Texas Football: 3 takeaways from another scare vs. TCU

Connection between Xavier Worthy and Quinn Ewers comes alive

In the first half, the connection in the passing game for the Longhorns between Ewers and junior wide receiver Xavier Worthy came alive. Ewers connected with Worthy eight times for 120 receiving yards (15 yards per catch) in the first half alone.

Worthy was eating junior All-Big 12 cornerback Josh Newton’s lunch in the receiving game in the first half. With Newton shadowing Worthy in one-on-one coverage for much of the first half, Texas’ most versatile and explosive weapon in the receiving corps was able to go to town.

TCU did adjust in the second half, though. Worthy was double-covered for much of the second half after he had one of his best first-half outputs of the season.

Junior wide receiver Adonai Mitchell and junior tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders also had some key catches in this game. Ewers found Sanders for multiple passes of 10+ yards, including one for a third-and-long conversion in the second half.

Mitchell caught his ninth touchdown pass of the season on a nice out route on a goal-to-go play.

The two didn’t hook up as often in the second half as in the first, but this was still a big day for Worthy. He finished up with 10 catches for 137 receiving yards. If Texas had utilized the passing game more than just a handful of times in the fourth quarter, Worthy could’ve had an even bigger outing, as he was on pace for over 200 receiving yards after the first half.