Bohls, Golden: Remember the pass rush? Texas can't afford to forget again

Year 2 of the Steve Sarkisian era at Texas begins Saturday, and we're taking stock of these Longhorns as they open the season against Louisiana-Monroe. Other topics we're discussing: just how long Quinn Ewers should play against ULM, Jon Gruden's future and what Big 12 team could be a surprise contender:

How to watch:Texas football vs. Louisiana-Monroe

1. Name two things you're wanting to see out of Texas in the opener.

Bohls: I’m keenly interested to see if the Longhorns can establish a legitimate pass rush and who might provide the most heat. I’m betting on DeMarvion Overshown in a 52-14 Texas win. And I want to see if the freshman offensive linemen can hold up in their first college action.

Golden: Pass protection from the offensive line and a pass rush on the other side. I can’t wait to see freshman Kelvin Banks at left tackle one week before he faces the best player in the country in Bama edge rusher Will Anderson. On  the other side, let’s see if Overshown and Co. can apply some heat on the ULM quarterback. Better yet, let’s see some disruption from Snacks Coburn and the interior guys. It should be an easy day at the office with the Horns wining 48-17.

2. Would you play Quinn Ewers every snap Saturday?

Bohls: Not necessarily. But I’d give him at least three quarters of action if not more before I’d even consider bringing in backup Hudson Card. In his first game action since his junior year in high school, Ewers needs all the reps he can get to add to his comfortability before next week’s game against you-know-who. Steve Sarkisian said Thursday that he hopes to get Card in but that he’ll “let the game unfold.”

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Golden: Not at all. He has bigger fish to fry in Week 2. Assuming Texas is comfortably ahead, he should get all the snaps for the first three quarters, but Sark should insert Card in the fourth for some needed reps. You never know when you will need Card in a close game.

3. What Big 12 team is a wild card now but could surprise?

Bohls: I’ve got my eyes on TCU. Who knows how Sonny Dykes, an Air Raid disciple who has succeeded at non-football powers SMU, Cal and Louisiana Tech, will transform the Horned Frogs? TCU is moving from the defense-first operation into a more offensively dynamic team behind Max Duggan, who’s coming off a bad year. The Froga have 18 starters returning, the most of any Big 12 team, so they could well surprise and be a contender.

Golden: I told our friends at the Headliners Club during a luncheon with Kirk and Ed Clements last week that people are sleeping on the Longhorns. If they don’t get too beaten up against Alabama and they beat an Oklahoma team in transition, the Horns have every reason to believe they can contend for a conference title. They have an elite wideout and an elite running back. That’s nearly half the battle in the Big 12.

Golden: After injury to Junior Angilau, Texas' young offensive linemen must grow up quickly

4. ESPN and Fox are both talking with the Big 12. Could that hasten the exits of Texas and Oklahoma?

Bohls: I think it easily could. The Big 12 does want its pound of flesh from the Longhorns and Sooners, but more so a pound of cash. A parting of the ways sooner than later befits all parties since the Big 12 is adding four newcomers next summer, but I still can’t imagine the league letting Texas and OU go on the cheap.

Golden: It could, because the two sides would love nothing better than to part amicably and get to the next part of their lives. I really don’t see the Mouse wanting to play ball with Fox after the Big Ten’s agreement with Fox and CBS, but Mickey and his ESPN/Disney comrades love money, and getting Texas and OU to the SEC sooner rather than later could mean more chips for all involved at the end.

5. Did Jimbo Fisher make the right decision going with quarterback Haynes King?

Bohls: Absolutely. Forget that King has played only one college game and two series in the second game before breaking his leg. And ignore the three interceptions he had against Kent State, two of which had mitigating circumstances. King will be a star at A&M, and Max Johnson is the perfect backup. That said, Fisher’s biggest worry might be keeping five-star freshman Conner Weigman content enough not to transfer since King’s got at least three seasons left, but remember Weigman also plays baseball.

Golden: I say yes. You always go with the upside over the veteran nonsuperstar transfer. King was actually starting last season before he fractured his leg in the second game against Colorado. Jimbo sees him growing into the position in his third year in the system. Plus, it’s never bad to have a veteran presence at backup.

6. Do you agree with Jim Harbaugh's decision to give his two quarterbacks each a start in the first two games?

Bohls: Sure, why not? Cade McNamara didn’t set the world on fire last season, and he’s probably ticked off about potentially losing his starting gig to unproven but heralded sophomore dual threat J.J. McCarthy. Leave it to Coach Khaki to put a new spin on the competition and evaluate his two quarterbacks after games against Colorado State and Hawaii, with McNamara up first after throwing 15 touchdown passes with six interceptions last year. ”No person, that's biblical, no person knows what the future holds," said Harbaugh, who’d better have the patience of Job.

Golden: Not at all. It’s not only pretty arrogant of Coach Khaki to play participation trophy in a season when some believe Michigan can be that fourth team in the CFP, but it also feels a bit disrespectful to Colorado State and Hawaii. Now, if Harbaugh has zero confidence in Cade McNamara and J.J. McCarthy, that’s one thing, but this feels as if he’s playing with fire.

More:How to watch Texas football vs. Louisiana-Monroe

7. Would a Notre Dame loss on Saturday to Ohio State kill its CFP chances?

Bohls: I think a big loss — I’m picking the Buckeyes by 38-17 — will seriously damage the Irish ambitions. But I give big props to teams that schedule aggressively, and Notre Dame has enough other marquee games against Clemson, North Carolina, BYU and USC to prove itself and get back in the CFP hunt.

Golden: No, because the old thinking is if you’re going to be a one-loss team in the CFP, then that loss has to come early and to a good team. The Irish will get the benefit of the doubt if they lose at the Horseshoe and then run the table.

8. What are the three most irrelevant Power Five programs that once were very relevant?

Bohls: Sorry, Cornhuskers, but you’re my No. 1 most invisible Power Five team. The next two are Florida State and Tennessee. What’s happened to the Noles? They finally have a pulse this year but rank 10th in the ACC over the last five years and have suffered four consecutive losing seasons after a 7-6 year in 2017. And the Volunteers have really slumped since the days of Peyton Manning, ranking 12th in the SEC over the last five years with a 14-28 league record, but Josh Heupel is bringing them back.

Golden: Kansas, Vanderbilt and Illinois. The Jayhawks may have beaten Texas twice in the last six years, but they are USDA grade A awful overall. KU is 7-99 since 2010 and is working on a 13-year run of losing seasons. Vanderbilt was briefly relevant with a pair of bowl wins under James Franklin, but the Commodores are 5-28 over the last three seasons and 1-24 in the SEC.  And the Illini haven’t had a winning season since Ron Zook left in 2011 and have finished fifth or worse in all but one season over the same span, the exception being when then-coach Lovie Smith led them to a 6-7 high-water mark that included a 24-23 upset of No. 6 Wisconsin.

9. Which coach out there is on the hottest of hot seats to start the season?

Bohls: Besides Nebraska's Scott Frost, Dead Coach Walking, you mean? After him, I’d say Rice’s Mike Bloomgren’s days might be numbered. The former Stanford offensive coordinator has an 11-31 record through four seasons and has won only two, three, two and four games so far.

Golden: Bryan Harsin’s seat is so hot in Auburn, he might take a side trip to hell just to cool down a bit. I don’t expect the former Texas offensive coordinator and Boise State head coach to make it through this season after he barely escaped the Turk in the offseason.

10. Does Jon Gruden deserve a second chance as a TV analyst or a head coach?

Bohls: If he’s truly remorseful and meant his apology for saying or writing what he called “shameful” racist and misogynistic things, I could see it. But he said what he said, and that comes with consequences. One would have to thoroughly vet him to understand if he still has hate and intolerance in his heart.

Golden: Another chance to what, play up the Chucky persona and pretend the viewing public doesn’t know anything about those emails? If anything, after watching video of his comments at the Little Rock Touchdown Club in Arkansas, I came away thinking he should return to coach the Raiders so I can make sure he really isn’t owner Mark Davis. Did anyone see that mop up top?

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas football preview: Longhorns ready to take on Louisiana-Monroe