Texas-Rice notebook: Tom Herman writes the story in a jiffy

HOUSTON – Longhorns head coach Tom Herman did something he had never done before.

After winning the draw with a header, Herman chose to receive the ball to start the game.

This is the first draw that Texas has won this season. But the Longhorns have won 16 shots in the 2017 and 2018 seasons. They have deferred to the second half every 16 times. When Herman was the head coach of Houston in 2015 and 2016, he also postponed the 15 coin throws won by the Cougars.

At his post-game press conference, Herman said he had chosen to play football for several reasons. As UT was expected to win easily, he wanted an extra run in the first half for his first offense. Rice also operating a heavy attack in the race, Herman was tired of a scenario in which Owls opened the match with a time-consuming command as his attack cooled on the sidelines.

Texas started the game with a 12-yard, 82-yard touchdown touchdown on Roschon Johnson's 25-yard touchdown.

"I thought it was a good decision," Herman said. "All the staff has been involved. Thank the children too for taking this record and scoring a goal. "

Offensive back Keaontay Ingram, who touched the ball in UT's first five games, said the Longhorns had an idea of ​​Rice and the pace of the match in that initial possession.

Football is football: Texas rookie Jake Smith led UT with 75 receiving yards. His six receptions also allowed his team-mate Devin Duvernay to win the match.

Smith scored 53 and 12 yards in the first half. For the seventh time in the school, a freshman made two touchdown passes in one game. Collin Johnson completed this feat for the last time in 2016 at Texas Tech.

In three games, Smith has converted three of his 11 receptions into touchdowns. While he continues to adapt to college football, Smith said his "confidence was growing gradually."

"For me, football is like football," Smith said. "I was a little surprised at the first game to wait for something so different. At the end of the day, it's just football, the game I've been playing for so long. "

Special notes: Texas finished both halves with a remarkable game on special teams. Sophomore Cameron Dicker started a 57-yard field goal to give the Longhorns a 31-0 lead at half-time. In the fourth quarter, Houston native D'Shawn Jamison kicked back 98 yards for a touchdown.

Jamison's landing was Texas' first comeback for a touchdown since DJ Monroe brought a goal back against Oklahoma State in 2012. In last year's 19-14 win at Kansas State, Jamison scored a punt. one hundred percent to score.

Dicker scored the school's seventh fastest time, which allowed him to improve on his career record of five meters. His kick came one week after the coaches had doubts about Dicker's chance of taking a chance against 58 LSUs.

Texcetera: Senior center Zach Shackelford (foot) and linebacker Joseph Ossai (at the shoulder) found themselves on the injury report after the match. Herman said that an MRI was waiting for both players on Sunday. … Johnson missed Saturday's game because of a sore hamstring injury. He was replaced by Malcolm Epps, a freshman, who scored four catches and 53 yards in his first career starts. … Rookie Marcus Washington clinched the first pass of his career in UT. … Keondre Coburn, Ayodele Adeoye and Juwan Mitchell have all registered their first bags. … NRG Stadium attracted an announced crowd of 42,417 people.