Game Report Card: Texas Longhorns Vs. Baylor Bears
Oct 20, 2012; Austin, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns wide receiver Mike Davis (1) scores a touchdown against the Baylor Bears during the second half at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Texas beat Baylor 56-50. Mandatory Credit: Brendan Maloney-US PRESSWIRE
The game is over and the grades are in. It’s now time for Hook’em Headlines Report Card for the Texas Longhorns vs Baylor.
Quarterbacks:
David Ash had a pretty solid outing completing 19 passes for 274 yards and a touchdown. The wrist looked fine and he did take what the defense gave him, which was alot.
Grade: B
Running Backs
Joe Bergeron rushed for 117 yards and 5 touchdowns. Daje Johnson and Jonathan Gray also had a rushing touchdown as well. 7 rushing touchdowns is a pretty good night. I will give an A for that performance.
Grade: A
Wide Receivers
The wide receivers did a good job getting open. Mike Davis caught 6 passes for 148 yards and a touchdown. But he did drop a few catchable balls. Marquis Goodwin was non existent and Jaxon Shipley had 1 catch for 15 yards. At the end of the day, only having 1 receiver doing the bulk of the workload isn’t going to get this team to an elite level.
Grade: B-
Tight Ends
MJ McFarland is stepping his game up and DJ Grant made some key catches. The tight ends were solid, not spectacular.
Grade: C+
Offensive Line
The offensive line played well tonight getting good blocks on running plays that helped the Longhorns get 251 rushing yards. They gave time for Ash to throw and the Baylor defense up front couldn’t do anything. Considering all that and they were playing without Donald Hawkins makes it that much more impressive. Game ball last night should have went to the offensive line for playing their butts off.
Grade: A-
Defense
The defense is going to give up yards. That is just the way it is this year for the Texas Longhorns. So I will accept that fact and say they failed at that. Blown coverage across the field led to many Baylor touchdowns. They get credit for creating 2 turnovers that lead to 14 points. Without those turnovers, Baylor wins that game. Josh Turner played a great game getting a tackle for loss and an interception. His play in the endzone at the end of the first half help keep Baylor at bay for the rest of the game. But this defense will not stop very good offenses from scoring, they are going to have to create turnovers to give the Longhorns a chance to win.
Grade: D+
Coaching
Coach Harsin did a good job of attacking through the air and then going to the running game. It kept Baylor guessing and kept Texas in the game. I really don’t know how at fault Manny Diaz is for this defense. At some point, players have to execute and I see a lack of execution by the players on this defense. That is what is missing because the Longhorns defense has no gap integrity, no patience and no sense of their position on the field. So part of that is on Manny Diaz and I really don’t think it’s going to work out here in Austin.
Grade: C
Overall
Mack Brown needed this win. Not only to get Texas fans to possibly believe that the season can be saved, but to get the chance to save his job. You don’t lose to Baylor 3 straight times and keep your job. Now the Longhorns play Kansas next week and I think many on this Longhorns team might be looking ahead to the big matchup in Lubbock the following Saturday. If they beat Kansas, they will be bowl eligible. Then the November gauntlet will begin. The win wasn’t pretty, but many Longhorn fans will take it.
Grade: C+