Getting to know Texas — and UT’s 2 QBs

Texas' Jerrod Heard (13) runs around Oklahoma State defender Jordan Burton (20) during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015, in Austin, Texas. Oklahoma State won 30-27.(AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Somehow, after beating Oklahoma and Kansas State, Texas lost on the road to Iowa State last weekend, 24-0.

For the Longhorns (3-5 overall, 2-3 Big 12), the timing couldn’t be better to see those crimson and blue uniforms of Kansas (0-8, 0-5) lining up across from them on Saturday night at Darrell K. Royal Stadium.

The KU defense is allowing 47.1 points per game. Let that soak in. That points allowed average ranks 126th in the nation. Believe it or not, the Jayhawks are a notch lower in total defense, surrendering 581.5 yards a game (127th in FBS).

Texas never has lost to KU at home, and with a 12-2 all-time record against the Jayhawks, the Longhorns’ losses in the series came in 1901 and 1938.

UT shut out Kansas, 23-0, in the final game of the infamous Charlie Weis era last season, and has won the previous four meetings by a combined score of 122-30 — average of 30.5-3.8.

Here are five Longhorns KU coach David Beaty and his winless Jayhawks need to worry about in Austin, Texas.

FIVE LONGHORNS TO WATCH

No. 13: QB Jerrod Heard | 6-2, 195, RS-fr.

Texas' Jerrod Heard (13) runs around Oklahoma State defender Jordan Burton (20) during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015, in Austin, Texas. Oklahoma State won 30-27.(AP Photo/Eric Gay)

• A red-shirt freshman, Jerrod Heard is more of a running threat than a passing aficionado for the UT offense. Heard leads the team in rushing yards, with 502, and has 3 touchdowns.

• Heard’s passing stats aren’t great: 66-for-111, 839 yards, 3 TDs, 3 INTs. But the fact that he has exactly as many rushing attempts (111) as passes makes him more difficult to defend from down to down.

• In UT’s marquee win over Oklahoma, Heard rushed for 115 yards…

• … But his best performance to date came in his second career start, vs. Cal. The freshman QB set a Texas record for total offense in one game (527 yards), surpassing Vince Young’s 506 yards vs. Oklahoma State in 2005. Heard rushed for 163 yards and 3 TDs, and threw for 364.

No. 18: QB Tyrone Swoopes | 6-4, 244, jr.

photo by: Nick Krug

Texas quarterback Tyrone Swoopes celebrates after running in a touchdown against Kansas during the second quarter on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2014 at Memorial Stadium.

• The man Heard replaced as starting QB still plays an important role in the UT offense, which features an “18-wheeler” short-yardage package for junior Tyrone Swoopes.

• Texas uses Swoopes in short-yardage situations, and just two weeks ago he came up huge vs. K-State, with three rushing TDs. UT sealed the game late with Swoopes running for gains of 13, 29 and 10 yards on one series.

• Since UT came up with the package, Swoopes is averaging 5.2 yards per rush and has scored 5 rushing TDs, to go with a passing TD, which came against OU.

• Last year against KU, Swoopes passed for 2 TDs and ran for another.

No. 32: RB Johnathan Gray | 5-10, 211, sr.

• The Longhorns’ featured running back, senior Johnathan Gray almost gets as many looks within the offense as Heard.

• Gray has 102 carries for 411 yards and 3 TDs this season.

• The senior rushed for a season-high 103 yards against K-State.

• He ran for 46 yards and a pair of TDs vs. Cal.

• Gray currently ranks 12th all-time at UT in career rushing yards, with 2,520. He is 145 yards from passing Hodges Mitchell and getting into the top 10.

No. 19: LB Peter Jinkens | 6-0, 230, sr.

• UT’s leading tackler on defense, senior linebacker Peter Jinkens has 61 total tackles, making 38 of those on his own. A play-maker, Jinkens also leads the defense with 7.0 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks.

• In UT’s loss to ISU, Jinkens came away with 2.0 sacks and 9 tackles — both led the team.

• In Big 12 play, the strong-side LB has 38 total tackles, which ranks 9th in the conference.

• His season-high of 10 tackles came against Notre Dame.

No. 14: S Dylan Haines | 6-1, 193, jr.

Texas defensive back Dylan Haines, front, tackles California's Stephen Anderson during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2015, in Austin, Texas. Haines was called for targeting and ejected from the game. (AP Photo/Michael Thomas)

• When Texas makes a play against an opponent’s pass, it’s usually junior safety Dylan Haines making it happen. Haines’ 3 interceptions lead UT.

• A former walk-on, the strong safety has now started 20 games in his career. In 2014, he led Texas with 4 picks, ranked 2nd with 7 pass breakups and finished 3rd in tackles with 86.

• Haines had to leave the Cal game early on Sept. 19 after getting called for targeting in the first quarter.

• This season, Haines has 32 tackles (25 solo), to go with 1.0 sack, 1.0 TFL and 3 pass breakups.

• His late interception vs. K-State stymied the Wildcats’ attempt to come back.