Texas Football: 5 things that should change for Longhorns despite previous success

4. Reliance on Sam Ehlinger’s legs as he works back from injury

This is a pertinent point for the Horns, but also one that Tom Herman and the rest of his staff likely instills against Oklahoma State right away. Ehlinger is not going to be 100 percent healthy if he does get the starting nod in Week 9. Keeping him clean in the pocket will be more important now than ever.

A shoulder sprain can linger if a quarterback continues to take hits in the same area. The running style of Ehlinger also can lead to injuries of the nature he experienced against the Baylor Bears on Oct. 13. He could be worked back into his usual playing style within two or three weeks, but a full gung ho approach for him is the wrong one against the Pokes.

The Oklahoma State pass rush is actually putting up some of the most impressive numbers in the nation this fall. Getting the ball out of his hands quickly is key to minimizing the hits on Ehlinger altogether. Ehlinger’s improvisational ability is one of the best parts of his game, but it can wait beyond this Oklahoma State matchup.

The revelation seen so far from bringing in first-year offensive line coach and co-offensive coordinator Herb Hand is unrecognized and key for the improvement on this side of the ball. This is not so much a reactive change as a proactive one for the Horns since Ehlinger is one of the most valuable parts of this roster moving forward.