View from the Cheap Seats-Arkansas

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View from the Cheap Seats-Arkansas

Arch Roasts Pig for Thanksgiving

 

“How does TEXAS bounce back?”, the announcers quote as the opening kickoff was struck.  We’d say pretty damn well.  The story of the night was Arch had his breakout performance vs old Southwest (SWC) Conference rival Arkansas.  Coming off an ugly loss in Athens, the Horns return to a raucous crowd at DKR to enjoy their biggest win of the season.   This was very much the performance the pre-season hype anticipated and a great look at the future of the Horns.   Arkansas gave notice early why they had played every other SEC opponent close, they took the opening drive down and kicked a field goal.  They would take their 2nd drive for another FG then add two more drives ending in touchdowns before the TEXAS defense woke up. 

TEXAS would counter with 3 touchdown drives of their own on their 1st three drives of the game as Arch Manning would not have a ball touch the ground until the 2nd quarter.   What a night for him.   The 2nd was some serious trick-er-ation.   Arch passes the ball on the Jet sweep look, Sark loves to run, only to have the ball tossed back to Parker Livingstone for the double reverse?   Nope, WR pass to a wide open Arch Manning for a touchdown.   Parker would record a perfect 100 QBR rating on the night.  TEXAS would record the “Daily Double” or the “Two-fer” (scoring to end one half and open the next).   Teams like to defer the opening coin toss to start the 3rd quarter with the football.   It worked perfectly for TEXAS as our Aussie punter, Jack Boumsteer, would pin the Pigs deep at their 11.   The defense bowed up, and forced a weak punt only traveling 21 yards setting up a Mason Shipley field goal to take a 24-20 halftime lead.  

On the 1st play of the 3rd quarter, Arch hits Emmet Mosley V (The 5th) on a crossing route for a catch and run of 30 yards.   Arch would then cap the drive with a short touchdown run.   With this TD run, Arch becomes the 1st TEXAS QB in history to pass for, run for and catch a pass for touchdowns in the same game. 

TEXAS would take a 31-20 lead then put the hammer down on our visiting friends from Arkansas.

Arkansas’ QB was Traylon Green, who is one of the best QBs in the SEC and a dangerous weapon.  He would only make one mistake on the night but TEXAS would make him pay.   On a play going nowhere and feeling the pressure of TEXAS’ momentum, he tries to shot put a ball to his TE only to have Jalanie McDonald pick it off giving TEXAS their first of two key turnovers on the night.  And TEXAS would make the Pigs pay as they would drive down and score a touchdown.  

After a porous 1st half, the defense would wake up in the 2nd half and play much better.  Still we would be remiss if we did not point  out that after starting the year as one of the best defenses in the nation, that side of the ball has been very up and down the 2nd half of the year.    The D would even contribute to the final score as Collin Simmons forces a 4th down strip sack and Liona Lafue would scoop and score a 52 yard TD.

It’s now a one game season

So it is all on the line this week and the unbeaten Aggies travel to Austin.   Aggies are a lock for the playoffs and with the win, would take one half of the SEC title game slate.  For the Longhorns, even with the win, they are neither assured a playoff spot or an SEC title bid, the joy of odd tiebreakers.  Everybody wins out, our understanding is Ole Miss would play Bama.    On the plus side of the slate, TEXAS might have the best resume of wins in the nation which would include 3 wins of Top 10 ranked teams.  The biggest negative, that ugly Florida loss which has TEXAS as the top 3 loss ranked team in the nation.   And math is the key (we did not promise no math).   We leap frog both USC and Georgia Tech this week as both had losses.   Two teams TEXAS beat, OU and Vandy are still ranked ahead of us and both won.    TEXAS has to get to #11 as the #12 seed will be from a large group of 5 teams.  

So not to be Debbie Downer but TEXAS could beat it’s 3 traditional rivals and not reach the playoffs making the season not a success though not a complete failure.   The focus is beating A&M and it will not be easy.

Glass Half Full

Arch Manning.   The reactionary referred to him as a “bust” early in the year, we warned you, he’s young and needs some seasoning.   He’s now showing tremendous in season growth and turning into an outstanding weapon.

WR corps is also growing up. 

Don’t look now but the much maligned offensive line is playing much better.   Not Moore Award great but much improved.

Speaking of growing up, several of the young defensive backs starting to log more time and are playing well.

Sark/TEXAS win the 2nd half behind the best gameplan of the season

We won the 2nd half, we stepped on the Pigs throats and kept them from bouncing back.

Glass Half Empty

Defense gave up far too much.

Run game remains an issue.

Aggies coming to town with far more talent than the Pigs and Vandy’s of the world.   We just got a taste of a true dual threat QB and Reed might be better than Green. 

Ty’Anthony Smith with a 2nd half targeting penalty which will cost him for 1st half of the Aggie game

Will Ant Hill be ready?   We hope so, his absence had an major impact vs Pigs

Offensive Player of the Game

Arch Manning, 18 of 30, 389 yards, 4 passing touchdowns, 1 rushing touchdowns and a receiving touchdown for the 1st time in Longhorn history.   By far his best game as a Horn and a 91.7 QBR rating.   

Honorable Mention

D’andre Moore, 3 catches, 3 touchdowns.   That’s a nice night

Defensive Player of the Game

Collin Simmons, his 4th quarter strip sack led to a scoop and score, he would also add a tackle and a half for loss.

Special Teams Player of the Game

Jack Bouwmeester would only punt twice (once very late in the game) but his chip shot pinning the Pigs at their 11 was a great example of the importance of field position and the Horns would turn it into 7.

Stats that Matter

·        8 of 12   3rd down conversions, that will win you some games

·        3 of 4    TEXAS would score touchdowns on 3 of their 4 trips inside the redzone with a FG

·        7 for 72    Penalties still an issue for the Longhorns.

 

On Deck

Aggies come to town sporting an unbeaten record and their ticket to the playoffs is already punched regardless of outcome.   Their defense is outstanding, boasting the #1 ranked 3rd down conversion defense in the nation, giving up a conversion on less than 25% of tries.   Their offense is not far behind, ranked #10 in scoring (yards mean little, scoring means everything) in the nation and #1 in the SEC.   They feature an outstanding dual threat QB in Marcel Red who is #16 in pass efficiency in the Nation and the #25 ranked rushing offense in the country.  For context, TEXAS has faced #21 ranked Stockton, #3 ranked Pavia and #1 ranked Sayin.    Defense will need to bring it’s A game.  Let’s hope Ant Hill, likely playing in his last game at DKR is ready to go.

TEXAS will need to put together it’s best gameplan of the year on both sides of the ball.   Win the game, outside shot at the #11 seed in the playoffs, MAYBE.    Lose and it’s 8-4/wait till next year. 

Our homer prediction:   31-24 Horns behind a 2-1 turnover advantage.

Game Highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYhuX_L37Uw