Texas Longhorns Finish Strong, Top Rice 34-9

We’ve learned a little something about who we can expect to make plays for the Longhorns this season. Garrett Gilbert finished with a solid line, while Malcolm Brown led the way on the ground and Mike Davis and Jaxon Shipley threatened rice through the air. The end result was a 34-9 win for Texas in which they grew stronger late in the game.

Gilbert finished 13-23 for 239 yards and a TD, but he did suffer from a few early drops. While that paints an effective game – and it was effective – Garrett struggled to move the offense early. Change-up formations in plus territory loosened the rice defense up, threatening the perimeter with the athletic David Ash on the field at QB and speedster D.J. Monroe seeing the field. Gilbert did hit Davis for two long passes, both over 50 yards, using play action and setting up scores.

As the game went on, Brown carried the load, finishing with 16 carries for 85 yards and showing the ability to move piles – and the chains in the process. He did have a fumble late in the game that Rice recovered, but the Texas defense held, keeping the four score margin.

Fellow true freshman Shipley was a threat all night, both out of the slot where he caught two balls for 54 yards, and running the ball on the edge where he picked up 26 yards on three carries. He caught a 36-yard touchdown from receiver John Harris on one of co-OC Bryan Harsin’s more imaginative plays, an end around receiver pass.

Rice did test the Texas defense on the ground, gaining 130 yards on 30 carries and holding the ball for nearly half of the game (26:29) despite an ineffective passing game. They were also aided by a handful of key defensive penalties on the Longhorns that kept drives alive and led to field goals.

Texas will take on BYU back in Austin next Saturday at 6:00 CDT in most of the nation’s first chance to actually watch them. A crowd of around 100,000 at Darrell K. Royal stadium might have outnumbered the entire tv viewership that was limited by the new Longhorn Network’s pitiful inability to find deals with major carriers like Time Warner, Charter, DirecTV and Dish Netowrk.

It hasn’t been a thing of beauty, but the Longhorns have grown stronger late in their opener versus Rice, putting together three second half touchdown drives. The latest was a 95-yard job that followed a 99-yarder earlier in the fourth quarter.

Malcolm Brown carried the load, running seven times on the drive, setting up a 26-yard scoring pass from Garrett Gilbert to Fozzy Whittaker. For the game, Brown has 11 carries for 67 yards, averaging 6.1 per pop. Jaxon Shipley also caught another ball, moving him to 54 yards receiving and 26 rushing on the night.

Whittaker has been more effective in the passing game, catching four passes for 55 yards and the touchdown. Gilbert’s line is beginning to look solid, as he’s averaged ten yards per pass on his 23 attempts. The story, though, is the running game, as Texas has piled up 41 carries for 195 yards.

Texas leads 34-9 with 4:30 remaining in the fourth quarter.

One formation the Bryan Harsin Longhorn offense seems to like near the goal line is a wildcat with backup QB David Ash split out wide and DJ Monroe threatening the boundry. They’ve run it with multiple combinations of backs in the backfield, and early in the fourth quarter they put Fozzy Whittaker behind center. Whittaker used the decoys on a seven-yard touchdown run that gave the Longhorns a 27-9 lead.

The score was set up by another long throw from Garrett Gilbert to Mike Davis. With Texas running on 33 of 55 offensive plays, Gilbert’s play action was effective, and he found Davis for 50 yards, getting Texas into Rice territory.

Rice has piled up 16 first downs – more than Texas’ 15 – but have only managed 213 yards of offense and only 84 yards passing early in the fourth quarter.

Gilbert’s debut in the new offense might not sell fans on his viability as a franchise QB moving forward, He’s 11-20 for 199 yards with about 11 minutes remaining.

Youth is officially served at Texas. On Texas’ first drive of the second half, one keyed by solid running from freshman Malcolm Brown, the Longhorns scored from 36 yards on a receiver pass from freshman John Harris to freshman Jaxon Shipley. Garrett Gilbert handed to Harris who wanted to throw – and did under durress. His throw was a bit short, but Shipley adjusted, even battling a defender who was flagged for pass interference, to catch the pass and stay in bounds for the touchdown.

Shipley has 54 yards receiving and a 12-yard run that he nearly broke for a touchdown, but for one step on the sideline. The Texas offense has struggled to move the ball with their standard set and Gilbert at QB, but they’ve used misdirection and exotic packages to shake things up. Freshman QB David Ash has also been on the field numerous times despite throwing just one pass.

Texas leads Rice 20-9 after the score, as the Owls continue to benefit from 65 yards in Texas penalties and strong running by Tyler Smith, who has 62 yards on eight carries.

Call it a modest start for Mack Brown’s rebuilding program, as his Longhorns lead the Rice Owls 13-6 at halftime of their opening game of the season. With the kickoff moved to 7:00 to avoid the Austin heat, Brown’s new staff showed what style of offense and defense Texas will play.

With motion before almost every snap, Bryan Harsin’s offense has shown numerous formations and player packages, lining up freshmen QB David Ash at receiver and WR Jaxon Shipley behind center. The end result has been solid but a bit underwhelming, as Texas has moved the ball for 197 yards but only has 13 points with one touchdown aided by a short field.

The Longhorns have piled up 83 yards on the ground on an impressive 6.0 yards per carry, aided by a 12-yard end around by Shipley and a 24-yard scramble by Garrett Gilbert. Their touchdown came on the ground, with Cody Johnson rumbling in from one yard out. Gilbert has thrown 16 times for 114 yards, but he’s been hurt by a trio of dropped passes.

Defensively, the Longhorns have hurt themselves with drive-extending penalties that have kept a plodding Rice run game on the field. Rice averaged just 3.5 yards per carry, but they’ve netted 62 yards, led by Tyler Smith’s 40 on five carries. Rice has also benefited from a strong game by their placekicker Chris Boswell, who has hit from 42 and 49 for Rice’s points.

Texas will have the ball to start the second half. Gilbert’s unit will look to create a little separation in a game that is currently too close for comfort.

Tied 3-3 and taking over in Rice territory after a fumble, Texas Longhorns offensive coordinator brought out some of the exotic formations and personnel packages he’s become known for at Boise.

First, true freshman QB David Ash entered the game split out wide, presumably setting up a play for later in the game. Then, just after speed burner D.J. Monroe entered the game as a decoy for a run up the middle, Harsin lined up freshman receiver Jaxon Shipley behind center. Shipley handed to Monroe for six yards to move the Longhorns to the Rice four yard line. Two power runs by Cody Johnson finished off the drive and gave Texas their first touchdown of the season.

The Longhorns had managed a field goal earlier in the half after a 56-yard pass from Garrett Gilbert to Mike Davis. Rice also marched for 41 yards for their own field goal. Texas leads 10-3 early in the second quarter.

The Texas Longhorns kickoff their 2011 season on Saturday night, looking to rebound from a miserable 2010 campaign. Mack Brown's team will be taking on the Rice Owls, and not surprisingly, the odds greatly favor the Longhorns.

Texas is favored by a whopping 23.5 points on SBG Global and 5Dimes. BoDog has the Longhorns favored by 24.5 points as well, more than a three score margin. Given the uncertainty of college football (see: Baylor vs. TCU or Utah State vs. Auburn), there's no money to be made by betting on the Longhorns, and it's always risky to bet on such a severe underdog to cover when little to nothing is known about them in Week 1.

The over/under is set at 54 on SBG Global, 54.5 on 5Dimes and 55 on BoDog. 

Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. CDT, with televised coverage being found on the Longhorn Network - if you're lucky enough to have your satellite or cable provider carrying it.