PLAYERS TO WATCH
–QB Sam Ehlinger, a sophomore, had taken every snap at the position this year until suffering a sprained shoulder early in the Longhorns’ win over Baylor on Oct. 13. He returned against Oklahoma State and was impressive, going 22-of-42 for 283 yards and two touchdowns while adding 47 yards and two more scores on the ground.
–WR Collin Johnson, a junior, had a team-leading five catches for 65 yards against Oklahoma State. Johnson is the huge, intermediate target that the Texas needs to help open up the offense because the 6-foot-6 receiver can go over or through most of the defensive backs that are covering him. He has 47 catches for 628 yards and five TDs in the first eight games.
–LB Gary Johnson, a senior who came to Texas last year after playing in junior college, has asserted himself as the Longhorns’ do-everything linebacker and as one of the team’s leaders. Johnson registered a team-high 10 tackles, 2 1/2 of them for loss including a sack, in the loss to Oklahoma State.
–CB Kris Boyd continues his enigmatic play (and off-field actions) two-thirds of the way into the 2018 campaign. Boyd was suspended for the first quarter of the loss to Oklahoma State and was ineffectual when he got in the game, drawing criticism. Boyd has the skills to be a true shutdown corner — as long as he can keep his emotions in check.
SERIES HISTORY: West Virginia leads Texas 4-3. Last season, Texas gained bowl eligibility with a 28-14 win on the road in Morgantown. WVU has won three of the four previous meetings played in Austin, including a 24-20 win in 2016.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “Guys are starting for a reason, and it’s because they are playing better than the other guy. Any time you have a starter go down, by definition, the quality of play might go down a little bit. That’s why it’s so important when your number is called, that when you’re ready. We’re on our way in terms of, you know, creating some depth, but we’ve certainly got to accelerate it.” — Texas coach Tom Herman on his team’s depth.