Will Texas Learn to Stop Beating Itself Early?

The Texas Longhorns clearly have a ton of confidence in their star-studded defense, and for good reason.

The team from Austin’s defensive unit has smothered opponents, ranging from now No. 1 Ohio State and No. 14 Oklahoma to Sam Houston State. The Longhorns have a defense that could win a game if the offense scores just 14 points, as scary as it may be.

Texas’ offense has been able to get away with its slow starts more than they have paid for, but how long can it keep getting away with first-half dormancy before the luck runs out?

Slow and Steady Won’t Always Win the Race for the Longhorns

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) warms up before the game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Kroger Field. | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Against Kentucky, it took the Texas offense until there were seven minutes left in the second quarter to put points on the board. The only reason the Longhorns were able to find the end zone was an impressive 43-yard punt return to push them to Kentucky’s five-yard line. The ideal field position allowed running back Tre Wisner to punch it in to give Texas the lead. Unlike last week, the Longhorns were not able to turn it around in the second half, almost dooming the team in overtime.

Against Oklahoma, Texas’ first touchdown of the game did not come until late in the third quarter when quarterback Arch Manning found wide receiver DeAndre Moore for a 12-yard touchdown pass. If the game were reliant on just offensive touchdowns, the Longhorns easily could have lost that contest.

The Longhorns got a taste of what happens when they have a slow offensive start against an explosive opposing offense in the DJ Lagway-led Florida Gators. Texas was held scoreless in the first quarter, and it would prove too much to overcome as the Gators piled on the points to defeat the Longhorns 29-21.

To address the slow starts, coach Steve Sarkisian could emphasize strong starts in practice. One thing the team could do is start practice with a team period, almost simulating a game situation between warmups and the first period of practice. This would get the team used to performing early and get a lot of jitters out for the team.

Texas can not afford another slow start, especially with games against Mississippi State on the road, Vanderbilt, Georgia, Arkansas and Texas A&M. The Commodores, Bulldogs, Razorbacks and Aggies have all shown their ability to score in bunches and early, something that could cause problems for the Longhorns unless it is addressed now.