Holy schnikies.

The season's literally a week out from tonight and I haven't started my last 2 reviews. Get with it Moore. Seriously.

My best darn review of TU!
(TU is used for rhyming purposes... not a knock on the school)

'06 was a good season for the Horns. Obviously not what the faithful wanted... but it got the job done.


QB
The MNC team in '05-'06 was fairly identical to last year's team except for one position. Vince Young was just absolutely the deal breaker for that team. I think if any other QB (in the world) were there they wouldn't have won that championship. He just brought the perfect balance to that team's running and passing game.

The longhorns had some balance last year... but when you have Limus Sweed, Billy Pittman, Jordan Shipley, Quan Cosby, and Jermichael Finley out there.... you're going to throw the ball a lot. I could look good w/ that corps of receivers.

I think Colt will continue to improve but I'm curious to see what will happen this year. 2 of texas' losses last year came from blitzing in-your-face defenses (yes... i am talking about A&M for a change.) OSU just had the D to stop a Freshman QB in his second game. A&M got in his face and aggressive the entire game ( he obviously wasn't at 100% that game... but McGee wasn't a 100% all season... so go kiss a pig if you think that's an excuse)

I think he'll put up good numbers because he is a decent QB with one of the best receiving corps in the country. He has yet to prove that he is great... but I can't argue w/ the numbers he puts up. I think he'll probably be a top 5 heisman candidate before the season is over.

RB's
The reason Texas had some struggles last year were that w/out Vince's dual threat abilities the run game was somewhat stifled. We expected HUGE things out of Jamal Charles. Not that he had a bad performance... his season just wasn't what was expected. 800 yds and 7 TD's isn't spectacular.

Texas has been blessed w/ power and speed in Cederic Benson and Ricky Williams since the late 90's. The '05 season had power (Melton), speed (s. young and charles), and the moves (romance taylor) to keep the ball moving between the 4 backs. Young is gone. Melton is on defense now. J Charles has put on some meat according the the reports I've read which is really what he needed. I love the type of back that Benson and Williams were. Speedy. Bruising. Quick between the tackles. Agile. Jamal has the speed and agility. he just needs to prove he can take some hits and deliver them.

I look for McGee and Ogbonnaya, to play back up... but good backups. McGee

WR

This crew is scary and doesn't need a lot of analysis. They're fast, big, and they have good hands

Sweed is a tall beast. Jermichael is a tall monster. You can throw it anywhere around them and they're going to make the catch.

I look for Shipley and Cosby to step up this year now that have had a complete year in the system. And here's hoping that Pittman gets better from his shoulder injury.

OL
This is the only part of the offense I have a little bit a question mark on. Texas OL strength is cyclical. Mac keeps good ones coming in. Studard and Blalock are gone.

Dockery is the only coming back w/ a lot of experience. I think there will be a bit of struggle at first but the new guys will pick up as time goes on.

Defense
Gone is Chizick. the man who coached two of the best defenses in the land from '04-'06. I don't think Duane Akina will change too much.

I really think too much was made of Texas' secondary last year. You can't be that bad when you have 3 of your starters taken in the draft (2 first rounders). I think the fact that their run D was so good made the secondary look worse than it was. If I know I'm going to be absolutely stymied by a D line and punishing linebackers... I'm going to throw it a little. I don't think the were ever bad... it's just that everybody threw it on them except for A&M and it made it look worse than it was. KState ran so many goofy pass trick plays that the statistics of that game were skewed.

DL
Texas has Lokey and Okam to rely on here. Strong strong strong guys who you don't push around at all. If you're going to run... do it on the outside. After Dre Jones gets back from his 3 game suspension he'll make an impact if he's not redshirted.

LB
Babino, Killebrew, Kindle. Tough guys. It'll be hard to run and do any sort of short pass slants.

DB
Probably the most untested group of the bunch. Marcus Griffin is the lone returning starter on a backfield that did give up some yardage despite the talent. Foster and Beasley will have to step up to fill the holes left.















Overall...

Tough year. Could be a national champion... could drop 3-4 games

W Ark State - Easy win
Push TCU - I dunno. TCU is tough. Not easy to give this one to texas. I have a strong feeling Tommy Blake will be seeing more of Colt after their appearance on the cover of DCTF
W UCF - Easy win
W Rice - not as easy win. Rice is improving.
W Kansas State - Revenge for last years embarrassment due to trick plays.
W Oklahoma - I'm not sold on Oklahoma yet. No solid QB and an unproven
W ISU - Chizick doesn't have the cyclones there yet. Yet.
W Baylor - Still Baylor. Sorry.

Here start's the murder's row for Texas. Not as bad as others... but...

W Nebraska- was not happy about how the last one ended... I think this will be a tough one but the Horns take care of business in Austin
L Oklahoma State - OSU always seems to have Texas' number at some point. I think this year their offense puts the secondary on the ropes enough to open up Reid and Savage for the running game
W Texas Tech - Tech always puts up their best for Texas... and comes up short.
L Texas A&M - I don't think Texas is quick enough on Defense to stop the option still. That's been a huge problem the last 2 years. McGee can outrun all the linemen and linebackers. Lane will run over your Linebackers and secondary... and Goodson will run around, to the left, right and circles behind most anybody. I also look for A&M's passing game to improve significantly as McGee looks to be 100% this year from the gate unlike last year.

10-2.... maybe BCS. maybe.


Have at it.