Game Five Snapshot: Texas football returns home to face Kansas State

By Steve Habel/Senior Editor

AUSTIN, Texas — Here are a few of the things to watch for as the Longhorns (2-2, 1-0 in Big 12 play) return home to battle Kansas State at 6 p.m. CDT Saturday at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.

NOTES, QUOTES, PLAYERS TO WATCH

• Sophomore Shane Buechele, who returned [s2If current_user_can(access_s2member_level2)]to the starting lineup and passed for 171 yards and a touchdown Sept. 28 in the win over Iowa State, will be behind center again this week against Kansas State even though he has a sprained ankle and is in a walking boot when not on the field. Buechele missed the games against San Jose State and USC with a bruised throwing shoulder but was elevated back to the starter role immediately after the loss to the Trojans and took most of the snaps with the first-team offense in the Longhorns’ open week.

• Junior defensive back DeShon Elliott intercepted two passes against Iowa State a week after picking off a pair of throws and returning one for a touchdown against USC. Elliott also had six tackles (four of them solo), a sack that forced a fumble and a pass breakup and was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week for the second consecutive week.

• Junior linebacker Malik Jefferson is starting to live up to his hype and has become a defensive force this season as he has played more physical. Jefferson leads the team in tackles (33), solo tackles (23) and quarterback hurries and is tied for the lead in tackles for a loss (3). Jefferson recorded a huge sack on a fourth down in the fourth quarter against Iowa State to help the Longhorns secure the win.

SERIES HISTORY: Texas and Kansas State will meet for the eighth straight season and the 18th time overall Saturday night. The Wildcats hold a 10-7 all-time edge over Texas, but the Longhorns are 6-3 in home games. Texas and KSU have split each of the last four games, as Texas has won the last two in Austin and KSU has won five straight in Manhattan, including a 24-21 decision last year.

QUOTE TO NOTE: “We understand that if we come to play the way we have the past three games we can compete with anyone we play. I think this can be the best defense we’ve had since I’ve been here, as long as we keep playing together and learning, and we know that the offense will continue to improve.”— Texas linebacker Malik Jefferson after the Longhorns’ 17-7 win Sept. 28 over Iowa State.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

Scouting the running game: Texas racked up 141 yards rushing on 52 carries against Iowa State, but 40 of those yards and 13 of the carries came on the final drive that consumed the game’s final seven-and-a-half minutes. The Longhorns struggled to run the ball consistently because of injuries to the offensive line and inconsistency from its running backs. No team wins in major college football without running the ball. UT must get to work if they are going to continue to grow from what they’ve learned the last four games.

Scouting the passing game: Buechele regained his role as the Longhorns’ starting quarterback last week against Iowa State and hit 11 different teammates for a combined 171 yards through the air. Texas will get better at both the run and the pass as its rebuilt offensive line gains confidence and Herman and his staff develop more trust in the players.

Scouting the run defense: Texas continued to dominate the line of scrimmage, allowing Iowa State just 15 yards rushing on 10 carries a week after limiting the potent USC ground game just 71 yards on 37 carries, a meager 1.9-yards-per-carry average. Since the loss to Maryland, UT’s three opponents — San Jose State, USC and Iowa State — have averaged just 1.6 yards per carry (after totaling 123 yards on 75 carries). Herman said in the preseason that the defensive line was one of the team’s strengths and that has become true.

Scouting the pass defense: The Longhorns had four sacks against USC and now have nine for the season. Texas got two interceptions from Elliott, who now has four in the past two games, and a third from Kris Boyd, who did well in limiting Iowa State’s top receiver, Allen Lazard, to five catches for 63 yards.

Scouting the special teams: Junior kicker Joshua Rowland hammered a game-clinching 49-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter against Iowa State and now has two for the season after two misses and a blocked kick in the Longhorns’ first two games. Texas junior punter Michael Dickson was named the Ray Guy Award National Punter of the Week and averaged 46.9 yards per punt on seven attempts in the victory against the Cyclones. He had four punts of more than 50 yards, with his long of the night being a 61-yarder. He downed four punts inside the 20-yard line and allowed just one return. His net average was 46.6 yards per punt.

DRAFT PROSPECTS

• Left tackle Connor Williams: Texas announced Monday that Williams, who suffered a left knee injury late in the first half against USC, won’t have surgery. Instead Williams is taking a conservative treatment approach and will employ a non-surgical approach as he rehabs his sprained medial collateral ligament (MCL), a torn meniscus and sprained posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). It now appears that he could return at some point during conference play if his recovery continues to go well. There is a debate about whether coming back at less than 100 percent would hurt his draft stock, but right now Texas just needs healthy and experienced bodies in the line.

• Nose tackle Poona Ford: He had just two tackles, three of them solo stops, against Iowa State but dominated the middle of the defensive line for the fourth straight game, spearheading the Longhorns’ interior defense and helping Texas turn the Cyclones into a one-dimensional team. A quiet leader, Ford is loud with example of excellence and determination. He looks better every game.

• Linebacker Malik Jefferson: After leading the Longhorns in tackles for the first two games, Jefferson was tied for second in the stat against Iowa State, but his six stops included six solo tackles and were noteworthy for their ferocity and for his quickness to the ball. Jefferson came to Texas as one of the top defensive recruits in the nation and looks like he might be ready — finally — to live up to his potential.

ROSTER REPORT

• Texas will be without tight end Garrett Gray, guard Patrick Hudson (knee) and Williams, but suffered no major injuries against Iowa State.

• Freshman tight end Reese Leitao, who was suspended for Texas’ first two games after reaching a plea deal on drug charges stemming from a February arrest, could see his first action of the season against Kansas State.

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