Five questions: What did win over Iowa State mean for Texas football?

By Steve Habel/Senior Editor

AMES, Iowa — Perhaps you might have expected an offensive showcase in Thursday’s Texas-Iowa State game, and with the Cyclones’ heretofore explosive attack and the Longhorns countering with Shane Buechele back in his starting role as quarterback, that expectation was reasonable.

Instead, Texas won the old-fashioned way: it earned it with defense and doing just enough to overcome its own mistakes, posting a 17-7 win over Iowa State at Jack Trice Stadium in the Big 12 Conference opener for each team.

Buechele, back behind center after missing the past two games with a [s2If current_user_can(access_s2member_level2)]bruised throwing shoulder, passed for 171 yards, and a score and suddenly-everywhere safety DeShon Elliott intercepted two passes for the second straight game to help Texas find a way to win.

“People are going to say that this was an ugly win and that there was a lot we didn’t do right,” Texas coach Tom Herman said afterward. “But the last time I checked we just won a conference game on the road, in a hostile environment, and that’s not an easy thing to do in college football.”

The Longhorns’ defense was spectacular, holding an Iowa State offense that had scored at least 41 points in its first three games to one touchdown and just 10 rushing yards in 15 carries.

Texas (2-2 overall, 1-0 in games against Big 12 teams) ran off the final 7:35 of the clock with 13 runs, never giving Iowa State any chance to make a comeback, and finished with a 312-256 advantage in total offense.

The Longhorns’ defense that has come to work the past three games is employing a completely different mentality than the one that gave up 51 points and 482 yards in its season-opening loss to Maryland.

“We learned a valuable, and costly, lesson in that opening game,” Herman said. “You can’t play great defense if you’re evaluating and you’re thinking and you’re gauging or tip-toeing. You have to stick your foot in the ground and go and trust that the other 10 guys are going to be there right behind you. Our defense for the last three weeks has been doing that.”

Chris Warren III (44 yards on 16 carries) ran 11 yards for a touchdown on the Longhorns’ opening possession, which was extended by a personal foul penalty on Iowa State after the Cyclones had stopped Texas short on third down deep in its own territory.

Buechele stood tall in the pocket despite pressure from the Iowa State defense and passed 22 yards for a touchdown to freshman running back Toneil Carter midway through the second quarter to expand the Longhorns’ lead to 14-0.

“It felt great to be back out there with my brothers and to be making plays and helping our team win,” said Buechele, who also ran for 42 yards on 13 carries. “We made some mistakes, especially with some penalties that put ups behind the chains on some of our drives, but we were excited about the way we finished the game.”

Texas outgained Iowa State, 186-127, in the first half, with a 78-24 edge in rushing. Two Cyclones drives were squashed by interceptions of poorly thrown passes from Park by the Longhorns’ Elliott and Kris Boyd, respectively.

“I’ll give Texas credit,” Iowa State coach Matt Campbell said. “Our kids played hard. The key was in those critical moments, we lost our poise. Texas is really good on defense. They brought a lot of pressure in the first half of the game, and had more guys on the line of scrimmage than there were blockers, it can put you in a tough situation.”

The Cyclones (2-2, 0-1 in Big 12 play) got back in the game on a Jacob Park to Matthew Eaton 11-yard touchdown pass with 2:05 to play in the third quarter that cut the Texas lead to 14-7. The Longhorns then got the benefit of two calls on potential turnovers that overturned a fumbled kickoff and a pass that was originally ruled a lateral.

Joshua Rowland line-drived a 49-yard field goal with 13:25 to play that pushed the Texas lead to 17-7 and gave the Longhorns a little breathing room.

Then Herman and offensive coordinator Tim Beck turned the game over to the running game, and that unit did the rest.

“I’m proud of our team’s intensity and accountability,” Herman said. “Playing great defense is our identity right now, and it will be until we find a way to get untracked on offense.

“We’re going to celebrate this win. Winning college football games is really hard. Winning on the road in conference on a Thursday night is even harder, and we’re going to celebrate it tonight.”

Things will now get much more difficult for the Longhorns, beginning Oct. 7 when they return to Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium to host Kansas State.

What was the most impressive statistic from this game?

The most impressive statistic was the Longhorns’ ability to stop the run. Limiting any team to 15 yards on the ground is impressive, but what Texas did against Iowa State — and continues to do since struggling to contain Maryland’s ground attack in the opener — is off the charts.

Since the loss to Maryland, Texas’ ensuing three opponents — San Jose State, USC and Iowa State — averaged just 1.6 yards per carry.

“We always want to be a defense-first team — it’s the defense that wins championships,” Elliott said. “To have success, we needed to stop the run first.”

Another one from the bank of stats that stands out is that prior to Thursday’s game, Iowa State had scored in every quarter this season.

“We finally understand who we are,” Texas linebacker Malik Jefferson said. “We’re going through the same thing every week. We know we can make mistakes occasionally as long as we go full-speed. Turning the offense one-dimensional by keeping Iowa State from running the ball allows us to simplify the play calling and allowed us to blitz more.”

The simple truth is that, even in the spread-offense era, teams win with the ability to stop the run and to run the ball themselves. The Longhorns seem to have figured out the first part of that equation, but still are lacking on the second part … which brings us to our next question:

Why did the Longhorns have difficulty running the ball against Iowa State?

There are three easy answers for UT’s struggles in that aspect of the game.

First, transfers and injuries have decimated the Longhorns’ offensive line, so much so that against Iowa State, true freshman Derek Kerstetter, who before the USC game was headed for a redshirt season, started at right tackle.

“I’m proud of the way we came together as a unit,” center Zach Shackelford said. “Our cohesion is good and we’re communicating well. The guys that have experience adjusted to working in the new guys — we just need to continue improving. There were some mistakes that we can improve on.”

Shackelford also lauded Kerstetter for his play and his attitude.

“I’ve seen Derek do this since Day One,” Shackelford explained. “He loves to play football, he’s aggressive, he’s a hard worker and he’ll get after you.”

Second, the Iowa State defensive scheme stacked the box and forced Buechele to win the game, either by running or with the pass. Herman said repeatedly that his team will “take what the defense is giving” and the Cyclones did all they could to limit the run game — until the final drive, that is, when Texas had worn down the Iowa State defense.

Third, Texas’ running backs are workmanlike but not great. Despite Warren’s occasional statistical blowups — like the game he had earlier this year versus San Jose State — he never will be in the same category as D’Onta Foreman.

What did this win do for Texas’ confidence?

It’s crazy to think a win over Iowa State — a team that was all but an afterthought when Texas was atop the college football world — could be the impetus for a successful season … but that’s where the Texas program is right now.

Pundits and fans wondered if the Longhorns would be ready to play after a bye week and nearly upsetting USC in Los Angeles Sept. 16, but Texas did enough to win in a surprisingly hostile environment in Ames.

“We can compete with anyone we play,” Jefferson said. “This can be the best defense we’ve had since I’ve been here. As long as we keep playing together and learning, we know that the offense will continue to improve.”

Who was Texas’ player of the game?

Jefferson (six tackles — all of them solo — and a sack for a 12-yard loss) was the Longhorns’ most consistent player for the third straight week, and cornerback Holton Hill led Texas with eight tackles (six of them solo). Despite their performances, the nod here goes to Elliott, the Longhorns’ most opportunistic player.

On top of his two interceptions, Elliott had six tackles (four of them solo), a sack that forced a fumble and a pass breakup. After the game, he quickly credited his teammates for the opportunity to make big plays.

“The only way I’m getting interceptions is because of my defensive line,” Elliott said. “We play for each other. We have a confidence and we’re running, hitting and flying to the ball and cutting loose. We’re having fun. When you know your teammates will be there, it’s easy to make plays.”

What’s next for Texas?

Things get much more difficult for the Longhorns this week when they host Kansas State. After this weekend, Texas will face Oklahoma in Dallas, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech at home, followed by TCU and West Virginia on the road.

All six of those teams received votes in the AP top 25 poll this season. Of the remaining opponents, just winless Baylor and Kansas (which beat Texas last season) may be easy wins — if there is such a thing in the Big 12.

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