Texas Breakdown

[Husker_x]

 

Difference-maker

 

Sam Acho

 

Defensive end / Sr. / 6-3 / 260 pounds

 

Texas' No. 1 priority Saturday will be to contain Nebraska's run game, and Acho is the one who will lead that charge. Nearly one-third of his 23 tackles (seven) have been for loss. In addition to his four sacks, he's also caused five hurried throws and forced two fumbles.

 

During his breakout junior season, Acho racked up 63 tackles, 10 sacks and four fumble recoveries. He wound up being a semifinalist for the Lott Trophy and is up for numerous honors this season.

 

His efforts in a 24-14 win at Texas Tech last month keyed a relentless attack that limited the Red Raiders to 144 yards of offense. That was their lowest total since 1990.

 

Tech finished with minus 14 yards rushing.

 

"We couldn't slow their front down," Red Raiders coach Tommy Tuberville said. "They just turned loose on us in the second half. We just weren't able to make any plays.

 

"We just couldn't seem to pull out the right plays at the right time. They blitzed most of the first half. Second half, they didn't do much blitzing, they just defended, and we weren't able to get the running game going against a four-man front. And when you can't do that, you can't throw it down the field against seven guys with speed like they have.

 

"We got into a situation where (we) couldn't run the ball. They just speed-rushed our tackles on the other side and we couldn't block them. Couple times, Taylor (Potts) stepped up and got around it and got the ball off. But it all starts with being able to slow the front down. (Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp) saw we couldn't run the ball, so there's no reason to blitz when you can get a rush from the outside and don't have to, you know, worry about the run."

 

Others to watch

 

D.J. Monroe

 

RB / So. / 5-9 / 171 pounds

 

It's been a carousel at tailback for the Longhorns, so it's hard to tell whether the former receiver Monroe will be the flavor of the week. But he went 60 yards for a TD against Oklahoma and is averaging 11.8 yards on his 11 carries.

 

Aaron Williams

 

CB / Jr. / 6-1 / 195 pounds

 

He's the most-versatile player in a stacked secondary. He plays nickel back in that set but can come up and stick you, too. He forced two fumbles against UCLA. In last year's Big 12 title game, he had five tackles and an interception.

Longhorns on offense

 

It made sense for Texas coaches to think that with QB Colt McCoy and WR Jordan Shipley gone, the run game would have to be more productive in 2010. That's not been the case. The guy first deemed to be their best rusher, Cody Johnson, is now mostly a short-yardage back. Two other guys have started, and currently fans are calling for speedy-but-raw sophomore D.J. Monroe to take over.

 

Bottom line is, if the O-line that's anchored by left tackle Kyle Hix keeps getting pushed around, it won't matter who gets the carries.

 

And so maybe Texas opens up the passing game with sophomore Garrett Gilbert, a national high school player of the year. Gilbert is completing 63.3 percent of his passes, yet has more interceptions (five) than TDs (four). Though he's struggled to connect long-distance, his best deep threat is Malcolm Williams.

 

The Huskers also need to pay close attention to flanker Marquise Goodwin, the 2010 NCAA long jump champion.

 

Longhorns on defense

 

Three games in, Texas ranked No. 1 in rushing defense. But that was after facing three spread offenses. UCLA's run-oriented ‘pistol' attack then gouged the Longhorns for 264 rushing yards, and Oklahoma's DeMarco Murray got 115.

 

Having given up five rushing TDs in its last two games -- from 11, 38, 29, 18 and 20 yards -- Texas will do all it can to try to make Taylor Martinez throw, because it has no fear putting cornerbacks Curtis Brown and Aaron Williams in one-on-one situations. Those two, along with junior safety Blake Gideon, are candidates for the Thorpe Award as the nation's top defensive back.

 

They'll be happy if DE Sam Acho, nose tackle Kheeston Randall (with half of his 18 tackles coming behind the line) and end Eddie Jones (eight tackles for loss) get things going up front. There are reasons -- mainly stemming from the 62 points Texas has allowed the last two games -- to question whether that will happen.

 

Longhorns on special teams

 

In Mack Brown's first 12 seasons, Texas averaged nearly six blocks (punts, field goals, PATs) per season. This year, the Longhorns have none.

 

Though D.J. Monroe is the only Longhorn to return two kickoffs for TDs (he did it last year), Marquise Goodwin (who also went the distance once in 2009) has taken over and averaged 22.1 yards.

 

Curtis Brown (12.4-yard average) and Aaron Williams (7.7) handle punt returns.

 

In this year's opener against Rice, junior kicker Justin Tucker hit a 51-yarder on his first career field-goal attempt. He's now 9-for-11. He and senior John Gold have shared punting duties, with Tucker putting six of his 10 punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line. Opponents have returned four of 24 punts, but averaged 15.2 yards.

 

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