Fans sound off on Mayfield
Every week when I compile the Whys of Texas mailbag, I’m looking for thoughtful, well-reasoned messages from any and all Longhorns fans. Sometimes, the material is what it is.
Such is the case when the subject matter is Texas-Oklahoma.
The Longhorns (3-2, 2-0 Big 12) are feeling good after two wins. The 12th-ranked Sooners (4-1, 1-1) are coming off an embarrassing loss to the same Iowa State Cyclones that the Horns dissipated earlier in Ames. This will be OU quarterback Baker Mayfield’s last chance to knock off Texas. He’s 1-2 against the Longhorns, counting his time at Texas Tech and OU. He’s planted a crimson flag in the Cotton Bowl and in the Horseshoe in Columbus, Ohio.
Safe to say Texas fans do not want to see that happen again Saturday.
On to this week’s mailbag, with questions culled from Facebook, Twitter and email ...
I know I am not supposed to say this and I wish him no permanent life-changing harm. But if he could just get hit one good time legally, and it hurts real bad, I wouldn’t be very sympathetic! — Scotty via Facebook
Well, at least Scotty does not wish Mayfield any permanent life-changing harm.
He needs to keep his comments to himself! Sounds like an Aggie quarterback, that now doesn’t play. — EH
This was in response to Mayfield’s comment that Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger never beat Lake Travis. That stirred up a hornet’s nest in my Twitter mentions this week.
I can’t wait to see that burnt orange stabbed in the middle of the field. Texas needs to knock OU out of the top 25. — John
This seems like a fascinating prop bet in Las Vegas. If the Longhorns win, who would you pick to plant the Texas flag at midfield? Oh, we know Mayfield will be all over that if the Sooners win.
If I’m (Oklahoma coach) Lincoln Riley, I’m watching the game film from USC and Kansas State. Haha. No way Shane (Buechele) starts. — Brando
It’s not a novel concept for freshmen to play in this game. James Brown, Major Applewhite, Vince Young, Colt McCoy and Jerrod Heard were redshirt freshmen in their Cotton Bowl debuts. Buechele was a true freshman last season against the Sooners. Tom Herman doesn’t believe in getting caught up in a player’s age. You can either play or you can’t. That’s why he’ll have no qualms about unleashing Ehlinger in the Cotton Bowl.
It blew my mind that Ehlinger didn’t start, much less play vs Iowa State. Does the coaching staff really believe Shane could have pulled the USC game out with a touchdown in the last few seconds? Shane will lose a lot of games. The younger kid is just plain better and it is obvious. What am I missing? — Bill
I think a majority of Texas fans felt that way, Bill. Look, this quarterback situation is delicate for Herman and his staff. He simply cannot bench Buechele and write him off. The prediction here is that Buechele will save this team’s bacon at some point again this season. The Longhorns have only two scholarship quarterbacks. Herman cannot afford to mentally write off either of them.
A lot of folks are remembering how Warren ran against Tech last year. But that was against a horrible rush defense and honestly in an offense with a better run system. Chris can be a physical runner, no doubt. But in my opinion, he’s a horrible blocker and doesn’t react to gaps fast enough. — Jerry
My biggest issue with the running back situation is the unpredictable rotation. Kyle Porter will get some carries, then come off the field. Chris Warren III will get some carries and then sub out. Toneil Carter showed some flashes against K-State, and then he came right off the field. This coaching staff can’t trust a single running back on an entire possession? “The biggest thing is nobody’s just taken it and ran with it, no pun intended,” Herman said. “So you’re going to continue to see that until somebody grabs a hold of it and goes.”
As for the USC finish, that loss should be pinned on the coaching staff for going away from Warren down the stretch. I don’t care that Ehlinger picked up 8 yards on first-and-10 from the USC 11 in double overtime. The next play, he fumbled. Give the ball to your 250-pounder and let him slam it up the middle. Look how that worked late against K-State.
On second down from the USC 3, who thinks Warren and that offensive line couldn’t get 3 yards? And that’s with three chances, too, because the binder would have definitely said go for it on fourth down.
Warren is averaging 5.5 yards per carry, and Carter is averaging 6.4 in his limited opportunities. Porter is averaging 2.9. Please explain to me why Porter gets as many touches as he does.
Lamb has been Oklahoma’s most consistent outside threat: Lamb sustained what looked like a shoulder injury when he dove into the end zone for the Sooners’ second touchdown. Oklahoma had a 14-0 lead at the time. His absence didn’t look like a big deal.
But Lamb averages 18.1 yards per reception. The touchdown was his team-leading fourth touchdown catch of the season. The Sooners lost their most consistent outside threat, and it showed the rest of the day.
The Cyclones consistently dropped eight defenders into coverage and forced quarterback Baker Mayfield to throw underneath or run. It worked. Mayfield completed five passes that went for 15 or more yards after Lamb went out. Only two — a 19-yard pass to Jeff Badet in the second quarter and a 29-yarder to Jordan Smallwood in the third quarter — went to outside receivers.
Lamb’s speed, catching and running ability spreads a defense. Without him on the field, it was easier for the Cyclones to keep receivers in front of them.
Mayfield’s lack of patience didn’t help. He routinely ignored open underneath routes with the hope big plays would open downfield. They rarely did.