The biggest issue for me on Saturday was the lack of positive plays on 1st and 2nd down, which came as a direct result of the lack of running game and costly penalties that kept the Longhorns behind the sticks.
The numbers are awfully ugly when diving into it for the Texas offense.
Texas had 18 3rd down snaps of offensive on Saturday vs. Georgia.
10 needed 9+ yards to convert
The average distance was 11.6 yards
only 4 were 3rd & short (1-4 yards)
Quinn Ewers was 9-15 passing for 178 yards, but with two INTs. Those INT came on 3rd & 17 and 3rd & 9.
Texas threw the ball on 16 of their 18 snaps on third downs, taking one sack in the process and obviously throwing the two interceptions that were mentioned above. Both interceptions came on comeback routes to the right side of the field.
In comparison, let's take a look at the Georgia offensive output on third downs:
Of Georgia's 15 third down snaps against the Texas defense:
3rd & short: 5-8
3rd & long: 0-2
average distance to go: 5.3
Say what you want about their offensive outputs on Saturday, but Georgia consistently was able to live near the first down marker on third downs.
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A look at third downs in the high-red area for the Texas offense. (from Georgia's 25-yard line and in)
3rd & 5 – incomplete to Moore
3rd & 10 – Ewers sacked
3rd & 6 – dropped by Wingo
3rd & 5 – pass complete for 6 yards to Moore
3rd & 5 – pass complete for 6 yards to Wingo (Overtime)
3rd & 10 – pass complete for -1 yards to Wisner (Overtime)
Tough to win games against a great pass rush when you constantly are put in positions where you are forced to throw the ball and gained a lot of yards on a single play.
This was the ultimate achilles heel in my eyes.