3 pleasant surprises for Texas in non-conference play
Before No. 1 Texas football and head coach Steve Sarkisian open up conference play in the SEC for the first time this weekend against the Mississippi State Bulldogs, we have a few more days to recap the non-conference slate. Texas had a very successful run during non-conference play, winning all four games in late August and September by double digits.
Texas football brings a confident contender squad into SEC play in Week 5
The Longhorns defeated all three of its opponents at home during non-conference play by no fewer than 48 points. Texas also handed the defending National Champion and No. 10 ranked Michigan Wolverines a convincing double-digit loss on the road at the Big House in Ann Arbor in Week 2.
Texas enters SEC play this week after being ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll for two weeks in a row for the first time since 2008. The expectations are pretty clear for the Longhorns for the rest of the season, compete for a National Championship and the SEC title.
Here's a look at three pleasant surprises for the Longhorns coming out of non-conference play early this season.
Gunnar Helm emerging as a consistent receiving TE threat
Senior tight end Gunnar Helm has been one of the most consistent and and versatile players for Texas's offense. During non-conference play, you could argue Helm as one of Texas's best players on offense too.
Helm has already posted career highs in receiving yards (197) and yards per catch (17.9) after just four weeks this season. His best performance came as a critical playmaker and blocker for Texas's offense in the double-digit road victory over Michigan a few weeks ago, where Helm registered nearly 100 receiving yards, a game-high seven catches, and one receiving touchdown.
The emergence of senior tight ends Helm and Juan Davis has helped Texas fans forget a little bit faster about the loss of JT Sanders this fall. Helm and Davis have been arguably the SEC's most consistent blocking tight end duo in pass pro and run blocking after four weeks.
Helm is the highest-graded pass-blocking tight end in the SEC, having not allowed a single quarterback pressure or sack on nearly two dozen pass-blocking snaps on offense this season.