OTF Premium The key to Texas finishing games strong might be starting faster

[Jeff Howe]

Texas replicating exactly what it did while choking the life out of Oklahoma en route to winning the Red River Shootout for the third time in four years is a formula capable of giving the Longhorns a chance to win their six remaining regular-season games.

Specifically, Texas (4-2, 1-1 SEC) would love the manner in which it manhandled the Sooners in the second half to carry over to the back half of the schedule, which begins with Saturday’s road game against Kentucky (6 p.m., ESPN).

After trailing Oklahoma at halftime, 6-3, the Longhorns recorded a 20-0 edge on the scoreboard in the second half. Texas had a 188-88 advantage in total yards, racked up 91 net yards and averaged 3.8 yards per attempt on the ground and got a near-flawless performance from Arch Manning (11-for-13, 97 yards and a touchdown).

Pete Kwiatkowski’s defense held Oklahoma’s offense to a combined 1-for-10 effort on third and fourth down and an average of 2.9 yards per play after halftime. A defense that failed to record a sack in losses to Ohio State and Florida got to John Mateer five times, with constant pressure (according to Pro Football Focus, Mateer was pressured on 17 of his 47 dropbacks), contributing to the quarterback’s three interceptions.

Steve Sarkisian’s club “showed a lot of maturity and mental toughness and resolve and then, ultimately, imposing our will as the game went on,” he said during his press conference on Monday. Now, with Saturday’s trip to Lexington looming, the internal challenge is building on the process that led to the team’s success in Dallas.

“Do we get right back to those same habits that we had last week?” Sarkisian said. “With the intent, with the sense of urgency, making every rep count in practice and then playing the brand and a style of football that we're very proud of, which is a physical one?”

For Texas to continue being a team that can finish strong, the Longhorns must start becoming one that gets off to faster starts. When analyzing the first three drives for Texas and its opponents in the team’s three games against Power Four competition, the Longhorns have made a habit of putting themselves behind the 8-ball.

Texas’ starts against the Power Four: Three games, nine total possessions

Texas

Points: 7

Total Offense: 45 plays, 178 net yards (3.96 yards per play)

Rushing: 23 carries, 68 yards (2.96 yards per attempt)

Passing: 15-for-22, 110 yards

Third Down: 1-for-10

First Downs: 8

Penalties: Nine for 85 yards

Opponents

Points: 20

Total Offense: 68 plays, 344 yards (5.06 yards per play)

Rushing: 36 carries, 152 yards (4.22 yards per attempt)

Passing: 18-for-31, 191 yards, one interception

Third Down: 7-for-13

First Downs: 21

Penalties: One for five yards

The win over the Sooners was a microcosm of the Longhorns' early-game struggles.

For starters, penalties and negative plays plagued their first three possessions. When the dust settled on those drives, Texas mustered only 40 total yards (3.1 yards per play) and was 0-for-3 on third down while facing a minus-6 play differential (19 snaps for Oklahoma to 13 for the Longhorns).

When the offense took the field facing a 6-0 deficit with 9:09 remaining on the clock, Texas got it together.

A 12-play, 75-yard drive took 4:40 off the clock and ended with a 39-yard Mason Shipley field goal, allowing the Longhorns to break through on the scoreboard. On that series, Texas wasn’t assessed a penalty and, although Quintrevion Wisner was dropped for a 1-yard loss one play after he burned the Sooner defense for 37 yards, Manning’s third-and-10 completion to DeAndre Moore Jr. for 14 yards on third-and-10 was the first of two third-down conversions on the drive.

In short, the Longhorns proved that they’re capable of playing complementary football against a formidable opponent.

“It's like, 'Guys, can we just execute a little bit and move forward?’ Third-and-6 is a heck of a lot better than third-and-12 or third-and-23 or third-and-whatever. Just give ourselves a chance,” Sarkisian said. “Then, when they start to figure out, 'Hey, this is a lot easier,' Arch is like, 'Wait, this is a lot easier.'

"Then what happened? The penalties, all of a sudden, went away," he added. "We're more productive. We have a 12-play drive, a 14-play drive, a 10-play drive — we're controlling the ball. The defense is getting their rest. They're playing with a little bit more energy on defense. That's where the complimentary football piece comes into play.”

To build on the win over Oklahoma, and for Texas to avoid getting into a hole against the Wildcats, Sarkisian needs his squad to get into a rhythm and play successfully off each other a lot earlier than it’s taken them to get settled.

“We have to be able to take things throughout the week — and then on Friday — that we say, 'Hey, these are going to be things we're going to open the game with, and we've got to execute those things with confidence.' We did it better later in the game than we actually did earlier in the game, so we've got to do a better job as a staff to instill that in them, for them to understand that this is what's going to get called — we don't need to have any anxiety. We had too many breakdowns early in the game, for my liking. That's an area where we have to improve. We should be starting games better than we have been and we need to do that. We've got to — as a staff — find a better way to instill that in those guys.”

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[Joe Zura]

Jefe 🫡🤘

[Alex Butler]

Would love to see them start strong both halves even if it just looks like really committing to establishing a strong line of scrimmage! Loved the corrections the line made to eliminate the penalties and start being able to okay balanced ball and actually get off the ball in the running game!

[Jeff Howe]

12 minutes ago, Joe Zura said:

Jefe 🫡🤘

[Joe Zura]

Just now, Jeff Howe said:

[Jeff Howe]

11 minutes ago, Alex Butler said:

Would love to see them start strong both halves even if it just looks like really committing to establishing a strong line of scrimmage! Loved the corrections the line made to eliminate the penalties and start being able to okay balanced ball and actually get off the ball in the running game!

It will be a challenge for the offensive line to see if they can keep trending upward with Robertson stepping into the starting lineup.

[Alex Butler]

7 minutes ago, Jeff Howe said:

It will be a challenge for the offensive line to see if they can keep trending upward with Robertson stepping into the starting lineup.

For sure and hopefully see Nick Brooks take another positive development step!

[GetHooked]

26 minutes ago, Jeff Howe said:

"choking the life out of Oklahoma"

Damn.  I like that phrase.  Well done Jeff.

[Jarveaux]

looking forward to the game . 

[JMarquette]

46 minutes ago, Jeff Howe said:

Texas replicating exactly what it did while choking the life out of Oklahoma en route to winning the Red River Shootout for the third time in four years is a formula capable of giving the Longhorns a chance to win their six remaining regular-season games.

Specifically, Texas (4-2, 1-1 SEC) would love the manner in which it manhandled the Sooners in the second half to carry over to the back half of the schedule, which begins with Saturday’s road game against Kentucky (6 p.m., ESPN).

After trailing Oklahoma at halftime, 6-3, the Longhorns recorded a 20-0 edge on the scoreboard in the second half. Texas had a 188-88 advantage in total yards, racked up 91 net yards and averaged 3.8 yards per attempt on the ground and got a near-flawless performance from Arch Manning (11-for-13, 97 yards and a touchdown).

Pete Kwiatkowski’s defense held Oklahoma’s offense to a combined 1-for-10 effort on third and fourth down and an average of 2.9 yards per play after halftime. A defense that failed to record a sack in losses to Ohio State and Florida got to John Mateer five times, with constant pressure (according to Pro Football Focus, Mateer was pressured on 17 of his 47 dropbacks), contributing to the quarterback’s three interceptions.

Steve Sarkisian’s club “showed a lot of maturity and mental toughness and resolve and then, ultimately, imposing our will as the game went on,” he said during his press conference on Monday. Now, with Saturday’s trip to Lexington looming, the internal challenge is building on the process that led to the team’s success in Dallas.

“Do we get right back to those same habits that we had last week?” Sarkisian said. “With the intent, with the sense of urgency, making every rep count in practice and then playing the brand and a style of football that we're very proud of, which is a physical one?”

For Texas to continue being a team that can finish strong, the Longhorns must start becoming one that gets off to faster starts. When analyzing the first three drives for Texas and its opponents in the team’s three games against Power Four competition, the Longhorns have made a habit of putting themselves behind the 8-ball.

Texas’ starts against the Power Four: Three games, nine total possessions

Texas

Points: 7

Total Offense: 45 plays, 178 net yards (3.96 yards per play)

Rushing: 23 carries, 68 yards (2.96 yards per attempt)

Passing: 15-for-22, 110 yards

Third Down: 1-for-10

First Downs: 8

Penalties: Nine for 85 yards

Opponents

Points: 20

Total Offense: 68 plays, 344 yards (5.06 yards per play)

Rushing: 36 carries, 152 yards (4.22 yards per attempt)

Passing: 18-for-31, 191 yards, one interception

Third Down: 7-for-13

First Downs: 21

Penalties: One for five yards

The win over the Sooners was a microcosm of the Longhorns' early-game struggles.

For starters, penalties and negative plays plagued their first three possessions. When the dust settled on those drives, Texas mustered only 40 total yards (3.1 yards per play) and was 0-for-3 on third down while facing a minus-6 play differential (19 snaps for Oklahoma to 13 for the Longhorns).

When the offense took the field facing a 6-0 deficit with 9:09 remaining on the clock, Texas got it together.

A 12-play, 75-yard drive took 4:40 off the clock and ended with a 39-yard Mason Shipley field goal, allowing the Longhorns to break through on the scoreboard. On that series, Texas wasn’t assessed a penalty and, although Quintrevion Wisner was dropped for a 1-yard loss one play after he burned the Sooner defense for 37 yards, Manning’s third-and-10 completion to DeAndre Moore Jr. for 14 yards on third-and-10 was the first of two third-down conversions on the drive.

In short, the Longhorns proved that they’re capable of playing complementary football against a formidable opponent.

“It's like, 'Guys, can we just execute a little bit and move forward?’ Third-and-6 is a heck of a lot better than third-and-12 or third-and-23 or third-and-whatever. Just give ourselves a chance,” Sarkisian said. “Then, when they start to figure out, 'Hey, this is a lot easier,' Arch is like, 'Wait, this is a lot easier.'

"Then what happened? The penalties, all of a sudden, went away," he added. "We're more productive. We have a 12-play drive, a 14-play drive, a 10-play drive — we're controlling the ball. The defense is getting their rest. They're playing with a little bit more energy on defense. That's where the complimentary football piece comes into play.”

To build on the win over Oklahoma, and for Texas to avoid getting into a hole against the Wildcats, Sarkisian needs his squad to get into a rhythm and play successfully off each other a lot earlier than it’s taken them to get settled.

“We have to be able to take things throughout the week — and then on Friday — that we say, 'Hey, these are going to be things we're going to open the game with, and we've got to execute those things with confidence.' We did it better later in the game than we actually did earlier in the game, so we've got to do a better job as a staff to instill that in them, for them to understand that this is what's going to get called — we don't need to have any anxiety. We had too many breakdowns early in the game, for my liking. That's an area where we have to improve. We should be starting games better than we have been and we need to do that. We've got to — as a staff — find a better way to instill that in those guys.”

 

View full news story

 

Look at the Florida game for a perfect demonstration:

Florida started fast, so we started calling offensive plays that were meant to get points quick, which creates more opportunities for turnovers and sacks. 
 

It’s the perfect formula for our defense 

[alrightalrightalright]

Last week we ended every drive with a kick and that’s a step in the right direction. Would love if the first drive delivered points this week. Let’s make it happen.

[Bunk Moreland]

@Jeff Howe I think this analysis is spot on, and it makes me nervous about this Saturday. The last time we saw this OL on the road, it was ugly. I think we could see a bunch of pre-snap penalties on offense that just kill drives. And I’m not sure I’m totally sold on the run D after the Florida debacle. McGowan is a good back. This might be a pretty ugly game, and I am not sure whether this team is prepared to win in ugly games on the road. Hope we see some growth!

[CQuast]

Speaking of the OU game and all the Mateer and Manning talk… did some work across the SEC on QB’s and as most of us know, Manning is much more closer to the middle of the pack than the basement of SEC QB’s. Texas doesn’t have a Top 30 SEC rusher or Top 20 SEC WR in terms of yards. Also, I know we can’t, but if we take out the UTEP game for Arch, he’d be tied for 4th best completion % in the SEC.

[Tim Longoria]

1 hour ago, JMarquette said:

Look at the Florida game for a perfect demonstration:

Florida started fast, so we started calling offensive plays that were meant to get points quick, which creates more opportunities for turnovers and sacks. 
 

It’s the perfect formula for our defense 

I'm hoping we try to emulate their offense's start with our own. They established the run and called short passes to get Lagway going. If we can do that and score some points, with our defense, we can be the team that starts putting others on their heels to begin with.