Click HERE to get Horns247 for FREE this season!

Jordan Hicks and the Texas defense rank No. 121 out of 123 FBS schools against the run. (Don Bender/Horns Illustrated)

AUSTIN, Texas – Stop me if you've heard the tired narrative about the Texas defense being bad against the run.

Out of 123 FBS programs, Texas heads into the Big 12 opener against Kansas State on Saturday ranking No. 121 in rushing yards allowed per game (308.7), tied for 120th in the most runs of 15 yards or more allowed (16), and No. 115 in yards per rush (6.0).

It doesn't get much worse than where the Longhorns are right now. This has to be rock bottom for the defense, meaning Greg Robinson can only go upward and onward with this unit.

So what's Robinson doing differently this week after his first game back since the end of the 2004 season resulted in a 44-23 loss where the Longhorns gave up 272 rushing yards?

He's sure to have a laundry list of things to check off. There's still a lot to be done, especially considering Tuesday marked the fourth practice Robinson has been with the team since the firing of Manny Diaz.

“I don't know if he's emphasizing anything,” Jordan Hicks said. “It's a new gameplan, new stuff. We just have to keep adapting to his defense and I think we've done a good job of that.”

What Robinson is said to be doing is he's attempting to teach some fundamental basics that wound up being Diaz's downfall. Namely setting the edge and leveraging the football, two things the Longhorns must do if they have any hopes of beating Kansas State on Saturday.

Whether it's defending the simple run plays like a sweep or a stretch play or the zone read, it all boils down to following the basic principles that when carried out properly can slow down any offense.

“It's been that way since the beginning of time,” Hicks said. “If you play with good leverage and you know where your help is, you'll be able to make the play as long as you wrap up and tackle.

“A running back is so much easier to tackle when there's two people around the ball as opposed to one,” he added. “If somebody does mess up because they're flying and the running back stops and cuts back on you, there's somebody there to help you out.

“It's a two-way street. You have to hold yourself accountable but you have to able to depend on your teammates to be there.”

One thing that didn't hurt Texas the way it did against BYU was missed tackles. That said, film review showed players still not willing to wrap up and drive their feet through a ball carrier, rather laying a lick on them and expecting the runner to fall to the ground.

Hicks agrees with the premise that tackling is all about attitude.

“There's people who are going to tackle and there's people who are going to turn down tackles,” Hicks said. “We don't have anybody turning down tackles. We have people who just have to make the play.”

In an effort to help them make more plays the coaches changed the way they watched game film this week. The entire defense and the entire offense watched film together rather than breaking up into position groups.

Players have talked about peer accountability since the end of last season. It sounds like the tactic of the coaches might actually promote it.

“It's a little different when you're in there with your whole defense,” Hicks said. “You can feel the accountability when everybody's in there watching.”

There really is nowhere to go but up, but Texas needs to get off of the ground in a hurry. Kansas State is entering Saturday's game with an option quarterback in Daniel Sams who could very well see his workload increased until the Longhorns show any form of resistance against the option.

The Wildcats have to be licking their chops to face the Longhorn defense. Texas is expecting nothing less than for Kansas State to play tough, physical football in the run game.

“I don't think they're going to switch it up,” Hicks said. “They'll get that read option going on us and we're focused on it. They're more power, downhill, quarterback run type of offense.

“It's the same K-State,” he added. “It's downhill, coming at you. Every now and then they'll run a stretch or a quarterback power or lead to try and outnumber us.”

Want more from Horns247? Sign up for a yearly subscription today by clicking HERE and get the entire regular season for FREE!