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The offense struggled early behind first time starter McLane Carter, but Nic Shimonek came and made plays in the clutch to win.
Quarterbacks: B
McLane Carter got the start against the Longhorns. The Sophomore played well in the first quarter going 13/16 and running for a touchdown, but after that Carter struggled to get anything going and threw two interceptions. The hero of the game was Shimonek, who came in halfway through the fourth quarter and went 4/8 and threw two crucial touchdowns to win the game. All in all, Shimonek's performance won the game offensively and deserves an A+. Carter looked much like Graham Harrell in 2006 and it will be interesting to see how the off season will go.
Running Backs: B-
From a numbers standpoint the running backs had a slow day, totaling only 62 yards. Despite the low numbers, the running backs were crucial in keeping the Longhorn defense honest and helped open up lanes for the receivers. Stockton was the leading rusher with 45 yards on seven carries before leaving the game with a possible concussion. Tre King returned and was fairly productive. Nisby was also utilized more which shows that he may be learning the offense a little better. Overall this unit did just enough to win the game.
Receivers: A
The receiving corps bounced back in a major way on Friday, recording 333 yards and two touchdowns. Keke Coutee was the leading receiver with nine catches for 168 yards. Cam Batson only recorded one catch: a 16 yard touchdown to win the game. T.J. Vasher had five catches for 127 yards and a touchdown. Vasher also did this:
That catch alone was enough to give this group an A.
Offensive Line: C+
The offensive line allowed three sacks and 10 tackles for a loss against the Texas front seven. Carter had to scramble nearly every play, which led to his two interceptions. Once again, the offensive line kept penalties to a minimum. On a positive note, this group will return all five starters next season so it will be interesting to see how much they improve over the spring.