Well, damnit. I just didn't want to see this. I'm as opposed to the clock rule as every other college football nut, and I lament fewer plays per game as much as any new rule I can remember.
I would even normally nod in agreement if I heard Mack Brown talking about the new clock rules. But not right after a loss. It's just not the right time. And it's especially not the right time when it comes right after a decisive defeat. Texas lost the game because of a young quarterback, because of a negative two turnover differential, and because of a defense that was exploited by the opponent.
Texas did not lose because it didn't have enough time to come back. Jim Tressel, in fact, went into serious Lead Protect Mode in the second half. Had Texas started to climb back in the game, they would have opened things right back up. And I don't know what anyone else saw, but I certainly saw a secondary that couldn't keep up, linebackers that couldn't get to the spots quick enough, and a defensive line that wasn't penetrating. 20 more plays in that contest might have only served to widen the margin of victory.
There's no reason to panic about this loss, and this particular Texas team ought to be significantly better by the end of the season than they were Saturday night. But there's simply no reason to even comment on the clock rules immediately following a loss like this one. It just looks bad, and I say this as someone who really loves Mack Brown. Of course, the longer your winning streak goes on, the more sour you're likely to be when the party finally ends.
Take two Tylenol, Mack, get back to work, and just forget about Saturday
--PB--