Notes and quotes from Tom Herman as Texas football prepares for Oklahoma

Compiled by Steve Habel, Senior Contributing Writer

AUSTIN, Texas — Here are some Texas football notes and some quotes from coach Tom Herman’s Monday press availability as the 11th-ranked Longhorns prepare to face No. 6 Oklahoma Saturday in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas:

• Texas is 62-47-5 all-time against the Sooners in the AT&T Red River Showdown. Herman is 2-2 all-time against OU as a head coach, picking up victories in 2016 while at Houston and in last year’s AT&T Red River Showdown in Dallas.

• Herman provided a mostly positive injury update, saying[s2If current_user_can(access_s2member_level2)] tight end Cade Brewer (head injury but no concussion) and safety Chris Brown (thigh contusion) are progressing in practice and are probable for the Oklahoma game. Wide receiver Collin Johnson (hamstring) practiced in full Sunday and is expected to play against the Sooners after missing the past three games.

Herman called the progress of safety DeMarvion Overshown, who has missed the past three games as well with a back infection, a highlight of Sunday’s practice.

“DeMarvion ran really, really well and we plan to practice him barring any setbacks on Tuesday,” Herman said. “We’ll kind of work him into practice. Obviously we are not going to just throw him in and run a million snaps, but he looks like, barring any setbacks, that he will be available this week.”

Herman also said running back Jordan Whittington (sports hernia) is doubtful for OU but is progressing.

“Having (Whittington) this week was maybe a bit of pipe dream, but he has not had setbacks,” Herman said. “He said that he feels much better that he did after the first surgery that he had in high school. So excited to get him back soon.”

• Only Texas A&M, which has faced UT 118 times, has played the Longhorns on more occasions than OU’s 115. Since 1900, the only years Texas and Oklahoma have not played were 1918, ’20, ’21 and 1924-28.

• When senior wide receiver John Burt takes the field Saturday at the Cotton Bowl, it will be the sixth time he’ll play against UT’s Red River rivals. Burt played three times from 2015-17 then two of his four games during a redshirt year in 2018 came against Oklahoma. Although records are not kept to confirm participation in all six games, the only Longhorn who would have played against the Sooners six times likely is Rembert Watson from 1901-04.

• Saturday’s matchup is the third straight meeting in which both teams are ranked. Before last season’s AT&T Red River Showdown, when Texas was ranked No. 19/20 and Oklahoma No. 7/5, the two teams had not met as ranked foes since 2012. Since 2000, the two teams have met as ranked foes 14 times. Oklahoma owns an advantage in such matchups, having won 10 of 14 contests against Texas.

• Herman on the Texas-OU game in Dallas: “It is one of, if not the, greatest games in college football. I have been a part of some pretty cool rivalries in my day. The Battle of Piney Woods was a big one. You guys chuckle but they hate each other — I mean, hate each other. Iowa-Iowa State for three years, then obviously Michigan-Ohio State for three years.

“So it’s been pretty cool to be a part of all of those, but this one takes the cake just because of it being interstate rivals,” he added. “The two states in general don’t get along very well, and to have it at such a historic venue during the Texas State Fair … it’s cool that it’s always on our soil.”

• Before last season’s Big 12 championship game, when No. 9/9 Texas met No. 5/5 Oklahoma, the previous time the two teams were both ranked inside the top 10 for a meeting was in 2008, when No. 5/5 Texas defeated No. 1/1 Oklahoma 45-35.

• Last year Texas and OU met twice: in their annual October meeting (UT, 48-45) and in the Big 12 Championship Game (OU, 39-27), marking the first time since 1903 and just the third time ever (also 1901) that the two schools met twice in a season.

• “I always get the question when you are playing Louisiana Tech and LSU the next week or West Virginia and OU is next, are you worried about your guys looking ahead?” Herman said. “No issue this week. There will be no looking ahead with this week, for sure.”
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