Texas secondary’s homework paid off against Alabama
Much of the talk among the media and the fanbase before Texas played Alabama was about the Longhorns’ inability to connect on deep throws and how the Crimson Tide’s defense would likely attempt to take away the short to midrange pass options for Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers and make him beat them over the top.
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That’s exactly what happened – except in reverse.
Ewers as able to hit on the deep throw and the Longhorns were the ones that forced Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe to go away from short and intermediate passes.
Texas twice intercepted Milroe, who was making just his third career start, with both the picks coming on intermediate passes. Jahdae Barron’s interception set up a field goal in the first quarter and Jerrin Thompson’s pick came early in the fourth quarter and about five minutes after he had been beaten on a 49-yard TD pass.
Texas coach Steve Sarkisian lauded the Longhorns secondary (and the defense as a whole) for doing the prep work needed to produce the two interceptions.
“The defense took their prep work to the game and both those interceptions were things that they carried over to from practice to the game and it paid off,” Sarkisian said Monday. “The coverage that Jahdae got the interception on was specifically for a couple of different route concepts, one of which was the interception that he makes the play on.
“The play by Jerrin was really good of recognition of the Alabama tight ends blocking and then getting out underneath the deep curl route to get the interception. Their awareness and carrying that preparation to the game was one of the key components for the defense.”
Barron said the ability to recognize an offensive play comes with film study. “It also just starts with us being enamored with us and us knowing our own jobs – it all starts with us,” he explained.
Barron said he actually has the play he intercepted Milroe on written down in his book of notes and admitted that he “kind of” baited the Alabama quarterback into making the throw he picked off.
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“I put ‘steal’ (in my book) and I didn’t think the play was gonna come up first,” Barron explained. “But if you go back and watch the game they did the same play on the fourth play the game on defense. And I aligned differently – it was the same call, but I aligned differently.
“So yeah, I kind of (baited him).”
Cornerback Ryan Watts even got a shoutout from former Dallas Cowboys (and Oklahoma State) wide receiver Dez Bryant for his play that included a pass breakup and lockdown coverage on a thrown into the endzone early on.
“That was real,” Watts said. “It’s good to see that recognition from like a player that’s played in the past, but just really I don’t let that get to my head. I’ve just got to be consistent. I’m coming back to work the same way this week.”
Sarkisian said that there were plenty of things for the Longhorns to improve on.
“I thought defensively we got a little sloppy in our coverage and allowed Alabama to make some explosive plays there in the fourth quarter,” Sarkisian said. “On third and 17 they get a big completion over the middle and then obviously the long catch and run for the touchdown was just awareness of what we’re trying to do coverage wise.
“Again, I’m not trying to knock these guys down – I’m trying to point out areas for improvement so that we can keep growing as a team. But that’s where the real leaders step up. You know, that’s where Jerrin Thompson steps up; that’s where Jahdae Barron steps up.”
