Texas Football: 3 major concerns for the Longhorns vs. Alabama

Jalen Milroe’s dual-threat running ability

This week, Texas fans and the media are spending a lot of time trying to figure out ways to contain the elusive redshirt sophomore Alabama dual-threat quarterback Jalen Milroe. The talented 6-foot-2 and 205-pound third-year dual-threat quarterback will be a big-time threat to pick up many scramble yards against Texas this weekend if the defense isn’t prepared.

In the last two seasons (per SIS Data Hub), Milroe leads the Power Five in scramble yards per attempt (17.2) and scramble yards per game (48.7). That shows Milroe is not only a big-time threat with his leg scrambling from the pocket, but he also picks up yards in enormous chunks each time he runs with the ball.

Rod Babers brought up a simple but very good point on the “Football Theory” show with Ian Boyd (also part of Inside Texas) on YouTube on Sep. 7. He mentioned that Texas doesn’t have any true dual-threat quarterback on the roster to simulate the running element of Milroe’s game in practice this week during Bama prep.

There are ways that Pete Kwiatkowski and the Longhorns can scheme up the defense to contain the dual-threat element of Milroe’s game. It’s also worth mentioning that PK’s 2-4-5 defensive scheme has some natural containment of the quarterback in the pocket, with the EDGEs often playing contain on the outside while the interior defensive line collapses the pocket up the middle.

Texas will have some plays with a linebacker, edge rusher, or two spying Milroe. But Texas can’t viably have a spy on Milroe on every single play, or else Tommy Rees and Alabama will find the open space and make the Longhorns pay.

If Texas successfully contains Milroe while rushing four or five and spying one on MOST plays this weekend, that should be enough to hold Alabama’s offense at bey (giving up no more than 24 or 28 points).