I usually go with five things that I liked and five things that I disliked, but I couldn’t come up with five things I disliked yesterday. So, I’ll mention the few I thought of quickly because there wasn’t a whole lot to feel sour about in the overtime win.
Disliked:
Offense Stalling:
Man, the Red Raiders could’ve put the game away early. The Jones was buzzing after the Reggie Pearson interception in the second quarter. You’re up 14-10 and Hudson Card turns the ball over for the first time this season, and the play call is two draws with Sarodorick Thompson before a false start and then a blown-up play before a punt.
Just killed momentum, and it’s a minor gripe in retrospect, but the Longhorns scored 14-unanswered points until the half out of the great momentum swing from the Pearson interception.
Longhorns 21 Second Drive in the 4Q
This drive was very frustrating to watch. You take the lead after a five-minute drive and just have to seal it.
It was even more frustrating when the Longhorns giftwrap you nine seconds of clock on a ten-yard gain to open the drive. Then you give up a chunk play to an uncovered Tarique Milton that set the Longhorns up for the game tying field goal.
Williams can learn from a few things on this drive but all in all, it didn’t matter.
Liked:
Donovan Smith:
This may be the best game I’ve seen Smith play.
Perhaps it was recency bias but without turning the ball over while throwing the ball 56 times, he looked great. Smith threw for 331 yards while rushing for 42 yards on 15 attempts and three total touchdowns.
Smith managed this game very well and put the Red Raiders in great position to win.
Free Plays:
This is a reflection on Smith, but the two free plays that resulted in deep shots that connected (one being a pass interference, but same result) was key.
The one to Cleveland was a great throw and catch, a big-time momentum play and was awesome to see.
Myles Price Usage:
Price showed it against NC State, but Saturday was his true breakout.
He had 13 catches for 98 yards in the win while being targeted 17 times. The connection between him and Smith is growing, and Price is starting to show why there was so much preseason hype around him.
Offensive Line:
The O-Line played great on Saturday, only allowed 2 sacks and ZERO quarterback hurries.
Donovan had clean pockets most of the game and it showed. There usually is a correlation between good quarterback play and good offensive line play.
The return of Weston Wright was huge as Jacoby Jackson made a big impact at RG. I have a feeling Jackson may take the starting RG position from Landon Peterson at some point this season.
Tight Ends:
Without Henry Teeter who missed Saturday's matchup do to being “banged up,” the Texas Tech tight end room played great.
Mason Tharp and Baylor Cupp showed their prowess in the passing game and should prove to become even bigger impacts in the offense.
The two tight ends combined for 78 yards on five catches and a touchdown, mostly shouldered by Cupp. The touchdown was a hell of a play call, too.
Aggressiveness on Offense & Game Management:
Man, going for fourth down that many times is BALLSY.
Joey McGuire & Co. didn’t seem to care, going for it on fourth eight times and converting on six of them.
I was also impressed with Tech’s ability to keep the ball for lengthy amounts of time yesterday. Five drives longer than 4:30 and six of ten plays or more. They did a great job of keeping the Texas defense on the field, and it was key to the victory.
Bijan Robinson Contained:
The defense balled out yesterday.
When what’s likely the best running back in the nation rolls into your home stadium and he’s held to 101 rushing yards, you did something right.
When you force said running back to fumble in overtime, you definitely did something right.
Reggie Pearson:
Speaking of the Robinson fumble, Pearson recovered it. The second time he was involved in a turnover in the game.
The pick and the fumble recovery were massive to the defense’s success on Saturday. Pearson also made five tackles against the Longhorns.
Special Teams:
Teams has been a struggle for the Red Raiders all season, it wasn’t on Saturday.
McNamara, outside of one punt, was great. Punt and kick returns were competent, and Trey Wolff appears to have officially won the kicking position.
Price made his first punt return and made a play, shocker.
Speaking of Wolff, one more time to close it out.
Disliked:
Offense Stalling:
Man, the Red Raiders could’ve put the game away early. The Jones was buzzing after the Reggie Pearson interception in the second quarter. You’re up 14-10 and Hudson Card turns the ball over for the first time this season, and the play call is two draws with Sarodorick Thompson before a false start and then a blown-up play before a punt.
Just killed momentum, and it’s a minor gripe in retrospect, but the Longhorns scored 14-unanswered points until the half out of the great momentum swing from the Pearson interception.
Longhorns 21 Second Drive in the 4Q
This drive was very frustrating to watch. You take the lead after a five-minute drive and just have to seal it.
It was even more frustrating when the Longhorns giftwrap you nine seconds of clock on a ten-yard gain to open the drive. Then you give up a chunk play to an uncovered Tarique Milton that set the Longhorns up for the game tying field goal.
Williams can learn from a few things on this drive but all in all, it didn’t matter.
Liked:
Donovan Smith:
This may be the best game I’ve seen Smith play.
Perhaps it was recency bias but without turning the ball over while throwing the ball 56 times, he looked great. Smith threw for 331 yards while rushing for 42 yards on 15 attempts and three total touchdowns.
Smith managed this game very well and put the Red Raiders in great position to win.
Free Plays:
This is a reflection on Smith, but the two free plays that resulted in deep shots that connected (one being a pass interference, but same result) was key.
The one to Cleveland was a great throw and catch, a big-time momentum play and was awesome to see.
Myles Price Usage:
Price showed it against NC State, but Saturday was his true breakout.
He had 13 catches for 98 yards in the win while being targeted 17 times. The connection between him and Smith is growing, and Price is starting to show why there was so much preseason hype around him.
Offensive Line:
The O-Line played great on Saturday, only allowed 2 sacks and ZERO quarterback hurries.
Donovan had clean pockets most of the game and it showed. There usually is a correlation between good quarterback play and good offensive line play.
The return of Weston Wright was huge as Jacoby Jackson made a big impact at RG. I have a feeling Jackson may take the starting RG position from Landon Peterson at some point this season.
Tight Ends:
Without Henry Teeter who missed Saturday's matchup do to being “banged up,” the Texas Tech tight end room played great.
Mason Tharp and Baylor Cupp showed their prowess in the passing game and should prove to become even bigger impacts in the offense.
The two tight ends combined for 78 yards on five catches and a touchdown, mostly shouldered by Cupp. The touchdown was a hell of a play call, too.
Aggressiveness on Offense & Game Management:
Man, going for fourth down that many times is BALLSY.
Joey McGuire & Co. didn’t seem to care, going for it on fourth eight times and converting on six of them.
I was also impressed with Tech’s ability to keep the ball for lengthy amounts of time yesterday. Five drives longer than 4:30 and six of ten plays or more. They did a great job of keeping the Texas defense on the field, and it was key to the victory.
Bijan Robinson Contained:
The defense balled out yesterday.
When what’s likely the best running back in the nation rolls into your home stadium and he’s held to 101 rushing yards, you did something right.
When you force said running back to fumble in overtime, you definitely did something right.
Reggie Pearson:
Speaking of the Robinson fumble, Pearson recovered it. The second time he was involved in a turnover in the game.
The pick and the fumble recovery were massive to the defense’s success on Saturday. Pearson also made five tackles against the Longhorns.
Special Teams:
Teams has been a struggle for the Red Raiders all season, it wasn’t on Saturday.
McNamara, outside of one punt, was great. Punt and kick returns were competent, and Trey Wolff appears to have officially won the kicking position.
Price made his first punt return and made a play, shocker.
Speaking of Wolff, one more time to close it out.
