The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
No. 2/2/3 Football’s Broughton, Wisner garner SEC weekly honors
12.02.2024 | Football
The senior defensive lineman and sophomore running back received weekly honors from the Southeastern Conference office Monday following Texas’ 17-7 victory at Texas A&M on Nov. 30.
AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Football's Vernon Broughton and Quintrevion Wisner earned weekly honors from the Southeastern Conference (SEC), the conference office announced Monday. Broughton was named Co-Defensive Player of the Week and Wisner claimed Co-Offensive Player of the Week. It's the first career weekly honors for both.
The Longhorns have collected 15 SEC weekly accolades by 11 different players this season.
The duo played essential roles in Texas' 17-7 win at No. 20/19/20 Texas A&M on Nov. 30, which clinched the Horns an SEC Championship Game berth.
Wisner rushed for a career-high 186 yards on 33 carries (5.6 ypc) and added two catches for 21 yards to total 207 yards. The 186 rushing yards are the fourth-most ever by a Longhorn in the storied series history against Texas A&M. Wisner joined a group in the top five of that category that includes UT legends Cedric Benson, Ricky Williams and Earl Campbell. On Texas' second drive of the game, Wisner contributed runs of 22, 11 and 10 yards as part of 42 yards for him, as the Longhorns mounted a 10-play, 93-yard touchdown drive for a 7-0 lead. Wisner registered 119 rushing yards in the second half. In the third quarter, the Glenn Heights, Texas, product rushed for 43 and 33 yards, respectively, on consecutive drives that both put Texas inside the Texas A&M 10-yard line. Turnovers ended the drives, but they also helped take a combined 10:34 off the clock on 23 plays for 142 yards. In the fourth quarter, Wisner had consecutive drives where on the first he had four-straight carries for 27 yards, and on the second he had six-straight for 21 yards that helped take almost six minutes off the clock combined. After the Longhorns forced a fumble on the next Texas A&M possession, they were able to kneel out the clock. For the season, Wisner now has the fourth-most rushing yards in the SEC with 812. Wisner is part of a Texas offense that ranks 15th scoring offense (36.5 ppg) and 18th in total offense (449.4 ypg).
Broughton set career single-game highs of two sacks, two tackles for loss and two QB hurries, along with making a critical fourth-quarter fumble recovery. The fumble recovery, which was his team-leading third this season, came on Texas A&M's last series of the game and allowed Texas to kneel out the clock for the win. In the second quarter, Broughton had consecutive plays where his QB hurry forced an incompletion, and then he collected a seven-yard sack to end a Texas A&M drive that had entered Texas territory and force a punt. On the ensuing drive, the offense drove for a touchdown and a 14-0 lead. Broughton got his second sack on the next series that came on 2nd-and-6 and led to a three-and-out. The Longhorns kicked a field goal on their next possession for a 17-0 lead. The other QB hurry was on the first possession of the second half for Texas A&M and came on a 3rd-and-8 at midfield to again force a punt. The Longhorns drove 78 yards on the next possession inside the 10-yard line, but a turnover stopped the drive. The Houston native's last tackle was for no gain, but it was the third-down play from the 1-yard line that was part of a key goal line stand in the fourth quarter that resulted in a turnover on downs to maintain a 10-point lead with 4:36 to go in the game. The fumble recovery then came on the next Texas A&M drive. Texas A&M was averaging 200 yards rushing (208.4), 200 passing (208.7) and 32.5 points per game entering the contest. Texas held the Aggies to 102 rushing and 146 passing, while their offense did not score. The Longhorns prevented a Texas A&M offense that led SEC (2nd FBS) in red zone offense (95.6%) from scoring on its two attempts. Broughton is part of a Texas defense that leads the FBS in passing yards allowed (143.7 ypg), is second in scoring defense (11.7 ppg) and passing efficiency defense (94.93), is third in total defense (247.2 ypg), red zone defense (.667), passes intercepted (18) and first down defense (177), and leads the SEC in all of those categories. It also ranks fifth in the FBS in turnovers gained (26), sixth in third-down conversion percentage defense (0.303), 12th in rushing defense (103.5 ypg), 15th in sacks (2.92), and 19th in tackles for loss (7.1).
Up next, the Longhorns take on No. 5/5/7 Georgia in the 2024 SEC Championship Game at 3 p.m. CT, Saturday, Dec. 7, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. ESPN's College GameDay will be airing live from Atlanta from 8-11 a.m. Saturday hosted by Rece Davis, Lee Corso, Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee, Nick Saban, Kirk Herbstreit and other ESPN personalities.
