Sep 12, 2015; Austin, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Jerrod Heard (13) runs the ball against the Rice Owls during the first quarter at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Brendan Maloney-USA TODAY Sports
AUSTIN, Texas — Texas turned big special-teams plays, turnovers and the occasional brilliance of redshirt freshman quarterback Jerrod Heard into a 42-28 victory over Rice on Saturday night.
After an early Heard to Armanti Foreman 32-yard touchdown pass, the Longhorns (1-1) created some separation with two huge punt returns.
Daje Johnson spun and sprinted his way to an 85-yard punt return touchdown. Later in the first quarter, Duke Thomas’ 56-yard return led to a 2-yard touchdown plunge by Johnathan Gray and a 21-0 Texas lead.
Rice (1-1) got back in the game with two touchdown runs by Samuel Stewart from 22 and 16 yards and trailed just 21-14 at the half.
Texas added to its lead on the first offensive snap of the third quarter as Heard, making his first career start, hit freshman John Burt with a 69-yard touchdown pass. Later in the quarter, Longhorns freshman linebacker Malik Jefferson scooped by a fumble and raced 26 yards for a touchdown that pushed the lead to 35-14.
The Longhorns pushed across a 2-yard touchdown run by D’Onta Foreman before Rice cut into the lead on a 4-yard pass from Driphus Jackson to Temi Alaka with 6:41 remaining at the end of an 18-play drive.
The Owls scored again on a 14-yard pass from backup quarterback Tyler Stehling to Luke Turner with 36 seconds left.
Stewart led Rice with 130 yards on 25 carries. The Owls outgained Texas 462-277, ran 96 plays to the Longhorns’ 38 and had a whopping 44:02-15:58 edge in time of possession.
