Tom Herman’s Longhorns are still looking for a marquee victory, and they hope they find it against USC.
Knocking off No. 22 Southern Cal would provide marquee win
AUSTIN — Sam Ehlinger did not feel relief in the moments after he completed the most important pass of his football career. There was elation and fire and hope, but no sense of comfort.
The Texas quarterback’s unease settled in as he glanced at the game clock following wide receiver Armanti Foreman’s 17-yard touchdown reception. What he saw was 45 seconds remaining in a 17-14 game last September. Too much time, particularly for future third overall NFL draft pick Sam Darnold and the fourth-ranked USC Trojans.
“I knew that they had (quarterback) Sam Darnold on the sideline with enough time to go down and kick a field goal so I wasn’t content yet; I wasn’t done with the game,” Ehlinger said Tuesday. “I was standing on the bench just praying and just watching. I honestly did not know what to think; it was a surreal experience.”
Darnold marched USC down the field, kicker Chase McGrath hammered a 31-yard field goal as time expired, and Texas fell in double overtime at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
That 27-24 loss stung. It still stings now, though Texas as a whole declared it has allowed no time to linger in the past. All that matters is Saturday’s game against No. 22 USC (1-1) at RoyalMemorial Stadium.
“You look at that game, but you don’t dwell on it,” senior defensive end Charles Omenihu said. “You don’t sit back and reminisce or anything like that. But you do use it as a learning tool.”
After a lackluster start to the season — a 34-29 loss to Maryland and a too-close-for-comfort 28-21 home win over Tulsa — Texas (1-1) needs a spark. A win over the Trojans would provide that.
Even more, it would finally validate coach Tom Herman’s notion that this year’s team is a different beast. A better beast.
Last year, Texas could compete with, but not beat, the marquee opponents on its schedule. A win over USC, with 15th-ranked TCU up next, would extinguish that narrative and infuse this team and fan base with some sorely needed faith.
For Texas to accomplish what it couldn’t last year, Ehlinger will need to shed his turnover problem.
He threw two fourth-quarter interceptions against Maryland and nearly lost a fumble against Tulsa. In last year’s loss to USC, he tossed two interceptions and lost a fumble in double overtime.
There’s reason for optimism. Ehlinger’s completion percentage has jumped from 57 percent to 64, percent and he has thrown four touchdown passes through two games. Though he remains a threat to escape the pocket, he’s made a concerted effort to develop into a savvier pocket passer.
The sophomore will need to strike the right balance of efficient and aggressive against a USC defense that just held ninthranked Stanford to 342 total yards.
“There’s some different creatures that USC is going to be throwing at him, but I think we all feel comfortable that you can win with him,” Herman said. “We have seen him play well as a true freshman against USC, so I’m excited for him to continue growing and this weekend being one of the steps in his growth process, certainly.”
If there were ever a time for Ehlinger to put his growth on display, it’s this week. In a reversal from last year’s meeting, USC will start true freshman quarterback JT Daniels.
Stanford sacked Daniels four times last weekend in a 17-3 win, a statistic that should have the Longhorns salivating. Texas has just one sack through two games.
“We’re going to have to hit him,” Omenihu said. “I don’t think that young quarterback wants to get hit that many times. If you keep hitting him and hitting him and hitting him and pressuring him, he’s going to fold. Just like any quarterback will.”
Texas isn’t in need of any added motivation. Herman doesn’t need to climb atop his soapbox and deliver some “Hard Knocks” style sermon. Ehlinger said this team has enough “intrinsic leadership” to do without theatrics.
A win over USC in front of an expected sold-out crowd could signal the true start of the Herman era. Another loss, even in double overtime, would leave Texas right where it was this time last season: in need of relief.
“Our mindset is that we’re going to put our working boots on, put our best foot forward, and Saturday go out there and ball,” Omenihu said. “Whatever the final score is, you just have to know that you put everything out there on that field.”