disaster plays. Behind a top SEC defense, that's good enough to beat 5–4 Arkansas. It's not good enough to beat college football's elite. Here are three problems Texas needs to fix if it wants to contend for a national championship.

Slow Starts

Minus the Florida game, here are the four first quarter outputs since Ewers returned. The Longhorns are averaging seven points in the opening frame.

• Oklahoma - Two punts, an INT
• Georgia - Two punts, a fumble
• Vanderbilt - An INT, two touchdowns
• Arkansas - Three punts, a touchdown

The defense has played well enough to overcome these shaky starts and win three out of four. But Georgia is the only CFP-caliber team Texas faced in this stretch, and it lost 30-15.

Sacks

In every other game except for Georgia, Vanderbilt and Arkansas, Texas has allowed seven sacks in seven games. But in those three games, they've allowed 13. It's not that Texas's offense is getting manhandled - they're getting confused. Of the 13 sacks, 8.5 are from second-level linebackers and safeties blitzing. But is it the offensive line getting confused, or Ewers getting confused? It's impossible to know the answer without knowing the playbook, but the naked eye can see Ewers is holding the ball a tad long.

Ewers' arm talent contends with the best quarterbacks in college football, and it's why he's a projected First Round NFL Draft selection. But he's struggled to process through multiple reads this season, leading to more time in the pocket. Texas will only reach the CFP's final four if Ewers proves he can consistently make a play happen, with his arm or legs, when his first read is not open. His best play of the afternoon was the 3rd and 12 incomplete pass to Silas Bolden, when he spun out of two Arkansas defenders' arms and fired a strike.

Lack of run game

Part of the reason Texas's offense feels like it's built out of screen passes is because the running back room is at the same time injured and doesn't have a bell cow like Bijan Robinson or Jonathon Brooks. Steve Sarkisian has had a 1,000-yard rusher in every season as an offensive play caller since 2009. With two games left in the regular season, Tre Wisner is the leader with 468.

The silver lining is that Texas leaned on the rushing attack in the second half to chew clock against Arkansas. Jaydon Blue had three carries for 41 yards on the final touchdown drive, and nine of the first 11 plays were runs in Texas's game-ending, nearly seven minute drive.

 

[satyanash 15559]

Eric Nahlin: Steve Sarkisian's team is buoyed by defense and there's nothing wrong with that

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The job of a head coach is to create a balanced team. Under previous Texas head coaches we’ve seen Charlie Strong’s defense have more holes in it than Sonny Corleone at the toll booth and Tom Herman’s offense stutter more than Ed Norton in Primal Fear. Their struggles to succeed on their own side of the ball sunk them.

Steve Sarkisian is known as one of the best offensive minds in college football. In accordance, he’s accumulated a lot of talent. While his offense is good, it’s not great. I’d argue the sum hasn’t equaled the parts. That would spell trouble for a lot of head coaches. But, that’s not the case at Texas because Sark is a total football coach who operates a complete program.

Texas will go as far as ‘team defense’ takes it 

This sentiment ties directly into the defensive line dominance we saw today. The linebackers were quiet, and often when we saw them, they were over-running the play. A quiet day from the second level is okay when Alfred Collins, Barryn Sorrell, Trey Moore, Vernon Broughton, Colin Simmons, and Jermayne Lole did what they did.  While the second level was quiet, the secondary was mostly great. Jaylon Guilbeau struggled with leverage at times, as did Jelani McDonald, but the rest of the group was sensational. Turnovers remained a theme as did blanket coverage and good run support. 

Regardless of minor miscues, team defense was on display. There were a number of times when one Horn made a play because his teammate did his job. Simmons had a sack because Sorrell did his job. Moore had a sack because Simmons did his job. Barron’s pick was in part due to Guilbeau’s good coverage. Then there was the play of the game. Alfred Collins hustled into a forced fumble that Michael “on the spot” Taaffe recovered. Texas can win a national title with this group. Arkansas had one real drive the whole game. There probably haven’t been more than five of those the whole season.

There are plenty of individual plays with this group, but there are no individual plays. This is a terrifically coordinated group and so far Pete Kwiatkowski deserves the Frank Broyles award. Pretty apropos given where Texas played today. There won’t be a better player in America today than Jahdae Barron 
I don’t care what Travis Hunter did today, especially on offense. He’s a great talent but he isn’t the Thorpe favorite in my book. Barron provides blanket coverage, is a team leader, a force player, and a playmaker. 

Barron’s pick showed his intelligence as he peeled off his receiver (and his coverage) to help inside. His tackle for loss was a reminder of his dominance at nickel. His PBU showed his eye discipline and ability to break on the ball.  He’s the best player on the team and one of the best players in the country.

We aren’t going to do the thing where we paint the entire team with the offensive brush 

Fan opinions resting almost entirely on how the offense played is a pet peeve of mine. These fans go and get nachos away from a TV when the defense is on the field. Or something. That ’20’ on the scoreboard might not have been what you were looking for but that ’10’ looked sexier than Bo Derek.  It was not a complementary game but that doesn’t mean it was a bad game for the team. Maybe it was an uneven game. It’s okay to celebrate the fact Texas has the best defense in the country. Nobody should care that Steve Sarkisian’s reputation is for offense. We’ve moved past that. He’s nearing ‘total football coach’ status on the strength of his ability to acquire talent on both sides of the ball and to create a strong, team-wide culture. This isn’t Lincoln Riley. That’s enough cause to celebrate.

Sark has things to figure out on offense. His side, based on him being offensive coordinator, has to get less predictable and more efficient. But, as I’ve pointed out since November of 2022 when Texas went 8-5, he’s a hell of a football coach. Right now he’s a hell of a football coach because his team has the best defense in the country. If he can get the offense up to speed he has the chance to raise a trophy or two.

 

[satyanash 15559]

ESPN broadcasters now pushing the narrative that this was a bad win...

 

[LTtxfan 49986]

25:27 mark discusses Texas

Tennessee-Georgia, Missouri-South Carolina and MORE: CFB Week 12 Reaction

 

Pollack says Texas could still win the CFP due to good defense -- just not explosive on offense and don't have a running game.

 

Pollack also said Taylen Green going into the portal could make a lot of money -- won't make hawg fans happy.

[Dahobbs 18304]

1 minute ago, LTtxfan said:

25:27 mark discusses Texas

Tennessee-Georgia, Missouri-South Carolina and MORE: CFB Week 12 Reaction

 

Pollack says Texas could still win the CFP due to good defense -- just not explosive on offense and don't have a running game.

 

Pollack also said Taylen Green going into the portal could make a lot of money -- won't make hawg fans happy.

Our offense is very explosive. It isn't consistent. And we can't throw the deep ball very well. Our explosiveness comes from play design and YAC. Really insane to say we aren't explosive. 

[Yesh 961]

#3 in the country with 73 plays of +20 yards.

[Hookem10 870]

perception is becoming reality with the media. were not connecting on bombs away so we suck. they're lazy enough to not look up actual stats and comment. we need our coach and media personalities to start fighting back subtly. and start defending our team if not just to stem the negativity created around false narratives. fuck em all. 

[Dahobbs 18304]

38 minutes ago, Hookem10 said:

perception is becoming reality with the media. were not connecting on bombs away so we suck. they're lazy enough to not look up actual stats and comment. we need our coach and media personalities to start fighting back subtly. and start defending our team if not just to stem the negativity created around false narratives. fuck em all. 

Even in a bad game yesterday, we still had 4 plays of 20 yards or more and 4 more of 15 yards or more. 

Edited November 17 by Dahobbs

[LTtxfan 49986]

Not Good but Good Enough | Texas Longhorns def. Arkansas Razorbacks, 20-10 | Offense Grades | Ewers

[LTtxfan 49986]

 

[markstanco 12785]

perception is becoming reality with the media. were not connecting on bombs away so we suck. they're lazy enough to not look up actual stats and comment. we need our coach and media personalities to start fighting back subtly. and start defending our team if not just to stem the negativity created around false narratives. fuck em all. 

Why fight back? It’s the media. Opposing teams know different from watching game film and they don’t listen to some media person from On3 who has never played sports in their life. It’s a losing argument that makes you seem like a whiner.

[gmr548 16688]

13 hours ago, Dahobbs said:

Our offense is very explosive. It isn't consistent. And we can't throw the deep ball very well. Our explosiveness comes from play design and YAC. Really insane to say we aren't explosive. 

Yeah that's a weird thing to say. The ability to pop a big play is the number one threat from this offense. Without that they would be a horrid unit.

[CurlyDumps 4650]

12 hours ago, Hookem10 said:

perception is becoming reality with the media. were not connecting on bombs away so we suck. they're lazy enough to not look up actual stats and comment. we need our coach and media personalities to start fighting back subtly. and start defending our team if not just to stem the negativity created around false narratives. fuck em all. 

They're just catching up to what we've been seeing for weeks. The offense is sputtering. Quinn can't throw downfield. Our best win is Vandy.

Our coaches should change the narrative with results. Fix the fucking offense. Win our next two games. Limp dicked Mack Brown style whimpering to media mouthpieces aint it.

[Hookem10 870]

1 minute ago, CurlyDumps said:

They're just catching up to what we've been seeing for weeks. The offense is sputtering. Quinn can't throw downfield. Our best win is Vandy.

Our coaches should change the narrative with results. Fix the fucking offense. Win our next two games. Limp dicked Mack Brown style whimpering to media mouthpieces aint it.

Having an average offense with great defense can win a championship. My point was we are a pretty damn good football team and shouldn't be dismissed because our offense is average and we've beaten teams that beat Alabama Ole Miss and Tennessee. Hell , one bad half against Georgia and this site along with media are writing us off. Just a lil perspective from our side of this season is what i meant. Just win em all at this point because I think the media has won and will get us out of there with next loss. To many narratives coming out against us with no pushback. Fuck em all

[Llewelyn Moss 220]

You could win a lot of bar bets that if we bust a wide run for more than four yards, there’ll be a holding penalty. 

[cam4mav 772]

2 hours ago, Hookem10 said:

Fuck em all

This. Don't make a shit, style points don't matter, it's not top 4 CFP poll, top 2 BCS era.

 

Win out and we're in. Beat some ass along the way 🤘

[DigglerontheHoof 21548]

Just win, baby!

[Chuckie Finster 23038]

Outside the Georgia game, we’ve trailed for less than 8 minutes the entire season. I dunno the media definition of elite, but feel like being ahead of the other team should factor into the equation somewhere.

[LTtxfan 49986]

7 hours ago, Hookem10 said:

 Just win em all at this point because I think the media has won and will get us out of there with next loss. To many narratives coming out against us with no pushback. Fuck em all

We Are The Villain - Embrace The Hate!!!🤘 

[LTtxfan 49986]

FCB

 

[BrazilHorn 6822]

I will take a National Championship via Joe Flacco/Ravens D or Trent/Tamp Bay D all day long. 
 

Manage O, don’t throw INT and let D wreck shop. 
 

I would like to see QE run more and use middle of field but at end of day I want the W. 

[LTtxfan 49986]

18 minutes ago, BrazilHorn said:

I will take a National Championship via Joe Flacco/Ravens D or Trent/Tamp Bay D all day long.  Manage O, don’t throw INT and let D wreck shop.  I would like to see QE run more and use middle of field but at end of day I want the W. 

T-Bob takes similar position that stronger defense gives Texas a better chance in CFP playoffs if they get there.  And Aaron questions Texas chances due to Quinn's lack of mobility...

 

[dcar00 14947]

22 hours ago, LTtxfan said:

25:27 mark discusses Texas

Tennessee-Georgia, Missouri-South Carolina and MORE: CFB Week 12 Reaction

 

Pollack says Texas could still win the CFP due to good defense -- just not explosive on offense and don't have a running game.

 

Pollack also said Taylen Green going into the portal could make a lot of money -- won't make hawg fans happy.

Pollack has the IQ of a slug.  fucking moron.  we average 161 a game on the ground at 4.6 a clip and that is without a running QB.

[Red Five 41703]

If you’re making Trent Dilfer comparisons to our preseason Heisman hopeful QB, you’re kind of making the point yourself.

[Big Woodrows 4217]

16 minutes ago, dcar00 said:

Pollack has the IQ of a slug.  fucking moron.  we average 161 a game on the ground at 4.6 a clip and that is without a running QB.

Point in fact: 

 

[LTtxfan 49986]

 

https://www.burntorangenation.com/2024/11/17/24299071/texas-longhorns-football-arkansas-razorbacks-steve-sarkisian-pete-kwiatkowski-alfred-collins

[Matagorda 118]

Shouldnt we now know who will play in the SEC championship? Whats the tiebreaker rules. Basically everyone plays cup cakes except us and A&M.  
 

Which two goes between Ol’ Miss, Georgia, TN, Bama and winner of us and aggy? 

[LTtxfan 49986]

Likely Bama vs winner of Texas v aggy

[gmr548 16688]

15 minutes ago, Matagorda said:

Shouldnt we now know who will play in the SEC championship? Whats the tiebreaker rules. Basically everyone plays cup cakes except us and A&M.  
 

Which two goes between Ol’ Miss, Georgia, TN, Bama and winner of us and aggy? 

Assuming neither Texas or aggy lose to their cupcakes this coming weekend, the winner is in. Bama will be in if they win out (at OU, vs Auburn) and Georgia would take their place otherwise. I'm sure there are other chaos scenarios but that's the gist of it.

[satyanash 15559]

(Paul Wadlington) 2024 Arkansas Razorbacks Postmortem: Defense/Special Teams

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Let’s eat our dessert first. The Longhorn defense handled the most dynamic and unpredictable offense that it has seen to date, limiting Arkansas to 10 second half points, while defanging dual threat Taylen Green and forcing two critical turnovers. Arkansas lived up to my billing as a high beta team, but Texas was able to short circuit their explosive upside while maintaining and exacerbating Arkansas’ penchant for self-destruction.

Arkansas’ longest pass went for 25 yards. Their longest run? 12 yards. The Horns are a really hard defense to hit big plays on and that’s the hallmark of modern defensive success. Texas largely dominated a poor Hog OL with 6 sacks and 9 tackles for loss and limited their offense to just 74 yards in a scoreless first half and 231 total yards on 59 plays at 3.9 yards a pop overall.

That’s about 60% of the Pig’s accustomed output per play and Auburn at Jordan Hare is the only other team this year that’s held the Hogs under 5 yards a play this year. Texas played a lot of zone coverage, forced Green to hold on to the ball and demanded that a subpar Razorback receiving corps (beyond Armstrong) and an incomplete OL make enough plays to beat us. I was surprised and grateful that Arkansas didn’t come out running the ball early.

Arkansas put together three strong consecutive back-to-back drives in the second half where they utilized their power running game and a couple of opportunistic throws for a workmanlike 28 plays for 162 yards that yielded 10 points, but a swift running clock and a final fruitless drive ended by Alfred Collins’ giant paw poking out the football effectively ended the game with Arkansas on the Texas 27.

If there’s an area for improvement, it’s tackling. Texas missed double digit tackles, some due to Taylen Green’s accelerating at speeds that our edge defenders clearly weren’t expecting, but also some Texas backers and secondary defenders getting run through in the second half. We’ll take a tough double digit SEC road win.

Defensive Line

Alfred Collins has spent the last few games making himself a lot of money. The big athletic DT had 7 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, a sack and a critical forced fumble. That sack came against a double team.

The hustle and athletic coordination on display there is not normal for a 320 pound man. He’s didn’t happen to hit the ball. That was pure hand-eye coordination. I thought Sorrell played well in real time but he shined even more on rewatch. 7 tackles, a sack, a big QB hit and couple of hurries. Beautiful tackle for loss on an Arkansas stretch play. He also drew a hold.

Trey Moore finally notched an official sack and drew a big holding call. Great hustle. He’s had three consecutive strong weeks of play. Collin Simmons was extremely disruptive when allowed to pin his ears back and go. 2 sacks, both on Arkansas’ weak link right tackle. He had a couple of bad run defense snaps and Arkansas did a good job of getting big bodies on our edges in the second half.

Vernon Broughton was solid inside and had a big hit on Green’s legs as he released an errant ball. Lole gave us good snaps, but Arkansas doubled incessantly and their OL, while untalented, is physical. If there’s a deficiency on our interior DL right now, it’s that we don’t have a fourth interior guy that we really trust.

Linebacker

If there’s a nit to pick with the defense, it’s at LB. All of them struggled with Arkansas doubling our playside bigs in front of them and filling the hole with authority. Even when they met the running back one or two yards into the hole, Arkansas runners added another 2-3 yards of drag. Slow triggering and not bringing enough when they got there. If you read my postmortems, that’s a persistent theme since ULM and Mississippi State.

Lefau got caught in the wash too often and he wasn’t physical enough at the point of contact. He also flat out missed a couple of tackles coming late to the ball. Hill is still slow triggering when it’s coming right at him. As a counterpoint, I thought Hill was great in pass coverage against the talented Arkansas tight end and against the screen game. He’s a special athlete in space.

Defensive Back

Jahdae Barron was terrific.

A nice example of football IQ. Barron sees that he’s accounted for on the blitz outside and also that we’ve got contain handled, so he works inside to where he knows Green will step up and notches the sack. He also has a nice heads up pick playing over the top on a well thrown seam route that a bad Arky receiver bobbled.

Being around the ball results in good things and Texas had three defenders in close proximity to worry the receiver. #7 filled up the box score with 7 tackles, 2 tackles for loss (including a terrific 3rd and 3 backfield stop on a screen), a sack, two hurries (including on a 3rd and 10 on our 25) and the aforementioned interception. Barron was targeted 5 times in the passing game and surrendered only 19 yards on 3 catches.

Great timing on a PBU playing through the ball that forced the official to pick up his flag. No defender – other than perhaps Collins – made more WOW plays on Saturday than Barron. He absolutely dominated. Both Jelani McDonald and Guilbeau had some struggles on the edge containing Taylen Green. 6-6 guys with legit acceleration and big strides move differently than you expect at field level.

I think Texas fans have some sympathy for that. They combined for four missed tackles. Guilbeau also got hit for a 20 yard completion and a couple of short balls. Kobe Black got matched up with Andrew Armstrong on his six snaps and lost most of them. Armstrong hit him for 25 yards, Armstrong’s longest gain of the day. Manny Muhammad wasn’t physical enough in run support.

Taaffe was very active from deep safety, notching 8 tackles, including a decent blitz reroute into a tackle for loss. #16 doesn’t get thrown at a lot, in part because he’s so good at anticipating routes and cutting off the option before it materializes. Mukuba had a clutch tackle for loss on a Green keeper.

Special Teams

Great kickoff and punt coverage. Arkansas started twice inside their 15 on kickoffs and had zero yard punt return. Kern isn’t giving us a lot. Another week averaging sub 40 per kick. Arkansas’ punter was harried into an eight yard shank. Silas Bolden is a maniac. Grabbing a rolling punt at our two is…unorthodox. Auburn was perfect from inside 40 on his two attempts.

Final Thoughts

The defense carried the day against a volatile Arkansas offense. Outstanding play from Barron, Collins and Sorrell keyed the overall effort.

Charlie Williams: What we learned from beating Arkansas in an old SWC battle

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Texas entered the game against Arkansas with high expectations but left with a gritty, hard-fought win that revealed both the team’s strengths and its vulnerabilities. This wasn’t a game for highlight reels, but rather one that showcased Texas’ resilience and ability to adapt under pressure.

The story of the game started with quarterback Quinn Ewers. From the first snap, it was clear that Ewers wasn’t his sharpest. He hesitated on reads and struggled to find open receivers, reverting at times to the timid player fans had hoped he’d left behind. But when it mattered most, he delivered. His red-zone touchdown pass to Matthew Golden was a moment of precision and calm under pressure. Then, late in the game, Ewers made a decisive move on a read-option run, picking up the first down that iced the game. While his inconsistency is frustrating, his ability to step up in key moments cannot be denied.

Behind Ewers, the running back trio of Jaydon Blue, Tre Wisner, and Jerrick Gibson carried the load. Blue had one of the most explosive plays of the game, breaking free for a long run that showcased his speed and vision—though it ended with a fumble that luckily rolled out of bounds. Throughout the game, Blue had moments where he bounced runs outside unnecessarily, but he, along with Wisner and Gibson, grew stronger as the game wore on. In the fourth quarter, the group fought through arm tackles, picked up tough yards, and bled the clock, ensuring Arkansas never had a chance to mount a comeback.

The offensive line told a similar story of struggle and redemption. Early on, they looked shaky, allowing pressures and failing to consistently open running lanes. But as the game progressed, they settled in. By the fourth quarter, the line leaned on the Arkansas defense, paving the way for the running backs to close out the game. Pass protection was improved compared to previous weeks, especially in handling stunts and blitzes, but this unit still has room to grow if Texas hopes to dominate in the trenches.

The wide receivers and tight ends faced their toughest outing of the season. For the first time, they seemed out of sync with Ewers. Uncharacteristic drops and miscommunication plagued the group, stalling drives and keeping the offense from finding its rhythm. Amid the struggles, Matthew Golden stood out. His two touchdown catches were not only critical but also a reminder of his reliability and consistency. Golden has become the go-to player when Texas needs a big moment, and he delivered once again.

If the offense struggled to find its footing, the defense ensured that Arkansas never got close to finding theirs. The defensive line was a nightmare for the Razorbacks. Trey Moore led the charge, constantly pressuring the quarterback and recording a key sack. Alfred Collins was a force in the trenches, splitting double teams, stuffing the run, and even forcing a fumble through sheer effort and determination. Freshman Collin Simmons and senior Barryn Sorrell added consistency to a unit that dominated from start to finish. Arkansas simply couldn’t find answers against this group.

Behind the line, linebacker Anthony Hill put on another clinic. His speed and instincts were on full display as he tracked Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green, keeping the dual-threat contained and preventing big plays. Hill and the linebacker corps were instrumental in holding Arkansas to under 100 rushing yards, consistently flying to the ball and making critical tackles. Their discipline and physicality set the tone for the defense.

The secondary built on that foundation, delivering what might have been their best performance of the season. Jahdae Barron was the star of the show, putting together a game that could cement his case for the Thorpe trophy. He recorded an interception, a sack, and a tackle for loss while consistently being around the ball. His presence elevated the entire unit, which excelled in open-field tackling and coverage. Arkansas was limited to just one explosive play, and the secondary’s ability to prevent yards after the catch was crucial in keeping the Razorbacks’ offense contained.

Yet, as dominant as Texas was on defense, their special teams continued to be a liability. Questionable decisions from Silas Bolden in fielding punts put the team in difficult positions, while penalties and inconsistent punting added unnecessary challenges. Special teams mistakes haven’t cost Texas a game yet, but they remain a glaring weakness that needs to be addressed.

In the end, Texas walked away with a 9-1 record and a hard-fought win that showcased their growth as a team. This game wasn’t pretty, but it was the kind of contest that Texas might have lost in previous years. Instead, they found a way to win, leaning on their defense, clutch performances from key players, and a late-game offensive push to seal the victory. It’s not the dominant showing fans may have hoped for, but it’s a testament to the team’s resilience and determination to fight through adversity. For Texas, this win was more than just a number in the record books—it was proof that this team has the toughness and grit to handle the challenges ahead.

 

[Viper 12219]

Thanks @satyanash

Is the offense post mortem out yet?

[satyanash 15559]

2 hours ago, Viper said:

Thanks @satyanash

Is the offense post mortem out yet?

(Paul Wadlington) 2024 Arkansas Razorbacks Postmortem: Offense

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Texas struggled to throw the ball against one of the worst pass defenses in college football featuring a Razorback secondary that benched two starting safeties coming off of their bye week. The Pigs were allowing 8.6 yards per passing attempt and were ranked in the bottom 5% in preventing down to down passing success. As I demonstrated in my previews, this is a pass defense that allows both explosives and methodical completions.

Texas had neither. Texas totaled 315 yards at a poor 4.3 yards per play. Explosives were hard to come by as was down-to-down methodical success. The primary culprit was a combination of negative plays (9 tackles for loss, 2 sacks) and the deep passing game going 1 of 6 for 20 yards on all throws 20+ yards. Without any ability to exploit busted Arkansas coverages or make them pay in the running game when Arkansas went to an honest box, Texas was reduced to an offensive slog.

Sark’s game plan wasn’t particularly great on key downs and Texas should have had a more commanding lead going into halftime. Calls like this didn’t help.

Sark has been running this failed play on short yardage and in the red zone for at least two years and it has resulted in more tackles for loss than conversions. Bond doesn’t give effort play side blocking down, but if that defender fires up the field as they recognize the play, that will be the result every time. When you factor in down and distance and field position (there’s a legit opportunity to for it on 4th down if you gain a yard), this is a dumb play call.

“Did enough to win” is accurate as Texas did win, but that’s rhetorical sophistry meant to suggest that we intended for the offense to stink and that we cleverly played a minimalist risk-reward game as some part of a master plan to highlight the defense. The best way to help a Texas defense that can cover and rush the passer is to score points.

If the Texas defense – which had the tougher matchup – didn’t utterly dominate in the first half of play and force two huge turnovers overall, the entire postgame focus would be on how an underperforming Texas offense created a possible overtime loss in Fayetteville.

QB

Ewers was poor. Particularly in the first half. He opened the game with an attempt at an early 1st quarter interception into zone coverage that was tipped into a Longhorn completion. Fortunately, that was really the last time he put the ball in peril. Ewers finished the first half an anemic 15 of 23 for 100 yards passing and a pair of self sacks. The second half was better. For the game, he didn’t turn it over and he threw a pair of red zone touchdowns. He’s quite poor managing the pocket.

He pulls the ball down and drifts forward indecisively to the only spot on the field where an Arkansas defender in their 3 man rush can touch him — an edge making an inside move. Banks has no idea why Ewers would do that. There are very simple things that veteran QBs do to help their OL out in pass protection and Ewers doesn’t do any of them. He’s wilting in the pocket. The counterpoints to that are so rare as to be exceptional. Right now, it has to be perfect for him.

Six man pressure. Picked up pretty well. The design is an immediate throw to Bond on the scrape and Ewers looks their early, but inexplicably holds the ball and gives up on it. He runs into the pressure and falls down. Right call, effective protection, held ball, self sack.

Ewers went 10 of 10 for 38 yards on throws behind the line of scrimmage. That means he was 10 of 22 for 138 yards throwing at or beyond the line of scrimmage. He did hit on his traditional strength of intermediate balls (5 of 7 for 76 yards) but he was subpar in every other range. He’s 38 starts into his college career facing a poor defense and he operated at barely a game manager level. His longest completion for 30 yards was a Tre Wisner swing pass.

Great throw here. Perhaps we should move the pocket more to create some doubt in opponent edge rushers.

Running Back

Jaydon Blue ran hard and added yardage to several runs that were poorly blocked or were called into an Arkansas slant or stunt. He totaled 102 yards (83 rushing, 19 receiving) from scrimmage, pass blocked very well and did a nice job overall. He added over 3 yards after first contact. His best overall game of the year, but his fumble going out of bounds was very fortunate.

Wisner had a nice 30 yard gain on a swing pass and added a hard 59 yards on 17 carries.

Wide Receivers/Tight End

Both tight ends were manhandled. Juan Davis had a nice catch in the red zone, but blocked poorly. Gunnar Helm was a massive liability against Arkansas’ physical edges, he allowed Xavian Sorey to run under his block on a pull for a negative tackle for loss and he dropped a nicely thrown Ewers ball that would have gone for 25+ yards. I’m not sure why we had a game plan that asked Helm to try to pin or hook 6-7 280 pound defensive ends headed to the NFL, but I’m not a coach.

Golden caught his 7th and 8th touchdowns of the season. The first on a bust, the second on a terrific Ewers throw on a sprint pass that highlighted Golden’s hand strength.

Texas had advantages at wide receiver vs their secondary, but didn’t do much with them. Bunch formations didn’t offset keeping Arkansas defenders in the box to leverage our running game with anything breaking open downfield – at least that the QB could connect with. Globally, the wide receivers didn’t block that well, but Bond was the worst offender.

OL

The offensive line isn’t very coordinated and Kyle Flood hasn’t helped them much in finding a core run that a veteran OL can execute consistently. There were plenty of run plays where the OL did their job and the backs ran hard, but one miscue or the defense correctly guessing the call short circuited the play. One second half example is when Texas ran the little counter play effectively twice in a row. The third time we ran the exact same play, Arkansas DC Travis Williams sent a stunt at it and inflicted a 5 yard loss. If you scouted Williams and his playcalling, you know he won’t consent to the same play beating him over and over. Pass protection was actually excellent on most downs.

Final

You get to the playoffs and win 10+ games on a high team floor. You win SEC titles and threaten for a national championship with ceiling. If Texas adopts a win ugly paradigm where Ewers doesn’t turn it over and game manages, this team can certainly win the right matchups... but scale back your ambitions accordingly.