As we all know its never too early to start boning up on your college football knowledge, especially with spring ball right around the corner. With that in mind Collegefootballnews.com is running down some 2009 lookbacks and early 2010 lookaheads and I thought it'd be good for us all to join them. And just to show I'm a good sport we'll start with everyone's favorite squad (but mine): the Texas Longhorns.
Texas Longhorns2009 Recap: It was a struggle, but a successful struggle that for a second straight year left Longhorn fans unfulfilled. Two seasons ago the Horns missed out on playing for the national title on a technicality. This year, they got to the big show but lost heart-and-soul QB Colt McCoy early on. Even through the team showed tremendous heart to come back late when all appeared lost, it was still a national championship loss to Alabama. If nothing else, the season proved just what a monster the program is, even though the team didn’t quite play as well as expected. The Big 12 wasn’t quite the killer it was two years ago, Oklahoma wasn’t Oklahoma with an injured Sam Bradford, and the Big 12 Championship game win over Nebraska was way too close for comfort. But 13-0 was 13-0, as unimpressive as it might have been at times, and the team earned its way into the big show. Of course, it would’ve been nice if McCoy didn’t lose his arm in Pasadena.
Offensive Player of the Year: QB Colt McCoy
Defensive Player of the Year: S Earl Thomas
Biggest Surprise: That the offense played at such a high level despite a mediocre year from McCoy. It’s not like the star quarterback was bad in any way, throwing for 3,521 yards and 27 touchdowns, but he didn’t run like he did in the past as the coaching staff tried to keep him as healthy as possible, and he threw 12 interceptions with poor performances against Oklahoma and Nebraska. The running game didn’t do much, either, running for over 150 yards just five times. Even so, thanks to the defense and timely play from the O, the Horns were able to get to the national championship.
Biggest Disappointment: Colt McCoy’s shoulder. It might have been a rocky road, but once the Horns got to the national title game there was a sense from everyone surrounding the program that it was time to exhale and play at a high level. It’s not that Texas was bad before, but it was under so much pressure that it appeared to be a tad tight. Once in Pasadena, the team got over the Big 12 title hump, was unbeaten, and it had all the talent to pull off a second national title for Mack Brown. First drive of the game … crunch. McCoy was out, Garrett Gilbert was thrown to the wolves, and the national title all but went to Bama five minutes into the game. Texas was able to rally back to make things interesting by pulling within three late, but it’s still a shame, for the Tide as well as the Horns, that McCoy didn’t get a chance on the biggest stage.
Looking Ahead: Texas might be considered one of the favorites for the national title if there weren’t a few question marks about QB Garrett Gilbert’s consistency as the full-time starter. Throw in some nasty road games against Nebraska and Texas Tech to go along with dates against Oklahoma, UCLA, and Texas A&M, and the Horns will have to earn what they get. However, the overall schedule isn’t all that awful for a team this good and there’s no reason to not be in Glendale in early January either as the Big 12 champion or as the Big 12 champion playing for the whole ball of wax. The defensive back seven will be a rock and the losses up front, including Sergio Kindle and Lamarr Houston, can be replaced by more NFL-caliber talent. The offensive line needs to be better and there has to be a running game, but this could still be a team that simply outtalents its way to a championship.
Why to get excited: The Big 12 might take yet another step back after falling behind last year (at least compared to 2008). Texas Tech is in transition, Texas A&M can’t play defense, Oklahoma State is rebuilding, and Oklahoma isn’t as good as Texas. There’s absolutely no reason the Horns shouldn’t be in the Big 12 title game for a second straight season, and there’s no reason that they shouldn’t be favored in every game on the schedule on talent alone. If Garrett Gilbert can play up to his immense prep hype and the promise he showed for a flash in the BCS Championship, and if there can be a bit more of a running game to help him out, Texas will be on the short list of national title favorites yet again.
Why to be grouchy: There are just enough landmines to prevent another 13-0 regular season, and the team has just enough holes to sputter at times. That’s not to say Texas is going to take a 2009 Oklahoma-like dip, but it’ll have to replace several key players besides just Colt McCoy and will have to hope for the replacements on the defensive front to produce right away. The offensive line has to be better, a No. 1 target has to step up to replace Jordan Shipley, and yeah, Gilbert has to have some McCoy-like magic. There are a lot of ifs for a team this good.
The number one thing to work on is: Running the ball. The backfield returns loaded with all the top tailbacks returning, but McCoy was the team’s second-leading rusher last season and the four-headed running back monster never really impressed. Texas ran for 28 touchdowns, but was stuffed at times running for just 142 yards against Oklahoma, 18 against Nebraska, and 81 against Alabama. This is Texas; it’s time to start running the ball. There’s no excuse not to.
Biggest offensive loss: QB Colt McCoy
Biggest defensive loss: S Earl Thomas
Best returning offensive player: OT Kyle Hix
Best returning defensive player: LB Sam Acho
Top Five Prospects
LB Jordan Hicks 6-2 220 West Chester, OH
DE Jackson Jeffcoat 6-3 230 Plano, TX
WR Mike Davis 6-1 185 Dallas, TX
LB Tevin Jackson 6-3 230 Garland, TX
WR Darius White 6-2 205 Fort Worth, TX
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