Texas Football: Grading the Longhorns' Game vs Kansas

The Texas Longhorns snapped their two-game losing streak Saturday, disposing of the defensively challenged Kansas Jayhawks 43-0.

The Horns picked up 590 yards of offense, making quick work of one of the worst defenses in college football as Texas maintained 44:07 time of possession.

Defensively, the Longhorns were stout throughout the entire game, holding the opposition to just 46 yards of offense, a record-setting mark in the Mack Brown Era.

With Texas back in the win column, it matched last season's win total and are just one victory from bowl eligibility.

The Longhorns had two weeks to prepare for this Big 12 matchup, and the grades are reflective.

Here is the report card for Texas' win over the Jayhawks.

Quarterbacks

Grade: B-

Two things to consider for the quarterbacks.

First of all, Texas very likely would have one this game without a single pass attempt. That is how good the Longhorns' running game was on Saturday night (or maybe an indication of how very bad Kansas' run defense is).

On the other hand, with David Ash getting the starting nod, he managed the game well in a limited window of opportunity. Against a bad defense, he was never in a constant struggle to make plays. Instead, he took what the defense gave him, flashed his athleticism running the ball, and leaned on the short and screen passing game to its fullest.

Ash's interception was really the lone blemish on the night, as the freshman threw for 145 yards on 14-of-18 passing. Throwing in an area with tons of bodies, most of which belonged to the opposing team, simply cannot happen.

When you consider the kind of game plan that Texas implemented coming into the game, there was really no need for the quarterback to press. He is still a freshman, and this is a step in the right direction.

Running Backs

Grade: A+

Welcome to the show, Joe Bergeron.

The other true freshman running back put on a dazzling display in the second half, picking up where Malcolm Brown left off in the first half. For the first time this season, a running back other than Brown led the team in rushing yards.

On the night, the two freshmen combined to run for 255 yards on 41 carries, four times finding the end zone. 

Texas ran the ball with power and determination, picking up yards whenever and however it wanted.

As a team, the Longhorns piled up 441 yards on the ground on 72 carries, averaging just over six yards per carry.

All of this must be taken with a few grains of salt, seeing as how Kansas' defense is one of the worst in college football. Nevertheless, Brown and Fozzy Whittaker kept their standards and Bergeron emerged as a threat.

This is a running game that Texas can lean on moving forward.

Receivers

Grade: C

Similarly to the quarterbacks, with the execution of the running game so effectively, there was almost no need for a passing game.

Jaxon Shipley injured his knee in the first half, but not before hauling in five catches for 47 yards. Fozzy Whittaker caught three passes out of the backfield in the screen game, showing off his explosive ability to pick up 44 yards. Marquise Goodwin did much of the same, but on several bubble screens, catching four balls for 36 yards.

In total, Texas pass catchers reeled in 149 yards on 16 receptions, which is far from a sparkling night. But given the direction of the game, the receivers played a limited, yet important role in picking up yards in different ways.

Take away Whittaker's 44 yards, and the receivers and tight ends hauled in just 105 yards.

Offensive Line

Grade: A+

The big boys in the trenches were sensational, never mind the opposition. 

The offensive line finished its blocks on multiple levels, opening enough holes for the likes of Joe Bergeron and Malcolm Brown to exploit. And boy did it pay off. 

Coming into the game, the Longhorns knew the Jayhawks’ weakness, and they did everything they could to maximize that in favor of the home side.

The 441 total rushing yards, the average of 6.1 yards per carry and longs of 35, 14, 27, 13 and nine yards for the each running back tells most of the story.

The interior line, Mason Walters, David Snow and Dom Espinosa, played especially well, putting together their best game yet. Meanwhile, true freshman Josh Cochran got the start at left tackle and recorded a performance that did not generate a ton of attention, which can be seen as a good thing for a young player.

Defensive Line

Grade: A

The Texas defensive line played its best game to date, hands down.

Throughout the entire night, the Longhorns’ defensive line pounded the Kansas backfield, disrupting passing attempts and blowing up running plays.

Anchored by Jackson Jeffcoat and Alex Okafor, the Horns held the Jayhawks to -2 rushing yards, with most of the negative yardage coming on the quarterback. No Kansas ball carrier gained more than 6 total yards or averaged more than 2 yards per carry.

Kheeston Randall dominated in the interior and was a force consistently in the offensive backfield. Apart from the senior, the other defensive tackles flashed brilliance, but in limited light.

Anyone else notice Chris Whaley's sack when he busted up the middle with explosive ability? That's what Texas needs from the former running back-turned-H-back.

Linebackers

Grade: A

The defensive line was so dominant, the linebackers were forced into a limited role, but the group responded spectacularly nonetheless.

Keenan Robinson and Emmanuel Acho combined for just six tackles, but it was the young guys in Jordan Hicks and Demarco Cobbs who ate up the spotlight.

With Robinson and Acho leaving after the season, it will be Hicks and Cobbs' responsibility to command the second level.

Both flashed great playmaking ability from sideline to sideline.

Secondary

Grade: A+

Coming into the game, we knew that the Texas secondary was a legitimate strength for the Longhorns, and the unit did not disappoint.

The Longhorns held the Jayhawks to just 48 yards receiving and forced one interception. No Jayhawks receiver caught more than one pass, and only two of them had receptions of more than 10 yards.

In a game that got out of hand really early and forced Kansas to go to the air, Texas was extremely dependable in its defensive backfield.

As an entire defensive unit, there may not have been a whole lot that could have been done better. It was a complete and dominant defensive performance against a Kansas offense that had been averaging over 400 yards per game.

Special Teams

Grade: B-

Justin Tucker set a career high with his 52-yard field goal to end the first half. He added a 31-yard chip shot later in the fourth quarter, as there was not too much to be disappointed with in the kicking game.

Meanwhile, the Longhorns had to defend seven kickoffs, and they covered extremely well. Between two Jayhawks’ returners, they averaged just over 19 yards per return and never picked up more than 22 yards on any take back.

For a coverage unit that has struggled this season, its performance against Kansas is a huge step in the right direction.

Coaching and Game Plan

Grade: A

Texas knew two things about Kansas coming into the weekend: it had an abysmal defense and it had a commendable offense.

With two weeks to prepare, the Longhorns excelled at dismantling the Jayhawks’ offense with their running game, and the coaches implemented that dimension to its fullest. What passing game? If Texas can consistently put up giant rushing numbers, we may not see a 200-yard passing performance from any Longhorns quarterback for the rest of the year.

Defensively, the Longhorns could not have done better. Against an offense that averaged 405 yards coming into the game, Texas held Kansas to just 46 total yards. It helped that the Texas running game helped the Horns keep possession for over 44 minutes.

Hats off to the coaches for this dominating performance.

Intangibles

Grade: A

The Longhorns just kept going and going. Who would have guessed that Texas would have put up over 40 points by just running the ball?

That's how dominant Texas was in every facet of the game.

We saw Joe Bergeron emerge as a legitimate option alongside Malcolm Brown and co, and both true freshmen shined in their own light.

We saw a defense play with confidence and fire, and it created havoc for the Jayhawks on almost every single down.

The Horns needed a game like this, a confidence-building, old-fashioned beatdown.