Longhorns quarterback David Ash had his best game as a starter on Saturday night against Mississippi, going 19 of 23 for 331 yards and four touchdowns. On Monday, the sophomore was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week and the Davey O'Brien Quarterback of the Week.
Ash completed 15 straight attempts in the 66-31 win over Ole Miss that saw the Longhorns rack up 661 yards of total offense, the second highest output in school history. His career-high pass efficiency rating of 259.06 is the third-best by any FBS quarterback this season and the top mark against a BCS team.
After struggling to get explosive plays in the passing game in the first two games of the season, Ash had touchdown passes of 46 and 55 yards against the Rebels.
"We feel like our passing game is coming along fast," Texas head coach Mack Brown said on Monday. "We thought David Ash had by far his best game."
Ash is 55 of 72 (76.4 percent) for 703 yards and seven touchdowns in three games this season with no interceptions. He's rushed for a net of 58 yards on 11 carries, including a 49-yard touchdown run on fourth down against New Mexico.
So far, Ash looks more comfortable managing the offense than he did as a freshman in 2011, when he was 3-3 as a starter. More importantly for Texas, Ash is not turning over the ball. He has 96
attempts without an interception dating back to last Nov. 19 at Kansas State.
"He just started doing things right," Brown said. "I thought his 49-yard touchdown run against New
Mexico gave him confidence that he can run and the other night he made some great plays with his feet. But I think you are just seeing it click for him right now. I thought that was a game [against Ole Miss] where we would know more and he answered the bell."
By Austin Laymance/Special to the Star-Telegram
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