Maybe the toughest interview I’ve ever seen, Texas quarterback [tag]Colt McCoy[/tag] talks to ABC/ESPN immediately after the BCS title game:
Personally, a truly crushing end to a Longhorn legend’s career. Colt is a great Longhorn and a great young man. He was broken hearted yet strong, grateful, and gracious. Best of luck Colt, we’ll be rooting for you.
Follow along live with 40 Acres Sports on Twitter and below for our thoughts and analysis during tonight’s national title game on ABC. We’ll be live right around kickoff for Texas vs [tag]Alabama[/tag] so join us to discuss the game at 7:00pm Thursday night.
Things might be a little less wordy than normal, but please feel free to leave comments and questions using the live tool, but not all comments will be published. Read below for more notes on comments and how the live blog will work. Hook ’em!
It could come down to which QB plays best. Who would you choose? McCoy or McElroy?
Here we go ladies and gentlemen. The king of college football for the 2009 season will be crowned tonight at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. In front of a every sports fan in the country, the #2 Texas Longhorns will take on the #1 Alabama Crimson Tide for all the marbles. In a few hours the winner of the Citi BCS National Championship Game will hold up the crystal football and have a moment they will never forget.
Predictions from the national media are all over the place. Some think Bama wins big and think Texas doesn’t stand a chance, others look at the entire body of work and think the game could go either way. Our predictions for the title game are below:
Brian – Enough talk, time for some action. The Horns have heard they’ve got no chance to win for almost a month and it will motivate them to come out and play their asses off. Will it make them overly hyped or give them the burst they need to win? I don’t think it matters. Texas defensive coordinator [tag]Will Muschamp[/tag] has his goon squad ready and pumped to shut down the Tide and they’re going to do it. The defense and special teams give the Horns good enough field position all night to allow [tag]Greg Davis[/tag] to throw caution to the wind (a little) and score just enough points to beat a great Bama defense. Horns win in defensive struggle decided by special teams and turnovers.Texas 23, Alabama 13
Matt – This season and game reminds me a lot of the 2005 National Championship run, but I love being the underdog and overlooked by most people in the nation. All I keep hearing about is how good Alabama’s defense is and how they dominated Florida. Well I have watched quite a few of Alabama’s games this year and I think some people need to go back and watch film on the Alabama vs Tennessee and Alabama versus Auburn games.
I think the key to the game will be if Texas can get off to a fast start. It seems in almost every game this season Texas just goes through the motions in the first half, makes some adjustments, and comes out on fire in the second half. That simply won’t work in this game. A lot of that responsibility will be on Colt McCoy. He needs to take over the game early and do whatever it takes to start off strong, even if that means running the ball more like he did in the A&M game.
Alabama does have a strong defense but I am severely unimpressed by their quarterback McElroy. He seems slow in the pocket and Texas has the speed on defense to give him some problems. I think he will have a couple of key turnovers which will be the difference in the game. I actually believe this game will be a little bit higher scoring than most people think. And because of the Texas Longhorn Rose Bowl history, I am going with a last second field goal to win. Texas 31, Alabama 30
Ross – 13-0 in 2009. 25-1 over two years. This has been an incredible run by our Horns. Do you see where this prediction is going? I had the same feelings going into the 2006 National Championship game and it turned out pretty good. The UT coaches (Will and Greg) will have a lot to say about the outcome of this game more than any other game this year. The Horns have a daunting task against the most complete team that they have faced all year. I pointed out what the Horns need to do to win with the new year’s resolutions post. The Tide have the momentum from the SEC Championship game, but the Horns have the chip on their shoulder. I think Saban will have Bama wound so tight while Mack will have the Horns playing with nothing to lose. Horns will win a close one. Texas 26, Alabama 24
Predictions from Twitterverse
- TDFINN: 31 – 27 horns
- hockeynightdoc: 17-13 Texas in an ugly ugly defensive struggle
- carlmc: Texas 15-12
- texfan23: im going with 37-15. Colt has. +300 Passing, tre gets +60 with a big run over 20. ET gets a Pick 6.
- rcmercado: Texas 27-17
- livingnearshamu: UT 24 UA 14 Hook ’em ‘Horns!
- whitneyredman: Here’s my prediction. My stomach will be in knots all night and I will come down with a stress fever. Hook ’em.
- ATexican: score prediction Texas 31 Alabama 21 #HookEm #UT
More Predictions
Colt McCoy will need to use his legs to complement his arm to beat Alabama.
The big one is finally here. We’re less than a day away from the Texas Longhorns taking on the Alabama Crimson Tide for the BCS national title. No more waiting. No more listening to national experts drone on and on about how the Horns have no chance based off one game. The two teams will finally take the field and decide everything head to head.
The Longhorns are 4-point underdogs, what can they do tonight to swing things in their favor?
1. Pick up the Alabama blitz.
The Texas offensive line has been the subject of much chatter and consternation both for fans and the national media since the [tag]Nebraska[/tag] debacle. Ndamukong Suh doesn’t play for Alabama but Terrence Cody and Rolando Mcclain do and they’re not too shabby. Cody however has 4.5 tackles for loss on the season, the same number of sacks Suh on [tag]Colt McCoy[/tag] in one game.
Cody is more space-eater than playmaker, but his size and strength in the middle frees up other defenders to make plays. As a 3-4 defense the Crimson Tide will blitz frequently and from various different positions than most teams the Longhorns played this year. That will put a lot of pressure on McCoy, center [tag]Chris Hall[/tag], and the Texas running backs to identify who is coming on every play and give Colt enough time to find the open hot route.
2. Don’t give up a big pass play on blown coverage.
The huge pass play on a blown coverage between [tag]Chykie Brown[/tag] and [tag]Earl Thomas[/tag] early against A&M was one of the reasons the underdogs were able to grab some momentum and keep up with the Horns. Those two players along with [tag]Aaron Williams[/tag], [tag]Curtis Brown[/tag], and [tag]Blake Gideon[/tag] form one of the best secondaries in the history of UT football season. That’s high acclaim for a school with as strong a recent history as Texas with multiple Thorpe Award winners and former players littered throughout the NFL.
Against inexperienced Crimson Tide quarterback Greg McElroy the secondary should be a big strength, but if they make mental mistakes and let someone get wide open deep (as has happened too often the last two years) McElroy and Julio Jones will make you pay. Force the Tide to drive down the field and make them pay for their own mistakes, don’t give it to them easy thanks to assignment errors.
3. Get Colt McCoy involved in rushing attack.
The Horns need Colt McCoy’s legs not only for the running game but to get the senior QB settled in for the passing attack as well. McCoy has stated several times that a big run and even getting tackled helps get him into the rhythm of the game quicker. Texas is a pass-first team but they need to run to keep the Alabama defense honest and to open up the playaction pass. McCoy on a few designed runs (zone read, speed option, QB draws) and also some improvised scrambles for big yardage would be the difference against an excellent defense like Bama’s.
Mack Brown was a master yesterday putting on an amazing press conference performance, where as the Houston Chronicle’s Richard Justice put it, he was “part gospel preacher, part CEO, part coach.” Watch the whole 30+ minute question and answer session below:
Citi BCS National Championship |
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#1 Alabama (13-0) vs. #2 Texas (13-0)Jan. 7, 7:00 p.m. (ABC) |
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The 2009 season will come to an end Thursday, January 7th when the Texas Longhorns take on the Alabama Crimson Tide in the BCS national title game. For all the marbles the number one and two teams face off in what has become a rare MNC matchup between two undefeated teams. Texas is looking to repeat what [tag]Vince Young[/tag] did just a four years ago while Alabama is looking for their first championship since 1992.
Players to Watch
Texas: QB Colt McCoy, WR Jordan Shipley, LB Sergio Kindle, S Earl Thomas
Alabama: RB Mark Ingram, WR Julio Jones, DT Terrence Cody, LB Rolando McClain
40 Acres Fiesta Bowl Coverage
- BCS Title Keys to Victory: Texas vs. Alabama
- Video: Mack Brown BCS Title game press conference
- Video: Mack Brown talks the day before the big game
- ESPN talks to Earl Thomas, Acho brothers, other Horns about playing in BCS title game
- The only Crimson Tide we fear…
- Four New Year’s resolutions for the Horns at the Rose Bowl
- It’s Official: Texas vs. Alabama in the BCS National Championship
Other Related Stories
Excellent set of video interviews from ESPN with several Texas players yesterday at BCS title game media day. Good questions and comments from [tag]Earl Thomas[/tag] and particularly Emmanuel and [tag]Sam Acho[/tag]. Watch below to get a feel for what the players are thinking with just a couple days left before the biggest game of their lives…
Wide receiver [tag]Brandon Collins[/tag] is done as a Texas Longhorn. After missing the 2009 season due to academic troubles, Collins was arrested on felony assault charges Saturday and then immediately dismissed from the team Sunday when Mack Brown learned of the news. Collins’ career at Texas was already on thin ice due to various academic and character problems.
More information on Collins’ arrest from KVUE.com:
Collins was arrested after an alleged aggravated assault at a Pflugerville Mcdonald’s. Dispatchers got a call at 2:36 p.m. Saturday from a man who said he had been robbed at gunpoint in the McDonald’s parking lot. He said he had been waiting there to meet an old friend, Marcus Caruth, 19. The victim told police a black male ran up to him with a gun and demanded money from him. He identified the man as Caruth.
The victim says Caruth ran back to a silver Chrysler Sebring convertible with a black top and Texas license plates and it drove off.
Officers later spotted a vehicle matching the victim’s description, stopped the car in the 1800 block of W. Pecan St. and detained the occupants.
The back right passenger was identified as Caruth, the front passenger as Ashton Collins, 25, and the driver as Brandon Collins, 20. Officers found a loaded pistol under the front right seat and a small amount of marijuana and a substance believed to be hashish in the car.
Caruth and Brandon Collins told police they had arranged the meeting with the victim to buy marijuana. Although the victim stated that Caruth was the man who had attacked him and with a gun, both Caruth and Brandon Collins said it was Collins who approached the victim and he, at no time, had a gun. They both said Ashton Collins was the only person who had a gun.
Expected to be the number two guy behind [tag]Jordan Shipley[/tag] this year, I was hoping Collins could get his head on straight and be a reliable veteran option for new QB [tag]Garrett Gilbert[/tag] in 2010. Fortunately the Horns have seen flashes from returning wide receivers [tag]Malcolm Williams[/tag], [tag]Marquise Goodwin[/tag], and [tag]James Kirkendoll[/tag]. The fact that the Texas coaches are bringing six high school commits at the position, including the state’s number one wideout Darius White who committed yesterday.
Collins may no longer be a Longhorn, but let’s hope the young man realizes his potential and can get his life together before it’s too late.
Posted January 2nd, 2010 by Brian
Filed under: Feature, Football, Recruiting
Just moments ago WR [tag]Darius White[/tag] committed to the Longhorns live on ESPN during the Under Armour-All American game. He’s a 5-star guy and showed today in the game what he’s capable of at the next level. More to follow…
Update: Video of Darius picking the good guys:
Update: Some links to stories on White’s commitment:
- White says Hook ’em. Five-star receiver stays home and picks Texas over Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.
- Darius White Makes the Call: It’s Texas.
- Time to celebrate – White picks UT (premium)
- Under Armour All-America MVP commits to Texas
- Updated 2010 Texas football commit list
Posted January 2nd, 2010 by Brian
Filed under: Feature, Football, Recruiting
Future Horn Adrian White (#8) covers a wide receiver in Under Armour practice. (Image: ESPN)
The Longhorns are still focused on the big prize with the national title game looming Thursday, but fans need to pay attention to the future by checking out today’s Under Armour All-America Game live on ESPN at 10am Central.
One of two major high school all star games, the Under Armour game features six future Horns and three huge remaining targets. Keep an eye on the wide receiver position for both teams as [tag]Demarco Cobbs[/tag] and [tag]Mike Davis[/tag] are two of the Horns’ latest and most explosive commits, and 5-star stud [tag]Darius White[/tag] is expected to announce his future destination during the game. The Black Team defense is loaded with Horns. Defensive tackles [tag]Ashton Dorsey[/tag] and [tag]Taylor Bible[/tag] will be backed by linebackers who all may end up playing for the Horns in commit [tag]Aaron Benson[/tag] and targets [tag]Jordan Hicks[/tag] and [tag]Corey Nelson[/tag].
(click to see the positions and numbers of the Texas commits …)
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