3 Things Are Critical For Texas Longhorns Against San Jose State

For as sturdy a presence Walker Eget is in the pocket for the Spartans, delivering a 308-yard performance and finishing 24-43 on passes with two touchdowns, the quarterback was turnover-prone against the Chippewas. He finished the week one contest with two interceptions and one fumble.

With the Longhorns' defense failing to come away with a takeaway in the week one contest, they should look to get their first of the year against an overmatched offensive line and an offense that will need to throw the ball often in the game.

Establish Rhythm On Offense

While we're sure Longhorn fans and fans of college football in general would like to see Manning sling the ball for completions of 25-plus yards, finding a consistent rhythm for that group should be the priority against the Spartans. Luckily for Sarkisian's offense, the defense they'll face this week allowed 8.8 yards per pass in week one, allowing the Longhorns' signal-caller to hit quick routes on open RPOs.

After averaging 7.2 yards per pass against the Buckeyes, it seems that is the range the Longhorns will want to live in early, which will open the deep ball opportunities later on, where Manning can showcase his arm talent. Establishing solid drives that result in points to start the game could give the offense its spark back after a disappointing performance in week one.

Leave The Game Healthy

Avoiding the upset is the biggest concern, but leaving the game healthy should be the next priority. With three straight weeks of non-conference games against non-power four opponents, ensuring the roster is healthy for their first SEC game against the Florida Gators should be a priority.

Even more so for the Longhorns, who are still not 100 percent sure who Manning's backup is, establishing an early lead and having a live quarterback battle could be important if something were to happen to the Longhorns' signal caller.

The Longhorns will take on the Spartans in Austin on Saturday at 11 a.m. CT.