Will McCoy be able to pick apart the Buckeyes' D?
The Texas Longhorns have a lot to prove tonight when they face the tenth ranked Ohio State Buckeyes in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. Texas fans have been screaming for months that they, not [tag]Oklahoma[/tag], deserved the chance to play for a national title and if they need to win tonight to help their case. The Buckeyes are the best defense the Horns have faced all season and if they can win and put big points on the scoreboard there’s still an outside shot of a split national title.
Check out our predictions for the game below…
Brian – Texas hasn’t faced a defense as tough as Ohio State’s all year long but there aren’t any Big 10 offenses in the same league as the high-powered [tag]Colt McCoy[/tag] led Longhorns. OSU’s young quarterback Terrelle Pryor will make a few plays but the Texas pass rush should also force some huge mistakes. I think [tag]Brian Orakpo[/tag] is headed for a huge performance in his last game in the burnt orange. If the Horns slow down running back Beanie Wells than they win, it’s that simple. Texas 34 – Ohio State 21.
Matt – The rubber match between these two teams looks like it could be another instant classic. If you look at the major factors here, Texas clearly has the advantage. You have Colt McCoy versus a freshman, an offensive line that should dominate, and a defensive line that puts serious pressure with just their front four. Pryor looks like he will be a good qb, but he just doesn’t have the experience right now. I think [tag]Will Muschamp[/tag] will have a field day with him and Texas will control this game. Look for a close game early and then Texas will pull away late. Texas 38 – Ohio State 20.
Mike – Texas isn’t where they want to be. The team has to feel like they should be playing [tag]Florida[/tag] in Miami for the BCS championship. In years past the possibility of playing flat would be on everybody’s mind. The combination of the makeup of this team and the coaching staff has most believing the Longhorns will come to play Monday night. The game won’t be as easy as some are making it out to be because of Ohio State’s power running game and their defense which will be the best UT faces all year. Texas has too much speed and Will Muschamp will do everything he can to keep the Buckeyes true freshman quarterback off balance. It will be tight early, but expect the Longhorns to pull away late. Texas 31 – Ohio State 17
This year’s success can ultimately be traced back to last year’s bowl game. [tag]Mack Brown[/tag] made a decision to work his team and open up competition at all positions. The result was a brand new football team than the one that lost to the Aggies. Out of the three BCS games that Texas has now been invited to, there is no doubt the 2009 [tag]Fiesta Bowl[/tag] has been greeted with the smallest fanfare.
However, Monday night’s game against [tag]Ohio State[/tag] is the biggest game of the year in many ways. Think about the two scenarios and the impact it will have on the program. Let’s say Texas wins. The Longhorns will finish the year 12-1 and likely the number two ranked team in the nation. And no matter what happens in the Orange Bowl the Longhorn nation will have months to lay claim to at least the chance to have played for the national title. The program will be 3-0 in BCS games and will not have lost a bowl game since many were talking about moving Vince Young to wide receiver.
If the Longhorns lose, and contrary to popular opinion it can happen, all the championship talk flies out the window. All the momentum the program built up over the last year will come to a halt and the national media will feel they made the right decision to put OU in Miami. One has to look no further than Texas Tech and Alabama.
Luckily, the Texas plays understand this better than the fan base. When talking to people in Phoenix it has amazed me how nonchalant the fans seem to be. Ohio State will be the second best team the Longhorns have been on the field with this season. Their young and ultra-talented [tag]Vince Young[/tag] clone of a quarterback has had six weeks to get better. The Buckeyes have a power run game that Texas’ hasn’t had to face and their tailback may be the best in the nation when he is healthy.
Yet, most feel the Longhorns will cruise. And hopefully they will, next year may hang in the balance.
The Longhorns enter this year’s [tag]Fiesta Bowl[/tag] as the favorites. Texas wants to prove a point and make a case for a split National against a team with great name recognition. Many are overlooking [tag]Ohio State[/tag] and the third ranked Longhorns are going to need more than [tag]Colt McCoy[/tag] and [tag]Brian Orakpo[/tag] to finish the season with a victory and a likely number two ranking.
[tag]Vondrell McGee[/tag]
The sophomore from Longview has looked quicker and more explosive as the season has worn on. The feeling is that McGee has finally been healthy. With [tag]Foswhitt Whittaker[/tag] back in the lineup the onus is not all on McGee to produce in the run game. It has appeared that he does not relish the number one role. That is not necessarily a bad thing, not all backs are made to be work horses. McGee will come into the game and run hard. With Ohio State having to use linebackers in pass coverage expect the Longhorns to use the pass to set up the run. As the game goes on Texas should look to use the run game in similar fashion to their game against [tag]Oklahoma[/tag]. McGee has shown a nose for the endzone and we’ll look to add one Monday night.
[tag]Malcolm Williams[/tag]
Texas will face the best cornerback in the nation when they face the Buckeyes’ Malcolm Jenkins. The Thorpe award winner will likely matchup with [tag]Quan Cosby[/tag] for most of the night and the coaching staff is sure to focus on taking [tag]Jordan Shipley[/tag] away. This will force Texas to use another option, and with none being available at tight end, it will have to come from one of the extra receivers. Ohio State is physical in the secondary and out of all of the Longhorn receivers Williams possesses the best skill set to offset any advantage the Buckeye corners may have against [tag]Brandon Collins[/tag] and [tag]James Kirkendoll[/tag]. Williams has shown the ability to get deep; I believe Texas will try to take a shot early in the game.
[tag]Ben Alexander[/tag]
Alexander isn’t going to start, and he may not even play a ton of snaps. But this may be the best chance for Alexander to show his stuff heading into a crucial offseason for his career. The big nose tackle is a prototypical off center one gap tackle. The offenses that Texas faces in the Big 12 limit his effectiveness because of a lack of lateral speed. For the first time maybe all season, Texas is going to face a team that will show a heavy dose of downhill running. Texas’ two other tackles not named [tag]Roy Miller[/tag] are former defensive ends. Will Muschamp will need the size of Alexander on obvious running downs throughout the game. If Alexander can take up blocks and hold his gap it will help the Longhorn linebackers control Ohio State’s ground game.
[tag]Jared Norton[/tag]
Much like Alexander, Norton finds himself a duck out of water when he faces the offenses in the Big 12. Norton excels playing downhill at his middle linebacker position and may in fact be the best NFL prospect of the group. Unfortunately for Norton, in the Big 12 a linebacker needs to play well laterally and in space. Norton to this point has had a hard time in both of those categories. Enter Ohio State and Beanie Wells. This will be a game Norton can thrive in. [tag]Rashad Bobino[/tag] will likely get the start as the senior, but if Ohio State has success running the ball early, and maybe even if they don’t, Norton will become a factor in the game. The junior will be a sure starter next year and we’ve seen how a good bowl game can propel a player into a great offseason.
[tag]Blake Gideon[/tag]
A lot of people think the true freshman from Leander’s job is in jeopardy this offseason. Most still view Gideon as an overachieving two star recruit who is playing because of his brains and intangibles. The talk heading into the spring will depend a lot on how Gideon plays in this game. If he comes out and plays a good game and makes a play or two the talk will quiet, but if he struggles or [tag]Christian Scott[/tag] makes a huge play one of the major offseason hot topics will be the status of Gideon’s job. The word is the only thing holding Scott back is his work on the practice room and in the film room, if the light turns on in year three on campus the super athletic Scott will be in line for many more snaps in 2009. If he isn’t a transfer could be possible.
After getting bad news on Christmas, Texas fans awoke to more bad news on the first day of 2009. Three redshirting freshmen did not make the trip to Arizona for the [tag]Fiesta Bowl[/tag] due to various reasons. The three players are defensive tackle [tag]Jarvis Humphrey[/tag], linebacker [tag]Dravannti Johnson[/tag] and wide receiver [tag]DJ Monroe[/tag], all of which are important four-star 2008 recruits. The Statesman reports that each of the players was left behind for a different reason and that none were “serious”.
Unsubstantiated (and hopefully untrue) rumors on Orangebloods are that Monroe is a grade casualty and “don’t expect him back.” That of course would be counter to what the Statesman is reporting that none of the three issues were serious and if true would cost the Horns a possible future dynamic playmaker. Losing Humphrey for the spring or longer would also be a huge blow at one of the team’s least deep positions.
While they obviously would not be playing in next Monday’s game against [tag]Ohio State[/tag], bowl practices are a time when young players gain a great deal experience during the extra practice time and these guys are missing reps. Hopefully all three players are still in school and back on the practice field for spring football.
One of the most underrated and under talked about advantage of getting to a bowl game is the extra practices it affords the staff and the players. While teams do focus on preparing for the upcoming game, most teams invest a good amount of time practicing the redshirt players and some guys that played but didn’t see significant minutes. These practices serve as a spring board for spring ball for the team and the individual players. Last year’s [tag]Holiday Bowl[/tag] practices are when names like [tag]Earl Thomas[/tag] and [tag]Malcolm Williams[/tag] began to pop up. Texas would like a few guys to step up this year, much like last year’s team was able to do. Here are some of the players that could use a good showing.
[tag]Ian Harris[/tag] – Harris falls into the group of players that have seen time, but has not been counted on for victories. Texas is thin at tight end, reports have suggested redshirt freshman [tag]DJ Grant[/tag] is getting snaps at tight end so far in practices. The future for [tag]Blaine Irby[/tag] continues to be uncertain. The Longhorns need someone to step up at the position sooner than later. It is clear that [tag]Greg Davis[/tag] would like to have a pass catching tight end in his offense. From [tag]Bo Scaife[/tag] to [tag]David Thomas[/tag], Texas has utilized the tight end very well in the passing game. The position has been silent since the injury to Irby. Ian Harris contains the best skills on campus, and his ability to maximize that potential will be huge for the program. If Harris can’t step up, he is looking at Grant being a full time end with two legit recruits at the tight end position entering campus this fall. Combine that with the possibility of a return by Irby and the depth chart could swallow Harris up in a hurry.
[tag]Tray Allen[/tag] – Allen came out of high school as one touted offensive line recruits this state has ever produced. So far, Allen has not lived up to the hype. Coach Mac McWhorther likes to give every lineman a redshirt year so the guys coming straight out of high school can get a year in the weight room and on the practice field before feeding them to the dogs on major college defensive lines. Allen did not want to redshirt as a freshman so he stands as a second year sophomore. Texas has notoriously used a three man rotation at the tackle position and right now Allen has not been able to be anything more than a serviceable third player in the trio. The Longhorns were fortunate this year in regards to injury to starters [tag]Adam Ulatoski[/tag] and [tag]Kyle Hicks[/tag]. The duo was able to play most snaps which allowed McWhorther to use Allen when he wanted to, not when he had to. At this moment I’m not sure Allen would be the long term solution at either tackle position if one of the starters went down. Allen has to build up the confidence of the offensive staff, and he is going to have to do it in practice.
[tag]Kheeston Randall[/tag] – Texas loses starter [tag]Roy Miller[/tag] and part time starter [tag]Aaron Lewis[/tag] following the [tag]Fiesta Bowl[/tag]. That leaves former defensive end [tag]Lamarr Houston[/tag], [tag]Ben Alexander[/tag], and the true freshman Randall. The big man has gotten some snaps this year, but will be counted on heavily next year if the team gets what is expected out of Randall. Texas likes to have a rotation at defensive tackle to keep the players fresh. The depth at the position has continually allowed for this to be a huge advantage for the Longhorn defense, but for the first time in recent memory Texas’ defensive tackle position will enter the off-season as a major question mark. If the Longhorns can find starter quality snaps from Randall it will go a long way in answering those questions.
[tag]Keenan Robinson[/tag] – It is not a guarantee that [tag]Sergio Kindle[/tag] comes back to college. All reports suggest that he will, but the same could be said for [tag]Vince Young[/tag] and [tag]TJ Ford[/tag]. When the money at the pro level is right in front of you it is hard to convince yourself to come do it all for free. Not just for free, but you have to study too. Either way, the Longhorns are going to be top heavy at the linebacker position next year, with all the likely starters being seniors. Robinson has played some plays this year and when he has seen the field he has been very disruptive. The redshirt freshman seems like the type of player [tag]Will Muschamp[/tag] loves to utilize. Robinson may already be the best linebacker on campus when it comes to playing in space. And with the types of offenses run in the Big 12 a player like Robinson is invaluable. A true linebacker that isn’t a liability in pass coverage is worth his weight in oil. It will be hard to take snaps away from the guys coming back, but with the possibility of Kindle’s absence and the willingness of Muschamp to play whoever is performing the best, a strong showing in the Fiesta Bowl practices would make it interesting to watch.
[tag]Christian Scott[/tag] – By all accounts Scott has the most physical upside of any safety wearing burnt orange. What have seemed to hold him back are his practice habits on the field and in the film room. Anybody who saw Scott in the Kansas game knows the potential is there. The redshirt freshman covers more field, hits harder, and makes more plays than starter [tag]Blake Gideon[/tag]. But what keeps Gideon on top of the depth chart is the ability to understand offenses and what to do as the quarterback of the defense. Scott is not there yet and it is a testament that Gideon has been able to do such a great job in that regard considering he is also a freshman and it usually takes a few years for safeties to line up their defenses correctly. Gideon is a good player and a possible four year starter, but Scott has NFL tools. It is almost a Simms–Applewhite conversation. We all know how that one turned out.
[tag]Ryan Bailey[/tag]/[tag]Hunter Lawrence[/tag] – [tag]Mack Brown[/tag] has been uncharacteristically fickle with his kickers this year. Ryan Bailey was great last year, and then Hunter Lawrence took his job before the season, then after being perfect for 2/3 of the season Lawrence misses two in one game and is benched in favor of Bailey. Maybe the competition is good for the kickers, but if a game comes down to a kick it has to be better if one guy knows he is the guy. Kicking is already stressful enough before you add in the fact you will lose your job if you miss. The next few days will determine who will be the kicker in the Fiesta Bowl, and I have a feeling the man who wins that job is going to keep it for a long time.
Tostitos Fiesta Bowl |
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#10 Ohio St. (10-2) vs. #3 Texas (11-1)Jan. 5, 7:00 p.m. (Fox) |
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The Texas Longhorns and Ohio State Buckeyes will face each other for the third time in the last four seasons on January 5th in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. Splitting the home-and-home series back in 2005 and 2006, the two teams will get the chance to settle the score on the field. The Longhorns are disappointed to be here while the Buckeyes have been embarrassed the last two seasons in BCS championship games, which team will show up in Glendale, Arizona motivated and ready?
As in seasons past, Ohio State relies on a dominating defense and their running game to win games. Behind captains and All-Americans James Laurinaitis and Malcolm Jenkins the OSU defense is in the top 10 nationally in several categories including total defense and scoring defense. On the other side of the football true freshman blue chipper Terrelle Pryor has started at quarterback since the USC loss and got better every week. Pryor is good, but running back Chris “Beanie” Wells is both the star and the workhouse who lugged it for over 1,000 yards this season despite missing three games.
The Horns are of course led by Heisman finalist QB [tag]Colt McCoy[/tag]. McCoy and the Texas offense lit up scoreboards all season long even without a consistent rushing attack. McCoy found his favorite targets [tag]Quan Cosby[/tag] and [tag]Jordan Shipley[/tag] to the tune of 3,445 yards and 32 TDs while blowing away Daunte Culpepper’s completion percentage record. The Texas defense has been re-energized by head coach in waiting [tag]Will Muschamp[/tag]. Thanks to the outstanding play by Nagurski Trophy winner [tag]Brian Orakpo[/tag] and [tag]Sergio Kindle[/tag] the defense has been a strength despite extreme youth in the secondary. They match-up well against the Buckeyes as the nation’s number two rushing defense.
Players to Watch
Texas: QB Colt McCoy, WR Jordan Shipley, LB Sergio Kindle, LB Roddrick Muckelroy
Ohio State: QB Terrelle Pryor, RB Beanie Wells, LB James Laurinaitis, CB Malcolm Jenkins
40 Acres Fiesta Bowl Coverage
- Bowl Game Looms Large for Texas Team
- Five Longhorns to watch: Fiesta Bowl
- Three redshirt freshmen don’t make trip to Fiesta Bowl
- Some Players need to step up in Bowl Practices
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Related Videos
Texas head coach [tag]Mack Brown[/tag] discussed bowl practices and other topics with the media at the first official press conference since the regular season ended on Thursday. The Statesman has posted the video, watch below:
Word from Orangebloods sources is that the coaches and players are fired up and practices are spirited and the team will be ready for [tag]Ohio State[/tag] in January. Could be bad news for the Buckeyes if the Horns are both prepared and pissed.
Ivan Maisel and Mark Schlabach of ESPN.com talk about the upcoming Fiesta Bowl match-up between the Texas Longhorns and Ohio State Buckeyes. Will Texas be able to get motivated for the game after a disappointing end to the season? Will OSU’s Terrelle Pryor be able to shine on a national state, or will Texas QB [tag]Colt McCoy[/tag] outplay him both passing and running the football?
Texas vs. Colorado in the Big 12 Championship
Conference play is in full swing this weekend with many teams getting their first real test of the season. The Big 12 now has 4 teams in the Top 10, with all of them on the road. It will be interesting to see if they can all come out unscathed. If Texas and Oklahoma both win their Big 12 openers, they will face off next week in a possible #1 versus #5 match-up.
Let’s take a look at a game in each of the big conferences. Remember, I did go 3-1 last weekend against the spread.
#13 Auburn at #19 Vanderbilt (+4) – 6:00 PM EST on ESPN. Vanderbilt is definitely one of the surprises of the season. And after last week their win against Ole Miss is looking that much better. Auburn has been anemic on offense and basically riding their defense to wins. With two weeks to prepare and home field, Vanderbilt has the advantage in this one. It will probably be close, but take Vandy to win.
#7 Texas at Colorado (+13) – 7:00 PM EST on FSN. There are a couple of things that worry me about this game. First, it is an almost night game in Boulder. The fans will be crazy (probably drunk) and it is tough to play with that thin air. Second, the last time we played Colorado we beat them 70-3 and knocked out their quarterback. I’m pretty sure Colorado is looking for a little revenge and will keep that previous game in mind. And finally, this game comes a week before the Red River Rivalry, so there is definitely a possibility that the Horns will be looking ahead. Now with all of that said, I still think Texas has too much offense for Colorado to handle. And with the improved defense I don’t see Colorado doing too much. Texas needs to jump out to a quick start to kill the hopes for the Buffaloes. If they do that they should roll.
#23 Oregon at #9 USC (O/U 57) – 8:00 PM EST on ABC. Everyone wants to see how USC will respond after getting smoked by Oregon State last week. I don’t expect to see a blowout or anything against Oregon, but I do expect to see USC’s A game. Both teams can score almost at will and this will probably be the typical Pac-10 shootout. Look for each team to score in the 40s and take the over in this one.
#14 Ohio State at #18 Wisconsin (+2) – 8:00 PM EST on ABC. Hardly anyone comes out of Camp Randall with a victory, with Wisconsin winning their last 16 at home and 27 of the last 28. Ohio State has now turned over the reigns to Terrelle Pryor, and with Beanie Wells back from injury their offense is heating back up. As long as their defense can do a decent job against the Badgers, Ohio State should be able to come out with the victory. Actually on second thought this game probably shouldn’t be on the “what to watch” list since it will probably be pretty boring. Just take Ohio State and cash-in in the morning.
Vince Young has an injured MCL
Here’s the actual quote from Fisher in the AP article:
“We’re going to get Vince back, get his knee back, work with him, get him back involved in the offense, but Kerry’s going to go ahead and play for us until either he struggles or whatever else happens.”
And…
“He’s got to get back. He’s eventually going to be under center for us. When that happens, I don’t know. For right now, Kerry’s our quarterback”
That’s not exactly the statement the headlines or the article are making it out to be. Fisher essentially said that Collins would be starting for him since Young was injured and that they’d take the time for his knee to heal and not rush him back.
This isn’t some huge vote of confidence in Collins. Fisher stated that Collins would play until “either he struggles or whatever else happens.” For anyone who watched Collins play back in 2006 and in limited time in 2007, it would be pretty surprising if he does anything more than put up the average day he did Sunday against mediocre competition. That “for right now” is also pretty damn noncommittal.
Collins will likely start the next three games, put up two clunkers against Minnesota and Baltimore, and then Vince is back in as the starter after the bye week. For the next few weeks Vince needs to get both his knee and his head healthy. He’ll get his chance again soon, he just needs to get back out there on the field and just play his game when it comes.
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