Inside Texas Roundtable: Storylines to watch, Texas vs. TCU memories, game predictions, and more

What can we expect in the final scheduled matchup with TCU for the No. 7 Texas Longhorns? Inside Texas provides score predictions, memories, keys to the game, and more in the Roundtable.

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Quinn Ewers is back. What does that mean for the TCU game and for the Longhorns’ November run?

Eric Nahlin – It should mean for more margin of error, which is both good and bad since Texas has a tendency to use up most of whatever margin it creates. It certainly forces the defense to respect the midrange passing game more.

Justin Wells – More stability at QB, more ability to threaten defenses, and more experience at the most important position.

Ian Boyd – Should make it much easier. The next two games will take the Longhorns on the road for night games which are liable to get loud and dicey for a young quarterback with turnover issues. Having Quinn Ewers at the helm might be worth a turnover or two in each game.

Joe Cook – One of the biggest reasons behind Texas’ offensive improvement in 2023 is Ewers’ ability to successfully complete the mundane. Maalik Murphy could make the wow play, like his toss to Adonai Mitchell last Saturday, but the mundane was difficult for him. Ewers still has some deep ball struggles, but his acumen in the short to intermediate passing game has been critical to Texas’ success and will be in the next few weeks.

Bobby Burton – With what’s at stake, his return is fundamental to the Longhorns’ goals.

Gerry Hamilton – It means that Texas is getting healthier, and will have the entire travel roster that made the tip to Alabama minus Kris Ross. This team has everything to play for and they know it, and they also have gotten back ups valuable experience while getting healthier.

Paul Wadlington – If he’s able to throw at 90% or better, it’s a big boost to the down to down ability of the offense to move the chains and in mitigating the probability of multiple crippling turnovers. It’s not just what he adds, it’s what he prevents.

On the opposite side, backup Josh Hoover is starting for TCU. How does Texas go about making him look pedestrian as opposed to potent?

Eric Nahlin – Assuming he’s starting Texas needs to take away the run with honest numbers, which has been a staple, while playing sound coverage against the passing game, which hasn’t been a staple. Take away his first read and force him to hold the ball longer than he wants. We need to see complementary defense between the front and coverage units.

Justin Wells – Unleashing the defensive line and EDGEs from varying angles and degrees. Confuse him and abuse him.

Ian Boyd – Get good depth on the linebacker drops. Hoover is a bit of a gunslinger and he’ll fire away over the middle of the field. Force him to earn his way down the field patiently and underneath coverage and things are liable to go awry for the Frogs. His offensive coordinator isn’t really known for patience either.

Joe Cook – Make his reads difficult. Texas’ front four can stifle runs pretty well on its own. Make Hoover have to work against a number of seven- or eight-man coverages and see if he’s that good of a passer.

Bobby Burton – Well, he’s on scholarship, too. You’re not going to somehow make him look like less of a prospect but you can defend him better. They need to defend him as a team, and that means better coverage on the back end tied with a pass rush that makes him get rid of the ball quickly.

Gerry Hamilton – Take away first read with disruption up front, make him feel the rush consistently, smother the run game and get TCU behind the chains enough that he feels like he has to force the ball downfield. Of course, Texas getting out to a lead will amplify that pressure.

Paul Wadlington – Hoover hasn’t performed well against a pass rush paired with capable coverage. So if Texas can clean up some of the mistakes on the 2nd and 3rd level and disallow an easy read and throw, he’ll start to make mistakes.

Ja’Tavion Sanders is nine yards away from becoming the fourth Longhorn tight end with 1000 career receiving yards. Where is he in the Texas tight end pecking order?

Eric Nahlin – Sanders is the most talented Longhorn tight end I can recall, though Jermichael Finley was also a difficult matchup. But to me, the best is David Thomas. I also recall Pat Fitzgerald being quite good. Here’s where it gets fun: Sanders has a chance to go on a tear over the rest of the season and put Thomas’ place into question.

Justin Wells – Top 5. David Thomas is still No. 1, but Sanders will have a better NFL career.

Ian Boyd – Well, he needs one more signature performance in a big win to really match some of the all-time greats. Statistically he may be among the best but he’ll be more Jermichael Finley than David Thomas without a big showing in, say, a Big 12 Championship Game. Talent wise he’s near the top but another big game could make him No. 1.

Joe Cook – He might be the best draft prospect the Longhorns have had at tight end, and if he’s not he’s just behind Jermichael Finley. Like Finley, he could solidify No. 1 status if he came back for another season but that seems more and more unlikely by the week.

Bobby Burton – He’s somewhere up there with the very best. I don’t think he’s quite the pass-catching threat of Jermichael Finley, but he’s very much in line with David Thomas and Bo Scaife.

Gerry Hamilton – As a college receiver at the position, obviously top 3. As an all-around tight end, not on the level of David Thomas. Doesn’t have the arm length of Jermichael Finley when looking long term.

Paul Wadlington – As a receiver, he’s near the very top. The position can be difficult to rank and evaluate historically as Texas didn’t discover the forward pass until the late 1980s and 1990s, so receiving statistics for talents like Lawrence Sampleton or Pete Lammons are suppressed. You also have to decide how much you value blocking. Finley left before he’d really hit his collegiate peak, so he’s hard to contextualize. We also tend to forget really good players before the spread era like Pat Fitzgerald (incredible hands) and Kerry Cash. David Thomas is still at the top for me.

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It’s another matchup with an Irate 8 school. Which Texas vs. TCU moment during the Big 12 era stands out to you?

Eric Nahlin – I was at the 2018 game where an overrated Shawn Robinson imploded and made for an easy Texas win. Collin Johnson had a big game and Sam Ehlinger played error free. The win ended a four game losing streak to TCU.

Justin Wells – Covering the 2013 game in the rain. There was a three-hour delay, and Mack Brown burned Tyrone Swoopes redshirt for no reason.

Ian Boyd – I have what seems like 100 memories of Max Duggan running for touchdowns on draws or power runs from empty formation. It’s mostly been negative as Texas has lost some real head-scratchers to this team. A lot had to go wrong to lose in 2020, for instance. The best moment might have been Steve Sarkisian running Bijan Robinson for a game-winning 1st down on 3rd-and-6 the last time Texas went to Fort Worth. That basically got Gary Patterson fired, which also proved to be advantageous to Texas.

Joe Cook – There were a lot of terrible games, but the fanbase needed the catharsis of the 2018 win. That was a satisfying one for Texas.

Bobby Burton – Charlie Strong’s team getting absolutely waxed. That’ll stick with me forever.

Gerry Hamilton – TCU losing 65-7 to Georgia in the National Championship game is No. 1! Texas losing 50-7 under Charlie Strong is arguably the most embarrassing moment of Texas football in the last 25 years.

Paul Wadlington – Gary Patterson was asked before the 2015 game what it meant to face Texas given that his program had some injuries and suspensions etc. He shrugged and said, “we’ve beaten better with less.” I wasn’t even mad because he was right. But I think those days are over.

Score prediction

Eric Nahlin – 34-21, Texas. I expect some frustrating moments with Texas’ pass defense as TCU is forced to throw early and often but Texas is the much more talented and balanced team and can lean on the run game and defensive line if it must.

Justin Wells – 37-27, Texas

Ian Boyd – 44-13, Texas

Joe Cook – 35-21, Texas

Bobby Burton – 31-23, Texas

Gerry Hamilton – 37-23, Texas

Paul Wadlington –34-20, Texas