BREAKING: Ogbonnaya #2 Tailback!

by Peter Bean on Aug 8, 2007 3:48 PM CDT in Football Comment 16 comments

Joseph Duarte's filed a note confirming that Chris Ogbonnaya is the #2 tailback for Texas.

Pardon me while I pause to do a few cartwheels...

(Okay, much better.) Obviously, this excites me. From the Chronicle:

Chris Ogbonnaya has established himself as the No. 2 tailback in the UT backfield, running backs coach Ken Rucker said Tuesday.

Ogbonnaya, a junior from Strake Jesuit, will assume the important role of serving as the backup to Jamaal Charles. The extent of Ogbonnaya's experience at Texas: 40 rushing attempts for 158 yards and two touchdowns.

"Right now, Chris Ogbonnaya is our backup tailback," Rucker said. "We still are working the other guys and we'll figure out their roles as we go. Right now Chris has established that position coming out of spring ball.

"He's an older guy and has been very faithful and very loyal to that position and to this team. He has done a great job being a leader for us."

If you've read this site for any period of time, you know how I feel about Chris "Priest Holmes Returns" Ogbonnaya. While I think redshirt freshman Vondrell McGee's got a very bright future in front of him, I love the idea of using Ogbonnaya prominently. McGee's time will come.

Man, it's good to be talking football again.

--PB--

0 recs | Comment 16 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

I hope he shows everyone

what I think he can do -- and proves this isn't just a token blocking back-up assignment by Mack.

Cats and dogs sleeping together.

by EYESofBEVO on Aug 8, 2007 3:55 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I also dig the retro b/w look

His picture is a throw-back, just like his play.
http://texas.rivals.com/viewprospect...

Cats and dogs sleeping together.

by EYESofBEVO on Aug 8, 2007 4:08 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

i couldn't be more happy to hear this...

well, we waded through the muck, it's about time for some reassuring news.

by nematode on Aug 8, 2007 4:05 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

great news

O.G.Bonnaya to the end zone for a touchdown!!

by SelimSivad on Aug 8, 2007 4:08 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Awesome!

Nice to get some good news. Our goal line offense just got 25% better, baseed solely on this press release.

by Brandon 97 on Aug 8, 2007 5:04 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Good

Hopefully, this mean our 3rd and 1 goes back to being automatic.

by JohnsonUT on Aug 8, 2007 5:05 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

and he's a smart kid

Ogbonnaya took the LSAT with "law & order" in June.

If I read Chris's name in the paper in connection with an arrest, it better be because he's representing the accused.

by the other Andrew on Aug 8, 2007 8:34 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Dang-it!

You mean it won't take us 4 plays from the opponent's 1-yardline to get a touchdown? Then there is the matter of a wounded QB........

Personally, I like his play. However, I could care less about his "faithful<ness> and loyal<ty>", I want our players earning their playing time on the playing field.

--- All roads to the Big-XII Championships run through OU and the RRS. It's not just "another game." ---

by HornChamps on Aug 8, 2007 10:47 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Agree there

I want the best guys on the field, and for them to earn that PT in between the chalk lines. If that means a veteran with more experience and discipline is the guy, great. If that means a young guy whose talent wins the day, great.

--PB--

by Peter Bean on Aug 8, 2007 11:40 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Off-topic...

... but I was curious what people thought about Priest Holmes. I know he's a former Longhorn but I don't feel that same connection to him as players that came after he was at Texas. Injuries played a big role in that I'm sure but I'm curious as to what other people think.

by Longhorn13 on Aug 8, 2007 11:29 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

he's kind of like Roger Clemens

in that once he left Texas, he blew up.

I dont think anyone here expected Priest to have the NFL career that he had.

I'm proud he was a Longhorn and he definitely represents UT well, but he just didnt reach "legendary" status while he was here.

Priest is kind of like Leonardo DiCaprio on "Growing Pains"... funny bit player but didnt add much to the show. But once the show ended, his career took off.

by the other Andrew on Aug 9, 2007 12:08 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

whoa

dicrapio was on Growing Pains??? Guess I stopped watching it at some point...

by SelimSivad on Aug 9, 2007 8:28 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think you had to be there

Priest was always a favorite of mine a) because of his name and b) because he always seemed to show up when he was needed like in the '94 Sun Bowl and that first Big 12 Championship game. The best however, and I think this is what Peter's referring to, was when you'd see Priest come in to the game when Texas was in the red zone. Invariably, Priest was going in for the score, and usually via the most exciting route: several feet up in the air.

All that said, I was in school when Priest was there and it was fun to latch on to the exciting or interesting players (could be why I hold James Brown in such high regard). People watching on TV may not have been as impressed...

So take that.

by Kahuna on Aug 9, 2007 8:57 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed

I watched Priest as a student in the stands, and I loved him. The kid had incredible heart, as well as a great pair of legs. And as an NFL player who has faced adversity through injuries, that heart has continued to impress.

by EddieTheAlbinoSquirrel on Aug 9, 2007 9:16 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I REALLY don't see this comparison

I look at Ogbonnaya, and I see a kid whi is a step too slow to be the starting TB.
Priest Holmes had over 1,000 yds rushing as a freshman before he was injured the following pre-season, and the Mitchell/Williams show took over.
What exactly has Ogbonnaya done that has made you think he is capable of gaining 1,000 yds in a season?
Holmes lived in the weight room and became a short yardage specialist after his injury, a move that I believe saved some wear and tear on his body, and allowed him to become a star n the NFL.
Holmes and Ogbonnaya are so far apart in ability and production, I just don't see where you're getting this comparison from at all.

by Beergut on Aug 10, 2007 1:13 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

If you've watched Texas games closely

and ignore the stats, you would see he's a quality runner.

I can't begin to guess what Ogbonnaya's stats will be, but he's money getting tough yards and is much faster than people think.

I've been calling for Ogbonnaya since the start of last season when Melton couldn't even produce against Sam Houston. I think he provides what Melton could not.

Cats and dogs sleeping together.

by EYESofBEVO on Aug 10, 2007 7:56 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs