5 Takeaways From Texas Football Loss to West Virginia

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

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Nov 12, 2016; Austin, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Charlie Strong reacts during warm-ups prior to kickoff against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brendan Maloney-USA TODAY Sports

It was a frustrating week for Texas football. The Longhorns (5-5, 3-4 Big 12) failed to protect their home field, losing for the first time at DKR in 2016. West Virginia (8-1, 5-1) escaped Austin with a 24-20 win, keeping Texas one win away from bowl eligibility with two games to play. But what did we learn about the Horns in this loss?

This game will be remembered for its missed opportunities. Texas had countless chances to seize control of this game and failed to capitalize on them. The Longhorns made mistakes in every phase of the game that cost them dearly. This could have been a major turning point for the team but it became just another black mark against Charlie Strong and his wavering job security.

Losing in the manner that they did, Texas undercut all their momentum built from back-to-back wins over Baylor and Texas Tech. In those wins, the Longhorns showed tremendous fortitude in overcoming adversity and finishing the games strong. This time around, however, when opportunities to rise up presented themselves, Texas shrunk in the moment.

That is a distressing trend for a team that appeared to be turning a corner. While West Virginia is a very good team, the Longhorns certainly played well enough to win except when it came down to crunch time. Their inability to seal the deal shows a lack of discipline and mental fortitude that should be more evident in year three under Strong.

Moving forward, Texas must learn from this experience and become stronger in tough moments. There are wins to be had for this Longhorns squad but they let this one slip away. Here are five things we can take away from the loss to West Virginia.

Nov 12, 2016; Austin, TX, USA; The Texas Longhorns enter the stadium before kickoff against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. The Mountaineers won 24-20. Mandatory Credit: Brendan Maloney-USA TODAY Sports

Special teams was once again an issue for Texas. While the Horns have been burned this season by blocked PATs, this game was turned by a blocked field goal that completely changed the complexion of the game.

In the third quarter, Trent Domingue lined up for a 37-yard field goal with Texas trailing 17-13. He nailed two kicks in the first half so there was no hesitation to go to the kicker in this situation. However, the kick came out low and was blocked. Texas got turned away without points and it would change their approach in the fourth quarter drastically.

After exchanging touchdowns in the third quarter, Texas entered the fourth down 24-20. They needed a touchdown to take control of this game and were aggressive looking for it. With 2:26 to play, Texas faced 4th and 5 in West Virginia territory. They turned the ball over on downs when they gained just four yards. Then as time expired, Texas heaved a pass into the end zone from the West Virginia 27. It fell incomplete and the game ended.

If Texas had been within one point, their approach late in the game might have been different. They could have taken the field goal and gone up by two points rather than needing to press for a touchdown. In a game that was this close, losing those three points was huge and it was another miscue on the special teams unit.

Sep 4, 2016; Austin, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns linebacker Malcolm Roach (32) celebrates during the third quarter against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

While the end result was disappointing, there were positives to take away from this game for Texas. One of the biggest may be the emergence of true freshman Malcolm Roach at the Fox position. While his talent and potential was unquestioned, watching him put it together on the field is a sight to see.

Roach, of course, was delayed in joining the Texas football team this summer as he cleared up some eligibility concerns with the NCAA. His late start coupled with the depth at linebacker made many believe that Roach could be redshirted this season. Roach’s playmaking ability, however, made that option a non-starter as he has seen his role grow each week.

Against West Virginia, Roach posted season-highs in tackles (7) and tackles for loss (3.0) while recording his third sack of the season. He was a physical presence off the edge that helped the Texas defense set the tone in the second half. Roach stepped up when the Horns needed him after Malik Jefferson left the game with a head injury in the first half. While Roach and Jefferson don’t play the same position, of course, Texas needed someone to step up and make plays. Roach answered that call in Jefferson’s absence.

Moving forward, Texas will need Roach’s playmaking off the edge to finish this season strong. Putting the best players on the field has always been the mantra of Strong and Roach is proving he has a place in this defense.

Sep 10, 2016; Austin, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Shane Buechele (7) warms up before the game against the University of Texas at El Paso at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Erich Schlegel-USA TODAY Sports

Shane Buechele continues to impress during his true freshman campaign. The young signal caller put together one of his best games through the air, despite failing to find the end zone in the fourth quarter. His exceptional play this season has cemented his place in Texas’ future plans and in the Longhorn record books.

On Saturday, Buechele had a career-high 318 yards on 31 of 48 passing with a touchdown and an interception. It was the first time that Buechele has thrown for over 300 yards in a game and bodes well for his ability to take on a larger role in the offense moving forward. His yardage total also pushed him past Colt McCoy for the most freshman passing yards in school history.

That isn’t to say Buechele didn’t have his struggles in this game. West Virginia brought pressure constantly and Buechele struggled to recognize it and adjust. He took numerous shots in the pocket and was sacked four times. With Texas driving in the fourth quarter, one of those sacks led to a fumble and recovery for West Virginia, which halted what likely would have been a scoring drive for the Horns.

The future is bright for Shane Buechele at Texas. While he still shows his age at times, there are plenty of reasons to be excited about the future under center.

Nov 12, 2016; Austin, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns linebacker Malcolm Roach (32) tackles West Virginia quarterback Skyler Howard (left) during the first quarter at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brendan Maloney-USA TODAY Sports

Since Charlie Strong took over the defense, there has been noticeable improvement on that side of the ball. While that didn’t translate to the win against West Virginia, the Horns continued to show growth on defense even without their leader, Malik Jefferson.

In the first four games of the season, Texas created just one turnover. In the last six games where Strong has been calling the defense, they have generated 16 turnovers, including eight interceptions. That is the most in the Big 12 since October 1. Additionally, Texas leads the Big 12 in sacks, recording 36 QB takedowns in 10 games this season. They are getting better at creating havoc for opposing offenses. They’ve held each of their last three opponents well below their season averages for points and yards.

There is still room for improvement of course. The secondary continues to get beat over the top too often and missed tackles are an issue. However, the defense is trending in the right direction since Strong stepped in. If that can translate into two or three more wins this season, it could be a deciding factor for keeping Strong in 2017.

The Texas defense was a serious weakness when the season began. They could not stop anyone and surrendered 45 points or more in four of their first five games. However, over the last five games, there has been a clear uptick in their level of play and it could make a difference in closing out the season strong.

Nov 12, 2016; Austin, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns running back D’Onta Foreman (33) carries the ball against the West Virginia Mountaineers during the third quarter at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. The Mountaineers won 24-20. Mandatory Credit: Brendan Maloney-USA TODAY Sports

Another day, another 100-yard effort from D’Onta Foreman. Against arguably the toughest defense Texas will face this season, Foreman was a grinder, racking up 167 yards on 35 carries. The junior is now on the verge of breaking a Texas record that many thought was untouchable and he looks unstoppable doing so.

Foreman’s 167-yard was the 11th straight game that he has rushed for at least 100 yards, tying Earl Campbell’s school record and extending the nation’s longest FBS streak. West Virginia didn’t make it easy for him, crashing the line of scrimmage and closing down running lanes. He was bottled up effectively most of the day but still managed to pop a couple of big runs. His 4.8 yards per carry average was the second lowest of the season and it was only the second time in 2016 that he was held out of the end zone.

Texas has really benefited from Foreman’s breakout season and he now sits on the verge of history. Campbell’s record was considered by many at Texas to be unreachable but Foreman has proven up to the challenge in 2016. Up next for Foreman is a porous Kansas defense that is allowing 225.7 yards rushing per game this season. There will be room to run in this game and he should eclipse the 100-yard mark easily this Saturday.

Unfortunately, Foreman’s strong play has not translated into consistent winning for Texas. Despite his status as the best back in college football and a surging Heisman campaign, Foreman’s success has not been Texas’ success. With a back that has dominated like Foreman, 5-5 is a major disappointment.