Oklahoma State a challenge in all phases
With two Big 12 losses already, Horns coming into crucial game
AUSTIN — The repercussions of months of off-field drama and four years of onfield inconsistency manifested for Texas this week in a distressing place: the recruiting trail.
On Wednesday Southlake Carroll five-star quarterback Quinn Ewers, ranked No. 1 in the Class of 2022 per 247Sports, backed off his pledge to Texas. The following day, 2022 Lancaster four-star receiver Phaizon Wilson announced his decommitment via Twitter.
The skies might not brighten for coach Tom Herman and the Longhorns (3-2, 2-2 Big 12) any time soon. Saturday’s game against No. 6 Oklahoma State (4-0, 3-0) at Boone Pickens Stadium will either stem the surge of anti-Hermansentiment or cause the dam to burst and spill out all over the Forty Acres.
“We know we’ve got a huge challenge,” Herman said. “We’ve got to go on the road to a very hostile environment, regardless of stadium capacity. And to play a very veteran, wellcoached team that is playing as good as anybody in
our conference right now.”
The juxtaposition between floundering Texas and soaring Oklahoma State takes on an added layer when measuring the supposed “talent gap” separating the programs.
Over the past four recruiting cycles, Texas signed classes ranked No. 8, No. 3, No. 3 andNo. 25 in the nation. During that same period, the Cowboys finished No. 40, No. 38, No. 34 and No. 38, per 247Sports rankings.
But over the past four seasons, Oklahoma State has posted a 67.4 winning
percentage with a 17-13 record in conference play. Texas haswon 62.2 percent of its games under Herman and is 19-13 against Big 12 teams, including a loss to Oklahoma in the 2018 championship game.
The Cowboys have transformed players like senior tailback Chuba Hubbard, a three-star prospect ranked No. 357 in the nation, and receiver Tylan Wallace, a four-star recruit ranked No. 121 in the nation, into gamechanging offensive stars. On defense, unheralded recruits like senior linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez, origi
nally a three-star quarterback ranked outside the top 1,500, and 2019 three-star defensive end Trace Ford have helped transform the Cowboys into an entity capable of holding down turbo-charged Big 12 offenses.
“Chaos up front,” Herman said of the Cowboys’ defense. “They’re going to be in multiple fronts, multiple blitzes. They’re bringing free safeties and corners and nickels and strong safeties, but the one theme is man coverage. We’re gonna have to defeat man coverage, something we’ve been a bit hit or miss with our wide receivers here in the last few weeks.”
Texas’ defensive game plan should start with stopping Hubbard, leader of a rushing attack averaging a conference-best 241.3 rushing yards per game.
Problem is the gravity Hubbard exerts on a game can warp what the defense wants to do. And toomuch emphasis on the ground attack would leave redshirt sophomore quarterback Spencer Sanders to have a field day withWallace, who already has 401 receiving yards and two touchdowns in four games.
“Very, very difficult offense to defend against because of those two great skill players in Chuba Hubbard and Tylan Wallace,” Herman said. “But nowyou add Spencer Sanders and his true dual-threat capabilities back there, and (defensive coordinator) Chris Ash will have some sleepless nights this week for sure.”
It’s almost a given that a Texaswin will require some heroics by senior quarterback Sam Ehlinger. From a statistical perspective, he’s had an incredible season, averaging a league-best 334 yards of total offense with 19 total touchdowns (12 passing, seven rushing) in Big 12 action.
But even new offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich has emphasized the need for more stability and bet
ter accuracy on deep balls. It’s on three parties — the play caller, the quarterback and an erratic offensive line — to get right against an Oklahoma State team that tops the Big 12 in scoring defense (13.7) and sacks per game (4.67) in conference games.
If Ehlinger can’t outduel Sanders, if Texas’ collection of talent can’t outcompete the Cowboys, questions about the future will overshadow the remainder of a season that began with the highest of hopes, only to give way to sloppy losses and recruiting devastation.
“I expect us to continue on our trajectory north of improvement and development and hopefully give Oklahoma State our best shot,” Herman said. “And if we give ‘em our best shot and we don’t beat ourselves, much likewe did not beat ourselves against Baylor, then we’ll have a chance get a big-time win.”