JD PicKell: RPO will be big part of Texas offensive attack

JD PicKell of On3 is drinking the burnt orange Kool-Aid, and he believes the run-pass option game will open doors for Texas that have been closed for awhile now.

According to the On3 college football analyst, the Longhorns will be able to carve up opposing defenses using their talented group of skill players in a myriad of different ways.

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“This whole offense is predicated on the run-pass option,” stated PicKell. “You want to get Bijan Robinson going, because if you do those linebackers, like we mentioned they’re running sideline to sideline, if you get Bijan Robinson going, they’re going to start to trigger a little bit quicker on the run. When they trigger quicker on the run, that leaves space behind them for receivers to run a route. Because if that linebacker is running two to three yards up the field before Bijan Robinson even gets the football, well he’s way too early. He was supposed to play a zone behind him and guess what, Xavier Worthy caught a slant and he’s already upfield for a touchdown. Isaiah Neyor, already upfield for a touchdown.

“So pay attention to that. Because all of these guys they have on the outside, they can run. Like all caps, R-U-N. They can run. Agiye Hall, fast dude. Isaiah Neyor, fast dude. Xavier Worthy, very fast dude. So if they can get these guys in space in the middle of the field off of an RPO game with room to work, more good things are going to happen. You saw that a little bit a season ago, but I think with how much speed they now have at the receiver position, you’re going to see a lot of big plays, a lot of explosive plays.”

PicKell’s words are music to the ears of Texas faithful, but Longhorns doubters and believers alike will need to see it to believe it.

JD PicKell: Quinn Ewers must emerge as ‘the guy’ for Texas

For somebody who has been good with quarterbacks throughout his career, Steve Sarkisian was undecisive with the position last season. Hudson Card originally won the job for Texas to open the season but by the third game of the season, Casey Thompson had taken over. Now, just a year later, Sarkisian is facing another quarterback decision and according to On3’s J.D. PicKell, there’s only one option.

PicKell thinks Ohio State transfer Quinn Ewers should be the starter for Texas, saying he didn’t come back home to sit on the bench. However, the difference compared to last year was the changing of who is the headman. If Ewers is the guy for the season opener on Sept. 3, he also needs to be the guy in the season finale on Nov. 26.

“You can expect stability at quarterback because you need it,” PicKell said. “It is a prerequisite to success. Quinn Ewers need to be the guy for you. He needs to be the guy in Game One, he needs to be the guy in Game 12, he needs to be the guy beyond.

“Because if you have two quarterbacks, you have none. That’s the way that works, that’s the math there. For Quinn Ewers, he didn’t come to Austin to sit. He’s not there to hold a clipboard. Quinn Ewers came here to be the guy.”