In the fourth quarter of No. 3 Texas’ 31-14 win over the Kentucky Wildcats, the Longhorns executed a decisive 15-play, 86-yard drive that took 8:22 off the clock, relying entirely on the run game. The primary objective of the drive was not just to seal the victory and score the final touchdown, but also to protect the team’s quarterback, who was dealing with an ankle injury.
The quarterback had suffered a mild ankle sprain in the second quarter after a Kentucky defender executed a hip-drop tackle during a scramble. Following medical treatment, the injury tightened up, and head coach Steve Sarkisian made the decision to shift the focus of the offense to the running game. “I didn’t feel like it was worth continuing to expose him the way we were starting to run it,” Sarkisian explained. The coach emphasized that the run game had become the team’s strength in this game, despite the Longhorns’ usual pass-heavy approach. “For weeks we’ve been talking about how the run game is a by-product of the passing game, but today the run game was the key to the drill,” he said.
After the game, the quarterback described the injury as “a little bit tender,” but was confident he could play through it. On Sunday, following a precautionary MRI that showed no structural damage, it was confirmed that the injury was mild and would not prevent him from playing in the upcoming game against Texas A&M.
In the win over Kentucky, the quarterback completed 20 of 31 passes for 191 yards and two touchdowns. However, he attempted only five passes in the second half, completing three for 20 yards. Despite the injury, he remains optimistic and is looking forward to the team’s next rivalry game.
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