Texas Football: 4 overreactions from Longhorns demolition of Baylor

Ryan Watts has a lot of issues to clean up defending the deep ball

Among the few negatives from this game for the Longhorns was Baylor getting over the top on Texas for a couple of deep ball connections. Baylor picked on redshirt junior boundary cornerback Ryan Watts for two deep balls, nearly half of the explosive plays the Bears’ offense mustered.

Robertson found Arkansas transfer receiver Ketron Jackson Jr. on the boundary in the first quarter on the first deep ball connection. Jackson beat Watts on his route before hauling in a nicely-thrown deep ball from Robertson, which Baylor up in Texas territory on the 44-yard line.

The other deep ball connection where they got Watts was a 55-yard catch by speedy slot receiver Monaray Baldwin that set Baylor up inside Texas’ 5-yard line. Baldwin burned Watts on the deep post route, and senior safety Jalen Catalon couldn’t get there to help in time before he came down with the catch.

It was decently well documented that the deep ball was one of the few ways Baylor could effectively move the ball down the field against FBS competition with Robertson at quarterback. And given Kansas QB Jalon Daniels’ ability to throw the deep ball last season (third-highest graded QB on deep balls in the Big 12 in 2022), this an area Watts will need to clean up in practice this week.

Texas’ secondary played a pretty clean game outside of the couple of deep ball connections Baylor had this weekend. I thought freshman cornerback Malik Muhammad played well in the snaps he got in coverage, especially in the second half. He had a key pass breakup on a money down, resulting in a turnover on downs for Baylor.

Freshman safety Derek Williams also had a nice pass breakup on a money down in this game.