GAME BREAKDOWN
KEY MATCHUP: The Texas wide receivers vs. the Kansas State secondary. Texas has been in take-what-they-will-give mode the past two weeks in wins against USC and TCU and has thrived by taking the occasional shot downfield. But the Wildcats have had difficulty stopping the pass, surrendering 356 passing yards and five TDs through the air in a 35-6 loss at West Virginia last week. Expect the Longhorns to try to exploit the porous secondary.
DRAFT SLANT
–WR Collin Johnson has the size (6-foot-6, 215 pounds), athleticism and speed that the NFL loves, but he needs to be more aggressive. Texas coach Tom Herman has ordered his quarterbacks to go to the go-route to Johnson anytime and every time he draws single coverage, and that strategy worked for a 22-yard TD in the loss to Maryland. He now has 20 catches for 299 yards and two TDs combined in the first four games.
ROSTER REPORT:
–S Caden Sterns was named Big 12 Conference Newcomer of the Week following his standout performance against TCU on Saturday. It is the first time in his young career that he has earned weekly honors. The freshman racked up five tackles and two interceptions against the Horned Frogs. He is the first true freshman since DeShon Elliott in 2015 with two picks in a game, and just the third in school history (also Chris Carter vs. SMU, 1993). Sterns now has three interceptions through four games, tied with Kyle Richardson (1994) for the third-most by a true freshman in school history. Both Quandre Diggs (2011) and Chris Carter (1993) had four as true freshmen.
–C Zach Shackelford will be in action in practice on Tuesday for Texas, which will be close to full strength as far as injuries go when they travel to K-State. Shackelford has missed the past two games with a foot injury.
–LB/S DeMarvion Overshown (knee), who has yet to play this year but is expected to make a big contribution once healthy, will also practice and will likely get some time in his first collegiate game on Saturday.
–RB Keaontay Ingram was expected to return to practice this week after suffering a hip pointer Saturday and missing the Longhorns’ win the previous week against No. 22 USC.
–DBs Jarmarquis Durst and Montrell Estell are both considered doubtful for Saturday with a severe shoulder strain and a concussion, respectively.
–OL Patrick Hudson, who was hospitalized with heat-related conditions three weeks ago, is also considered doubtful. Hudson, who is back in classes after nearly a week in the hospital, goes to the doctor Monday to establish his return-to-play protocol.