The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
TCU
Football hosts TCU Friday for Senior Day
11.21.2016 | Football
The Longhorns (5-6, 3-5) look to gain bowl eligibility with a win over TCU (5-5, 3-5).
Texas game notes | TCU game notes
General Admission Ticket Deal
Texas Athletics is offering a Black Friday special ticket deal for Friday's game. While supplies last, general admission tickets in the south end zone will be just $25. Help send the seniors out right with a full DKR.
The Opening Kickoff
The University of Texas returns home to Darrell K Royal - Texas Memorial Stadium to close out the regular season on Friday afternoon. Kickoff against the Horned Frogs is set for 2:30 p.m. Both UT and TCU enter the game a win away from bowl eligibility. Texas is 5-6 on the season and 3-5 in the Big 12 Conference. The Longhorns are coming off a 24-21 loss in overtime on the road to Kansas. TCU enters at 5-5 overall and 3-4 in the Big 12 Conference. The Horned Frogs lost 31-6 against Oklahoma State on Saturday.
National Game Coverage
• TELEVISION: The game can be seen on Fox Sports 1. Tim Brando will call the play-by-play action and Spencer Tillman will be the color analyst. Bruce Feldman will report from the field.
• TELEVISION: Longhorn Network coverage will begin two hours prior to kickoff on Saturday afternoon for Texas GameDay. Following the game, LHN will have coverage with Texas GameDay Final.
• RADIO: The Longhorn IMG Radio Network will broadcast Friday's game across the network. Craig Way will call the action with Roger Wallace joining him in the booth. Longhorn legend Quan Cosby will report from the sidelines. The Longhorns' broadcast can also be heard nationally on Sirius/XM channel 83 and online channel 83.
• NATIONAL RADIO: Sports USA will call Friday's game. Wayne Randazzo (PxP) and Charles Arbuckle (color) will call the action.
• SPANISH RADIO: The Longhorn IMG Radio Network offers Cadena Deportiva, a Spanish language radio broadcast of Texas Football games. Join Dr. Rubén Pizarro-Silva and Jesus Mendoza for the call on 97.1 FM in Austin.
The All-Time Series
• Friday's game will be the 87th matchup all-time between Texas and Texas Christian.
• The Longhorns are 62-23-1 all-time against the Horned Frogs. In Austin, Texas is 32-13-1 against TCU.
• TCU has won two straight in the series, but Texas has won 16 of the last 20.
At The Game...
• Friday's game will serve as Senior Day. The following seniors will be recognized pregame: TE Caleb Bluiett, DT Paul Boyette Jr., TE Matt Center, LB Tim Cole, DE Bryce Cottrell, K Trent Domingue, CB Sheroid Evans, DE David Gonzalez, QB Jimmy Greenwood, S Dylan Haines, QB Trey Holtz, DB Connor Huffman, OL Frank Lopez, DT Alex Mercado, DT Patrick Ojeaga, OL Kent Perkins, WR Ryan Roberts, K Matthew Sims, QB Tyrone Swoopes, WR Ty Templin, LB Johnny Tseng, S Kevin Vaccaro, TE Quincy Vasser, QB Logan Vinklarek and WR Jacorey Warrick.
• During the game, there will be a BEVO 100 Anniversary celebration.
• Both the Longhorn Band and TCU's band will perform at halftime.
A Texas Win Would ...
• Give the Longhorns a record of 6-6 to close out the regular season
• Make UT bowl eligible for the 54th time in school history
• Mark Texas' 892nd win in program history
• Improve UT's all-time record to 63-23-1 against TCU including a record of 33-13-1 at home
Head Coach Charlie Strong
• Charlie Strong is in his third season as the head coach at Texas, compiling a record of 16-20 since coming to the 40 Acres.
• He is in his seventh season overall as a head coach, with a career mark of 53-36. He spent the four years prior to Texas at Louisville.
• This season, 21 players have made their first career start under Strong, while six true freshmen have started a game. The 21 players to make their first career start is tied for ninth-most in the country, while the six true freshmen to start is tied for the second-most nationally.
Defense Under Charlie Strong
• Since Charlie Strong took over defensive play-calling duties, Texas has turned up the defensive pressure.
• Texas had held five straight opponents under their season scoring average, before Kansas benefitted from 10 points off turnovers to score 21 in regulation.
• After allowing 477.2 yards per game and 6.38 yards per play in the first five games, the defense has vastly improved in the last six games allowing 417.7 yards per game and 4.96 yards per play.
• The Longhorns' defense has forced 14 turnovers the last six games and has registered 23 sacks and 51 tackles for loss.
• Texas held Kansas to just 14 offensive points on Saturday in regulation, including holding the Jayhawks to just 112 rushing yards and 332 total yards, 25 below their season average. UT held KU to just 4.1 yards per play, almost a full yard below their season average.
• Against No. 11/10 West Virginia, the Longhorns held the Mountaineers to 383 total yards, 127 yards below their season average.
• The week before that, UT's defense held Texas Tech to just 482 yards on 100 plays (4.82 ypp). It was 118 yards and 2.05 yards per play below their season average.
A Young Nucleus
• After playing 17 true freshmen while starting a school-record 10 a season ago, Texas has played 15 with six making a start this season.
• Last season, the 10 true freshmen who started a game combined to make 66 starts. This season, the six true freshmen to start a game have combined to make 28 starts. Over the last two seasons, Texas' 16 true freshmen to start a game are the most nationally.
• Players currently in UT's freshman and sophomore classes have combined to make 204 career starts (100 on offense; 104 on defense).
• This season, Texas' freshman and sophomore classes have combined for 131 starts, the most nationally.
• The Longhorns list 40 underclassmen on their weekly depth chart, including 30 players who are either freshmen or sophomores.
• Offensively, UT has 13 players on their two-deep who are either freshmen or sophomores, including four who made starts at Kansas. Texas has started a true freshman QB all 11 games this season and has started three sophomores-or-younger on the offensive line in all 11 games as well.
• Defensively, Texas lists 17 players on the depth chart who are either freshmen or sophomores, including seven who made the start at Kansas on Saturday.
The Freshman Difference
• A total of 15 true freshmen have made their debuts in the burnt orange and white so far this season.
• Ten true freshmen debuted in the season opener against Notre Dame, four saw action for the first time against UTEP and one more against Oklahoma State.
• So far, QB Shane Buechele has started all 11 games, C Zach Shackelford has started nine, FOX Malcolm Roach has started four, WR Devin Duvernay has started two, S Brandon Jones has made one start and WR Collin Johnson started his first career game Saturday against WVU.
• Other Longhorn freshmen to debut thus far are: DL D'Andre Christmas, OL Jean Delance, DL Jordan Elliott, LB Erick Fowler, WR Lil'Jordan Humphrey, LB Jeffrey McCulloch, OL Denzel Okafor, RB Kyle Porter and DT Gerald Wilbon.
Did You Know
• In a league where six offenses rank in the FBS top 17, Texas has held consecutive opponents under 400 yards.
The Offensive Turnaround
• First-year offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert was brought to Texas to reinvigorate the Longhorns offense and install his up-tempo system on the 40 Acres.
• Through 11 games, Texas' offensive numbers are up across the board. In most categories, the Longhorns have improved by a significant margin over each of the last two seasons.
• After finishing last season 92nd in total offense, Texas ranks 17th this season averaging 498.9 yards per game.
• The Longhorns ranks 41st in scoring offense at 34.0 points per game after finishing last season ranked 83rd.
• Texas features one of the nation's most balanced offenses at 255.1 passing ypg and 243.8 rushing ypg.
500 Yards Of Total Offense
• Texas has set a school record in 2016 with seven games of more than 500 yards of total offense.
• UT totaled a season-best 658 yards of total offense at Texas Tech. It was the sixth-most in a game in school history.
• In the two seasons prior, Texas had 500 yards of total offense just three times.
Prolific Rushing Attack
• Texas totaled 414 yards rushing at Texas Tech behind D'Onta Foreman's 341-yard effort. It was the first 400-yard game since Texas Tech last season.
• Prior to last season's game against Texas Tech, UT had not registered 400 yards of rushing since totaling 439 on Nov. 5, 2011, also against Texas Tech.
• The game prior in 2011, UT rushed for 441 yards against Kansas. Before that, it had been since 2005 against Louisiana-Lafayette that they had reached the 400-yard mark.
• This year's game was just the eighth 400-yard performance since 1980.
300 Yards Rushing
• Texas has totaled three games this season of more than 300 yards rushing. They have not had at least three since 2007 and haven't had more than three since totaling six in 2005.
• Besides UT's 414 yards on the ground at Texas Tech (Nov. 5), the Longhorns offense also racked up 329 at Oklahoma State (Oct.1) and 307 at California (Sept. 17).
• The back-to-back 300-yard performances marked the first time since the 2011 season that a Texas team had rushed for at least 300 yards in consecutive games.
#HEISforeMAN
• Junior running back D'Onta Foreman has put himself on the map for the Doak Walker Award, Heisman Trophy and Walter Camp Award over the last several weeks.
• Despite playing in just 10 games, Foreman leads the country with 1,863 rushing yards. He also leads the nation averaging 186.3 rushing yards per game.
• Through 10 games, Foreman ranks third in school history for rushing yards in a single season. Only Ricky Williams has rushed for more yards in a season than Foreman has in 2016.
• His 1,863 rushing yards are the second-most in school history through a player's first 10 games. Only Ricky Williams, during his 1998 Heisman Trophy-winning campaign, rushed for more yards in his first 10 games.
He Is The 100-Yard Man
• Foreman has rushed for 100 yards or more in 12 straight games, breaking Earl Campbell's previous school record of 11 set in 1977. His 12 straight 100-yard games leads the nation.
• Foreman has surpassed 100 yards in all 10 games this season, most in the nation and tied for the second-most in school history. Campbell holds that record with 11 in the 1977 season, while both Ricky Williams (1998) and Cedric Benson (2004) had 10.
• During his 12-game streak, Foreman has rushed for 2,167 yards on 322 attempts (6.73 ypc). He has scored 18 touchdowns, including seven games with at least two.
Historic Four-Game Stretch
• During his last four games, Foreman has rushed for 1,008 yards - second-most in school history during a four-game stretch. Only Ricky Williams (1,066) rushed for more yards in a four-game stretch during his 1998 Heisman Trophy-winning campaign.
• Foreman has three games of at least 250 yards during his last four. His three 250-yard games are second-most in a single season and tied for third-most in a career at UT.
Foreman Career Notables
• Foreman enters Friday's game against TCU with 2,617 career rushing yards, good for 12th-most in school history. Earlier this season, he became the 50th player to surpass 1,000 career yards and just the 19th player to eclipse the 2,000-yard mark.
• He has done his damage on just 399 career carries, good for an average of 6.6 yards per carry.
• Of players ranked inside UT's top-20 for all-time rushing yards, nobody has fewer carries than Foreman's 399.
Foreman Season Notable Games
• Foreman has rushed for more than 150 yards in six games this season and has gone over 250 yards three times in the last four weeks.
• Last week against Kansas, Foreman rushed 51 times for 250 yards. The 51 attempts were a new school record.
• At Texas Tech, he rushed for 341 yards and three touchdowns, both career highs. His 341 yards were the third-most in school history and the most in the nation this season.
• Against Baylor, Foreman rushed for 250 yards and two touchdowns. That was the second-most in school history against an AP ranked team.
• He became the first player at Texas since Hodges Mitchell in 2000 with 200 yards rushing in back-to-back games.
Foreman Against The Big 12
• In eight Big 12 Conference games, Foreman has rushed 247 times for 1,575 yards (6.4 ypc) and 12 touchdowns.
• He has carried the ball at least 30 times in five games, setting a new career high each time with 30, 32, 33, 35 and 51 attempts against ISU, Baylor, TTU, WVU and Kansas respectively.
• He is averaging 196.9 yards per game against Big 12 foes this season.
Foreman Snaps 1,000 Yard Drought
• D'Onta Foreman became the first Texas Longhorn since Jamaal Charles in 2007 to rush for 1,000 yards in a season when he surpassed the mark against Baylor.
• He is the 23rd player in school history to reach the milestone.
• Foreman snaps a nine-year drought for Texas, the longest in school history since the program's first 1,000-yard rusher in 1966.
Foreman's Seven-Game TD Streak
• Prior to playing at Kansas State, D'Onta Foreman had rushed for a touchdown in seven consecutive games.
• During that seven-game span, he registered a career-high two touchdowns on the ground four different times.
• Foreman is one of 10 players in school history with a rushing touchdown in at least seven consecutive games.
• He has bounced back nicely, however, rushing for seven touchdowns over the past four games.
Spreading The Ball Around
• Through 11 games, UT has eight receivers with at least 17 receptions and six with more than 24.
• The Longhorns have eight players with at least 200 yards receiving and seven with more than 260.
• Eight Longhorns have found the end zone so far this season and six are tied for the team lead with three touchdown grabs.
The Freshman Connection
• True freshman QB Shane Buechele has found a connection with two of his classmates this season in Devin Duvernay and Collin Johnson.
• The duo has become one of the most productive freshman receiving duos in school history, totaling 41 catches for 603 yards and six touchdowns.
• Duvernay's three touchdowns have averaged 72.7 yards per catch, while he also leads the team averaging 17.7 yards per reception.
• Duvernay's streak of three consecutive games with a touchdown reception earlier this season was tied for the seventh-longest in school history.
• Prior to Saturday against Kansas, Johnson had caught a TD pass in back-to-back games, totaling three scores in those two games.
• Both Johnson and Duvernay are tied for second in school history for touchdown receptions in a season by a freshman.
Buechele Making History
• True freshman quarterback Shane Buechele has made history early in his career at Texas.
• He became the first true freshman QB in school history to start the first two games of his career and was just the second ever to start the season opener, joining Bobby Layne in 1944.
• His 11 starts are the most ever by a true freshman QB and tied for second-most by a freshman in school history.
• His five wins are tied with Bobby Layne (1944) for the most ever by a true freshman quarterback at Texas.
• He has completed 220-of-352 (62.5 %) passes for 2,740 yards and 21 touchdowns.
• His 2,740 yards are the most ever by a freshman in school history, while his 21 touchdown passes are the second-most (Colt McCoy, 29).
• Buechele is the first Texas QB since McCoy in 2009 to pass for 2,500 yards and at least 20 TDs in a season.
• Buechele reached the 1,000-yard mark in game five, the fastest freshman to ever reach the mark at UT.
• He reached the 2,000-yard mark in eight games, tied for second-fastest in school history.
• Against UTEP, Buechele passed for a true freshman-record four touchdowns.
• Buechele's 245 passing yards against Oklahoma were the third-most by a UT freshman in the game (293, Major Applewhite, 1998; 263, Shea Morenz, 1993) and most by a true freshman.
• His three passing touchdowns against the Sooners are tied for the most ever by a Longhorn in the Red River Showdown. Vince Young (2005) was the last to do so.
• Buechele has passed for at least 200 yards in nine games so far, including a career-high 318 yards against WVU.
• He has a touchdown pass in all 11 games this season and has had multiple TD passes in seven.
• His 2,740 passing yards and 21 touchdowns this season are second among all freshmen nationally.
Warrick Takes One To The House
• Senior wide receiver Jacorey Warrick scored his third touchdown of the season on Saturday at Kansas, setting a new career-long with a 75-yard sprint to the end zone.
• On UT's first play from scrimmage, Warrick caught a pass, eluded a defender and outran the entire Kansas defense to the end zone.
• Warrick caught three passes for a career-high 82 yards in Saturday's game.
• This season, Warrick has caught 27 passes (third-most on team) for 334 yards (fourth most) and three TDs (tied most). Prior to this season he had 16 career catches for 127 yards and no touchdowns.
Dickson A Threat For Longhorns
• Sydney, Australia native Michael Dickson was named a semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award on Nov. 11. He enters Friday's game ranked fourth in the nation and first in the Big 12 Conference averaging 47.3 yards per punt.
• Dickson has punted 57 times in 11 games for a total of 2,694 yards. Of his 57 punts, 22 have been more than 50 yards and 24 have been downed inside the 20.
• In total, 18 of his punts have been returned, for an average of 5.2 yards per return.
• As a team, Texas is first in the Big 12 and seventh nationally with a 42.0 net punting average.
• Against Notre Dame, Dickson set a new career long with a punt of 64 yards, and also a new career high and school record with his 55.0 yards per punt average. His five punts of more than 50 yards were also a new career high.
• Against Baylor, Dickson matched his career high with five punts of more than 50 yards. His long in the game was a 63-yarder, while he averaged 52.7 yards (fourth-best in school history) on his six attempts.
• In their win over Texas Tech, Dickson punted five times averaging 51.0 yards per punt (eighth-best in school history). He had two 60-yard punts and two downed inside the 10.
• Against WVU he punted four times. While three were returned, the combined return yardage was minus-3.
• Saturday against Kansas, Dickson punted a season-high eight times for an average of 43.8. KU's two return attempts went for minus-5 yards. Dickson had just one 50-yard punt, but downed four inside the 20 and three inside the 6.
Williams One Of Nation's Best
• Sophomore left tackle Connor Williams was named an Outland Trophy semifinalist, one of just five in the nation to earn that distinction.
• Through his first 10 games, Williams has graded at 90% four times and registered 24 knockdowns.
• He has started 10 games this season, leading the way for the nation's leading rusher, D'Onta Foreman.
• Williams has committed just two penalties this season in over 800 offensive snaps. More impressively, he has allowed just one sack.
First Time Starters, Players
• Besides true freshmen, 15 players have made their first career starts so far: RG Alex Anderson (UTEP), CB Kris Boyd (Oklahoma), S DeShon Elliott (Kansas), LB Edwin Freeman (Baylor), CB Sheroid Evans (ND), RB D'Onta Foreman (ND), RT Brandon Hodges (ND), WR Dorian Leonard (Iowa State), OL Jake McMillon (Oklahoma State), DT Chris Nelson (ND), WR Jake Oliver (Oklahoma State), DE Charles Omenihu (ND), LT Elijah Rodriguez (UTEP), SS Kevin Vaccaro (UTEP) and WR Jacorey Warrick (ND).
• An additional 12 players have made their first career appearance: K Mitchell Becker (ND), K Trent Domingue (ND), OL Garrett Graf (UTEP), WR Garrett Gray (Baylor), DS Jak Holbrook (ND), RB Tristian Houston (UTEP), DL Alex Mercado (UTEP), DL Patrick Ojeaga (UTEP), OL Garrett Thomas (UTEP), LB Cameron Townsend (UTEP), LB Johnny Tseng (UTEP) and TE Michael Wilson (ND).
Swoopes Nearing Historic Mark
• Senior quarterback Tyrone Swoopes became just the 13th player in school history to eclipse the 3,000 career passing yards mark in week three against Cal. Swoopes has now passed for 3,038 yards in his career.
• Additionally, he is just 49 rushing yards shy of 1,000 career yards. Swoopes could join Colt McCoy and Vince Young as the only three quarterbacks in school history to pass for 3,000 yards and rush for at least 1,000 in a career.
• Swoopes is looking to become just the sixth QB in school history to rush for 1,000 yards in their career.
Haines Has A Nose For The Ball
• Senior safety Dylan Haines has registered four interceptions this season for the Longhorns, good for 18th-most nationally.
• He recorded two interceptions in the Red River Showdown against Oklahoma. They were the Longhorns' first two interceptions of the season.
• He twice intercepted WVU quarterback Skyler Howard for his second multi-interception game of the season.
• Haines now has 13 career interceptions which he has returned for a combined 238 yards. His 13 career interceptions are tied with Chris Carter, Stanley Richard, Johnnie Johnson and Bobby Dillon for fifth-most in school history. His 238 interception return yards are second-most in school history.
Forcing Turnovers
• After forcing just one turnover in the first four games of the season, the Longhorns have flipped the script by forcing 18 turnovers in the last seven games.
• UT has forced multiple turnovers in six of seven games.
• The Longhorns have recovered 10 fumbles this season, 24th-most in the country. Their 19 turnovers are 39th-most nationally.
Enc'ROACH'ing On The Quarterback
• True freshman Malcolm Roach has shown a knack for getting to the quarterback so far this season. He recorded his third sack of the season against WVU, which moved him into a tie for 10th all-time among UT freshmen.
• In that game against WVU, Roach recorded a seven tackles and three tackles for loss, both career highs.
• So far this season, Roach has played in all 11 games and started four. He has 28 tackles, seven TFLs and three sacks.
Horns Hosting A Block Party
• So far in 2016, Longhorns' special teams have come up with five blocked kicks (two punts, two PATs, one field goal), tied for second-most in the country. Texas did not have a blocked kick in each of Charlie Strong's first two seasons.
• With two blocked PATs this season (OSU, TTU) Poona Ford became just the third Longhorn since 2003 with multiple blocked PATs in the same season joining Chris Whaley in 2012 and Marcus Tubbs in 2003. The two blocks also tie 2012 for most by a team in a single season since 2003 when five were blocked.
• True freshman Brandon Jones blocked a punt in back-to-back games against UTEP and California. He was the first Longhorn since Mykkele Thompson in 2012 to block a punt in consecutive games and only the fourth player at Texas since blocked kicks became an official stat in 1975.
• Jones' punt block against UTEP was the first blocked punt for Texas since Carrington Byndom did so vs. Texas Tech on Nov. 3, 2012.
• Jones is just the 12th player in school history to block multiple punts in the same season. The school record is four, owned by Aaron Williams (2008), Michael Griffin (2005) and Terrol Dillon (1999).
• Both punt blocks have led to points, as the block against UTEP led to a FG while against Cal it resulted in a safety.
• Junior Naashon Hughes blocked a Notre Dame field goal late in the third quarter of that game, as the Fighting Irish attempted to mount a comeback. The Longhorns eventually won in double-overtime, 50-47. For Texas, Hughes' field goal block was the first in the last 30 games. Jackson Jeffcoat was the last to block a field goal when he did so against Kansas on Nov. 2, 2013.
Hager Running Wild
• Sophomore FOX Breckyn Hager has been a catalyst for the Longhorns defense this season. He has played in all 11 games, making four starts.
• Hager has totaled 57 tackles, which is the third-most on the team. He has a team-high 11.5 tackles for loss and six sacks.
• Saturday at Kansas, Hager recorded a team-high seven tackles with 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack.
