The True Freshmen Report: This was Shane Buechele’s roughest game as a Longhorn

Freshmen who played against Kansas (12)

• QB Shane Buechele — 17/26 (65.4%), 165 yds, 1 TD, 3 INT
• RB Kyle Porter - 2 car, 3 yds, 1.5 YPC
• WR Collin Johnson - no receptions
• WR Devin Duvernay - 1 rec, 10 yds
• RB/WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey - special teams
• Denzel Okafor - reserve offensive lineman
• Malcolm Roach - starting Fox, 2 tackles
• Jeffrey McCulloch - 4 tackles
• D’Andre Christmas - 1 tackle
• Gerald Wilbon - 3 tackles
• Brandon Jones - no stats
• Erick Fowler - no stats

Freshmen who’ve played up to this point (16)

(If they have recorded stats, I’ve listed those next to their names as well)

• QB Shane Buechele — 220/352 (62.27%, +.23% increase from the previous game), 2740 yards, 21 TD, 10 INT (plus 2 rushing TD), 141.89 RTG — 41st nationally (-5 spots from previous week), 6th in B12
• RB Kyle Porter — 43 car, 191 yds, 4.4 YPC, 2 rec, 10 yds
• WR Collin Johnson — 24 rec, 264 yds, 3 TD
• WR Devin Duvernay — 17 rec, 339 yds, 3 TD, 12 KR, 257 yds
• WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey — 2 rec, 15 yds, 1 punt return, 0 yds
• C Zach Shackelford — starting center
• OL Jean Delance — reserve offensive lineman
• OL Denzel Okafor — reserve offensive lineman
• DE Malcolm Roach — 30 TT, 6 TFL, 3 sacks
• DT D’Andre Christmas — 4 TT, 1 TFL, 1 sack, 1 fumble rec
• DT Gerald Wilbon — 4 TT
• DL Jordan Elliott — 6 TT, 1.5 TFL (currently injured)
• LB Jeffery McCulloch — 23 TT, 2 TFL, 1 sack, 1 fumble rec
• S Brandon Jones — 15 TT, 2 blocked punts (got a piece of another), 1 safety, 2 PR for 33 yards, 2 KR for 44 total yards
• DB Donovan Duvernay — no stats recorded
• DE/OLB Erick Fowler — 1 TT, 1 TFL

— Given the type of poor game it was all around for Texas, there wasn’t a ton of noise from the freshmen that got on the field.

— Whether you’re noticing it or not, Jeffery McCulloch continues to show some flashes of what he potentially could develop into down the road. He’s a versatile athlete who will possess a wide set of skills as a linebacker by the time he leaves campus.

— Buechele didn’t miss every throw against Kansas, but when he did miss he ended up turning the ball over too many times. This was easily Buechele’s worst game as a Longhorn, which could be attributed to fatigue and possibly even minor injuries at this point in the season. That’s pure speculation on my part, but given he’s a freshman who’s played every game, it seems reasonable.

— Not much to be said about Kyle Porter. He didn’t get many chances and didn’t do much with the two chances he got.

— Buechele and Collin Johnson weren’t able to connect at all Saturday. Hopefully that doesn’t happen in any game next season.

— As for the other freshman receiver, it was a one-catch day for Devin Duvernay. And unfortunately, that one reception went for 10 yards.

Assuming there will be a new offensive coordinator in 2017, hopefully (PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE) whoever it is gets more creative with Devin Duvernay. His usage, or lack thereof, this season has been way too uncreative. (So has the entire offense this season...)

— I’d love to know the reasoning why Lil’Jordan Humphrey and Erick Fowler had their redshirts burned. Maybe they had agreements from recruiting that they’d play as freshmen? Maybe the coaching staff actually thought they’d be able to contribute more than they have?

Either way, it’s tough not to question why they even got on the field in the first place this season.

— Zach Shackelford (ankle) was out against Kansas, in case anyone was wondering.

Freshmen still on track to redshirt (12)

• WR Davion Curtis
• WR Reggie Hemphill-Mapps
• TE Peyton Aucoin
• OL Tope Imade
• OL J.P. Uriquidez
• OL Patrick Hudson
• DL Marcel Southall
• DL Chris Daniels
• DE Andrew Fitzgerald
• LB Demarco Boyd
• DB Chris Brown
• DB Eric Cuffee

With the home game against TCU also being senior night, it will be interesting to see how many freshmen get on the field and for how many snaps. See you back here next week.