Throughout the season, Steve Sarkisian has witnessed a plethora of exciting moments: long passes resulting in 50-yard touchdowns and the defense intercepting passes and taking them all the way back for scores. Yet, there was one particular play Sarkisian had been eagerly anticipating – a routine punt return turning into a touchdown for the Texas Longhorns. Sarkisian had frequently spoken about how close players like Xaiver Worthy had come to breaking away on punt returns. However, in Texas' 35-6 victory over BYU, the elusive moment arrived, and it wasn't just "close" – it was official.
“We felt really good about the punt return unit and thought we might get an opportunity,” Sarkisian shared after the game. “And sure enough, right off the bat, we get the big punt return from Xavier.”
Worthy, who made four catches for 27 yards under the helm of new quarterback Maalik Murphy, had flirted with a punt return touchdown before. In a Week 4 win against Baylor, he dashed past two defenders for a 40-yard gain but was tackled at the Baylor 42. On this Saturday, Worthy seized his chance. The Longhorns (7-1, 4-1 Big 12) swiftly forced a three-and-out against Kedon Slovis, leading to a powerful punt by Ryan Rehkow.
Worthy expertly evaded BYU's outside gunner, finding a seam in the coverage. The BYU players could only watch as the budding NFL talent sprinted past them, securing a 74-yard touchdown return and setting the score at 7-0. “I think it really brought a lot of spirit and energy to the team,” remarked running back Jonathon Brooks. “We're always on the edge of achieving this. We said we're going to get one, and we finally got one.”
Worthy's touchdown marked Texas' first punt return for a touchdown since D'Shawn Jamison's score against Kansas State in 2018. Importantly, it relieved the pressure on Murphy to be the sole offensive hero. Brooks noted that the early special teams score alleviated the nerves for Murphy and the offense. The only downside? The defense barely had time to catch their breath before being back on the field.
Despite the quick turnaround, there were no complaints. Barryn Sorrell, for one, was content; after all, the team had just secured six points. “Something we’ve wanted to see from our special teams is getting a touchdown,” Sorrell stated. “So, I mean, we did just get the three-and-out, but now we just had to go back out there and do it again.”
