The Texas Longhorns survived a late comeback in Fort Worth and beat the TCU Horned Frogs.
What did we learn about the Texas Longhorns on Saturday?
Quinn Ewers Returned, But the Texas Offense Still Sputtered
The Texas Longhorns received a significant boost as starting quarterback Quinn Ewers was able to play on Saturday night at Texas Christian. Maalik Murphy started the past few contests after Ewers suffered a shoulder injury, and the offense struggled to gain traction, particularly in the second half of games that Murphy started. After a solid first half, Texas scored only three points in the second half and had to hold on to the win against a late charge from a mediocre TCU squad. Ewers threw the ball 22 times in the first half but only 11 times in the second half, putting Steve Sarkisian‘s conservative play-calling into question again. Despite averaging 6.6 yards per passing attempt, Sarkisian kept the ball on the ground, nearly costing the Longhorns.
Jonathon Brooks Injury Could Derail Hopes
Redshirt sophomore running back Jonathon Brooks is one of the best running backs in the country, and the Longhorns offense has ridden him all season. He was a vital part of the attack, but Brooks was tackled early in the fourth quarter against TCU and reacted immediately. There was an immediate fear that the injury was severe, and it was confirmed on Sunday that the star running back tore his ACL and would need surgery. His season is over, and Texas is left searching for answers on offense. The Longhorns must turn to freshman CJ Baxter (87 carries for 390 yards) and sophomore Jaydon Blue. Baxter has talent, but injuries have also hampered him, and he has not shown the same elusiveness or explosiveness as Brooks. This is a devastating blow for the Longhorns offense.
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Texas Defense Propels Win
The Texas Longhorns held TCU’s offense to only two red zone chances, only 283 yards of offense, and just 3.9 yards per play. The offense was not good enough to win, but the defense stepped up and allowed Texas to escape. The talented defensive front had five sacks in the game and forced a key pair of turnovers (fumble recovery and an interception). The second half was ugly, but Texas found a way to get the win and made a late stop. Adonai Mitchell caught a lob on third down to escape Fort Worth. Barryn Sorrell had 1.5 sacks, and DeMarvion Overshown and Jahdae Barron both had 11 tackles in the game. Barron added a fumble recovery that he ran back 48 yards. The injuries on offense mean the defense will continue to carry a significant burden.
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