Texas didn’t get a defensive touchdown in all of 2016. Here’s what happened on the very first pass anyone threw against the Longhorns in 2017:
Maryland sophomore quarterback Tyrrell Pigrome dropped back on third-and-8, and he tried to hit a receiver on a crossing pattern. The ball was a bit high and outside, and it caromed straight into the waiting arms of Texas defensive back Holton Hill. That became a 31-yard interception return for a touchdown that I probably could’ve scored, because there were no Terps in the vicinity to tackle him. Plus, Hill had an escort.
I went to Maryland while the Terps literally ran out of quarterbacks during the 2012 season and had to start a true freshman linebacker under center for a third of the season. I default to assuming things will be difficult for my alma mater at this position. Texas doing this to my school on the first play of 2017 is not great!
Add a plot twist to this: Texas also got picked on its first pass.
Shane Buechele tried a deep ball on third-and-long from inside his own 4-yard line, and Maryland’s J.C. Jackson intercepted it across midfield. That was basically an arm punt.
Still: two throws, two picks. Good stuff in Austin.