TEXAS vs Oklahoma State (10-22-22) – Pre-Game

Godz40acres

Godz40acres

Happy Feller
Game time = 2:30 P.M. CT / TV = ABC

The Longhorns stampede into Stillwater this Saturday to face Okie State. The Cowboys are coming off a double overtime loss in Fort Worth to TCU. The Horned Frogs were down 30-16 until 9:42 in the 4th quarter. OSU dropped in the AP ranking from #8 to #11.

Head Coach Mike Gundy, who is a man, has instructed his defense not to touch Quinn Ewers for fear of hurting the TEXAS QB's mullet.

OSU points allowed (not counting Arkansas-Pine Bluff)
44
17
25
31
43
TOTAL = 160

OSU points made (not counting Arkansas-Pine Bluff)
58
34
36
41
40
TOTAL = 209

For the season OSU is 39.77% on 3rd down conversions and 75% on 4th downs (3-4). In the Red Zone they've scored 30 times in 31 trips, with 21 of those being TD's. In Field Goals they are a perfect 12 for 12.

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Oklahoma State football vs Texas

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Best player
Running back Bijan Robinson... leads the Big 12 in rushing, averaging a conference-best 111.4 yards per game. He also leads the conference with 10 rushing touchdowns and he averages 5.7 yards per carry. Last season against the Cowboys, Robinson rushed for 135 yards and two TDs as he averaged 6.4 yards per carry. But the Longhorns went away from him in the second half, opening the door for OSU’s wild comeback. Don’t expect that to happen again, especially after OSU’s defense allowed TCU to rush for 5.2 yards per carry Saturday.

The case for Texas
The Longhorns will be the toughest offensive challenge so far this season for the Cowboys, who have shown some troubling signs defensively the past two weeks. Star quarterback Quinn Ewers has thrown for seven touchdowns the past two weeks and has the ability to really challenge OSU’s secondary. And receiver Xavier Worthy can get behind a secondary that has given up big plays through the air. If all of those pieces click, the Cowboys could be in for a long day.

The case for OSU
The Cowboys are not far from clicking offensively. Even with Spencer Sanders not at 100%, they got off to a fast start against TCU before grinding to a halt. If OSU can run the ball effectively, that opens the passing game up more. Texas is seventh in the Big 12 against the run, so the ability to rush successfully is there for the Cowboys. Fix the offense and it takes pressure off a defense that wore down Saturday.

[More at The Oklahoman]
 
We'll see how well we can stop the dual threat QB Sanders. I think that's the key to the game. This will also show a lot about our ability to stop Max Duggan at TCU.

:bevo::bevo::bevo::bevo::bevo:
 
Though there has been -and rightly so - a long standing perception and reputation here of us being poor vs running qbs, I personally think the phenomena isnt as pronounced as it seems...particularly of late. Most teams struggle with it, we had a few really bad and memorable ones over the last decade that skews perception, and I personally feel like it has been something this particular defense has been better at defending going back to last season.
It is a legitimate concern and a key for the game, no doubt, but not sure it is number one.

Id go:
Stop the run
Ryan watts availability
Limit our offenses 3 and outs
Our own run blocking
Ewers and WRs in sync w throws and spots(and related, will another WR other than Whitt and X emerge ever?..cant say enough about the loss of Neyor)
Get pressure on Sanders early and often
Make sure last weeks coverage flaws were a one off thing..and limit short to medium crosses and outs - force Sanders to beat you downfield or grinding out hard fought yards to sustain long drives

We rattled Sanders with pressure two years ago when they were undefeated (in their house) should have beaten them last year if the offense hadnt turned momentum over and put pressure on the D, and have a very good shot this year.
BUT
BUT
BUT
The real factor here and now is that in two years Sark has a true road record of 1-6...and in his previous tenures it was real ugly, too.
This game is ALL about Texas proving they can pack their A game, play good football, and win an important game vs a tough opponent on the road.
Heads will turn if they prove they can do this.
 
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Not so fun facts:

After winning 12 straight from 1998 to 2009, Texas is 4-8 since 2010 against Okie State.

Counting this years Oklahoma win, Texas has as many wins against OU as it does Okie State since 2010 (4). By record, Okie State has been as dominant against Texas over last decade plus as the Sooners.

Texas hasn't beaten OU and Okie State in same season since 2009.

On the upside, 3 of the 4 Texas wins since 2010 have come in Stillwater.

This is a season defining game in terms of whether this team is ready to take the next step.
 
Good analysis and I would add defense needs 2-3 turnovers and play better on 3rd and 4th downs. Teams go on 4th down against us often because our stats are so bad on 4th down. I didn’t realize sarks road record was that bad. This is a very big game for Texas. Win this and we are in good shape with a week off to heal and prepare to make a season ending run.
 
I believe we will score some points. The key will be limiting their offense and our own offense not giving them untimely opportunities in momentum. This, to me, has been one of our primary struggles for years now. Real good teams take control of games when given opportunities...and dont relinquish...poor to medium ones leave doors open.
 
It really is a coin flip of a game. Texas is for sure the better team on neutral field. But Sark hasn’t proven he can win on the road. I’m excited to see how this team plays on the road with Ewers. Despite struggles in some areas on D we still are only giving up 19 points a game and are starting to get turnovers. But our one bad point game was in Lubbock… this will let us know if we are serious team this year. It’s exciting to be playing meaningful games in late October for a change.
 
Saw an interesting stat today that Sanders had the lowest completion percentage of any qb in the Big 12 last week while being pressured. Ewers had the highest.
Bring the house!!
 
Chop said:
We'll see how well we can stop the dual threat QB Sanders. I think that's the key to the game. This will also show a lot about our ability to stop Max Duggan at TCU.

:bevo::bevo::bevo::bevo::bevo:
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Yep, and the QB at k state who is also dual threat, and a better runner than either of the above .
 
Horn hubby said:
To me this is the game where we figure out if we are for real or not…
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I get your point. OSU is very good. But to me, no better than tcu, or ksu. And ku and Baylor are just a smidge behind those three.
The big 12 may not have a dynamo at the top like the Osu, or georgia, but this conference has great depth. The first 6 teams can play with anybody in the country, imo.
 
caryhorn said:
I get your point. OSU is very good. But to me, no better than tcu, or ksu. And ku and Baylor are just a smidge behind those three.
The big 12 may not have a dynamo at the top like the Osu, or georgia, but this conference has great depth. The first 6 teams can play with anybody in the country, imo.
Click to expand...
I know I'll sound like a homer, but the big12 is no joke. It is a tough conference with great depth, tremendous coaching, hostile road games, no patsies, and you must play every team plus a CCG. I have it about 2b behind SEC and just behind B10 (albeit barely) as far as difficult paths go.
 
I think Sanders is hiding some sort of injury. You could tell with the TCU game that his legs and feet weren't the problem, but the moment he had to throw, things would fall apart.

I guess the bad news for us is that we're not awesome at stopping mobile QBs from having their way. Our DL against ISU was geared to stop the run first, and then worry about the QB later. It wasn't a great combo for about 2/3rds of the game.
 
I'm currently working on a deep-dive video analysis of the OSU offense, but let me give you a quick heads-up:
So far this season, every time OSU has completed a pass in the end zone without a penalty, they've scored a touchdown. Every time.
 
Texas is for sure the better team on neutral field
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I wish I could be sure of that. They have one fewer loss, which is not quite as "good" as our Alabama loss, but far "better" than our Texas Tech loss (and it's closer to the former than latter, being in 2OT vs a top 10 team). Neither of us really has an impressive win yet. They have talent all over the field.
 
I have to believe at the skill positions, the Horns have playmakers that are able to take it to the house at any time. I’m not seeing how okie lite will be able to matchup. Sark needs to call a complete game and ewers and crew need to execute for all 4 quarters.
On defense, everybody do their job. Tighten up the secondary and fill the running lanes.
Is that too much to ask?
 
TCU really stormed back to victory over OSU in the 4th quarter. Duggan was hitting his men and there were a lot of yards after the catch. Also our former TE Riley made some grabs at critical junctures.

OSU’s D is susceptible to big plays. Worthy will be our version of what Quentin Johnston did to them. We keep Sanders in check, we win.
 
as noyed by carryhorn...'The big 12 may not have a dynamo at the top like the Osu, or georgia, but this conference has great depth. The first 6 teams can play with anybody in the country, imo.'

and alluded to by RainH2.....'but the big12 is no joke. It is a tough conference with great depth, tremendous coaching, hostile road games, no patsies, and you must play every team plus a CCG.'

same was pretty much said by (Ennis QB and QB for Bama...maybe he knows) during recent game as paly by play.....also said the Big 12 was as balanced as any conferene in nation...WOW
 
Three Burning Questions Ahead of Oklahoma State’s Homecoming Bout with Texas
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1. Can the Cowboys Contain Bijan Robinson?
While the Cowboys rank seventh in total rushing offense allowed, they have at least been decent at not letting backs go off on them. TCU’s Kendre Miller joined Arizona State’s Xavazian Valladay as the only two rushers to hit the 100-yard mark against the Pokes this year. Of course, neither of them are Bijan Robinson.

Robinson is the motor that makes Texas run. The Cowboys need to do a good job of bottling up him, and the Longhorns’ offense, on early downs if they want to get off of the field consistently.

2. Which Quinn Ewers Do They See?
The Longhorns are 3-1 when Ewers starts, with that loss coming to Alabama. He left with a shoulder injury after the opening drive. He looked the part of a franchise QB when he dismantled the Sooners’ defense two weeks ago. Then he came back to earth against Iowa State missing a couple of key throws that could have made UT’s win much more comfortable.

The Cowboys lead the Big 12 in sacks per game, and they need to play to their strengths on Saturday. For all of Ewers’s strengths as a pocket passer and playmaker, he’s still a rookie and can be bothered.

3. How Do the Cowboys Bounce Back?
We’ve seen some warts show up for OSU over the first six games of the season: lack of experience in the defense’s back end, inconsistency rushing the football and, at times, the inability to punch it in at the goal line. OSU has also dealt with injuries in key positions, not least of which along its O-line and apparently at QB.

How many of those weaknesses the Cowboys can figure out, and how quickly, will determine how they fare over the next six games to end the season.

[More at Pistols Firing]
 
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Mike Gundy in Pre-Texas News Conference on Monday

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On whether he got any clarification on the substitution rule
“I don’t call Greg [Burks] on Sunday. Greg is involved with NFL and all that. I’ll call him today and try to find out how we’re going to do this. I just want to know how we’re going to do it. When they do that [substitution signal] when we go on the field, we should get a chance to come off the field. That’s the rule, in my opinion. Now, I need to call and find out.”

On players slowly jogging off the field during those subs
“Everybody in the league is doing it. Tech was really good at it against us. I mean, really good at it, right? They were really good. I guess the best way to put it is it’s just a part of the game that’s going on that needs to be eliminated, but most everybody’s using it. So, we need to clarify it, and it’s funny you guys bring that up because I was thinking about it last night driving home, you almost want a timer to go off. You want another clock, in my opinion. So the rule says when somebody subs, then the guy in the back, he turns over and does [the substitution signal]. That means you have three seconds to sub. If somebody starts on the field, then he holds it until that guy gets on that guy gets off and then he puts it down and he walks away. That’s the rule, but it’s not working for some reason. There’s too much of a human involvement and human error. And I think the officials would agree, everything that we can do to take the officials out of the game where human error cannot be a factor would be better. That’s why eventually we’re going to see balls and strikes called in the big leagues without an umpire back there because that takes the human element out of it.”

“So once he turns and does [the substitution signal], if we have a guy start to jog on, [the official] should be able to walk away and there should be a clock go off, like the 40-second clock. You got 12 seconds, 10 seconds, I don’t care, you gotta get that guy off the field because when that clock goes to zero, the ball can be snapped and it’s your fault. And then what that does is that takes away the human element of how fast you sub and how fast you don’t sub. Unfortunately, in my opinion, that’s what’s eventually going to have to happen because people use it as a weapon just like the fake injuries on a turbo team. That’s been greatly reduced this year because they’ve got moral rules put in effect that could affect your team if you don’t follow them. It’s been reduced, which is good. So anyway, I think they’re gonna have to come up with an extra clock as much as I hate to say it because how do you really say you’re jogging off too slow and you’re not? Who’s to judge that? I might call [Burks], and he might say, ‘Hey, your guy is jogging off too slow. So we just said it’s your fault.’ I’m good, but that doesn’t say that the rulebook.”

On whether he thought the officials policed it differently during the game
“It changed obviously because [the officials gave the substitution signal] and we came on the field then they threw the flag on us, so it changed.

“But let me say this, I think this is a good discussion for the future, but that’s not why we lost the game. They made plays and made good calls in the end. We didn’t. But we need to get this figured out because that element we need to take out of the game.”

On the issue showing up more this season as teams move faster offensively
“No doubt. It’s showing up more this year. So what happens is, you guys know, going fast, going fast, going fast, you’re wanting to sub. Well, if they sub then you start looking to send everybody in, and then they do it slow to give themselves a rest. That’s why they’re doing it, and it’s happening more this year because most everybody in this league is playing fast now.”

On it being an advantage for teams with more depth
“They’re controlling the clock. There’s a long story behind it, and it helps you control the disguise. There’s a reason why everybody’s doing it. So, we’re going to have to come up with, I don’t care what we do. It doesn’t make a difference to me. We just need a standard, and this is the way it is, and we all have to live by it, and I’m good with it.”

On how late in the play clock he feels comfortable making an offensive substitution
“Well, that’s why I don’t know because I don’t know how long they’re gonna hold it. See what I’m saying. So that’s why we’re gonna have to come up with some way to do this because we can sub with about 18, if they give them three seconds, and then somebody comes on and somebody goes off then it should be like eightish, sevenish. We’re fine. But if they wait longer or if they let him bring a guy and then another guy comes out three seconds later, that’s a problem. So, we just need some sort of consistency. It’s nobody’s fault, but we need, in my opinion, some consistency that way that part is taken out of the game.”

On what challenges Texas’ run game presents
“[Bijan Robinson] is a good player. The other back they put in there, (Roschon Johnson), is a good player. You know, [Quinn Ewers] obviously flips it around pretty good. [Xavier Worthy] is dynamic, [Worthy] is a threat wherever he is, whenever, catching it, running it, throwing it. He can do a lot of things. [Ja’Tavion Sanders] is a unique player. [Sanders] is a hybrid tight end, they use him in the blocking game some, but he runs and plays like a wideout. So, they use him doing some different things. He’s a good player. You know, the left tackle they have, (Kelvin Banks Jr.), the one we had committed here for a long time, good news is he won’t be here but three years. He’ll be gone. But he’s a good player. So, they look kind of like what they have. They’re always going to have a couple wideouts that can burn 4.4 (40 yard dash). They’ve always had five-star running backs and this quarterback throws it around pretty good.”

On Quinn Ewers being less of a mobile quarterback
“Makes it a little easier for us from that standpoint. Obviously you got to be aware — most quarterbacks in this league take off and run on you. We did a good job with [Max Duggan] Saturday. I thought we did a really good job. Hard to do, because you’re a half-man short. They’re protecting [Ewers]. They use a lot of slide protection and they use backs and tight ends on the edge. And they’re max protecting, what I would call, and doing some down-field plays. They have fast guys, so they can run all over the place. And they’re protecting him on purpose, I’m sure. I mean, he knows he’s a freshman, [Steve Sarkisian] knows he’s a freshman, and he’s smart. He’s going to protect him and that’s what they’re doing. And he doesn’t want to take off and run much in my opinion. They don’t try and design runs for him.”

On Texas’ defense
“They’re the same every year, right? They’re big up front. They don’t play with small guys. They don’t play with undersized guys. All their backers are thick and they can run. They’re in a challenging mode more this year than they were last year. They’re playing more man this year than they were last year. But, you know, they’re playing with NFL guys on defense. It’s the same thing they’ve always played with.”

On Gary Patterson’s influence in Texas’ defense
“Sure, he’s very involved. I mean, I’m not in any of their meetings. I don’t know any of them, I just know that it looks that way to me.”

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