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After producing just enough offense to hold off the Tulsa Golden Hurricane Saturday, Texas Longhorns head coach Tom Herman addresses the media heading into a pivotal matchup against the USC Trojans.
A year ago, Texas played USC — headlined by eventual first-round draft pick Sam Darnold — to a double-overtime finish in what was an otherwise spectacular game marred for Texas fans by a double-overtime turnover to end the Longhorns threat. Sam Ehlinger has grown from a year ago and JT Daniels may still be adjusting to the collegiate level, so this could be a different story than it was at this time last season.
The weekly press conference is available on Longhorn Network at 12 p.m. CT, as well as on the TexasSports.com media player and 104.9 The Horn.
Q. Sounds like there’s a section of your fan base that thinks you’re arrogant, thinks that you don’t take blame for a poor play by the team or tolerate questions about it or dignify their feelings that this team should be further along especially on offense than where it is right now. What would you say to that?
TOM HERMAN: I love our fans. Mack Brown told me when I got the job that this can be the greatest job in America because there’s tens of millions of people that care very passionately about what happens with their long horn football team and it can be one that’s difficult too for the exact same reason, because there’s tens of millions of people. But at the end of the day we’re never -- the expectations that are put on us from the outside are never going to meet or exceed the expectations that we put on ourselves. And so yeah, I love our fans, absolutely love them and I hope they continue to stay as passionate about Texas football as they have been.
LB Dele Adeoye will be back at practice on Tuesday. CB Kris Boyd will also practice tomorrow after experiencing neck pain. WR John Burt is out. RB Keaontay Ingram has a bone bruise/strained MCL, so he's doubtful for this weekend, but not a long-term issue.
— Wescott Eberts (@SBN_Wescott) September 10, 2018
S Brandon Jones is expected to practice. OL Patrick Hudson has his IV out and his levels are trending back to normal. LB DeMarvion Overshown is still out. CB Davante Davis is probable to return. C Zach Shackelford is still out. Quite a list already.
— Wescott Eberts (@SBN_Wescott) September 10, 2018
Herman: “The margin of victory, whether you did win or lose, all of that, still Sunday morning we’re going to wake up and say ‘what could we have done better?’” #HookEm
— Joe Cook (@josephcook89) September 10, 2018
Tom Herman previously said his team needs to play loose and have more fun. When asked if he staff needs to do a better job communicating what's going on to him, Herman said he trusts his staff, and they all need to do a better job.
— Anwar Richardson (@AnwarRichardson) September 10, 2018
Herman on how close #Texas is to playing an elite brand of football: “I’ve been a part of programs where you’re playing some folks and you’ve got to hope they screw it up. That’s not us. Our best is good enough.”#HookEm
— Jeff Howe (@JeffHowe247) September 10, 2018
Herman: “We’ve got to get more pressure on the QB. We’ve had a lot of discussion of that over the last 36 hours. Our four man pass rush has to be better. We’ve also go to contain the quarterback better.” #HookEm
— Joe Cook (@josephcook89) September 10, 2018
Herman asked about the perception he's arrogant: "I love our fans. ... I hope they continue to stay about as passionate about Texas football as they have been."
— Brian Davis (@BDavisAAS) September 10, 2018
Herman: We are very aware of the fact that this group of guys seems to play better when they are playing fast and free. We'll try to do that as much as the tempo and game-management part of the situation allows us to
— Nick Moyle (@NRMoyle) September 10, 2018
Herman on Tre Watson: “His role is he’s our starting tailback right now.”
— Joe Cook (@josephcook89) September 10, 2018
“Off the field, he’s an energetic guy that his new teammates really, really like being around. I guess the best thing to say about Tre is his energy off the field.” #HookEm
Herman on Sam Ehlinger: I think you always have to tame a guy like Sam a little bit. He gets pretty lathered up on game days, and that's a good thing. But using previous mistakes as motivation? I don't see that in him. He wants to beat USC to beat USC.
— Nick Moyle (@NRMoyle) September 10, 2018