Jeff Howe

Yes, it was against Sam Houston, but getting Moore back was big for the offense. He can be the kind of reliable, go-to target for Arch the way Jordan Whittington was for Quinn.

The Texas offense didn’t resolve all of its issues in last Saturday’s 55-0 win over Sam Houston. Still, getting DeAndre Moore Jr. back from injury went a long way toward helping the Longhorns cultivate an offensive identity heading into SEC play. A player that Steve Sarkisian said on Monday is “part of our personality,” Moore returned to action following an injury sustained during the team’s 38-7 win over San Jose State on Sept. 6, which caused him to miss the 27-10 win over UTEP on Sept. 13, with a five-catch, 79-yard effort in the victory, closing out the team's non-conference schedule with a bang. Moore's five receptions came on five targets, showing his value in the passing game by catching ball within each of the four passing depths tracked by Pro Football Focus: one catch for eight yards behind the line of scrimmage, two catches for 17 yards on short (0-9 yards down the field) passes, one catch for 16 yards on intermediate throws (10-19 yards) and a 38-yard catch on a deep (20 or more yards) ball from Arch Manning. Moore has a season-long PFF receiving grade of 72.6, which leads all Texas wideouts and ranks second to Emaree Winston (84.6) among all Longhorns on offense. Of Moore’s 13 targets, five have been behind the line of scrimmage (five catches for 18 yards, with 33 yards after the catch), three have been on short throws (26 yards on three receptions), four have come on intermediate throws (two receptions for 33 yards) and the deep shot against Sam Houston is the only time Moore has been targeted 20 or more yards down the field. Where Manning has struggled, and where Moore can help him evolve as a quarterback capable of attacking multiple levels of the field, is in the intermediate game. Before the Sam Houston game, Manning was 7-for-21 for 115 yards with a touchdown, two interceptions and two turnover-worthy plays (according to PFF, a TWP is a pass that has a high percentage chance to be intercepted or a poor job of taking care of the ball and fumbling) on intermediate throws. In the win over the Bearkats, Manning’s 16-yard connection with Moore was part of a 5-for-6, 77-yard night with a touchdown (a 13-yard RPO glance to Ryan Wingo) and no turnover-worthy plays. Along with the 16-yard catch, Moore was 21 yards down the field when Manning hit him for the 38-yarder, which was highlighted by Moore gaining 17 yards after the catch. “What DeAndre brings is our ability to work the middle of the field really well, and I think we saw that tonight,” Sarkisian said after the game. He highlighted Moore’s 16-yard catch, which came on third-and-9 on the offense’s first possession, a 12-play, 76-yard drive capped by Jerrick Gibson’s 13-yard touchdown run. Moore has turned 84.6 percent of his targets into receptions, which is a higher percentage than Parker Livingstone (73.3), Jack Endries (70) or Wingo (44.8) have turned in among Texas players who’ve been targeted at least 10 times. Along with the consistency Moore brings to the passing game, he upgraded the team’s perimeter blocking upon his return. In Monday’s film session with the team, Sarkisian said he celebrated the job Moore and Wingo did blocking on a bubble screen to spring Daylan McCutcheon for a 21-yard gain. For an offense in desperate need of confidence and energy entering the non-conference finale, Moore’s return came in the nick of time. The Longhorns got a much-needed shot in the arm before the SEC opener against Florida on Oct. 4, which Sarkisian expects to last beyond the Sam Houston game with Moore back on the field. “It's the confidence that DeAndre brings,” Sarkisian said after the game. “He's played a lot of football. This guy goes to practice with a great deal of energy, with a great deal of detail and he's hard on the guys around him about what they're supposed to do and how they're supposed to do it, whether he's in the play or not. “For DeAndre to be in practice all week, I think, kind of set the tone for what the expectation was.” View full news story

Too early to go there, IMO.

Like I wrote, take this for what it was. It was a much-needed successful night for an offense that needed things to go right. This team still a ways away from being a finished product. From that standpoint, the bye week is huge. I think the best offensive line mix may be Robertson at center with Hutson moving back to left guard in place of Stroh.

I want to see what kind of difference a healthy Wisner makes for the running game. The running game was solid. I can see some things improving, but I'm still concerned about the short-yardage offense against some of the better defensive fronts Texas will face.

Sark said 75 guys got to play tonight, which was nice.

Yes, it was against a woeful Sam Houston squad. No, the Texas offense isn't ready to be considered a juggernaut. Nevertheless, piling up 607 total yards, averaging 8.8 yards per play and scoring on nine consecutive possessions in Saturday’s 55-0 win over the Bearkats was the perfect palate cleanser for the Longhorn offense ahead of SEC play. An offense that hasn’t been able to get out of its own way through the first three games of the season executed as expected against an overmatched opponent. For a team that’s had a hard time playing up to its lofty internal standard, Texas (3-1) annihilating Sam Houston (0-4) should allow everyone inside the Moncrief Complex to exhale, sleep well and turn the page to the team’s Oct. 4 trip to Florida with some much-needed confidence. — The offense will continue to dominate the conversation regarding the team’s chances to compete for the SEC title. What doesn’t need to get lost in the shuffle, however, is the dominant night enjoyed by Pete Kwiatkowski’s defense (113 total yards, 2.2 yards per play and 27 yards on the ground allowed). The Bearkats went three-and-out on their first five possessions and finished the game 2-for-15 on third down (0-for-2 on fourth down). The Longhorns recorded a season-high five sacks, with Colin Simmons notching his first full sack of the season on the opening drive of the game. Steve Sarkisian wanted Texas to win the turnover battle, which it did, 1-0. Although the offense’s turnover-free night is the most notable part of winning the turnover margin, Jelani McDonald’s leaping interception on a heave toward the end zone on the last play of the first half was one of the defense's many highlights throughout the night. Shutting someone out in college football, no matter the caliber of opponent, should be celebrated. — How do you bounce back from a performance in which you fired 10 consecutive incompletions? For Arch Manning, it was ending an 18-for-21, 309-yard night through the air (with three touchdowns and no interceptions) with 13 consecutive completions. Sandwiched between a 1-yard gain on a tight end screen pass to Jordan Washington were two touchdown connections with Ryan Wingo — a 53-yard bomb down the middle of the field (Manning dropped the throw into a bucket over Wingo’s shoulder) and a 13-yard strike on an RPO glance, a staple play in Sarkisian’s offense. He’s still getting a feel for the screen game, and he’ll find things on the tape he’ll wish he had back. Regardless, Manning put the ball where it needed to be more often than not, made plenty of plays with his legs (he stepped up to escape pressure on his 32-yard touchdown pass to Washington) and, hopefully, regained some of the confidence and swagger he didn’t play with in the first three games. — As Manning goes, so goes the Longhorn offense. He set the tone for the game with his boisterous reaction to a 5-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, after which Texas never looked back. — Manning and Wingo needed a game where they were on the same page. Wingo’s six targets turned into a four-catch, 93-yard performance, with a 32-yard gain on an end-around giving the sophomore a game-high 125 all-purpose yards. With that said, DeAndre Moore Jr.’s return made a huge difference from a personnel standpoint. Moore caught five passes for 79 yards after missing the UTEP game, serving as Manning’s go-to target on intermediate throws and providing the kind of perimeter blocking the Longhorns lacked in his absence. — Wingo’s big run and a 50-yard jaunt by Matthew Caldwell bolstered the running game’s final line (41 carries for 264 yards and four touchdowns, one each for Christian Clark and Jerrick Gibson). While five tackles for loss allowed contributed to seven rushing attempts going for no gain or a loss, the running backs averaged five yards per carry. Clark (62 yards on 13 carries), Gibson (11 carries for 53 yards) and James Simon (nine carries for 50 yards) each went over 50 yards on the night, showing varying levels of improvement from last week’s showing, one in which Texas was forced to lean on the ground attack. — The offensive line didn't overwhelm Sam Houston. Still, the Longhorns are gaining confidence in concepts (specifically, their pin-and-pull and outside zone runs) that can make for a serviceable running game. Just like Moore’s return gave the passing game a boost, Quintrevion Wisner’s ability to maximize runs as a proven commodity in the SEC should increase the offensive line’s margin for error. — Brad Spence, who came close to making several big plays against San Jose State and UTEP, was rewarded for his effort on Saturday, knifing into the backfield for a tackle for loss on a fourth-and-2 in the third quarter. — The biggest negative from the game? Nine penalties for 70 yards, including multiple pre-snap penalties on offense. View full news story

A snapshot taken today from the third floor of the basketball complex across the street.

It was clunky so I cleaned it up. Sorry for the confusion.

The focus regarding which phase of the game most needs to turn things around when No. 8 Texas faces Sam Houston at Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on Saturday (7 p.m., ESPN+/SEC Network+) has centered around the Longhorn offense. Still, as good as the Texas defense has been through the first three games, Pete Kwiatkowski’s side of the ball could use a tune-up. Specifically, the last game before jumping into SEC play is an opportunity to improve the pass rush by putting heat on Bearkat quarterbacks Hunter Watson and Mabrey Mettauer. As far as Steve Sarkisian is concerned, the issue has more to do with the Longhorns adjusting to how opponents are trying to neutralize the impact Colin Simmons and the bevy of pass rushers Texas has on hand, rather than personnel deficiencies. “I think the ball came out Saturday, on average, 1.8 seconds,” Sarkisian said on Monday when he was asked about the pass rush, referencing the pressure the defense put on Malachi Nelson last Saturday in a 27-10 win over UTEP. “You can only get so far with somebody in front of you in 1.8 seconds. It's just difficult. “People are going to try to attack the holes in our game and they're going to try not to get exploited by the strengths that we have in our game. One of our strengths are our edges,” he added. “One of our strengths is our pass rush and the multitude of ways that we can get to a quarterback. We have to anticipate what they're going to do to try to combat that, and part of that is getting the ball out of their hands quickly. Part of that might be moving the pocket some.” The Longhorns came into the season with the tools to field arguably the fiercest pass rush in the country. While the Texas pass rush hasn’t been woeful, by any stretch, it hasn’t been as impactful as expected. With six sacks through three games, the Longhorns are tied with Missouri for ninth sacks in the SEC, which is good enough to be tied for No. 69 among FBS defenses. They’re in the same realm regarding pressures generated; Pro Football Focus has credited the Texas defense with 46 pressures, which is tied with Texas A&M for the seventh-most in the SEC. Skewing the numbers is the plan Ryan Day and Brian Hartline devised for Julian Sayin to execute in the season opener. In Ohio State’s 14-7 win, Sayin only dropped back to throw the ball 20 times, according to PFF, with the Longhorns pressuring him on just five of his dropbacks. There have been more opportunities to rush the passer in the team’s last two games, resulting in 39 total pressures and all of the defense’s sacks. Even though Nelson got the ball out quickly, Texas pressured him 11 on time 39 dropbacks, according to PFF, which almost equaled the number of times Nelson had been pressured through two games (Nelson was pressured on 12 of 56 dropbacks entering last week’s game). The Longhorns can have success building on the pressure they've generated, with conditions ripe to pin their ears back and get after the quarterback on Saturday. According to PFF’s pass blocking efficiency rankings for offensive lines, Sam Houston is tied for 108th nationally out of 136 FBS offensive lines. The Bearkats have allowed 33 pressures through three games under first-year coach Phil Longo; only nine FBS offenses have allowed more pressures than Sam Houston, according to PFF. Watson has been pressured on 38.2 percent of his dropbacks (26 of 68). Mettauer has been pressured 15 times on 48 dropbacks (31.3 percent), and his pressure-to-sack percentage (33.3) means one in every three pressures Sam Houston’s opponents have gotten against the Wisconsin transfer have made it home. Sarkisian believes the defense left upwards of three sacks on the field in the team’s 38-7 win over San Jose State on Sept. 7. For more fruitful returns on the pass-rushing opportunities Texas gets, Sarkisian has stressed to the defense the importance of maintaining their rush lane integrity and utilizing a disciplined pass rush. “Maybe it's not how many opportunities you get to get the quarterback on the ground, but making the most of the opportunities when you do get them,” Sarkisian said. “That's what we're trying to train our guys to do.” View full news story

If I could talk to Arch, I'd tell him that if he's worried about the worst-case scenario unfolding, stop. Getting booed at home is about as bad as it's ever going to get for a Texas quarterback. The pressure is off. Cut it loose and play like you've got nothing to lose.

I don't believe I've written or said anything that would or should put me in the camp with the other folks you mentioned. I don't want to blow smoke, but I'm not being negative for the sake of being negative. This article has nothing to do with loyalty. I'm attempting to find answers to the problem or dig into why things are in the shape they're in and what can be done to remedy the issue(s).

I haven't attacked Arch personally. I agree with the poster that things went off the rails after the two-play sequence in question. I'm sorry, but I don't believe anything I've written is attacking the Longhorns or any players. The point of my article is that the offense has an issue that, in hindsight, has existed since the preseason. I hope they get it fixed. I want them to get it fixed.

Couldn’t agree more.

I've been stuck on Sark's Aug. 5 quote for the last few days. I hope this isn't something that lingers, but this offense clearly needs something positive in a hurry to have any hope of righting the ship.

The line just doesn't block zone run consistently, which takes time and is more about understanding the play design than losing a battle at the point of attack. There's a lot of guys standing around watching the pile, which is more often than not a missed assignment rather than someone just getting beat.

The Texas offense’s inability to move the ball consistently and maximize scoring opportunities through three games is staggering. The Longhorns enter the non-conference finale at home against a 0-3 Sam Houston club on Saturday (7 p.m., SEC Network+), averaging 24 points per game and 5.39 yards per play. Steve Sarkisian’s fifth season running the program is off to the worst three-game start Texas has experienced on offense since 2014, when Shawn Watson’s unit averaged 20.7 points per game and 4.57 yards per play through the first three games of the Charlie Strong era. The reality of where the Longhorns are offensively, 18 days away from a trip to Florida for the SEC opener, is sobering. Injuries have sidelined Quintrevion Wisner, C.J. Baxter Jr., DeAndre Moore Jr. and Emmett Mosley V through the non-conference schedule, compounding the experience issues Sarkisian knew existed on offense, even if Arch Manning had a full complement of weapons around him. “I'm not naive to think we wouldn't have some growing pains,” Sarkisian said during his weekly news conference on Monday. “I just want those growing pains to... I want to get tall as fast as we can and feel good and start playing. That's the race that we're in. I'm comfortable in saying we're going to get there. I just want to get there sooner rather than later.” Manning has been under the gun publicly since he put up a clunker in last Saturday’s 27-10 win over UTEP, with an 11-for-25, 114-yard performance through the air. While he accounted for the offense’s three touchdowns (one passing and two rushing), the fifth start of Manning’s career was marred by a forgettable second quarter, one in which he went 2-for-12, including 10 consecutive incomplete passes, for 15 yards and an interception. When it comes to helping Manning get back on the right track, Sarkisian said he feels “good about the process that we're in right now,” adding that Manning “had a great practice this [Monday] morning.” “So many times, what happens is you can start looking at yourself, beating yourself up, focusing on yourself. Well, it's already hard enough. The other team is already trying to beat you up,” Sarkisian said. “The other team is already trying to knock you down, so let's not self-inflict wounds. “Let's take some of that frustration and anger out on them.” Nothing Sarkisian said throughout training camp foreshadowed the struggles the No. 1 team in the preseason Associated Press Top 25, a club whose players spoke openly about their national championship aspirations while being quarterbacked by the odds-on favorite for the Heisman Trophy, has experienced. Still, what he said roughly four minutes into his post-practice availability on Aug. 5 could be a massive red flag missed by virtually everyone with a pulse on the squad, especially since it might be the best way to describe the current state of the Texas offense. “One thing for us that I think, with players that are trying really hard, we have to learn to feel... we have to learn how to deal with disappointment a little bit better. What I mean by disappointment is not every play is going to go perfect,” Sarkisian said. “You might miss a block, you might not catch that ball, you might not get the yardage you thought you were going to get on the run, but you've got to get onto the next play. You’ve got to give the next play the credit it deserves because that next play has a life of its own. I think, right now, a little bit on offense, we're trying so hard that there's this level of disappointment, that we're carrying some of that to the next play and some of those mistakes are compounding on top of one another for certain players. We've got to improve upon that and, as a coach, once you can identify that, we can talk to that, we can coach to that, but I think that's something we can improve upon.” Even if Sarkisian, his assistant coaches and other staff members did everything they could to resolve the problem at the time, the Longhorns are still working through it on some level. This is a time when offensive leadership must step up. Unfortunately, the leaders on that side of the ball are on the mend physically (Cole Hutson is on the list of players whose health will be monitored leading up to Saturday’s game, along with Baxter, Moore and Wisner), aren’t playing up to their potential (along with Manning and Ryan Wingo’s struggles, D.J. Campbell has the second-most accepted penalties against him among FBS offensive linemen with five, according to Pro Football Focus) or are gaining the experience they need to maximize their leadership capabilities. The Longhorns won’t get out of their current predicament overnight. Sarkisian said on Monday that “leadership always starts with us as coaches." He remains confident that the offense will eventually get over the current dilemma. Nevertheless, with only one opportunity left to work on itself before entering the SEC portion of its schedule, Texas needs a heightened sense of urgency when analyzing and attacking its problems. “We want to see a well-oiled machine offensively, on special teams, on defense, playing our best football when our best is needed,” Sarkisian said. “We've got to get there as quickly as possible.” View full news story

It's nice to watch Red Zone on a Sunday and see a lot of Longhorns across the league.

Angle or not, Josh Simmons was on some Larry Allen stuff to deny Mukuba a pick-six.

This is the same Turkish League club Dogus Balbay played for and and helped lead to two EuroLeague titles:

In all honestly, I can’t looked beyond Sam Houston with this team right now. You don’t have time to envy your neighbor’s house when yours is in dire need of repair.