Crunch Time: Analyzing Texas’ third-down and red-zone performance vs. Georgia

The offense struggled against the Bulldogs, but where did it actually break down?

In a disappointing outcome for the Texas Longhorns on Saturday, head coach Steve Sarkisian’s team was defeated by the Georgia Bulldogs 30-15 thanks to offensive miscues, failed execution, and turnovers. For most of the game, the Texas offense struggled to move the ball with any rhythm.

In this edition of Crunch Time, we’ll analyze how Texas performed on third downs and in the red zone, two areas that are key for overall success.

Third downs

2-for-14 (14.3 percent)

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Texas struggled heavily on third down with an overall conversion rate of 14.3 percent. It wasn’t until 8:15 left in the game that Texas converted their first third down, a three-yard completion from Quinn Ewers to Ryan Wingo.

Texas fell behind early and failed to win on first and second down, which created obvious passing situations on third down. The Longhorns elected to throw the ball on 10-of-14 third downs with little success, completing just three passes for a total of 12 yards.

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Georgia’s defense was able to capitalize on these third-down scenarios by freeing up pass rushers and disguising coverages to successfully create havoc. In the game, Texas was sacked twice on and turned the ball over twice, a clear indicator of the chaos that Georgia created on third downs.

So far this season, Texas has struggled moving the chains when penalties or miscues help to create third and distance. The early struggles against Georgia on third down demonstrate a continuation of this trend.

On Texas’ first third down of the game, the Longhorns faced a 3rd and 9. Texas spread the field with a three-wide receiver look while Georgia opted to run Cover 2 man with a spy on Ewers. The Texas offensive line created a favorable pocket for Ewers. However, no wide receiver nor Gunnar Helm was able to create separation from their Georgia defender.

Ewers preemptively bailed on the pocket, which gave Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker, the spy, the green light to chase down Ewers and prompt a throw away.

On the next drive, a false start by Matthew Golden pushed a 3rd and 4 into a 3rd and 9. Ewers and Golden couldn’t connect, and the Longhorns punted.

The ensuing drive ended even more poorly for Texas. Facing 3rd and 5 at their own 27-yard line Texas failed to pick up a blindside corner blitz and Ewers would fumble the ball, setting up Georgia to take an early 7-0 lead.

Texas used running back Jaydon Blue as an added blocker in protection, but it did not matter. This strip sack was created by the creativity of the blitz. Texas had the advantage as Georgia only rushed five players. The disguised location and timing of the blitz is what created the turnover.

The third-down woes for Texas continue din the second quarter. The first three third downs for Texas resulted in two sacks and an interception. At that point, Sarkisian opted to give Ewers a chance to reset by putting in Arch Manning.

The struggles continued.

Heading into halftime, Texas was 0-for-7 on third downs having given up three sacks and turned the ball over twice.

To start the third quarter, the M.O. was different. Facing a 23-point deficit, the game plan changed in an attempt to mount a comeback. Third down no longer became the final offensive play of the drive but another opportunity to get close enough for a fourth down attempt. Sarkisian could run the ball on third and intermediate because he knew he was going for it on fourth down. Texas attempted five fourth downs in the second half, converting only one.

Unfortunately, the changed mindset did not create success. A key third down occurred on Texas’ second offensive possession of the second half. After scoring to cut the lead to 23-8 and forcing a Georgia punt, Texas was knocking on the door with the ball on the Georgia 29-yard line facing a 3rd and 5.

Sarkisian called a read option with Ewers opting to hand the ball off to Wisner as the Bulldogs scraped a linebacker off the edge behind the read defender and center Jake Majors was unable to execute his reach block on outside zone as a Georgia defensive tackle beat him badly.

Using Ewers to option off a defender was ineffective in slowing down the pursuit of the backside defenders because the linebacker scraped so quickly, forcing the give read, one of the many plays during the game when Georgia called a defense like they knew Sarkisian’s play call.

As a whole, Texas failed to diagnose the Georgia defense which led to poor execution. This was an issue on every down that was only magnified on third down. On third downs specifically, the Longhorns routinely lost at the line of scrimmage thanks to either missed assignments, failed blocking, or some combination of the two.

The Longhorns will need to improve on third downs. The ability to extend drives is crucial for putting points on the board. For the season, Texas has converted 38-of-86 (44.2 percent) third downs, which ranks 38th in the nation as the conversion rate took a big hit with the team’s worst third-down performance since going 2-of-15 against Kansas State last year.

Red zone

Three attempts, two TDs, one turnover on downs

Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images

Texas scored touchdowns on two of the three drives that reached the red zone, the lone failure the final drive of the game for the Horns.

For better or worse, the Texas offensive struggles were not centered around the red zone, a change from seasons past. Against the Dawgs, the Longhorns simply failed to get the ball into the red zone.

The first trip inside the Bulldog 20-yard line came on Texas’ opening drive in the third quarter. On this drive, Texas greatly benefitted from two Georgia penalties, a face mask and pass interference.

Facing 1st and goal from the 7-yard line, Sarkisian schemed up a chance for Wisner to catch the ball in space with a one-on-one opportunity to score, but the Georgia defender in coverage made a quick, clean tackle. The closing speed of the linebacker was noteworthy, but this is a play that Wisner, or any other running back, has to win. The ability to create these types of favorable matchups for Texas is difficult against an elite defense and have to be capitalized on.

The next play ended in a batted pass by a Georgia defensive lineman. Ewers was attempting to connect with Bond on the short side of the field on a pivot route that Ewers stared down, allowing the defender to get his hands up and bat the ball.

After drawing a defensive pass interference that moved the ball to the UGA 2-yard line, Texas punched it in. Sarkisian used an unbalanced formation and pre-snap motion to free Bond for an easy score. With the ball on the right hash, the lone Texas player on the far side of the field was Golden. Bond motioned from right to left at a jog before faking a return motion at full speed. This change in direction and speed freed enough space for Ewers to drop the ball in. Golden rubbed the Georgia corner just enough and Bond found pay dirt.

This play demonstrates how Bond’s physical attributes can be used to scheme him open. His speed, agility, and change of direction create natural separation between him and his defender before the ball is snapped, thanks to the pre-snap motion, which makes it easy for Ewers to deliver the ball for six. It’s a motion Sarkisian has successfully used in that area of the red zone to create touchdowns for DeVonta Smith and Xavier Worthy.

The other successful red-zone drive for Texas once again derived from Sarkisian creating a favorable matchup for a speedy Texas player. After a sack on 1st and goal from the 9-yard line, the Texas offense faced peril. With Blue in the backfield, Sarkisian lined Helm and Golden up just off the right tackle before sending all three players across the field on a space vacating, flood concept. With Helm leading the way and Golden following behind, the entire middle of the field was vacated by the Georgia defense.

Blue had a 1-on-1 matchup with a linebacker on a Texas route against a linebacker that gave a huge advantage to the Longhorns. Ewers hit him in stride for six.

On back-to-back red-zone possessions, Sarkisian was able to create one-on-one scenarios for his running backs thanks to the formation, scheme, and awareness that Georgia would be playing man coverage. Blue was able to cash in and tighten the score to an eight-point game.

Texas had one more chance in the red zone that ended unsuccessfully, but even a touchdown would have required an onside recovery on the ensuing kickoff.

Texas has slowed the blistering pace that they got off to, but remains improved in the red zone. The Longhorns have scored 28 touchdowns on 36 red-zone possessions for a touchdown rate of 77.8 percent, ninth nationally, while the overall red-zone scoring rate is 86.1 percent.