Horns getting attention... sort of

by TheElusiveShadow on Sep 24, 2008 3:35 PM CDT

Ivan Maisel seems to have noticed us: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/notebook?page=iform0805

I'll just quote the whole thing about Texas here for those who don't want to read his article:

3. Given the starts of Oklahoma and Missouri and the caliber of competition that No. 7 Texas has played, the Longhorns won't get any credit until they play the Sooners and the Tigers on Oct. 11 and Oct. 18, respectively. Ignore the Horns at your peril. Quarterback Colt McCoy has put the mediocrity of last season behind him, and defensive coordinator Will Muschamp is working his magic. As much as Texas has improved, I'm trying to figure out how Mack Brown won 10 games last year.

I hope he's right. We still have a lot of work to do. Nonetheless, I know Missouri fans are nervous that their perfect season will be ruined when they come to Austin.

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The last sentence

of Maisel’s piece hits on a topic I’ve addressed to any and all since the Holiday Bowl - just how did Mack Brown milk 10 wins out of the 2007 season?

Obviously it was a supreme help that the sked put the bottom half of the Big 12 North (Huskers, Iowa State, pesky K-State) in there. If you replay the ‘07 season game by game, you’ll find three easy wins (Rice, Iowa State, Arizona State) and seven wins that could have gone the other way. Wins over Arkie State, UCF, Nebraska and Okie State were by 8 points or less; TCU led by 10 at the half; Tech was back and forth all the way, and Baylor was within 17-10 with eight minutes remaining.

The ‘07 team lost its deep threat (Sweed) almost before the season, lost its top DE (on top of losing both starters from ’06 to the NFL) in the opener, lost three OL (thinnest area on the team) for extended periods, then had the safeties get chopped down late. I say it was Mack’s best in-season coaching job.

I keep reading (especially from Statesman) that this year’s team is more focused, cares more, blah blah blah. If last year’s team was so not-this-way, how did they come from 21 down on the road at OSU, play the worst three quarters in memory against the Huskers and win, come back from the KSU-OU double to finish in the Top 10?

by edsp on Sep 24, 2008 4:26 PM CDT reply actions