Texas Longhorns

Longhorns offensive ranking scrapes bottom, Strong says that's weak

Published Sep. 7, 2015 2:10 p.m. ET

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If Texas' 38-3 whipping at Notre Dame on Saturday night wasn't embarrassing enough, its offensive rankings will make the the Longhorns want to bury their heads in the sand.

A full offseason did nothing to improve Texas' offense under coordinator Shawn Watson and quarterback Tyrone Swoopes. In fact, the stinker Texas put forth in the opener only opens up more questions about what's going on in those offensive meetings.

Here's the damage, per NCAA stats (rankings of 121 FBS teams):

* Texas' total offense ranks dead last, 121st

* Passing offense ranks 116th

* Rushing offense ranks 111th

* Third-down conversations rank 115th

* Sacks allowed tied for 109th

Those numbers spell doom against any opponent, and Texas has as difficult an early schedule to navigate as any team in the country with Rice, Cal, Oklahoma State, TCU and Oklahoma coming up in successive weeks before a bye.

During his Monday press conference, Texas coach Charlie Strong didn't try to sugarcoat a third consecutive offensive disaster going back to the final regular-season game of 2014 against TCU and then in the Texas Bowl against Arkansas.

"You look at the last three showings we've had and it's been embarrassing," Strong said, who added, "I was hoping I'd see a big difference myself."

As far as evaluating Watson's ability to call plays in this offense, Strong said, "Texas has to evaluate where we are," which isn't exactly a vote of confidence, not that the offensive staff deserves one.

Another area of contention is the lack of touches for senior running Johnathan Grey, who was expected to be something of a workhorse this season to alleviate pressure on the shaky quarterback position. But Grey received just eight touches against Notre Dame.

"We've got to get the ball in his hands," Strong said Monday.

There's plenty for Texas to work on this week. An unfathomable defeat to Rice next week at Darrell K. Royal Memorial Stadium would unleash a wrath of discontent unseen at Texas since the pre-Mack Brown days.

(h/t Dallas Morning News)