Discover why the Longhorns' running game struggles with predictability, key player updates, and which young talents could spark offensive improvement.
In this quick-hit episode, Madison Davis breaks down the major issues plaguing Texas' running attack, with a focus on play-calling predictability, offensive line struggles, and the impact of key players like Hollywood Smothers and Relique Brown. You'll get an inside look at emerging talents such as Jermaine Bishop Jr. and Derek Cooper and what fans should expect coming out of the bye. Perfect for Texas Longhorns fans looking for honest, straight-to-the-point analysis and updates about the team’s offensive future.
Chapters
Longhorns fans, there's a reason why our running game has been lackluster up until this present point, and I know why. I'm going to sum it up one word. What's going on? It's your main man Madison Davis back again with another Locked On Longhorns hit. Get your quick hits, 5 minutes multiple times a day on your favorite team with the Locked On Podcast Network. So go subscribe now, uh, to the Locked On Longhorns Hit podcast over there on YouTube. Like, comment, subscribe, turn that post notification bell on so you know when we post so you don't miss out. You don't miss out on Longhorns content. Coming up, we're going to talk about a blooming, uh, individual on that offensive side of the football, and you don't want to miss it. But this running game can be, uh, the main problem and the reason why it's lackluster right now. Predictability. Predictable. You're very predictable. Well, Madison, why do you say that? That's very harsh. I'm sorry, but the, the truth is the truth, right? When we're in pistol, what do you think we're gonna do, huh? What are we gonna do? We're gonna hand the ball off to Hollywood Smothers, who didn't play. Now, there are a lot of people saying, well, that's why our running game wasn't really that good last game, because Hollywood Smothers didn't play. He's our leading back. He is, and you're not all the way wrong, but you are somewhat wrong. You're still predictable, and you're going against, uh, better talent on the other side of the football, on the opposite side of the football, right? So when I know you're in pistol and I know you're gonna have a pulling guard and I know you're pulling— you're— somebody's gonna be pulling, All I have to do is make sure I beat them to that spot and get in the backfield. Loss of yards. They're gonna lose some yards. And that's what happened. That's, that's, that's literally what happened almost every single time, right? And yes, sometimes— well, uh, sometimes— a lot of the times the offensive line wasn't really doing their job. That just is what it is. But when you're predictable and I know what you're gonna do, it just makes it— it makes it even easier for me to get in the backfield because I know this play is coming. I know this play is coming. I've seen Sikorsky, or I've seen Gooseby, or I've seen, you know, Sanai. I've seen all these guys not getting to the spot fast enough so I can beat them there, get into the backfield, and create havoc. That's what they did. That's what they did. That's literally what they did. Now, you know, Relique Brown still had 2 tuds on the ground. Relique Brown, I mean, he had flashes, right? He had that little 360 hurdle. Oh my God, that was nice. That was so— not a lot of people are talking about that, by the way, and I wish they would. Uh, but he, he, you know, he did what he could do. He got you 2 tuds, right? He had 67 yards. I think it was about 17 carries. It was about 17 carries. Um, but it wasn't— it, it should have been. Oh my God, what you saw in the Ohio State game from the ground game, you wish you would have seen it in this game. And you did, honestly, you did. The last touchdown that Relique, uh, Relique Brown scored that possession, You saw it. We were leaning on people, moving people out the way, uh, getting to our spots, creating, uh, lanes for the running back. And it was working. It was— it really was working. But after a while, we went back to what we were doing, and that defense got off and went crazy for the Tennessee Volunteers. Now, a bright spot. The, the, the bright spot that is on the come up, um, right now— Jermaine Bishop Jr. Shout out to BK also, uh, because we, you know, they say great minds think alike. Uh, over there with the Locked On Longhorns podcast. So go ahead, subscribe to them also. Um, Jermaine Bishop is on the come up. Yes. Now, early on in the week last week, uh, Steve Sarkisian was saying how don't rule out him playing defense. I was ruling it out already. I'm not gonna— I'm not gonna lie to you. I don't want to see him play defense. I feel like he can contribute so much to this offense. I, I do. I do. And you saw a glimpse. You saw glimpses. You saw flashes of it, right? You saw it on, on Saturday. Right, that deep bomb, that deep bomb. I think it was, it was a crosser, did a deep crosser. Um, and Arch, what a great throw, by the way. Arch delivered it right to him, right to him. You saw him in with the quick screen, bow, gave it to him, got a first down. He, he can really help you on the offensive side of the ball. I need to see him involved more before we start talking about defense. I need to see that. I know the fans want to see that. Well, I'm a fan, so yeah, I want to see it. So I don't even want to hear no, no, no. I don't want to say he's really, he's really darn good. He's really darn good. He's a good football player. He really is. Can I talk about one more? I know I lied. I said I was going to talk about one. I'm going to talk about another one. I really, really, really, really believe in Derek Cooper. I do. I really do. It wasn't— again, the offensive line didn't really help out a lot during the run game, but when he was able to get some yardage and just put his head down, physical, did what he needed to do. I'm expecting to see some more, especially when Hollywood smothers and we have a better run game. I expect the running game to be fixed this week. It's the bye week. We need to get it fixed. And we— hey, we have a gauntlet coming up. We're going to need— we are going to need this running game. You understand? We're going to need it. So I trust Derek Cooper. I think the young guys are showing up. The young guys are. I'm so happy. I'm excited. I'm excited to see what they're going to do. But this is the bye week. So hopefully we get this. No, I want it fixed. Not even hopefully. I want it fixed immediately. But this has been my time. I hope I didn't waste yours. Make sure you like, comment, subscribe, turn that post notification bell on so you know when we post. This is your Locked On Longhorns hit. And this is your main man. Madison Davis. See you later, Hook 'em!