Sometime this past week, Texas might have found an answer to what went wrong in the opener, or at least an industrial-sized shipment of fairy dust.
Or maybe a beatable San Jose State team just happened to be the perfect opponent for a Longhorns team in desperate need of one.
Draw your own conclusions from a 56-0 win Saturday that gave coach Tom Herman his first victory at Texas. Coming off a 51-41 upset to Maryland only magnified the win.
"I saw a team that could have allowed the disappointment to be distracting, that could have allowed the disappointment to affect their intensity, that could have allowed the disappointment to lead to doubt of who we are and what we do," Herman said, "and they did none of that."
Just realize that sixth-ranked Southern Cal may provide much more insight in a week as to Texas' progress. Herman also faces a potentially difficult quarterback choice between injured starter Shane Buechele and freshman Sam Ehlinger.
Herman said Texas wouldn't begin preparing for USC until 10 a.m. Sunday, providing just a little time to enjoy the victory.
"Really proud of our guys for tuning out all the noise and tuning out all the distractions that they could have allowed to creep in after last week's showing," Herman said.
Texas also found a running game, something that eluded it against Maryland, finishing with 406 yards on the ground. Chris Warren III bulldozed his way for 166 yards on just 16 carries and two touchdowns. The 250-pounder from Rockwall even hurdled safety Maurice McKnight on a reception.
"I think we all knew it was in there," Herman said. "We had seen flashes of it ... Chris is a guy that in nine months has really made a commitment to running tougher, to running stronger, to running lower."
Warren, who recorded his fifth career 100-yard game, had suffered a season-ending knee injury four games into 2016, followed by a hamstring injury in the spring and mumps.
"We played a lot harder this week," Warren said. "We played for each other."
The defense allowed 171 yards to San Jose State (1-2), which entered the game averaging 434.5 yards per game.
"It was what we were supposed to do," nose tackle Poona Ford said.
Then there was the quarterback situation. With Buechele still unable to practice with what Herman called "thrower's shoulder," Texas started Ehlinger the freshman.
After missing his first three throws, he finished 15 of 27 for 222 yards and a touchdown on a shovel pass. He also ran for 48 yards and didn't take a sack. He was still adjusting to his first quarterback start at Texas in his hometown.
"It's one of those things where it's so surreal that it takes really a long time, if it does settle in," Ehlinger said.
With Ehlinger settling down and Jerrod Heard providing a different look running out of the Wildcat formation, Herman was asked what happens if Buechele is able to play against USC.
"I don't know," Herman said. "I think it would be premature for me to say that today. We've got to see how healthy [Buechele] can be. He played pretty good against a really good team in Maryland.
"So we've got to make sure. We know we've got a capable one in Sam. We've to make sure that Shane can do everything he's capable of doing and doing it at an elite level ... "
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