Bevo's Daily Roundup - October 20, 2010

Great video. Watch it.

Garrett Gilbert has turned into a leader.

Coach Mack Brown said Monday that Gilbert, a sophomore in his first season as the Longhorns' starter, flashed intangibles in Lincoln, Neb., that had not been evident in previous games while Texas (4-2, 2-1 in Big 12) fell out of the Top 25 rankings before returning, at No. 22, heading into Saturday's game against Iowa State (3-4, 1-2).

"He was on the sideline cheering the guys on and challenging them and fist pumping and doing things we haven't seen him do very often," Brown said. "He showed great leadership and managed the game."

Mack Brown understands our psyche.

"You’ve got some in Austin that give up real quick, I mean by the quarter, some by the play," Brown said after the Longhorns upset Nebraska on Saturday to end the losing streak and the sniping. "Our fans know, they want to throw us out, but then they hug us when we come back. It’s a love-hate. Thirteen years, I know when they’re going to be mad."

What the heck happened?

A mixed bag of wide receivers. Some young, some old, none proven.

Six games later, they remain young, old and unproven.

With the shocking news that Jordan Shipley wasn't granted a seventh year of eligibility — damn that NCAA — Texas found itself with a gaping void that still hasn't been filled. Garrett Gilbert doesn't have a go-to receiver. The second-leading pass catcher on the team is a running back. The tight ends might as well be tackles.

They grow up so fast. The young ones filled some big shoes.

"Injuries are part of the game," defensive coordinator Will Muschamp said. "It's frustrating because you obviously hurt for the young man because you don't want to see anybody get hurt. But one man's misfortune is another man's opportunity. So guys have to step up.

"We always tell guys that you never know when your number's going to be called and you better be ready when it gets called," Muschamp said. "We have a certain standard we're going to play to here, and at the end of the day we're not going to say, 'Well, we had an injury.'

SI's Andy Staples put Texas at #16 in his power rankings.

I understand completely if voters elect to keep Nebraska above Texas. After all, Texas lost to UCLA at home, and the stain of that loss won't fade for a while. I chose to move the Longhorns above the Cornhuskers because they went on the road and shut down what had been a prolific offense. If the 'Horns can repeat that kind of defensive performance week after week, they can win the rest of the games on their schedule.

The Cyclones

Iowa State has a talent gap.

What Ter’Ran Benton said in passing Monday actually is closer to a reason the Iowa State football team has been blown out the past two Saturdays.
Maybe it’s The Reason.

"We knew Oklahoma was going to be a good team; they’ve got 10 people on the team that should be drafted," Iowa State’s cornerback offered, then later said, "Same with Utah and especially Texas.

"They’re all loaded with guys who someday will get drafted."

There have been a few changes on the Cyclones' defense.

Jacob Lattimer has replaced starter Patrick Neal on one side of the defensive front.

Injury may force senior veteran Rashawn Parker to step aside for sophomore Roosevelt Maggitt on the other side.

Paul Rhodes press conference audio.

Some Other Stuff

Will he make a great possession receiver? Denton Ryan high school sprinter Aaron Scott has committed to run track at the University of Texas in Austin. Last spring Scott anchored Denton Ryan’s 4x200 relay to a state gold medal.

Baseball!

We are a forgiving people. (H/T to Atownatx for the link.)

Mike Sherman is standing by his man.

When pressed further whether Johnson will start this week at Kansas, Sherman was a bit clearer, while also managing to be vague. He never said Johnson will start. But he didn't say backup Ryan Tannehill would start, either.

"I've been asked that question a bunch. It's just what I said," Sherman said. "I think [Johnson] is the leader of our team; he's averaging 300 yards a game. I trust him. I have confidence in him."

It's a reunion!

You knew this was coming. The Houston Chronicle asks Bill Bryne the question on every Aggie's mind.

If Sherman is around at this exact point next year, he will be halfway through the deal. On Monday, Byrne explained the contract's length.

"My philosophy in coaches' contracts is that you have to give the coach enough time to build a program, particularly in a program with a recent lack of success," Byrne wrote in an e-mail exchange. "The lengths of contracts are often used by opposing coaches in recruiting, and not in a positive way."

Sherman's contract pays him about $1.8 million annually, and should the Aggies completely fizzle and he is fired at season's end, the buyout would be about $7.2 million.

The Land Thieves and Pokes have been playing football a long, long time. They are both off to a great start.

As the Sooners and Cowboys prepare for huge games this weekend - OU at Missouri, OSU vs. Nebraska - Oklahomans can savor an unprecedented milestone achieved by the state teams.

For the first time ever, the Sooners and Cowboys both are off to a 6-0 start.

Bob Stoops has never lost to Missouri, but he isn't taking the Tigers lightly.

"I don’t see anything to it," Stoops said Tuesday during his weekly press luncheon. "The way I’ve always looked at games and each year, to me, every year is different. Just because somebody’s done something in the past never guarantees it. And we’ve had some runs on some other people. And I’ve always said each year is its own. You have to earn it in its own way, its own right. So that’s how we look at it. What is past is past and all that matters to us is what’s coming here in several days."

The Sooners aren't distracted by the BCS ranking.

The BCS brush-off continued Monday morning when offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson subbed for Stoops on the Big 12 teleconference.

"That has not even made our list of things we are concerned with or talking about," Wilson said, "prior to last week, this week coming up or in weeks to come. It doesn't matter of you don't continue to improve, invest or play each game the best you can."

OU linebacker Travis Lewis doesn't want to be #1.

When the BCS standings made their season debut, Oklahoma occupied the top spot. That's right where linebacker Travis Lewis didn't want the Sooners to be.

"Not that I don't think we're one of the best in the country, I don't think we deserved it yet," said Lewis, a defensive captain. "I think we've played two good games and then the rest have been inconsistent.

"Put someone deserving of it up there."

We have always hated the Sooners.

Oklahomans need to get their priorities straight.

NewsOk has a nice profile piece on Landry Jones.

The Pokes have another weapon in their arsenal.

OSU freshman running back Joseph Randle has proven to be an integral part of the Big 12's top scoring offense. In just six college games, the Wichita, Kan., native has progressed to the point offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen makes getting him involved a priority.

"We've said from the beginning we are looking for some other guys," Holgorsen said. "It doesn't matter what position, it's about getting the ball in their hands and we can get it in his hands a lot of different ways. We've found him as probably our third guy."

Who is the Pokes #2 receiver?

Dana Holgorsen was asked Monday about the importance of finding a No. 2 receiver for Oklahoma State's offense to continue to excel.

"You don't have one do you?" he asked with a smile. "Could you find me one?"

The Pokes' offensive coordinator was joking but the concern is legit.

Bo Pelini did not like the tackling on Saturday.

The whiffs were especially maddening to Pelini, whose reputation is as a defensive specialist.

"Might be the worst tackling game I've ever been a part of," he said.

And Peini said benching Taylor Martinez was a mistake.

"Looking back, I'm not sure it was the right thing to do," Pelini said. "Looking back, Taylor wasn't the only problem. We were just looking for a spark. It was a tough situation for a young guy."

Tech's defense isn't quite what Lubbock wanted.

First-year Texas Tech coach Tommy Tuberville and his defensive coordinator, James Willis, came from the Southeastern Conference, where defenses eat raw meat and tailbacks with equal ferocity.

So imagine the culture shock they're experiencing coaching a bunch of toothless Red Raiders.

Texas Tech (3-3, 1-3 Big 12) comes to Boulder to face Colorado (3-3, 0-2) Saturday with about as sorry a defensive skid of any school with no hyphen in its name.

At least Dan Hawkins will get a nice send off. The Buffs are positive they will finish with a winning record.

It's probably a stretch to describe the mood around the Colorado football program as upbeat this week, what with speculation about the coaching staff's future heating up once again.

But players and coaches are remaining positive about the prospects of a finishing with a winning record for the first time under Dan Hawkins.

Update on Rutgers football player Eric LeGrand, paralyzed in a game on Saturday.

Former Oklahoma players say that John Blake introduced them to an agent.

Two former Oklahoma football players -- linebacker Brian Bosworth and tight end Stephen Alexander -- said that ex-Sooners and Tar Heels assistant coach John Blake played a role in their signing with NFL agent Gary Wichard, according to Yahoo! Sports.

Although Blake’s lawyers have denied that he acted as a recruiter for Wichard, Bosworth and Alexander said that Blake at least set up the introductions.

"John said to me, ‘Hey, I’ve set a meeting up with a guy who I really think you need to know, because he’s going to change your world,’ " Bosworth told Yahoo! Sports. "The only way Gary Wichard got to me was through John Blake. John made it clear that Gary was the only guy I needed to be with. Every meeting that I had with Gary was set up by John. John would even pick me up and take me there, whether it was at a hotel or whatever.

It's been a crazy season.

There is a bold, new world out there. At least room for some newness. Seemingly a crack has developed in that wall the SEC has erected between the rest of the country and its football kingdom in the South. Alabama has lost. Florida is out of the polls for the first time since Urban Meyer arrived. Another unbeaten is sure to go down Saturday when LSU visits Auburn.

Meanwhile, the unwashed have delivered. Again. TCU, Boise State and Utah are all undefeated and ranked in the top 10. That leads to an interesting question: What's more likely to happen -- a third consecutive de facto national semifinal in Atlanta or one (or some) of the non-BCS triplets playing in Glendale?

And finally...

Worst bet ever. The Cornhusker should have just given the Texan $200.