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2020 Texas Longhorns Winter Offense - Tom Herman & Mike Yurcich & Herb Hand

In 2020, the Texas Longhorns’ offense, led by head coach Tom Herman, new offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich, and offensive line coach Herb Hand, was a potent unit that helped the team achieve a 7-3 record, a third-place finish in the Big 12, and a 55-23 rout of Colorado in the Alamo Bowl. The offense ranked 18th in FBS, scoring 430 points (30.7 points per game), 19th in total yards (431.7 per game), 24th in passing (254.3 per game), and 37th in rushing (177.4 per game), per Sports-Reference.com. Yurcich’s arrival from Ohio State, where he was passing game coordinator, brought fresh concepts to Herman’s pro-spread system, though the lack of spring practice due to COVID-19 complicated installation during winter preparations.

Yurcich’s offense, built on Herman’s pro-spread foundation, blended no-huddle tempo, RPOs (run-pass options), and a balanced attack, using 11 personnel (1 RB, 1 TE, 3 WRs) on 68% of snaps and introducing 10 and 20 personnel for mismatches, per Burnt Orange Nation. The system emphasized quick passes (slants, screens) and deep shots, with quarterback Sam Ehlinger making pre-snap adjustments on 60-70% of plays, per Dallas Morning News. The run game featured zone and power schemes, leveraging Ehlinger’s mobility and a three-headed backfield. Yurcich’s tempo, a hallmark from his Oklahoma State tenure (four top-25 offenses), increased plays per game to 72.3 (29th in FBS), though efficiency dipped with a 42.1% third-down conversion rate (31st). The offense ranked 14th in red-zone touchdown percentage (66.7%), per ESPN, reflecting Yurcich’s focus on getting playmakers like Jake Smith in space.

Senior quarterback Sam Ehlinger was the centerpiece, throwing for 2,406 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions, with a 60.1% completion rate, while rushing for 377 yards and 8 touchdowns, earning All-Big 12 honors. Wide receiver Joshua Moore led with 30 catches for 472 yards and 9 touchdowns, while Jake Smith (23 catches, 294 yards, 3 TDs) and Jordan Whittington (21 catches, 206 yards, 1 TD) filled the inside receiver role vacated by Devin Duvernay. Tight end Cade Brewer had 15 catches for 169 yards, often used in 12 personnel (2 TEs), per 247sports.com. Running backs Roschon Johnson (418 yards, 6 TDs), Keaontay Ingram (250 yards, 1 TD), and Bijan Robinson (703 yards, 4 TDs) shared carries, with Robinson emerging as a star. The offensive line, coached by Herb Hand and anchored by Samuel Cosmi (All-American), allowed 21 sacks and powered 1,774 rushing yards (4.6 yards per carry).

Standout games included a 59-3 rout of UTEP (Week 1), with 690 total yards (437 passing), and the Alamo Bowl, where Ehlinger threw for 160 yards and a touchdown, and Robinson rushed for 183 yards. A 41-34 overtime loss to Oklahoma saw Ehlinger account for 4 touchdowns but throw 2 interceptions, while a 27-16 loss to TCU exposed run-game struggles (54 yards), per 247sports.com. The offense averaged 6.0 yards per play (26th in FBS), a slight regression from 2019’s 6.4.

Winter preparations were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which canceled spring practice, forcing Yurcich to install his system via virtual meetings, per Burnt Orange Nation. This limited Ehlinger’s ability to mesh with Yurcich’s up-tempo concepts, with only a month to integrate before fall camp, per Burnt Orange Nation. Hand, retained from 2019, focused on continuity with linemen like Cosmi and Derek Kerstetter, but the line struggled early, allowing 9 sacks in the Oklahoma loss. Receiver injuries, including Troy Omeire’s season-ending knee injury, and bumps to Smith and Whittington forced reliance on tight ends in 12 personnel during scrimmages, per 247sports.com. Herman noted pre-snap penalties in early scrimmages, but Yurcich’s adjustments led to a cleaner second scrimmage, per Burnt Orange Nation.

The 2020 offense, under Herman, Yurcich, and Hand, showed promise but fell short of top-10 expectations, finishing 14th in total offense (465.8 yards per game in 2019 vs. 431.7 in 2020). Yurcich’s hire allowed Herman to step back from play-calling, enhancing his role as head coach, per longhornswire.usatoday.com. The season’s 7-3 record and Alamo Bowl win were overshadowed by a home loss to Iowa State (23-20), leading to Herman’s firing on January 2, 2021, and replacement by Steve Sarkisian, per ESPN. Yurcich’s system, praised for new route concepts and tempo, set a foundation for Texas’ future, though he followed Herman to Florida Atlantic. Hand’s line development produced NFL talent like Cosmi, but he also left post-season. For Texas, 2020 was a transitional year, with the offense’s potential limited by external challenges and roster turnover.

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