Three things Texas needs to improve on against Rice

Texas experienced a week of pure joy to open the season after knocking off No. 23 Louisiana, but had it pulled out from under them when Arkansas blew them out of the water in Week 2.

The team was exposed beyond belief in every aspect of the game, and head coach Steve Sarkisian has to look to make some changes prior to beginning conference play. On Monday, Sarkisian announced that Casey Thompson will be the starting quarterback for their matchup against Rice rather than redshirt freshman Hudson Card.

Thompson was one of the few bright spots of the loss against Arkansas, as he was able to consistently go off script and make plays with his feet. Usually you would not want a quarterback to always have to be on the run, but due to the inferior play of the Longhorns’ offensive line, both Card and Thompson were on the run seemingly every play. The difference being, that Thompson was more comfortable being uncomfortable, which is a testament to his experience and confidence.

The defense was nothing to write home about either, as they were shredded by the Arkansas ground game. Some have pointed out that defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski was not stacking the box and forcing a very shaky passer in K.J. Jefferson to beat them with his arm, but rather allowed him to use his legs whenever he pleased. The Texas defense was getting no pressure on the quarterback, nor were they able to tackle anyone.

The great performance we saw in the season opener from Texas looked like a distant memory, but the staff is confident that they can turn it around.

Here are three things that the team needs to improve upon in the game against Rice in order to shake off the loss and charge forward.

First, the wide receivers

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Wide Receiver Production

Arguably one of the most disappointing groups through the first two weeks, the Texas wide outs have been shaky at best. Week 1 seemed like Jordan Whittington was going to assert himself as the guy, but he followed that up with a couple dropped passes and zero explosive plays against Arkansas.

The group as a whole has been inconsistent. Of the three receivers to register a catch against Arkansas, not a single one of them passed 45 yards in receiving. Granted, the quarterback play has been a tad rough due to missed throws and the offensive line allowing them no time in the pocket. I expect Sarkisian to try and draw up some plays that can potentially lead to big plays. Their productivity relies heavily on the improvement of the offensive line, but there is no excuse for the amount of dropped passes we have seen.

Next, defensive front seven

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Defensive Front Seven

The defense was not effective at all against Arkansas, giving up a total of 471 yards of offense. It was not the passing game for Arkansas that did anything, as Jefferson finished the night with 138 yards through the air, it was the rushing attack that decimated the defense. Texas gave up 7.1 yards per carry, and the Longhorn defense was unable to prevent Arkansas from getting to the second level and beyond.

The defensive backs saved a couple of touchdowns, especially with the play of the night from safety B.J. Foster when he picked off Jefferson, but the front seven was outmatched all game.

The defense needs to figure out ways to generate pressure, and contain the run whether it be a running back or a scrambling quarterback. Rice has Luke McCaffery at quarterback who is dangerous with his legs, Texas cannot allow him to run around the yard like they let Jefferson. I expect the defense to step up in a major way, as defensive coordinator Kwiatkowski was likely furious about the Week 2 showing. The front seven cannot be out muscled and neutralized like they were against Arkansas again, otherwise teams will just run the ball down their throat.

Finally, the teams biggest weakness

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Texas Offensive Line

This should come as no surprise, as both Louisiana and Arkansas were able to dismantle the Texas offensive line and get pressure on the quarterback or disrupt run plays. Through two games, Texas quarterbacks have been sacked a total of six times, and it would likely be more if Card didn’t force throws and Thompson did not evade the pressure as well as he has. A very concerning stat from the Arkansas game, was the fact that in 10 carries to the left side of the line, Texas gained a total of nine yards.

I firmly believe that one of the main reasons that Thompson was given the nod to start was due to the fact he was much better at making plays when the offensive line blocked no one. Although the line was consistently getting beat by a three-man rush, Sarkisian expressed that they need more time together. If this group cannot step it up against Rice, who is giving up an average of 383 yards per game, there is no hope for them. I applaud Sarkisian and Kyle Flood for not giving up on them this early on in the season, but they have been nothing but a liability.