An ultimate compliment: Texas QB hopes to see his team model Georgia in two ways

Sam Ehlinger was being peppered with an onslaught of similar questions during his press availability. At one point, two media members inquired simultaneously, and Ehlinger’s eyes darted from left-to-right as he decided who to answer first.

Ehlinger was tasked with answering what everyone wanted to know from those covering either Georgia or Texas: anything and everything about acclaimed teammates potentially declaring for the NFL draft after three seasons. As Isaac Nauta, Riley Ridley, Mecole Hardman and a host of others face that tough choice in the coming weeks, the same is true for Texas’ two biggest offensive playmakers.

Texas’ receivers Lil’Jordan Humphrey (Side note: might be the coolest name of a Georgia opposing player this season) and Collin Johnson have the opportunity to declare as two of the Big 12’s most-prolific playmakers. They combined for 2,054 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns this season, and are ready for an opportunity against a Georgia secondary that’s without Jim Thorpe Award winner Deandre Baker.

“(Humphrey and Johnson) remind you a lot of Mike Evans, who played for Texas A&M and the (Tampa Bay) Buccaneers,” Georgia sophomore safety Richard LeCounte said. “They are a pretty good group, but I think we are still the best DB core in the nation, so we are going to go out there and show everybody what we can do.”

Added Georgia outside linebackers’ coach Dan Lanning: “They’re exceptional players. They’re really, really talented guys. Immediately you turn on the film and they stick out. They create some match-up issues for our guys.”

Each of the Longhorns’ leading receivers were mum on their to-be-made decisions, but Ehlinger is ready to pull out all of the stops.

“I don’t know if I have to beg (them to return),” Ehlinger said. “Actually, I’m going to have to beg. I’ll do anything that helps.”

He knows of the benefit it could have to a team. Why so? Because he saw Georgia do it two seasons ago. It was that December 2016 evening as the Bulldogs were preparing for the seemingly-who-cares-at-all AutoZone Liberty Bowl and the quartet of Lorenzo Carter, Davin Bellamy, Sony Michel and Nick Chubb opted to return for their senior seasons.

It was a well-documented catapult that sent Georgia to the national title game 13 months later, and Ehlinger watched that narrative unfold 1,025 miles away in Austin, Texas, as a high school recruit. Now, he sees it as the model and envisions Texas’ offense being “pretty scary” if Humphrey and Johnson return.

“You have to have your elite players come back,” Ehlinger said. “If you look at Georgia last year and the year before, their elite players and juniors came back. That has helped them out tremendously. In order to build a dynasty, you have to have those type of guys come back.”

Before those decisions are made, however, Georgia and Texas will square off under the NFL-type lights at Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Tuesday. Georgia is in search of a Sugar Bowl win in its first appearance since 2008 while Texas is in search of the first New Year’s Six (formerly BCS) bowl win since 2009.

A lot of the chatter prior to teams arriving in New Orleans was the potential match-up with Baker, who hasn’t allowed a touchdown completion in two full seasons, against the Longhorns’ talents. Despite that element being removed, Texas is keeping the same game plan despite facing inexperienced defensive backs.

“You definitely want to go against the best,” Humphrey said. “He’s making the best decision for him though and I respect that.”

Texas still sees a stiff challenge in Georgia’s offense. It was something repeated frequently by offensive coordinator Tim Beck, and something that stuck out to Ehlinger when turning on the film. At times, the Longhorns’ quarterback sees a weakness or two in an opposing defense, but this study session showed something different.

Ehlinger doesn’t think the Bulldogs’ defense would allow too much as he paid a compliment to the nation’s fifth-ranked team. He stopped and laughed briefly after hearing the question, almost with the hope that Texas’ upward trajectory reaches that of its opponent — a national power.

“They’re a very big team up front with really good speed on the back end,” said Ehlinger, who possesses a dual-threat capability with 3,123 passing yards and an additional 418 rushing. “They’ve got versatility. There’s no hole on this Georgia’s defense. They’re good everywhere.”

This story was originally published December 29, 2018 at 6:50 PM.