Greg Davis Resigns, Tolleson and McWhorter Retire

These gentlemen gave us some bad times, but also some good times. Thanks for all their contributions, best of luck to them, and let’s trust that Texas will right the ship.

Hook ’em.

Anyway, I’m one that believes that it’s likely they’ll announce the exit of the old at the same time as the selection of the new, but the timing makes someone like Malzahn seem a little less likely then.

so, so happy right now

Said best by William Wallace:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmJTcyqiZ44

This was inevitable, but so thankful for it to finally come to fruition. It’s time for Texas to move on and give something (and somebody) else a try.

May I have my celebration thread now?

The Happy Dance being done right now.

Miracle on the Forty Acres.

just went to zero. Happy Hour!!!

Bryan Harsin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-LbvFckptY

Yes please?

Surely an elite coordinator like him should end up at another big time program right?

As big as getting a new offensive coordinator is getting a new offensive line coach. The O-line did not perform this year. Nothing about this year was good, and I won’t try to parse out the cause and effect (did the scheme make the O-look bad, or did the O-line ruin the scheme, or was it both?), but what I saw most of the year was defenses disrupting what we were trying to do. I feel (not know) we had bad play calling and unprepared schemes. I wonder how much the plays were designed to mitigate the deficient O-line. What I’m saying is that I am more concerned about the O-line coach hire than I am about the OC hire. Am I crazy?

…Who replaces GD?

AUSTIN, Texas ? Three Texas football coaches will no longer be with the staff, Head Coach Mack Brown announced today. Longhorns Associate Head Coach/Offensive Line Coach Mac McWhorter and Defensive Tackles Coach/Special Teams Coordinator Mike Tolleson have decided to retire, while Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach Greg Davis has resigned. McWhorter and Tolleson’s retirements and Davis’ resignation will be effective August 31, 2011, but a search for their replacements will begin immediately.

Davis has served as a head or assistant coach at the collegiate level for 38 years, the last 13 at Texas. He has been a part of Brown’s staff for the past 15 years and a total of 18 years dating back to their time together at Tulane.

McWhorter spent nine of his 37 years in coaching on UT’s staff, serving as the Longhorns’ offensive line coach from 2003-10. He coached offensive tackles and tight ends in 2002, and was promoted to associate head coach in 2005.

A veteran of 37 years in coaching, Tolleson coached at UT for 13 of those seasons as defensive tackles coach and also coordinated special teams beginning in 2000.

"These are three special people who have given a lot of themselves and their families to The University of Texas and its football program," Brown said. "We appreciate everything they’ve done to help us have such great success during their lengthy stays with our staff at Texas. When you look at the last six years, especially ? winning a National Championship in 2005, finishing No. 3 in 2008 and then being the runner-up after a tough loss to Alabama last year ? it’s just amazing what they’ve helped us accomplish.

"They are not only great coaches, but men who handled themselves with tremendous integrity, class and dignity on and off the field during their time here. I want to say thank you and wish them well because they will be missed."

Davis, a native of Port Neches-Groves, Texas, and a McNeese State grad, has guided several of the most explosive offensive units in Longhorns history and tutored three quarterbacks who are currently in the NFL (Colt McCoy, Chris Simms and Vince Young). His offenses have virtually re-written Texas’ team and individual record book.

"I’ve had a great 13 years here and enjoyed every minute of it," Davis said. "It’s a tremendous university with great people, and I wish them nothing but the best. It’s been a pleasure working with not only all of the great quarterbacks I’ve been fortunate enough to coach, but all of the terrific young men on both sides of the ball. I will miss all of the players, coaches and staff, but will always have great memories of the success the players and teams I was a part of were able to achieve at Texas."

Davis’ UT offenses have produced 10 of the top 11 passing seasons, 11 of the top 13 total yardage campaigns and the top nine scoring years in school history. Texas averaged 39.0 points per game in the last decade (2000-09), which ranked second nationally and first among BCS conference schools. The Horns averaged at least 35 ppg in nine of the 10 seasons, including three seasons of at least 40 ppg. In 2005, Davis claimed the Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant coach after helping UT set a then-NCAA record with 652 total points and a school record by averaging 50.2 ppg.

During his time at Texas, Davis’ UT offense produced five Big 12 Offensive Players of the Year (RB Ricky Williams, 1998; QB Major Applewhite, 1999; QB Vince Young, 2005; QB Colt McCoy, 2008, ‘09). As UT’s quarterbacks coach, Davis tutored two runners-up for the Heisman Trophy and another finalist, two winners each of the Walter Camp Football Foundation Player of the Year Award, Maxwell Award, Davey O’Brien Award, Manning Award and Archie Griffin Award, along with a winner of the Unitas Golden Arm Award, a Sporting News Player of the Year, Chevrolet Offensive Player of the Year, four QBs who were Big 12 Offensive Players of the Year and three who earned league Freshman of the Year honors.

For McWhorter, five of the Texas linemen he has tutored are currently in the NFL, and seven have earned All-America honors on nine occasions with OT Jonathan Scott and OG/T Justin Blalock each garnering that recognition twice. He also helped C Dallas Griffin become UT’s first Draddy Trophy winner as the top student-athlete in college football in 2007.

"After a long and enjoyable 37 year career in coaching, the last nine at Texas, I have decided to retire," McWhorter said. "This is something that my wife, Becky, and I have talked about for a couple of years. Because of professional and family factors, we feel like the time is right.

"I would like to thank DeLoss Dodds, Mack Brown and everyone associated with The University of Texas for the tremendous experience. I am honored to have been a part of the outstanding success that we have enjoyed at Texas. I will cherish the memories of the National Championship that we won in 2005 and playing for another one in 2009. I feel blessed to have worked with some of the best coaches and men in the profession. Lastly, I have a deep love and appreciation for the players that I have coached and been associated with at Texas. They are a special group."

While McWhorter was at Texas, the offense has ranked in the top 10 in total offense three times and in the top 30 seven times. It was also in the top six in scoring offense on five occasions and in the top 16 eight times. McWhorter was named the 2008 Assistant Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association when the line paved the way for the offense to rank fifth in scoring (42.4 ppg), seventh in passing (308.3 ypg) and ninth in total offense (475.8 ypg), and in 2005, the Longhorns finished first in scoring offense and third in total offense.

McWhorter’s coaching career includes stops as a head coach at both the collegiate and high school levels, as well as assistant coaching positions at schools such as Alabama, Clemson, Georgia and Georgia Tech. A native of Atlanta, McWhorter was a three-year letterwinner and two-year starter at Georgia from 1971-73. He earned All-Southeastern Conference honors as a senior and was a two-time Academic All-SEC pick (1972-73).

"Two of our three children are Texas graduates," McWhorter added. "Our son, Mac, a former UT player, graduated with his masters this weekend, and Katie graduated from UT in 2005. With my coaching and family ties to the Longhorns, Texas will always remain a big part of my life."

Tolleson’s development of the Horns’ interior line was crucial in transforming a defense that allowed 241.5 rushing yards per game in 1997 to four consecutive top six finishes from 2006-08 and culminating in 2009, when the Longhorns led the nation in rushing defense (72.4 ypg). The defense has also led the nation in pass efficiency defense (2000) and total defense (2001) in seasons during his tenure.

"It’s been a great 13 years. I’ve really enjoyed the relationships that I’ve built, especially with the players ? it’s always been about the players ? but also with the administration, staff and alums," Tolleson said. "I love Texas, but right now I feel it’s time to step away from coaching. Everybody has been great. It’s been a wonderful, wonderful experience, and I am so thankful to have had this kind of time here.

"I want to thank coach Brown and DeLoss Dodds and the staff and everyone I’ve been associated with, again, especially the players. I’ve made a lot of friends, and it’s been a great experience I’ll never forget. I’ve enjoyed every minute of being a part of the tradition of Texas and everything it stands for ? from being around people like coach Royal to the state, The University, the fans ? I’ll always treasure those things. Having an opportunity to play for the National Championship, it doesn’t get any better than that, so it’s been the ultimate for me as a football coach to be at a place like The University of Texas."

Under Tolleson, Texas developed a reputation of producing outstanding defensive linemen. It was never more evident than in the 2006 Super Bowl, where two former proteges played major roles for both teams in Pittsburgh’s Casey Hampton and Seattle’s Marcus Tubbs. Hampton won his second Super Bowl in 2009 with the Steelers. In addition, Cleveland Browns DT Shaun Rogers (3) and Hampton (5) have combined for eight Pro Bowl appearances, while Lamarr Houston (Oakland Raiders) and Roy Miller (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) are currently in the NFL. Frank Okam, Derek Lokey and Rod Wright (New York Jets) also have played in the NFL.

A native of Anniston, Ala., Tolleson has also coached at LSU, Southern Mississippi, UTEP, Stanford, Arkansas and Louisiana Tech, among others. He was a two-year letterman at Tampa University before transferring to Delta State, where he lettered in football and track. A 1970 graduate of Delta State, Tolleson earned a master’s degree from Livingston University in 1973.

George Wynn
Assistant Athletic Director for Football Operations
The University of Texas
Football Office
P.O. Box 7399
Austin, TX 78713-7399
Office (512) 232-4248
Fax (512) 471-4556
George.Wynn@athletics.utexas.edu

Major and Will are out on the fifty yard line high-fiving each other with a bottle of Scotch??

As some have said, I’m not kicking up my heels in celebration, because I think Davis, Mac, and Tolleson have done some great things at UT, and it’s not even close to a given that their replacements are going to represent improvements. However, I am looking forward to a little shake-up, because I do sense that things had become a little stale.

Let’s just keep our fingers crossed that the new direction turns out to be an upward one. Texas is already near the top of the college football world most of the time. The recruits are choice. The support is terrific. The resources are the best there are. Now let’s find the right sous-chef, saucier, etc. to turn the sacks of potatoes into something great.

This means we can’t see any more masterpieces like the ‘08 RRS.
I’ll be googling coping mechanisms.

I’d point out that i thought Tolly did a fine job. Texas didn’t have the personnel this year at the other DT spot. A special teams coach, Tolly was not. Best of luck.

Macwhorter leaving is every bit as important as Greg Davis leaving. Offenses start and end on the offensive line. I hope you enjoyed your borrowed time at Texas after the 2009 Big 12 Title Game Other Mac, don’t let the door hit you on the way out.

but equally exciting to me is McWhorter being gone. Our line has sucked something terrible lately.

to meet with Desmond Jackson.

Possibly introducing Desmond to his new position coach?

I want in on the action early this time.

I know you probably need to wait for the new OC to be named to give a complete analysis – but,

1) do you think that the change allows us to go after a few recruits we missed, and if so, who?

2) what is the trend on verbal recruits following OC’s to new schools, and, are there any out there at Okie State, Auburn, Boise that we might be interested in?

Thanks

Auburn is losing a ton of talent (including Cameron Newton probaby). They lose their entire OL which was essentail in the success of Cameron Newton. I think Cameron Newton leaves because the OL will graduate, and the allegations. Malzahn will wait til Cameron Newton’s announcement before taking any job offers.

However, this could be a case of the offense looking good because of players, not the coaching staff (see: blake griffin, OU)

…turn out the lights, the party’s over.

if you hire Harsin. Everyone who runs the spread runs some WR screens. You will see horizontal passing if you bring in Harsin or Malzahn. If you only want vertical passing, go get the guy from Stanford.