Texas Running Game: Promise and Pressure | Texas Longhorns Football News

Texas Longhorns opened their season with a big win, powered by Hollywood Smothers’ explosive 45-yard first-play run, but the running game’s inconsistency exposed key flaws. Despite 156 yards on 36 carries, only one other gain topped 15 yards — and even “bad runs” need to be 3-4 yards to set up manageable downs. Defensive stunts from Ohio State’s Bobcats disrupted outside zone plays, compounded by injuries to linemen like Goosby and Seymore and players still recovering from conditioning gaps. The coaching staff is rotating left guard to build chemistry, knowing cohesive line play is vital for unlocking the offense’s potential. With a brutal test against top-ranked Ohio State looming — whose defense excels at collapsing the pocket and stopping the run — Texas can’t rely on last year’s formula. Execution, especially on outside zone, must improve fast if they hope to compete. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/2979b7b8d22ba1bf