Football back home Saturday to face Kansas

Texas-Kansas Notes | Longhorns Gameweek | Tickets

Ticket information: Tickets to Saturday's game can be purchased online at TexasSports.com, by calling the UT Athletics ticket office at 512-471-3333 or at any Texas Box Office outlet, including Belmont Hall (Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-4 p.m.) or the Frank Erwin Center (Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-6 p.m.). Ticket prices range between $50-$65 for this game.

Texas Back Home Saturday to Face Kansas: Texas, coming off an impressive 30-7 road victory over TCU, begins a stretch of three home games in a four-week period on Saturday (2:30 p.m. CT/Longhorn Network) when Kansas comes to Austin. The Longhorns will have gone 42 days without a true home game (UT was the designated home team for this year's AT&T Red River Rivalry in Dallas). Texas is tied for first in the Big 12 with Baylor (4-0). KU has dropped four in a row since winning two of its first three games.

Horns Win Fourth Straight, Knock Off TCU on the Road: Malcolm Brown ran for two TDs, Case McCoy threw for 228 yards and Texas' defense stifled TCU throughout in a 30-7 win Saturday, a game that featured a 3-hour, 6-minute lightning delay and ended Sunday morning. Texas won its fourth-straight game by using a balanced offensive attack with McCoy completing four passes of more than 30 yards, and Brown (51) and Johnathan Gray (94) accounting for the majority of the Longhorns' 187 rushing yards. The UT defense held the Horned Frogs to 246 total yards, including just 45 on the ground. TCU scored its fewest number of points since a 20-7 loss at Utah on 10/5/06, had its lowest scoring output at home since losing to Texas A&M, 38-6, on 11/25/95, and suffered its worst home loss since 1997 (40-10 to New Mexico).

The Kansas Series: Texas and Kansas are meeting for the 13th time in a series that dates back to 1901. The Longhorns lead the series 10-2 with the only losses coming in 1901 and 1938 in Lawrence. The Horns have won all 10 matchups in Big 12 play and have outscored Kansas by an average of 43.6-14.5 points per game in that stretch. Texas holds a 5-0 advantage in Austin and have outscored KU by an average of 52.8 to 13.0.

First-and-Goal:
•   UT is averaging 450.7 yards of total offense which ranks No. 3 in the Big 12. The Horns are averaging 200.4 yards on the ground (No. 3 Big 12/No. 35 FBS) and 250.3 in the air. Texas, which ranks No. 3 in the Big 12 in rushing, rolled up 187 yards vs. TCU which came into the game yielding 115.3 yards per contest. The Horned Frogs were ranked first in the Big 12 and No. 17 nationally in rushing defense.
•   Case McCoy made his 10th career start in Saturday's win over TCU. He improved to 3-1 as a starter this season by completing 9 of 19 passes for 228 yards (25.3 yards per completion), including one TD and two interceptions, and directing six scoring drives. McCoy has replaced an injured David Ash (head) who has played just one half (first vs. Kansas State) in the last five games. Ash has been ruled out vs. Kansas.
•   Johnathan Gray leads the team (656) and ranks second in the Big 12/36th nationally in rushing (93.7 per game). He is averaging 110.2 rushing yards over the last six games.
•   Jaxon Shipley leads the team with 33 catches and ranks tied for eighth in the league at 4.7 per game. Twenty-one of his receptions have gone for first downs, including two on fourth down. Mike Davis has 28 catches and ranks seventh in the Big 12 with 4.8 pg. Davis has a team-high five TD receptions which is tied for third in the Big 12.
•   Sophomores Kendall Sanders and Marcus Johnson have emerged as receiving threats. Sanders has started the last six games and posted a career-high 80 receiving yards, including a 63-yard TD, vs. Kansas State. He has posted at least three receptions in all but one of his last six games. Johnson has been a deep threat. He has averaged 44.8 yards on his last four catches, including a 59-yard TD vs. Oklahoma and 65-yard score vs. TCU. Johnson is averaging a team-high 25.7 yards per catch (minimum 10 receptions).
•   Seven players have recorded a rushing touchdown and six have scored via catch.
•   Seven players have at least one reception of 45 yards or more this season.
•   After surrendering an average of 7.0 yards per carry to BYU and Ole Miss, the UT defense has held its last four opponents (K-State - 3.0; Iowa State - 4.0; Oklahoma - 3.9; TCU – 1.9) to a combined 3.4 ypc (145 rushes, 491 yards). Texas has allowed just 175 combined rushing yards in the past two games. The Longhorns held Oklahoma to a season-low 130 yards on the ground, and TCU to its second-lowest rushing output with just 45 yards (the Horned Frogs had 44 at Oklahoma). The 45 rushing yards were the fewest by a Texas opponent since Kansas State was held to 38 (on 39 carries) on 11/19/11.
•   In league games, UT is ranked first in points allowed (19.5 pg), No. 2 in total defense (340.5 ypg) and No. 2 in rushing defense (122.8 ypg). Texas has allowed a league-low eight TDs in four Big 12 games.
•   The Longhorns rank No. 98 in the FBS in red-zone defense (22 of 25/88 percent), but have been able to the keep the opposition out of the end zone. Texas ranks tied for 41st nationally in red zone touchdowns (14 of 25/56 percent). The nine red zone field goals are tied for 10th-most in the nation.
•   DE Cedric Reed has been one of the most productive players in the Big 12. He leads the team in tackles (46) and QB pressures (11) and is tied for first in pass breakups (4). He is second in TFLs (8) and sacks (3.0). Reed is the only defensive lineman in the Big 12 and one of only four in the FBS (according to STATS) to lead his team in tackles.
•   DE Jackson Jeffcoat has a team-high 6.0 sacks and ranks first in the Big 12 and tied for 18th in the FBS at 0.86 per game. He also leads the team in tackles for loss (11) and is second with 10 QB pressures. Jeffcoat was named a Bednarik Award semifinalist on Tuesday.
•   The Longhorns have been without junior linebacker Jordan Hicks, who ruptured his Achilles, since the Kansas State game. He was leading the team with 41 tackles and still ranks tied for third. Steve Edmond and Dalton Santos have picked up the slack at linebacker. Edmond has 45 tackles (second on the team) and is tied for the team lead in pass breakups with four. He also recorded his second career interception vs. TCU. With Hicks' injury, Santos has seen his snaps increase and he has responded with 22 tackles over the last three games.
•   DT Malcom Brown has been a key cog along the line. He had perhaps his best game as a Longhorn against Iowa State. The sophomore had a career-high 10 tackles, including one sack and one TFL, as well as one PBU. He shared the team's defensive player of the game award with Jeffcoat whose interception on the Cyclones' final drive helped seal the win. Brown had six tackles and a career-best two pass breakups vs. TCU.
•   Texas ranks tied for 13th nationally in turnover margin at +1.0 per game. Texas has lost the ball just nine times this year which is tied for 21st in the FBS. UT was plus-1 vs. TCU and has not lost the turnover battle this season. In last season's loss to TCU, UT was a season worst minus-3.
•   Anthony Fera ranks 42nd nationally in punting average (42.0). Sixteen of his 38 punts (42.1 percent) have gone inside the 20 and 22 have been fair caught (57.9 percent). He has also gone 11-for-12 (.917) on field-goal attempts, including connecting all three times vs. both Oklahoma and TCU. Fera has a posted a career long field twice this season. He had a 47-yarder vs. Ole Miss and nailed a 50-yarder vs. OU. He has connected on his last seven attempts.

Four to Be Inducted into Longhorn Hall of Honor: Four former football players will be among the eight distinguished individuals inducted into the UT Men's Athletics Hall of Honor on Friday. The 57th class includes Quentin Jammer (1997-98; 2000-01), a unanimous All-American and UT's first Thorpe Award finalist and Roy Williams (2000-03), a three-time first-team All-Big 12 selection. Vintage football selections include Rene Ramirez (1957-59) and Julius Whittier (1970-72). Ramirez was a vital building block in the construction of Darrell Royal's program at Texas in the late 1950s and Whittier came to UT in 1969 as one of the first African-Americans ever to receive a football scholarship, and was the first to earn a letter in the sport. Other inductees will be Brian Cisarik (Baseball, 1984-88), a two-time All-Southwest Conference and current UT record holder for single-season batting average, and T.J. Ford (Basketball, 2002-2003), the 2003 Naismith and Wooden Awards winner. The remaining vintage choices are Lou Bagwell (Baseball, 1968-70) and Larry Falk (Assistant AD for Operations Administration, 1981-present). To be eligible for nomination, a letterman must have completed his eligibility 10 years prior to the year of election. The four nominees receiving a majority of votes are inducted into the Longhorn Hall of Honor. The induction banquet will take place at 6 p.m. at the Four Seasons Hotel in Austin. Jammer, Williams, Ramirez, Whittier and Falk will serve as honorary captains for Saturday's Kansas game.

Sudden Change: The Longhorns forced three turnovers vs. TCU and all led to scores. Quandre Diggs forced a fumble by Trevone Boykin in the first quarter which led to a Malcolm Brown 3-yard TD run. Steve Edmond picked off a Casey Pachall pass in the second quarter and that led to a Case McCoy to Marcus Johnson 65-yard touchdown connection. A fumble on a punt return in the fourth quarter set up a 36-yard Anthony Fera field goal. On the season, Texas has outscored the opposition 65-28 off turnovers.

Early Defensive Pressure: In each of the last two games, UT received a big defensive play in the opening quarter. With the scored tied 3-all vs. Oklahoma, DT Chris Whaley dropped back on a zone blitz on a third-and-4 play and intercepted quarterback Blake Bell, then raced down field for a 31-yard touchdown. Against TCU, Quandre Diggs set the tone when he strip-sacked QB Trevone Boykin on the Horned Frogs' second possession of the game. Adrian Phillips recovered the fumble at the TCU 3 and one play later, Malcolm Brown ran it in to give the Longhorns a 7-0 lead.

Defensive Improvement: Under coordinator Greg Robinson who was hired after the BYU game, the defense has shown marked improvement. Robinson is in his second stint with Texas, having also served as defensive coordinator in 2004 when Texas ranked No. 18 nationally in points allowed (17.9 per game), No. 16 in rushing defense (107.4 yards pre game), and No. 23 in total defense (320.1 ypg). Over the last four games, the Longhorns are allowing just 3.2 yards per rush after surrendering 6.0 in the first three. The defense has cut the opposing offense's rushing output by 185.9 yards per game. In addition, Texas' 16 sacks in its last four games are tied for the sixth most nationally in that span. The Horns had two sacks in the first three games.

	First 3 Games	Last 4 Games
Rushing Yards	308.7 pg	122.8 pg
Yards per Rush	6.0	3.2
Total Yards	491.3 pg	340.5 pg
Yards per Play	5.8	5.1
Opp. Comp. %	58.0	53.1
Red-Zone TDs	67% (8/12)	46% (6/13)
Sacks	2.0	16.0
Turnovers Forced	6	8
Fumbles	1	4
Tackles for Loss	4.3 pg	9.8 pg

**FBS • Most Sacks Last Four Games**
1.	Ohio	20
T-2.	Fresno State	18
	Stanford	18
	Cincinnati	18
5.	Missouri	17
T-6.	Texas	16
	Louisville	16
	TCU	16
	Boise State	16
	Wisconsin	16

Post-OU Success: Regardless of the outcome of the AT&T Red River Rivalry, Texas has had great success in the second half of the season during Mack Brown's tenure. Since 1998, the Horns are 73-18 (.802) in regular season games following the OU game. In the Brown era, Texas is 7-0 the week after beating OU and has won 19 of its last 22 games, including 15 of 17, after downing OU. Overall in the Brown era, the Horns are 36-8 in games after beating the Sooners. UT has won at least four consecutive games following the Red River Rivalry in 11 of the last 14 seasons. That had only been done four times in 25 seasons prior to 1999. Six times in Brown's previous 15 years, Texas has won all of its regular season games after the Oklahoma game. In addition, since 2004, including Big 12 Championship games in 2005 and '09 and a 7-1 record in bowl games, Texas is 51-17 (.750) post-OU with two of those losses coming after Colt McCoy was injured in 2006.

Streaks, Trends and Milestones:
•   UT has won six of its last eight on the road after last weekend's victory over TCU.
•   The TCU contest was Mack Brown's 200th career game at Texas. Only Darrell Royal (219) has coached in more games at Texas.
•   The Horns can become bowl eligible with a win over Kansas.
•   The offensive line has done a tremendous job of keeping QB Case McCoy upright in the last three games. The Horns have not allowed a sack in their last 61 pass attempts (last nine quarters). Oklahoma entered its game with Texas ranked No. 9 nationally in total defense and TCU had a league-high 24 sacks heading into last week's contest.
•   McCoy has a combined passing efficiency rating of 152.53 over the last two games. He had his most effcient game of the season vs. Oklahoma (159.81 rating) and second-best vs. TCU (144.48).
•   With his 31-yard return for a TD vs. OU, Chris Whaley, a former running back, became the seventh defensive lineman (first DT) in UT history to return an interception for a score. Eddie Jones was the last UT defensive lineman to score via interception (60 yards vs. Baylor on Nov. 14, 2009).
•   In the fourth quarter of the last three games, the UT defense has allowed a combined 25 rushing yards on 29 attempts (0.9 ypr) - K-State (9-[-9]); Iowa State (12-36); Oklahoma (5-[-11]); TCU (3-9).
•   The Horns have 16.0 sacks in four league games and have surrendered just four. The plus-12 sack differential is the best in the Big 12. Baylor is plus-9 in its three conference games.
•   Jaxon Shipley has caught a pass in each of his 30 career games. That streak ranks No. 4 on the UT all-time list. Shipley has posted at least five receptions in nine of the last 11 games (three vs. Iowa State; one vs. TCU).
•   Daje Johnson's 85-yard punt return for a TD vs. Oklahoma, on his first career attempt, was the fourth-longest in school history and longest since Aaron Ross went 88 yards vs. Missouri in 2005. Jordan Shipley (74 yards vs. Colorado in 2009) was the last Longhorn to return a punt for a score. Johnson's return is the third-longest in the FBS this season. He had an 85-yard punt return for a TD vs. TCU called back for a penalty.
•   Johnson became the only player in school history with a punt return and rush of more than 80 yards (84 yard TD vs. Baylor in 2012), and one of just three UT players with a punt return of more than 60 yards and rush of 80-plus yards (also James Saxton and Raymond Clayborn).
•   Mike Davis posted two receptions for 56 receiving yards vs. TCU. He moved from fifth to fourth on the UT career receptions list, passing Mike Adams (177/1992-96). Davis also moved from sixth to fifth on the school's all-time receiving yards chart, passing B.J. Johnson (2,389/2000-03). Davis now has 178 catches for 2,407 yards.
•   DE Jackson Jeffcoat posted three tackles for loss and 1.0 sack vs. TCU. He now has 49 career TFLs and moved into a tie for ninth on the UT all-time list. Tony Degrate (1981-84) was 10th with 47. Tony Brackens (1993-95) also had 49 tackles for loss. Jeffcoat is averaging 0.60 sacks in his 34 career games which ranks No. 6 on the FBS active list (see chart on page 18).
•   OG Mason Walters leads the team with 45 straight starts, which is tied for the second-longest streak in the nation among offensive linemen (46, Gabe Jackson, OG, Mississippi St.). CB Carrington Byndom leads the defense with 33 consecutive starts. Quandre Diggs had his streak of 26 straight starts snapped vs. Kansas State.

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