Texas looks for consistency in run game when playing undefeated Wyoming
If there’s been one aspect of the Texas offense over its first two games that needs improvement it’s the Longhorns’ rushing game – a change from last season when they relied heavily on the legs of All-American Bijan Robinson and in-your-face Roschon Johnson to shorten games and move the sticks.
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But the transition and the early-season growing pains can be attributed to two aspects – Texas hasn’t settled on a bell cow running back and anyone who plays Alabama, as the Longhorns did in week 2, will likely have some difficulty running the ball.
The Longhorns have used eight rushers – five running backs, two wide receivers and quarterback Quinn Ewers – through the first two games, both of them victories. Texas has amassed 263 yards on the ground for an average of 131.5 per contest, which ranks 89th nationally and 10th in the 14-team Big 12 Conference.
Sophomore Jonathon Brooks leads the team with 109 yards on 26 carries while freshman CJ Baxter (who has started both games for the Longhorns but is a game-time decision on Saturday) is second with 16 totes for 49 yards. Baxter has the longest run from scrimmage for Texas, for 32 yards, while Brooks and Ewers have the two rushing touchdowns for the Longhorns.
Texas ranks 37th among FBS teams in total offense by producing 456 yards per game, good enough for eighth in the Big 12. That ranking is bolstered by a passing offense that’s averaging 324.5 yards per contest, 13th in the nation and tops in the league.
Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said Thursday that his team needs to be more consistent and the Longhorn offensive line has to be able to move the defense off the line of scrimmage.
“Consistency comes with a level of physicality,” Sarkisian explained. “I just don’t think that we’ve been quite consistent enough in that aspect of our game.
“Again, I love the fact that we were able to run the ball the way that we did over the final seven-plus minutes when Alabama knew we were going to run the ball. But I sure would like to have that mentality in the first quarter of a game and to go out and run the football the way that I think we’re capable of.
“So when you talk about making improvements, that’s definitely one of them for us where I think we can improve as a football team. But that goes hand-in-hand with our ability to pass the football. We need to find that balance on offense because that’s when we’re at our best.”
Wyoming, the Longhorns’ opponent on Saturday in Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, is ranked 37thin rushing defense, allowing 91.5 yards per game and just 2.51 yards per rush in wins over Texas Tech and Portland State.
