Know Your Enemy: What Texas Football Must Do to Beat Kansas State

By Adam Sweeney

Halloween has come early for the Texas Longhorns, who know that there is nothing scarier than the sight of the Kansas State Wildcats. For some reason, this team has the Longhorns’ number. The Wildcats are the kryptonite to UT’s Superman, the on-line ticket sales to Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the Kim Kardashian to anybody who has good taste, the … well, you get the idea.

Texas head coach Charlie Strong probably still has royal purple nightmares of last year’s 23-0 shutout at the hands of Kansas State head coach Bill Snyder’s team. Personally, I still wake up at night yelling gibberish like, “Josh Freeman! Colt McCoy can’t be hurt! Come on, Jevon Snead!” Chants from the Kansas State faithful of “We own Texas” rained down on a Longhorn team uncertain of its identity, and many of us were left wondering why we can’t seem to handle the team from Manhattan. But that was a season ago and neither team resembles its 2014 edition.

Texas comes off a bye and welcomes a Kansas State squad that got manhandled in a 55-0 loss to Oklahoma. That’s the Oklahoma team that UT dominated[s2If current_user_can(access_s2member_level2)], if you need a refresher, and yes, the Sooners still suck. Texas fans’ morale is at its highest right now coming off a Red River Showdown victory after Vance Bedford’s defense smothered the OU offense, and a win against Kansas State would go a long way toward getting the Longhorns in line for bowl eligibility. To paraphrase the classic Nina Simone, “it’s a new dawn. It’s a new day. It’s a new life for us. And we’re feeling good.”

We’re more than happy to offer goodies galore as we discuss how Texas can turn Saturday’s match-up into more of a treat than a trick. It’s time to “Know Your Enemy.”

Man In the Mirror

There are some remarkable similarities between Texas and Kansas State this year with respect to how their seasons have played out so far. Yes, Kansas State has lost three games in a row, but a closer look reveals a two-point loss to Oklahoma State, a team that beat Texas by three points. The Wildcats also hung tight with TCU the week before, losing, 52-45. So we know that this is a team that with upset potential. The Longhorns realistically are two touchdowns away from being a 4-2 team, after getting their hearts ripped out against Oklahoma State and Cal in consecutive weeks earlier this season. But nobody is here to cry over spilled milk. What the ‘Horns must recognize is that Saturday’s opponent is a wounded Wildcat team and that should put UT on high alert.

Players often perform at their highest when they have something to prove. The Longhorns know this better than anyone — look at how they responded after TCU ran them up and down the field the week before the Oklahoma game. A Kansas State win would give the Wildcats a much-needed boost in confidence and effectively knock the wind out of the Texas season.

“[Kansas State was] unlucky with that score on Saturday,” Strong said. “I know that’s not who that football team is. It’s a very well-coached team, a team that doesn’t make many mistakes … [so we’ve] got to be ready for a team that’s going to be ready to come and play, a team that’s mentally and physically tough.”

If you’re scoring at home and picked “Man In the Mirror” over “Thriller” as the song that would be featured in a Horns Illustrated piece first, well, give yourself a high five!

Ground Control to Major Strong

Weather conditions Saturday are expected to be bleak, at best, so don’t expect Texas quarterback Jerrod Heard duplicate Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield’s five passing touchdowns in a single half. In fact, it would not be a surprise the Longhorns don’t put the ball in the air much at all this weekend. Fans of smashmouth football are going to love this game, and it is realistic to think the Longhorns will put up at least 40 rushing attempts. Look for a Texas gameplan that is similar in style to the one offensive play caller Jay Norvell employed to beat OU. Heard only threw 11 times in that game but completed eight of those passes, and if he can run for 105 yards like did against the Sooners, then the ‘Horns are on their way to a win. The footing may be tough, however, on a torn-up field and against a K-State defense that only surrenders 126 rushing yards per game.

That said, this is a game that is perfect for a play-action pass strategy. We know that John Burt and Daje Johnson can stretch the field. Kansas State head coach Bill Snyder is going to stack the box to stop the Longhorns’ running game. Texas can burn the Wildcats for playing that game too long, and should. Also, it would be a sound strategy to present spread offense looks, even if the entire goal is to run the ball. Kansas State can hang with Texas in the trenches but can not stack the box if UT’s offensive scheme doesn’t allow the defensive personnel and scheme to do so. Heard is going to have to prove that he can attack the middle of a defense, something we haven’t seen all season. Where are the slant patterns or crossing routes? Your guess is as good as mine.

First Blood

If Texas scores first, the numbers show that the Longhorns are almost guaranteed to win. Texas is 8-1 under Strong when it scores first, and 0-10 when giving up the first score in a game. (Hat tip to WDSU.com for the stat.)

Stuck in the Middle with You

Kansas State’s ability to put up points is baffling, to be honest. The Wildcats rank 125th overall in overall offense and yet they have managed to average 30.3 points per game. Losing starting quarterback Jesse Ertz three games into the season crushed the Wildcats, but they have found a way to keep pushing forward, excluding the blowout against Oklahoma. Like Texas, the ‘Cats are attempting to minimize turnovers by running early and often freshman running back Justin Silmon and junior quarterback Joe Hubener, who have rushed for combined 525 yards and eight touchdowns.

But Hubener isn’t scaring anyone as a passer, having completed just 45.5 percent of his passes for 866 yards, four touchdowns and four interceptions. Can you say average? This is news to the young Texas corners, who finally will get a break after facing a murderer’s row of dual-threat quarterbacks. Additionally, the Texas front four has finally found its groove with Hassan Ridgeway, Poona Ford and Malik Jefferson coming off the edge to wreak havoc. The Longhorn defense sacked Mayfield six times two weeks ago, and Mayfield is a much more capable quarterback than Hubener.

The UT defensive front can get to Hubener on passing downs and that means there will be room for turnovers in what likely will be a muddy, sloppy game. If the ‘Horns can keep Hubener and the K-State offense in third-and-long situations, the Texas defense  should be able to punish Hubener — of course, I say that with the knowledge that UT ranks 118th in the nation in third-down defense. Something’s gotta give. If the Longhorns can force Hubener to cough up the ball then tears will roll down his cheeks. Seriously — we have proof.

As a whole, the Longhorns must maintain gap discipline to make sure they don’t get beat up the gut, and Jefferson and the corners must commit to containment on the edges when Hubener and Silmon attempt to get outside. One thing is for sure; the Wildcats really miss former KSU running back Daniel Sam, who is finishing his collegiate career at McNeese State.

Purple People Eaters

Injuries have bitten the Kansas State defense, and the Kansas State secondary has more bumps and bruises than a zombie on The Walking Dead. Seriously … that is going to be one of the themes of the game that will be heard from announcers, and they are right to say so. We won’t likely see a heavy passing attack from Texas, but the downgrade in talent on the back end of the K-State defense could result in a seven-yard run turning into a 30-yard burst for players like Heard and D’Onta Foreman.

Injured Texas tackle Kent Perkins is expected to return this week, by the way, and that will be huge against a powerful Kansas State defensive line.
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