West Virginia is coming off a great defensive performance against Virginia Tech, a Black Diamond rivalry win where the Mountaineers held the Hokies to just 35 rushing yards.
Thanks to Defensive Coordinator Jordan Lesley. He said the Mountaineers would be prepared for the Hokies’ strong attack, and they were.
Now Lesley’s defense will have to do it again Saturday night against Texas, where the Longhorns’ ground game, headlined by their tandem of three running backs and a pair of mobile quarterbacks, averaged nearly 166 yards per game.
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“The problem is you can only control so many people, so you have to decide what the best plan is,” Lesley said. “There are times when the tendencies come back, or it’s based on headcount. We have to be able to adapt against a team like that.”
The Texas three-back is led by Bijan Robinson, who has 414 yards and seven touchdowns in four games. Roschon Johnson (146 yards, TD) and Keilan Robinson also make an impact in the backfield for the Longhorns.
Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian used all three players in his offense against Texas Tech last week in a variety of formations, a strategy that West Virginia has seen several times this season.
“Sark is doing a great job with all those guys,” said Mountaineers head coach Neal Brown. “The whole room is talented. Bijon Robinson is good or better than any college football player in the country. Roschon Johnson is a physical runner. They have also used it a lot in the wild cat. Keilan Robinson can make you miss.”
Brown even gave an extra nod to Bijan Robinson, saying he remembers a 54-meter run Robinson, a then-freshman, performed during the teams’ match-up in 2020, where Texas took a 17-13 win. Robinson didn’t play in West Virginia’s win last season due to injury.
“He’s a five-tool player,” Brown said. “He blocks really well in the pass protection, they even use him as a lead. They split him wide in an empty formation. He is an indoor and outdoor runner who has the speed to hit the home run and the power to run in. That kid is special.”
Speed is an asset that Lesley also used for the attack of the Longhorns. West Virginia has managed to contain the opposition in three of its four games, with the exception of Kansas, where the Jayhawks rushed for 200 yards and four touchdowns.
The Mountaineer defense’s performance against Pittsburgh (76 rushing yards allowed), Towson (82) and Virginia Tech (35) brought the season average down to 98.2 per game, finishing third in the Big 12 and 25th in the FBS. If the trend continues, this would be the first time West Virginia has allowed less than 131.8 yards per game under Brown.
“Speed is speed,” said Lesley. “You can’t hit what you can’t catch. Texas is creating space with speed, and that’s what gives us a problem. If you get space with speed, it becomes problematic there. We have to limit the space or stop the speed before it starts.”
The Longhorns’ two solid quarterbacks, Hudson Cord and Quinn Ewers, have both seen time on the field this season as Ewers sustained an injury during Texas’ Week 2 game against Alabama. After serving as a starter for most of last season, Cord served as a backup before Ewers was sidelined.
With both ready to play Saturday night, Lesley and the Mountaineers will have to be prepared for a deep pass or a tuck-and-run, especially in third place, something Sarkisian is known for. West Virginia was set up to defend the Longhorns’ multiple personnel packs, with the tight end serving as bait.
“It’s a formation, shift, movement or whatever it is,” Lesley said. “It’s confusing to the eyes and getting the match-up that you find favorable. In their case, it’s not that hard for them (because of the talent). That’s what they are: explosive, fast. They have on almost every position a game-making ability.”
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