Texas Longhorns

5 Positive Things for Texas Football to Build On from Oklahoma Loss

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

Oct 8, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Shane Buechele (7) throws a pass in the first quarter against the Oklahoma Sooners at Cotton Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Things are bleak on the Forty Acres for Texas football. The team has dropped three straight games following their 45-40 loss to Oklahoma and the pressure is turning up on Charlie Strong and his staff. But maybe not everything is doom and gloom.

While there are plenty of improvements the team must make quickly to turn their season around, there were some glimmers of hope that Texas fans can hold onto. But first, some disclaimers. Was the game bad? Yes. Did the defense deliver soul-crushing disappointment once again? Without question. Is Charlie Strong But every dark cloud has a silver lining, right?

So instead of focusing on the very dark, very heavy cloud hanging over the Texas program, let’s refocus on those silver linings. This is a young team with a tremendous ceiling that will continue to grow and improve as the season goes along. Focusing on that as they go through their “growing pains” will help Texas fans curb any potential self-destructive coping mechanisms.

There are still seven games to go and Texas will have at least a puncher’s chance in each of them. Small improvements made now will go a long way in sending them to a bowl game and maybe even saving Charlie Strong’s job (he hopes). But it starts with learning from their mistakes and building off their triumphs. Maybe then this program can finally turn the corner.

With all the darkness hanging over the Horns, let’s find some positives! Here are five things Texas can build on from the Oklahoma loss.

Oct 8, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Charlie Strong on the field during the game against the Oklahoma Sooners at Cotton Bowl. Oklahoma won 45-40. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Remember how bad things were in the Oklahoma State game? Texas had three extra points blocked and Trent Domingue missed his lone field goal attempt. It was a special teams disaster. Thankfully, they got it fixed in time for Oklahoma.

Strong was adamant following the OSU loss that they had identified the issue with the kicking game and would address it. Of course, he also said he would fix the pass defense, but that’s another story. This time, he came through and the Longhorns’ special teams were stellar.

Domingue connected on all four extra points and was two-for-two on field goals. He opened the game with a 33-yard field goal and closed the half with a 28-yarder as well. It’s just the second game that Domingue has nailed every kick he’s attempted. Earlier this season, he connected on five-of-five PATs and hit both field goal attempts against UTEP.

Moving forward, it appears that the kicking game will not be an issue. At least not in the sense that every kick attempt gets blocked by defenders bursting through the middle of the line. And that is progress.

Oct 8, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns wide receiver Devin Duvernay (2) is tackled by Oklahoma Sooners safety Will Sunderland (21) in the second quarter at Cotton Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Devin Duvernay was the No. 3 rated wide receiver in the 2016 class when he signed with Texas but had yet to make his mark on the field. Through the first four games, Duvernay had just two receptions for 16 yards. But on Saturday, we got to see what the talented freshman can do.

Against the Sooners, Duvernay led the Horns with three receptions for 81 yards. His day was highlighted by a 63-yard touchdown catch and run to start the second half that put Texas up 20-14 early in the third quarter. His 27-yard-per-catch average was the highest in the game for receivers with more than one reception.

That explosive playmaking ability has been something Texas has wanted to utilize since he arrived on campus. While he’s been slow to get into the mix of the offense, he’s contributed on special teams as the team’s primary kick returner. With John Burt continuing to struggle (2 catches, 6 yards), the team needs a second deep threat to emerge.

With the flash that Duvernay showed against Oklahoma, there’s reason to believe he could be the man for the job.

Oct 8, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns running back D’Onta Foreman (33) scores a touchdown in the second quarter against the Oklahoma Sooners at Cotton Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Chris Warren injured? No problem! Texas needed just one half of the Bash Brothers to get the ground game going as D’Onta Foreman continues to dominate opposing defenses.

Foreman came into the game as the Big 12’s leading rusher and did little to lose ground on Saturday. He finished the game with 159 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries. Foreman had to shoulder a bigger load than normal with Warren sidelined indefinitely with a knee injury, but his production saw no ill effects.

Overall, of course, the Texas running attack was not what it should have been. The team finished with just 180 yards with secondary running back Kyle Porter accounting for 16 yards on six carries. Tyrone Swoopes in the 18-Wheeler managed just seven yards on four carries. Outside of Foreman, Texas struggled to move the ball on the ground.

However, that is no reason to not be excited about what Foreman is doing this season. He has now rushed for 100 yards or more in six straight games, the longest active streak in FBS. While everything else may fall off, Foreman is the real deal and a sure thing to carry this Longhorn offense.

Oct 8, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Shane Buechele (7) throws a pass in the second quarter against the Oklahoma Sooners at Cotton Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

But Foreman isn’t the only Texas offensive player who impressed on Saturday. Shane Buechele continues to develop in front of our eyes and took some excellent steps forward on Saturday against Oklahoma.

On the day, Buechele completed 19 of 36 passes for 245 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. He could have had another TD if not for a drop in the endzone by John Burt. He had a few moments where the game seemed a little fast for him, getting through his progressions just a step too late. But let’s not lose sight of the fact that he’s a TRUE freshman playing in his fifth game.

On the season, Buechele has thrown for 1,204 yards and 11 touchdowns with just four interceptions. He’s already thrown more touchdowns in his first five games than Texas had all of last season (9). He is a home-run threat every time he goes over the top that is only getting more accurate as he gets more experience.

Buechele leads this offense with confidence and poise beyond his years. As his game develops, this team will only continue to improve offensively.

Oct 8, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns safety Dylan Haines (14) intercepts a pass intended for Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Grant Bothun (84) in the first quarter at Cotton Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Texas had just one turnover coming into the game on Saturday. That changed in a big way against Oklahoma as the Horns managed to force four turnovers, including two interceptions (their first picks of the year).

Creating turnovers had to have been a central focus for this team going into the Red River Showdown. Dylan Haines finally showed off his ball-hawking abilities, snagging both interceptions for the Horns. Additionally, the Texas defense was aggressively swarming Joe Mixon all day, forcing three fumbles and recovering two of them. It was the first time this season Texas has been in the positive for turnover margin for a game.

Now, the Longhorns failed to do much with those turnovers, getting outscored on points off turnovers 14-3 despite a 4-2 turnover advantage. That’s an issue that has to be addressed as Texas can’t afford to let opportunities slip away like that. However, the first step is getting those turnovers and the Horns were finally able to do that in this game.

That aggressiveness should be something Texas holds onto moving forward. They are going to need to continue to create turnovers to stop drives because just tackling people to force punts hasn’t worked out so well lately.

Can these positives be the building blocks to a possible winning streak for Texas? We’ll find out this Saturday when the Horns return home (finally) to play Iowa State.