4 reasons Texas football can pull off the shocking upset of Alabama
Quinn Ewers’ off-schedule throws can keep the Alabama secondary on their toes
The aforementioned question marks in this Alabama secondary mostly lies at the cornerback position. Alabama is pretty deep and proven at safety between returning starters such as seniors Jordan Battle and DeMarcco Hellams. Junior nickel Brian Branch is also a pretty experienced and productive safety that Texas must identify in the game planning process this week.
Where Sark and the Longhorns can attack this Alabama defense is at the cornerback position. Alabama’s starting corners have some weak points that Texas can attack in this game. Sophomore cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry and junior transfer Eli Ricks can be exposed on the outside if Texas can effectively get Sanders, Worthy, and redshirt junior wideout Jordan Whittington involved in some corner and out routes to the sidelines.
Alabama can also be attacked in the intermediate part of the field. While Alabama is likely to devote at least one or two safeties on passing plays to limiting Worthy deep and giving these younger corners some help, there will be open areas of the field if Ewers gets settled in early on.
Some crossing routes involving Worthy and Whittington could be a problem for the Alabama defense, as would be getting the likes of Bijan and redshirt junior running back Keilan Robinson out in space. There is also the threat that Sanders poses after the catch in this passing game.
As long as Texas can at least do a decent job moderating that Alabama pass rush in this game, Ewers should have enough time to use that big arm to make the throws necessary to find some holes in the Tide defense in the intermediate and short passing game.
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We saw some really impressive throws from Ewers in the regular season opener against ULM. As the game progressed, he was more comfortable and confidently going through his reads. And Ewers even made some impressive off-schedule throws that went for 10+ yards in the win over ULM.
The fact of the matter is that if Texas wants any shot at upsetting the Crimson Tide, or even keeping this one very close, they need to attack the Alabama corners on the outside and pick some holes in this pass defense via the intermediate passing game. That will place a real emphasis on Ewers continuing to get more comfortable going through his first couple of reads in the pocket while facing the insane pressure from the likes of Turner and Anderson.