The Texas Longhorns will battle the Oklahoma Sooners in Dallas, Texas, on Saturday afternoon. The Longhorns and Sooners are fresh off their bye weeks.
Both defenses headline this matchup. Texas has allowed the fewest points per game in the conference (13.25), while Oklahoma isn'f far behind, allowing 16 points per game.
However, the Longhorns could be getting tight end Nick Townsend back this week. He suffered a knee injury in the third quarter of the Ohio State game and has missed the last two games.
Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Townsend has yet to be fully unlocked in the passing game. The sophomore tight end has three career catches for 16 yards. Townsend impressed the coaching staff during fall camp and was due for a bigger role, so the injury was unfortunate.
Steve Sarkisian said bringing Townsend back would be a big boost to depth. His biggest strength is his run blocking. In the two games Townsend has played in, the Longhorns combined for 297 rushing yards. Against Tennessee, Texas struggled to run the ball.
While Townsend cannot be the only solution to Texas' run troubles, it'll certainly help to have him back in the rotation. They can utilize him in two tight-end sets to establish the run game. In Townsend's absence, Emaree Winston has played a larger role in the passing game. He has six catches for 70 yards and was a big reason for the Longhorns' comeback against Ohio State.
Spencer Shannon has three catches for 24 yards this season. If Townsend becomes a better receiver, he could easily be the most complete tight end on the roster. The potential is there, and hopefully Arch Manning can unlock it.
Texas got healthier during the bye week. They're as close to full strength as any college football team could hope. Xavier Filsaime is off the injury report and is expected to make his season debut, and only two players are listed as doubtful: wide receiver Kaliq Lockett and defensive tackle Justus Terry. Sarkisian spoke about the bye week advantage.
"I think naturally, anytime you come out of a bye week, if we do it right, we should be healthier than we were going into the bye week," Sarkisian said on Monday. "We'll see what it looks like Wednesday night. But I'll start with that. I think we're healthier than we were this time a week ago."
Townsend's likely return is a massive win for the Longhorns offense. They'll need everyone to contribute if they want to move the ball against the Sooners' defense.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/texas as Texas Longhorns Could Receive Major Boost to Tight End Room vs. Oklahoma .
