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Texas Football: 5 bold predictions for the Longhorns in non-conference play

By Andrew Miller

LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 16: Head coach Clay Helton of the USC Trojans meets head coach Tom Herman of the Texas Longhorns at the end of the game after a 27-24 Trojan win in overtime at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 16, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 16: Head coach Clay Helton of the USC Trojans meets head coach Tom Herman of the Texas Longhorns at the end of the game after a 27-24 Trojan win in overtime at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 16, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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AUSTIN, TX – OCTOBER 21: Breckyn Hager #44 of the Texas Longhorns and Malcolm Roach #32 of the Texas Longhorns celebrate after sacking Mason Rudolph #2 of the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the second quarter at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on October 21, 2017 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
AUSTIN, TX – OCTOBER 21: Breckyn Hager #44 of the Texas Longhorns and Malcolm Roach #32 of the Texas Longhorns celebrate after sacking Mason Rudolph #2 of the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the second quarter at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on October 21, 2017 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) /

3. Malcolm Roach and Breckyn Hager combine for eight sacks

The defense led the way to whatever success the team was able to find in 2017. So many key pieces come back this season, that it’s hard not to be excited about what’s ahead on this side of the ball. Defensive coordinator Todd Orlando is also the best in his coaching position in the Big 12 entering the 2018 campaign.

The rush defense for Texas ranked among the top 25 in the nation last season and held opposing rushers to just 3.0 yards per carry. Texas’ pass defense wasn’t as strong as the front seven but that could change with some shakeups and more experience this season. A pair of senior cornerbacks in Kris Boyd and Davante Davis could also help boost the pass rush.

If the defensive backfield is able to lock things down more so than it did last year, the pass rush and run defense will see direct improvement. That would mainly play to the benefit of senior defensive end Breckyn Hager and junior b-linebacker Malcolm Roach. Those two could be the dynamic duo that leads the way for the Texas pass rush.

Combine what Roach has shown over the past two seasons with 12.0 tackles for loss and five sacks with the standout 2016 season for Hager, and this is quite the scary combo in the pass rush. Racking up anywhere between 15-20 sacks this season combined between Roach and Hager is pretty realistic. Getting off to a good start in that stat category would really help both pass rushers.

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