OTF Premium Snap Judgments: Texas bullied up front in an SEC-opening loss to Florida

[Jeff Howe]

As Saturday’s 29-21 loss to Florida unfolded, it became clear that Texas has significant issues.

Some of those issues can be fixed over the seven remaining games on the regular-season schedule, but others will require changes after the season. Still, Saturday’s loss to the Gators came down to the Longhorns losing the line of scrimmage battle in a landslide.

From the jump, Florida (2-3, 1-2 SEC) punched Texas (3-2, 0-1) in the mouth up front and never let up.

The Gators finished the game with six sacks and seven tackles for loss. While the Longhorn offensive line might not be solely responsible for each of those negative plays, the fact that the Texas running backs ran for 15 yards on 11 carries on a day when the running game tallied 52 net yards on 26 official attempts is a direct reflection of how the offense was soundly defeated at the point of attack.

***

Nick Brooks briefly replaced Connor Stroh at left guard in the first half. The true freshman started the second half next to Trevor Goosby, with Steve Sarkisian and Kyle Flood searching for an answer to help generate a push.

Although he was flagged for consecutive false starts on a fourth-quarter drive, I could see Sarkisian and Flood giving Brooks another shot.

Whether Brooks is in the starting lineup against Oklahoma or not, Saturday’s performance made it clear that the starting offensive line mix — as it was through the first five games of the season — isn’t the answer to getting the offense untracked.

***

Offensively, everything Texas couldn’t afford to have happen did.

Unable to establish the run, the Longhorns had to put the fate of the offense on Arch Manning’s shoulders. The result was a mixed bag, with Manning (16-for-29, 263 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions; 37 net yards on 15 official rushing attempts) making his share of plays to keep Texas in the game, along with a few turnovers and a final possession of regulation he’d like to have back.

Operating a one-dimensional offense, moving the ball came down to Manning’s ability to make a play. It’ll require a more nuanced evaluation to determine if the mistakes down the stretch were things to worry about or a case of a quarterback trying to make the best of a bad situation.

Manning did enough positive things to believe he can truly trend upward in the not-too-distant future. Still, he’s not at a point of elevating everyone around him to the point where he can mask the offense’s deficiencies.

***

It doesn’t seem right that I’ve gotten this far into writing my postgame thoughts without talking about the defense.

It was disappointing that things played out for the offense the way they did, but it wasn’t a total surprise. I, however, was flabbergasted at how Florida gashed Texas on the ground (159 yards, 4.3 yards per attempt), negated the Longhorn pass rush and gave DJ Lagway (21-for-28, 298 yards, two touchdowns and one interception) enough time to hit six explosive plays (15 or more yards gained through the air).

Coming into the game, Texas allowed five rushing attempts to gain 10 or more yards. The Gators had five double-digit-yard runs in the first half (only 13 through their first four games).

Only Auburn had fewer 20-yard gains through the air than Florida (10) before Saturday’s game. Lagway connected on four such plays against a Longhorn defense that allowed only six through four games.

Jadan Baugh (107 yards and a rushing touchdown on 28 carries) and Dallas Wilson (111 yards and two touchdowns on six catches) made the kinds of plays the Longhorn skill players didn't or couldn't come up with on Saturday.

***

The 2021 Iowa State game (a 30-7 loss) is the last loss I can remember Texas suffering in which it lost the line-of-scrimmage battle as it did in the Swamp.

You’d have to go back to the Arkansas game that same season to find the last time a Sarkisian-coached Longhorn squad was bullied to the extent the Gators pushed Texas around from start to finish.

***

There’s a lot more to digest from the loss than these time-constrained thoughts.

Still, the following must be said: Talk of the SEC Championship Game or the College Football Playoff, at this point, is pointless. This is beyond a play-calling issue or a few personnel fixes for this team to become what it hoped to grow into by season's end.

Against a desperate team, coming off a bye and knowing the kind of road environment they’d be going into, the Longhorns lost a game in which they were soundly defeated in all three phases.

Considering the circumstances, and with Texas still unable to play disciplined (10 penalties for 70 yards) and/or complementary football, an argument can be made that this was the worst loss of Sarkisian’s tenure. While I have recently given Sarkisian credit for not suffering a head-scratching loss, my trust in the staff to avoid an unnecessary toe stub the rest of the way must be rebuilt after Saturday.

The Longhorns can still be a good team. But Saturday’s performance didn’t inspire any confidence that Texas can turn the corner any time soon.

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[Jeff Howe]

There's a lot more I wanted/needed to write, but I just needed to submit and gather my thoughts.

"Staggering" is how I'd describe this loss.

[Chinadoll10]

Whatever Jeff. It’s Volleyball season. 

[Beard N Balls Bundle]

Sark is getting hard to listen to and even harder to believe. At least we’re really good at practicing football

[Joe D Villasenor]

I can’t decide if I’m more disappointed/surprised that the defense gave up 29 pts or the offense not clicking again. 

[Migas & Fajitas]

Absolutely pitiful performance. Pitiful. 

[Jeff Howe]

2 minutes ago, Joe D Villasenor said:

I can’t decide if I’m more disappointed/surprised that the defense gave up 29 pts or the offense not clicking again. 

I'm disappointed in the defense.

I feel hopeless about the offense.

[Roy Hinojosa]

It's definitely a head scratcher. Imagine if we would have recovered the fumble on that first play, this game is completely different. When the ball bounced right back to the receiver, I knew we were in trouble.

[4thandFive]

The team looked unprepared, overwhelmed, and undisciplined. That’s a losing trifecta. 

[Joe D Villasenor]

1 minute ago, Jeff Howe said:

I'm disappointed in the defense.

I feel hopeless about the offense.

That is well said and is exactly what I’m feeling 

[Jeff Howe]

Just now, Migas & Fajitas said:

Absolutely pitiful performance. Pitiful. 

I haven't felt this kind of disgust with a Texas game in a very, very long time.

I don't want to pile on and keep stating the obvious, but the first half in all three phases was as bad as I've seen in a long time. Maybe the first half of the Kansas loss in Sark's first year was the last time that everything collectivelly didn't cut the mustard.

[harveycmd]

1 minute ago, Jeff Howe said:

I'm disappointed in the defense.

I feel hopeless about the offense.

We're supposed to be an elite defensive team. That was embarrassing. 

[Jeff Howe]

1 minute ago, 4thandFive said:

The team looked unprepared, overwhelmed, and undisciplined. That’s a losing trifecta. 

That's a pretty solid description of the first half. No way did I ever expect it to play out that way.

[PaulieD]

We either learn from it or die.  Sad. 

A real coaching failure.

[PaulieD]

We looked pathetic.  Confused.  Lifeless.

 

AND unable to tackle.

[SuperDave0805]

Been a Texas fan since 83 and have seen a pattern where they have a couple good seasons and then fall apart 90 was followed by 91, 95,96 was followed by 97 2005 was followed by the 06 late season collapse 04,05 followed by mediocre 2006 and of course 08,09 was followed by the epic 2010 collapse so seems to be par the course for this season to be a major disappointment 

[Roy Hinojosa]

I was expecting an elite edge rush unit this year, and it's been mixed at best.

[MBHORNSFAN]

Looking forward to see hiw we responded in the Cotton Bowl next Saturday. 

[harveycmd]

3 minutes ago, Roy Hinojosa said:

I was expecting an elite edge rush unit this year, and it's been mixed at best.

We have no real pass rush. Supposed to have the best edge group in college football. They hug.

[CoachBobbyFinstock]

Kyle Flood and his offensive line was putrid. It was a complete malpractice of coaching to not hit the portal with you knowing this was in front of Manning.

The defense got pushed around and is no longer a strength that can be counted on.

Getting pushed around on both LOS’s to a hapless coach who is dead man walking is just salt in the wound.

This is just a pathetic loss from top to bottom. The PENALTIES are still a problem and shows an undisciplined team. 
 

Not a huge fan of Banks either but there are greater problems. 
 

This is a mediocre to bad football team. Just a shocking turn of events for this program after being ranked #1 in the preseason. What a joke.

[Hookem72]

O line looked bad with Arch.  When Caldwell came in he was quick with the throw.  Our oline and Arch are not sympatico.  Wr got nothing on the interior.    

[alrightalrightalright]

I might turn off the sprinklers and water the yard by hand tomorrow in lieu of a Sunday morning rewatch.

[snugsie]

Still, the following must be said: Talk of the SEC Championship Game or the College Football Playoff, at this point, is pointless. 

 

Finally someone isn't afraid to say it. The truth. This team is going nowhere. We have to acknowledge it before we can move forward. It's time to shelve the expectations we had prior to the season.

[Casey67]

Ever since the vaunted 2022 class of offense lineman arrived, all we heard was a narrative about how good the offensive line was..............but was it EVER that good?

Kelvin Banks was awesome but who else?

In 2024, we had an experienced line and that is more valuable than people realize (aggies will probably prove that this year).  But was it great?  Hell no.  They couldn't get push in short yardage / goal line situations and when they faced elite defensive lines (Georgia, Ohio State) they were clearly over matched.

I've defended Flood on here before but the more I think about, I'm usually using draft picks to justify my defensive of him.  He did produce draft picks, but was the on field product EVER that good as a whole?

Sark is going to have to let Flood go after this season.  I would love to be wrong but there is ZERO reason we can't have at least an average offensive line.  This is coaching.

Edited 1 hour ago by Casey67

[Jeff Howe]

1 minute ago, snugsie said:

Still, the following must be said: Talk of the SEC Championship Game or the College Football Playoff, at this point, is pointless. 

 

Finally someone isn't afraid to say it. The truth. This team is going nowhere. We have to acknowledge it before we can move forward. It's time to shelve the expectations we had prior to the season.

My point wasn't that the season is over. It's that nothing internally needs to be talked about except Oklahoma.

For the rest of us, don't worry about how the committee will view this loss. Worry about whether or not Texas shows up for a fight against Oklahoma.