After two grueling losses to Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, Texas has a full week to reflect and attempt to recharge for the final five games of the regular season. First on the schedule is a tough road game against No. 16 Baylor.
This could be the make-or-break game for Steve Sarkisian. 5-3 with a 3-2 Big 12 record could still push on toward a conference championship. Sitting at .500 overall could lead to even worse fates down the road.
Everybody within the program needs to step up heading into Baylor. Sarkisian, assistant coaches, and especially the players.
Talent is on this Texas roster. Within the next couple of years, more players will have been drafted from Tom Herman’s recruiting classes than the latter stages of Mack Brown or Charlie Strong. Coaching has been iffy at times but with NFL caliber level players sprinkled throughout, results have been poor.
Things need to change. Here are five players who need to step up for Texas during the Baylor game.
Casey Thompson
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Now, Casey Thompson is far from the first person who should be blamed for the offensive struggles in the second half. Playcalling and the inability to consistently run the ball hurt Texas a lot more. But quarterbacks are supposed to elevate teams to success, despite other factors. We have yet to see Thompson do so.
How much an injured thumb on his throwing hand is bothering the quarterback, we do not know. Passes have not been accurate and have not put Texas receivers in good places to make plays. Completing 56.6% of his throws in the past week have stalled drives, especially in the second half against Oklahoma State.
Thompson needs to show he can be the reason the Longhorns win football games. So far, Bijan Robinson has been the main reason. Sarkisian is sticking with No. 11 as his guy. It’s time to prove why on the road against a ranked Baylor team.
Any wide receiver not named Xavier Worthy
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Although Xavier Worthy was mostly quiet against Oklahoma State, his ability is known. Texas will find new ways to get him involved and make sure another meh performance is not on the cards. However, somebody else needs to step up.
Marcus Washington was the leading receiver in Austin two weeks ago with 60 yards. 58 of the yards came on one play. Joshua Moore was the only other receiver to record a catch with three. Something must emerge.
Throw the tight ends into the discussion as well. Cade Brewer and Jared Wiley have been missing for most of the season. Sarkisian needs to find a way to get a receiver not named Worthy involved in the passing game.
Ray Thornton
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Over the past three games, Texas has had four total sacks. Only three teams in the Big 12 have gotten to the quarterback less. Joseph Ossai has been missed dearly. Seven games into the season and his replacement has still not shown up.
Ray Thornton has been a starter from the beginning of the season. A lot of hype came out of fall practice how he was dominating in practice. Looking back, maybe he was just going against Christian Jones on a daily basis. Either way, his presence in the pass rush needs to get better.
Baylor’s offensive line has only given up six sacks this year, the fewest in the Big 12. All of Texas’ pass rush needs to improve but having somebody off the edge such as Thornton would severely help.
Keilan Robinson
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Saying Keilan Robinson needs to “step up” almost seems unfair considering how few touches he has gotten. He’s totaled one carry since the TCU game after having nine for 125 rushing yards and two touchdowns against Rice and Texas Tech combined.
Robinson’s speed is too good to pass up on. If for some reason giving Bijan fewer touches are in Sarkisian’s plan, give Keilan the replacement six or seven. He brings a different approach to the run game and lets Texas run a different variety of plays.
Even throw him out there in 21 personnel. With how hidden the tight ends have been, why not, at the very least, line him up in the slot and run around in motion to give Baylor something to think about?
Christian Jones/Andrej Karic
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Christian Jones was “announced” the starting left tackle on Tuesday with the release of the depth chart. Issue is, that depth chart has only changed once, maybe twice due to injuries and the switch at quarterback. It’s not exactly something to take literally.
Andrej Karic will have a shot to get snaps at left tackle this weekend.
Whether it’s Karic or Jones, one of them has to do a better job in pass protection. Going back to saying Thompson needs to step up, his blindside blocking needs to be better. Otherwise, the quarterback will be scrambling for his life, once again, and find himself throwing the ball away.
