2023 Big 12 Title Oklahoma State Postmortem: Offense

The Texas Longhorns dominated the Oklahoma State Cowboys 49-21 to cap off a sensational 12-1 Big 12 season, securing the last Big 12 title before saying sayonara, while offering a final parting gift to yet another legacy Big 12 team on the way out.

Along the way, they vindicated preseason hopes and predictions (most crucially, mine!) and established a clear program trajectory: 5-7, 8-5, 12-1 (and counting) with tangible title results while displaying a level of resiliency that gave Longhorn fans confidence and joy.

Their readiness for this moment was obvious. Which team played with a chip on its shoulder?

Which team played with more violence and fearlessness?

Which staff called the game like they were the underdog?

The game certainly highlighted how much the Horns have grown on offense. Mike Gundy and the Cowboys effectively went with their 2022 approach in Stillwater – albeit with a different base scheme – but blitzes and multiple coverages predominated as if Quinn Ewers were still inexperienced and spiraling, receiving options were scant, Sark was still stubborn, and the offensive line was still unpolished and busting assignments.

Teams get tougher, players get better and coaches get wiser.

It didn’t work out well for them.

Predictably blitzing linebackers comes at a cost against good offenses that can pass protect. It really comes at a cost when Sark anticipates your entire game plan and then predicts all of your counterpunches in real time.

Sark got up in his bag and then got up in the Pokes for four quarters.

Evidence:

Texas converted 7 of 10 meaningful drives into touchdowns, with one missed field goal attempt. Texas was 12 of 18 on money downs, including 2 of 2 on 4th down highlighted by brilliant play calls against OSU aggression overreach – a JT Sanders end around and a little flip pass.Texas doubled up OSU in time of possession. The Horns compiled 662 total yards, 33 first downs (to OSU’s 11) and averaged 7.6 yards per play.10 different Horns caught a ball, 7 caught at least two and the main troika of Worthy, Sanders, Mitchell went a combined 20-300 with 2 scores.Longhorn running backs caught 9-91-1td combined. The Horns rushed for 198 yards, largely on the strength of a dominant 2nd half effort (132 closing them out)

Texas scored touchdowns on their first four possessions of the game on drives of 39, 84, 77 and 95 yards featuring a constant and lethal passing game that attacked the edges of the OSU defense with RB, TE and WR screens, murdered them 1 on 1 in man coverage and repeatedly exploited holes in their zone.

At halftime, Quinn Ewers was 23 of 31 for 354 yards and 4 touchdowns and the Horns had 422 yards of total offense.

Sark had zero concern with balance in the first half and lit up the Cowboys at will in the passing game.

This was a complete domination. On the whiteboard, on the field of play, in game planning, and with respect to in-game adjustments.

The Cowboys were fortunate to get away with only 49 hung on ’em.

Quarterback

I saw a more impressive display from Ewers than the halftime Dr Pepper Contest chest passes.

#3’s greatest statistical performance of his college career resulted in an extraordinary 35 of 46 for 452 yards (76% – almost Bo Nix level!!!) box score. Generally, when your quarterback starts the game 12 of 12 for 175 yards and 3 touchdowns, this portends well. Ewers had only one major mistake despite 50 dropbacks (the WTF interception to Nick Martin on a 3rd and long) and he threw some terrific balls.

Sark put the yoke on his shoulders and Ewers plowed Oklahoma State for four quarters with little resistance.

Turf monster defended Texas better than the Cowboys.

Yes, Sark schemed the whole game up beautifully. Yes, the Cowboys had no hope of covering our guys once we decided to pick at the scab. You still have to make the throws. Ewers made the engine hum with effortless distribution and terrific poise.

He was the well-deserved game MVP. Last year’s 19 of 49 in Stillwater feels like it happened decades ago.

Offensive Line

Outstanding pass protection overall and run blocking got markedly better in the second stanza of play once OSU tapped out on effective blitzing and accepted their pummeling. Kelvin Banks dominated in all phases. DJ Campbell got beaten badly by Nathan Latu in the early second half for a sack, but was solid otherwise. Jake Majors was good on the pull and generally did a nice job trying to try track down greyhound linebackers. Continue to love what I see late from Cam Williams, Neto and Cole Hutson in late game scenarios. Those snaps will help them a lot.

362 pound Defensive Tackle

T’Vondre Sweat caught a touchdown in the deep red zone. He was wide open. That kind of separation can only occur with elite athleticism. Sark’s failure to play him at wide receiver or tight end is a coaching failure.

Running Back

CJ Baxter caught the ball well. He also ran through a tackle or two, particularly in goal to go, which was nice to see. Pass pro seemed solid. 13 carries for 43 yards and a score, but 3.3 yards per carry.

The difference in juice and acceleration between Baxter and Blue (3 catches, 38 yards), Robinson (4 carries, 75 yards, 2 touchdowns) and even Wisner remains noticeable. A rest will do him good. A strong offseason under the bar will do him better. No, not those bars.

Do you ever forget how quick Keilan Robinson is? A good reminder here.

Note the terrific kick out by Banks and the outstanding pull and backside seal by Majors. #65 was moving! Two guys had an angle on Robinson. The second tackler froze like a deer in headlights from a very subtle move that Robinson put on him around the 42. Rewind and look for it.

Jonathon Brooks on the field for the Victory formation was pure class and may have made my allergies act up because of winter pollen. Important question: when Brooks was out there, who was holding the team drip?

Wide Receiver/Tight End

There were mismatches on the field and mismatches in the booth, but the Texas WRs vs the OSU DBs were the biggest offensive mismatch from down-to-down. Sanders, Mitchell and Worthy took turns dominating and Worthy would’ve surely broken 100+ to join Sanders and Mitchell in the century club if he hadn’t gotten injured. X Rays negative for X, so let’s hope for the best. Whittington also had a nice game, going 4-48 with some nice 2nd half chain movers.

Not much to say. You saw it on the field. If they dropped a pass, I’m struggling to remember it.

Final

Quinn Ewers has a tattoo on his arm. Luke 21:17.

That verse reads: “Everyone will hate you because of me.”

A message that goes a bit deeper than football or bread and circuses, but I couldn’t help but smile when I looked it up.

Ewers as an instrument for delivering victory over the endless detractors, haters and naysayers at every stop in the Longhorn Embrace The Hate Tour. “Everyone will hate you because of me.”

When you read on, the verse continues: “Stand firm and you will win life.”

Yeah, that sounds about right.

Hook ’em!

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