Unpacking the first-down struggles for Texas vs. Tennessee
The Longhorns struggled on offense for much of the game because of poor first-down execution.
At Knoxville's Neyland Stadium, Texas' first-down struggles were evident, leading to a narrow 20-17 victory over Tennessee. Head coach Steve Sarkisian acknowledged that the team's performance on first down was subpar, as they were forced to defend until the final play. The Longhorns struggled with penalties, three-and-outs, and only managed one touchdown on their two successful touchdown drives.
In contrast, Tennessee's aggressive defensive scheme, led by defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, exploited Texas' weaknesses on early downs, resulting in sacks and forcing the offense into inefficient plays.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
