40 Acres Sports

Wow, what a game. I must say that after [tag]Oklahoma[/tag] scored so quickly on their first two possessions, I thought we were going to get run out of the Cotton Bowl. Thankfully Jordan Shipley stepped up and Colt McCoy was able to keep the team calm. After that our defense made some big plays and Colt seemed to have full control of the game.

My favorite play of the game was easily the Quan Cosby block where he laid out #11. And my least favorite had to be the horrible penalty call when we supposedly “ran into” the punter. That punter has been watching too much soccer because that was some serious flopping.

So now Texas is 6-0 and #1 in the nation. No more relaxing, the target is on our backs. But enough of that, let’s see how each position fared against OU:

Quarterback – Overall Grade: A-

Even though [tag]Colt McCoy[/tag]’s stats don’t really show he had a great game, I felt his leadership and calmness was the key to victory against OU. Colt finished with 28/35 passing, 277 yards, and 1 touchdown. The most important stat Colt put up Saturday was zero turnovers. Colt simply didn’t make any mistakes. Colt definitely put himself into the thick of the Heisman race with this victory, and I think it is about time. Sam Bradford may have had better numbers, but I would take Colt any day.

John Chiles actually got some early playing time, probably trying to catch OU off-guard, but it was to no avail. Chiles did absolutely nothing and continues to disappoint.

Running Backs – Overall Grade: A-

[tag]Chris Ogbonnaya[/tag] got the start again Saturday, and I think he proved why. He ended up with 127 yards on only 15 carries, including a long 62 yard run which sealed the game for Texas. And even though [tag]Cody Johnson[/tag] only got 3 carries, he made the most of them scoring touchdowns on each one. He has proved he is a great goal line runner, and he and Ogbonnaya are proving to be a lethal 1-2 punch. In our most important game of the year so far, [tag]Vondrell McGee[/tag] ended up with only 1 carry for -2 yards. I think it is safe to say the coaches know who to give the ball to now.

Wide Receivers – Overall Grade: A

I didn’t think Texas could win this game with only 2 receivers, but the combo of [tag]Jordan Shipley[/tag] and [tag]Quan Cosby[/tag] was just too much for the Oklahoma secondary. Shipley seemed like he was open on every play and made some key first downs. He finished with 11 catches, 112 yards, and 1 touchdown. Cosby was all over the place too adding 9 catches and 122 yards. Cosby may be a little undersized, but he probably has some of the best hands in the Big 12 and always seems to make big plays. The rest of the receivers combined for 4 catches and 16 yards.

Defense – Overall Grade: B+

Even though I think the defense played great, I do have to dock them for allowing 5 passing touchdowns. The greatest part of the defense on Saturday is that I actually noticed our safeties, and in a good way. [tag]Blake Gideon[/tag] seemed to always be around for the tackle, and [tag]Earl Thomas[/tag] ended up with two interceptions. Both young safeties seem to be coming around and I can’t wait to see how much more they can improve before Missouri. And [tag]Roddrick Muckelroy[/tag] was simply ridiculous. He led the team with 16 tackles, 13 of them solo. Didn’t you notice every time OU ran the ball they seemed to go nowhere? Yeah, that was “Muck”. [tag]Sergio Kindle[/tag] showed again that he is scary athletic. Kindle flies around the field with reckless abandon, and the combo off him and [tag]Brian Orakpo[/tag] coming off the edges is just too much for most teams to handle.

Special Teams – Overall Grade: A

The A mainly comes from Jordan Shipley’s 96 yards kickoff return in the 2nd quarter. Texas was down 14-3 at that point and it looked like it could be a blow-out. I think that play single handedly kept Texas in the game and was the spark to get the team going. [tag]Hunter Lawrence[/tag] added 3 field goals and looks like he is a kicker that we can rely on in tough situations.

Overall Grade: A-

How can you not be pleased after that game. Even after the referees giving OU a free touchdown, Texas still prevailed. Now Texas faces the pressure of being #1, and the schedule doesn’t get any easier. They only have #11 Missouri, #8 Oklahoma State, @#7 Texas Tech, and @#16 Kansas. And did you realize the Big 12 Conference South Division has 4 teams in the top 8? That has to be a first.

The Texas Longhorns were led to victory in the [tag]Red River Rivalry[/tag] by two wide receivers that ABC/ESPN’s studio guys called “no names” before the game. Jordan Shipley and Quan Cosby combined to catch 20 passes for 234 yards and Shipley added a momentum changing 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown as well. Check out the hottest 11 Longhorns after the [tag]Oklahoma[/tag] game:

1. [tag]Jordan Shipley[/tag] – Shipley led the team in catches with 11 for 112 yards and a touchdown. He did most of his damage in the middle of the field once Oklahoma linebacker Ryan Reynolds tore his ACL. Shipley’s biggest play came on special teams when he took a kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown that kept Texas in the game. Without that play Oklahoma is still number one in the nation.
2. [tag]Roddrick Muckelroy[/tag] – “Muck” is a beast. He led the team in tackles again, this time compiling 16 with 13 of them being solo. He did a good job when matched up on OU tight end Jermai Gresham and completely shut down the Sooners running game. Sergio Kindle gets the attention, but Muckelroy is the best linebacker on the team.
3. [tag]Colt McCoy[/tag] – What is there left to say about Colt? The guy is everything you want in a quarterback. He has now won two out of three in the Red River Rivalry and has played good in each game. He finished the day 28 of 34 for 277 yards and a touchdown as a passer while adding another 59 yards on the ground. He kept plays and drives alive when he had to, and most importantly never made a mistake to take his team out of the game.
4. [tag]Quan Cosby[/tag] – Cosby is a man. Literally. He is a few years older than the guys he is playing with and against because of his baseball career. The maturity exudes off of him when he is on the field. He had nine catches for 122 yards, and may have had the play of the game when he decleated Lendy Holmes on a Jordan Shipley pass reception. Texas finally found a deep threat and it was Cosby all along.
5. [tag]Brian Orakpo[/tag] – “Rak” is officially rich. The big defensive end has played great all year and has finally become the dominant presence the staff hoped he would be. He racked up seven total tackles, two sacks, four tackles for loss, and a fumble recovery. By the end of the game OU quarterback Sam Bradford was looking for him after every snap. Orakpo has made this defense go, and will be a top pick in the upcoming draft if he can stay healthy.
6. [tag]Earl Thomas[/tag] – Sure he made a few mistakes, but the red-shirt freshman made two interceptions of Sam Bradford with one setting up a field goal before the end of the first half. Thomas has the attitude that is infectious to the rest of his teammates, and as he gets more and more comfortable playing in the deep middle for Texas his athleticism and hunger for the game have become evident to everyone. This secondary play hinges on Thomas and for the last few games that has been a good thing.
7. [tag]Chris Ogbonnaya[/tag] – All Spring, summer, and for four games of the regular season the staff and the fans have been searching for a go to running back. The whole time it was senior Chris Ogbonnaya. Chris “O” became the first running back of the year to go over 100 yards in a game when he ran the ball 15 times for 130 yards. He had two big runs in the second half, the last one sealing the game. He can run, he can catch, and he can block. Look for his role to expand moving forward.
8. [tag]Sergio Kindle[/tag] – The athleticism of Sergio Kindle is off the charts. He finished the game with five tackles and a sack, but his effect on a game can not be measured. He flies around the field, and when he hits someone he hits them hard. I thought he was going to break Sam Bradford in half on his lone sack of the game. The combination of Orakpo and Kindle coming off the edge gives Texas an advantage that it has never had, and the two will be the key to stopping the high powered offenses Texas still has to face.
9. [tag]Cody Johnson[/tag] – Last week I said two touchdowns will get you on the big board every week, so three has to right? The big guy only had three carries, but he made them all count. His role seems to be cemented with the emergence of Ogbonnaya as the goal line and short yard specialist.
10. [tag]Blake Gideon[/tag] – The true freshman plays quietly in games. He is always where he needs to be and makes sure tackles when he has the chance. Gideon has become the quarterback of this defense which is remarkable when you realize he was at the prom less than six months ago. He had eight tackles and a pass breakup against OU. The best part is the combination of Thomas and Gideon still has four years of eligibility.
11. [tag]Hunter Lawrence[/tag] – Lawrence made all three field goals he attempted. The margin of victory was 10 points. Coming into the season many expected [tag]Ryan Bailey[/tag] to continue to be the kicker, but Lawrence has grabbed the position and won’t let go. He has a powerful leg and has been perfect on the season. Odds are a game or two will come down to his leg and right now Texas has got to like their chances when it does.

The Texas Longhorns picked up one of the biggest wins of Mack Brown’s career Saturday as they upset the #1 ranked Oklahoma Sooners 45 – 35. The Horns went down repeatedly but responded to every punch with one of their own until they finally knocked out the Sooners (literally) in the fourth quarter. A huge win for the Texas program quite possibly setting up a run at a national title.

Watch the ESPN highlights of the game:

The Longhorns and Sooners are set to square off Saturday morning at the Texas State Fair. The two teams, both ranked in the top five, look to be evenly matched and both feature Heisman candidate quarterbacks running the show. As is often the case in rivalry games, it could come down to players who aren’t superstars to lead their teams to victory. Read on to see the five Horns you’ll want to watch Saturday in the [tag]Red River Rivalry[/tag].

[tag]Chris Ogbonnaya[/tag]

Chris “O” had a coming out party of sorts last week against Colorado. The senior running back does a little bit of everything. He is Texas’ best blocker and receiver coming out of the backfield and with Foswhitt Whittaker’s status still up in the air Chris may have the most big play ability as well. [tag]Mack Brown[/tag] tends to go with guys he trusts in games like these. The staff trusts few players more than Ogbonnaya. The kid does anything he asked too and that are the type of players who win games like these. Look for Texas to use him out of the backfield when they get him matched up with a linebacker. Anything he provides on the ground will be a bonus Saturday in Dallas.

[tag]Chris Hall[/tag]

The offensive line struggled at times against [tag]Colorado[/tag]. Forcing McCoy to run when he is not ready has been the recipe for success against Texas and up until that game not many people had been criticizing the big guys up front even with the running game being inconsistent because the pass protection had been so good. Hall has played every position on the line and is counted on to make the right reads and calls in regards to protection before the snap. If Texas can handle OU’s pressure allowing McCoy time to sit in the pocket then the Horns have a real chance to do damage. The holes in the running game have been there, it is on the backs to get to the hole, but knowing the backfield lacks that burst these guys need to hold their blocks a fraction longer. UT has been a block away from an explosive play more than once this year, and if they can pop one this weekend it may be what they need to get a win.

[tag]Deon Beasley[/tag]

These are the types of games that prove being called a “starter” is overrated. With the type of no-huddle spread offense OU runs, Texas is going to run a lot of 3-3-5 with [tag]Sergio Kindle[/tag] playing end or linebacker depending on the situation, and with Beasley coming in to play the fifth defensive back. The junior has as much talent as any corner back on the roster, and the loss of his starting job has had more to do with the impressive play of fellow corner [tag]Chykie Brown[/tag] than Beasley playing poor. Oklahoma likes to pick out a few guys and try to exploit them. Beasley, along with the two freshmen safeties, would appear to be the guys. One of the corners needs to create a turnover. Brown and [tag]Ryan Palmer[/tag] have shown their lack of hands. A big play by Beasley early could get the Sooners away from their game plan.

[tag]Jared Norton[/tag]

Norton is taking more and more snaps away from senior [tag]Rashad Bobino[/tag]. And with the opportunity, Norton is responding well to coach Will Muschamp’s aggressive, attacking style of defense. The junior from Rowlett excels when allowed to play down hill and attack the ball. He even showed some coverage skills last week with a nice break up on an out route. Texas would like to use three linebackers throughout the game and feel like they can because of Kindle’s versatility, but don’t be surprised if Kindle comes off the field with Norton and [tag]Roddrick Muckelroy[/tag] at linebacker when UT goes with four down lineman. Stopping the running game will be crucial in this game to make OU one dimensional which will allow the guys on the outside to pin their ears back and attack the quarterback. If Norton can be steady in the middle it will allow the defense to unleash a full barrage of blitzes.

[tag]Hunter Lawrence[/tag]

Nobody is sure what [tag]Ryan Bailey[/tag] did to lose his job, but everyone is sure Hunter Lawrence isn’t giving it back. In his first year as the kicker, the ex Boerne star is four for four with a long of 46. The Red River Shootout hasn’t been decided by less than seven points this decade, but I have a feeling this one could be close and close games come down to special teams. The team that misses a field goal or gets a punt blocked or returned for a touchdown is going to lose the game. Big plays have a way of sucking the life out of the crowd and the team at the Cotton Bowl and neither teams that much better than the other where they can overcome it. I’ll take Texas’ special teams because of [tag]Duane Akina[/tag], Lawrence, punter [tag]John Gold[/tag], and kick off specialist [tag]Justin Tucker[/tag]. The Longhorns have the advantage in this area for the first time in a long time, and must take advantage of it to come back to Austin undefeated.

BevoBeat has posted three nice long videos of interview sessions with [tag]Colt McCoy[/tag], [tag]Ryan Palmer[/tag], and [tag]Chris Ogbonnaya[/tag]. The team sounds ready to come out and give the Sooners hell. Watch the videos below to see the guys talk about this week’s match-up.

Colt McCoy talks about being a Big 12 quarterback and how much he loves the week of Texas/OU:

Ryan Palmer says the team needs to practice hard and the defense needs to tackle better to stop the Sooners’ offense:

Chris Ogbonnaya shares a story about the “lovely” Sooner faithful:

Source

Texas did beat beat a decent conference opponent on the road by 24 points, but did we really look all that good? I would say the defense probably had their best all-around game, but there are still some areas of concern. The offensive line had one of their worst games of the season and is anyone going to step up at the receiver position so Colt can throw to someone else besides Cosby and Shipley? And our running backs? Obviously Chris Ogbonnaya had a great game, but we need some more consistency from Cody Johnson and Vondrell McGee. It’s pretty scary to have to rely on Colt to do everything.

Now with all of that said, Texas is 5-0 and you really can’t ask for much more heading into OU. I guess we will really get to see what Texas is made of with their tough upcoming schedule (OU, Mizzou, OSU, @Tech).

My favorite stat of the game? QB Cody Hawkins threw for only 13/33 and 118 yards. I bet he is going to have nightmares this week of the Texas defense. Now let’s see how each position fared:

Quarterback – Overall Grade: B

[tag]Colt McCoy[/tag] probably had his worst game of the season. Colt’s stats aren’t horrible, 23/30 for 262 yards and 2 touchdowns. The concerning part is the two interceptions. One of them was just a poor decision and had Tony Romo written all over it. Luckily Colt is having his off day in a game that wasn’t ever in question. I expect Colt to bounce back and have a great game against Oklahoma.

[tag]John Chiles[/tag] seems to be looking more and more lost out there on the field. And now when he is running and seems to be reluctant and has no purpose. Hopefully this isn’t the future of the Texas QB.

Running Backs – Overall Grade: B

[tag]Chris Ogbonnaya[/tag] had a career game. Chris O started off the game with a 65 yard touchdown and reception and later added a 51 yard run. His performance on Saturday deservedly earned him the starting nod against OU. It’s the other running backs that have me a bit worried. [tag]Vondrell McGee[/tag] did show a little speed, but ended up with only 30 yards on 8 carries. I was expecting big things from McGee this year and he has yet to have that breakout game. [tag]Cody Johnson[/tag] did score two touchdowns, but had only 27 yards on 11 carries. It looks like Cody Johnson will be useful for short-yardage situations, but probably doesn’t have the fitness for much else. When is [tag]Fozzy Whittaker[/tag] going to return? We need him stat.

Wide Receivers – Overall Grade: B-

Of course [tag]Quan Cosby[/tag] and [tag]Jordan Shipley[/tag] had great games, but I am docking the receivers because someone else needs to step-up and give Colt a solid target. Only 3 catches were made by receivers other than Cosby and Shipley (not counting RBs). That just won’t cut it against Oklahoma this weekend. Man that [tag]Blaine Irby[/tag] injury is looking more and more costly.

Defense – Overall Grade: A

The defense was the main bright spot against [tag]Colorado[/tag]. The defensive front-seven controlled the game and spent most of the game in QB [tag]Cody Hawkins[/tag]’ grill. The defensive MVP had to be [tag]Roy Miller[/tag], who had a monster game in the middle with eight tackles, a fumble recovery, three QB hits, and two pass breakups. The play of the game goes to [tag]Chykie Brown[/tag] when he knocked down a long pass attempt early in the game. If he doesn’t make that play and Colorado scores, the game could have been totally different.

Overall Grade: B

The offense was decent and the defense showed signs of greatness. So how am I feeling going into next week? Pretty nervous. But luckily no matter what happens, OU will still SUCK!

Starting this year the coaches have started to keep a “big board” of the top 11 players on the offense and defense each week. With the start of conference play, we’ve decided to make one of our own. Here’s the list after the [tag]Colorado[/tag] game:

1. [tag]Chris Ogbonnaya[/tag] – Texas may have found their running back. Chris “O” made the game’s first big play on a 65 yard touchdown catch from Colt McCoy that set the tone. He also added 75 yards on the ground and showed some big play ability.
2. [tag]Roy Miller[/tag] – The big guy was everywhere on Saturday night. Miller had eight tackles, a fumble recovery, three quarterback hits, and two pass breakups. He may be the conferences best in the middle.
3. [tag]Colt McCoy[/tag] – It says a lot about McCoy’s play thus far this year that the game versus Colorado is a step back. Colt had been playing out of this world so far, and came back to earth a bit against a Colorado team that decided to blitz all night. He finished 23 of 30 for 262 yards including two touchdowns and interceptions. McCoy didn’t lead the team in rushing finally, rushing for a solid 59 yards.
4. [tag]Roddrick Muckelroy[/tag] – Muckelroy was all over the field in this game. He led the team in tackling again, accounting for 10 tackles and a pass break up. The speed and violence he is bringing to this line backing core has the unit playing better than any group in Mack Brown’s tenure.
5. [tag]Brian Orakpo[/tag] – “B-Rak” is making himself a lot of money this year. Texas fans were hoping he’d put it all together on the field and he hasn’t disappointed. When teams decided to block him with just one guy he seems to get at least a hit on the quarterback every time. He finished with only two tackles, but had five hits on the quarterback and made the pocket a place CU’s quarterback Cody Hawkins a place he didn’t want to be.
6. [tag]Earl Thomas[/tag] – As Earl Thomas goes, so goes this young secondary. The red shirt freshman appears to be the emotional leader of the group in the back. Earl’s name wasn’t mentioned all that much last night, and that is a good sign. He had two pass breakups and provided good support in the run game.
7. [tag]Cody Johnson[/tag] – Johnson began the game as the starting running back for the first time in his young career at Texas. With Ogbonnaya having such a big game and the score becoming lopsided, Cody was limited to a short yardage back. He capitalized however, and two touchdowns will get you on the big board every week.
8. [tag]Jordan Shipley[/tag] – Shipley caught the other McCoy pass on the night. It wasn’t a huge day for the ex Burnet star, but he got in the end zone and moved the chains on a few receptions. He has definitely become the guy McCoy looks to on hot reads and around the goal line. Their chemistry is amazing.
9. [tag]Quan Cosby[/tag] – Cosby had the most catches on the team and appeared to be the most explosive on the night. The old guy on the team finished with nine catches for 71 yards. His long was just 15 however, as all the wide outs failed to make a big play.
10. [tag]Sergio Kindle[/tag] – Sergio is just a physical freak. He causes havoc wherever he is on the field. When he lines up opposite Orakpo in the “buck” package an offense has no chance. Kindle looked better playing in space as he gets more and more comfortable on his surgically prepared knee. The light has finally come on in his third year on campus, and the sky appears to be the limit for this guy.
11. [tag]Chykie Brown[/tag] – Chykie Brown played his best game as a Longhorn Saturday night against Colorado. It started early, as the starting corner knocked down a long pass attempt by Cody Hawkins. If that pass is completed the game may have been completely different. The whole secondary played with a swagger it never had last year. The Tony Yayo hand dance needs to go, but the play of this group is here to stay.

Texas played their best defense in years as they knocked off their first conference opponent [tag]Colorado[/tag]. Quarterback [tag]Colt McCoy[/tag] wasn’t perfect but he was darn good and senior running back [tag]Chris Ogbonnaya[/tag] had his best day as a Longhorn. Watch video highlights of the game from ESPN below:

There’s also some good but not embeddable highlights available from FSN to check out.

Texas faces old rival [tag]Arkansas[/tag] this weekend in Austin. The game was supposed to take place two weeks ago, but the threat of Hurricane Ike caused UT to postpone the game two weeks. The Longhorns have yet to face a team that deserves to be on the same field as them this season, and even though Arkansas is a SEC team, the Razorbacks are going through a rebuilding year after losing their best two players and hiring a new coach. The Razorbacks barely snuck by two lower divisional schools, and got thumped by Alabama last week. This week should be another one where the success and outcome of the game will depend solely how Texas plays.

When Texas has the ball

Not enough can be said about Colt McCoy’s play this season. Without him, Texas is no better than the sixth best team in the conference. With him, the Longhorns have a chance to win every game on their schedule, even OU and Missouri. Great quarterbacks have the ability to cover up the weaknesses on their team while exploiting the weaknesses of the opponent. So far Colt has been almost perfect, throwing for 11 touchdowns and leading the team in rushing. Expect no different this week against a young Arkansas defense.

Texas’ running game has problems. The offensive line has been solid, but the backs have struggled. When your quarterback is not named [tag]Vince Young[/tag], he shouldn’t be your team’s best running threat. Starting running back [tag]Vondrell McGee[/tag] has struggled against lackluster competition. Backup running back Foswhitt Whittaker has been sidelined with injuries to both knees. The best two running backs have been versatile [tag]Chris Ogbonnaya[/tag] and bruiser [tag]Cody Johnson[/tag]. The deficiencies running the ball have been masked by the play of McCoy and the fact that all of the games have been blowouts. As the competition gets better, one would think McCoy’s success will not come as easy. The major question for this offense will be to figure out where to get yards on the ground when they need them.

UT’s offense suffered a huge blow when [tag]Blaine Irby[/tag] went down with a dislocated knee. Texas’ tight ends will now be counted on for blocking more so than in the passing game. Expect Texas to use more four to five receiver sets in obvious passing downs. If the offense struggles do not be surprised to see Ogbonnaya get some snaps at tight end because of his experience at wide receiver. [tag]Jordan Shipley[/tag] and [tag]Quan Cosby[/tag] have performed at an all conference level, but the team still needs a go to third receiver, preferably one that can get deep.

The Arkansas defense has struggled giving up 33.3 per game.

When Arkansas has the ball

The good news is Texas is only allowing 11 points a game, and only [tag]Rice[/tag] has scored in the second half. Each opponent has thrown the ball with success against the Longhorn secondary, and the tests should only get tougher from here on out. Texas ranks ninth in the Big 12 in Pass Defense Efficiency, allowing opposing quarterbacks to attain a 112 passing rating. Arkansas’ Casey Dick is averaging over 300 yards per game through the air. The tackling has improved in the secondary, but the group is still giving up too much easy yardage and allowing too many third down conversions. Safeties [tag]Earl Thomas[/tag] and [tag]Blake Gideon[/tag] must continue to improve each week if the defense has any chance of helping the offense win a conference title.

The best way to help out the inexperienced secondary is to apply pressure. Texas recorded seven sacks against Rice, many of them coming in the second half. This proves that the defensive line can wear out an offense. In today’s age of quick passing sacks have lost some value, but applying pressure on a quarterback to change the timing of the routes as well as disrupting footwork is still key. Defensive coordinator [tag]Will Muschamp[/tag] keeps a stat on number of pressures the team has, so far they are up to 45 through three games.

The run defense has been great, which could be a result of the offensive philosophy that UT’s opponents have used. Texas has a good rotation along their front seven. The line backing core this year has performed better than any group under [tag]Mack Brown[/tag]. Muschamp is becoming a cult hero in Austin, and his desire and work ethic has directly influenced this group.

If Texas wants to get better, and they do, the defense needs to start creating more turnovers. Opposing offenses are giving the secondary too many chances to have only recorded one interception. Texas’ defense has been great in the red-zone giving way to the assumption that they are playing a bend but don’t break type of defense, but truly the lack of execution and talent has provided opportunities for stops. Does anyone believe this defense could stop the Big 12 powers 11 times within the 10 yard line?

Texas should once again be tested, but this is another week where the result isn’t truly in question. Texas’ goals are to be more consistent and allow less big plays while making a few more of their own.

The Texas offense was again on point racking up a total of 600 yards (341 pass, 259 rush). Colt McCoy controlled the game and looks like a quarterback playing with great confidence. The Texas defense continued its trend of bend-don’t-break, allowing 300 passing yards but only 10 points. Overall I would say Texas looked like the #7 team in the nation dominating a decent Rice team.

Now let’s see how each position fared:

Quarterback – Overall Grade: A+

Finally [tag]Colt McCoy[/tag] gets that A+. Colt had all of his talents on display. He threw with great accuracy, controlled the game, and ran with speed and power. Colt threw for 329 yards on 19/23 passing and 4 touchdowns, and added 83 yards and a touchdown on the ground. If you haven’t seen it yet, you must see the highlight of Colt’s touchdown where he ran over two defenders before stepping into the end-zone. You don’t often see that from a quarterback. And if all of that wasn’t enough, Colt also became the new career touchdown pass leader with 62, breaking the previous mark of 60 set by Major Applewhite. All in days work for Colt.

Since the game was a blowout, [tag]John Chiles[/tag] got some decent action rushing for an impressive 72 yards on 10 carries, including a 25 yard run in the 4th quarter for a touchdown. Chiles was only called on to throw the ball once, which he completed for 12 yards.

Running Backs – Overall Grade: B+

[tag]Cody Johnson[/tag] seems to have emerged as the goto back for the Texas Longhorns. We all know Johnson has the power to run up the middle, but against Rice he also showed he has some serious speed on the outside. Johnson ended up with 67 yards on 15 carriers and 1 touchdown. [tag]Vondrell McGee[/tag] also got a few carriers, but turned out to be not all that effective. [tag]Chris Ogbonnaya[/tag] continues to impress catching passes out of the backfield, breaking one for a 46 yard touchdown in the 3rd quarter.

Receivers – Overall Grade: B+

[tag]Jordan Shipley[/tag] had the best game of his career, racking up 155 yards on 5 catches and 2 touchdowns. On Shipley’s second touchdown of the second quarter, he was so wide open there wasn’t a defender within 15 yards. [tag]Quan Cosby[/tag] was the consistent player he always is, catching 7 passes for 90 yards and a score, the only issue being the fumble near the end-zone which ended up as a touchback for Rice. Those types of mistakes can’t happen during Big 12 play. Losing Irby for the season is big, but hopefully Ullman and/or Smith can step-up continue to be a safety valve for Colt.

Defense – Overall Grade: B

Allowing 301 passing yards is obvious cause for worry with our young secondary. We still have a few games left before we hit the meat of our schedule, so hopefully that will be enough time for [tag]Will Muschamp[/tag] to work his magic. Thankfully the Texas front seven is looking strong. They recorded seven sacks and dominated the line of scrimmage. [tag]Sergio Kindle[/tag] ran around like a mad-man disrupting many a play, and [tag]Brian Orakpo[/tag] proved why he is one of the better defensive ends in the nation recording 2 sacks for 29 yards lost and 1 forced fumble. If the young secondary can improve by the beginning of October, Texas will have a very formidable defense.

The highlight of the day for the defense had to be the goal-line stand from the 2 yard line. Texas endured 11 plays and 2 pass interference calls, ending with a interception in the end-zone. Not often you see something like that.

Overall Grade: A-

Colt looks like he is on a mission and has this offense on a roll that cannot be stopped. The defense continues to look a little shaky, but luckily right now the greatness of the offense is outweighing the weakness of the defense. I actually feel pretty good right now about how things are progressing.