Texas lost the battle but won the war, falling 45-44 to Cal on its home field on Saturday but finding hope in the form of freshman quarterback Jerrod Heard.<br />Heard completed 20 of 31 passes for 364 yards, rushed for 163 yards and three touchdowns and improvised in ways that gave Longhorns fans visions of former quarterback Vince Young.<br />Even though it came against Cal, a defense that last year ranked No. 108 in the country on Football Outsiders' S&P+ ratings, Heard's performance felt important.<br />He willed the Longhorns back from a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit and would have forced overtime if not for a missed extra point in the final minute.<br />"I'm excited by the offense, but it's negated by how the defense is playing," head coach Charlie Strong told the Longhorn Network after the game.
