The Texas football game against Kansas got postponed due to COVID-19. This gave the Longhorns a few extra days to prepare for Iowa State. Here is how the Longhorns can take advantage of those.
Sam Ehlinger
Something has been bothering Ehlinger. Neither him or the coaches have said anything about an injury or anything along those lines, but the evidence is there. He hasn’t been the same player he was when was under consideration for a potential Heisman early into the season. It could be the effects from the big hits he has taken this season or something else.
Regardless, Ehlinger now has a couple of extra days to prepare for Iowa State, which is a huge advantage. He can watch film and then work on the things Tom Herman and the other coaches want to put emphasis on.
Keaontay Ingram
The Longhorns may get their starting running back just in time before they play the Cyclones. The only question that remains is, what role will he play when he comes back? Bijan Robinson has proven himself, can become the main guy in the backfield for Texas and is only a freshman. Herman may want to use the hot hand or settle for a running back committee, something Texas was already using this season. Regardless, the Longhorns are going to need a stable running game if they hope to beat the Cyclones next weekend.
Tom Herman
Herman has been on the hot seat for a while with the seasons he has coached so far. This season could potentially be his last chance to prove that he can be a winning coach. If he doesn’t, Texas may be in a situation where it has to find a new coach and quarterback. If Texas wins, there is a good chance that Herman and Ehlinger will be wearing Longhorn colors for one last ride as a coach and quarterback duo. All of that is riding on this game, and we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.
Looking forward
With the extra days Texas has to prepare and if it beats Iowa State, it’s possible the Longhorns will reach the Big 12 Championship. It most likely would be against either Oklahoma or Oklahoma State. These days can prove to be crucial and will give them an extra boost to help them beat the Cyclones.
If they end up beating the Cyclones, the Longhorns have an opportunity to return to glory and win the Big 12 Championship. Herman needs this just as much as anyone. Texas is always that team with really high expectations and always falls short of them, even this year. It was one of the teams expected to contend for a top-four spot at the end of the season. Instead it lost two games it shouldn’t have instead.
Kansas was going to be a morale booster and an easy game for Texas football coming out of the second bye week of the season. Now, they just need to focus on making sure they take advantage of these extra days to prepare.
Photo courtesy of Iowa State Athletics Communications
