Three Things I Want Against Texas

Run Game

There isn’t anyway you can look at this game and think to yourself that the Mountaineers won’t run the ball. Texas has been atrocious in run defense this year, giving up over 200 yards per game on the ground. If the Mountaineers can’t generate a run game against the Longhorns, you have to begin to wonder if the right personnel are on the field. Kansas ran for 218 yards against the Longhorns. Iowa State piled up 175 yards, Baylor put 231 yards on the Longhorns, Oklahoma State got 220 and Oklahoma churned out 339 yards on the ground. This is a team that can’t stop the run. Run. THE. DAMN. BALL.

Don’t Give It Away

Want a get right game against Texas, this is the squad to do it to. The Longhorns don’t take the ball away very well, having intercepted 7 passes all year and forced 3 fumbles. They only have 16 sacks on the year. They don’t tackle the quarterback, they don’t take the ball away and they don’t strip the ball. So West Virginia has got to find a way to not give the Longhorns extra life. Catch the ball when it hits you in the hands, don’t overthrow your receivers by 10 yards, and certainly don’t run get stripped and run backwards for 20 yards. Protect the football.

Get After Thompson

Texas’ offense of Bijan Robinson will not be there on Saturday. Robinson is dealing with an elbow injury and is out for the year so the burden falls on quarterback Casey Thompson. Thompson has been solid, 1600 yards, 20 touchdowns, 62% completion, those are numbers that can win the game, but now the Longhorns are going to have to ask him to be a bigger part of the offense and not just hand it off to one of the best backs in the nation. The Mountaineers have to know this and have to have a plan to get after Thompson.