Banged-up Longhorns won’t overlook the ‘hungry’ Bears
WACO — Two years ago, late in the first quarter of Texas’ upset win over 12th-ranked Baylor, a skirmish broke out near the Longhorns sideline. The game descended into temporary, albeit harmless, anarchy before officials finally separated the rival factions.
Shortly after the contest resumed, video of safety DeShon Elliott shadowboxing along the outskirts of the tempestuous throng went viral. It lives on today through YouTube and Twitter, a ridiculous remnant of Elliott’s freshman season.
There won’t be any amusing odes to Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed this Saturday in Waco. Coach Tom Herman didn’t appear too keen on greenlighting a sequel to Elliott’s first short film.
“He won’t be doing that,” Herman said. “Nobody will be doing that. It’s a long walk from Waco to Austin.”
Back to Buechele
It will be a long drive back for the Longhorns (3-4, 2-2 Big 12) as a whole if they lose to the Bears (07, 0-4). They’ve got enough problems without concocting invisible enemies to bob and weave against.
Freshman quarterback Sam Ehlinger is still under concussion protocol. So too is center Zach Shackelford.
So, with a bowl bid likely hinging on UT’s ability to overcome Baylor, Herman will turn back to Shane Buechele. Terrell Cuney will replace Shackelford, and Jake McMillon will return to right guard following a two-game absence.
Buechele has appeared for only a handful of plays — in the fourth quarter against Oklahoma, while team doctors tended to a dazed Ehlinger — since injuring his ankle in a win over Iowa State on September 28. He has completed 55 of 80 passes (68.8 percent) for 557 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions on the season.
Though the ankle remains balky, Herman believes Buechele’s mobility is “good enough” to do the job.
“He was never going to run away from anybody,”
Herman said. “I think he can move around enough to be not a sitting duck. But, we’re not going to ask him to run the football. I don’t think that’s prudent when you have one trained quarterback to go into the game with.”
More than the record
Winless Baylor may not appear to pack much of a wallop, but it nearly sucker-punched Oklahoma and West Virginia at McClane Stadium. Coach Matt Rhule’s team has been outscored by just 20 in four home losses, including a 38-36 defeat to the Mountaineers last weekend.
“Those guys have something to play for,” said linebacker Malik Jefferson, UT’s leader in tackles (54) and quarterback hits (four). “They’re hungry, and people don’t understand
that. Their record doesn’t show how good they are, and it’s very important that we have the right mindset to take the same approach on this game as any other game.”
It’s not Baylor’s defense UT needs worry about. The Bears rank 125th nationally in both total defense and passing efficiency defense.
6-3 receiver Denzel Mims is a major concern, however. The sophomore leads Baylor in receptions (34), receiving yards (685) and touchdowns (seven).
“Mims is a monster,” UT defensive coordinator Todd Orlando said. “I mean, that’s a guy that, when I watch the tape, he’s a huge target. … God he’s fast, and he’s big.”