On Friday night, Justin Cryer, Texas football senior linebacker, conducted a series of “room checks” with his position group.
Following co-defensive coordinator Johnny Nansen’s arrest and suspension earlier in the week, Cryer wanted to make sure the younger guys in the room didn’t treat their upcoming game against UTSA differently than any other matchup.
Ultimately, those room checks, along with whatever else Texas’ defense did to remain focused, seemed to pay off. Instead of faltering in the wake of off-field drama, they flourished.
“I give a lot of the credit to the guys,” Cryer said of his team’s defensive performance. “They didn’t freak out or panic or, especially off the high of last week, they didn’t come into the game thinking that the season was over.”
Senior linebacker Rasheem Biles secured an interception in the game’s opening play, capitalizing on UTSA’s redshirt senior quarterback Owen McCown’s pass down the middle and returning the ball eight yards.
This early takeaway set the tone for defensive domination, and the Roadrunners went into the locker room at halftime with just one field goal to show for their offensive effort.
The Longhorns doubled down in the second half, limiting UTSA to just 35 yards of total offense and one more field goal for a final score of 30-6. By the end of the game, for the first time in nearly six years, the Roadrunners hadn’t managed to find the end zone.
For context, UTSA averaged 35.5 points last season and scored 24 points in its 2025 season opener against a Texas A&M team that would go on to the College Football Playoffs. The Roadrunners are accustomed to achieving offensive success, and their effort was stifled almost completely by the Longhorns on Saturday.
22 different Texas players finished the game with at least one tackle, and Biles and sophomore defensive back Kade Phillips led the charge with four apiece.
Following the matchup, head coach Steve Sarkisian wanted to make sure the pride he had in his defense was heard loud and clear.
“Our defense kind of just kicked their ass,” Sarkisian said. “I’m excited about that, and we should be excited about that — that our defense is playing the way they’re playing.”
It was far from a perfect week for the Longhorns, and there were definite moments where it seemed as though the offense wasn’t close to its best. But if any of Texas’ defensive players were struggling amid the chaos-infiltrated week, they did a good job of hiding it Saturday night.
“We’re just keeping the same routine,” Biles said after the win. “Obviously, things happen. People are human. We ain’t really worried about it. … We just worry about our next opponent, and we’re worried about this week.”
Sarkisian revealed that Nansen will return to practice this week to help the Longhorns prepare for their upcoming road matchup against the Tennessee Volunteers, and Texas could benefit greatly from another lights-out defensive performance in Knoxville.