Herman: Texas’ win helped ‘Horns clear hurdle

By Steve Habel, Senior Contributing Writer

AUSTIN – If not all the way back, Texas has at least turned the proverbial corner this season, winning seven of its first 10 games to already surpass the figure of every Longhorns’ team since 2013 with two contests remaining.

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And in the near-distant future, if the 19th-ranked Longhorns stay on track and make it back to their rightful spot among the echelon of college football teams, a look in the rear-view mirror will likely show that’s victory last week over Texas Tech on the cold and windswept South Plains had a huge part in that resurgence.

Close Losses Don’t Tear Texas Apart

The win was important for Texas (7-3, 5-2 in Big 12 play) because of how the Longhorns accomplished it – driving to the deciding touchdown with 21 seconds to play after surrendering a 17-point lead over the final seven minutes. Then there’s the fact that the victory came after two consecutive losses by a combined four points, the kind of kick-to-the-groin defeats that could send a weak team into a downward spiral.

“We were psychologically maybe on some shaky ground after the last two weeks and the way that those games happened with a 3-point loss on the road and a 1-point heart breaker here to a top-10 football team,” Texas coach Tom Herman said Monday during his regular availability.

“It would be naive to say that’s not real. There were some guys that maybe could have gone either way, had the (Texas Tech) game turned out differently.”

Instead the Longhorns prevailed, finding a way to win in a tough road environment and to continue to fight through a series of down-to-the-wire games. Eight of Texas’ 10 games have been decided by seven or less points, and in the final 30 seconds, the most in a season since 1936.

“As tired as we are, as banged up as we are, now is not the time to try to take a deep breath,” Herman explained. “We have 12 days left in the regular season, then hopefully a couple of postseason games after that. These guys are fully aware of what this team is capable of doing, because they have seen what the other teams that they have been on have been like and the culture in that locker room.”

Senior Resolve

Part of Texas’ resolve lies in the efforts of Texas’ 26-member senior class, which will play for the final time in Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on Saturday evening against No. 22 Iowa State.

“So these guys realize, I think, more than the young guys, how different this team is compared to teams of the past, teams that they’ve been associated with,” Herman said about his seniors. “They know the potential of this team, and I think they’re hell bent on making sure that this team achieves its potential.”

The Texas defense has taken a beating, both physically and in the way it’s given up yards in the past four games, two of those losses. Herman said his team has played well when it counted the most despite allowing more than 500 yards in the past three outings.

“We understand that as good of a plan as we have on defense, and as good of players as we have on defense, this stretch of five games has been “Murderers’ Row” of elite offenses, not just in this league but in the country,” Herman said.

“Our defense, you know, the last couple of games especially has been really, really banged up. We understand that we weren’t going to win the last few games 17-14 – that just wasn’t going to happen.”

News & Notes From Monday

An updated injury report from Herman:

♦ Cornerback Davante Davis had an MRI on his knee and ankle after suffered a bone bruise on his knee and strain of a muscle in his ankle in the win over Texas Tech.

“We’re going to push, and we’re going to plan on having him,” Herman said about Davis. But it’s going to be toward the end of the week before anything is definitive.”

♦ Herman added that safety Brandon Jones (ankle injury) is running really well straight ahead, with the next step in his progression to stop and cut. Herman hopes to have an answer on Jones’ availability by Wednesday.

♦ Wide receiver Collin Johnson missed the Texas Tech game with a knee injury. “Collin is scheduled for an injection in that knee (Monday),” Herman said. “Hopefully within the next 24 hours the swelling goes down, and he starts to feel better, and we can increase his activity as the week progresses.”

♦ Safety Caden Sterns, who suffered a head injury against the Red Raiders, will lift weights Monday and practice without contact on Tuesday in the hope that he will be ready for Saturday’s game.

♦ Defensive back Josh Thompson, on the other hand, has not responded well after an ankle injury on Saturday. “His ankle looks a little bit worse (Monday) than it did yesterday,” Herman said. “We’re hopeful that that thing can turn around, but right now it’s not looking great.”

♦ Lastly, running Keaontay Ingram re-aggravated his hip pointer but should be back at practice on Tuesday or Wednesday.

♦ The Big 12 Conference announced on Monday that Texas wide receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey, defensive back Davante Davis and placekicker Cameron Dicker as its Players of the Week for their efforts in Saturday’s win at Texas Tech.

♦ The honor was the first of the season for both Humphrey and Davis, while Dicker also earned the recognition following the AT&T Red River Showdown earlier this season.

♦ Longhorns’ quarterback Sam Ehlinger has been named one of eight Manning Award Stars of the Week. He passed for 312 yards and a career-high four touchdowns in leading the Texas win over Texas Tech and has now attempted a school- and Big 12-record 280 consecutive passes without throwing an interception.

♦ Texas athletics director Chris Del Conte announced that the Longhorns will play a home-and-home series with Southeastern Conference power Georgia in 2028 and 2029. Texas is scheduled to host the Bulldogs on Sept. 2, 2028 at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium and will travel to Sanford Stadium in Athens to play Georgia on Sept. 1, 2029.

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