Longhorns Football: 3 Questions Answered

Heading into 2013 there are many questions that surround the Texas Longhorns football team. With excitement and anticipation building up, Wendell Barnhouse from Big12Sports.com does his best to answer the 3 most important questions for Longhorn fans….

(See Also: Why David Ash is Set to Breakout in 2013)

1. Is David Ash a championship-level quarterback?
Going into his junior season, Ash has won the starting job after sharing it his first two seasons at UT. He likes the change in running an offense that operates at a higher [s2If current_user_can(access_s2member_level2)] tempo and he appears to be confident coming off a strong showing in the Alamo Bowl. If he makes the sophomore-to-junior improvement that has been the case with several top Big 12 QBs, the Longhorns will have an offensive MVP.

2. Will the defense improve?
Tackling was a huge problem last season and in the four losses Texas was gashed, allowing an average of 43 points and 449 yards per game. The secondary needs to replace Kenny Vaccaro but should still be outstanding. The front seven needs to improve, particularly when it comes to making plays behind the line of scrimmage. (Horns Illustrated would also like to add that with the return of Jordan Hicks and Jackson Jeffcoat, the front 7 will immediately be MUCH better)

3. Can the kicking game be a positive force?
When the Longhorns were winning 10 or more games per season, they excelled winning close games thanks to accurate kickers. In 2012 the Texas finished tied for last in the Conference, connecting on just 58 percent of its field goal tries (11 of 19). Punter Alex King finished second in the Big 12 last season but has exhausted his eligibility.

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