Vince Campisi's Big XII Championship Preview
Texas Longhorns vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers
12/4/09
--by Vince Campisi
December 5th, 2009
7:00 PM CST
Cowboys Stadium
Arlington, TX
Television Coverage: ABC
#3 TEXAS
(12 - 0) (8 - 0)
VS
#22 NEBRASKA (9 - 3) (6 - 2)
Latest Line
Opening: Texas by 14.
Current: Texas by 14.
Schedules/Results
Texas
09/05/09 - vs. Louisiana-Monroe - W 59-20
09/12/09 - at. Wyoming - W 41-10
09/19/09 - vs. Texas Tech - W 34-24
09/26/09 - vs. UTEP - W 64-7
10/10/09 - vs. Colorado - W 38-14
10/17/09 - vs. Oklahoma - W 16-13
10/24/09 - at. Missouri - W 41-7
10/31/09 - at. Oklahoma State - W 41-14
11/07/09
- vs. Central Florida - W 35-3
11/14/09 - at. Baylor - W 47-14
11/21/09 - vs. Kansas - W 51-20
11/26/09 - at. Texas A&M - W 49-39
Nebraska
09/05/09 - vs. Florida Atlantic - W 49-3
09/12/09 - vs. Arkansas State - W 38-9
09/19/09 - at. Virginia Tech - L 15-16
09/26/09 - vs. Louisiana-Lafayette - W 55-0
10/08/09 - at. Missouri - W 27-12
10/17/09 - vs. Texas Tech - L 10-31
10/24/09 - vs. Iowa State - L 7-9
10/31/09
- at. Baylor - W 20-10
11/07/09 - vs. Oklahoma W 10-3
11/14/09 - at. Kansas - W 31-17
11/21/09 - vs. Kansas State - W 17-3
11/27/09 - at. Colorado - W 28-20
Historically Speaking
Saturday
will mark the 13th all-time match-up between Texas and Nebraska, since
first meeting in 1933. Texas holds the series lead (8-4), and is
currently enjoying a 4 game win streak in the series. The Longhorns
have won 7 of the 8 meetings since the Big XII formed in 1996. While
the win-loss numbers might look one-sided, the games have been anything
but and many meetings have been classics. Of the 8 games played since
forming the Big XII, 5 of them have been decided by 4 or less points.
The last time these two teams met was 2007 in Austin, TX. Nebraska was
in the middle of then-coach Bill Callahan's final season, a season that
is remembered as one of the worst in the school's history.
Surprisingly, the Huskers held their own with the Longhorns, and
actually lead 17-3 in the early stages of the third quarter. The
Nebraska defense could not stop the rushing of RB Jamaal Charles in the
fourth quarter, however, as he rushed for touchdowns from 25, 86, and
40 to take the lead. Down by 10, the Huskers added a touchdown with
1:55 remaining, but couldn't make a stop to get the ball back, as the
Longhorns held on to win 28-25. These two teams have met twice in Big
XII Championship games, splitting the pair. Texas shockingly won the
inaugural 1996 game 37-27, knocking Nebraska out of the National
Championship race in their quest for a 3rd straight title. Nebraska
won the 1999 game 22-6 en route to a #2 finish that season.
Player Breakdowns
TEXAS
Texas Offense
Texas
possesses one of the best passing attacks in the nation, but the
running game isn't quite where they'd like it to be. Last week, things
went smoothly on offense against Texas A&M, rushing for 293 yards
and passing for 304 more. The Longhorns are currently ranked 11th
nationally in total offense (451.58 ypg), 13th in passing (287.67 ypg),
14th in passing efficiency (148.45 rating), 47th in rushing (163.92
ypg), 3rd in scoring offense (43 ppg), 36th in interceptions thrown
(9), 70th in fumbles lost (11), and 50th in giveaways (20).
QB:
Sr. Colt McCoy (310 of 432, 3328 yds, 27 TDs, 9 INTs) is in his fourth
and final season as starter for the Longhorns at QB. There's not much
you can say about McCoy that hasn't already been said a million times.
He's got a strong, accurate arm with a quick release that is matched
with his good decision making skills, making him one of the best
quarterbacks in the nation. He does a great job of reading defenses
and attacking their weaknesses. After beating Texas A&M last week,
he became the winningest starting QB in the history of college
football. It will be somewhat of a surprise if he does not win the
Heisman Trophy next weekend. The only time he really seems to struggle
is if opponents are able to get a consistent pass rush and knock him
around. Even when he takes a beating, however, he always manages to
bounce right back up. He is deceptively fast, and has used this not
only to scramble, but motor downfield quickly. On the season, McCoy
has rushed for 368 yards and 2 touchdowns on 111 carries (lost 154).
Last week he was very impressive on the ground, rushing for 175 yards
and a touchdown on 18 carries. He outran defensive backs on his
65-yard touchdown QB draw in the 2nd quarter. Behind McCoy is TFr.
Garrett Gilbert (15 of 26, 124 yds). He's a bigger QB at 6'4", and can
make all the throws you could ask of him. Gilbert has shown decent
foot speed in his limited snaps, rushing for 11 yards and 1 touchdown
on 6 carries (lost 16). He's the future of the Longhorns at QB.
RB:
The Longhorns' running game has been by committee, with RFr. Tre'
Newton (83 carries, 477 yds, 6 TDs) and So. Cody Johnson (83 carries,
331 yds, 12 TDs) seeing the bulk of the snaps this season. Newton has
really come on strong as of late, and is now healthy. He isn't the
flashiest of rushers, but has a good amount of speed and hits the hole
quickly. He does a nice job of following his blocks downfield and also
breaks his fair share of tackles. Johnson is a bulkier, power back
that has also seen time at FB this season. Backs in the reserve
rotation include So. Fozzy Whittaker (51 carries, 207 yds, 4 TDs) and
Jr. Vondrell McGee (56 carries, 300 yds, 2 TDs). Both Whittaker and
McGee bring good foot speed and hands to the table, but neither could
hold onto the starting job this year. The backs are used every now and
then in the passing game, with Whittaker (13 catches, 51 yds), McGee (8
catches, 37 yds), Newton (7 catches, 63 yds), and Johnson (7 catches,
42 yds) each catching passes this season. At fullback is Jr. Antwan
Cobb (1 carry, 3 yds), with Cody Johnson backing him up. Sr. Lamarr
Houston is also an option to come in on short yardage situations,
however, the fullback is not an often used position in the Texas
offense.
WR/TE:
The Longhorns' receiving corps is one of the best in the Big XII, if
not the best. Starting at the receiver positions are Sr. Jordan
Shipley (99 catches, 1292 yds, 11 TDs) at "Z", So. Malcolm Williams (35
catches, 494 yds, 2 TDs) at "X", and Jr. James Kirkendoll (48 catches,
461 yds, 6 TDs) at Sub B. Shipley is one of the best receivers in the
nation, is a Biletnikoff Award finalist, and ranks 6th in receiving
yards per game (107.67). He always finds a way to get open, has good
quickness and great top end speed. He is tough to bring down,
particularly in the open field. He'll drop a pass on occasion, but
drops are typically few and far between. Williams has really come on
strong this season, and is going to step into the national spotlight
next season. He has very good hands and turns up-field quickly after
the catch. He's a big, strong, and very fast target that is tough to
cover by opposing corners. He does a good job of knowing where the
sticks are and powering through defenders to get the extra yards
needed. Kirkendoll also has good hands and great speed. He'll make
opposing secondaries look silly if there's a slight opening, flying by
them. He had 2 great touchdown grabs last week against A&M. Top
reserves at receiver include TFr. Marquise Goodwin (25 catches, 205
yds) and Jr. John Chiles (34 catches, 319 yds, 3 TDs). Goodwin has
sprinter speed and should become a great receiver over the next few
seasons. Chiles is a converted QB that has great athleticism. At
tight end is Jr. Greg Smith (6 catches, 48 yds), with So. Ahmard Howard
backing him up. Smith is mostly used as a blocker, and is decent at
that, but does get beat by defenders going to the outside. So. Dan
Buckner (41 catches, 431 yds, 4 TDs) has served as the top receiver at
the Flex TE spot. Buckner is a very good athlete and gets good yards
after catch. He does drop easy catches, however.
OL:
Texas' offensive line has been a solid unit this year, but has also had
some problems blocking good edge rushers and consistently opening
running lanes. Last week against Texas A&M, they did a pretty good
job of pushing the Aggies' DL to the outside and allowing space for QB
Colt McCoy to run. Starting at tackle is Sr. Adam Ulatoski (6'6", 310
lbs) on the left and Jr. Kyle Hix (6'7", 320 lbs) on the right.
Ulatoski is typically a rock on the outside, but had severe troubles
with Texas A&M star DE, Von Miller. Ulatoski was beaten often by
Miller's speed, as he simply made a quick move to the outside before
collapsing in to the QB. Hix is a quality blocker, but also has his
share of troubles with quick defensive ends. The top reserves at
tackle are RFr. Luke Poehlmann (6'7", 265 lbs) and Jr. Britt Mitchell
(6'5", 310 lbs). Starting at guard is Sr. Charlie Tanner (6'4", 305
lbs) on the left and Jr. Michael Huey (6'5", 320 lbs) on the right.
Tanner is a great run blocker and is very strong. Huey has also been
good in run blocking, and hasn't been beaten all that often this year.
Tanner and Huey did a nice job against the Aggies last week, as they
didn't allow much penetration from the opposing tackles. Jr. Tray
Allen (6'5", 315 lbs) serves as the top back-up at guard. Starting at
center is Sr. Chris Hall (6'4", 295 lbs), with So. David Snow (6'4",
300 lbs) backing him up. Hall is one of the better centers in the
nation, is a Rimington Award finalist, and does a nice job both rush
and pass blocking. He's played all of the positions on the line over
the course of his career, and center has been his best spot.
Texas Defense
Texas'
defense is one of the best units in the nation. Tough at all three
levels of the defense, opponents have struggled to move the ball all
season long. The one probable anomaly took place last week against
Texas A&M. The Aggies were able to throw for 342 yards and rush
for 190 more. Tackling was an issue, but one that hasn't been much of
an issue in the other 11 games. The Longhorns currently rank 5th
nationally in total defense (263.17 ypg), 39th in pass defense (201.42
ypg), 16th in pass efficiency defense (105.22 rating), 1st in rush
defense (61.75 ypg), 9th in scoring defense (15.42 ppg), 2nd in
interceptions forced (21), 32nd in fumbles recovered (11), and 3rd in
total takeaways (32).
DL:
The Longhorns' defensive line has been one of the top units in the Big
XII this season. Starting at defensive end is Jr. Sam Acho (47
tackles, 8 sacks, 2 FF, 4 FR, 13 QBH, 3 PBU) on the left and Sr. Sergio
Kindle (56 tackles, 3 sacks, 2 FF, 1 FR, 28 QBH, 2 PBU) on the right
(Buck). Acho is tough against the run, having good quickness to get
after the ball carrier. He has a good motor and is very good in
pursuit, often tracking players down from behind. Kindle is a hybrid
DE/LB that will play as a down lineman or standing up off the edge. He
presents a lot of speed for opposing OT's to deal with, sticks to the
ball carrier and rarely misses tackles. He's a very aware player that
came up with a big unforced fumble recovery last week that led to the
Horns extending their lead to two scores. Jr. Eddie Jones (21 tackles,
5 sacks, 1 INT, 1 FF, 13 QBH) and TFr. Alex Okafor (20 tackles, 1 FF, 6
QBH) serve as the top back-ups at defensive end. Okafor is a very good
athlete, possessing linebacker-like attributes. Starting at defensive
tackle is Sr. Lamarr Houston (50 tackles, 7 sacks, 2 FR, 26 QBH, 3
PBU), with TFr. Calvin Howell (4 tackles, 1 sack, 1 QBH), and So.
Tyrell Higgins (3 tackles, 1 sack, 1 QBH) backing him up. Houston is
tough against the run and gets into the backfield often. He does a
nice job of getting his hands up when he can't get to the QB, and is a
real playmaker for this defense. He leads the team with 20 tackles for
loss. So. Kheeston Randall (20 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 FF, 8 QBH) starts
at nose tackle, with Sr. Ben Alexander (27 tackles, 1 QBH) serving as
his top back-up. Randall has a good mix of strength and quickness that
has served him well in getting after the QB.
LB:
Texas' linebacking corps is a very good group that has wreaked havoc on
opposing offenses this season. Starting at middle linebacker is Sr.
Roddrick Muckelroy (87 tackles, 2 sacks, 9 QBH, 5 PBU), with Jr. Dustin
Earnest (25 tackles, 1 sack, 1 QBH) backing him up. Muckelroy is a big
time defender. He seems to be omnipresent on the field, making plays
all over the place. He's a big hitter and very strong, often throwing
ball carriers backward. At weakside linebacker is So. Keenan Robinson
(57 tackles, 1 sack, 1 QBH, 4 PBU), while RFr. Ryan Roberson (6
tackles, 1 QBH) backs him up. Robinson, similarly to Muckelroy, is a
strong backer that muscles opponents to the ground with ease. He has
given up some big plays in pass coverage, which is something he'll need
to work on. Being just a sophomore, that is to be expected. So.
Emmanuel Acho (45 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 INT, 3 FF, 2 FR, 3 QBH, 1 PBU)
starts at strongside linebacker, with Robinson and Roberson providing
back-up. Acho is a great athlete that has been the best in this unit
at forcing turnovers, accounting for more than 3 on his own. He's
another young linebacker that is going to do nothing but get better as
time goes on.
DB:
The Longhorns' defensive backfield has been solid this season, and one
of the stronger secondaries that Texas has had in a while. Starting at
cornerback is So. Aaron Williams (35 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 INTs, 2 FF, 3
QBH, 6 PBU) at left corner and Jr. Curtis Brown (50 tackles, 1 INT, 1
FF, 14 PBU, 1 BK) at right corner. Despite being just a sophomore,
Williams is already looking like one of the better defenders for the
Longhorns. He was injured last week and was unable to play, however,
which resulted in some lackluster play from this bunch. Brown is a
very good athlete that has done a pretty good job in coverage this
season. He was not great last week, however, and missed a tackle on a
running back that went for a touchdown. Players in the reserve
rotation include Jr. Chykie Brown (43 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 INTs, 1 FF, 1
QBH, 7 PBU) and Sr. Deon Beasley (15 tackles, 1 sack, 2 FF, 1 QBH, 2
PBU). Brown got beat a number of times last week, including one pass
that went for a 70 yard touchdown. Starting at safety is So. Earl
Thomas (66 tackles, 8 INTs, 1 FF, 15 PBU) at left safety and So. Blake
Gideon (54 tackles, 4 INTs, 1 FR, 4 PBU) at right safety. Thomas is
one of the best safeties in the Big XII this year, and as a sophomore
is a finalist for the Thorpe Award. To put it simply, he's fast, hits
hard, and just makes plays. He does a nice job in run support and
doesn't often get burned over the top. He had an easy pick last week
on a lofted ball into the endzone last week. Gideon is a big time
hitter and just flat out clobbers the ball carrier. So. Nolan Brewster
(22 tackles, 1 INT, 1 QBH, 1 PBU) is the top reserve at safety for the
Longhorns.
Texas Special Teams
Texas'
special teams units have been pretty good this season, but outside of
the return teams, nothing spectacular. The Longhorns currently rank
99th in net punting (33.64 yd avg), 3rd in kickoff returns (28.31 yd
avg), 15th in punt returns (13.45 yd avg), 63rd in kickoff coverage
(21.78 yd avg), and 73rd in punt coverage (9.95 yd avg).
K:
Sr. Hunter Lawrence has made 20 of his 23 field goal attempts with a
long of 49 this season. He has made 11 of his last 12. So. Justin
Tucker works as the kickoff specialist, pushing just 14 of his 92
kickoffs for a touchback this season, with a 63.5 yard average, kicking
between the 6 and 7 yard line.
P:
So. Justin Tucker is averaging 39.6 yards on his 33 punts with a long
of 60 this season. 13 of his 33 punts have been downed inside the
opponents' 20.
KR/PR:
The top kickoff return unit for the Longhorns consists of Sr. Jordan
Shipley (4 kick returns, 18.5 yd avg, 23 yd long) and TFr. Marquise
Goodwin (11 kick returns, 24.1 yd avg, 1 TD, 95 yd long). Goodwin has
track speed, and had a 95 yard return for touchdown last week against
Texas A&M. The top punt return man is Sr. Jordan Shipley (23 punt
returns, 13.3 yd avg, 1 TDs, 74 yd long). Shipley is one of the better
punt returners around, ranking 18th nationally.
Coverage:
The Longhorns' kick and punt coverage units have been fairly average
this season, having some issues with missed tackles. On the season,
the kick coverage unit is allowing an average of 21.8 yards on 80
kickoff return attempts with 1 allowed touchdown (98 yd long). The
punt coverage unit is allowing an average of 9.9 yards on 19 punt
return attempts with 1 allowed touchdown (32 yd long).
NEBRASKA
Nebraska Offense
Nebraska's
offense has struggled with consistency from drive-to-drive all season
long. The Huskers had another less than stellar outing last week
against Colorado, totaling just 203 yards. Out of the 28 points put on
the board, the offense accounted for just 14 of those. Nebraska
currently ranks 92nd nationally in total offense (334.75 ypg), 93rd in
passing (187.33 ypg), 62nd in pass efficiency (128.97 rating), 64th in
rushing (147.42 ypg), 72nd in scoring offense (25.58 ppg), 36th in
interceptions thrown (9), 70th in fumbles lost (11), and 50th in
giveaways (20).
QB:
Nebraska seems set with Jr. Zac Lee (158 for 260, 1931 yds, 13 TDs, 7
INTs) at QB, despite him not putting up great numbers. Lee looked
great against Nebraska's Sun Belt opposition this year, but has yet to
have a breakout game against a member of a BCS conference. He was just
9 of 14 last week for 73 yards and a touchdown. He's been playing not
to make mistakes, which you could say he's been successful doing. In
most games this season, he has been hesitant to throw downfield,
instead choosing to check down to much shorter routes. He doesn't have
great pocket presence, and when pressured chooses to run to the
perimeter instead of stepping up into the pocket. This has been an
issue because he just isn't great throwing on the run. When Lee has
been "on", he's shown great arm strength and accuracy, but he hasn't
been "on" against any defense of note. He has decent speed and has
rushed for 94 yards on 79 attempts (has lost 102 yards on sacks). TFr.
Cody Green (33 for 59, 313 yds, 2 TDs, 2 INTs) started at QB against
Baylor and Oklahoma, but after getting pulled in the 2nd quarter of the
Oklahoma game, has not played a snap. He didn't provide the spark many
had hoped, but has a lot of potential to be a big-time dual-threat QB
at some point down the road. He can run pretty well and has shown a
very strong arm, but he just hasn't put it all together mentally yet.
He has carried the ball 16 times for 123 yards and 2 touchdowns (lost
11 yards on sacks).
RB:
Nebraska's running backs are led by Jr. Roy Helu Jr. (207 carries, 1111
yds, 10 TDs). Helu Jr. has a great combination of hard running,
leaping, and cutting ability. He can beat defenders by running around
them, by them, and over them. He has really turned into a complete
back over the past year. He has been bothered by an injured shoulder
since the Missouri game, but now looks more like his old self. Since
getting healthy, he has picked up 446 yards in the past four games.
The top back-up to Helu Jr. is TFr. Rex Burkhead (47 carries, 235 yds,
2 TDs), an impressive young back that does a very nice job running
between the tackles. He hits the hole quickly and breaks tackles
well. He has missed much of the season with a broken foot, but is back
now and had his first 100 yard rushing performance last week against
Colorado. TFr. Dontrayevous Robinson (38 carries, 159 yds, 2 TDs) is
now the number three option with Burkhead back from his injury. He has
shown a lot of potential in his limited carries, running with good
power and decent speed. So. Marcus Mendoza (4 carries, 10 yds), So.
Austin Jones (6 carries, 15 yds), RFr. Lester Ward (8 carries, 24 yds),
and RFr. Collins Okafor (1 rush, 9 yds) are battling behind Robinson.
Nebraska typically likes to throw the ball to their backs, with Helu
Jr. (19 catches, 149 yds), Burkhead (9 catches, 75 yds, 1 TD), Mendoza
(7 catches, 45 yds), Robinson (3 catches, 22 yds), and Jones (1 catch,
2 yds) each catching passes this season. Strangely, Nebraska has
thrown to their backs just once over the past three games. At
fullback, RFr. Tyler Legate (3 catches, 27 yds, 1 TD) is the top guy
and but hasn't really seen much time on the field. When Nebraska has
lined up in 2 back sets with Legate in as a lead blocker, the offense
has moved the ball very well.
WR/TE:
Nebraska's receivers need to be more consistent if the offense is going
to come out of their shell before the end of the season. There have
been too many instances of dropped passes and lackadaisical play
throughout the season. Starting at "Z" is Jr. Niles Paul (35 catches,
669 yds, 3 TDs). He has a great combination of size, quickness, and
route running skills. He is very inconsistent, however, as it seems
for every great catch he makes, he'll drop just as many easy ones.
Unfortunately for Nebraska, he's the only guy making plays in the group
right now. Starting at "X" is RFr. Khiry Cooper (13 catches, 80 yds, 1
TD). He's probably got the most up-side of Nebraska's receivers, but
needs to be more physical and work to get open. Reserves include Sr.
Menelik Holt (15 catches, 175 yds, 1 TD), So. Curenski Gilleylen (16
catches, 299 yds, 1 TD), Sr. Chris Brooks (13 catches, 177 yds, 1 TD),
Jr. Brandon Kinnie (11 catches, 99 yds), TFr. Antonio Bell (1 catch, 3
yds), Jr. Will Henry (1 catch, 1 yd), Sr. Wes Cammack (1 catch, 2
yds). Holt had been the starter at "X" for about half of the season,
however, dropped passes and poor blocking led to his demotion.
Gilleylen is a speedster that developed into a very dangerous deep
threat, but he dropped a couple of passes early in the year and hasn't
been targeted since. Brooks turned into a solid possession receiver
this year and probably has the best hands of the entire group, but
needs to be a better blocker. Kinnie has great measurables and is
starting to show that he can catch the ball. Henry is a big body
(6'5") but is yet to make an impact. Nebraska's top TE is Jr. Mike
McNeill (25 catches, 240 yds, 4 TDs), with So. Dreu Young (5 catches,
78 yds), So. Ryan Hill (2 catches, 8 yds, 1 TD), RFr. Ben Cotton (5
catches, 43 yds, 1 TD), and RFr. Kyler Reed (6 catches, 54 yds)
competing behind McNeill. McNeill does a nice job of picking up yards
after catch, as well as getting open in the endzone. This is a deep
and talented group of tight ends, which are a big strength for the
Huskers' offense and are starting to get used more often.
OL:
Nebraska’s offensive line continues to be far too inconsistent at this
late stage of the year. At times they do a nice job, but they are also
committing costly penalties and getting beat by opposing linemen.
Starting at tackle is Jr. Mike Smith (6'6", 295 lbs) on the left and
So. Marcel Jones (6'7", 310 lbs) on the right. Smith is typically
among the best linemen for the Huskers, but has had his share of issues
as well this year. Jones is the largest of the linemen, and has
potential to be a rock on the right side. However, he's young and has
made a number of mistakes. Jr. D.J. Jones (6'5", 315 lbs) is listed as
a co-starter with Marcel Jones, even though Marcel sees more snaps.
D.J. doesn't have great torque in the hips and gets beat often by
athletic linemen. TFr. Jeremiah Sirles (6'6", 310 lbs) is another
possibility to see in a reserve role at tackle. Starting at left guard
is Jr. Keith Williams (6'5", 315 lbs), while Jr. Ricky Henry (6'4", 300
lbs) starts at right guard. Williams is a pretty solid blocker, but
still has a lot of room for improvement. He does very well as the
pulling guard, plowing through his man and opening holes. Henry is a
player known for his strength and his nasty streak, which has caused a
few personal foul flags this year. Sr. Andy Christensen (6'3", 305
lbs) and Sr. Derek Meyer (6'5", 315 lbs) are Nebraska's top reserves at
guard. Sr. Jacob Hickman (6'4", 290 lbs) starts at center, with So.
Mike Caputo (6'1", 275 lbs) backing him up. Hickman is the leader of
the group and a typically solid center. Caputo isn't a prototypically
sized center, but he has very good technique and leverage.
Nebraska Defense
Nebraska's
defense has been very good this season, and the best that the
Blackshirts have performed in about a decade. They have had some
issues over the last few games, but still doing a nice job. Last week
was not a performance they'll be proud of, giving up 403 total yards,
with what was essentially a 62 yard hail mary touchdown pass as time
expired to leave a sour taste in their mouths. The Huskers are
currently ranked 11th nationally in total defense (291.42 ypg), 25th in
pass defense (189.50 ypg), 4th in pass efficiency defense (91.25
rating), 15th in rush defense (101.92 ypg), 3rd in scoring defense
(11.08 ppg), 13th in interceptions (16), 74th in fumbles recovered (8),
and 31st in total takeaways (24).
DL:
Nebraska’s defensive line is one of the best in the nation. They're
big, strong, athletic, and make plays all over the field. Starting at
defensive end is Jr. Pierre Allen (45 tackles, 3 sacks, 7 QBH, 4 PBU)
on the right, with Sr. Barry Turner (42 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 FF, 1 FR,
11 QBH, 3 PBU) on the left. Both are very good athletes and are
playing well, but not quite as well as expected going into the season.
Turner seems to have been stepping his game up lately, however. Their
play has been helped by the excellent play by the d-tackles this
season. RFr. Cameron Meredith (19 tackles, 1 sack, 1 FR, 2 QBH, 1 PBU)
and RFr. Josh Williams (3 tackles) are the top reserves at defensive
end. Meredith has been impressive in his back-up role, and is pushing
for more playing time. Starting at nose tackle is Sr. Ndamukong Suh
(70 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 1 INT, 1 FF, 22 QBH, 10 PBU, 3 BK), with So.
Terrence Moore (2 tackles) backing him up. Suh is an elite defensive
player that has a motor that doesn't quit, flies to the ball and forces
turnovers. He very rarely comes off the field, yet still has the
energy to bring it in the fourth quarter. He was named the Big XII
Defensive Player of the Year and is likely to take home many more
post-season awards. So. Jared Crick (67 tackles, 9 sacks, 2 FR, 14
QBH, 4 PBU, 1 BK) starts at defensive tackle, with RFr. Baker
Steinkuhler (17 tackles, 2 PBU) providing back-up. Crick has really
turned into a big time d-tackle this season, making opponents think
twice about always doubling up on Suh. He leads the team with 9 sacks.
LB:
Nebraska's linebacking corps is led by starting weakside linebacker Sr.
Phillip Dillard (70 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 INT, 1 FF, 4 QBH, 2 PBU).
Dillard is a former starter at MIKE that that has been doing an
excellent job at WILL this year. He brings athleticism and experience
to the field that has been invaluable. Behind Dillard is So. Matthew
May (10 tackles). May has not seen much action this season. Starting
at middle linebacker is RFr. Will Compton (38 tackles, 0.5 sack, 2 QBH,
2 PBU), while Sr. Colton Koehler (5 tackles) is the top reserve.
Compton works hard to get after the ball carrier, but is still learning
the defense and makes mistakes. Starting at buck linebacker is RFr.
Sean Fisher (34 tackles, 1 sack, 1 FR, 3 QBH), with TFr. Eric Martin
(11 tackles, 1 BK) and RFr. Micah Kreikemeier providing back-up.
Fisher stands at 6'6", and like Compton, should get better each week as
they learn how to quickly read and react to the opposing offense.
Unfortunately, with Nebraska playing so much Nickel and Dime, Compton
and Fisher haven't really had a large amount of playing time, which has
slowed their progression. Martin is a special teams dynamo and has the
ability to be a force for the Huskers at LB when he gets the mental
aspect of the game down to match his physicality.
DB:
Nebraska’s defensive backfield has played very well this season, and
kept up a high level of play no matter the competition. Other than a
few of big plays given up, they have done a nice job in coverage and
making solid tackles. Jr. Prince Amukamara (54 tackles, 2 sacks, 4
INTs, 1 FF, 1 FR, 10 PBU) starts at LCB, with Jr. Dejon Gomes (40
tackles, 3 INTs, 3 FF, 3 QBH, 5 PBU) and TFr. Andrew Green listed as
the top reserves. Amukamara is a great athlete and has been solid in
coverage this season. Gomes has looked very good when on the field,
but has missed some tackles against physical ball carriers. So.
Alfonzo Dennard (30 tackles, 7 PBU) took over the role as starting RCB
about a month ago and has performed very well. He's a physical corner
that makes plays on the football and is a solid tackler. Jr. Anthony
West (11 tackles, 3 PBU) backs up Dennard, but has only been average,
and needs to play more with his head on a swivel. So. Lance Thorell (6
tackles, 1 PBU) is another reserve at corner that occasionally sees
time. At strong safety is Sr. Larry Asante (70 tackles, 2 INTs, 2 FF,
7 PBU) starts, with Jr. Eric Hagg (37 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 FF, 3 QBH, 4
PBU) and RFr. P.J. Smith (13 tackles) backing him up. Asante has great
athleticism and is a big hitter. He's probably the best of the
defensive backfield, and earned 1st team all-Big XII this season. Hagg
is used often as a blitzing safety, and also as a nickel back. He's
been fairly weak in coverage this season. Sr. Matt O'Hanlon (59
tackles, 1 sack, 5 INTs, 1 FF, 2 FR, 4 PBU) starts at free safety.
O'Hanlon is often picked on and has been burned in the past, however,
has made some big plays in his career as well. He is a dependable
tackler and blitzes well. Behind O'Hanlon is Hagg, So. Austin Cassidy
(9 tackles, 1 PBU), and RFr. Courtney Osborne (1 tackle).
Nebraska Special Teams
Nebraska's
special teams units have been excellent this year. There have been
some instances of inconsistent play, but more often than not, they are
performing at a high level. They have some of the best kickers in the
nation, however, the return and coverage units can be hot and cold.
The Huskers rank 80th in net punting (34.68 yd avg), 38th in kickoff
returns (23 yd avg), 37th in punt returns (10.95 yd avg), 16th in
kickoff coverage (19.53 yd avg), and 101st in punt coverage (12.48 yd
avg).
K:
Jr. Alex Henery has one of the strongest and most accurate legs in the
nation. He has made 16 of his 20 attempts this season, with a long of
46. He's made 29 of his last 30 kicks from under 50 yards. Jr. Adi
Kunalic has a booming leg and is arguably the best kickoff specialist
in the nation. Kunalic has pushed 26 of 65 kickoffs for touchback this
season, with an excellent 68.6 yard average, kicking between the 1 and
2 yard line.
P:
Jr. Alex Henery has averaged 42.3 yards on his 65 punts with a long of
76 this season. 26 of his 65 punts have been downed inside the
opponents' 20 so far this year. He added punting duties to his
repertoire this season, and has been a big reason as to why Nebraska is
in the Big XII Championship game. When directional punting or
attempting to get the ball downed inside the 10, he's been incredible.
KR/PR:
Nebraska’s top kickoff return unit is made up of Jr. Niles Paul (14
kick returns, 25.4 yd avg, 44 yd long), and RFr. Tim Marlowe (10 kick
returns, 24.7 yd avg, 40 yd long). At punt returner is Jr. Niles Paul
(32 punt returns, 9.8 yd avg, 1 TD, 59 yd long). These units have been
very good at times, but have been pretty average since starting
conference play. Paul came up with a 59 yard punt return for a
touchdown last week against Colorado.
Coverage:
Nebraska’s coverage teams have been pretty good this season, but are
not immune from occasional tackling problems. They have seemed to
allow about one good sized return each week. The kick coverage unit is
allowing an average of 19.5 yards on 40 kickoff returns (76 yd long),
while the punt coverage unit is allowing an average of 12.5 yards on 29
punt returns (62 yd long). They have done a really nice job the past
two weeks, keeping returners from doing any real damage.
Unit Match-Ups
Texas' Offense vs. Nebraska's Defense
Texas'
offense is one of the best in the nation and everything is run through
QB Colt McCoy. Not only does he lead the team throwing the football,
but he is also second on the team rushing the ball. He's got all the
tools to beat opposing defenses and is hoping to send his Longhorns to
the national championship with a win on Saturday night. Last week
against Texas A&M he was dynamic, completing 24 of 40 for 304 yards
and 4 touchdowns. He also rushed for 175 yards and a touchdown on 18
carries, looking like the Heisman frontrunner. He isn't immune from
making mistakes, but they are typically few and far between. After
playing in twelve games, McCoy is completing an impressive 71.8% of
their passes, while Nebraska's defense is allowing their opponents'
quarterbacks to complete just 48.2% of their passes this season.
Texas
possesses some outstanding receivers for McCoy to throw to, including
Jordan Shipley, Malcolm Williams, and James Kirkendoll. When you add
Flex TE Dan Buckner to that group, it gives opposing defenses a lot to
deal with. Shipley is the most complete receiver in the group, is a
bit banged up, but nothing that would keep him out of a game or cut his
production either. The Longhorns like to go with a lot of WR screens
and quick slants, and pick up yards after catch. There have been some
issues with occasional drops within the group, but overall this group
is probably the best in the Big XII right now and most defenses simply
can't cover all of these guys when they are on the field.
Nebraska's
pass defense has been among the best in the nation this season (189.50
ypg). They have allowed just 7 passing touchdowns this season while
picking up 16 interceptions. The secondary has been excellent since
getting the right personnel grouping together. There is a lot of
quality depth within this group as well, and they have been rolling
nickel and dime without having too much of a weak link within the
unit. Nebraska allowed Colorado to throw for 269 yards and 3
touchdowns, however, they also managed 3 interceptions including one
that went for a touchdown. It should also be noted that one of
Colorado's touchdown passes came on a hail mary pass as time expired in
the 4th quarter. Nebraska has had some issues covering teams that
could effectively throw quick slants, which Texas does very well. It
will be important for them to get tackles on first contact. In pass
coverage, the Huskers' secondary ranks 4th nationally, allowing a
rating of just 91.25, while Texas QB Colt McCoy ranks 11th nationally
with a pass efficiency rating of 152.93.
Texas' running game
probably hasn't produced to the degree that the Longhorns were hoping,
but they still are putting up pretty solid numbers. There really
hasn't been one go-to guy this season, and it has really been by
committee. Tre' Newton has been the top guy now that he is healthy,
but guys like Fozzy Whittaker, Cody Johnson, and Vondrell McGee also
see carries. Last week against Texas A&M's defense, they gained
305 yards on 37 carries (when taking sacks out). Colt McCoy's 175
yards led the way, however, Newton also eclipsed the 100 yard mark (107
yards).
Nebraska is among the best in the country at defending the
run, ranking 15th nationally (101.92 ypg against). The Huskers' front
four has typically done a great job of not just filling space, but
making plays, evidenced by the fact that defensive tackles Ndamukong
Suh and Jared Crick are some of the top tacklers on the team. Colorado
had some success last week against the Husker defense, rushing for 134
yards on 28 carries. They alternated doubling Suh and Crick, and even
doubled both at times. Nebraska's defensive ends need to be more
active and take advantage of these one-on-ones they are always facing.
Texas will probably need to get some solid production out of their
running game to open up more through the air, and while it won't be
easy, it's not impossible to have a good day against Nebraska on the
ground. Nebraska has allowed just 6 rushing touchdowns this season,
with Texas rushing for 27.
Looking at how these teams perform on
third downs and red-zone opportunities, Texas has converted a very good
47.70% of their third downs (14th nationally), with an excellent 95%
red-zone scoring average (39 TDs, 13 FGs) (5th nationally). The
Longhorns converted 41.66% (5 of 12) on 3rd downs last week against
Texas A&M, and were 4 for 4 in red-zone chances (4 TDs).
Nebraska's defense is allowing their opponents to convert just 33.33%
of their 3rd down attempts (19th nationally), and has allowed an
excellent 65% red-zone scoring percentage (10 TDs, 5 FGs) (1st
nationally) this season. Against Colorado last week, the Huskers
allowed the Buffaloes to convert on 43.75% of their 3rd downs (7 of 16)
and were 2 for 5 in the red zone (2 TDs).
Up front, Texas'
average offensive lineman is 6'5", 310 lbs, while Nebraska's average
defensive lineman comes in at 6'4", 279 lbs. On the season, Texas is
averaging 4.88 yards per carry (when taking sacks out) while Nebraska
is giving up 3.91 yards per carry (when taking sacks out). The
Longhorns have allowed 78 tackles for loss and 21 sacks in their twelve
games, while the Huskers have picked up 88 tackles for loss and 33
sacks in their twelve games. Texas' offensive line has done a nice job
this year keeping opposing defenses from making plays in the
backfield. They did have some problems against Texas A&M's great
DE Von Miller, as he was able to get a good rush off the edge
throughout the night. Nebraska doesn't possess that caliber of a
Miller on their ends, but they do have the best interior defensive
front in the conference and possibly the nation in Ndamukong Suh and
Jared Crick. Texas might be able to double-up both Suh and Crick,
putting a TE on the line to block one of the Nebraska DE's one-on-one.
Colorado attempted this, and at times had success. Texas has much
better athletes on the line than Colorado, and probably won't have to
resort to such measures, however.
Nebraska's Offense vs. Texas' Defense
Nebraska's
offensive coordinator Shawn Watson attempted to run a hybrid offense
with equal parts West Coast, Spread, and Power earlier in the season,
but in recent weeks he has heavily cut down on the fancier elements.
The Huskers just don't have a QB that can run such a multiple offense
with any high degree of success. QB Zac Lee is running the offense
pretty efficiently, but doesn't appear capable of being prolific
against any defense outside of the Sun Belt Conference. He has decent
wheels, and has picked up some yards on the ground, but is going to
have to be better through the air this week than he has been required
to be in the past month or so. The Longhorns' defense has allowed
their opponents to complete 56.8% of their passes this season, while
Nebraska QB Zac Lee is completing 60.8% of their attempts on the year.
While Nebraska's quarterback might not be one of the better in the
Big XII, its receivers really need to step up to help out. WR Niles
Paul is the only receiver that has shown he can be a fairly consistent
playmaker in the group, however, he'll drop easy passes too. WR
Curenski Gilleylen is second among wide receivers in receptions this
year (16), and hasn't caught a ball since October 24th. The offense is
getting their tight ends more involved in the gameplan in recent weeks,
and there is no sign that will change this week. TE Mike McNeill is
the best of the group, but the ball will be spread throughout the very
deep unit.
Texas' secondary is a very good unit that is one of the
better groups the Longhorns have had in a while, despite being pretty
young. The Longhorns are giving up 201.4 yards per game (3rd in Big
XII) through the air while allowing 14 touchdowns and picking up 21
interceptions. S Earl Thomas is the star of the group and might be
leaving early for the NFL as a third year sophomore. The best corner
in the group, Aaron Williams, was injured last week, but will play
Saturday. In his absence, the defense installed some extra zone
coverages and really struggled against a hot QB. A&M QB Jerrod
Johnson was on fire last week, completing 26 of 33 for 342 yards, 4
touchdowns and an interception. Johnson is much better than any QB
Nebraska has on their roster, so don't look for the defense to be
giving up those kinds of numbers this week. Despite that, the middle
of the field, both shallow and deep was open often last week, which is
something to watch for this week. In pass coverage, the Longhorns'
secondary ranks 16th nationally (3rd in the Big XII), allowing a rating
of just 105.22, while Nebraska's QB's rank 62nd nationally (8th in the
Big XII) in pass efficiency (128.97).
Nebraska's running game
is being leaned on right now to get the job done for the offense, and
there is certainly talent in the backfield to warrant it.
Unfortunately, they aren't getting enough of a consistent push up front
to be a dominating rushing attack. They are 6th in the Big XII right
now in rushing (147.4 ypg), over 16 yards less per game than Texas
rushes for, and they have been somewhat disappointed in their
production. The duo of Roy Helu Jr. and Rex Burkhead has worked nicely
since Burkhead came back from a broken foot a couple of games ago and
if they get more consistency from their blockers, they can wear a
defense out by the 4th quarter. They did a decent job of this last
week against Colorado, rushing for 161 yards on 36 carries (when taking
sacks out), but will need to be better on Saturday night.
Texas'
rush defense gives up just 61.8 yards per game on the ground, which is
the best in the nation. They're tough up front and have quality
linebackers that don't often miss tackles. Last week's game against
Texas A&M was a bit of an oddity, however, as the Aggies rushed for
212 yards and 1 touchdown on 37 carries. There were a number of missed
tackles and players getting caught out of position, which led to the
big day for A&M. QB Jerrod Johnson had the Longhorns on their
heels with his arm, and was able to reel off 97 yards on the ground and
picked up 43 of those on one long run. Nebraska probably won't have
much success in the game if they can't run, and it won't be an easy
task to run on this defense. Texas has allowed just 5 rushing
touchdowns this season, with Nebraska rushing for 18.
Focusing
on third downs and red zone play, Nebraska is converting a mediocre
39.52% of their third downs (59th nationally), and scoring on an
average of just 79% on red-zone opportunities (23 TDs, 11 FGs) (81st
nationally). The Huskers were just 3 of 10 on 3rd downs (30%) and 1
for 1 in the red zone (1 TD) last week against Colorado. Texas'
defense is allowing their opponents to convert just 28.49% of their
third downs (4th nationally), and have allowed those opponents to score
on 79% of their red-zone chances (15 TDs, 8 FG) (41st nationally). The
Longhorns allowed Texas A&M to convert 56.25% (9 of 16) of their
3rd downs and score on 5 of 7 red-zone opportunities (4 TDs, 1 FG) they
had last week.
Sizing up the lines, Nebraska's average offensive
lineman is 6'5", 300 lbs, while Texas' average defensive lineman is
6'3", 275 lbs. On the season, Nebraska is averaging 4.58 yards per
carry (when taking sacks out) while Texas is giving up 3.13 yards per
carry (when taking sacks out). The Huskers have allowed 18 sacks and
78 tackles for loss in twelve games this year, while the Longhorns have
picked up 21 sacks and 78 tackles for loss in their twelve games this
season. Nebraska's offensive line continues to be up and down each
week. As a whole, the group is pretty mediocre as pass blockers, and
is just marginally better in opening running lanes for the backs. On
the plus side for the unit, they have been getting better about
limiting penalties, which have been extremely high at times this year.
Last week against Colorado, there were just 2 false start penalties,
the only penalties called on the offensive line. They also were
wearing on the Buff defensive front through the game, and were pounding
the rock pretty well in the 4th quarter. Texas' defensive line is the
best group that Nebraska has seen since the Oklahoma game, and is miles
ahead of Colorado's. The Longhorn defense has given up just 5 rushing
touchdowns all season long, so it is going to be a tall task for the
Huskers to find a way to get the ground game going consistently.
Nebraska really doesn't have much of an answer at tackle for UT DE
Sergio Kindle, and you could easily see him giving the Huskers fits.
Position Advantages
Position/Advantage
QBs: Texas +++
RBs: Nebraska +
WR/TE's: Texas ++
OL: Texas ++
DL: Nebraska +
LB: Texas ++
DB: Even
Special Teams: Nebraska +
Coaching: Texas ++
+ = Slight
++ = Moderate
+++ = Large
Injury Report
Texas:
CB - Clark Ford - Ankle - Out for Game
LB - Jared Norton - Shoulder - Out for Season
S - Christian Scott - Academics - Out for Season
WR - Brandon Collins - Academics - Out for Season
TE - D.J. Grant - Knee - Out for Season
TE - Blaine Irby - Knee - Out for Season
TE - Ian Harris - Neck - Out for Season
Nebraska:
CB - Alfonzo Dennard - Toe - Probable
OT - Marcel Jones - Leg - Probable
FS - Rickey Thenarse - Knee - Out for Season
CB - Jase Dean - Knee - Out for Season
QB - Kody Spano - Knee - Out for Season
LB - Blake Lawrence - Concussions - Ended Career
Keys to the Game
Texas:
1.) Load the Box
- Stack the box with 8 defenders and dare Nebraska QB Zac Lee to prove
he can do something with the ball against your defensive backfield. He
hasn't shown the ability to do so this season.
2.) Fix Defensive Breakdowns
- Far too many breakdowns last week against A&M including some poor
zone coverage and missed tackles let the Aggies hang in to the very
end. This was uncharacteristic of the Longhorn defense and needs to be
just a one game anomaly.
3.) Don't Turn the Ball Over - Nebraska has to have help to win, don't give them anything easy off turnovers.
Nebraska:
1.) Shorten the Game - Run the ball consistently and pick up first downs, limiting Texas' offensive possessions and keeping the score down.
2.) Stop the Run
- Had trouble with this against Colorado, and helped open up their
passing game. Can't allow Texas to be multi-dimensional on offense and
expect to hang in the game.
3.) Play Mistake-Free Football - There needs to be a large gap in your favor in turnover differential and you cannot afford to draw many penalties.
Final Outlook
Another
year, and another Big XII Championship game with national title
implications. This will be the third time Texas and Nebraska have
faced each other for the conference crown, and the first time since
1999. The stakes are high for both squads, although higher for Texas.
If the Longhorns win, they're headed to Pasadena to play in the BCS
Championship game. A Texas loss will knock them down to an at-large
bid in another BCS bowl game. For Nebraska, a win puts them in the
Fiesta Bowl, while a loss sends them to the Holiday Bowl. None of the
options are bad for either team, however, a win definitely puts both in
a much better situation. Texas hasn't been in the conference title
game since 2005, while the Huskers last made it in 2006. There aren't
many players on either side of the field that have experience in this
game.
Texas is clearly a better team than Nebraska this season.
The Longhorns are bringing in a top rated offense and defense, while
the Huskers bring in a top defense and a struggling offense. Both
teams are coming off wins, but neither team was impressed with their
performances from last week. Because of this, expect both teams to be
really focused and ready to put forth their best efforts of the season.
Texas' defense is going to make it tough for Nebraska to put
many points on the board, but the Huskers should have some success if
they commit to pounding the ball between the tackles and mix in some
play action. They'll likely lean on RB's Roy Helu and Rex Burkhead to
get that done. If Nebraska can do so, they'll keep the explosive Texas
offense off the field and keep the score from getting out of hand.
More than anything, though, Nebraska will need their defense and
special teams to set their offense up in great situations, if not score
for them. The Longhorns' offense will be facing the best defense
they've seen in months, and they won't be scoring at will like they
have been recently. Texas QB Colt McCoy will be looking to put a stamp
on his Heisman campaign with his first Big XII Championship, and he'll
lead his squad to a couple more scoring drives than Nebraska and QB Zac
Lee can muster. Texas wins by about 10-13.
Texas - 24
Nebraska - 13