By Head Coach Cody Hirsch — PML College Football League
A marquee top-3 Texas program walked into this matchup looking to reaffirm its status as a national contender. After a sluggish defensive second quarter that briefly invited drama, the Longhorns detonated in the third frame — 28 unanswered points — turning a competitive game into a showcase of elite roster depth, QB play, and defensive playmaking.
Below is a full breakdown of individual performances from Saturday’s convincing win over the Gamecocks.
QUARTERBACK
QB Marcel Reed — The Engine & The Edge
Passing: 29/41, 377 yards, 4 TD
Rushing: 9 carries, 84 yards, 2 TD
Turnovers: 1 fumble
Longest Pass: 63 yards
This was the complete Marcel Reed experience — command, accuracy, vertical threats, and back-breaking mobility. His 70% completion clip kept the offense on schedule, while his dual-threat presence delivered two physical rushing touchdowns, including a 39-yard keeper that silenced a hot Gamecocks sideline.
Reed’s lone blemish was a fumble, but Texas responded defensively and the quarterback showed zero hesitancy afterwards, continuing to push the ball aggressively downfield. With six total touchdowns, Reed was the difference-maker the playoff picture demands.
RUNNING BACKS
HB M. Rome — Reliable Balance
9 carries, 37 yards, 1 TD
Rome didn’t need volume to be effective. His cuts were decisive, picking up tough interior yardage and finishing a red-zone drive with a physical touchdown that established an early 10-0 tone.
HB Jalen Simon — Explosive Change-up
2 carries, 23 yards, longest 23
Though touches were limited, Simon flashed the burst that keeps coordinators awake. His 23-yard run in the second quarter was a momentum spark that hinted at future workload increases in tight late-season games.
WIDE RECEIVERS & TIGHT ENDS
WR Kaliq Lockett — WR1 Presence
6 catches, 76 yards, 1 TD
YAC: 63 | Longest: 35
Lockett continues to play like a Sunday-bound route technician. His RAC totals show how often he turned short completions into drive-extending gains, and his touchdown was a timing-based masterpiece with Reed.
WR J. French — Chain Mover
4 catches, 75 yards
French’s role as a third-down security valve shined once again. He attacked leverage, operated between zones, and helped Reed carve up the middle third of the field.
WR Kaden Young — The Breaker
2 catches, 72 yards, 2 TD
YAC: 49 | Longest: 63
In limited volume, Young made two explosive touchdowns look routine — confirming his status as a mismatched weapon defenses can’t single-cover. His 63-yard score was the game’s turning point, igniting the second-half avalanche.
WR DeAndre McCutcheon — Target Monster
7 catches, 67 yards, 1 TD
McCutcheon operated as Reed’s volume stabilizer, catching rhythm throws and uncovering on scramble-drill extensions. His touchdown came at a crucial moment when defensive adjustments forced Reed to progress deeper into the route tree.
WR M. Rome — Utility Usage
4 catches, 52 yards
Rome saw expanded work in motion sets and crossers, keeping linebackers off balance and repeatedly helping Texas win the middle of the field.
DEFENSE — PLAYMAKING TAKES OVER
SS Jonah Williams — Defensive MVP
15 tackles (9 solo), 1 TFL
Forced Fumbles: 2 — both recovered by Texas
Williams played at an All-American level, not only pacing the defense in tackles but generating two pivotal forced fumbles — each recovering possession and fueling Texas’ 28-point third quarter.
His tackling angles were elite, his physicality unmatched, and his strip technique on the boundary was textbook. Williams changed the game more than any non-QB on the field.
LB T. Smith — Interior Enforcer
11 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 sack
Smith owned the tackle box. His ability to stack and shed on outside zones prevented South Carolina from sustaining early run game rhythm. The sack came on a delayed scrape where timing and patience paid off.
EDGE Caden Ross II — Containment & Pressure
9 tackles, 3 TFL
Ross disciplined the edge, shrinking rushing lanes and squeezing rollout windows. While he didn’t record a sack, his pressure forced hurried throws and helped Texas win first down repeatedly.
CB Kobe Black — Opportunistic Playmaker
1 INT, 29 return yards
Black secured the game’s first defensive momentum jolt, undercutting a slant and flipping the field. His confidence in press mirrored his physical summer camp reports — if Texas needs a takeaway in crunch time, Black is trending toward that responsibility.
DL Pressure Committee — Rotational Success
Brooks, Hodges, Simmons, Smith each recorded 1 sack
The pass-rush depth flashed. Instead of one dominant alpha rusher, Texas attacked from every angle, making protection assignments guesswork. Once the Gamecocks became one-dimensional late, the wall broke.
SPECIAL TEAMS & SITUATIONAL FOOTBALL
- 3rd Down Defense: 5-of-12 allowed (41%) — efficient
- Texas 3rd Down Conversions: 5-of-11 (45%) — balanced, manageable
- Field Position Battle: All four turnovers swung momentum to Texas
When Texas scores 52, it’s easy to overlook situational football — but field position and takeaway conversion sealed this win.
COACH’S WORD
“We challenged our leaders to set the tone coming out of halftime. Marcel handled the offense, Jonah handled the defense — that’s what championship DNA looks like.”
— Head Coach Cody Hirsch
BOTTOM LINE
Texas has a championship-grade identity:
- Quarterback aggression
- Explosive receiver depth
- Defensive takeaways in big moments
- Star safety play that erases mistakes
If Marcel Reed continues playing at this pace and Jonah Williams anchors the defense like this, the road to the postseason will run through Austin.
