Texas Longhorns WR Matthew Golden Laughs Off 'One of My Worst Passes'

Texas Longhorns receiver Matthew Golden threw two passes in the Red River Rivalry game against the Oklahoma Sooners, something that Texas fans weren't expecting to see.

Texas Longhorns receiver Matthew Golden (2) runs the ball during the game against Mississippi State at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. / Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With less than two minutes to go in the second quarter of the Texas Longhorns' matchup against Oklahoma last weekend, fans watched as a downfield pass attempt fell well short of freshman wide receiver Ryan Wingo. It could've set the Longhorns up at the Sooners' 10 yard line to score, but the drive instead put them within field goal range, in which kicker Bert Auburn also missed the target.

Looking to the field, the culprit behind the throw wasn't the usual quarterback Quinn Ewers. It was junior wide receiver Matthew Golden.

The Houston transfer was given a second opportunity to launch the ball in the fourth quarter, this time completing a crucial 30-yarder to senior tight end Gunnar Helm on the first play of the drive. The pass would set Texas up just two yards from the goal line, and Ewers rushed the ball in for a touchdown to put the Longhorns up 34-3.

Saturday's game marked Golden's first time being the one to throw the ball instead of catching it, but it was a plan that had been in motion the previous week at practice.

"That first one, I ain't got much to say about that," Golden said during Monday's media conference. "I'll say it's the glove, because we practiced that the whole week, and I was on point. We came into the game and it felt different, obviously there was a lot of people there, my adrenaline was going. Hopefully I can get another pass here coming soon."

Head coach Steve Sarkisian mentioned Golden's initial toss during the team's "good, bad and ugly" review session, jokingly comparing it to a video of rapper 50 Cent making a questionable first pitch during a Mets game back in 2014.

On this date 5 years ago, 50 cent threw a first pitch about 50 miles off home plate pic.twitter.com/hfNV6zZERq

— Someone's An Idiot (@SomeonesAnIdiot) May 27, 2019

"They were on me because they know I could throw the ball," Golden said. "That was probably one of my worst passes."

Golden's role as a makeshift quarterback won't be a mainstay, not because of his mistakes, but because he'll possibly see extended time at the receiver position with the day-to-day status of fellow transfer Isaiah Bond. The junior wide receiver out of Alabama went to the sidelines during the second quarter after he apparently reaggravated an ankle injury.

However, when asked about the potential for a larger role due to the absence of Bond, Golden said that Texas' array of offensive options provides enough certainty that all he needs to do is show up and do what he does best.

"I say it'll be the same, you know, we got a lot of good receivers. If one player go down, you know, we got a lot of good depth," Golden said. "So at the end of the day, we just got to come in and work, and I feel like we'll be just fine."

Currently tied for first on the team in receiving touchdowns, Golden hopes to create a wave of offensive momentum against Georgia this weekend, no matter what role he finds himself in.