What the Texas Longhorns need to do on their bye week

The Texas Longhorns (2-2) have a bye this week, and need to use the opportunity to improve. The coaches should love a bye week because they get to do the following:

Get healthy

It’s too late for Jordan Hicks (LINK), but there are other players who are thankful for the week off.

Quarterback David Ash is battling a concussion and concussion symptoms. Texas needs him to reach its offensive potential. He might be back in time for the Iowa State game.

Wide receiver Mike Davis missed the Kansas State game with an ankle injury, but he should be back for the Iowa State game.

Sophomore Daje Johnson hasn’t played since turning his ankle against BYU. He was dynamic in the season opener. Although Kendall Sanders has played well in his absence, he doesn’t have the same game-changing ability as Johnson.

Offensive tackle Josh Cochran missed the Kansas State game and part of the Ole Miss game with a shoulder injury he originally suffered in August.

Texas can’t blame injuries for all of its problems this season, but they haven’t helped. The loss of Jordan Hicks is huge as the defense struggled mightily without him last season.

Get acclimated to Greg Robinson’s defense

After the bye, Texas will have had over three weeks to figure out what Robinson expects, and what he wants to do on defense. Head coach Mack Brown needs Robinson to figure out a way to improve the Texas defense without Hicks. That’s a tall task, but a necessary one. It falls on Robinson to improve a Texas defense that ranks 108th in yards allowed per game.

Focus on Iowa State, not Oklahoma

The Red River Shootout Rivalry looms October 12, but Texas can’t get caught looking ahead. Iowa State hasn’t won a game this year, but it’s a classic trap game. If Texas get caught with its pants down and loses to Iowa State, the regime of Mack Brown will reach DEFCON 2.

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