Want to see what happens when a train collides with an suspecting quarterback? Watch Texas defensive end [tag]Sergio Kindle[/tag] absolutely crush Texas Tech quarterback Taylor Potts on a huge sack and forced fumble:
Follow along live with 40 Acres Sports on Twitter and below for our thoughts and analysis during tonight’s game versus [tag]Texas Tech[/tag] on ABC. We’ll be live right around kickoff so join us to discuss the game right around 7pm tonight.
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The Texas Longhorns have already played two games, but the season really gets started tonight as they take on the Texas Tech Red Raiders in a primetime matchup on ABC. The Horns are looking for revenge and more importantly the number 2 team in the country is looking to get another win closer to a BCS title shot.
Check out our keys below to beating Mike Leach on International Talk Like a Pirate Day:
1. Pressure QB Taylor Potts with a 4-man rush.
There’s two things you can’t do against the Tech offense: let the quarterback have all day to throw or blitz too often. If you give Potts too much time to throw he’ll be able to take his time and pick apart the defense underneath. If you send extra blitzers at him he can quickly get the ball out and you better cross your fingers the defensive backs don’t miss a tackle. The ideal is that your front four are able to get consistent pressure without bringing extra help, but with [tag]Sergio Kindle[/tag] playing defensive end and [tag]Will Muschamp[/tag] drawing things up you’ll likely see Texas bring 3-5 rushers from all over the field. Through two games Kindle is still looking for his first sack of the season, will he blow up the Texas Tech offense tonight?
2. Call just enough designed Colt McCoy runs.
McCoy had -3 rushing yards in the first game and 44 yards in the second on very few designed QB runs. When the offense was sputtering against Wyoming in the 2nd and 3rd quarter, offensive coordinator Greg Davis called Colt’s number to kick start the offense. Tonight against the Red Raiders they’ll likely need that boost from the very beginning and we should see McCoy run some QB draws, the zone read, and the option. McCoy is the franchise and you have to protect him, but this offense isn’t as explosive without him running the football.
3. Commit fewer than 5 penalties.
Through two games the Longhorns have been flagged for 19 penalties, and that doesn’t count penalties that the opponents declined. Those kind of unforced mistakes will kill you in a close contest. Penalties wiped several big 3rd down conversions off the board against [tag]Wyoming[/tag], that can’t happen against higher quality Big 12 opponents. Defensively, the last thing you want to do against Texas Tech’s offense is give them extra chances.
Longhorn fans, particularly season ticket holders, got some exciting news this week when The University of Texas announced Friday that two big opponents had been added to the future schedule. Texas will take on a pair of BCS non-conference opponents in 2015 and 2016.
From the official UT press release:
A home and home football series with Pac-10 foe [tag]California[/tag] and Big Ten opponent [tag]Minnesota[/tag] has been scheduled for the 2015 and 2016 seasons, The University of Texas announced Friday. The Longhorns will travel to Minneapolis on Sept. 19, 2015 and to Berkley on Sept. 10, 2016. The Bears will visit Austin on Sept. 12, 2015 and the Gophers will return to Austin on Sept. 17, 2016.
Great job by the Texas athletic department to schedule top quality BCS opponents. Add those games to [tag]UCLA[/tag] in 2010 and 2011 and [tag]Ole Miss[/tag] in 2012 and 2013 and you’ve got some winnable, marquee games against big name programs. Should be fun to watch.
So much for Internet rumors. Reportedly (by several sources) considered the biggest longshot of the three Longhorns in academic limbo to regain his eligibility, senior cornerback [tag]Deon Beasley[/tag] has been cleared to play by the NCAA. He is eligible to play this weekend against [tag]Texas Tech[/tag].
From the official university press release:
The NCAA academic eligibility issues for University of Texas senior cornerback Deon Beasley have been resolved. Beasley will be eligible to play immediately, beginning with tomorrow’s Texas Tech game. There is no update on the two other players with unresolved NCAA academic eligibility issues.
Before his status came into question Beasley was working as the team’s fourth corner. No official information
Well this weekend is the game we have been waiting for since last season. Texas versus Texas Tech in a huge revenge game. Honestly there really isn’t much else on this Saturday, so make sure to plan your day around the night game. Let’s see what else can fill the time:
Tennessee at (1) Florida (-30) – 3:30 PM EST on CBS. I don’t expect this to be much of a game (either does Vegas), but I am interested in seeing how serious Florida takes this game after the comments Lane Kiffin made last season towards Urban Meyer and his team. Florida has probably had this game pinned up in their locker room for quite some time now, and they will probably take out all of their frustrations on a weak Tennessee team. Enjoy the beautiful CBS HD picture and take Florida in this one.
(19) Nebraska at (13) Virginia Tech (-5) – 3:30 PM EST on ESPN. If you are looking for a physical game, this is the one for you. Both of these defenses fly around the ball and expect to see many big collisions. This is Nebraska’s first big test of the season and I think they will get off to a slow start. Virginia Tech is really tough to beat at home, and with an early lead I expect them to cruise to victory. Take Virginia Tech and give the points.
Texas Tech at (2) Texas (-18) – 8:00 PM EST on ABC. One question I have hear is how badly do we have to beat them in order to stop seeing the Michael “Oh My Phong is Ringing” Crabtree highlight from last year? My guess is 30, and honestly that could happen tomorrow. Muschamp has had a whole year to prepare for this game and I think our defense is faster and smarter from a year ago. Taylor Potts may be like Chuck Norris and we know how crazy the Tech fans can get, but I think Texas pulls away easily late in the game. Take Texas and give the points.
The Longhorns will be near full strength when they take the field for an early start to Big 12 conference play. Only two players are listed as out on the official injury report for the game Saturday night against [tag]Texas Tech[/tag]. Linebacker [tag]Jared Norton[/tag] is out with a shoulder injury and freshman offensive lineman [tag]Mason Walters[/tag] will miss the game due to a foot injury.
Both players were injured in the season opener and also missed last week’s game against [tag]Wyoming[/tag]. Norton’s shoulder was originally reported as not being serious but he’s now missed two games and his status is one to keep an eye on.
The biggest news may be one name not on the list, tailback [tag]Foswhitt Whittaker[/tag] is listed on the depth chart and will finally make his debut against the Red Raiders. Good luck to Fozzy, hopefully he finally stays healthy enough to get his chance.
He’s not perfect and he hasn’t been a great NFL player (so far), but I’ll never understand why some people root so hard against [tag]Vince Young[/tag]. This week, the young man stepped in and took Steve McNair’s sons to a father-son function at their school:
As a kid, Titans quarterback Vince Young looked up to Steve McNair. On Wednesday, McNair’s two young sons looked to Young as their father figure.
As part of “Dear Dads Breakfast” at St. Paul Christian Academy, Young surprised the children when he showed up at their house early Wednesday and took them to the Pancake Pantry.
Who knew Texas coach [tag]Mack Brown[/tag] was also a musical genius? In a hilarious new ESPN GameDay commercial Mack strums a guitar and sings Texas Fight with the crew before Kirk Herbstreit screws it up:
Funny stuff. ESPN GameDay will be on campus this Saturday for the [tag]Texas Tech[/tag] game. The show will be on UT’s South Mall starting at 9am, so be sure to get to bed early Friday night so you can show your spirit (and of course clever signs.)
Texas coach Mack Brown talks about the [tag]Wyoming[/tag] game and looks towards this week’s [tag]Texas Tech[/tag] match-up:











