On Saturday October 12th, the Texas Longhorns defense will meet with Oklahoma Sooners freshman quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. The Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian confessed his concerns about the young signal caller for the Sooners ahead of the pivotal Red River Shootout.
On the Longhorns’ side, the mystery has faded as Sarkisian announced Quinn Ewers’ return to the lineup on Saturday. Texas regains their starting quarterback after a two-game absence, but now Sark’s top priority is game-planning for the Sooners‘ quarterback ahead of the rivalry matchup at the Cotton Bowl
“The guys that drop back and then extend to scramble, as opposed to guys that drop back to extend the throw, I don’t want to say it’s easy when they’re one or the other, but when it’s really hard is when they do both,” Sarkisian said, per Sports Illustrated. “I actually think Michael Hawkins is one of those guys, you know, he has plenty of armed talent that can make those throws when plays get extended, but clearly he’s very dangerous with his legs when he tucks it and runs.”
Hawkins Jr. will play his fourth college football game on Saturday at the Red River Showdown. Though his stats so far have been impressive, the Sooners’ QB has yet to face an opponent of the Longhorns’ caliber. Over three games (two starts), Hawkins totalled 310 passing yards for one touchdown and no turnovers.
Sarkisian and Texas’ defense hope the freshman will feel the pressure in such a tough environment so early in his career. If the jitters don’t get to Hawkins, then the Horns’ pass rush definitely must.
Historic Red River Shootout
This year’s Red River Rivalry is incredibly crucial to both sides and to the NCAA picture. No.1 Texas looks to remain undefeated while No.18 Oklahoma wants to play spoiler and shake the SEC standings with an upset victory. The 120th annual matchup between Longhorns and Sooners is the first ever to feature both teams in the Southeastern Conference.
The stakes are at an all-time high, and so are the ticket prices. According to TickPick, this is the most expensive Red River Showdown on record with an average purchase price of $719. For reference, last year’s record breaking entrance price was $604. Nobody wants to miss the action when Texas and Oklahoma collide at Cotton Bowl Stadium inside the State Fair of Texas.