Texas Longhorns Season Preview

By Guest Blogger Freddie Brister

It is not easy being number two. That is where Texas found itself at the end of last season. The Texas Longhorns’ lone loss on the season came on the final play of the game at Texas Tech. Though they beat Oklahoma, they saw the Sooners voted into the Big 12 title game ahead of them. That led to Oklahoma’s subsequent berth in the BCS championship game, while Texas had to settle for a win over Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl. No one knows if Texas was better than national champion Florida last season because they were never given the chance to prove themselves head to head with the Gators.

Image: Newscom

The goals are the same this year. They are a lot like Miami in 2001. In 2000, the Hurricanes defeated Florida State only to see the Seminoles go to (and lose) the national championship game ahead of them. Miami resolved to simply not lose in 2001 and dominated the college football world. Texas is capable of replaying the feat this season in order to win their second national championship in the past five years. Once again, the Oklahoma game will go a long way towards deciding that. In conference games with Texas Tech and Oklahoma State will be difficult as well. Only the Oklahoma State game is a true road game, as everyone else that has a minor chance of beating the Longhorns must come to Austin.

A big reason this team is one of the favorites, if not the favorite, to win the national title is quarterback Colt McCoy. McCoy could very well win the Heisman Trophy — he probably should have won last season. He is one of the favorites, although for the first time in college football history two other players that have already won the award will be playing a full season in trying to get a second. While McCoy has been good, he has yet to lead the Longhorns to the Big 12 championship. He will have to elevate his already fantastic game to another level, but he has more than enough talent around him to do so.

The Longhorn defense was solid last season and could be even better this year. If not for one mistake, the failure to cover and tackle Michael Crabtree on the final play of the Texas Tech game, the Longhorns would have been undefeated. Still, that was atypical of a defense that often allowed few points. This defense doesn’t need to be a brick wall either since the Texas offense can score in bunches. Sergio Kindle is a legitimate NFL prospect at both defensive end and linebacker that can cause havoc in the front seven. No team in the country sacked more quarterbacks last season than Texas, and the Longhorns were the third best team in the nation against the run. It is very easy to see that if this team gets better on defense it will make the offense’s job that much easier. Both factors have other teams afraid well before the season starts.

Writer and editor, Freddie Brister, is a former high school football coach of 25 years. His love of the game of football is reflected in his words and memories of growing up in the South and playing football in the back yard with his brothers, cousins and neighborhood friends. His biggest thrill is watching former high school players he has coached play at the college level. His favorite pastime is watching college football on TV and attending games in person every chance he gets. Freddie Brister is a huge fan of the Texas Longhorns. Check out his Texas Longhorns Store or his Texas Longhorns Apparel.