BON Roundtable: The Texas offense tries to string together another solid game

It looked like Texas was on its way to another embarrassing loss, but managed to do just enough to escape the Ole Miss comeback. Was this Texas figuring it out, or was it just taking advantage of a bad defense for one drive?

Daniel Seahorn (@DanielSeahorn) — I think they figured some things out, but they also still had plenty of frustrating moments within the context of the game itself. Special teams continues to be an absolute eyesore, as they absolutely botched another onside kick and allowed Ole Miss to waltz to a first down on a fake punt, and the offense stalled out again once getting off the opening script. On the bright side of things, the Texas defense played very well and kept one of the best quarterbacks in college football in check and made life very difficult. Trinidad Chambliss had his first mult-interception game as a Rebel and was incredibly inefficient. That’s certainly something to be proud of.

Jacob Neidg (@jneidig_2) —I’d lean towards the Longhorns figuring some things out, and there’s a few reasons why. First, Ole Miss isn’t OU or Florida. This is a legit offense that was once again shut down for much of the game. Two, the Longhorn offense threw a bigger knockout punch in the first half than in previous weeks. Texas has failed to deliver a three-score cushion until the Ole Miss game, which allowed other teams to overcome the deficit. Lastly, Texas responded when Ole Miss did tie the game, something the Longhorns haven’t done yet this season.

Wescott Eberts (@SBN_Wescott) – If there’s one argument for Texas figuring it out, I think it’s the value of giving Raleek Brown high-volume carries. At times this season, his vision has let him down, but his ability to see creases or cutbacks and then use his phenomenal athleticism to get there was on a different level against Ole Miss. I also think that the Rebels played worse than the sum of their parts defensively because they were slanting and twisting the defensive line. Mississippi State and Arkansas both have real weaknesses defensively; Missouri, LSU, and Texas A&M should pose bigger challenges.

Gerald Goodridge (@ghgoodridge) — I think I need one more data point from Texas to make a definitive argument, but Sark basically calling a run on every play of the touchdown drive because it was working makes me feel better than I did going into the game. We’ve talked about it before, but you have to learn how to win, both as coaches and as players, and sometimes all it takes is one time for you to know you can do it.

The offense came out strong and built a big lead, with a higher tempo and Arch in a more creative playstyle, then slowed down and the offense sputtered. Do we think Sark learned anything or was that just a product of scripting?

Daniel — It’s a product of the opening script and I think Sark and the offensive staff as a whole is slow to adjust and get things in sync. It wasn’t until Raleek Brown started to spin on the ground that Texas started to really kind of flow adequately on offense. I still think the best course of action is to have Arch get the ball out of his hands and to do less thinking when you are having him throw it. Sark seemed to get that message and seemed to be rolling in that direction, but then went back to taking shots down the field. Quick game, screens, and letting Arch use his feet both on and offscript. I think that is the path to success whether Sark loves it or not.

Jacob — If you would have told me before the game that the offense scores 34 points, I would have been over the moon. Still, somehow it feels disappointing the way the third quarter unfolded. There were more points to be had. I think Sark did a good job coming out of the gate so the script was dialed and he also seemed to mix it up a little bit. Three catches for Masunas, some different short yardage packages, and a few QB designed runs were all wrinkles from previous weeks.

Wescott — Texas ran a glance-route RPO and a slant early in the game! Wild stuff. I liked having more in-breaking routes for Arch because he’s good throwing over the middle. He was also less hesitant, so the coaching points and his own emphasis on letting it rip made some difference. I would call it some growth from Sark with his calls – although a fair amount just from scripting – and some bounce back from Arch.

Gerald – I think Sark for sure showed some more growth and self-awareness than we’ve seen from him in the recent weeks. The fact that he ran the ball for the entirety of the second half touchdown drive and didn’t overcomplicate things was a welcome change. It shouldn’t be such a breath of fresh air to see a coach see the OL pushing the other team around and saying “let’s run until they stop it,” but Sark has been a victim of his own “genius” too many times.

It’s hard to say that Colin Simmons wasn’t missed, but the Longhorns shut down the dynamic passing offense without its best defensive player. Do we think they can keep up that performance through the rest of the season?

Daniel — I think they are certainly capable of doing that, and they showed they could rush with discipline against Chambliss on Saturday. You didn’t have the supernova pass-rushing ability Simmons provides, but you definitely had enough depth and talent to make things happen. Texas has recruited well up front in recent years, and it certainly showed up on Saturday even without Simmons on the field.

Jacob— Yes. This defense is fun, especially up front. The big guys on the line have swagger. And whenever you have Muschamp, you always have a chance. My biggest concern is depth. Biles and Cryer at linebacker play every snap. McDonald is in all the time, same with the corners. If someone goes down, particularly at LB, I’m not confident in who can step up.

Wescott – Well, cornerback blitzes are not going to be possible against Mississippi State because of the splits, so that part isn’t sustainable this weekend, but in terms of the ability to create a defensive game plan that works without Simmons coming off the edge, I have a high level of trust in Will Muschamp to come up with something every week.

Gerald — The interior of the defensive line is what makes me feel good about this weekend, because with a backup QB playing, Mississippi State will likely have to lean on Fluff Bothwell to keep things even. I wouldn’t be shocked to see Muschamp roll out a heavy box, one-high look early in the game and dare the Bulldogs’ backup quarterback to beat them. If Billy Puckett or AJ Swan can beat Texas downfield, then we have bigger problems.

FanDuel has Texas as a 20.5-point favorite over Mississippi State. They seem to struggle against unranked teams, so can Texas cover the big number?

Daniel (4-3/3-4 ATS)— Kamario Taylor being out slants this game heavily in Texas’ favor, but I am skeptical about them being able to cover a big spread number. This team just hasn’t shown the ability to throw up that big of a crooked number this year and they love making things interesting. Texas 35 Mississippi State 17

Jacob (5-2/3-4 ATS) — A few weeks ago, this game looked like it could be a toss-up. No Taylor has been brutal for Miss State because Billy Puckett is not good and their defense is awful. This is a good chance for the Longhorns to play a clean game and finally limit points that occur via their own mistakes, ala turnovers, special teams, and explosive plays. I would love to see Arch protect the ball and some of the 2s on defense getting in the mix. Longhorns big. Texas 34 Miss State 10

Wescott (3-4/2-5 ATS) – Three touchdowns is a lot to cover, but I don’t have any real confidence in the quarterback play beyond Kamario Taylor, and I think the Longhorns can have a big day offensively. Texas 38, Mississippi State 13

Gerald (4-3/2-5 ATS) — Mississippi State is gettable on the ground, and I don’t think the Mississippi State offense will move the ball consistently against this Texas defense. I think the biggest enemy to Texas covering three scores is taking the foot off the gas in the fourth quarter. Texas 35, Mississippi State 14