The Longhorns continue their adjustment and settling-in period against their third non-conference opponent, the UTEP Miners. After claiming its first win of the season over San José State last weekend, Texas saw some improvement and things to clean up before the gauntlet of its conference schedule.
Redshirt Sophomore quarterback Arch Manning improved his completion percentage, finding rhythm between the end of the first quarter and the beginning of the second. Between the four-minute mark of the first quarter and the 12-minute mark of the second quarter, Manning would lead the Longhorn offense on four touchdown drives.
The defense improved by creating havoc again — creating four turnovers against the Spartans — after Ohio State snapped its 24-game streak of forcing at least one turnover.
In the second tune-up game before conference play begins for the Longhorns, the UTEP Miners come to Austin as 40.5-point underdogs, according to ESPN Bet. While getting wins during this three-game home stretch may not be the Longhorns’ season-long goal, losing these games means no pre-season goals would be in reach at all.
Maintain discipline
Through the first three weeks of the season, the Longhorns are in the bottom 15 in the nation for penalties against and penalty yardage per game. Head coach Steve Sarkisian jokingly singled out sophomore edge Colin Simmons, the current leader in penalties with five, as someone who is “trying too hard.”
“I don’t think he’d thought after two games that would be what he would be leading the country in,” Sarkisian said. “When you get a penalty, there’s a consequence … You go back five yards, you go back 15 yards. The opponent gets to continue to possess the ball because you roughed a punter. There are consequences to penalties; well, we need to have consequences in practice, too.”
Contain the Miners’ pass rush
The Longhorn offensive line has only given up a sack in each contest so far, but the Miners’ pass rush poses a new threat. UTEP is tied for first in the nation, finding the quarterback for 10 sacks through their two games. Nine players have recorded at least half a sack, making it difficult for the Longhorns’ offensive line to single out a player with their protection.
“They’re an attacking defense — very active,” Sarkisian said. “Very similar to what we played last week. I think we need to handle the movement much better than we did last week at the line of scrimmage.”
Offensive consistency
Outside of the previously mentioned six-minute stretch, the Longhorn offense overall did not play complementary football. In the opening two drives of the game, Manning found the hands of wide receivers freshman Daylan McCutcheon and sophomore Ryan Wingo on a pair of third downs, but both ended up incomplete through drops or stray throws.
The offense had four drives that ended in their own half and three drives that ended after three plays. With the defense and special teams creating four turnovers, forcing five punts and one missed field goal, the offense had plenty of opportunities to move the ball down the field.
Coming into the season with national championship hopes, the offense will need to find that rhythm more often than it has so far in the season to reach the team’s ultimate goals.
