Five key Longhorns ahead of Texas' battle with Texas A&M
In a rivalry game, everyone has a role and every player is key. However, these five Texas Longhorns stand out as critical ahead of the Lone Star Showdown versus the Texas A&M Aggies.
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QB Quinn Ewers
Pretty simple, right? Ewers has been listed as probable on the last two SEC Student-Athlete Availability Reports after he was the victim of a hip-drop tackle that landed on his ankle during the Kentucky game. This is a legacy game for the Longhorn quarterback, with his sterling road record and his record in rivalry games in focus. Plus, the opportunity to play for another conference championship is one No. 3 won’t want to sit on the sidelines for. Texas A&M defenders like Shemar Turner, Nic Scourton, and Taurean York will want to test Ewers’ capability to handle pressure and find receivers. Capably leading the offense might be enough for a Texas win. If not, then the quarterback position at Texas will become poignantly polarizing ahead of a likely College Football Playoff appearance.
LB Anthony Hill
The Texas A&M Aggies have rushed more times than they’ve passed in every game this season save for the contest against New Mexico State. For some reason, the Aggies wanted to air it out against the Aggies.
That means the quarterback-run centric offense led by Marcel Reed will be a focal point for the Texas defense, and defending that system starts and ends with Hill. It’s a great opportunity for Hill to prove he was snubbed for the Butkus Award and to twist the knife a little bit more after he flipped from Texas A&M to the Longhorns two years ago.
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RT Cameron Williams
The last time Williams played in a visiting stadium with over 100,000 people, he committed four penalties against the Michigan Wolverines. He committed a foul in five straight contests at one point this season, but he has not been flagged in the last two games. He has provided quality play as well of late, grading out above 81.0 in pass blocking in the past two contests according to Pro Football Focus. Playing clean against a strong Aggie pass rush will be key, as will Williams and the rest of the offensive line opening rush lanes for Texas’ ground attack.
RB Tre Wisner
Speaking of the rush game, Wisner has 43 carries for 217 yards and a score over the last two games including a workmanlike 26-carry, 158-yard day against the Kentucky Wildcats. Steve Sarkisian trusted Wisner to get the one yard needed to cap a 15-play drive with a touchdown, and Wisner rewarded his head coach’s faith. Texas will want to take pressure off the passing game as much as it can, and Sarkisian likes to take the will out of opponents via the ground game anyway especially in their own stadium. Wisner may need to answer the call on the ground for tough yardage to defeat the Aggies, and it’s something he’s done over the course of recent weeks.
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STAR
Whether it’s Jaylon Guilbeau or Jelani McDonald at STAR, the Longhorns must get a strong game from this position. Opposing offenses have not dared to test cornerbacks Jahdae Barron or Malik Muhammad often this season. Texas’ star has been attacked by opponents, but it’s not necessarily Guilbeau or McDonald getting attacked as much as offenses trying to work the middle of the field. Honestly playing those pass defense roles plus keeping smart eyes on Reed and the Aggie run game in support of the D-line and linebackers is going to be a big factor on Saturday night.
