Postgame React: Oklahoma State
by Peter Bean on Nov 4, 2007 1:47 PM CST
in Texas Longhorns Football
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PrintThe outcome was: Thrilling. Raise your hand if you thought Texas was finished heading into the fourth quarter. I freely admit it: me, too. With Vince Young at quarterback, there was always enough time on the clock, as a touchdown was always one play away. This time, down 35-14, with a team quarterbacked by Colt McCoy failing to generate much explosiveness for three quarters, I thought the 'Horns were done. In many ways, though, it made the comeback all the sweeter. With VY, there was that feeling that he'd get it figured out. When it happened, you felt excited, but also just relieved.
Yesterday's comeback seemed so improbable - fans here and elsewhere were frustrated enough to type comments about how the team looked like it had quit. I didn't see a whole lot on the field to disagree with that. And yet, they never, ever gave up. 24 points in the fourth quarter? With the pressure of a skeptical fanbase doubting this team's competency all year? That took a ton of guts and determination. Those kids fought like hell to win the game. And they did. They made all of us proud to be Longhorn fans yesterday - we couldn't possibly overstate the greatness of that comeback.
Three cheers for all those kids yesterday. And to their coaches, who refused to let things end as poorly as they began.
The Offensive MVP was: Jamaal Charles. Again. Once more, to the rush chart:
Touchdown runs bolded and underlined.
For Charles, another masterful fourth quarter and stunning final line: 16 rush attempts, 180 yards, 3 touchdowns. The 75 yard touchdown run was one of the most beautiful runs I've seen - certainly the most aesthetically pleasing rush by a Longhorn since 2005. As Charles turned the corner, there was a lane to the open field beyond, but with two defenders closing to the space, looking something like this:
You can count on one hand the number of tailbacks in college football who could make it through that hole before the defenders got there. Charles accelerated, hit full speed within moments, split the defenders, and was gone for the 75 yard score. MVP, indeed.
The Defensive MVP was: The Sophomores. Deon Beasley, Rod Muckelroy, and Lamarr Houston were all phenomenal on Saturday - especially Muck (9 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 forced fumble) and Beas (5 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 pass broken up).
The offensive Offensive Player Of The Week was: Not This Week. No negative comments about those kids in this particular report. They all deserve to enjoy a special win.
The offensive Defensive Player Of The Week was: Not This Week. Same as above. There were plenty of problems on Saturday, but no one's getting singled out after such an enjoyable and gutty win. This team dug a deep, deep hole and clawed its way out. We're gonna celebrate that.
John Chiles Watch: Did Not Play. It's good that Davis didn't panic when McCoy started so poorly, but not using Chiles at all is simply a waste of a weapon. Especially as we become a team whose explosiveness centers around the run - not the pass.
Vondrell McGee Watch: 6 carries, 18 yards, 1 TD. McGee was used as a feature back on one drive in the first half, then returned to his short-yard duties thereafter. The way Charles is running right now, that's not going to change any time soon. Even so, I'd guess Davis - sooner, rather than later - will start calling more running plays. It's looking like Texas ought to be emulating the Arkansas offense best it can. Which should mean some nice carry opportunities for McGee as Charles' complement.
Texas Tech Fear Factor: 10 out of 10 (5) is the baseline. (+3) for Zac Robinson just threw for 430 yards. (+1) for all the injuries we're saddled with right now. (+1) for who the hell knows with this Texas team?
Heading into next week I feel: Drunk. I'm not literally intoxicated, but I certainly feel it. I'm parts giddy, nauseos, and disoriented all at the same time. Texas picks up its first quality win of the season, moves to 8-2, and gives the fans a performance to file in the videotape archives.
You know what? I'll take it.
--PB--
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Mobile QBs
Seems like we have trouble containing mobile QBs who run the option a lot. The same thing happened last year against the Aggies where Mcgee and co. just ran all over us and we couldn't do anything about it. Robinson just happens to be a better passer than Mcgee, which made us look even worse
I agree this was a great win
BUT, I can't help but feel that this team wins just enough to keep the sweeping changes needed at bay. There is no reason why OSU should have had a 21 point lead. I don't know, maybe I am spoiled by expectations. Even on the pass to shipley, it hung up and was short. If hit in stride it is a td for sure. What about our stud freshman receivers? There is no reason not to play them. Stud defensive backs? oh well, I will zip it and enjoy this win.
I don't understand
How we manage to fail so miserably at coverage. We assume that the quarterbacks we play are all Peyton Manning, except when they get to make easy throws to wide open receivers, at which point we assume they are buffoonish dweebs that still wear their retainers. It seems like we are trying to prevent them from destroying us, so we give up easy short passes. I don't understand why we aren't making the QB read the defense during the play? We show the coverage backed off the line, he sees that the X receiver will be open for an 8 yard hitch, he throws it. If we would play these guys close and use some safety help, the QB must think - and when college QB's think, they fail. Compare the above run-through of a play with the following. Read defense pre-snap, choose which receiver you think will be open first, hike, step back, notice X receiver is covered, check to Z, covered, see burnt orange nightmare storm wave flying toward your face, throw ball into air helplessly in direction of TE, try to get up from the hit and make the tackle on some 240 lb guy who just cost you the starting job at La-dee-da State. They think, they die. This will not work as well against a really good quarterback, but we don't play many of those, and we can prepare for them elsewise.
I'm sick of making QB's from UCF and Arkansas State look like John Elway.
Voters Unimpressed
Just noticed that the Horns fell from #14 to #15 in the AP poll, from #12 to #14 in the coaches poll, and from 11 to 12 in Harris (Ga leap-frogged us). Michigan, which was not all that impressive against Mich. State jumped over us in 2 polls, as did Va tech in one poll. How crappy is that! I guess the computers gave us some love, however, as we jumped from 19 to 15 in the BCS.
We were #15 in BCS last week.
But we will get some computer love for beating OKState. They were ranked higher than us by almost all the computers.
You are right
I got this off the Houston Chronicle website where the BCS standings are on the same page as all the human polls. I missed the fact that the human polls had been updated but not the BCS.
no need to worry bout Mich
They have to play Ohio St. If they beat them, they should be ahead of us, if they lose to them, they'll drop below us (if we also keep winning).
by the other Andrew on Nov 4, 2007 5:12 PM CST up reply actions
Half od ESPN is
either a Michigan or Ohio State alum. There is no way that any team should be in contention after losing to a divsion 3 team. I dont care how good that team is supposed to be. If you ever watch a michgan game, it is obvious that the refs are in their corner. Don't get me started when yplay Penn State. Penn State gets overtly screwed by the refs when playing Michigan. My point is that Texas wont win the ranking game against Michigan.
"anyone who disagrees with me is cheating/biased"
that's time-tested TRUTH, baby. 4 out of 5 conspiracy theorists agree.
Pass D
It seemed like they were running a lot of play action where they had one option to pass to, but he was open almost every time. I would chalk that up to OSU coaches seeing and exploiting a weakness. Some time in the film room for the players and coaches should be able to clear that up.
co-Offensive player of the game, atleast should..
...be Colt.
He had almost 400 yards of offense including a 106 yard rushing day. He made some HUUUUUGE plays with his feet, perhaps even bigger than JCs 75 yarder (although that thing was beautiful).
Sure, you'd probably say, "Colt had 3 INTs!". Yes he did, but other than the first one (which was Gawd Awful), the 2nd Int was on a beautiful pass to convert a 1st down, and the OSU DBs made a ridiculous hit and caught the propelled ball. The 3rd was on a bomb, that was in Shipley's hands until Lacey made a nice (desperate) reach into his hands and muscled it away from him.
Colt gets my vote for co-Offensive Player of the game again. JC had a great game too.
by bleed burnt orange on Nov 5, 2007 1:37 PM CST reply actions
I agree...
Colt is 9/10 Major and 1/10 Vince Young. I think the best thing for the coaches to do is to give Colt a chance to fire up the team early, and I think the way to do that is to call less quick, thoughtless bubble screens and predictable hot-reads, and more zone read, option, and drop back passes which leave him the option to scramble. From watching him play and listening to him talk after the game, Colt plays the best when he's having fun. It's not fun to run GD's quick throwouts and hand the ball off. He thinks too much and tries to do everything perfectly. Colt likes running the ball the most, I think. Just listen to his interviews after the games.
From playing rugby this year, I know that one of the most inspiring things to a team is seeing someone make a play that's bigger than they are. I remember this tiny little five foot nothing kid jumping on some 240-pounder's back and dragging him down in the open field and the whole sideline broke out cheering. Tell me you don't get the same feeling watching Colt fall all over himself, barely stay on his feet, break a tackle and then spin move down the sideline like he's Reggie Bush for 10 more yards.
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