The absence of edge rusher Colin Simmons in the second half of Saturday’s 30-6 win against the UTSA Roadrunners provided a test for the No. 1 Texas Longhorns, offering an opportunity for the rest of the group to step forward with the status of the junior star unclear for the SEC opener against the No. 14 Tennessee Volunteers in Knoxville.
After an ugly three and out by the Longhorns offense coming out of halftime, UTSA started its first drive at the Texas 35-yard line thanks to an illegal forward
pass by Arch Manning when the Horns had the ball and a face-mask penalty on the ensuing 36-yard punt. With a short field, the Roadrunners had a chance to develop some momentum on the same possession with the score 20-3.
Instead, the defensive line coached by Kenny Baker and LaAllan Clark made sure UTSA had to settle for a field goal after giving up a 12-yard pass on the first play of the drive, tied for the second-longest play of the game by Jeff Traylor’s team.
1st and 10 at the Texas 23-yard line
With UTSA aligned in a 2×2 shotgun formation, Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp sent senior linebacker Justin Cryer on a blitz, but it wasn’t necessary because sophomore defensive end Lance Jackson won quickly off the edge to put pressure on quarterback Owen McCown, who had to settle for a three-yard completion.
The 6’5, 274-pounder showed flashes as a freshman after arriving on the Forty Acres as a consensus five-star prospect ranked as the No. 21 player nationally and the No. 2 edge in the 247Sports Composite rankings. But through the first two games, Jackson wasn’t living up to the lofty expectations placed on him after the graduation of Ethan Burke, failing to come up with a tackle in 32 snaps against Texas State in the season opener and missing two tackles against Ohio State.
The tackles still didn’t come against the Roadrunners, but this 1st and 10 was one of three pressures by Jackson that showcased how his length can impact how offensive tackles try to deal with him. Understanding the need to fire his hands quickly against Jackson, the UTSA left tackle got overextended and out over his toes, allowing the Texarkana product an easy swipe and win on the way to McCown.
2nd and 7 on the Texas 20-yard line
UTSA center Luke Lapeze is 6’5, 320 pounds, a redshirt senior who burst into the starting lineup for the Roadrunners three years ago before dealing with injuries. He’s experienced and physical mature, a large human by almost any measure.
Except when measured against 6’5, 375-pound Texas defensive tackle Ian Geffrard, a force of nature who had already flashed significantly more upside than just serving as an immovable object against the run entering the final non-conference game.
On this second down, Geffrard showcased his bull-rushing ability, using his massive strength to get immediate extension on Lapeze, who quickly got pushed back towards McCown, who had no choice but to fire an inaccurate pass at the risk of wearing his center who weighs 130 pounds more than him.
It’s further proof that Geffrard isn’t just a one-dimensional defensive tackle and if that hasn’t got the notice of NFL scouts yet, it won’t take many more reps like this for it to happen.
3rd and 12 from the Texas 25-yard line
After an illegal substitution penalty on the Roadrunners, UTSA faced the type of down and distance that was a consistent theme on Saturday.
And although there’s a perception that defensive coordinators often dial up exotic pressures on third and long, just as often they prefer to use line games along their defensive front to avoid sending extra defenders towards the quarterback that could lead to mistakes on the back end that produce back-breaking gains.
That’s exactly the choice that Muschamp made on this play, running twists on both sides of the line, including freshman edge Richard Wesley working in the role that Simmons previously occupied as a standup linebacker at the second level.
It’s a big-time effort from Jackson, who draws the attention of the left tackle while de-cleating the left guard and knocking down the center in the process, allowing fifth-year defensive tackle Hero Kanu to come free on his twist and pressure McCown into an incompletion.
For one series, having multiple defensive linemen other than Simmons make impact plays is a significant development for the Longhorns, especially seeing Jackson step forward and assert himself after his slow start.
