Big 12: Daje Johnson
Turnover is an annual tradition in college football, but with that, teams' strengths and weaknesses constantly shift, too. Today, we'll continue our look at the biggest strengths and weaknesses for each Big 12 team.
Next up: Texas.
Strongest position: Running backs
You simply could not ask for anything more from one position, and I might make the case that this is the strongest unit in the Big 12 in terms of pure skill. The Longhorns lost D.J. Monroe from this unit last year, but they run four deep and each brings something special to the table. Johnathan Gray has the best balance of the quartet, and the rising sophomore looks like a favorite to win the starting job on the back of his strong first step. The starting position is a bit pointless ultimately, considering all four will get touches, especially Malcolm Brown, a balanced back with a great feel for space between the tackles who leans a bit more toward being a power runner.
The other two backs are pure specialty, but every backfield can use those. Joe Bergeron is a 240-pound bowling ball who rolled his way to 16 touchdowns a year ago, more than anyone else in the Big 12 except Collin Klein, who finished third in the Heisman voting. On the other end of the spectrum is Daje Johnson, a sophomore speedster who averaged 11.5 yards a touch last season. He had touchdown runs of 45 yards (New Mexico) and 84 yards (Baylor) that showcased his speed. This is a solid group with elite talent and tons of depth and versatility. Texas has recruited running backs so well lately, and it's showing up on the field. What more could you ask for?
Weakest position: Specialists
Texas has solid talent in the return game with Quandre Diggs and Jaxon Shipley, but the kicking game was a disaster last season and the Longhorns are trying to find an answer at punter to fill in for Alex King, who graduated after averaging better than 45 yards a kick on his 43 punts last year. The big problem that carried over from last season is at place-kicker. Texas finished last season just 11-of-19 on field goals, tied for the worst mark in the Big 12 and 107th nationally.
Penn State transfer Anthony Fera was the biggest hope at the position, but he was nagged with a persistent groin injury and has been working mostly at punter this spring after making 2-of-4 field goals last year. Freshman Nick Jordan made 9-of-15 kicks last season and has to be better to hold onto his spot.
Texas has recruited well all over the field and doesn't lose much from last year's team, but when I survey the depth chart, kicker and punter are clearly the biggest weaknesses for the Longhorns. The players currently on the roster are long on potential but short on real accomplishments.
More Weak and Strong.
Next up: Texas.
Strongest position: Running backs
You simply could not ask for anything more from one position, and I might make the case that this is the strongest unit in the Big 12 in terms of pure skill. The Longhorns lost D.J. Monroe from this unit last year, but they run four deep and each brings something special to the table. Johnathan Gray has the best balance of the quartet, and the rising sophomore looks like a favorite to win the starting job on the back of his strong first step. The starting position is a bit pointless ultimately, considering all four will get touches, especially Malcolm Brown, a balanced back with a great feel for space between the tackles who leans a bit more toward being a power runner.
The other two backs are pure specialty, but every backfield can use those. Joe Bergeron is a 240-pound bowling ball who rolled his way to 16 touchdowns a year ago, more than anyone else in the Big 12 except Collin Klein, who finished third in the Heisman voting. On the other end of the spectrum is Daje Johnson, a sophomore speedster who averaged 11.5 yards a touch last season. He had touchdown runs of 45 yards (New Mexico) and 84 yards (Baylor) that showcased his speed. This is a solid group with elite talent and tons of depth and versatility. Texas has recruited running backs so well lately, and it's showing up on the field. What more could you ask for?
Weakest position: Specialists
Texas has solid talent in the return game with Quandre Diggs and Jaxon Shipley, but the kicking game was a disaster last season and the Longhorns are trying to find an answer at punter to fill in for Alex King, who graduated after averaging better than 45 yards a kick on his 43 punts last year. The big problem that carried over from last season is at place-kicker. Texas finished last season just 11-of-19 on field goals, tied for the worst mark in the Big 12 and 107th nationally.
Penn State transfer Anthony Fera was the biggest hope at the position, but he was nagged with a persistent groin injury and has been working mostly at punter this spring after making 2-of-4 field goals last year. Freshman Nick Jordan made 9-of-15 kicks last season and has to be better to hold onto his spot.
Texas has recruited well all over the field and doesn't lose much from last year's team, but when I survey the depth chart, kicker and punter are clearly the biggest weaknesses for the Longhorns. The players currently on the roster are long on potential but short on real accomplishments.
More Weak and Strong.
Offseason to-do list: Texas Longhorns
January, 25, 2013
Jan 25
10:00
AM ET
By
David Ubben | ESPN.com
Every year, there's lots of turnover and change for every college program. What do the Big 12 teams need to do before next fall? Let's continue our look with the Longhorns down in Austin.
1. Figure out the offensive identity. Bryan Harsin is gone, and he's probably taking most of his pre-snap shifts with him. Will Major Applewhite still look to run a power offense? Texas has recruited and developed its offensive line really well lately, but David Ash has matured, and even with a wealth of backs in Malcolm Brown, Johnathan Gray, Joe Bergeron and Daje Johnson, Texas hasn't been able to keep them healthy or get consistent production out of one for an entire season. Will Applewhite put more responsibility in Ash's hands? He was good at times last season, but the rising junior was inconsistent. His ceiling is probably a legitimate Heisman campaign. His floor is probably getting benched in favor Connor Brewer or Jalen Overstreet -- or maybe even incoming freshman Tyrone Swoopes. Where will he fall on the spectrum? Will Texas continue to try to pound the trenches?
2. Plug up the middle of the defense. Texas' defense made no sense last season. The personnel is absolutely there to be great up front. The defensive tackles are deep and talented, led by guys like Malcom Brown, Ashton Dorsey, Desmond Jackson and Chris Whaley. The linebackers were solid, even without Jordan Hicks, who should be back next season. Peter Jinkens is a rising star and a few others have potential. Coordinator Manny Diaz didn't take another job, electing to stay in Austin and attempt fix the most underwhelming unit in the Big 12. It all starts with the ability to stop the run, something Texas never did consistently last season. Fix that, and the rest of this defense comes around, I say.
3. Discover and develop leadership. Texas was still a pretty young team last season after rebooting on both sides of the ball after the 2010 season. The freshmen and sophomores who contributed in 2011 are juniors and seniors now, but the team is losing guys like Alex Okafor and Kenny Vaccaro, players who had been around awhile and served as role models for younger guys. Look for Jackson Jeffcoat and David to fill the role this year, but other players, like Malcolm Brown or Jaxon Shipley, might emerge, too. We'll see who steps up in the spring.
More offseason to-do lists:
1. Figure out the offensive identity. Bryan Harsin is gone, and he's probably taking most of his pre-snap shifts with him. Will Major Applewhite still look to run a power offense? Texas has recruited and developed its offensive line really well lately, but David Ash has matured, and even with a wealth of backs in Malcolm Brown, Johnathan Gray, Joe Bergeron and Daje Johnson, Texas hasn't been able to keep them healthy or get consistent production out of one for an entire season. Will Applewhite put more responsibility in Ash's hands? He was good at times last season, but the rising junior was inconsistent. His ceiling is probably a legitimate Heisman campaign. His floor is probably getting benched in favor Connor Brewer or Jalen Overstreet -- or maybe even incoming freshman Tyrone Swoopes. Where will he fall on the spectrum? Will Texas continue to try to pound the trenches?
2. Plug up the middle of the defense. Texas' defense made no sense last season. The personnel is absolutely there to be great up front. The defensive tackles are deep and talented, led by guys like Malcom Brown, Ashton Dorsey, Desmond Jackson and Chris Whaley. The linebackers were solid, even without Jordan Hicks, who should be back next season. Peter Jinkens is a rising star and a few others have potential. Coordinator Manny Diaz didn't take another job, electing to stay in Austin and attempt fix the most underwhelming unit in the Big 12. It all starts with the ability to stop the run, something Texas never did consistently last season. Fix that, and the rest of this defense comes around, I say.
3. Discover and develop leadership. Texas was still a pretty young team last season after rebooting on both sides of the ball after the 2010 season. The freshmen and sophomores who contributed in 2011 are juniors and seniors now, but the team is losing guys like Alex Okafor and Kenny Vaccaro, players who had been around awhile and served as role models for younger guys. Look for Jackson Jeffcoat and David to fill the role this year, but other players, like Malcolm Brown or Jaxon Shipley, might emerge, too. We'll see who steps up in the spring.
More offseason to-do lists:
The ESPN 150 are the best of the best when it comes to recruits, but how do they really stack up on the field? We check in each season with the freshmen who made an impact and those who didn't in Year 1.
You can look back on the ESPN 150 in 2012 right here, but how did the guys who landed in the Big 12 do? So glad you asked.
Also, here's how the last few years of Big 12 ESPN 150 recruits shaped up:
No. 12: Malcom Brown, DT, Texas: Contributed as a reserve on Texas' strong defensive line. Made 19 tackles and two tackles for loss.
No. 54: Dominique Wheeler, WR, Texas Tech: Redshirted his first season for Texas Tech's deep receiving corps.
No. 57: Peter Jinkens, OLB, Texas: Started two games and played in every game this season. Made 27 tackles and three tackles for loss with a sack and an interception.
No. 58: Kennedy Estelle, OL, Texas: Missed five games with a shoulder injury but contributed as a reserve offensive lineman in three games.
No. 60: Sterling Shepard, WR, Oklahoma: Was one of the league's most promising freshmen in Year 1. Emerged with a breakout game against Kansas State with seven catches for 108 yards and a score. He finished with 41 catches for 578 yards and three touchdowns.
No. 64: Durron Neal, WR, Oklahoma: Played sparingly and contributed in nine games. Caught four passes for 62 yards.
No. 70: Alex Ross, RB, Oklahoma: Redshirted in 2012.
No. 77: Torshiro Davis, LB, Texas: Goes by "Shiro" now and moved to defensive end. Played in the final six games of Texas' season and made three tackles, one tackle for loss and broke up a pass.
No. 78: Curtis Riser, OG, Texas: Redshirted in 2012.
No. 79: Bryson Echols, CB, Texas: Redshirted in 2012.
No. 87: Reginald Davis, WR, Texas Tech: Redshirted in 2012.
No. 92: Dalton Santos, LB, Texas: Played in 12 games and made 24 tackles, mostly contributing on special teams. Added 2.5 tackles for loss.
No. 97: Alex Norman, DT, Texas: Redshirted in 2012.
No. 120: Michael Starts, OT, Texas Tech: Moved to defensive tackle but played in just three games. Made three tackles with a sack against New Mexico. Missed time because of a blood pressure issue.
No. 126: Dominic Ramacher, LB, Oklahoma State: Moved to fullback and redshirted in 2012.
No. 130: Connor Brewer, QB, Texas: Redshirted in 2012.
No. 137: Derrick Woods, WR, Oklahoma: Redshirted in 2012.
No. 141: Daje Johnson, ATH, Texas: Speedster made an impact as a big-play threat at running back for Texas. Carried the ball 27 times for 203 yards and a touchdown and caught 19 passes for 287 yards and a score.
No. 147: Cayleb Jones, WR, Texas: Played in 12 games but caught two passes for 35 yards and carried the ball once for 10 yards.
No. 148: Ty Darlington, OL, Oklahoma: Earned starts late in the season at center and proved to be a valuable piece of the Sooners' offensive line that provided an opportunity for versatility and ability to move Gabe Ikard to guard.
You can look back on the ESPN 150 in 2012 right here, but how did the guys who landed in the Big 12 do? So glad you asked.
Also, here's how the last few years of Big 12 ESPN 150 recruits shaped up:
- Big 12 signees in the 2006 ESPN 150
- Big 12 signees in the 2007 ESPN 150
- Big 12 signees in the 2008 ESPN 150
- Big 12 signees in the 2009 ESPN 150
- Big 12 signees in the 2010 ESPN 150
- Big 12 signees in the 2011 ESPN 150
No. 12: Malcom Brown, DT, Texas: Contributed as a reserve on Texas' strong defensive line. Made 19 tackles and two tackles for loss.
No. 54: Dominique Wheeler, WR, Texas Tech: Redshirted his first season for Texas Tech's deep receiving corps.
No. 57: Peter Jinkens, OLB, Texas: Started two games and played in every game this season. Made 27 tackles and three tackles for loss with a sack and an interception.
No. 58: Kennedy Estelle, OL, Texas: Missed five games with a shoulder injury but contributed as a reserve offensive lineman in three games.
No. 60: Sterling Shepard, WR, Oklahoma: Was one of the league's most promising freshmen in Year 1. Emerged with a breakout game against Kansas State with seven catches for 108 yards and a score. He finished with 41 catches for 578 yards and three touchdowns.
No. 64: Durron Neal, WR, Oklahoma: Played sparingly and contributed in nine games. Caught four passes for 62 yards.
No. 70: Alex Ross, RB, Oklahoma: Redshirted in 2012.
No. 77: Torshiro Davis, LB, Texas: Goes by "Shiro" now and moved to defensive end. Played in the final six games of Texas' season and made three tackles, one tackle for loss and broke up a pass.
No. 78: Curtis Riser, OG, Texas: Redshirted in 2012.
No. 79: Bryson Echols, CB, Texas: Redshirted in 2012.
No. 87: Reginald Davis, WR, Texas Tech: Redshirted in 2012.
No. 92: Dalton Santos, LB, Texas: Played in 12 games and made 24 tackles, mostly contributing on special teams. Added 2.5 tackles for loss.
No. 97: Alex Norman, DT, Texas: Redshirted in 2012.
No. 120: Michael Starts, OT, Texas Tech: Moved to defensive tackle but played in just three games. Made three tackles with a sack against New Mexico. Missed time because of a blood pressure issue.
No. 126: Dominic Ramacher, LB, Oklahoma State: Moved to fullback and redshirted in 2012.
No. 130: Connor Brewer, QB, Texas: Redshirted in 2012.
No. 137: Derrick Woods, WR, Oklahoma: Redshirted in 2012.
No. 141: Daje Johnson, ATH, Texas: Speedster made an impact as a big-play threat at running back for Texas. Carried the ball 27 times for 203 yards and a touchdown and caught 19 passes for 287 yards and a score.
No. 147: Cayleb Jones, WR, Texas: Played in 12 games but caught two passes for 35 yards and carried the ball once for 10 yards.
No. 148: Ty Darlington, OL, Oklahoma: Earned starts late in the season at center and proved to be a valuable piece of the Sooners' offensive line that provided an opportunity for versatility and ability to move Gabe Ikard to guard.
Oregon State (9-3, 6-3 Pac-12) versus Texas (8-4, 5-4 Big 12):
Who to watch: It took weeks for both teams to name their respective starting quarterbacks. Now that they have -- David Ash for Texas and Cody Vaz for Oregon State -- all eyes will be on the two to see whether they can live up to the expectations. Ash was benched for the final game of the regular season after committing three turnovers against TCU. In the past three weeks, he has had to not only climb back into the starter role but also get accustomed to a new quarterbacks coach in Major Applewhite. Applewhite took over the role following the departure of Bryan Harsin to Arkansas State.
As for Vaz, he has been stellar in four games as a starter and only lost that role after suffering an ankle injury in the Stanford game. Vaz has 11 touchdowns to one interception. But if he struggles at all, Oregon State has a very capable backup in Sean Mannion.
What to watch: The running game production for both teams should be crucial. While Oregon State prefers to throw the ball, it cannot drop back 40 or 50 times because of the potential pressure of the Texas defensive line. So the Beavers' best move could be to attack up the middle, where Texas is at its weakest. The Longhorns have allowed 199 rush yards per game, and at one point during the season, in five consecutive weeks, Texas allowed five different rushers season highs. Oregon State running back Storm Woods is from just outside Austin -- Pflugerville -- and undoubtedly will have a chip on his shoulder, as he was not recruited by the Longhorns.
Why watch: Explosive plays and players. Texas, with a new playcaller in Applewhite, should be more committed to getting the ball to three of the fastest players in college football -- Daje Johnson, Marquise Goodwin and D.J. Monroe. Any time any of the three touches the ball, it could result in a touchdown. Oregon State has one of the top receivers in the country in Markus Wheaton. The Beavers' all-time leading receiver could give the Texas secondary fits.
Prediction: Oregon State’s pass defense might be too much for Texas and Ash to overcome. The sophomore quarterback has struggled against strong pass defenses, and the Beavers are No. 16 in pass efficiency defense. Of the teams Texas has played, only Oklahoma is better, and the Sooners beat Texas by 42. Oregon State 33, Texas 28.
Who to watch: It took weeks for both teams to name their respective starting quarterbacks. Now that they have -- David Ash for Texas and Cody Vaz for Oregon State -- all eyes will be on the two to see whether they can live up to the expectations. Ash was benched for the final game of the regular season after committing three turnovers against TCU. In the past three weeks, he has had to not only climb back into the starter role but also get accustomed to a new quarterbacks coach in Major Applewhite. Applewhite took over the role following the departure of Bryan Harsin to Arkansas State.
As for Vaz, he has been stellar in four games as a starter and only lost that role after suffering an ankle injury in the Stanford game. Vaz has 11 touchdowns to one interception. But if he struggles at all, Oregon State has a very capable backup in Sean Mannion.
What to watch: The running game production for both teams should be crucial. While Oregon State prefers to throw the ball, it cannot drop back 40 or 50 times because of the potential pressure of the Texas defensive line. So the Beavers' best move could be to attack up the middle, where Texas is at its weakest. The Longhorns have allowed 199 rush yards per game, and at one point during the season, in five consecutive weeks, Texas allowed five different rushers season highs. Oregon State running back Storm Woods is from just outside Austin -- Pflugerville -- and undoubtedly will have a chip on his shoulder, as he was not recruited by the Longhorns.
Why watch: Explosive plays and players. Texas, with a new playcaller in Applewhite, should be more committed to getting the ball to three of the fastest players in college football -- Daje Johnson, Marquise Goodwin and D.J. Monroe. Any time any of the three touches the ball, it could result in a touchdown. Oregon State has one of the top receivers in the country in Markus Wheaton. The Beavers' all-time leading receiver could give the Texas secondary fits.
Prediction: Oregon State’s pass defense might be too much for Texas and Ash to overcome. The sophomore quarterback has struggled against strong pass defenses, and the Beavers are No. 16 in pass efficiency defense. Of the teams Texas has played, only Oklahoma is better, and the Sooners beat Texas by 42. Oregon State 33, Texas 28.
Handing out some Big 12 freshman awards
December, 11, 2012
12/11/12
11:00
AM ET
By
David Ubben | ESPN.com
We took a look at our All-Big 12 Freshman team earlier today, but let's hand out a few superlatives from the young guys around the league.
Before we begin, a quick word: Devonte Fields was my defensive player of the year in the entire league. He is ridiculous. He would also dominate this post if we included him. As such, I'm excluding him from all of these awards so we can talk about a few other outstanding freshmen. We love Fields here at the Big 12 Blog. We also like talking about people other than Fields. So, no worries Frogs. He will continue to dominate Big 12 offensive lines. He just won't dominate this post.
Best offensive performance: J.W. Walsh, QB, Oklahoma State. Walsh lost the QB derby, but stepped up when Wes Lunt was hurt to lead Oklahoma State to a near-win over Texas, but did beat Iowa State and Kansas. After returning from a leg injury, he played a major role in a short-yardage package and accounted for five touchdowns in Oklahoma State's final three games. He finished with 11 touchdown passes to just three interceptions and completed 66.7 percent of his passes, the fourth-highest percentage in the Big 12. Walsh's passer rating of 165.67 led the Big 12.
Best non-Devonte Fields defensive performance: Karl Joseph, S, West Virginia. Joseph was probably the single best player on a struggling West Virginia defense all season long. The freshman stepped in and made 95 tackles to lead the team, but his ballhawking ability is what earns him this award. He forced three fumbles, broke up six passes and intercepted two more, adding a sack and seven tackles for loss. Quite the debut for Joseph.
Biggest upside: Dalton Santos, LB, Texas. Santos' teammate, Kenny Vaccaro, has the current title of the Big 12's biggest hitter, but Santos reminds us of a young Ronnell Lewis in the special teams. He made one start at linebacker this year, but had his biggest impact in the special teams, looking like a cruise missile at times. He had just 18 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss, but hopes are high for him when he earns a bigger role on the defense. Honorable mention: Sterling Shepard, WR, Oklahoma.
Biggest impact: Johnathan Gray, RB, Texas. Texas needed help with Joe Bergeron and Malcolm Brown banged up, and Gray was there to pick up the slack. He racked up 100-yard rushing games in wins against Texas Tech and Kansas, and I don't think it's a stretch to say that if he's not out there logging those carries, Texas doesn't win those games. The Longhorns were 8-4, but could they be 6-6 without Gray? He led the Longhorns in rushing as a true freshman.
Best offensive lineman: Spencer Drango, Baylor. He was on our watch list for fresh faces to begin the season, and showed why with a huge year after beefing up during his redshirt season. The 6-foot-6, 310-pounder seized a starting position at tackle and helped block for the nation's No. 1 offense. Honorable mention: Le'Raven Clark, Texas Tech.
Fastest freshman: Tie, Jakeem Grant, WR, Texas Tech and Daje Johnson, RB, Texas. Both of these guys proved their worth as home-run hitters this season and both can fly. Grant is much shiftier, but for my money, it's tough to argue Johnson as the faster straight-line sprinter. Either way, both have promising futures in their respective offenses.
Before we begin, a quick word: Devonte Fields was my defensive player of the year in the entire league. He is ridiculous. He would also dominate this post if we included him. As such, I'm excluding him from all of these awards so we can talk about a few other outstanding freshmen. We love Fields here at the Big 12 Blog. We also like talking about people other than Fields. So, no worries Frogs. He will continue to dominate Big 12 offensive lines. He just won't dominate this post.
Best offensive performance: J.W. Walsh, QB, Oklahoma State. Walsh lost the QB derby, but stepped up when Wes Lunt was hurt to lead Oklahoma State to a near-win over Texas, but did beat Iowa State and Kansas. After returning from a leg injury, he played a major role in a short-yardage package and accounted for five touchdowns in Oklahoma State's final three games. He finished with 11 touchdown passes to just three interceptions and completed 66.7 percent of his passes, the fourth-highest percentage in the Big 12. Walsh's passer rating of 165.67 led the Big 12.
Best non-Devonte Fields defensive performance: Karl Joseph, S, West Virginia. Joseph was probably the single best player on a struggling West Virginia defense all season long. The freshman stepped in and made 95 tackles to lead the team, but his ballhawking ability is what earns him this award. He forced three fumbles, broke up six passes and intercepted two more, adding a sack and seven tackles for loss. Quite the debut for Joseph.
Biggest upside: Dalton Santos, LB, Texas. Santos' teammate, Kenny Vaccaro, has the current title of the Big 12's biggest hitter, but Santos reminds us of a young Ronnell Lewis in the special teams. He made one start at linebacker this year, but had his biggest impact in the special teams, looking like a cruise missile at times. He had just 18 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss, but hopes are high for him when he earns a bigger role on the defense. Honorable mention: Sterling Shepard, WR, Oklahoma.
Biggest impact: Johnathan Gray, RB, Texas. Texas needed help with Joe Bergeron and Malcolm Brown banged up, and Gray was there to pick up the slack. He racked up 100-yard rushing games in wins against Texas Tech and Kansas, and I don't think it's a stretch to say that if he's not out there logging those carries, Texas doesn't win those games. The Longhorns were 8-4, but could they be 6-6 without Gray? He led the Longhorns in rushing as a true freshman.
Best offensive lineman: Spencer Drango, Baylor. He was on our watch list for fresh faces to begin the season, and showed why with a huge year after beefing up during his redshirt season. The 6-foot-6, 310-pounder seized a starting position at tackle and helped block for the nation's No. 1 offense. Honorable mention: Le'Raven Clark, Texas Tech.
Fastest freshman: Tie, Jakeem Grant, WR, Texas Tech and Daje Johnson, RB, Texas. Both of these guys proved their worth as home-run hitters this season and both can fly. Grant is much shiftier, but for my money, it's tough to argue Johnson as the faster straight-line sprinter. Either way, both have promising futures in their respective offenses.
Texas loses Jeffcoat; Ash not ruled out
October, 14, 2012
10/14/12
10:21
PM ET
By
Carter Strickland | ESPN.com
AUSTIN, Texas -- The Texas defense, which has suffered many blows in the past few weeks, just took another to the gut.
Jackson Jeffcoat is out. Gone for the season. He tore his pectoral muscle. This time it was the right one. Last year it was the left one. So much for Texas having the top two defensive ends in the Big 12. Instead Texas is just left with big questions at a time when it is searching for answers.
The foremost is: Can Cedric Reed or Reggie Wilson even come close to producing at Jeffcoat’s level? The answer is no. If they could, they would have had the starting spot.
Wilson showed a flash against Ole Miss when he jumped a diving blocker and sacked Bo Wallace.
Jeffcoat does stuff like that every game. The junior had four sacks, 11 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery for a touchdown already this season. Reed and Wilson have a combined five tackles for loss and one sack.
But Jeffcoat’s game went beyond stats. He, along with bookend Alex Okafor, was able to pin in quarterbacks and shrink their options. The reason Geno Smith was unable to roll the pocket and therefore roll Texas was because he had Jeffcoat to his left and Okafor to his right every time he dropped back. It was the combined pressure of the two that forced Smith to take four sacks and be stripped of the ball twice.
Without that type of pressure the Texas secondary, which already has issues in coverage, is susceptible to being picked apart by a quarterback like Baylor’s Nick Florence. Florence, the FBS leader in total offense, just so happens to be the next QB Texas faces.
The Longhorns might consider pulling the redshirt off someone like Shiro Davis in order to get more speed on the edge. But, as Texas has proven in the past two losses, it is very tough to play fast as a defensive player when you do not know where you are going.
Without Jeffcoat, Texas, a team that has allowed 111 points and more than 1,100 yards in the past two games, might be wondering where it is going.
Ash not ruled out
Texas has prepared itself since the spring to use two quarterbacks. Now the Longhorns might have to do just that.
While quarterback David Ash has not been ruled out with a bruise to his non-throwing wrist, he has not been cleared to play, either. That means Texas might once again be turning to backup Case McCoy.
The junior, who was 3-2 as a starter in 2011, lost out on the starting job after what was an eight-month competition. But the Texas coaches qualified their selection of Ash by stating, repeatedly, that they felt McCoy was more than an adequate backup and that they would not hesitate to play him.
Well, now the time might have come and it might be against Baylor, which happens to be the last team McCoy started against. In that game, McCoy was responsible for five turnovers. That, as much as anything, is what led to his demotion.
The coaching staff could not abide a quarterback who played fast and loose with the ball. They wanted a game manager. Ash better fit that role. McCoy, on the other hand, is much more of a draw-it-up-in-the-dirt player.
But McCoy has matured. He has added 15-20 pounds and put more zip on his intermediate throws as well as length on deep throws.
If he is the quarterback, it is almost a certainty that co-offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin will play it close to the vest and try to get McCoy to distribute the ball to playmakers such as Daje Johnson, Marquise Goodwin and Johnathan Gray. That has been when Texas is at its best. And to beat Baylor, a team that is No. 2 in total offense and No. 4 in scoring offense, Texas’ offense will have to be at its best.
Jackson Jeffcoat is out. Gone for the season. He tore his pectoral muscle. This time it was the right one. Last year it was the left one. So much for Texas having the top two defensive ends in the Big 12. Instead Texas is just left with big questions at a time when it is searching for answers.
The foremost is: Can Cedric Reed or Reggie Wilson even come close to producing at Jeffcoat’s level? The answer is no. If they could, they would have had the starting spot.
[+] Enlarge
John Albright/Icon SMITexas will have to replace DE Jackson Jeffcoat, arguably its top defender, with inexperienced players.
John Albright/Icon SMITexas will have to replace DE Jackson Jeffcoat, arguably its top defender, with inexperienced players.Jeffcoat does stuff like that every game. The junior had four sacks, 11 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery for a touchdown already this season. Reed and Wilson have a combined five tackles for loss and one sack.
But Jeffcoat’s game went beyond stats. He, along with bookend Alex Okafor, was able to pin in quarterbacks and shrink their options. The reason Geno Smith was unable to roll the pocket and therefore roll Texas was because he had Jeffcoat to his left and Okafor to his right every time he dropped back. It was the combined pressure of the two that forced Smith to take four sacks and be stripped of the ball twice.
Without that type of pressure the Texas secondary, which already has issues in coverage, is susceptible to being picked apart by a quarterback like Baylor’s Nick Florence. Florence, the FBS leader in total offense, just so happens to be the next QB Texas faces.
The Longhorns might consider pulling the redshirt off someone like Shiro Davis in order to get more speed on the edge. But, as Texas has proven in the past two losses, it is very tough to play fast as a defensive player when you do not know where you are going.
Without Jeffcoat, Texas, a team that has allowed 111 points and more than 1,100 yards in the past two games, might be wondering where it is going.
Ash not ruled out
Texas has prepared itself since the spring to use two quarterbacks. Now the Longhorns might have to do just that.
While quarterback David Ash has not been ruled out with a bruise to his non-throwing wrist, he has not been cleared to play, either. That means Texas might once again be turning to backup Case McCoy.
The junior, who was 3-2 as a starter in 2011, lost out on the starting job after what was an eight-month competition. But the Texas coaches qualified their selection of Ash by stating, repeatedly, that they felt McCoy was more than an adequate backup and that they would not hesitate to play him.
Well, now the time might have come and it might be against Baylor, which happens to be the last team McCoy started against. In that game, McCoy was responsible for five turnovers. That, as much as anything, is what led to his demotion.
The coaching staff could not abide a quarterback who played fast and loose with the ball. They wanted a game manager. Ash better fit that role. McCoy, on the other hand, is much more of a draw-it-up-in-the-dirt player.
But McCoy has matured. He has added 15-20 pounds and put more zip on his intermediate throws as well as length on deep throws.
If he is the quarterback, it is almost a certainty that co-offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin will play it close to the vest and try to get McCoy to distribute the ball to playmakers such as Daje Johnson, Marquise Goodwin and Johnathan Gray. That has been when Texas is at its best. And to beat Baylor, a team that is No. 2 in total offense and No. 4 in scoring offense, Texas’ offense will have to be at its best.
Without Brown, expect more Gray at Texas
October, 2, 2012
10/02/12
9:23
PM ET
By
Max Olson | ESPN.com
Malcolm Brown has been ruled out for the West Virginia game with a sprained ankle, but if there’s one position on this Texas roster that can handle that loss it’s the stable of running backs.
Brown was off to a strong start to his sophomore season with two 100-yard rushing games, but it’s Joe Bergeron who Texas has leaned on more this season. Though the two split carries, Bergeron is the starter for a reason.
The 6-foot-1, 230-pound sophomore leads Texas with 52 carries for 255 yards and five scores and provides the bruising power rushing necessary to complement the versatile Brown.
Since rushing for 110 yards on 15 carries in the opener against Wyoming, Bergeron has produced three near-identical stat lines of 48 or 49 rushing yards on between 11 and 15 carries. When Brown went down against Oklahoma State, he took over the lion’s share of the carries.
In the greater scheme of the offense, Bergeron has been the steady rock that Texas’s scheme relies on, and offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin has paired Bergeron’s 4-yards-per-carry punch with a collection of explosive skill players.
D.J. Monroe has scored a touchdown in each of Texas’s four games this season, including three on the ground. Fellow back/receiver Daje Johnson has produced 127 yards of total offense on 12 touches in his freshman season. Marquise Goodwin is also a threat on sweeps and reverses and produced an 69-yard touchdown run against Ole Miss.
Texas will have these three weapons in full force against a West Virginia defense that showed against Baylor it is prone to making mistakes that create lots of open space.
Without a doubt, though, the Texas rushing game can survive Brown’s absence -- and perhaps even thrive despite it -- because of the emergence of Johnathan Gray.
The freshman back has begun playing up to his five-star hype. After seeing limited action in the Longhorns’ first two games, Gray has established himself as a threat that Harsin and co-offensive coordinator Major Applewhite can trust.
He rushed for 50 yards on nine carries in mop-up time against Ole Miss, but it wasn’t until Texas called upon him when Brown went down against OSU that Gray showed he’s ready.
Gray got a struggling rushing game back on track with 12 carries for 68 yards, and operated the Longhorns’ Wild formation with ease. He ran for 20 of those yards on three carries out of the Wild, including 13 yards after contact.
In Gray, Bergeron and senior Jeremy Hills, Texas has a proven rotation of running backs. When Brown went down three carries into his night against Oklahoma State, the trio got the job done.
That job is markedly more difficult without Brown, but Texas has the luxury of lots of options for replacing the hole he leaves in its lineup and a full week to prepare accordingly. Expect a game plan that features an even greater role for Gray and Hills and more methods for getting the ball to Monroe and Johnson.
Brown was off to a strong start to his sophomore season with two 100-yard rushing games, but it’s Joe Bergeron who Texas has leaned on more this season. Though the two split carries, Bergeron is the starter for a reason.
[+] Enlarge
Spruce Derden/US PresswireMalcolm Brown ran the ball just three times in Texas' 41-36 win over Oklahoma State.
Spruce Derden/US PresswireMalcolm Brown ran the ball just three times in Texas' 41-36 win over Oklahoma State.Since rushing for 110 yards on 15 carries in the opener against Wyoming, Bergeron has produced three near-identical stat lines of 48 or 49 rushing yards on between 11 and 15 carries. When Brown went down against Oklahoma State, he took over the lion’s share of the carries.
In the greater scheme of the offense, Bergeron has been the steady rock that Texas’s scheme relies on, and offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin has paired Bergeron’s 4-yards-per-carry punch with a collection of explosive skill players.
D.J. Monroe has scored a touchdown in each of Texas’s four games this season, including three on the ground. Fellow back/receiver Daje Johnson has produced 127 yards of total offense on 12 touches in his freshman season. Marquise Goodwin is also a threat on sweeps and reverses and produced an 69-yard touchdown run against Ole Miss.
Texas will have these three weapons in full force against a West Virginia defense that showed against Baylor it is prone to making mistakes that create lots of open space.
Without a doubt, though, the Texas rushing game can survive Brown’s absence -- and perhaps even thrive despite it -- because of the emergence of Johnathan Gray.
The freshman back has begun playing up to his five-star hype. After seeing limited action in the Longhorns’ first two games, Gray has established himself as a threat that Harsin and co-offensive coordinator Major Applewhite can trust.
He rushed for 50 yards on nine carries in mop-up time against Ole Miss, but it wasn’t until Texas called upon him when Brown went down against OSU that Gray showed he’s ready.
Gray got a struggling rushing game back on track with 12 carries for 68 yards, and operated the Longhorns’ Wild formation with ease. He ran for 20 of those yards on three carries out of the Wild, including 13 yards after contact.
In Gray, Bergeron and senior Jeremy Hills, Texas has a proven rotation of running backs. When Brown went down three carries into his night against Oklahoma State, the trio got the job done.
That job is markedly more difficult without Brown, but Texas has the luxury of lots of options for replacing the hole he leaves in its lineup and a full week to prepare accordingly. Expect a game plan that features an even greater role for Gray and Hills and more methods for getting the ball to Monroe and Johnson.
Mailbag: Big 12 vs. SEC, expansion, TCU
September, 14, 2012
9/14/12
4:00
PM ET
By
David Ubben | ESPN.com
Thanks for all the emails this week. It was an active few days in my Mailbag. Got more to say? Send it to me.
Here's the best of the bunch from the past week:
Chris in Sioux Center, Iowa, writes: I love the blog Ubbs, but I noticed though you said the SEC won the past six national championships, but then like most SEC-hating people you said the one or two teams comment. C'mon Ubbs, Auburn, Florida, LSU, and Alabama have all accounted for those National Championships. It annoys me when people make that comment, and you cant even apply the two teams comment this year as it has 4 in the top ten currently.
David Ubben: Hey, I hear you on this one Chris. The fact that four teams have won those six titles is impressive. I don't necessarily argue that the SEC's not the best league. My biggest argument is that the difference between the SEC and the Big 12 isn't as vast as some would have you believe.
The Big 12 didn't have two title contenders last year, but it had one really good candidate, and Oklahoma State didn't get their shot to measure up the Big 12's best offense against one of the SEC's best defenses. My guess is LSU wins that game, but I still believe Alabama had an inferior résumé to Oklahoma State. As for the league comparison, my argument's been the same for the past year or so: The Big 12's depth rivals any league in the country, even the SEC. We'll see how West Virginia and TCU measure up over time to Missouri and Texas A&M, but I'm betting it levels out in the Big 12's favor.
This year and last year, the Big 12 had nine teams playing really, really good football. Arkansas, the supposed third-best team in the SEC, needed a late rally to sneak by six-win Texas A&M in the final minutes. This year, that same Arkansas team lost to ... Louisiana-Monroe? Doesn't bode well for the SEC's depth. More like S-B-C! S-B-C!
This year and last year, I don't think the Big 12 has a team that would have beaten LSU or Alabama. But it's so silly to measure a league by its best teams. That's how it always ends up, and it really doesn't make sense. If you want to compare the Big 12 to the SEC side by side, top to bottom, it's much closer than some would have you believe (minus that whole, having four more teams thing).
Dan in Fort Worth, Texas, wrote: Hey David. Got a question about the TCU receiver corps. It's arguably the Horned Frogs' deepest position, but I'm not sure that's an excuse for not getting Lardarius Brown involved in the game. I was at the game I didn't count a single target for Brown, but every report out of camp is that he's been a force in practice. My conspiracy-theory question: could Coach Gary Patterson (CGP) be keeping Brown under wraps so that Big 12 coaches don't have any tape on him? He's the only one of our top few receivers that hasn't appeared on game tape. Is CGP crazy like a fox?
DU: That was definitely the weirdest thing about that rout for TCU in the opener, and something that didn't get as much attention as I thought it would. Considering TCU was playing without suspended receiver Skye Dawson, it was even more surprising. I'm not sure I buy your conspiracy theory, but I don't think the Brown hype this offseason was misguided. He'll get in the mix eventually. The only thing that hangs that up is TCU doesn't really need him to be effective through the air. I think he can add another weapon in the red zone if he and Pachall develop a little chemistry on the fade route, but Josh Boyce is already pretty good at going and getting jump balls. Brandon Carter and Boyce are plenty of firepower for Pachall to be very, very productive, but be patient with Brown. He'll catch on eventually, and even if he has a disappointing 2012 season, the Horned Frogs offense will still be fine.
Zach in Tampa, Fla., wrote: What are the chances of BYU, and Louisville going to the big 12 in 2014
DU: Not very good, especially that soon. For your first suggestion, BYU presents more problems than it solves. The Cougars like to get their way, and the Big 12 already has one alpha dog in the league's meeting room: Texas. A second is a recipe for disaster. Nobody in the Big 12 is clamoring for more cash these days after the most recent TV deal was officially inked, so that sort of negates the biggest positive for BYU. For your second suggestion, the need for a geographic partner to help West Virginia assimilate is nice in theory, but nobody in the league's going to sacrifice money to make an expansion move that doesn't need to happen. Louisville is no slam dunk, and the general consensus is that the Cardinals wouldn't add enough value to the league to make sure that everybody's pie piece in league revenue got bigger, not smaller.
Additionally, with 2014, that's a little too soon. The Big 12 will sit pat for now, and see how this new playoff plays out. I don't think the league seriously considers expansion before then.
Curtis in Iowa writes: Do you think with how often bubble screens are used we shouldn't view all completion percentages the same? I'm an ISU fan and they throw a lot. Watching OK state and WVU they throw most passes within 5 yards of the line of scrimmage. I saw your note on Ash's improvement and it is something to look at for his development, but think we should concentrate more on turnovers and more stats down the field. That would show more of an ability to read coverage than catch and throw to the wide receiver right away. any thoughts?
DU: Yeah, I'd agree, but it's hard to keep track of who is throwing screens how often. You have to take into account those screens when you look at everything, though. That includes yards, touchdowns and interception/attempt ratios. Thing is, by now, just about everybody in the league is throwing a pretty high percentage of screens. A lot of offenses in this league see them as extensions of the running game, but they go under passing stats.
Dana Holgorsen brought the "Colorado School of Mines" play to the Big 12, where the QB flips the ball to a receiver running full speed laterally as soon as he touches it. Oklahoma State loves it. WVU uses it with Tavon Austin and other guys. Texas' Daje Johnson scored on a variation of the play last week, too.
In this league, you have to keep that in mind, but ultimately, it evens out. Oklahoma doesn't throw as many bubbles as it used to with Ryan Broyles, but plenty of quarterbacks in this league throw passes around or behind the line of scrimmage. The best ones are the guys who stretch the field, and they make themselves known.
Matt in Waukee, Iowa, writes: How is pounding an bad FCS team more impressive than going on the road and beating a Big 10 team? Are you saying that points is more important in your rankings than defense and strength of opponent?
DU: I don't care how many points a team scores necessarily, but you have to factor in how a team looks while beating a team. Iowa's not that good. Tulsa's probably better, but not by much. Beating Iowa means a lot to ISU, but the truth is that team's not very good. Iowa's worse this year than last year, and a beat-up Oklahoma team beat the tar out of Iowa in the Insight Bowl, shutting them out in the opening three quarters before a 31-14 final score.
Iowa State had some awful stretches in that game, and against Tulsa, too. The defensive numbers look good, but Iowa's offense is nothing like what ISU will find in the Big 12. That offense might not even be better than KU's. A win is a win, yes. Iowa State's beaten better teams than Texas Tech. Tech, though, has looked more impressive, even though they've played against inferior competition. It's close, but I'm going with Tech for now. Iowa State will get their chance eventually. That's what you've got to love about the new Big 12: Everybody plays everybody.
Here's the best of the bunch from the past week:
Chris in Sioux Center, Iowa, writes: I love the blog Ubbs, but I noticed though you said the SEC won the past six national championships, but then like most SEC-hating people you said the one or two teams comment. C'mon Ubbs, Auburn, Florida, LSU, and Alabama have all accounted for those National Championships. It annoys me when people make that comment, and you cant even apply the two teams comment this year as it has 4 in the top ten currently.
David Ubben: Hey, I hear you on this one Chris. The fact that four teams have won those six titles is impressive. I don't necessarily argue that the SEC's not the best league. My biggest argument is that the difference between the SEC and the Big 12 isn't as vast as some would have you believe.
The Big 12 didn't have two title contenders last year, but it had one really good candidate, and Oklahoma State didn't get their shot to measure up the Big 12's best offense against one of the SEC's best defenses. My guess is LSU wins that game, but I still believe Alabama had an inferior résumé to Oklahoma State. As for the league comparison, my argument's been the same for the past year or so: The Big 12's depth rivals any league in the country, even the SEC. We'll see how West Virginia and TCU measure up over time to Missouri and Texas A&M, but I'm betting it levels out in the Big 12's favor.
This year and last year, the Big 12 had nine teams playing really, really good football. Arkansas, the supposed third-best team in the SEC, needed a late rally to sneak by six-win Texas A&M in the final minutes. This year, that same Arkansas team lost to ... Louisiana-Monroe? Doesn't bode well for the SEC's depth. More like S-B-C! S-B-C!
This year and last year, I don't think the Big 12 has a team that would have beaten LSU or Alabama. But it's so silly to measure a league by its best teams. That's how it always ends up, and it really doesn't make sense. If you want to compare the Big 12 to the SEC side by side, top to bottom, it's much closer than some would have you believe (minus that whole, having four more teams thing).
Dan in Fort Worth, Texas, wrote: Hey David. Got a question about the TCU receiver corps. It's arguably the Horned Frogs' deepest position, but I'm not sure that's an excuse for not getting Lardarius Brown involved in the game. I was at the game I didn't count a single target for Brown, but every report out of camp is that he's been a force in practice. My conspiracy-theory question: could Coach Gary Patterson (CGP) be keeping Brown under wraps so that Big 12 coaches don't have any tape on him? He's the only one of our top few receivers that hasn't appeared on game tape. Is CGP crazy like a fox?
DU: That was definitely the weirdest thing about that rout for TCU in the opener, and something that didn't get as much attention as I thought it would. Considering TCU was playing without suspended receiver Skye Dawson, it was even more surprising. I'm not sure I buy your conspiracy theory, but I don't think the Brown hype this offseason was misguided. He'll get in the mix eventually. The only thing that hangs that up is TCU doesn't really need him to be effective through the air. I think he can add another weapon in the red zone if he and Pachall develop a little chemistry on the fade route, but Josh Boyce is already pretty good at going and getting jump balls. Brandon Carter and Boyce are plenty of firepower for Pachall to be very, very productive, but be patient with Brown. He'll catch on eventually, and even if he has a disappointing 2012 season, the Horned Frogs offense will still be fine.
Zach in Tampa, Fla., wrote: What are the chances of BYU, and Louisville going to the big 12 in 2014
DU: Not very good, especially that soon. For your first suggestion, BYU presents more problems than it solves. The Cougars like to get their way, and the Big 12 already has one alpha dog in the league's meeting room: Texas. A second is a recipe for disaster. Nobody in the Big 12 is clamoring for more cash these days after the most recent TV deal was officially inked, so that sort of negates the biggest positive for BYU. For your second suggestion, the need for a geographic partner to help West Virginia assimilate is nice in theory, but nobody in the league's going to sacrifice money to make an expansion move that doesn't need to happen. Louisville is no slam dunk, and the general consensus is that the Cardinals wouldn't add enough value to the league to make sure that everybody's pie piece in league revenue got bigger, not smaller.
Additionally, with 2014, that's a little too soon. The Big 12 will sit pat for now, and see how this new playoff plays out. I don't think the league seriously considers expansion before then.
Curtis in Iowa writes: Do you think with how often bubble screens are used we shouldn't view all completion percentages the same? I'm an ISU fan and they throw a lot. Watching OK state and WVU they throw most passes within 5 yards of the line of scrimmage. I saw your note on Ash's improvement and it is something to look at for his development, but think we should concentrate more on turnovers and more stats down the field. That would show more of an ability to read coverage than catch and throw to the wide receiver right away. any thoughts?
DU: Yeah, I'd agree, but it's hard to keep track of who is throwing screens how often. You have to take into account those screens when you look at everything, though. That includes yards, touchdowns and interception/attempt ratios. Thing is, by now, just about everybody in the league is throwing a pretty high percentage of screens. A lot of offenses in this league see them as extensions of the running game, but they go under passing stats.
Dana Holgorsen brought the "Colorado School of Mines" play to the Big 12, where the QB flips the ball to a receiver running full speed laterally as soon as he touches it. Oklahoma State loves it. WVU uses it with Tavon Austin and other guys. Texas' Daje Johnson scored on a variation of the play last week, too.
In this league, you have to keep that in mind, but ultimately, it evens out. Oklahoma doesn't throw as many bubbles as it used to with Ryan Broyles, but plenty of quarterbacks in this league throw passes around or behind the line of scrimmage. The best ones are the guys who stretch the field, and they make themselves known.
Matt in Waukee, Iowa, writes: How is pounding an bad FCS team more impressive than going on the road and beating a Big 10 team? Are you saying that points is more important in your rankings than defense and strength of opponent?
DU: I don't care how many points a team scores necessarily, but you have to factor in how a team looks while beating a team. Iowa's not that good. Tulsa's probably better, but not by much. Beating Iowa means a lot to ISU, but the truth is that team's not very good. Iowa's worse this year than last year, and a beat-up Oklahoma team beat the tar out of Iowa in the Insight Bowl, shutting them out in the opening three quarters before a 31-14 final score.
Iowa State had some awful stretches in that game, and against Tulsa, too. The defensive numbers look good, but Iowa's offense is nothing like what ISU will find in the Big 12. That offense might not even be better than KU's. A win is a win, yes. Iowa State's beaten better teams than Texas Tech. Tech, though, has looked more impressive, even though they've played against inferior competition. It's close, but I'm going with Tech for now. Iowa State will get their chance eventually. That's what you've got to love about the new Big 12: Everybody plays everybody.
Ash has taken Horns' QB spot and run
September, 11, 2012
9/11/12
9:00
AM ET
By
David Ubben | ESPN.com
Texas coaches made it clear heading into the season: They weren't afraid to play both David Ash and Case McCoy.
So far, they haven't. In two convincing wins, Ash has been on the field for nearly every meaningful snap and it doesn't look like that'll change.
Why? Ash has earned it.
Through two games, he's completed 36 of 49 passes (73 percent), without an interception. Only West Virginia's Geno Smith has completed a higher percentage of his passes (at least 15 attempts), though Ash is sixth in the Big 12 in passing yardage, with 377 yards.
It'll get more difficult, but for now, Ash has done what Texas' coaches needed him to do: Move the chains and not turn the ball over.
What about the deep ball? Texas would like to be more explosive, but coach Mack Brown doesn't sound too worried about Ash's lack of big plays so far.
"I'm really not [concerned], because the short ones are working. Then it doesn't matter. When they take the short ones away, you get more long ones, to be honest with you," Brown told reporters this week, adding that the Longhorns missed on a long ball to start the 45-0 win over New Mexico on Saturday. "It was wide open. We need to hit that one. We took a couple of other shots that were wide open. But they were playing way off us."
Ash's longest completion in the season's first week was just 16 yards, to Jaxon Shipley. Ash completed a 45-yard touchdown pass to Daje Johnson on a short "flair" pass, but he also threw a 22-yarder to Mike Davis.
His biggest play of the year to date? A 49-yard scamper for a score on 4th-and-1 last week against New Mexico that opened the game's scoring.
Through two games, Ash has three touchdowns without an interception, but he'll get a tougher test this week on the road against Ole Miss, though the 2-0 Rebels are picked to finish last in the SEC West.
"We won't take them lightly, because they look good on video and they're undefeated. That is the thing that helps you going in. I think the thing is that the SEC winning the national championships, as of late, has made them a 'media darling.' So our players hear nothing but SEC all the time," Brown said.
On Saturday, unlike all of last season, expect to hear nothing but Ash at the Texas quarterback spot.
So far, they haven't. In two convincing wins, Ash has been on the field for nearly every meaningful snap and it doesn't look like that'll change.
Why? Ash has earned it.
Through two games, he's completed 36 of 49 passes (73 percent), without an interception. Only West Virginia's Geno Smith has completed a higher percentage of his passes (at least 15 attempts), though Ash is sixth in the Big 12 in passing yardage, with 377 yards.
It'll get more difficult, but for now, Ash has done what Texas' coaches needed him to do: Move the chains and not turn the ball over.
What about the deep ball? Texas would like to be more explosive, but coach Mack Brown doesn't sound too worried about Ash's lack of big plays so far.
"I'm really not [concerned], because the short ones are working. Then it doesn't matter. When they take the short ones away, you get more long ones, to be honest with you," Brown told reporters this week, adding that the Longhorns missed on a long ball to start the 45-0 win over New Mexico on Saturday. "It was wide open. We need to hit that one. We took a couple of other shots that were wide open. But they were playing way off us."
Ash's longest completion in the season's first week was just 16 yards, to Jaxon Shipley. Ash completed a 45-yard touchdown pass to Daje Johnson on a short "flair" pass, but he also threw a 22-yarder to Mike Davis.
His biggest play of the year to date? A 49-yard scamper for a score on 4th-and-1 last week against New Mexico that opened the game's scoring.
Through two games, Ash has three touchdowns without an interception, but he'll get a tougher test this week on the road against Ole Miss, though the 2-0 Rebels are picked to finish last in the SEC West.
"We won't take them lightly, because they look good on video and they're undefeated. That is the thing that helps you going in. I think the thing is that the SEC winning the national championships, as of late, has made them a 'media darling.' So our players hear nothing but SEC all the time," Brown said.
On Saturday, unlike all of last season, expect to hear nothing but Ash at the Texas quarterback spot.
Instant Analysis: Texas 45, New Mexico 0
September, 8, 2012
9/08/12
11:47
PM ET
By
Carter Strickland | ESPN.com
The Longhorns struggled to put points on the scoreboard early but eventually were able to take control as they shut out New Mexico -- their first shutout since a 43-0 win over Kansas in 2011. It's the third time these two teams have met and the third time Texas has shut out the Lobos.
It was over when: Texas wide receiver Mike Davis used the block of Marquise Goodwin to slip past the New Mexico defense for a touchdown late in the first half. That score put Texas up 17-0. And while the Longhorns were having trouble moving the ball, New Mexico was having trouble scoring on the Texas defense.
Game ball goes to: Cornerback Quandre Diggs clearly was a player New Mexico wanted to avoid. The Lobos refused to throw to his side for most of the game. In fact, they threw the first nine passes away from his side of the field. On the 10th, they did go at Diggs and he made them pay with an interception. Diggs also returned a put 35 yards to the New Mexico 27 to set up Mike Davis' 22-yard touchdown catch and run in the second quarter.
Stat of the game: Texas quarterback David Ash threw for a personal-record 221 yards. But he only had one completion that traveled 20 yards in the air. This comes one week after Ash's 27 attempts against Wyoming averaged 3.7 air yards. Ash did have a touchdown pass of 45 yards but it came via a two-foot shovel pass to Daje Johnson. His 22-yard touchdown pass was a catch and run by Mike Davis.
Unsung hero: Texas true freshman Dalton Santos has become a force for the Longhorns on special teams. The linebacker had three tackles on kickoff coverage and was largely responsible for New Mexico being forced to start inside the 25 on every kickoff that was not downed for a touchback.
Second guessing: After saying it wanted to get freshman Johnathan Gray involved in the game, Texas failed to give the nation's top running back recruit from a year ago the ball in the first half. This is the second week in a row Texas has not given Gray the ball when the game's outcome was not locked away. Similarly, Malcolm Brown, who had 104 rushing yards in the opener, had one first-half carry.
What we learned about this team: Texas is far from a finished product on either side of the ball. The Longhorns once again started too slow. On defense, the tackling was suspect as New Mexico had 11 first downs in the first half. On offense, quarterback David Ash was able to connect on comeback routes, screens and crossing routes. But he continued to have problems going down the field with the ball.
It was over when: Texas wide receiver Mike Davis used the block of Marquise Goodwin to slip past the New Mexico defense for a touchdown late in the first half. That score put Texas up 17-0. And while the Longhorns were having trouble moving the ball, New Mexico was having trouble scoring on the Texas defense.
Game ball goes to: Cornerback Quandre Diggs clearly was a player New Mexico wanted to avoid. The Lobos refused to throw to his side for most of the game. In fact, they threw the first nine passes away from his side of the field. On the 10th, they did go at Diggs and he made them pay with an interception. Diggs also returned a put 35 yards to the New Mexico 27 to set up Mike Davis' 22-yard touchdown catch and run in the second quarter.
Stat of the game: Texas quarterback David Ash threw for a personal-record 221 yards. But he only had one completion that traveled 20 yards in the air. This comes one week after Ash's 27 attempts against Wyoming averaged 3.7 air yards. Ash did have a touchdown pass of 45 yards but it came via a two-foot shovel pass to Daje Johnson. His 22-yard touchdown pass was a catch and run by Mike Davis.
Unsung hero: Texas true freshman Dalton Santos has become a force for the Longhorns on special teams. The linebacker had three tackles on kickoff coverage and was largely responsible for New Mexico being forced to start inside the 25 on every kickoff that was not downed for a touchback.
Second guessing: After saying it wanted to get freshman Johnathan Gray involved in the game, Texas failed to give the nation's top running back recruit from a year ago the ball in the first half. This is the second week in a row Texas has not given Gray the ball when the game's outcome was not locked away. Similarly, Malcolm Brown, who had 104 rushing yards in the opener, had one first-half carry.
What we learned about this team: Texas is far from a finished product on either side of the ball. The Longhorns once again started too slow. On defense, the tackling was suspect as New Mexico had 11 first downs in the first half. On offense, quarterback David Ash was able to connect on comeback routes, screens and crossing routes. But he continued to have problems going down the field with the ball.
Freshmen litter new Texas depth chart
August, 22, 2012
8/22/12
6:07
PM ET
By
William Wilkerson | ESPN.com
AUSTIN, Texas -- Mack Brown made two things clear concerning his heralded freshmen class at his press conference on Wednesday: They can’t sing worth a darn but, boy, can they play.
“We had a little night last night where the freshmen had to sing and they were awful,” Brown said. "Awful. They better make a living in football because they won’t make it in singing.”
From the sounds of it there are several that have at least taken the first step toward doing so.
Fifteen freshmen were listed on the depth chart when it was released to the media on Wednesday. This coming after the Longhorns played 18 freshmen in 2011, which was the most in the country.
Brown admitted that there were others from the 26 freshmen that were signed in 2012 that would probably play against Wyoming on Sept. 1.
One name notably absent from the list was Daje Johnson, who has been one of the talks of camp because of his versatility as both a running back and receiver in Texas’ “T&Z” package with senior D.J. Monroe.
Brown said that Johnson is suspended for the season opener for a violation of team rules.
“He will not be involved in the first depth chart and that will not change,” Brown said.
There were, however, nine freshmen that did make the cut offensively. None really came as a surprise.
Johnathan Gray, high school football’s all-time touchdown leader, is listed as the third string running back behind sophomores Malcolm Brown and Joe Bergeron, and ahead of senior Jeremy Hills.
“We had a little night last night where the freshmen had to sing and they were awful,” Brown said. "Awful. They better make a living in football because they won’t make it in singing.”
[+] Enlarge
Tom Hauck for ESPN.comTrue freshman Cayleb Jones is listed as a backup receiver for the Longhorns.
Tom Hauck for ESPN.comTrue freshman Cayleb Jones is listed as a backup receiver for the Longhorns.Fifteen freshmen were listed on the depth chart when it was released to the media on Wednesday. This coming after the Longhorns played 18 freshmen in 2011, which was the most in the country.
Brown admitted that there were others from the 26 freshmen that were signed in 2012 that would probably play against Wyoming on Sept. 1.
One name notably absent from the list was Daje Johnson, who has been one of the talks of camp because of his versatility as both a running back and receiver in Texas’ “T&Z” package with senior D.J. Monroe.
Brown said that Johnson is suspended for the season opener for a violation of team rules.
“He will not be involved in the first depth chart and that will not change,” Brown said.
There were, however, nine freshmen that did make the cut offensively. None really came as a surprise.
Johnathan Gray, high school football’s all-time touchdown leader, is listed as the third string running back behind sophomores Malcolm Brown and Joe Bergeron, and ahead of senior Jeremy Hills.
State of the brand: Texas Longhorns
August, 14, 2012
8/14/12
1:45
PM ET
By ESPN.com staff | ESPN.com
Editor's note: RecruitingNation is taking a look at the state of each team's brand.
Somewhere around the loss to Iowa State in 2010, or maybe it was the second loss in a row to Kansas State or the second in a row to Baylor in 2011 -- Joe Jamail, the attorney who usually asked the questions, was on the defensive again.
What of Mack Brown now? What of 5-7? What of 13-12 over two years? What has happened? Why hasn’t Brown been fired?
“Fire him?” Jamail, a donor of such largess that Texas’ field bears his name. “We ought to give him a raise. If he worked like I do he would get a third.”
That’s one third of $150 million. A year.
That is what the Texas brand has become during his Brown’s 14 years on the sideline. The Longhorns, never fledgling mind you, have become the wealthiest program in college sports. All the while entertaining a myriad of suitors before ultimately flexing their muscle and pulling a conference together, launching a $300 million network with ESPN and, don’t forget, wondering if they might ever get another quarterback.
Texas sold more merchandise than any other college program in the national championship year of 2005.
Texas also sold more merchandise than any other college program in 2010. That year the Longhorns went 5-7, their first losing record since 1997, or the year before Brown arrived.
Merchandise sales were $10.6 million in 2011. That number is more than the football budget of Texas’ first two opponents in 2012, Wyoming ($5.2 million) and New Mexico ($6.6 million). But it is lint in the pocket of a university whose football program alone generated $95.7 million in revenue in the last fiscal year.
So while maybe those around the Lone Star State do not wear their hearts on their sleeves as they do in the SEC’s Deep South, the Texas brand is still printed across many chests from Beaumont to El Paso and beyond.
To that end, Texas continues to brand more athletes than any other institution within the state. As former Baylor coach Grant Teaff said in an interview with HornsNation last year, “Texas has always been Texas. It has always been the thing. It represents the state. Unless your parents went to another school like Texas Tech or Baylor, if you were born in Texas, you were going to Texas.”
The recruiting rankings serve to validate his words. Texas has finished in the top five of ESPN’s rankings the last four years and currently sit at No. 7 for a 2013 class that will not be signed for another six months.
It’s the brand that has drawn them. From freshman Daje Johnson – “I have wanted to go to Texas since eighth grade …” -- to freshman Adrian Colbert – “Why wouldn't you want to play football at the University of Texas? It's the greatest school in the country” -- players have been lured by the brand and program that is Texas.
Now, after the two worst years since Brown’s arrival, those players, the coach and the program believe the results on the field can match the marketing and the brand name that thrives because of it.
“All we want to do is rise to the occasion,” junior offensive lineman Mason Walters said. “We are not lowering the standard at the University of Texas, we’re going to go meet it.”
Somewhere around the loss to Iowa State in 2010, or maybe it was the second loss in a row to Kansas State or the second in a row to Baylor in 2011 -- Joe Jamail, the attorney who usually asked the questions, was on the defensive again.
What of Mack Brown now? What of 5-7? What of 13-12 over two years? What has happened? Why hasn’t Brown been fired?
“Fire him?” Jamail, a donor of such largess that Texas’ field bears his name. “We ought to give him a raise. If he worked like I do he would get a third.”
That’s one third of $150 million. A year.
That is what the Texas brand has become during his Brown’s 14 years on the sideline. The Longhorns, never fledgling mind you, have become the wealthiest program in college sports. All the while entertaining a myriad of suitors before ultimately flexing their muscle and pulling a conference together, launching a $300 million network with ESPN and, don’t forget, wondering if they might ever get another quarterback.
Texas sold more merchandise than any other college program in the national championship year of 2005.
Texas also sold more merchandise than any other college program in 2010. That year the Longhorns went 5-7, their first losing record since 1997, or the year before Brown arrived.
Merchandise sales were $10.6 million in 2011. That number is more than the football budget of Texas’ first two opponents in 2012, Wyoming ($5.2 million) and New Mexico ($6.6 million). But it is lint in the pocket of a university whose football program alone generated $95.7 million in revenue in the last fiscal year.
So while maybe those around the Lone Star State do not wear their hearts on their sleeves as they do in the SEC’s Deep South, the Texas brand is still printed across many chests from Beaumont to El Paso and beyond.
To that end, Texas continues to brand more athletes than any other institution within the state. As former Baylor coach Grant Teaff said in an interview with HornsNation last year, “Texas has always been Texas. It has always been the thing. It represents the state. Unless your parents went to another school like Texas Tech or Baylor, if you were born in Texas, you were going to Texas.”
The recruiting rankings serve to validate his words. Texas has finished in the top five of ESPN’s rankings the last four years and currently sit at No. 7 for a 2013 class that will not be signed for another six months.
It’s the brand that has drawn them. From freshman Daje Johnson – “I have wanted to go to Texas since eighth grade …” -- to freshman Adrian Colbert – “Why wouldn't you want to play football at the University of Texas? It's the greatest school in the country” -- players have been lured by the brand and program that is Texas.
Now, after the two worst years since Brown’s arrival, those players, the coach and the program believe the results on the field can match the marketing and the brand name that thrives because of it.
“All we want to do is rise to the occasion,” junior offensive lineman Mason Walters said. “We are not lowering the standard at the University of Texas, we’re going to go meet it.”
HornsNation has more coverage of the Texas Longhorns:
Sean Adams writes
: Texas played 18 true freshmen in 2011. The Longhorns might not play that many this season, but these five newcomers will be hard to keep off the field.
William Wilkerson writes: Texas is loaded with defensive tackles, but freshman Malcom Brown will do more than add depth to the position.
Brown, UT change recruiting philosophy 
August, 3, 2012
8/03/12
1:45
PM ET
By
Carter Strickland | ESPN.com
Texas, which had two stepped around the edges of early offers, finally has succumbed to the Siren’s song of getting in the 2014 recruiting game.
No more waiting until after the current recruiting class’ signing day so as not to take away their moment in the spotlight. No more being "approved" for an offer to come in February. No more waiting.
So now it is no holds barred. Texas has entered the fray. With the Longhorns comes a big stick. The Longhorns, long the recruiting bullies of the Lone Star State, have now placed themselves on equal footing with the likes of Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Alabama, LSU and even TCU, Baylor and Oklahoma State.
No more waiting until after the current recruiting class’ signing day so as not to take away their moment in the spotlight. No more being "approved" for an offer to come in February. No more waiting.
So now it is no holds barred. Texas has entered the fray. With the Longhorns comes a big stick. The Longhorns, long the recruiting bullies of the Lone Star State, have now placed themselves on equal footing with the likes of Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Alabama, LSU and even TCU, Baylor and Oklahoma State.
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More letters, more options for Texas?
July, 16, 2012
7/16/12
3:36
PM ET
By
Carter Strickland | ESPN.com
In the wake of what was the pummeling at the hands of Oklahoma, Texas coach Mack Brown turned to co-offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin and told him to tone down the offense.
It was all too much too soon. Texas’ offense, which was in its infancy in both personnel and play calling, could not adroitly execute double-reverse passes and the like against the experienced speed of the Big 12’s best. So the call was made to keep it simple.
Even a casual glance at Harsin’s history of coaching and one at the more mature Texas offense, and it was clear all that simplicity simply couldn’t last. Add then two more letters of the alphabet -- T and Z -- to the soup that has become the 2012 Texas offense.
“We're working on it,” Brown said.
What Texas is working on is a way of adding a hybrid-type position on the field for all the hybrid players that it has on the roster -- D.J. Monroe, Daje Johnson and even Johnathan Gray on occasion. The “T” part of the equation is tailback. The “Z” part is wide receiver.
“That means they'll line up in the backfield some, and you'll shift and motion them to a Z position,” Brown said. “We have to figure out what all that means.”
What Texas wants it to mean is that it can spread the defense out more and then exploit the holes that are created by the separation of defensive players. This, as Monroe proved with his 6.8 yards per carry average in 2011, can be extremely effective.
But as Monroe and the offense also proved, spreading he defense worked best against those defense that were already porous. His biggest games running the ball came against Rice, BYU and Baylor. Texas has to figure out how to make it work, consistently, against teams like Kansas State and Oklahoma.
“We feel those guys are speed guys and can get the ball in their hands and help us with explosive plays,” Brown said. “They're working hard this summer on getting packages to get D.J. more involved, but Daje, to get him involved early in the process because we think he has a chance to be a good player with his explosive speed.”
Those explosive plays are crucial to Texas. The Longhorns, a team that struggled to score last season and were eighth in the Big 12 in that category, had 61 scores. Fifty-nine of those scores came as a direct result of an explosive play -- runs of 10 or more yards, passes of 20 or more -- or at the end of a drive in which Texas had an explosive play.
So it is clear Texas needs to generate explosive plays. Adding the hybrid T-Z position is the way it wants to go about doing just that. And with a more experienced offensive line, wide receivers who are willing to block downfield and a more relaxed and savvy quarterback, it could work.
But the potential fly in the soup is the Z part of the equation.
Monroe’s hands are a liability. And Johnson’s are an unknown.
“We haven't seen [Johnson] catch because he was a tailback,” Brown said. “But we feel like that's what we're looking for.”
Monroe started to work on his hands in the spring. It has been a long process. Johnson has been on campus and working with the quarterbacks since June. The coaches are unable to do what they do during the summer, which is coach. But they have continued to work with the new scheme.
"The coaches will spend a lot of the summer trying to expand on what that means,” Brown said.
What it could mean is that Texas has more versatility and Harsin a few more options when it comes to opening up the playbook in the fall.
It was all too much too soon. Texas’ offense, which was in its infancy in both personnel and play calling, could not adroitly execute double-reverse passes and the like against the experienced speed of the Big 12’s best. So the call was made to keep it simple.
Even a casual glance at Harsin’s history of coaching and one at the more mature Texas offense, and it was clear all that simplicity simply couldn’t last. Add then two more letters of the alphabet -- T and Z -- to the soup that has become the 2012 Texas offense.
[+] Enlarge
Erich Schlegel/Getty ImagesD.J. Monroe will have to improve his receiving abilities to find more impact in 2012.
Erich Schlegel/Getty ImagesD.J. Monroe will have to improve his receiving abilities to find more impact in 2012.What Texas is working on is a way of adding a hybrid-type position on the field for all the hybrid players that it has on the roster -- D.J. Monroe, Daje Johnson and even Johnathan Gray on occasion. The “T” part of the equation is tailback. The “Z” part is wide receiver.
“That means they'll line up in the backfield some, and you'll shift and motion them to a Z position,” Brown said. “We have to figure out what all that means.”
What Texas wants it to mean is that it can spread the defense out more and then exploit the holes that are created by the separation of defensive players. This, as Monroe proved with his 6.8 yards per carry average in 2011, can be extremely effective.
But as Monroe and the offense also proved, spreading he defense worked best against those defense that were already porous. His biggest games running the ball came against Rice, BYU and Baylor. Texas has to figure out how to make it work, consistently, against teams like Kansas State and Oklahoma.
“We feel those guys are speed guys and can get the ball in their hands and help us with explosive plays,” Brown said. “They're working hard this summer on getting packages to get D.J. more involved, but Daje, to get him involved early in the process because we think he has a chance to be a good player with his explosive speed.”
Those explosive plays are crucial to Texas. The Longhorns, a team that struggled to score last season and were eighth in the Big 12 in that category, had 61 scores. Fifty-nine of those scores came as a direct result of an explosive play -- runs of 10 or more yards, passes of 20 or more -- or at the end of a drive in which Texas had an explosive play.
So it is clear Texas needs to generate explosive plays. Adding the hybrid T-Z position is the way it wants to go about doing just that. And with a more experienced offensive line, wide receivers who are willing to block downfield and a more relaxed and savvy quarterback, it could work.
But the potential fly in the soup is the Z part of the equation.
Monroe’s hands are a liability. And Johnson’s are an unknown.
“We haven't seen [Johnson] catch because he was a tailback,” Brown said. “But we feel like that's what we're looking for.”
Monroe started to work on his hands in the spring. It has been a long process. Johnson has been on campus and working with the quarterbacks since June. The coaches are unable to do what they do during the summer, which is coach. But they have continued to work with the new scheme.
"The coaches will spend a lot of the summer trying to expand on what that means,” Brown said.
What it could mean is that Texas has more versatility and Harsin a few more options when it comes to opening up the playbook in the fall.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
David Ubben
Ubben joined ESPN.com in March 2010 after covering Big 12 football for two seasons at the Columbia Missourian and The Oklahoman. Ubben, a native of Springdale, Ark., lives in Dallas.
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