Texas Blog

October 27, 2009

Colt McCoy and the Texas Longhorns solve their offensive woes for now, beating Missouri 41-7
Matthew Melon (soularchives.blogspot.com)

 

Boy was it ugly, Colt McCoy and his team spared no one in the beatdown they served the Missouri Tigers on Saturday night. It was so ugly that in the third quarter ABC pulled the plug to switch over to their West Coast coverage of the USC and Oregon State game--where these two teams were trading punches.

  It was the old McCoy (26/31 for 269 yards with 3 touchdowns and one interception) playing pitch and catch with his receivers against an overmatched Missouri team. The entire nation h as been waiting for him to breakout this season, and he did against albeit a Missouri team whose quarterback Blaine Gabbert was playing with an injured ankle.  Gabbert was unable to plant his feet and this cause a lot of his balls to have no velocity on them.

  Do not misunderstand me, Missouri can put up points like Texas Tech, but these two offenses score too fast so their defenses get no time to rest and that is why they give up a lot of points, on defense. And also your team identity in college dictates the recruits you will attract: so an offensive team will get more kids on offensive side than the defensive side and vice versa. Not only that, but the Longhorn’s defense (#2 in total defense--which was held by Alabama who dropped to #4) have stepped up in a big way since the Oklahoma game.

 It’s safe to say that Mack Brown’s team looked far more impressive last Saturday than Alabama and Florida (who both struggled to secure a definitive win). But on a whole, Alabama, Florida, and Texas do not look like the same teams from the 2008 season. 

 One thing for sure is that Texas should not get too excited by beating a Missouri team that is ranked 52nd in the nation in total offense (giving up an average of 345.86 yards per game) and a pass defense that is 65th in the nation (allowing on average of 218.0 yards per game through the air).

  Looking at their schedule, the best defense they played was Oklahoma’s and they barely won that game, 16-13. Yes, they are in control of their own destiny, but what lies ahead is a trip to Boone Pickens Stadium to play Oklahoma State this upcoming Saturday.  I know you are going to say that no Dez Bryant (lied to the NCAA) and Kendall Hunter (injured) will make it easier for the Longhorns. However, you never know: they still have Zac Robinson at quarterback (12 touchdowns and 3 interceptions) and Keith Toston (6 rushing touchdowns and 606 yards rushing so far). Last season, the Longhorns (at home) looked less than stellar in a tight game that they eked out, 28-24.

 Texas is 3rd in the AP poll, USA Today poll, and BCS standings. If they win out, the winner of the December 5th SEC Championship game will be their opponent in the national title game. But if for some reason they lose a game along the way, all their national championship aspirations fly out the window. And that leaves the Men of Troy sitting perfectly in all this.

 USC is sitting comfortably (on the 50th floor of the penthouse suite) at No.5 in the BCS standings, and all they have to do is win out, and for Texas to have one loss for them to be in the national title game.  The Trojans have to beat Oregon in Autzen Stadium (one of the toughest places to play in the nation, if not the loudest) this upcoming Saturday and this will allow them to step over Iowa (4th in the BCS) and be seated at the No.4 spot in the BCS. But if they lose, they might be out of the BCS picture all together.

 There is no doubt that silently and secretively USC is hoping for a Texas loss and for their offense to put up 42 points on Oregon like they did against Oregon State. But it has to be disheartening for Trojan fans (myself included) to witness their defense giving up 63 points in their last two games.

 Last season, Texas’ hopes of the national title were taken away in a Cinderella moment by Michael Crabtree. And then the stupid Big 12 tiebreaker rule that kept them out of Big 12 Championship game, even though they beat Oklahoma head-to-head, 45-35. No one can deny Texas of their destiny, if they just win out. But for the Longhorns it’s all about consistency, this was the first game where their offense was firing on all cylinders, can they keep it up for the remainder of the season?

 

Feel free to leave any comments at matthewmelon617@verizon.net

 

October 25, 2009

Texas @ Mizzou - Week 8 Recap
By: JT

 

So week 8 was the week that Colt McCoy and the rest of the Longhorns finally got off to a fast start.  McCoy completed his first 11 passes and was able to produce touchdowns on the Longhorn’s first three drives of the night.  Texas has won 11 in a row and McCoy is 39-7 overall while at Texas.  That record ties Peyton Manning for second in career college wins.  That’s pretty impressive.

The first half of the game on Saturday night, under the bright lights of Mizzou was nearly  flawless for Texas.  The defense even blocked a punt for a score.

I read an article that said something along the lines of “Texas goon squad knocks out 3rd quarterback of the season” and as I read the article I thought the headline was an unfair characterization of the aggressiveness that the Longhorn’s D plays with.  Yes, they have knocked out three QB’s this season, that’s true - but the circumstances aren’t exactly what the article implied.  First off, Bradford was just coming off of an injury when Texas and Oklahoma met up a little over a week ago, and the hit on him was far from intentional.  And Blaine Gabbert (Mizzou QB) was already playing with a sprained ankle and had limited mobility.  So in both of the those instances, the QB was already hurt.  The third QB to be hurt was Hawkins of Colorado (though I have to admit, I didn’t know this injury occurred and am trusting the source who wrote the article, because I can’t find confirmation in anything I’ve read).  In any event, the headline of the article is an unfair depiction which implies that the Texas defense is intentionally hurting players.  They are not.  Mack Brown would never allow such a thing to occur on his team.

Texas has 400 yards of offense in the victory (269 passing and 131 rushing) while Mizzou had just 173 yards of offense (99 passing and 74 rushing).  Additionally Mizzou had 2 costly turnovers, while Texas had just one (and INT from McCoy).  Shipley was an active participant in the game, which was nice after he was shut down against Oklahoma last week.  He had 7 receptions for 108 yards and 2 TD’s.  (Why isn’t this guy in the conversation for Heisman?  He’s good)

This was the kind of performance that we need to see from Texas from here on out.  Texas travels to Oklahoma State for another evening match-up.  There are a few people who are calling this a “trap game” for Texas.  More on that in the Week 9 preview.

 

October 23, 2009

Texas @ Missouri - Week 8 Preview
By: JT

In week 8 our Texas Longhorns travel to Mizzou for a Big 12 showdown for the ABC Saturday Night Football Game of the Week.  Mizzou is 0-2 in the Big 12 (with a 4-2 record overall). Texas comes into the came ranked 3rd (BCS) in the nation with a 6-0 record (3-0 in the Big 12).  Vegas has the line at 13 for this game.

Last week’s game against the Sooners was brutal to watch.  There was no point in calling up your friends and bragging about that win, because it was barely a win and most analysts don’t think Texas gets that win if Bradford doesn’t end up hurt.  There are so many things to watch in college football, AP rankings, BCS rankings, coaches polls, Heisman watch, records, defensive stats, offensive stats, and on and on the possibilities go.  Sometimes it’s hard to keep your eyes on the things that matter.  There is this feeling that I get every Saturday morning, when I wake up and I know it’s game day. I know I have 2 hours of College Game Day in front of me and then if I’m lucky almost 12 hours of great football to watch.  At the end of the day, what matters is the quality of play on the field and the final score when the clock ticks to 0:00.

So while the game against Oklahoma was difficult to watch, ultimately the team I was cheering for won - and I was happy with that ending.  But it didn’t stop me from having this sinking feeling about the quality of play.  The quality of play is the reason that the Longhorns aren’t #2 in the polls, because Alabama is certainly playing better.  I’m not sure I can say the same for Florida overall.

The defense of Texas won the game for them last week (reducing the Sooners to minus 16 yards of rushing offense) and in the event that McCoy once again gets off to a slow start, then the defense will have to step up again and play large.  The Longhorns defense allows 246 yards and just over 14 points per game, on average.

In spite of Missouri’s record, they are still a tough team to play, and we all know that everyone plays just a little tougher when they are on a national stage. Starting QB is Blaine Gabbert sprained his right ankle on October 1st against Nebraska, he is expected to play, though he might have some lingering mobility issues from it. On the Texas side of the ball, McCoy is suffering from a bruised thumb during the Oklahoma game last week, but is expected to start and play the entire game.

McCoy will need some help from his receivers against Mizzou if the offense wants to get off to a quick start.  Winning the game shouldn’t be an issue - but if Texas wants to increase some of the noise surrounding it’s play, it needs to do a little bit more than just win.  We all know how fickle and cruel the BCS can be.  And if Texas, Florida and Alabama all win out, and Alabama and Florida face each other in the SEC championship, while it’s unlikely the BCS would have a rematch for the National Championship game - there isn’t anything that would prevent them from doing that. Especially if the first game is a well played, close game, and Texas doesn’t provide a compelling argument as to why they belong in the national game - which in my opinion they have yet to do this season.

October 19, 2009

Red River Rivalry - Week 7 Recap
By: JT

Wow - where do you start with this game? I’ve got some options:
Fans of the SEC can now stop saying that the Big 12 has no defense, because yesterdays game was nothing but defense
After the game ended and the Longhorns mascot Bevo was being moved off of the field, he stopped in the end zone and dropped a cowpie. It was only the second time all day that someone from Texas actually made it into the end zone.
Sam Bradford getting hurt again was such a disappointment and really hard to watch the emotion on his face and in his body after it happened.
Colt McCoy was hit way too many times yesterday - with the first half being much worse than the second half

See - there are options. Here’s the bottom line, Texas was lucky to walk away with a win on Saturday. The game was brutal to watch. I might even go so far as to say excruciating. Texas had an opportunity to actually pull ahead and make some noise, as just about everyone around them in the polls played poorly (Florida, USC). If Bradford had been healthy for the entire game rather than for just the first play, the Longhorns would not have won that game.

McCoy again threw an interception, putting him at 7 for the season. He has 11 total TD’s for the season, one of them coming against the Sooners. I know we all want Colt to win the Heisman this year (well, if you’re a Texas fan you do) but the reality is, if he continues to play like this, he’s not winning it. He hasn’t really looked sharp all season. I know that Texas is 6-0 and ranked 3rd in the BCS, but the expectation that he’s playing like a Heisman candidate and future winner is ridiculous at this point. And I love Colt. I want Colt to win the Heisman. I want the Longhorns to win the National Title - but honestly, I just don’t see it happening if they don’t make some much needed adjustments. Fast.

The game came down to a battle of who had fewer turnovers. The Sooners had 5, and Texas had 3 (2 fumbles and 1 INT). McCoy went 21 of 39 for 127 yards. While Bradford was in the game he was 2 of 6 for 77 yards, and his back-up (Jones) was 24 of 43 for 250 yards and a TD (and 2 INT’s). The Longhorns had a total of 269 yards of offense in the game, while Oklahoma had 311 yards (the Sooners actually had negative yards in rushing at -16).

Shipley was pretty much shut down for the entire game, so there were no big plays coming from him. Oklahoma did a nice job defending against him and protecting against the big play.

Texas travels to Missouri next week for a Saturday night showdown on ABC. Let’s see how much work they do this week on protecting the ball. Regardless, it should be a good game. Hopefully a better game than the Red River Rivalry.

 

October 16, 2009

Week 7 - Red River Rivalry Showdown
By: JT

 

I’m thinking fair food, a ferris wheel, and a freaking ridiculous game on Saturday!  It’s the annual Red River Rivalry between #3 Texas Longhorns and the #20 Oklahoma Sooners. The game is always played as a neutral site game at the Cotton Bowl.

 Before we get into the preview of this weeks game, I need to quickly address the drop in ranking from #2 to #3.  Now, if I’m being logical I can say that Florida’s defense showed up big and was able to lead the Gators to a victory over LSU, and I can say that Alabama has been dominating this season, but let’s be honest - what fan is logical?  Seriously - I can understand Texas being dropped to #3 if ‘Bama had jumped to #1 over Florida, because I believe they had a better outing, but I don’t get how Florida wins by 10, and remains #1 and Texas (while they started slow) won easily over Colorado and we drop to #3.  I hate the subjectiveness of the AP poll and am so glad that the BSC rankings start this week.  Because the BCS rankings are so much better. (yes, that’s sarcasm my friends)

 Onto the game.  This is one of the best games in college football (I think) and when both teams are playing well, it always makes for an edge of your seat type of game.  Bradford is back for Oklahoma, which is good to see, because regardless of who the team is - it sucks when a high quality player is injured.  That’s not good for the game.  Bottom line, Oklahoma is going to need a big day on the ground if they want to win this game. And the Texas defense is stingy when it comes to giving up rushing yards.  They have given up a total of 231 rushing yards all season (avg. of 1.6 per carry) and have given up only 1 rushing TD.  That’s not good news for the Sooners.  Bradford is likely to still be a little shaky after his injury, with the passing game suffering as a result.

 Colt McCoy has looked shaky at times this season as well.  He’s thrown 10 TD’s and 6 INT’s.  In every game this season, regardless of who the opponent is - the Longhorns have started slow.  Colorado had an early lead on Texas last week, but eventually Colt and the boys turned it on.  Still, that slow start is a part of the reason why Texas slipped to #3 and also why Colt is getting less and less mention in when people talk about Heisman candidates.  You know things aren’t going terrific when Jimmy Clausen is getting more chatter than McCoy is.  Not that Clausen isn’t a good QB, but ND hasn’t played nearly as well as their record indicates they have.

 If you’re concerned about the Longhorns ground game, you’re not alone.  Injuries and inexperience kept Texas to just 46 yards rushing against Colorado.  And Colorado went into the game last week with the worst defense in the Big 12. Yikes. That #3 is starting to make more sense now.

 Texas needs to look sharp early and McCoy needs to make smart passing decisions. No picks would be a fantastic outing, and a good passing game would put McCoy solidly back into the Heisman chatter (even though he doesn’t care about that, and I truly believe he doesn’t) and also help Texas to continue to make an argument for a trip to the National Championship.

 

October 9, 2009

Colorado @ Texas – Week 6 Preview
By JT



The Colorado Buffalo’s are coming to town this week, and they are bringing with them a 1-3 record.  Buffalo fans shouldn’t be looking for the number in the win column to increase during this week’s play.  Buffalo is allowing an average of slightly over 400 yards of offense per game this season, and Texas is allowing an average of 259 per game, and putting up an average of 521 yards per game (ranked 5th in the nation) of offense.
If you’re paying attention to Texas, you’re probably looking closely at Colt McCoy as he plays through what hopefully ends in both a national championship and Heisman trophy this season (though if Colt doesn’t tighten up the INT’s he’s throwing, he can kiss the Heisman goodbye), but you should also be paying very close attention to the defense.  And that’s because the defense is very, very good. They have 12 sacks in the first 4 games, and have been very successful at creating pressure.
Colt McCoy has thrown at least 1 TD pass in 21 consecutive games.  Look for that streak to continue as McCoy is likely to go deep downfield on numerous plays, as the Buffalo defense struggles to stop the quick Texas offense.  Let’s see if Shipley can extend his streak of at least 10 catches to three games.
Buffalo does have a nice RB in Rodney Stewart, who is quick and lithe at times.  However, in order to get the full use out of Stewart, Colorado has to keep the game close.  There isn’t much you can do with a grind it out ground game if you’re down by two or three touchdowns.  Look for Stewart to get the ball often in the first half, but relegated to a smaller role as the Longhorns take a more commanding lead in the second half.
This game shouldn’t even be close. The defense should continue to come up big again this week which sets up Texas nice for next week’s key match-up against Oklahoma.

October 1, 2009

UTEP @ Texas – Game Recap
By: JT


Finally the Texas Longhorns looked like a #2 team. Until this week they have gotten off to slow starts in every game, and at times they didn’t even look like a top 10 team, let alone the #2 team in the nation.


By halftime the Longhorns were up by 40, with McCoy throwing 3 TD passes. The final score on the board was 64-7. And for only the second time in school history Texas had over 300 yards in passing (335) and rushing (304).


McCoy played long enough in the 3rd quarter to put an additional 3 points on the board, and then he checked out and was relieved by freshman Garrett Gilbert. These early season games have certainly given Gilbert some opportunities to get in and show Mack Brown what he can do with this offense.


Offensively, McGee had 8 carries for 104 yards and 1 TD, and Shipley caught 10 passes for 122 yards and 1 TD.
Texas does need to work on turnovers. So far this season McCoy has thrown 5 INT’s, with at least 1 being tossed in every game. He also has 9 TD’s, so he’s putting the ball in the end zone, but the turnovers are occurring. McCoy had 8 INT’s the entire 2008 season, but he had 18 in the 2007 season. Let’s hope that he doesn’t equal (or best) that record.
Looking back over the first 4 games, Texas has out gained their opponents 2085 to 1038 in total yards, essentially killing their opponents on the ground, with Texas having a total of 829 rushing yards and their opponents having 189 yards. I guess when you’re down by 2 or 3 TD’s, you can’t run the ball – you have to put it in the air – so that stat makes total sense. The passing yards don’t have as much disparity between Texas (1256) and their opponents (849).


McCoy has yet to be sacked this season, while the Texas defense has gotten 4 sacks thus far.


The Longhorns have the week off on October 3rd, and then Colorado comes to town on October 10th. Enjoy the off week!

September 26, 2009

UTEP Miners @ Texas Longhorns– Week 4 Preview
By: JT

Going into week 4, Texas is still ranked #2 in the AP poll, but I wouldn’t expect them to hang onto that spot much longer if they don’t start playing ‘bigger’ in their games.  Yes, I realize last week was a 10 point win over Texas Tech, but they didn’t look good.  They aren’t playing inspired ball, and to be honest – I don’t think they have yet this season.  They look beatable. Very beatable, and once they get into the heart of their schedule, if they haven’t stepped up their game, they will get beat. No doubt about it.

The line going into Saturday’s game is 34.  I don’t expect the Longhorns to cover.

UTEP is coming in with a 1-2 record, having lost to both Buffalo and Kansas already this season.  Junior QB Trevor Vittatoe passed for 182 yards (15-32) last week against New Mexico State (0 TD / 0 INT). The Miners added in an additional 156 yards on the ground, and came away with a 38-12 win over the Aggies.  Buckram had a huge day at WR, with 113 yards and 2TD’s.  Look for Vittatoe and Buckram to pair up on Saturday against the Longhorns, as the Red Raiders proved you can successfully pass against this defense.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Miners allowed a total of 284 yards (97 passing / 187 rushing).

Last week McCoy was 24-34 for 205 yards, 1 TD and 2 INT’s.  McCoy has a total of 6 TD’s and 4 INT’s this season.  Buckner and Shipley both had decent outings with 75 and 73 yards respectively.

On the defensive side of the ball for the Longhorns, they allowed 414 total yards (outgaining the Longhorns by almost 80 yards) with all of them coming in the air.

Let’s hope that Texas picks up their game this week, because things start to get a little tougher from here on out.

Prediction:
Texas wins by 24.

September 25, 2009

Texas Recap
BY: Jason Nafziger

Texas has big wins over Louisiana-Monroe and Wyoming and came on top
of a tough battle with Texas Tech.
Stats so far: Texas is 54th with 4.17 yards per rush attempt and 43rd with
7.7 yards per passing attempt. Overall, they have scored 44.7 points and
gained 482 yards on offense per game. Defensively, they are 11th with 2.07
yards allowed per rush attempt and 30th with 5.7 yards allowed per pass
attempt. Overall, they have allowed 18 points and 328.3 yards per game.
Coming up: The Longhorns should get easy wins out of UTEP and Colorado
before the big clash with Oklahoma.

Jason Nafziger writes about Pro and College Football at
http://onfootball.wordpress.com

September 23, 2009

The Longhorns Hold off Texas Tech in Austin

Matthew Melon (soularchives.blogspot.com)

 

Austin, not Lubbock.  No Graham Harrell. No Michael Crabtree. No problem, but wait. The Longhorns beat Texas Tech 34-24 on Saturday night; it wasn’t an emphatic win, it reminded me of their last season battle with Oklahoma State where they won 28-24. Revenge was on the mind of the Longhorns and the 100,000 plus screaming fans. And it was only fitting since last season’s matchup saw Crabtree erase their dreams of getting to the National Championship with a one second touchdown grab. 

With Texas Tech losing their playmakers, in Crabtree and Harrell, it was a no-brainer that the Longhorns were going to walk through their opponents. However, junior quarterback Taylor Potts was not going to be known as the stand-in for the graduated Harrell. He finished the night 42/62 for 420 yards with three touchdowns and one interception.

On the opening drive, Potts marched the Red Raiders down the field with precision passing that made everyone notice, but the offense stalled and they got a field goal. He showed good zip and velocity on his passes all night. Usually when a team loses their playmaker, at whatever position, there is a drop-off but Potts clearly has command of the quarterback position and the offense.

From the onset and throughout the night Colt McCoy was not himself. He threw a lot of errant passes that were either wide or high. Word came out of Texas that he was battling with flu-like symptoms (it seems like some Florida players got the flu bug as well) throughout the week so this attributed to his okay performance. But there is a difference with McCoy; he does not look like he is having fun out there like in ’08.  Last year we saw pitch and catch from McCoy to his receivers. However, this season, he is getting off to a slow start and in the second half is when he comes alive. This really has to be a mental thing and, yes, the flu has something to do with his performance tonight but he is trying to live up to everyone’s expectations. McCoy needs to just play football and realize that this is your last year: have fun and let loose.

McCoy was 24/34 for 205 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. One must believe that being sick and also the pressure of being a Heisman front-runner has not allowed McCoy to be himself with his playmaking ability.

The Texas Tech offensive line played stellar in the first half. But it was only a matter of time until Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp figured them out and mixed up his blitzes and that allowed more hurries on Potts, to good results. The only touchdown in the first half was a 46 yard punt return by sixth year senior Jordan Shipley that gave Texas the lead 7-3 going into the second half.

The second half saw a more relaxed McCoy and mixture of run and pass plays. The first drive of the third quarter was capped off by a 19 yard run by freshman running back Tre’ Newton to give the Longhorns the lead 17-3. Newton had 88 yards on the night, carrying the ball 20 times for a 4.4 yard per carry average and one touchdown. He showed toughness and will to win on his runs. He might not have the game-breaking speed of a Jahvid Best, but he was more than serviceable that night.

Potts found junior wide receiver Lyle Leong on two touchdown passes on the night: One of his touchdown grabs was for fourteen yards that put the Red Raiders back in the game, pushing the score to 17-10. However, McCoy found sophomore Dan Buckner, who has good size at 6’4 and weighs 215 pounds, for a 25 yard reception to the Red Raiders one yard line and the drive was capped off by a one yard run by sophomore running back Cody Johnson for the touchdown. At this point it seemed that Texas was pulling away as the score would indicate, 24-10.

Potts, not to be outdone, comes right back with the second touchdown pass to Leong pushing Tx. Tech closer 24-17. The fourth quarter saw Potts getting picked off by Earl Thomas at Tx. Tech’s 20 yard line. At this point, I thought the game was over and so did the rest of the fans. But a high pass by McCoy that was intended for Malcolm Williams was intercepted by D.J. Johnson. On the ensuing drive, Sergio Kindle jacked up Potts with a tackle that jarred him and his helmet, and the ball loose for a Longhorn recovery. A three yard touchdown pass to Buckner ended a 6 play, 14 yard drive to give the Longhorns the lead, 31-17.

Once again Potts, not to be denied, came back with a 22 yard pass to sophomore wide receiver Tramain Swindall on a broken coverage play by Texas to move them closer 31-24. On the next drive, McCoy and his team settled for 3 points to push them further ahead 34-24. On the final play of the game, Potts tries to convert a fourth-and-seven play, but the pass was broken up and the Longhorns escaped the comeback from the Red Raiders.

Tx. Tech outgained the Longhorns with 414 total yards compared to 340. The Red Raiders wish they could take back the fourteen penalties that cost them a whopping 108 yards, and they were a dismal -6 rushing yards on the ground.

Texas did not look like the second best team in the country when the dust settled in Austin, Texas. They have the Red River Rivalry coming up on October 17th, and Sam Bradford should be back, and the following two weeks they have away games at Missouri and Oklahoma State.  They need to show the nation that they are deserving to be behind Florida in the rankings. However do not count out McCoy, he can get it done when needed and maybe the Red River Rivalry will be the game that he realizes how fun it is to play football, especially at a big school like the University of Texas.

Feel free to leave comments at matthewmelon617@verizon.net

 

 

September 13, 2009

Texas vs. Wyoming – Week 2 – Game Notes
By: JT


I’m writing this blog as I watch the game.
Well – by all indications, this game should be a blow out, and there shouldn’t be much to worry about – nor should there be a lot to blog about during the game.
Wyoming receives first and goes 3 and out. The Longhorns defense looks sharp in the first series. With Texas having the ball for the first time in the game, McCoy begins to work the offense and move the ball down field, but he doesn’t look sharp – if anything he looks sluggish and a little ‘off’ compared to how I’m used to seeing Colt play. The first series results in a 29 yard field goal, but it probably should have been a series that Texas converted into 7 points rather than 3.
On the next series the Cowboys take the ball on a 9 play drive resulting in 38 yards, and a punt. So far – this game is NOT exciting. In fact, it’s the exact opposite of exciting.
The next 5 series result in punts (well 4 punts and 1 turnover on downs by Texas) and then finally Wyoming puts 3 on the board.  Texas eventually scores another field goal (yeah, you read that correctly – Texas has yet to score a touchdown in this game) and the score is 6-3 Texas.
After a couple of more punts and an interception by McCoy, Texas is punting yet again and the Cowboys block the punt and run it into the end zone for 6, with the extra point making the score 6-10 in favor of the Cowboys.  So now, a game in which the Longhorns were projected to win by 30+ points, they are down by 4 and have yet to put the ball in the end zone. Sluggish is an official understatement. Texas just doesn’t look sharp at all.
The next series Texas finally gets moving on offense and takes the ball 70 yards down field on 6 plays and scores on a pass to James Kirkendoll (25 yards).  The extra point puts Texas up 13-10, with time all but expired.
I’ve never been so glad to see a half of football end.  There was nothing good about this first half.
Thankfully Texas comes out of the locker room and looks like they are ready to play some ball – they quickly moved the ball downfield for 40 yards in 5 plays, with a 9 yard rush resulting in a TD (extra point is good!) Texas is up 20-10.
A couple of series later Texas scores another touchdown, going up by 17. The series consisted of 8 plays for 88 yards, with the touchdown coming on a 33 yard bomb from McCoy to Buckner.
And so it continues for Texas, with them finally ‘turning on the burners’ and making things happen like I expected would happen from the opening kickoff.  Texas is up 34-10 after a rushing TD by Tre’ Newton.
McCoy has thrown 1 or more passes to 6 different receivers, with four of the receivers catching at least 4 passes, so he’s doing a great job of spreading the ball around and working in as many receivers as he can.  At the end of the 3rd Quarter McCoy is 25 of 40 for 275 yards and 2 TD’s (1 INT) and Texas has an additional 152 yards on the  ground.
The 4th quarter is typical 4th quarter play when there is a big lead, with grind it out football being played by Texas. Burning time off of the clock.
Texas wins 41-10, and does not cover (I think the line went off at 31.5 or 32). McCoy ended up with 337 yards passing (30/47) and 3 TD’s (1 Int) and added an additional 38 yards with his feet and an additional TD. Texas put together 185 yards of offense on the ground.
The defense didn’t allow a score in the second half, and gave up a total of 273 yards (186 yards on the ground and 87 in the air) and only 10 points.
The Longhorns looked good during the second half, displaying the type of game play that they are going to need to show next week against the Red Raiders of Texas Tech.

September 11, 2009

Texas Longhorns @ Wyoming Cowboys – Week 2 Preview
By: JT

It was a challenge for me to really get excited about week 1's game against ULM because it was such a lopsided game.  It's hard to get really amped about a game that statistically you absolutely cannot lose.  Yeah, yeah, yeah – it's always great to see your team win, but it's just different when you're playing a much lower caliber team and you know in advance it's going to be a rout.  As I write this on Friday morning the line is sitting at 32.  Admit it – that's a blowout prediction.

The Wyoming Cowboys have never (NEVER) beaten a top 10 team and the Longhorns have an 8 game winning streak for road openers, by tomorrow evening it will be a nine game winning streak and the Cowboys will still have never beaten a top 10 ranked team.

Recap of Last Week:
In last week's opener against ULM, McCoy went 21 for 29 for 317 yards and two touchdowns.  Colt also had an interception in that game.  Back-up Garrett Gilbert came into the game in the second half and went 4 for 5, tossing for 46 yards.  In total the Longhorns had 562 yards of total offense, putting up 59 points during the 4 Q's.

Jordan Shipley had a career day with eight receptions for 180 yards, including a 78-yard bomb that resulted in a TD. This was Shipley's fourth career 100-yard receiving game. Admittedly, that was exciting to watch.

On the defensive side of the ball, Texas limited the ULM Warhawks to 298 yards of offense, with only 101 of them coming with the ground game.  Texas allowed 20 points to be put on the board – but 10 of those points came in the 4th quarter, which we can essentially call 'garbage time'.

Meanwhile, the Cowboys put up 434 yards of offense against Weber State in week 1, with 246 of those yards coming on the ground.  Austyn Carta-Samuels went 8 for 17 (101 yards) and Robert Benjamin went 8 for 17 (87 yards) in the outing.  Alvester Alexander had a 44 yard TD run, which happened to be the first carry of his college career.  Not a bad way to start out your college career, huh?

The Cowboys defense allowed 322 yards in the air and 89 on the ground (411 total yards, making the differential in yards between Weber State and Wyoming very small at just 23 yards, which is reflected in the final score of 29-22).

This Week:
Wyoming is running a no-huddle spread offense, which is new to them this season – so we can expect a few growing pains as they work their way into their new offense.  The new offense comes at the hands of a new head coach, Dave Christensen (former OC at Missouri).  One of Christensen's top goals is to have Wyoming put more points on the board week after week, as last season the Cowboys were last among the 120 FBS teams with 12.7 points per game.

This game should give Colt an opportunity to fine tune his passing attack before playing Texas Tech next week.  While the game shouldn't prove to be much of a challenge for the Longhorns, they do need to work on reducing turnovers on the offensive side of the ball, and keeping their eye on the ground game of the Cowboys, because they should see a stronger running game this week than they saw in week 1.

Prediction:
Texas wins this one going away.  Texas wins by 35.

September 5, 2009

Texas Game Notes – Week 1vs Louisiana-Monroe
Notes written during game
By: JT

As expected Texas came out on fire. ULM received the rock first and on the second play from scrimmage fumbled on their own 23 yard line. Out march the Longhorns!!!!!!!
Colt started with 2 nice pass plays, and followed it up with a running play to McGee from the ULM 9 yard line.  The result was the ball sitting on the 1 yard line, with a quick handoff to Cody Johnson for a 1 yard rushing TD, Texas is up 7-0.
After a 3 and out by ULM, with the longhorn defense swarming, Colt McCoy orchestrated a 64 yard drive resulting in another 1 yard Cody Johnson rushing TD.  Texas is looking strong and is now up 14-0.
This game was not expected to be much of a challenge for the Longhorns, and while it is still WAY TOO EARLY to say that it isn’t going to be a challenge, Texas looks good. Colt is sharp and looks ready to lead the Longhorns all the way.
On the next offensive series for Texas, McGee fumbled on the Texas 37, with ULM recovering and returning for 8 yards. The turnover resulted in +3 for the Warhawks.
Texas is playing smart ball, at the end of the first quarter they have 95 yards of offense to ULM’s 43 yards, but ULM has 3 penalties resulting in 30 yards, where Texas has no penalties (hence the claim of playing smart ball).
Really, I guess it’s time to say that McCoy and Johnson are working well together tonight. They combined for a third 1 yard rushing TD, and Texas is up 21-3 early in the 2nd quarter.  As expected, Texas is dominating this game.
The offense is working well together, and Colt is calm, poised and in control of the offense.  He is moving the team down the field like any good general does during battle.
Mack Brown still has some work to do with the team if they are going to make a run for the National Championship in January. Turnovers need to be minimized.  Texas already has two (one fumble and one INT) and it’s not even halftime yet.  This shouldn’t be the case against an opponent like ULM.  Granted, turnovers are a part of the game, but we need to run a smart offense where we protect the ball at all costs. And we need to win the turnover game every single week.
A 75 yard bomb for ULM and a 78 yard one for Texas moves us towards the half.  The score heading into the locker rooms is 38-10, and overall Texas looks good, but you can definitely tell it’s week 1 of the college season.
The second half started with Texas receiving and then fumbling the ball (McGee, his second of the night) and ULM recovering, and promptly losing 8 yards on two plays, and then turning it back over to the Longhorns.  Once recovered, McCoy threw a 14 yard pass to John Chiles for an additional 6 points. Texas is up 45-10.
I have to go back to the turnovers.  There are a disturbing number of turnovers in this game being by Texas.  Playing against ULM, the Longhorns can get away with it, but when we are playing conference games, that won’t be the case.  Can you imagine having 3 or 4 turnovers against Texas Tech or Oklahoma? Do you know how fast that will come back to bite Texas?
The second half provided little in terms of excitement, as the game was pretty much locked up at halftime (actually, it was locked up after the first quarter). Colt played the 3rd quarter, and finished up the series that crossed over into the 4th quarter and then turned the call playing over to backup QB Garrett Gilbert. Colt threw for 300+ yards, 2 TD’s and one INT before leaving the game with a commanding lead.
The final score was 59-20, and Texas had 562 total yards of offense.  We also had 7 penalties for 68 yards.  And as previously mentioned, 3 turnovers.
Wrap up:
Overall the ‘Horns looked good in the game, but they do need to minimize turnovers.  They have to protect the ball. Next week we travel to Wyoming, and then on September 19th we play the spotlight game on ABC against Texas Tech.  We can’t afford stupid mistakes against the Red Raiders – but we’ll talk more about them after we visit Wyoming.
Colt looked sharp and the defense looked good too, so the season is off to a good start, as were 1-0, which is more than Sooner fans can say. (Hopefully the injury to Bradford isn’t anything serious.  He’s a solid QB, and every game with him in it is more competitive.)

 

 

September 4, 2009

One Game at a Time – The Road to Pasadena Begins
By: JT

It's a football Friday – and the Longhorns are on the eve of what I think will be a season that ends with a National Championship trophy and a Heisman trophy. 

One of the main reasons that I'm so glad the season is finally here is because we can stop talking about what 'might' happen and focus on what IS happening.  By all accounts this first game of the season isn’t going to be much of a challenge for Texas.

Offensive Notes
From an offensive perspective we should see a bit more of a ground game from the Longhorns this season, starting on Saturday against Louisiana Monroe.  Building up the ground game was one of the off-season goals of Mack Brown, and all indications from practice notes is that they have worked hard on achieving this goal during pre-season workouts.  The game against ULM will hopefully provide enough of a ground game to give RB Vondrell McGee enough carries to solidify him as the featured back for the Longhorns this season.  We should also count on big things from Shipley in the season opener.  McCoy and Shipley should work in tandem to move the Longhorns down the field for a good part of the afternoon.  However, during the opener Texas can capitalize on experimenting with finding a complimentary WR to Shipley.

The defense of the Warhawks is an experienced defense and so it should provide at least some minimal challenges from an offensive perspective.  It is important to note that ULM has a new Defensive Coordinator, and with the new DC comes a new scheme (4-2-5), so there could be some initial confusion during the first game on the Warhawks part. 

Defensive Notes
Defensively, the back end of the Texas defense is both experienced, and loaded, but there could be some issues if the line hasn't already gelled as a team and began to work together as a defensive unit.  Don't forget that we lost one of the best pass rushers in the country, Brian Orakpo who was drafted by the Washington Redskins, so we have some exposure there.  There are some concerns about our ability to create pressure, however LB Sergio Kindle is expected to bolt off the edge from a hybrid position that makes him an end.

The offense of ULM should be considered a work in progress. They have a seasoned rusher in Frank Goodin, but Texas was great against the rush last season and there is no reason to think we won't be again this year, so Goodin shouldn't cause any match-up issues for the Longhorns. 

Miscellaneous Notes
While the season is long, it isn't nearly long enough in my opinion – so I try desperately to hang onto every moment of each football game, lingering in the offensive plays and the defensive stops.  It's easy to look forward and say "were going to play for the National Championship" but as we all know, the season can change in the blink of an eye. So while I have titled this blog "….The Road to Pasadena Begins" I am by no means fast forwarding the season to the National Championship game.  I fully intend to linger in every moment of the season, and I hope you will all join me in the experience.

 

September 1, 2009

The Mustache
By JT


By now everyone has seen Colt’s mustache, which I think might have received more press coverage during the past week than Colt has actually received. It’s certainly interesting.  Now – my opinion might differ greatly from what most people are thinking – but I agree with ESPN’s Colin Cowherd on this one, it looks awful.  I know he did it to build team camaraderie with the Offensive Line, so it’s hard to say anything too terrible about it – but seriously, Colt does not need a mustache to look better.  And that my friends, is all I will say about the ‘stache of Colt McCoy.

Colt McCoy
In a Sporting News column titled ‘Two on One: Talking about Colt McCoy’ John Chiles (Texas Wideout and former backup QB) was asked what the number one thing is that makes Colt a good leader, and he responded by saying that Colt handles the spotlight really well.  That the pressure and attention appear to be easy for Colt to manage, and it hasn’t changed who he is as a person or a player.  That’s nice to hear about one of our favorite players.
Then Greg Davis, the OC was asked what makes the relationship between him and Colt work so well?  His response was that their relationship is like a marriage. Initially everything was perfect and everyone was blissfully happy, and then tough decisions started popping up and some controversies (minor, but still there) began to surface.  The key was working through them, realizing they had a common goal – winning games.

Season Opener
With the season just 5 days away at this point, it’s hard for me to focus on anything other than spending hours upon hours watching college football for the next 4+ months.  Does that qualify me as a loser?  I sure hope not, but even if it does it’s unlikely I’ll make any adjustments to my routine.  The Longhorns open up the 2009 season against the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks, and it isn’t expected to be much of a competitive match.  Most predictions have the Longhorns as 40+ point favorites, so from a pure, competitive standpoint the game won’t offer much – but it will give fans their first taste of Texas football for the season, and allow us to get a preview of the offensive and defensive units. 
I’ll cover week 1’s game in greater detail on Friday, September 4th.

NOTES of Interest
Rivals.com has ranked the top 20 Offensive and Defensive Coordinators in college football.  Topping the list in the OC category is Kevin Wilson of Oklahoma.  Coming in second is Galen Hall of PSU. Our own Greg Davis finishes 7th, with some of the reasons for his high ranking being his ability to work well with Colt and his magic tricks from the 2008 season of putting together a strong offensive attack when we really didn’t have a running back to speak of. 
On the defensive end of the stick Texas’ Will Muschamp was ranked 3rd overall.  Will was ranked behind Bud Foster of VaTech and Charlie Strong of Florida.  Will’s unit plays aggressively and he knows how to get his star players in the right position to make plays.

 

August 15, 2009

We have to be consistently good in order to be great
By JT


One of the slogan’s of the Texas Longhorn’s college football program is “We have to be consistently good in order to be great” which dictates how the Longhorns work during pre-season camp.  Every day the team competes against itself.  Some days the defense wins, other days it’s the offense, but they are always giving their all on every play, every day.  Mack Brown is committed to winning, and the only way to win is to practice winning.   
Working in the hot Texas heat is difficult for the team, so Mack Brown reviewed the below with his team and posted it on his blog.  He encouraged people to share it if they found value in it – I do, so I am.  It gives some insight into how Mack works with the team and provides them with tools to be successful.
How to Concentrate

Concentration literally means a coming together of the mind and body to a mutual center. Following are the essential elements for effective and enduring concentration:

1. Stay within yourself. Develop your own cocoon of concentration.
2. Believe in yourself and your capabilities. Be on your side.
3. Have appropriate and attainable goals. They are the blueprints for success.
4. Be realistically positive and eager. You can do it so go for it!
5. Develop your own style of relaxing. It is home base for effective preparation as well as sustaining your concentration.
6. Stay in the here and now. Emphasize only that which you can control.
7. Learn how to pay attention to details as well as be aware of the big picture. Zoom in and out between attention and awareness as the situation warrants.
8. Focus your intensity as you would use a magnifying glass to focus sunlight. Channel your physical and mental energies to the task at hand.
9. If you become distracted, get back on course as soon as possible. We all let our minds wander at times, but winners recover quickly and make few mistakes. 
10. Be proud of yourself and your efforts. Build on your strengths and accomplishments.
Colt McCoy
For those of you who don’t regularly read ESPN the Magazine, you should check out the August 29th issue.  Longhorn’s hero Colt McCoy is on the cover, and there is a nice article inside the magazine about Colt.  The article uses the angle of everyday fans and the impact Colt has had on their lives.  It’s a refreshing view into the life of our favorite Longhorn.  It’s nice to see him getting some of the same type of press coverage the Tim Tebow so frequently receives.
In addition to the props given to Colt in ESPN the Magazine’s cover story, Colt is receiving praise from other places.  Pat Forde picked Colt as his predicted College Football Offensive Player of the year, citing Colt’s maturity on and off the field and his ability to lead the team.  Colt has a strong supporting cast this season as well, so it should be a good (and fun) season for the Longhorns.
And as always, Colt is maintaining his ability to remain humble, he is quoted as saying "It's not my goal to win the Heisman. If our team plays well and is having success, obviously that means I'm playing well."  It might not be Colt’s goal to win the Heisman, but it’s sure one of mine!
OFFENSE NOTES
As most people already know, DJ Grant has been lost for the season.  It’s starting to feel like anyone who attempts to play the tight end position will end up with a knee injury this season.  Mack Brown is already busy trying to fill in the gap with another player – but it still hurts to know we lost him for the season.
And like pretty much everyone else in the country who writes a blog, I’m going to go ahead and jump on the bandwagon that appears to be following OG David Snow.  He’s quick on his feet, gets off the ball quickly and blocks extremely well.  He’s a great asset to the team, and he should be a real difference maker this season.  Keep your eye on him!
NOTES of Interest
When the Longhorns play Texas A&M on Thanksgiving, they will be wearing throwback uniforms honoring legendary Texas coach Darrell Royal.  The uniforms will include a patch with Royal's initials, "DKR," on the hip and the helmets will be the same style worn by UT's first national championship team in 1963.

 

August 9, 2009

Starting at 2, Finishing at 1
By JT


Can you smell it?  Football is so close now that you should be able to catch the scent of tailgating in the air and the sound of bands and fans cheering somewhere off in the distance.  Camp starts Sunday, August 9th and these Texas Longhorns are ready.
THE COACHES’ POLL
The coaches’ poll came out this past week, and as expected our Longhorns are ranked #2, directly behind the Florida Gators.  Oklahoma is ranked #3, so if everything goes according to plan October 17th should be a huge neutral site game in Dallas with major implications for the National Championship.
Speaking of National Championship, I’m going to take a couple of minutes and talk about the continuous debate regarding playoff system or no playoff system.  Now I realize the BCS has recently come out and said that if the system changes at all it’s going back to the old way of doing things, and not progressing towards a playoff system, but still – the topic is always worthy of some discussion.  Many believe that if we had a college football playoff system that all questions would be answered regarding who is the National Champion. And while that may be true, I happen to believe that a playoff system would do take away more from college football than it would benefit it.  Unpopular opinion, I know.
Follow my logic – college football has the most meaningful season of any sport there is. Every game means something. There is no other sport that you can say that about… it’s not even close.  And do you know why every game means something? They all mean something because of the very manner in which the BCS functions.  There is no playoff system, so if you have any hope of playing for the National Championship, you have got to play hard every single week.  You simply must win.  We all know what a single loss can do to your season. Need I say Texas Tech Red Raiders to remind you? I didn’t think so.  I’d much rather have 4 months of great college football and an often times less than satisfactory system for determining the National Champion than 4 watered down months of football and a playoff system.  If you need any more data on this, think about what month you actually start paying attention to college basketball.  Does March sound about right?  I thought so.
There – now you have my $.02 on a college football playoff system. No thanks!
Now, back to that preseason coaches’ poll, Mac Brown was recently asked about the poll on the SVP show on ESPN Radio, and his response was that no one has earned the right to be in the upper part of the polls yet, while it’s nice to be there, we still have to prove we should be there.
OFFENSE NOTES
Colt McCoy is poised for a Heisman worthy season, as Brown believes that Colt is doing for Texas now what Vince did for us in 2005. Brown was quoted as saying that “Colt is in charge of the team, it’s his team. He ran the guys in spring practice. He’s the heart of this team. His spirit and leadership is running throughout the entire squad, both offense and defense.”
Brown was remembering the 2006 season after Vince had left for the NFL and Colt was coming in as the QB, Brown recalled intentionally running a no huddle offense because he didn’t want Colt in the huddle with the older players.  Colt just wasn’t ready. But now, in 2009 Colt can do anything he wants to do with the huddle, because this is Colt’s team. That’s very high praise for his QB.  Praise that should make  us feel good about the upcoming season.
DEFENSE NOTES
The position that I think we should probably be the most concerned about is the defensive line. We have only one starter returning, so there is some potential for missed plays and missed opportunities.  Everywhere else on the team there are multiple starters returning, starters that should give us great confidence going into each week.  The defensive line doesn’t have the numbers that I would typically like to see returning in order to feel confident.  There are a lot of players who haven’t yet proven themselves.
On a brighter note, while the secondary was the biggest concern going into last year, this year the secondary is one of our biggest positives. There are a total of 8 different guys that can play back there, all of whom have been in ballgames before. This is a great asset for the team.

 

July 28, 2009

Take Dead Aim
By: JT

Mack Brown was recently heard on ESPN telling one of college football analysts that Texas needs to control their destiny, and then they don’t have to worry about the manner in which the BCS is set-up. He of course was referring to last season’s heartbreaking loss the Texas Tech Red Raiders, and the impact it had on the Longhorns playing in the Fiesta Bowl rather than playing for the National Championship. “If you win all of your games, you don’t have to worry about those types of things” Brown went on to say.

With a tough mid-season road schedule, it will be a challenge for the Longhorns to pull off a perfect season, but never being one to back down from a challenge, both Brown and his team believe they can win all of their games in the 2009 season, and once again play for the coveted Coaches’ Trophy.

Starting with game 6, Texas plays 3 straight road games against what is likely to be 3 BCS ranked teams (it should be noted that the first BCS rankings do not come out until October 18th, and the first of these tough road games is played on October 17th, so technically not all three teams will be BCS ranked at the time the games are played). On October 17th Texas plays Oklahoma in Dallas for its annual neutral site game. This is sure to be a hard fought game. In most preseason polls, Oklahoma is ranked directly behind Texas in the #3 slot.

The next week the Longhorns travel to Missouri and pit their spread offense against the Tigers 4-3 defense. Even though the Tigers lost their starting QB (Daniels) and a top-notch WR (Maclin), along with some notable other starters on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball, I would not sleep on Missouri. Pinkel runs a quick, high speed spread offense that requires some serious game day preparation.

The final leg of this difficult road trip is the trip to Oklahoma State on Halloween. Watch for the Cowboys to be dressed up in their best ‘football costumes’ this week and make a real play at a victory against the Longhorns. There is no doubt that Boone Pickens Stadium will be filled to the brim with screaming fans looking for an Orange and Black victory on this Orange and Black holiday. This game will be a challenge for us because it’ll be the third straight road game against a ranked opponent. Mack Brown will work extra hard to have the team amped for this game. Expect some Halloween scares on this particular road trip.

Three straight games against ranked teams shouldn’t bother Mack Brown too much, because last season the Longhorns actually played four straight games against top 10 teams. Of course, one of those games was the heartbreaking Texas Tech game, but that game came down to the final second, so even though it still hurts and the implications are still there that it is the reason we didn’t play for the National title in 2008, it was still a very good season.

Colt McCoy:
Not only is there a definitive conversation taking place between Florida being ranked #1 in the preseason and our Longhorns coming in with a steady and strong #2 ranking, but there is also considerable noise surrounding Colt McCoy as a preseason favorite to win the Heisman Trophy. We know that the Heisman voters don’t like to award the trophy to the same person twice, so it makes sense that McCoy would be getting some serious chatter on this matter. And yes, Tim Tebow is getting some press on this same topic. Who hasn’t heard the reference to Superman sleeping in Tim Tebow pajamas? But this isn’t a blog for ripping on Tebow, he’s a good QB in a good system.

And I’m sure by now we’ve all heard the noise surrounding Colt and his $3 - $5 Million insurance policy. All I can say is, if I had his arm and his potential future earnings, I’d take the insurance policy as well. Colt is going to rule the Big 12 this season. It should be very fun to watch him as he did a lot of maturing last season both on and off the field.

This and That:
The loss of Irby for the entire 2009 season is a tough loss, but one that I believe the Longhorns can manage. I don’t think the loss actually came as a surprise, as the type of injury he sustained (with the nerve damage) is a difficult one to come back from quickly. Fingers crossed that he is able to come back healthy next season, but for 2009 we need to look elsewhere to fill our TE needs.

Take Dead Aim:
It’s not really new information, but it’s certainly worth repeating because it sounds like Mack Brown might be resurrecting the 2005 team motto of “Take Dead Aim” for the upcoming season. It’s actually a golfing reference, which advises, don’t worry about the water, don’t worry about the wind, you take dead aim at the pin and get it in the hole. Brown says Texas will be taking dead aim at the National Championship this season.
Get ready – one thing is for sure, the season will be a fun one!