What a difference a national championship makes.  I'm sure Mack will chose the quaterback that has the biggest potential for providing big plays.  During the VY - Chance Mock years, chance was QB b/c VY couldn't run the office.  After VY picked it up, Mack went with the QB with the most potential for the big play. Just like the Sims-Applewhite debacle. Sims had a huge arm, that he used to light up UL-La. However, he could never come through in the big game, so Mack had to cycle in Applewhite - but in his heart Mack always preferred the big-play-ability of Sims.  I think we will see similar here until Snead picks up the offensive, then the job is his.  We all know McCoy was a throw in a recruiting class a year ago.  This was supposed to be Perilloux's team after VY bounced.  We didn't steal Snead from Florida, to back a kid from Jim Neds....

BTW - I love the column, but it did smack of a little Dennis Miller-ish antics.  Keep real for us lay people out here - Just a suggestion.

You've gone Dennis Miller on us with your obscure allusive style!  I likes.

Anywhoo, I'm not sure I agree with all this.  I'm not convinced Mack has changed at all - I think he's still doing the same things he always did, but they just happened to work out this time.

Unfortunately, I still see Mack doing the QB-switcheroo with these guys, perhaps deep into the season.  I obviously don't want that, but I'm not sure Mack will just pick one and go with him.

With Vince, I think what worked was that Mack could be hands off - VY was the guy that, as soon as they let the reigns loose, letting him do what he wanted out there and have much more freedom to choose, made the team what it was.  I don't think it was the coaching the made us the National Champions - it was VY (and not, of course, to discredit the team around him, without whom VY couldn't have done nearly as much).

I think Mack's a helluva coach, but I don't see him being the guy to stick with a decision.  I don't think he learned from the Applewhite/Simms debacle.  That continued throughout the remainder of Applewhite's career.  Look at the Holiday Bowl, the last game of Major's career - Simms started (as per usual), blew it as much as humanly possible, and then Major was called in (as he had been so many times before) to try and fix everything Simms had screwed up.  And he did that time.

This last year, I think it was more about not having another quarterback - I know there was Nordgren, but seriously, he wasn't much of an option.  They hadn't recruited another QB, and VY was running the show.  Nothing to do be stand back and watch this beautiful creation that Mack had assembled.

I do agree that the key to next year is the run.  We have a disgustingly sick stable of backs who are capable of taking us all the way (along with our defense and another outstanding offensive line).  But I really see Mack switching the guys back and forth throughout most of the season, ESPECIALLY if the running game is running the show.  One guy will eventually prove himself worthy, but it may not be til very late in the season (much like Ohio State this last year).  Hopefully that won't be enough to ruin our chances at a repeat NC.

And as for the pressure being off Mack, I think the exact opposite is true.  Like Pete Carrol said, the real pressure is getting back to the NC.  The first one is the dream season - the next one is damn near impossible.  If we thought we had pressure last year, what with the number 2 preseason ranking and lots of attention, imagine our team feeling like USC did last year - expectations extremely high all year long, and everyone waiting for you to stumble.  Mix in a freshman (whether redshirt or not) QB, and it's going to be difficult.  Not impossible, but very, very difficult.

One more thing - as for pressure, I think the stakes are only higher on Mack this year, but if anything has been proved about his position, it's that he's not going anywhere, so long as we keep having 10-win seasons.  After gettting us to the Rose Bowl against Michigan, he got a 10-year contract extension and a HUGE raise.  Dodds loves him.  The school loves him.  Obviously, winning a NC sure helps his comfort level as head coach, but even if we stumble through a couple of games, Mack needn't feel any pressure as long as he keeps recruiting well, filling the stadium, having 10+ win seasons, and keeping Texas football a big TV draw.

Major started and played every snap of the Holiday Bowl his final season.  He had a great game, but had to bail himself out after throwing 3 second-quarter interceptions.

Nice revision of history, there.

I also don't understand why you think Mack will be under all this pressure next season (I don't think you do, either, after reading your final paragraph).  There won't be any expectations of this team now that Vince is gone - at least in terms of the national title.  His place is secure here and his recruiting ability will keep the talent level at the top of the Big 12 for a long time.  Plus, he's said how much more he enjoys coaching now that he has alleviated that personal pressure.  I don't see how that's going to change.

As for the original post and Snead vs. McCoy, why will it become necessary to "pick a side sooner or later"?  That's ridiculous.  Especially this early in their college careers.

I'm Peter's friend who said I thought Mack would switch between Snead and McCoy. I drew this conclusion after reader Eric put me in my place last weekend. So chalk this up to another reader-inspired post.

Both QBs are absolute rookies. Neither has ever taken a snap in college, and both will struggle next year and probably look bad at times.

I think Mack will look at them both all spring and during two-a-days, then start McCoy against North Texas becuase he'll have a small edge in experience.

Snead will play, and play well, against UNT, just like McCoy will. If either stands out as being way better, he'll start against Ohio State. My guess is they'll both look good and Mack will play McCoy with the understanding that Snead will play half the snaps.

Is this the best way to do things? Maybe not. But I think it's presumptuous to think either freshman will separate himself just off preseason drills.

And honestly, Snead was in high school in Fall 2005, so giving him the reigns scares me a little, no matter what the upside is. I refuse to believe McCoy was a throw-in last year, as Jumpman says, becuase "We're Texas" and we don't offer chumps scholarships. Sure, he was the backup option behind RP, but I'm sure he's still pretty good.

The QB's job next year is to hand off, make safe throws and not committ too many turnovers. I don't want one of these kids not getting to play becuase he might have had a bad fall practice. They're both rookies, so I think Mack should let them play and see what we've got. We won't know unless they both get a shot. Even if one guy is the clear-cut #1 from Aug. 1 he'll still be a rookie come Ohio State. I'f like to see them both play for the first month of the season and then have a starter emerge by the OU game.

I think winning the 2005 championship makes this much more possible. Mack's got a leash of unlimited length as far as I am concerned to do what he thinks is best for the team, and history shows that Mack likes to hedge his bets.

What if he does give Snead the keys to the car and then Snead gets hurt midway through the season and now McCoy has to play depsite not getting any snaps? Or vice versa?

Whatever happens, I just hope our fans don't bitch and second-guess Mack. Patience did pay off in 2005, and even if we don't repeat in 2006 this program is going to be dominant for years to come and Mack deserves free reign to do what he can to keep things this way.

OK, it's either on or off, but I think the pressure is still ON despite the NC and 10 year extension for Mack.  

The difference for McCoy and Snead is, it's a self-imposed pressure applied from the inside.

Last year, if you were VY, it was win the NC, go all out all the time or go down trying.

This year, if you are McCoy or Snead, yeah maybe you're not expected to win the NC, but you sure as hell don't want to come across as barely worthy to take over VY's spot on a NC-reloaded team.  You want to have a decent showing and try to shorten the gap between you and VY's shadow.  That's the pressure I think they'll put on themselves, and that's the pressure that Mack needs to help them overcome.