When I read this article from ESPN, I was stunned. Mack Brown actually sowed the seeds for the eventual fall of the Big 12 and the rise of the Aggies. All that I could think about as I read the page, was Darrell Royal's graciousness in showing the Sooners how to run the Wishbone.

What is wrong with Texas?

We are facing a long decline and fall of epic proportions unless something dramatic is done to arrest the trajectory of the program. The Aggies are on top of the world right now, and Texas looks like yesterday's school.

We are facing a dramatically different environment than the one we had 5 years ago. Consider the following.

1. TCU is now a Big 12 school - which means that they have the same path to the National Championship as we do. They have a beautiful stadium, a great urban location, cool unis, more than a decade of continuous success, a Rose Bowl win, and one of the nation's top 5 coaches.

2. Baylor just brought home a Heisman, has turned the corner into a new era of success, has a proven coach, and is building the nation's most beautiful college football stadium.

3. LSU is now permanently awesome.

4. Texas A&M has the hottest QB moniker in the NCAA. Johnny Football is an amazing kid, just brought home the Heisman. During the ceremony he said, "This is for Aggies everywhere, Gig em." They are expanding the stadium, building better and bigger facilities, and they boast one of America's hottest young coaches. Now that they are in the SEC, the Ags can offer the best football in America to local recruits, comparing their win over Alabama to Texas' squeaker against KU - don't think they won't.

5. Oklahoma State is now established as a regional power.

6. OU is still putting 60+ on us.

7. K State is hot - put a Heisman candidate in New York, and has the street cred of America's best coach - Mack said so.

8. Iowa State is nobody's pushover.

9. West Virginia is in the league.

10. Recruits are running away from us. Our offense is known for gimmicks. Our defense is coached by a kid who "likes to blitz and stuff, a lot!!"

11. Mack is depressed and talked about quitting again - after TCU.

12. We have either noodle arm McCoy or the meltdown artist, Ash, to choose from for QB.

13. We have NFL talent all over the team, but just can't put it together. Thank goodness for next year!! It's just gonna get worse.

Do you see a narrative building across the nation? Texas is in decline. It's not the "hot" school anymore. We have a desperate coach with a bunch of weirdos running the team. We have a perpetual QB controversy, no kicker, no systematic plan at running back, no identifiable offensive scheme except for the throwback pass twice a game, and a coach who makes excuses for himself, but blames everything else - like the tv network.

8 wins doesn't look bad, but get ready for the decline. Recruiting has now slipped behind A&M. Recruiting competition in Texas has now reached 1980s levels. Difference this time is that people aren't cheating. It's legit, and we are slipping.

Mack is done, ladies and gentlemen. Texas is anemic, and no turn around is on the horizon because of the QB problem. We have either one of the aforementioned mediocre guys or an unproven redshirt freshman. Welcome to the Fall of Texas football. We've forgotten how to win the BIG one. Don't think it can happen? Go look at Tennessee.