Texas Football: 5 Reasons Longhorns Will Be Better Against Notre Dame in 2016

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

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Sep 5, 2015; South Bend, IN, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Tyrone Swoopes (18) scrambles out of the pocket against Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive lineman Romeo Okwara (45) at Notre Dame Stadium. Notre Dame defeats Texas 38-3. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Last year, Texas opened the year traveling to South Bend to take on the Irish. Things … went poorly. The Horns were blown off the field 38-3 in a wildly disappointing performance that effectively killed any positive preseason momentum the team had. Texas would go on to start the season 1-4 before finally rallying and finishing the year winning four of their final seven games.

In 2016, the Longhorns can’t afford another dud in their opener. Charlie Strong is entering his third year on the Forty Acres and has yet to post a winning record. If this team doesn’t start winning games and competing in the Big 12, Strong could find himself pushed out and the program would have to go through another tumultuous transition.

That’s why so much rests on Texas’ performance in the season opener. Not only is this a revenge game against an Irish team that embarrassed them last season, it’s an opportunity to defend their home turf on national television against a top-10 opponent. This is a chance for the Horns to announce definitively that they are once again a program to watch.

It certainly won’t be an easy game, but here are five reasons we believe things will be better against Notre Dame this time around.

5. Home Field Advantage

There’s something to be said for playing at home. Feeding off the energy of the fans in setting that you’re intimately familiar with can give a team a serious edge.

DKR is one of the premier venues in college sports and the Horns need to restore some of the mystique. Last season, the team went just 3-3 at home, including a pair of heartbreaking last-minute losses to Cal and Oklahoma State during their 1-4 start.

On Sunday, the Horns will be sure to have a packed stadium looking to rock the house. This team needs to feed off that energy to take their game to the next level to keep the fans invested. That raucous atmosphere can create communication issues for opposing teams and will be a boost for Texas.

Plus, not having to travel to Notre Dame in and of itself is a bonus. The Irish have a serious home-field advantage playing in one of college football’s most legendary venues. Taking an exceptionally young team into that atmosphere to start the season last year was asking for trouble. This year, they can avoid that and get to feed off their own home-field advantage.

Speaking of that exceptional youth from last year …

Oct 31, 2015; Ames, IA, USA; Texas Longhorns teammates offensive lineman Patrick Vahe (77) and linebacker Malik Jefferson (46) walk off the field after losing to the Iowa State Cyclones at Jack Trice Stadium. The Cyclones beat the Longhorns 24-0. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports

4. Experience

As Strong looks to turn over this roster, he’s leaned on a significant number of freshman. Heading into last season’s opener, Texas started six freshman and had 23 freshman listed on their official depth chart.

You can imagine that there aren’t many tougher places to make your collegiate debut than on the road at Notre Dame. All the history, the atmosphere, and, oh yeah, a top-15 team lining up across from you. It’s no surprise that the stage was a little big for the Horns as many key contributors were still trying to find their legs and get up to speed.

This year, all those wide-eyed freshman are seasoned sophomores and ready to hit the ground running in 2016. Malik Jefferson, Connor Williams, Patrick Vahe, and John Burt all started as true freshman against the Irish last season. Now, Jefferson is the preseason Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, Williams and Vahe are coming off freshman All-American seasons in 2015, and Burt figures to be one of the most explosive playmakers in the Big 12.

While Texas remains young in several key areas, many of those young players are leaders and are prepared to build off their experience playing early.

Speaking of building off that experience …

Nov 26, 2015; Austin, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns running back Chris Warren III (25) reacts against the Texas Tech Red Raiders during the second half at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Texas Tech beat Texas 48-45. Mandatory Credit: Brendan Maloney-USA TODAY Sports

3. Understanding Their Strengths

Last season, Texas struggled early in part because they didn’t truly understand the strengths of their roster. The Smash Brother, D’Onta Foreman and Chris Warren, didn’t get their carries until midseason. Burt became a burner that could get beyond opposing defenses. Jefferson’s greatest strength, his pass rush, wasn’t part of the defense.

The team needed time to really feel out this roster and figure out how the pieces fit together. Now they understand the skill set of this roster and have brought in an offensive coordinator, Sterlin Gilbert, specifically to put those skills in advantageous positions. Understanding how your roster fits together is a huge component to building consistent success.

When these teams faced off last season, Notre Dame had the advantage of clearly understanding their strengths as a roster. That allowed the Irish to really hit the ground running and they didn’t stop until they secured a five-touchdown victory. This year, the Horns are better positioned to properly utilize their talents to get their offense rolling and to slow down the Irish.

And speaking of slowing down the Irish …

Dec 5, 2015; Waco, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns defensive end Shiro Davis (1) and cornerback John Bonney (24) and safety P.J. Locke III (11) tackle Baylor Bears running back Johnny Jefferson (5) during the game at McLane Stadium. The Longhorns defeat the Bears 23-17. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

2. Improved Defense

Notre Dame absolutely shredded this Texas defense last season. Malik Zaire threw for 313 yards and three touchdowns, completing 19 of 22 passes, while the Irish rushed for 214 yards and pair of touchdowns on the ground. The Irish rolled up 527 yards of total offense while holding the football for 39:10, almost twice as long as Texas.

This season, the Horns are bigger, tougher, and more experienced. Jefferson leads a deep linebacker group that will be utilized a number of ways to confuse and disrupt the Irish offense. The defensive line added major beef in the trenches with National Signing Day haul that adds excellent depth to the defensive interior. Texas’ secondary is loaded with playmakers, ballhawks, and phenomenal athletes that will make life difficult on opposing passing attacks.

Charlie Strong teams are historically built on the strength of their defense. That makes last season’s performance, where the Horns allowed over 450 yards of total offense per game, all the more unacceptable. You can be sure that the coaching staff is putting their defensive playmakers in positions to succeed in 2016 and the Longhorns defense will play up to the phenomenal potential on the depth chart.

And speaking of playing up to potential…

Oct 10, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Charlie Strong celebrates winning the game against the Oklahoma Sooners during the Red River rivalry at Cotton Bowl Stadium. Texas won 24-17. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

1. Ready to Seize the Moment

The transition under Charlie Strong has been tough. Texas is not used to losing and they’ve had to endure a lot of it over the last two seasons while Strong’s culture shift took root in Austin. Now, this team is ready to start reaping the benefits of the team building after two years of excruciating growing pains.

This is an opportunity to restore Texas football to national prominence. It’s a prime-time stage to announce to the college football world that the Horns are back. Perhaps most importantly, it’s a chance to legitimize the hiring of Charlie Strong, who has had his doubters since he took the job in 2013.

The enormity of this moment is not lost on Strong and it is not lost on Texas. Last season, that moment overwhelmed this team and sent them into a spiral. This is the time for Texas to make a statement. They have the experience, the playmakers, and the mindset to once again be a factor in the Big 12 and on the larger college football landscape.

Now they just need to go out on Sunday and prove it.