3 underutilized Texas football players that must step up in November

Keilan Robinson, RB

For much of the season, I’ve talked about the different ways that Sark and the Longhorns could get the former Alabama Crimson Tide transfer and redshirt junior running back Keilan Robinson involved. Keilan is able to make an impact on multiple sides of the ball, including offense and special teams.

Keilan recovered a fumble on a punt when he was with the coverage team against Oklahoma State. He’s also got a punt return for a touchdown and a punt block under his belt this season. Keilan has proven to be a true playmaker on special teams since the start of last year.

Meanwhile, Keilan has made an impact on the offense both as a receiver out of the backfield and a rusher. Keilan is clearly a talented rusher, as he has averaged 7.5 yards per carry in the last two seasons in games that he gets at least four rushing attempts.

Yet, Texas is not utilizing him much in the ground game this season. And he’s still getting limited usage as a receiver out of the backfield in the last few games, despite popping off a big play nearly every time he touches the ball.

In games in which Keilan has three or fewer carries, he’s averaging fewer than four yards per carry.

There are so many ways that you can get Keilan involved that, once he gets in rhythm, there are countless ways to get the defense on its toes.

I must say that I am not a huge fan of how Sark was utilizing Keilan in the second half against Oklahoma State last weekend. Instead of motioning him around pre-snap and getting him the ball in easier wheel and screen routes, Sark was getting too complex at times. Look at this outside route that Quinn Ewers was not able to connect with Keilan on against Oklahoma State.

It’s hard to tell whose fault that was on the incompletion. But the fact of the matter is that there are easier ways to get Keilan the ball in space.

Look at how spread out the Oklahoma State defense was on that play. Get Keilan coming back inside for a bubble screen or on an inside route to take advantage of all the space available between the numbers.

On the other hand, I really like this play that Sark got Keilan involved in early against Oklahoma State. He got Keilan out in space by motioning him out of the backfield, which went for an explosive play and a first down thanks to the nice block on the outside from redshirt junior wide receiver Jordan Whittington.

If there was one running back that I would like Sark to get involved in the game more often down the stretch this season, it would definitely be Keilan. And while I’m not advocating taking the ball out of the hands of both Bijan and senior running back Roschon Johnson, utilizing more 21 personnel makes sense for this team to get these superior athletes out in space against slower defenses such as the Kansas State Wildcats and Kansas Jayhawks.