Texas is getting solid play in its secondary. Can the Longhorns keep it up in Big 12 play?
Ahead of a 2019 game against LSU, the Texas defensive backs warmed up wearing T-shirts that claimed, "There's only one DBU."
In the lead-up to the marquee matchup, Brandon Jones told reporters that the T-shirts were an homage to the defensive backs of years past at Texas. No offense was intended to an LSU program that was also proud of its rich history of talented defensive backs. However, LSU quarterback Joe Burrow then lit the Longhorns up for 471 passing yards and four touchdowns in a 45-38 win. The jokes were easy to make.
Three years later, Texas is playing well in its secondary. And so senior D'Shawn Jamison was asked this week if classes were back in session at Defensive Back University.
"It's a thing of the past," Jamison said. "We're trying not to use too much words, just go out there and show our play. That's it."
Through three games this season, Texas is allowing a respectable 216.3 passing yards per game. That ranks 68th nationally. The UT pass defense last yielded an average of fewer than 220 yards during the 2014 season.
Texas has allowed its opponents to complete 69 of their 102 pass attempts. Two of those passes have been for touchdowns. Two have also been intercepted and returned for touchdowns. Only two completed against UT have gained more than 25 yards, and neither was thrown by a starting quarterback.
Golden: Out for the season, Texas' Junior Angilau is still a steady force for Longhorns
On Monday, junior Jahdae Barron became the first UT defensive back to win the Big 12's defensive player of the week award since Davante Davis in 2018. Barron returned an interception for a touchdown in last week's upending of UTSA.
UT has been tested by a variety of starting quarterbacks. Bryce Young is the reigning Heisman Trophy winner and Alabama's single-season passing leader, and he threw for 213 yards while leading the Crimson Tide to a contested win in Austin on Sept. 10. UTSA veteran Frank Harris can run and pass, and he accumulated 260 yards of offense last weekend. The No. 45 dual-threat quarterback in the 2019 recruiting cycle, Louisiana-Monroe sophomore Chandler Rogers, didn't exceed 100 passing yards until the fourth quarter of UT's season opener.
"I think week in and week out, we do a good job of adjusting to the quarterback we're playing," senior safety Anthony Cook said.
Now the fun begins. On Saturday afternoon, Texas will be at Texas Tech for its first Big 12 game of the season.
The Big 12 has had its share of prolific passing offenses in recent years. Texas Tech led the country in passing in 2016. Oklahoma State owned that crown a year later. Oklahoma and West Virginia have both boasted a top-10 passing offense at least once during the past five seasons. Since 2017, seven of the 10 Big 12 teams have had a quarterback get drafted.
There is plenty of football left to be played this fall, but the Big 12 currently claims the Nos. 4 and 9 passing offenses in the country. Texas Tech tops league teams with 374.0 yards per game. Oklahoma State has thrown for 1,044 yards over its three games.
Eyes on Texas: Pete Kwiatkowski quietly moves center stage, but still out of spotlight
Under new head coach Joey McGuire and new offensive coordinator Zach Kittley, Texas Tech (2-1) opened its season with 472 yards and six touchdowns through the air against Murray State. After overwhelming their FCS-level opponent, the Red Raiders then threw for 351 and 299 yards against ranked Houston and North Carolina State teams.
"They tax you in a way that they can push the ball vertically but yet they can play the crossing-route game, the mesh game, which causes issues too," UT coach Steve Sarkisian said. "One moment you want to stop the crossers, and then they're throwing seam routes; one minute you want to try to stop the seam routes, and they're dumping the ball off underneath and catching and running.
"You've got to do a good job of mixing your coverages against these guys. You've got to do a good job of trying to affect the quarterback. And then ultimately, you've got to do a great job on third down and getting off the field."
Tyler Shough, who transferred to Texas Tech from Oregon ahead of the 2021 season, took the first snap for the Red Raiders this fall. But a collarbone injury that Shough suffered against Murray State has opened the door for sophomore Donovan Smith.
The 6-foot-5, 230-pound Smith has accounted for 786 passing yards while completing 64.5% of his 110 passes. He has thrown seven touchdown passes but has also been intercepted five times. Smith and former Manor standout Tahj Brooks are the only Red Raiders to rush for a touchdown in 2022.
"He's the guy that can hurt you dual threat, but I think you better be prepared to defend his arm first because he will cut you quickly," Sarkisian said. "He can make all the throws, but he has the ability to tuck it when he needs to, and they've got some designed runs for him. Multitalented guy that definitely deserves a lot of our focus."
More:Jahdae Barron's pick six against UTSA gave Texas Longhorns 'something that we needed'
In six of the past seven UT-Texas Tech games, a Red Raider quarterback has thrown for at least 320 yards. The outlier was a 2017 meeting in which McLane Carter and Nic Shimonek combined for 333 passing yards in Texas Tech's 27-23 win.
So Texas should anticipate having its secondary tested this weekend. Some drama should also be expected.
Texas has won six consecutive games in Lubbock, but each of its last three appearances at Jones AT&T Stadium has come down to the final minute of regulation or overtime. Kris Boyd's end zone interception of Patrick Mahomes wrapped up a 45-37 triumph in 2016. Two years later, Lil'Jordan Humphrey had his Michael Crabtree moment with 21 seconds remaining in a 41-34 victory. And in 2020, a frantic rally in the final three minutes of the fourth quarter helped Texas stun Texas Tech in overtime.
Saturday's game
No. 22 Texas at Texas Tech, 2:30 p.m., ESPN, 104.9, 105.3 (Spanish), 1260, 99.3, 98.5
Scouting Texas Tech
Last year: 7-6, finished ninth in the Big 12 (3-6) and beat Mississippi State in the Liberty Bowl.
Backup plans: The Longhorns aren't the only ones playing their backup quarterback because the starter is out with a collarbone injury. Tyler Shough, who transferred in from Oregon, was lost in Tech's season opener and won't be back until probably November. Enter Donovan Smith, who's now 3-3 as a starter and set career highs in the win over Houston with 36 completions, 58 attempts and 351 passing yards. He has two career 300-yard games.
Three players to watch: (1) OLB Tyree Wilson is Tech's leader with 21 tackles, 5½ tackles for loss and 2½ sacks. (2) Tahj Brooks (134 yards, four TDs) and SaRodorick Thompson, who has averaged 81 yards against Texas in three meetings, pace the running game. (3) Smith is 71 of 110 for 786 yards and seven touchdowns — but also seven interceptions.
FYI: Tech has lost the last six Texas games played in Lubbock and four straight overall to the Longhorns, who are 22-10 there. ... Tech has held its last six opponents to 30 points or fewer. ... The Red Raiders lost four of their last five regular-season games last year (Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Baylor). ... College Football Hall of Fame inductee Michael Crabtree, who caught the winning touchdown against Texas in 2008, will be honored during Saturday's game.
— Rich Tijerina
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas Tech passing attack to test Longhorns in Big 12 football opener
