Texas football’s big guys are showing up in big ways

In the second quarter of Texas football’s matchup against Tennessee, junior defensive lineman Maraad Watson broke free from the line of scrimmage to hunt down Volunteers freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon.

Watson lunged forward, snagged Brandon’s legs and held on with a tight grip as the quarterback in his grasp buckled to the ground.

The play looked simple. But Watson’s sack exemplified what is emerging as a critical strength for the Longhorns’ defense this season: its biggest bodies aren’t afraid to get mobile to make important plays.

“Those are the plays as a coach that you really appreciate,” head coach Steve Sarkisian said of Watson’s sack in a media availability on Monday.

Sarkisian commended his defense’s ability to disrupt the quarterback in Knoxville on Saturday, acknowledging the large role played by junior edge rusher Colin Simmons’ dominant performance. But Sarkisian also wanted people to know how critical his front four were in the Longhorns’ defensive effort.

“I know the highlight is Colin … but I thought sophomore defensive lineman Lance Jackson had his best game since he’s been a Longhorn,” Sarkisian said. “I thought (Watson) had a heck of a game for us, and just the effort he showed.”

Fifth-year defensive lineman Hero Kanu also commended Watson for his work against Tennessee, calling him an “all-around type of guy.” Watson, Kanu said, is capable of both stopping the run and pressuring the pass.

Kanu and Watson were two of six players to tally a solo or assisted sack on Saturday, demonstrating both the strength and depth of Texas’ defensive front. The depth aspect is one that Sarkisian emphasized a few weeks ago when talking about Ian Geffrard, Arkansas transfer and senior defensive lineman.

“(Geffard) was playing 65-75 snaps a game (at Arkansas), and that’s a lot for a really big human being like him,” Sarkisian said. “You don’t have to play 65 snaps as an interior defensive lineman for us. Man, if you give us a really good 20-25, and that’s maximum effort, great technique, then your quality of film that you’re putting out there is a better product.”

Having more players to rotate in and out within a defensive line group is what allows for explosive plays like the one Watson made on Saturday. When a team’s trench players aren’t overworked to the point of exhaustion, they can move around more, rather than just plugging up the middle of the field with their size.

Defensive coordinator Will Muschamp’s brand of defense is an aggressive one, so this element of explosivity up front is critical to his satisfaction. It’s also crucial to winning on the road, as Kanu pointed out in his postgame media availability.

“All respect to our skill guys, but games like this are (about) winning the trenches,” Kanu said. “That’s just kind of the mentality we have. Once we go on the road, we got to impact the physicality and the running game.”

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