Were the first seven weeks fools gold? Were the Texas Longhorns simply beating bad teams and as soon as they faced quality, they capitulated?
A new First and 10 by USA TODAY Sports writer Matt Hayes puts the Horns under the microscope and uncovers a lot of UT issues.
The Georgia Bulldogs were the Longhorns baptism by fire. Truly the first good team Texas has faced. In the preseason we thought defending national champion Michigan would be, or maybe the Oklahoma Sooners. But nope. Neither are very good at all.
It’s not Texas fault that the schedule organically got easier. But it may have covered up some flaws.
“I don’t want to be the guy who has to state the obvious, but here goes: Texas has played three games in its new conference, and the Longhorns aren’t close to experiencing the weekly meat grinder that is the Ess Eee See, son.
Texas played the best team in the SEC at home last weekend and lost to Georgia by 15. The Longhorns have also played the worst team (Mississippi State), and the second-worst team (Oklahoma) in the SEC.” — Matt Hayes
Now the road gets tougher. Texas will be on the road much of the second half of the season.
“At some point, you’ve got to go on the road and deal with it. We’ve reached the fourth week of October, and Texas finally gets its first true SEC road game — against former lightweight Vanderbilt. An incredibly advantageous (and coincidental, I’m sure) scheduling move by the league office.” — Matt Hayes
The USA TODAY Sports scribe believes Texas coach Steve Sarkisian may have created his own quarterback controversy.
“Sarkisian made a mistake when he pulled starting quarterback Quinn Ewers against Georgia, and no amount of “there is no controversy” can hide the fact that there absolutely is one.
Self-created, no less.
Look, no one – and I mean, no one – was going to play well against the fierce Georgia pass rush. Once that defense zeroes in, once Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart convinces his group that it’s the most talented, nasty defense in college football against the world, the quarterback on the other side is usually in big, big trouble.
Ewers didn’t play well, and I know this is going to shock everyone (sarcasm, people), neither did Manning. But here’s the key: by benching Ewers when he’s struggling, Sarkisian made it clear that he’ll do it.
That’s as damaging as the benching itself.
Because now Ewers knows one bad quarter on the road in the SEC – where, odds are, it’s going to happen – and he could be sitting and watching Manning. No matter what Sarkisian said after the fact.
Ewers has gone from playing loose and free and knowing the team (and the position) is his, to one bad series away from losing it again. The quarterback who was one throw away in 2023 from leading the Longhorns to the national title game, is now constantly feeling the pressure of, and looking for, the hook.
That’s a bad way to play football.” — Matt Hayes
It all adds up to zero margin of error for the Longhorns from here on out. They must already switch to playoff mode.
“The margin for error is gone for Texas. Of all the fallout from that humbling pummeling at the hands of Georgia, nothing is more important. …
Texas may not be able to afford another loss against a schedule of at Vanderbilt (not a gimme putt), Florida, at Arkansas (former Southwest Conference rival), Kentucky and at bitter rival Texas A&M — which has waited more than a decade to get another shot at Texas.
The road to “get another crack at them” is about as sure as “there is no quarterback controversy.” — Matt Hayes
