Our staff roundtable discusses the impact from key freshman’s and early takeaways

Was Saturday’s win over Michigan a “statement game”?

Daniel Seahorn (@DanielSeahorn) – Absolutely. Maybe not as big of a statement as the game in Tuscaloosa was last year, but anytime you go on the road in an environment like that and smack up a top-10 team by double digits it’s a statement.

Gerald Goodridge (@ghgoodridge) – There’s no way to say it wasn’t. I know Michigan was vastly overrated based on what they did a year ago, but Texas went into their house and absolutely smacked them. I honestly think Texas could have put up a 50-burger if they wanted to, but didn’t have to pull out all the stops. Texas looked unphased by the unfriendly confines of the Big House, Quinn Ewers looked like a legit Heisman candidate, and, perhaps most importantly, the Texas offensive line straight-up dominated the most talented defensive line they’ll see all year. The Longhorns may have some tough games in the grind of the SEC, but Texas looks like they’re a force this year.

Cameron Parker (@camerondparker) – If the statement is “Texas is not messing around” then yes. I don’t care if Michigan isn’t as good as they were last year – they still are the defending national champions with one of the best defenses in the country and one of the best environments in college football. And the game was over after the first touchdown from Texas.

Jacob Neidig (@jneidig_2) – Yes*. This win was a huge sign to the rest of the college football world. It demonstrated that Texas football is ready to compete at the highest level this year. However, a statement game is rarely this early in the season, especially given that success for this team will be measured where they finish the year, not Week 2. Huge win. Strong message. Hopefully not the biggest statement though.

What was your biggest takeaway from the win?

Daniel Seahorn – Texas being so much faster and more physical than Michigan who is a program who prides themselves on those elements. This game was never close and their was noticeable gap between the two teams on the field.

Gerald Goodridge – People are underrating Gunnar Helm. There’s nothing better for an offense than a tight end that can be both an in-line blocker and a threat in the passing game and Helm showed he could be both on Saturday. As much as I love JT Sanders, he wasn’t a plus blocker for Texas, so having a guy like Helm who can be a legit playmaker in the passing game and create an edge for your runners in a zone scheme is a big deal.

Cameron Parker – Quinn Ewers may be the best quarterback in the country. QB1 was calm and collected. His footwork in the pocket was impressive. He didn’t turn the ball over once. He didn’t let Michigan’s DL impact his ability to throw the ball. I don’t know which throw was more impressive: the touchdown to Gunner Helm or the touchdown to Matthew Golden. Even the throws to Isaiah Bond on the opening drive and the touchdown throw to DeAndre Moore were impressive in their own right! If he stays healthy, Quinn is winning the Heisman.

Jacob Neidig – The future skill positions at Texas are in very good hands. The Michigan game highlighted the abilities of numerous underclassmen skill players against some of the best in the country. I was quite impressed with freshmen Jerrick Gibson and Ryan Wingo. In the red zone, Gibson ran the ball on three straight plays and scored. Wingo continued to impress and flash elite explosive capabilities. Beyond just the freshmen, many sophomores looked more than capable of holding their own against the best in the nation. The future is bright.

Which freshman flashed the most for you against Michigan: Jerrick Gibson or Collin Simmons?

Daniel – Collin Simmons for me. That dude had the right tackle in absolute shambles down the home stretch. He has some legitimate juice as a pass rusher and is only going to get better as he gets his feet wet with more exposure.

Gerald – This is a close one, because watching Collin Simmons bend the edge and pressure the quarterback was a religious experience, but I think it’s Gibson for me. Texas needs that kind of “get in there and grind” kind of player and Gibson looks to be ahead of schedule. Quintrevion Wisner is definitely house money, but with Jaydon Blue continuing to get banged up, Gibson coming in and carrying water was eye-opening.

Cameron – Simmons is going to be a monster but I’ll zag and say Jerrick Gibson. I love the way he runs the football. He has a “get out of my way” attitude on every carry. We all assumed Jaydon Blue would be the 1K-yard rusher but I think it’ll be Gibson.

Jacob – Simmons. Simmons showed for the first time that he can physically compete and dominate throughout a game. His disruption in the backfield was something that Texas undeniably needed against Michigan. The frequency he impacted the game flashed slightly more than Gibson and his carries.

What is your score prediction for Saturday? Texas -34.5 or UTSA +34.5?

Daniel (2-0/1-1 ATS) – I’m not usually one who likes to mess with big spreads, but UTSA has not looked great and Frank Harris ain’t walking through that door. Texas 56, UTSA 6

Gerald (2-0/2-0 ATS) – This implies that Vegas thinks that Texas is five points worse than Texas State. But seriously, Texas State won by 39 points and I think Texas probably flirts with 50 again and keeps UTSA out of the end zone. Texas 49, UTSA 0.

Cameron (2-0/1-1 ATS) – Texas 52, UTSA 3 – UTSA’s offense struggled against Texas State – scoring only 10 points. Texas has only allowed 12 points all season. I think PK’s unit keeps the Roadrunner’s offense in single digits while the offense runs rampant.

Jacob (2-0/2-0 ATS) – Texas 48, UTSA 6 – In years past, this would have been a trap game where UTSA hangs around far longer than they should. Not on Saturday. Texas dominates this game. I don’t see any way that the offense gets stopped. I’d expect a lot of Longhorns to see the field.