Texas Wins Alamo Bowl

by Peter Bean on Dec 30, 2006 7:29 PM CST in Texas Longhorns Football

Full reaction later tonight or tomorrow, but let's enjoy it for what it was - a season ending win that got our young QB back on track. McCoy finishes his freshman campaign with 29 TDs, which ties an NCAA record. With his top five pass catchers returning, he'll have every opportunity to have an even better season next year.

Congratulations to the Longhorns - and especially our eleven seniors - for the win.

Kid can play.

--PB--

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Hell Yeah we won!!!

Okay, there's two ways to go: a) be positive or b) a negative Nelly; gonna try to be positive with just a bit of reality...

the real positives: Colt looked pretty good, Jamaal looked very good as well. The Defense adjusted well at halftime and the frontline and linebackers made some plays when we really needed them, some of the offensive play calling showed imagination, and finally Aron Ross made a huge INT coming off his man in the end zone.

reality: what the fudge was that two back set that we never ran all year, how many times did we see pass plays to guys 3-5 yards short of the 1st down marker, Selvin was indecisive and was largely unimpressive other than one run in the 4th and technically went out of bounds on a play that could have cost us at the end, and finally why did we wait so long to get going against competition waaaaay below our caliber AGAIN?

Conclusion, in a season that tested the will of all true Orangebloods this win is welcome, but after the immediate rush of "we won!" passed I found myself saying "wow, even if Iowa was 'better than their record' that was awful freakin' close!!!" Not Aggies v. Army close, but considering our defening the title it may as well have been since Iowa was unranked coming in. Bottom line, we have alot of work, and the departures from this years seniors will actually go a long way to help some of these problems, but it will raise almost as many questions next year.

Lots to ponder for next year my friends, and even a top 5 recruiting year won't make up for some of these things. I saw we start really anew and get a new Offensive Coord to go with our new D. Coord, someone young and hungry and innovative that will shake things up with the kind of talent UT has. I'm not sure my heart can take another year of Greg Davis' telegraphed offensive playcalling.

by longhornJ on Dec 30, 2006 7:49 PM CST reply actions

Great job Horns

Capping a ten win season

The New England Patriots are going to find out what we've all been talking about.

by SuperBentley on Dec 30, 2006 7:49 PM CST reply actions

Karma

I think it was the horns down the Iowa team did on that TD that came back....That and we finally showed up late in the half.

by TXHorn on Dec 30, 2006 8:11 PM CST reply actions

There is No way

that we are getting a new OC. No way Mack will replace his DC and OC in the same year. We can only hope that Greg Davis will get creative trust Colt enough next year to let him stretch the field, or that Mack tightens the leash and takes the play calling away when he is not getting it done.

I am not one to over-react, but seriously he is not a great offensive mind. I truly believe 2 things: 1- he is the worst OC on any of the Elite teams in the country. Think about the top 5 or 6 teams in the country over the last 3-4 years. Would Any of those teams trade OC's strait up? Would we? 2- Everybody knew that after the first several years that Mack was here and just when we were getting fed up with it... here comes VY. He covered up those mistakes by being ... well... himself, and bought Greg Davis time. If VY never came to Texas, no Nat'l Championship and GD gets the Boot.

"A lot of people look for the easy way to do anything, in swimming there is no easy way." - Eddie Reese

by SwimTexas on Dec 30, 2006 8:18 PM CST reply actions

I just

don't think we'll get rid of GD as long as we're winning 10 games a season. Don't we have the record for 10-win seasons for how ever many years now? I just don't see Mack saying to the press, "Well, you've got to give ol' Greg credit, he's played his heart out, and even though we've won fifty something games the last five years, it's time for him to go."

The only way we get rid of him is for some other poor university to have no one else to turn to for their HC position that opened up, whoever the hell they might be.

Hook 'em Horns

by LonghornWSO on Dec 30, 2006 9:55 PM CST up reply actions

Didnt GD win the game for us tonight?

I'm not saying another OC couldnt have won by more, but GD called a good game tonight, especially since our running game was going nowhere tonight.

We're not going to win by 40 every game.

by the other Andrew on Dec 30, 2006 11:11 PM CST up reply actions

jermichael finley

looked good. i hope he's a big part of next year's offense.

by Vice President Coco (40118) on Dec 30, 2006 8:26 PM CST reply actions

He needs to learn

to run PAST the first down marker by a yard, and then turn around for the catch. So many times he stopped just short, running 4 or 5 when we needed 6. Also I'd like to see him run upfield after the catch instead of east/west.

I like him a lot, too. He's got so much talent. With a little bit of coaching he will be special.

...til Gabriel blows his horn

by BigTexBD on Dec 30, 2006 8:36 PM CST up reply actions

In the first half,

I saw J-Mike catch one 4 or 5 yards behind the first down marker and make some sweet moves to get the yardage. It will become more automatic with time, but the man is a stud. I cannot wait until next season.

The New England Patriots are going to find out what we've all been talking about.

by SuperBentley on Dec 30, 2006 8:39 PM CST up reply actions

yeah

that was a huge play for us, but that was his only first down catch. for him to be really effective, he needs to become that go-to guy on third down. I still feel like he will be better than David Thomas, and that's saying something.

...til Gabriel blows his horn

by BigTexBD on Dec 30, 2006 8:43 PM CST up reply actions

Exactly,

he needs to change his running pattern. He needs to run straight (s to n) not sideway. Based on his huskie body, he certainly can pound the defender after the catch. There's a reason why he had assigned to play as TE.

by Horns98 on Dec 30, 2006 11:24 PM CST up reply actions

Oh Jesus...

Kellen Heard is a dirty son of a bitch, and nothing will change that.

The New England Patriots are going to find out what we've all been talking about.

by SuperBentley on Dec 30, 2006 10:18 PM CST reply actions

A Very Tough 2007 Season Ahead

I'm glad that the seniors gone away with the W

But there will be a lot of work to do if we want to survive for the next season.

I do not want to take away CM credit but our running game was just pathetic. 71 yards. Statistically, when we run more than 100+ yards, we are most likely will win the game. Apparently, we have a failed running game & almost cost the game.

If we honestly to look inside of our team with bunch of NC seniors, we barely survive against with 6-6 unranked team. That is not a good sign.

I had predicted the lopsided win with 50 some pt. as I consider this game was a home game(2 hours drive) with a NC seniors bunch to play with the 6-6 team. But still they cannot able to put up the good show for the home fans. Instead, we just barely survived. It really doesn't look good on national tv as well.

Regarding w/ GD, he needs to find the way to improve the running game. If not, he will get more xtra bashing criticisms from the fans and we will have a very next "long" season to deal with.

However, I try not to be that gloomy. There are always some hope to my faithful team and hopefully, there're some shining stars will rise up to the occasion after these NC seniors bunch have left the school.

Something should cheer with the team and, should give the credit to the coaches including GD:

What an accomplishment for all the seniors. 6 straight seasons with 10 wins; 3 straight bowls wins & one of them was NC. There's a reason why all the seniors should be happy today although was a closed win.
CM tied w/ the NCAA freshman single season TD record.

Hook'em!

PS. I am wondering what happen to that CM's bruise lips? Didnt he get it since the KS game? What takes him that long to get it to heal? I hope his gf doesnt have anything to do about it.

by Horns98 on Dec 30, 2006 11:14 PM CST reply actions

Coordinators

Duane Akina did a really good job, all things considered, his adjustments were well-directed. He seemed to realize after the first few series that our strength is up front and our weakness is in the secondary, so we'll experience more success if we play aggressive up front and not worry as much about coverage schemes (this helped stop the run and it flustered Tate) while taking the burdon off the secondary. This worked well, because the holes were still in our secondary after the first few drives (I was at the game), its just that Tate didn't have time to find them. Our problems on defense are largely personnel-related, and I'd say Akina adjusted pretty well.

GD called a more creative game than usual, and I think we won because of it. I'm wondering now if he maybe kept last year's playbook for this season thinking we have Sneed and several other recruits who may play like VY, but now he sees that a new strategy may be in order if Colt is to be a four-year starter. Don't get me wrong, our running game still sucked like no other school's, but at least he was no longer using it to set up Colt's passes. For the first time this season, it appeared to me that our running and passing games had little to do with each other (Colt didn't look like he ever felt obligated to run the ball himself, and he looked more comfortable because of it). This is a step in the right direction, especially for our passing game, but much work needs to be done before next season on our running schemes. I just hope this game wasn't a case of unique planning due to Colt's physical condition.

by BrooklynHorn on Dec 30, 2006 11:34 PM CST reply actions

The Controversial Penalty?

I just hate the media called that Hawkeye TD got wiped out becuz of that controversial penalty. What was so controversial? The referee called it by the book. If you line up as interior lineman, you cant be eligible as a receiver.

So, dont say that we won becuz that controversial penalty. All these nay-saying media need to grow up and be classy to face the reality. Give Horns the credit that we were played better than Hawkeye tonight. Period.

by Horns98 on Dec 30, 2006 11:35 PM CST reply actions

Only one complaint...sort of.

I had only one problem, other than the obvious ones.

I was at the game and had a great time. The fans were good and loud and the Hawkeye fans were good and loud and gracious in defeat. The problem were the non-committed fans behind me.

I think they had season tickets to the Alamo Bowl and didn't care about UT or Iowa, and apparently they wanted to sit the whole game. So they complained vocally pretty much all through the first half, and then actually got an usher to ask me if I could sit down "sometimes." I asked if there was a rule against standing and he said no, so I said that if he went to all the other hundreds of people standing in front of me and told them to sit so that I could sit and still see, then maybe I would sit down. He just said "ok" and left. So horns down to the lame-asses who don't want people to stand during a football game.

Other than that it was a great game which gave me several small strokes. I'll start getting nervous about next year in a few days, but for now I'm relishing a great game and a 10-win season. Hook 'em!

by hornbone on Dec 30, 2006 11:40 PM CST reply actions

Yeah

I got the impression that the entire section I was sitting in was comprised entirely of Spurs fans who were wearing burnt-orange bandwagon shirts. Despite their UT parafanalia, they paid absolutely no attention to the game, they just talked and ate nachos and drank beer, and I was also told to sit down more than once. It just reminded me of what its like to attend an event at a professional sports venue.

by BrooklynHorn on Dec 30, 2006 11:49 PM CST up reply actions

nachos?

racist!

by Vice President Coco (40118) on Dec 31, 2006 3:31 AM CST up reply actions

Thanks BON

I missed the game due to having to DJ a wedding tonight (couldnt turn down $250). But after reading the blog and SI I know how pretty much every play went. Wish i could have watched and participated.

Joining BON was the best thing i did this season, Seriously. Great job PB and the rest.

by lalonghorn on Dec 31, 2006 1:00 AM CST reply actions

Aww

Honestly - that makes it all worth it. Seriously, glad this site was of some utility to you. The community here is first rate. Impossible to beat. I can't -wait- to see how strong we are by next season.

Thanks, lalonghorn. Means a lot.

by Peter Bean on Dec 31, 2006 1:59 AM CST up reply actions

to me it's worth it

if you played "informer" and "ditty"

by Vice President Coco (40118) on Dec 31, 2006 3:32 AM CST up reply actions

If i had played those tunes......

there would have been a riot. Being in Louisiana all i could play was Zydeco and Country. I got crazy looks just for playing the Temptations. So Paperboy and Snow are out of the question. Gotta keep the customers happy
!!

Tonight will be a different story though.

by lalonghorn on Dec 31, 2006 1:01 PM CST up reply actions

GD

as for the GD bitching...

what game are you watching?

GD has his bad moments, just like any offensive coordinator at any level of football, but he called a good game today.

The lack of running game has nothing to do with playcalling. The line, while solid at pass protection and zone blocking simple is not able to consistantly push forward on running plays. What happened to those 5 yard QB sneaks against OU?

Our RBs just aren't as good as we thought they were after seeing them play with Vince. Jamaal is great when he gets his legs going in open space, but he isn't an every down go-to running back. He really needs a lendale white to take that element of the run game, and we don't currently have that player on our team.

Does anyone else think we might benefit by going to a 2003 OU with Jason White type of offense next season? I really think Colt is the kind of QB that we can air just air it out with. He can be very accurate when he gets going, and with 5 recieving options every play he'll find someone open. A quick passing attack will make it easier on our slightly inexperienced O-line. Our Recievers are the strength of the team, and Jamaal might be better used as a versatile 5 catches / 10 carries a game RB than trying to take be the base of the offense. Here's to Colt averaging 30+ passes a game next season.

as far as the DC: I... just don't know... I really wish we could get Jerry Gray, but if not. I guess it's time to give Akina a shot. He's now worked under three pretty good D coordinators (okay calling reese pretty good is iffy) and he is a firey guy who has done a good job coaching the special teams and secondary players (even if the unit as a whole wasn't great this season.)

If it doesn't work I'd hope Mack wouldn't be overly loyal like he was to Reese / GD (Fat chance of that though.)

by Matt @ Burnt Orange Nation on Dec 31, 2006 1:46 AM CST reply actions

greg davis

have any one of you blowhards just had guts to just go to greg davis' home. knock on the door and just shoot him?
i am so sick of hearing page after page of how
bad greg davis is.
i'm glad football is over for nine months just for
that reason. you guys have beat the man up like he was George Wallace.
i don't think some of you would be satisfied with
Jesus Christ as our oc. it is now sickening.

thank god it's over!

i still can't believe we won!!

by ut1ou2 on Dec 31, 2006 1:55 AM CST reply actions

Well...

....Apparetnly sometime last year, somebody did knock on his door and inform him that the TE is indeed an eligible reciever. This year, they need to tell him a) There are no endzones or first down markers on the sidelines b) the shortest distance between two points is a straight line c) there is no Vince Young in burnt orange, so start scheming for the personel on hand d) if everybody in the stadium is knows for fact that you're going to run left, then you better be damn sure that your offense has the necessary tools to be able to block everyone and create a lane, or do something that other than what everyone in the stadium is expecting you to do.

The man does have his moments, don't get me wrong, but it's very tough to watch Mr. Magoo driving your Ferrari when Michael Schumacher available.

by Hornbud on Dec 31, 2006 11:23 AM CST up reply actions

Shutup

Why are you on this site if you are sick of it. You are not a real longhorn wait by your user name you might be some toothless bum from the Indian state (my bad Native American). Shut the hell up Greg Davis and i will keep bitching punk. Greg Davis sucks and everybody knows it.

by txlonghorn on Dec 31, 2006 2:10 AM CST reply actions

Wow

Very convincing arguement.
"Greg Davis sucks and everybody knows it."
How can you argue against something that everyone knows?

by Wells on Jan 1, 2007 9:19 PM CST up reply actions

Congrats to the 'Horns...

on finishing strong. As an Ohio State fan, I was pulling mildly for Iowa - Big Te(leve)n and all that - but also pulling mildly for y'all; I'm a big fan of Colt's since our game back in September. If Brown and Davis can successfully design your O to suit his considerable talents and Brown and whoever can come up with a better D, you'll likely be BCS-bound the next two or three years...maybe we'll get to play the rubber match on the MNC's neutral field (where Beanie Wells will destroy you - jk, but not really). Good luck next year.

by matsut on Dec 31, 2006 2:51 AM CST reply actions