Crunch Time: Breaking down Texas’ third-down and red-zone performance vs. ULM

While the Longhorns cruised to victory, did they execute every area of the game? Let’s check out the performance on third downs and in the red zone.

The No. 1 Texas Longhorns are 4-0 and rolling. In the latest edition of football on the 40 Acres, redshirt freshman quarterback Arch Manning made his heralded debut as a starter and with the help of running back Jaydon Blue and a ferocious defensive performance, Manning was able to secure his first career victory in a 51-3 win over the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks.

As expected, there were hiccups and bad decisions mixed in with his brilliant arm talent and athleticism. A particular point of emphasis for Manning and the entire offense is performing when things matter.

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

Third downs

7-of-12 (58.3 percent)

Texas converted 7-of-12 (58.3 percent) of third downs, the second-highest conversion rate in the early season. Against the Warhawks, the recipe for success was throwing the ball and staying in manageable distances.

Five of the seven first downs came via the air and garnered a ridiculous 127 yards. While Texas produced a lot of yards through the air, they weren’t needed for conversions — for the game, the Longhorns had only two third downs of nine-plus yards.

The success on third down started early. Facing 3rd and 3, Sarkisian opted to go five wide with Blue and tight end Gunnar Helm split out. With the ball on the left hash, Helm and wide receiver DeAndre Moore Jr. both ran from the far side of the field across Manning’s face and Manning found Moore for the first down.

Moore showcased his talents in getting open, letting the play develop before quickly faking outside and slanting to the grass that Helm cleared in the middle of the field. He took a big hit, but held onto the ball for a big first down.

Texas was bailed out on two penalties later in the half when Helm was dragged down by the jersey, garnering a 15-yard penalty, and wide receiver Ryan Wingo drew a pass interference call. Both automatically reset the chains.

In the third quarter, the lack of timing and reps between Manning and the starting skill position players hurt Texas on third down.

After getting turned around in the pocket on 3rd and 5, Manning tried dumping the ball off to Blue, who had chipped and swung. Manning rushed the throw and didn’t quite reset his feet after surveying left and middle. The pass sailed just enough to fall incomplete to the turf.

With time, Manning will be more comfortable make a full rotation of the field on every throw. He has the skills to do it now. He can’t do it on every play, though. Yet.

On this particular play, Manning started his progression on the left before resetting to the middle right of the field. In this transition, Manning was able to quickly plant his feet, hips, and shoulders toward the new target. However, when he tried going from middle right to the right flat, he didn’t bring everything all the way around. He brought his feet, slightly, and he turned his hips, but they didn’t align with his shoulders or target.

He made the throw off balance with his foundation off target. The reasoning for his misalignment is multifaceted. Jumping to a third progression is difficult for any college quarterback. It’s also possible Manning got slightly antsy in the pocket and felt pressure, even though it wasn’t there. Lastly, the throw was a short dump off that he can make in his sleep. It’s likely he chose speed over mechanics given the distance of the throw.

Regardless of the reason, his footwork and mechanical precision didn’t operate in a balance and accurate manner, so the throw wasn’t on target.

Being able to survey the entire field and drop the ball off to a third read, check down is maturity beyond Manning’s years. With more time and reps, he’ll be able to do it routinely, without error.

Initial progression. Left side of field. Feet, hips, and shoulders aligned.

Second progression. Middle right of field. Hips and shoulders aligned toward target.

Pre release on check down. Feet misaligned. Hips and shoulders off target. Unbalanced.

Post release on check down. Falling backwards. Body not aligned. Sailed throw.

Like this play, Manning showed skills today, abilities for the future, and lessons to learn. The offense as a whole performed very well on third down, a trend that has remained consistent through four games.

So far, Texas has converted third downs at a rate of 52.0 percent, which is 15th nationally. Last season, the Longhorns finished 70th in the country with a rate of 38.4 percent.

Red zone

Seven trips, seven touchdowns

There’s just not much to say about the red-zone performance. Texas scored five rushing touchdowns and two passing scores going a perfect 7-for-7 on Saturday.

After missing last week, Blue ran the ball with a vengeance especially in the red zone, scoring four touchdowns.

The Blue red-zone show started on the first trip for the Longhorns. After a long pass to wide receiver Isaiah Bond set up the offense at the 12-yard line, Sarkisian called four straight run plays, each to Blue. He capitalized.

Each of the four plays were designed hit inside. No outside zone. Sarkisian deliberately wanted to set the tone and run it right down the throats of the Warhawks.

The depth and versatility of the current Texas team and the play calling of Sarkisian was on full display in the red zone against ULM. Two weeks ago, freshmen running back Jerrick Gibson took three straight handoffs from the 20 and punch it into the end zone against Michigan. Last week, on the first scoring driving, Sarkisian called eight straight passes, two of which were in the red zone. This week, the red-zone recipe was a new running back taking four straight carries to pay dirt.

I was particularly impressed by Blue’s ability to make a defender miss in the backfield and turn the play into positive yards, even in the red zone. In both plays pictured below, he gained positive yardage.

With the score 14-0, Texas was driving. A Blue run set up Texas with a 1st and 10 at the ULM 17-yard line. Sarkisian dialed up a modern-day double move that freed Wingo in the end zone with enough space that Grandpa Archie could have made the throw. On the play wide receiver Johntay Cook faked a bubble screen while Manning sold a pump fake that got them both nominated for an Academy Award before dropping a great ball into the waiting arms of Wingo.

The next red-zone trip for Texas once again highlighted the play-calling prowess of Sarkisian and his ability to create favorable matchups for Texas players. With a 1st and 10 from the ULM 14-yard line, Sarkisian dialed up a route for Blue that gave him a chance to run away from a linebacker and waltz in for six.

With the ball in the middle of the field. Blue was lined up off right of Manning behind Helm, who was in a two point stance next to the right tackle. Bond was just a few yards outside the left tackle while Golden was near the top of the numbers on the right side. Cook came across the formation on a rocket motion from the left to the right leaving Bond as the only player on the left side of the field.

Bond’s route brought him across the field which freed Blue to use the entire left side of the field. Before taking off, Manning faked a handoff to Blue which gave him a head start on the route and froze the linebacker responsible for covering the speedy back. Blue’s route attacked vertically with a combination of a seam and wheel route. Unfortunately, Manning wasn’t able to complete the pass, but the play design was creative and effective.

This play also gives future opponents so much to recognize and prepare for — the rocket motion opens up jet sweeps, screen passes, and more for Cook right after the snap. The handoff away from the motion and tight end, stretches the defense and forces the front seven to quickly make a decision on how to react while distracting from the true play. This also sets up Manning (or Ewers) to roll right, something each has done during the year.

The route combination from the pre snap alignment and motion are also endless. This formation gives Texas multiple flood concepts to use at its disposal. It also allows Helm a wide range of potential routes including seams, crosses, and more.

While this play was not successful against ULM, it did create a very favorable match up for Texas and perhaps more importantly gave opposing defensive coordinators enough wrinkles to prepare for that they can’t guard all of them.

Later in the drive, Sarkisian used scatback Ryan Niblett creatively as well.

Sarkisian used a two-tight end, trips-right bunch formation with a flood left concept to free up an entire side of the field. After sending one tight end and one wide receiver away, Sarkisian brought Helm into a lead blocking role for Niblett, who caught the swing pass and took it to the goal line for a huge 3rd and 9 conversion.

Helm has been phenomenal this year, blocking wise and catching passes. His ability to take a ULM defender and clear him out of the play gave Niblett enough room to dance around the other defenders for the first down.

Texas scored two plays later.

On the first red-zone trip of the second half, Sarkisian once again demonstrated his confidence in the running game, calling three straight runs from inside the ULM 20.

Gibson found paydirt from two yards out after Blue rushed the ball six of the seven plays on the drive, an unimportant but funny note that former running back Fozzy Whittaker commented on from the broadcasting booth during the game. Blue ended the game with four touchdowns even with Gibson “vulturing” him on that possession.

Texas went on to score two more touchdowns in the red zone, both in the fourth quarter.

For the season, Texas has scored on 22-of-23 (95.7 percent) red-zone possession, which is tied for 19th nationally. Last year, the Longhorns finished 87th nationally with a red-zone conversion rate of 80.3 percent. Texas’ red-zone touchdown rate has dramatically improved since last year. Currently sitting at 91.3 percent, the conversion rate slots well above last year’s touchdown rate of 50.8 percent. Currently, Texas leads the nation in re-zone touchdowns with 21 and are tied for fifth in re-zone rushing TDs and first overall in red zone passing touchdowns.