Game 10 Snapshot: Texas faces must-win situation against Kansas

By Steve Habel/Senior Editor

AUSTIN, Texas — Here are a few of the things to watch for as the Longhorns (4-5 overall, 3-3 in Big 12 play) host Kansas on Saturday at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in their next-to-last home game of the season. Kickoff is at 5:05 p.m. CDT.

NOTES, QUOTES, PLAYERS TO WATCH

• Sophomore quarterback Shane Buechele passed for 254 yards and a touchdown in the loss to TCU in his fourth start of the season but also survived seven sacks and at least that many additional times being knocked to the ground [s2If current_user_can(access_s2member_level2)]after passing. The Texas quarterback spot continues to be an in-one-game, out-the-next situation. Freshman Sam Ehlinger, who missed the Baylor and TCU games with a concussion, has started five games at signal caller this year, and has been cleared to return to non-contact practice. His status for the Kansas game is still to be determined.

• Junior punter Michael Dickson is a leading candidate for the 2017 Ray Guy Award, a season after becoming UT’s first finalist for the prestigious award. Dickson has punted 53 times this season and is second nationally with an average of 48.8 yards per punt. The Longhorns’ net average of 44.87 is the second-best in the country. Of his 53 punts this season, 26 have gone for more than 50 yards and 11 of them for more than 60 yards.

• Linebacker Malik Jefferson paced the team against TCU with 10 tackles, surpassing 200 tackles in his career. On the season, he leads the team with 86 tackles, including 61 solo stops. He has gotten after the quarterback as well, with team highs of 8.5 tackles for loss, four sacks and five quarterback hurries.

Series history: Texas and Kansas meet Saturday for the 17th time, and the eighth meeting in Austin. UT is 7-0 all-time at home against Kansas and owns a 13-3 advantage over the Jayhawks, having won 13 straight from 1996-2015. Kansas won last year’s matchup in Lawrence, 24-21, in overtime. Texas coach Tom Herman never has faced Kansas, while KU coach David Beaty is 1-1 in his career against the Longhorns.

Quote to note: “Our guys really believe in what we’re doing and they understand the urgency here going into the last quarter of the season, and that time is ticking on guaranteed opportunities to play this game this season. The urgency is definitely there and definitely palpable. The energy level is there for a team that has suffered some pretty hard losses and treacherous schedule, as well.” – Texas coach Tom Herman on his team’s desperation level after nine games.

 

Game breakdown

Scouting the running game: Texas rushed for just nine yards on 26 carries against No. 8 TCU’s stout defense, tied for the fourth lowest output in team history and the worst run total since 1981. Freshman Daniel Young (12 totes for 31 yards) led the way but Young was a fourth-stringer just three weeks ago, an indication of the Longhorns’ level of desperation to get something out of someone in this run attack. Yes, Texas is working behind a makeshift offensive line because of injuries, but finding a consistent running game from its backs is paramount. How this group improves in the coming weeks will have a lot to say about the Longhorns’ ability to continue to move forward and earn a spot in a bowl game.

Scouting the passing game: Buechele passed for 254 yards and a touchdown and did not throw an interception. He was sacked seven times and is a workmanlike quarterback, doing all he can to get through games without making mistakes rather than playing to win. Buechele and Ehlinger both are adept at passing the football and spreading the wealth, as was shown by the fact that 11 different players caught passes last week for the Longhorns.

Scouting the run defense: When Texas allowed 177 yards on the ground to TCU, the Longhorns actually improved from 12th to 11th nationally in the stat. UT is second in the Big 12, behind TCU, in yards allowed on the ground per game (117.1) and teams that try to make yards on the perimeter against Texas are usually swallowed up by the defense’s pursuit.

Scouting the pass defense: Texas had two sacks against TCU and now has 21 for the season but did not force a turnover. The Longhorns allowed Baylor just 166 yards passing, with the longest play just 33 yards.

Scouting the special teams: Texas junior kicker Joshua Rowland missed his only field goal attempt — from 47 yards and into the wind — and now is 7-of-14 on the season. Dickson punted nine times Saturday against TCU, averaging 50.8 yards per punt. His longest punt of the year traveled 76 yards.

Draft prospects

• Left tackle Connor Williams: Herman said Monday that Williams, who suffered a left knee injury late in the first half against USC, continues to undergo rehab of his sprained MCL, a torn meniscus and sprained PCL, and now is participating in football drills and could be back in the lineup before the end of the season, but not likely against Kansas.

• Nose tackle Poona Ford: He had a season-high seven tackles against TCU and dominates the middle of the defensive line.

• Linebacker Malik Jefferson: Jefferson led the team with 10 tackles against TCU, surpassing 200 tackles in his career. On the season, he leads the team with 86 tackles, including 61 solo tackles. He also has gotten after the quarterback as well, with team highs of 8.5 tackles for loss, four sacks and five quarterback hurries. He has paced the Longhorns in tackles in eight of their nine games.

Roster report

• Texas announced Tuesday that cornerback Holton Hill has been suspended for the rest of the season for violation of team rules — a huge blow to the defense. Hill will be allowed to practice with the team but will not play in the final three games or a potential bowl game.

• Ehlinger and sophomore center Zach Shackelford have been cleared for non-contact drills after going through concussion protocol and are back practicing with the team. Shackelford is expected to play and likely start Saturday against Kansas; Ehlinger remains a question mark with an inner ear injury that is affecting his balance.

• Freshman running backs Toneil Carter (who is back from a head injury) and Daniel Young now are listed as “or” starters along with junior Chris Warren III and sophomore Kyle Porter.

• Junior defensive back P.J. Locke and linebacker Jeffrey McCullough (ankle) did not practice with the team Sunday and are unlikely to play this week against Kansas.

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