Vandy-Texas observations and what AU needs to pay attention to

Some thoughts relevant to AU from 1st half of Texas-Vandy:

1. Both Texas QB's have NIL deals >$1M.....and a company car. An Aston Martin. Remember the good 'ol days when all we had to match was a Charger with rimz?

2. Speaking of QBs, Pavia went down with a knee injury, came back a series later with a knee brace. Does not look as fast. Texas is hitting him a lot. He will be beat up when they play us.

3. So far, Texas is taking care of business after getting a tipped pass TO (sound familiar?) on the first drive that set Vandy up for a quick TD. Since then, Pavia has thrown for 55 yds coming up on HT.

4. I didn't realize that the UNM OC went to Vandy along with Kill and Pavia.

5. Vandy ran that play again where they fake communications issues with the sideline and quick snap it to someone besides Pavia while he's waving his arms at the sideline. It worked again, but was called back on a penalty. I hope we are ready for that crap play. That is at least the 2nd time they ran that this year.

6. People used to criticize AU on prior boards for our WRs having to learn how to block. Sark told the announcer crew that "To play in this system (Texas') a WR had better be able to block!"

7. Vandy has gotten some pressure on assignment busts along the Texas OL, including a couple of big sacks. I hope our OL is ready.

8. Despite all of that, Texas QB Ewers completed 17 straight passes after the 1st drive tipped INT, and would have hit 18 had PI been called as it probably should have been.

9. Vandy's backup QB, a former 4* recruit xfer from Utah, is a big step down. So much for recruiting rankings. Somewhat like Cam Newton, Pavia was discovered playing juco by accident - UNM coaches were watching the juco game at a Hooters to see another guy they were recruiting. IIRC, we went to Blinn to look at someone else, maybe a RB?

10. Bubble/Tunnel screens and outlet passes to the RBs are killing Vandy. If we throw to him, Cowboy finna eat.

11. Vandy is almost automatic for 3rd and 6 or less, but is abysmal for anything longer.

2nd half:

1. Another tipped pass INT that set Vandy up with a short field. This will be a problem for us, I'm afraid.

2. Pavia has definitely lost a step with the injury, but he's not limping.

3. Texas is head hunting on slant routes, has prevented a couple of completions by doing so.

Here's the thing, without two tipped pass TO's, this is a pedestrian 24-3 or 31-3 Texas win. Shows you that even uber-talented teams have trouble overcoming TOs. If AU holds onto the ball, and has the same gameplan as KY with the passes to our RBs out of the backfield, we win. Try to go deep down the field too much on Vandy, and we lose amid a flurry of sacks and INTs.