Get all your news in one place.

100’s of premium titles.
One app.

Start reading

Get all your news in one place.

100’s of premium titles. One news app.

Start reading

Tribune News Service

Sport

Mac Engel

Mac Engel: Despite the effort against Oklahoma, only COVID is saving Texas' Tom Herman in 2020

Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler (7) gives a look to the student sedition after scoring a touchdown in the second overtime against Texas at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020. Oklahoma won in quadruple overtime, 53-45. (Tom Fox/Dallas Morning News/TNS)

DALLAS _ From the mostly empty stands to the closed Texas State Fair, nothing about the Red River WhateverItsCalledNow felt right, but the game itself was a deep-fried crazy delight.

It was a shame only 24,000 were allowed inside the Cotton Bowl on Saturday; Texas-OU was the best of the maddening, take-a-drink lunacy that is college football.

From awful coaching decisions by OU's Lincoln Riley, atrocious officiating, endless injury timeouts, college kickers being college kickers, the COVID edition of the Red River rivalry will never be forgotten.

Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler (7) tries to shake Texas linebacker DeMarvion Overshown (0) during a run in the second overtime at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020. Oklahoma won in quadruple overtime, 53-45. (Tom Fox/Dallas Morning News/TNS)

For the University of Texas, here end the positives.

Texas lost to Oklahoma again. And if Texas can't beat this Oklahoma team this year, your power program has major problems.

Unranked Oklahoma defeated Texas 53-45 in four overtimes. The name "Texas" implies power, its performance does not.

Oklahoma linebacker David Ugwoegbu (2) and the rest of the defense celebrate a blocked punt in the second quarter against Texas at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020. Oklahoma won in quadruple overtime, 53-45. (Tom Fox/Dallas Morning News/TNS)

As "The Eyes of Texas" played a recorded version over the sound system _ bands were not allowed inside _ Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger was one of the few UT players to stand and flash the "Hook 'Em" on the field.

"Mistakes in crucial times," Ehlinger said after the game. "The best teams don't do that."

Texas is 2-2, and the only thing saving Herman from the firing line in 2020 is COVID.

Texas Longhorns fans raise their Hook'em Horns hand sign as the cannon explodes and the ball is kicked off to start the Red River Rivalry against Oklahoma at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020. Oklahoma won in quadruple overtime, 53-45. (Tom Fox/Dallas Morning News/TNS)

After Herman's fifth game against Oklahoma as the head coach of Texas, the evidence grows that his hiring was only because of circumstance and timing.

TOM HERMAN'S SECURITY

The Texas-exes are mad, and an increasing number of former Texas Longhorns players are burning up their social media account to take aim at the current state of their college team.

Oklahoma running back T.J. Pledger (5) is flipped in the air by the Texas cornerback Chris Brown (15) at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020. Oklahoma won in quadruple overtime, 53-45. (Tom Fox/Dallas Morning News/TNS)

Under Herman, Texas is neither a good team, nor program. They aren't bad, either. All of this is horrible.

We are not looking at a program just going through a down cycle, which is what Oklahoma is going through. We're just looking at a program that is Oklahoma State South.

Herman was not hired to be better than his predecessor, Charlie Strong, but rather to emulate the success and meet the standard established by Mack Brown.

Oklahoma fans cheer in the first half against Texas at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020. Oklahoma won in quadruple overtime, 53-45. (Tom Fox/Dallas Morning News/TNS)

Instead, Tommy Boy's first four years in Austin are looking a lot like Mack's last four in Austin.

Tommy's Horns are 27-17 overall, and 1-4 against Oklahoma.

In the final four years of the Mack Brown regime, the Horns were 30-21, and 1-3 against Oklahoma.

Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger (11) avoids the sack attempt by Oklahoma linebacker Nik Bonitto (11) and defensive lineman Jordan Kelley (88) during the third quarter at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020. Oklahoma won in quadruple overtime, 53-45. (Tom Fox/Dallas Morning News/TNS)

Herman has as many wins against Oklahoma when he was the head coach at Houston as he does as the head coach of Texas.

Texas is as close to winning a national title today as the day Herman was hired in November of 2016.

Put away your dreams of luring Urban Meyer away from the broadcast booth. Like everything else in our world, that proposition is at least a year away.

Texas wide receiver Jordan Whittington (4) is forced out of bounds by Oklahoma defensive back Tre Brown (6) and linebacker Brian Asamoah (24) during the first quarter at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020. Oklahoma won in quadruple overtime, 53-45. (Tom Fox/Dallas Morning News/TNS)

Athletic director Chris Del Conte is not going to fire Herman, who is owed more than $6.5 million per year through 2023.

Not that money matters to Texas. CDC hates firing people, and the abnormality of the season will provide every major coach in college football and men's basketball a one year reprieve. Herman has more time to fix this.

Watching his team play before 24,000 at the Cotton Bowl, he doesn't just need more time, but talent. And coaching.

Texas defensive back D'Shawn Jamison (5) knocks a potential touchdown pass out of the hands of Oklahoma wide receiver Charleston Rambo (14) during the second overtime at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020. Oklahoma won in quadruple overtime, 53-45. (Tom Fox/Dallas Morning News/TNS)

In three-plus seasons, not a lot has changed.

In games decided by seven points or less under Herman, Texas is 12-11. That includes a come-from-behind 2-point home win over Kansas last season, and does not include the loss to Oklahoma on Saturday.

Bad penalties, killer special teams mistakes and often inept tackling are the trends.

Oklahoma wide receiver Drake Stoops (12) crosses the goal line with the game-winning touchdown as Texas defensive back Chris Brown (15) attempts the tackle in quadruple overtime at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020. Oklahoma won in quadruple overtime, 53-45. (Tom Fox/Dallas Morning News/TNS)

"They are all on coaching when players don't execute," Herman said.

THIS TEXAS' COMEBACK DENIED

Before the insanity of the game's final five minutes, and four overtimes, Texas was outplayed by a team that is not the same Oklahoma as we have seen in the previous five years.

Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger (11) spins away from Oklahoma defensive lineman Isaiah Thomas (95) during the fourth quarter at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020. Oklahoma won in quadruple overtime, 53-45. (Tom Fox/Dallas Morning News/TNS)

The Longhorns defense provided their offense three turnovers in the first half that led to Oklahoma to bench quarterback Spencer Rattler, and should have put Texas ahead.

At one point in the first half, Texas started drives at the Oklahoma 11, the Oklahoma 19, and their own 18-yard line after forcing turnovers.

But Texas' rugby style punter actually had a punt blocked, and all of the positive Texas activity early in the game resulted in a 17-17 score.

Oklahoma wide receiver Charleston Rambo (14) makes an acrobatic catch after he and Texas defensive back Josh Thompson (9) went up for a first-half pass at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020. Oklahoma won in quadruple overtime, 53-45. (Tom Fox/Dallas Morning News/TNS)

"I can't tell you how many times we drilled our punt team this week; it's uncountable," Herman said. "This is something that's never happened since we've had this punt protection."

After that, Oklahoma coach Riley wisely reinstated Rattler, and that was it. Rattler just ran it, and Texas could not stop it and fell behind 31-17.

Oklahoma then fell back, and Texas finally moved forward.

Texas linebacker Juwan Mitchell (6) takes a knee after a 53-45 loss in quadruple overtime against Oklahoma Sooners in the Red River Rivalry at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020. (Tom Fox/Dallas Morning News/TNS)

Much like UT's game at Texas Tech three weeks ago, Texas scored two touchdowns with less than four minutes to play to send its game against OU into overtime.

Some of it was made possible by Riley's decision to attempt a pass on third-and-9 with less than two minutes remaining that resulted in an incompletion that stopped the clock.

After trading touchdowns in the first two overtimes, Texas settled for a field goal in the third OT, which was blocked. Oklahoma's attempt to win it there ended with a 31-yard missed field goal.