Texas Has Been Outscored 31-3 in Third Quarters in SEC Play, and Sarkisian Says the Halftime Routine May Change
The Longhorns have led at halftime of all four of their SEC games and won only two of them. The Austin American-Statesman's numbers show why: a third-quarter offense averaging less than a yard a rush.
Texas has a third-quarter problem, and the Austin American-Statesman put numbers on it this week. The Longhorns (5-2, 2-2 SEC) have taken a lead into halftime of all four of their SEC games, the Statesman reported, but they have lost twice, and their two wins both came down to a last-second heave into the end zone. Over those four third quarters, Texas has been outscored by a 31-3 margin, with its only three points coming on September 26 at Tennessee.
The offensive figures are stark. In third quarters of SEC games, Texas has averaged 0.8 yards over 30 rushes — five of which were sacks — while quarterback Arch Manning has gone 10-of-20 for 103 yards, according to the Statesman's accounting. The Longhorns gained six first downs in those quarters, punted 10 times and committed one turnover. Set against their full conference games — 25.5 points per game, 3.5 yards over 140 rushes, Manning 65-of-100 for 846 yards, and just 13 punts outside the third quarter — the drop-off after halftime is the story of Texas's SEC season so far. Tight end Michael Masunas put it simply in the Statesman's report: the Longhorns have to do their one-through-eleven, because if one thing goes wrong, it shows.
Asked on Monday about his halftime routine, head coach Steve Sarkisian described it to the Statesman — a quick staff huddle to name a few things going well and a few that need to change, some adjustments, some film, some plays drawn up, and conversations with players — and conceded that the routine may not currently be working. Sarkisian said he is not opposed to making subtle tweaks and changes at halftime, and that there will probably be a couple of things Texas does differently this Saturday night to get ready to start the second half. Manning, for his part, called the struggles frustrating and said the team will get it right.
Saturday brings a useful test. Mississippi State (4-3, 2-3 SEC) visits Austin for Texas's third straight home game — and the Bulldogs have been outscored in the third quarter in four of their five conference games, the Statesman noted. One of the two teams' post-halftime problems is likely to ease, at least for a night, and the one that does will hold the edge in a game both need for their SEC positioning.
