40 Acres Sports

ESPN’s Pat Forde has his prognosticator hat on for the 2008 season and doesn’t go out on too many limbs. One of his predictions is that the Longhorns won’t reach 10 wins for the first time since 2000. Read on…

Texas’ streak of seven straight seasons with at least 10 wins will end.

The Longhorns don’t lack talent, but they drew a killer Big 12 schedule: three 2007 bowl teams from the North division (Colorado, Missouri and Kansas), and they’ll play two of those teams on the road. And in addition to facing Oklahoma at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, they must face trendy breakout pick Texas Tech in Lubbock. Burnt orange fans are encouraged to beat the rush and start criticizing offensive coordinator [tag]Greg Davis[/tag] now.

Definitely not a ridiculous opinion. The Horns struggled mightily to get to 10 wins in 2007, lost their biggest offensive threat, and face a tougher schedule this season. In Texas’ favor they should see a big improvement on defense thanks to new coordinator [tag]Will Muschamp[/tag] and those tough teams on the schedule could easily fall back to earth. If the offensive line and defense play more consistently the Horns should keep the streak going and be a lot more fun to watch.

It’s not officially a done deal yet but there is a lot of smoke that former Texas QB [tag]Major Applewhite[/tag] will soon rejoin the Longhorn family as a member of the coaching staff. The rumor that the two sides shared a mutual interest has actually been pretty persistent since the middle of week but things really heated up today.

First came the word around lunch time from Orangebloods that despite Applewhite’s denials last week, he was very much still in the picture to join the Texas coaching staff. Then the big news this afternoon out of Alabama, not only was he a candidate but Major was coming in for an interview with [tag]Mack Brown[/tag] on Tuesday. The interview has since been confirmed by several sources.

I’ve got no inside sources but I think Tuesday’s meeting is more of a contract negotiation than a job interview. It’s not like Mack and Major need to get to know each other. This is a discussion about what Major’s role on this staff will be, his future opportunities, and of course money. Applewhite has been an offensive coordinator for the last two seasons and he wouldn’t be moving on, even to Texas, without at least the co-coordinator title and likely a succession plan in place to take over the job completely. By the 2010 season [tag]Greg Davis[/tag] will have retired and Applewhite will be the Texas offensive coordinator.

The people at the AAS apparently agree that only formalities, they’re calling it a “done deal.” I think and hope they’re right. This would be the second huge hire that Mack has made in the last two weeks that not only reinvigorates this team and coaching staff, but possibly sets up the of the program for years to come.

Major is one of the brightest young coaches in college football and a fantastic recruiter, Longhorn fans should be very excited about 2008 and beyond.

I’ll be posting periodic updates, comments, and vulgarity as the game goes on. It’s kickoff time and I’m as fired up as I’ve been since early on in the season. Let’s see how the Horns respond to a little adversity.

First Quarter

• 2 seconds in to the game and it’s clear Brent Musberger didn’t do any preparation. Brutally mispronounces [tag]Chris Ogbonnaya[/tag]’s name and then calls [tag]Lamarr Houston[/tag] the name of some random walk on. Houston takes the very short pooch kick off and the Horns start the game off with the ball out at the 50.
• Looked like a bad read by [tag]Colt McCoy[/tag] on the zone read. Picks up close to 10 yards though and the Horns have a 3rd and 3. Big play as the team really needs to get going early.
• 3rd and short run that the line did a terrible job blocking on but [tag]Jamaal Charles[/tag] breaks it for a 15 yard game.
• [tag]Mack Brown[/tag] is right. Charles was hit out of bounds down low and that should have been a penalty.
• Bad awareness by [tag]Nate Jones[/tag]. He was wide open but let himself drift out of the back of the end zone. Announcers have good comment though about how the design of the end zone in the stadium could be confusing.
• [tag]Greg Davis[/tag] is a gosh damn genius!!!!!!! WoooOoo! Touchdown [tag]Derek Lokey[/tag] for the touchdown!!! That a boy! Bill Belichick would be proud.

Arizona State 0, Texas 7

• The team really looks fired up. Let’s hope that results in some inspired play, and no let down once that energy wears off.
• [tag]Jared Norton[/tag], [tag]Roddrick Muckelroy[/tag], and [tag]Scott Derry[/tag] are the starters at linebacker. That might shut some Internet coaches up (for a few minutes.)
• And Norton is already hurt. Damnit.
• Defensive package on 3rd and long includes only 3 down lineman, [tag]Drew Kelson[/tag] and [tag]Deon Beasley[/tag] in there as extra pass defenders. Nice new look.
• Designed QB draw play. I don’t mind McCoy scrambling (in fact he’s been darn good at it this season) but not sure we should be calling too many first quarter QB runs in the huddle.
• As Musberger talks about [tag]Chris Hall[/tag] I just noticed that freshman [tag]Kyle Hix[/tag] is getting the start at right tackle and they’ve moved [tag]Adam Ulatoski[/tag] to the left side.
• [tag]Quan Cosby[/tag] on the reverse pass. Not really anybody open and Cosby does the smart thing and just throws it away. Or maybe it twas just a terrible throw. The play wasn’t blocked well and the receivers were all covered as well.
• [tag]Sergio Kindle[/tag] in there on this series. Norton back in there as well.
• Fumble! Maybe. They called it a fumble on the field at least as corner [tag]Brandon Foster[/tag] appears to rip the ball out as the ASU running back falls to the ground. Looks like he had it out before his knee was down and doesn’t look like there’s 100% evidence of the contrary. Replay confirms, Texas ball!
• Hot damn! Hey there [tag]John Chiles[/tag], I vaguely remember you buddy. The young dual threat QB is in there and on the first play Charles takes the zone read hand off close to 50 yards. On the very Next play Chiles keeps it on the same play off the left end for the touchdown! (Psst… where has this been all year?)

Arizona State 0, Texas 14

• In case you hadn’t noticed, yes I’m about 5 minutes behind live on the DVR. I’ll be caught up after one or two commercial breaks.
• Wonder what the wind situation is like. [tag]Hunter Lawrence[/tag]’s kickoffs have all been pretty short.
• Has Roger Clemens hired investigator to “discredit Brian McNamee” or two prove that he didn’t take steroids? Those are two very different things.
• Not only did senior [tag]Robert Killebrew[/tag] not get the start at linebacker but I haven’t seen him in on defense at all yet tonight. Two series in a row where it’s nothing but the young guys and Derry is off the field as well.
• [tag]Erick Jackson[/tag] got really burned on a deep pass but gets back just in time because of the underthrown ball (and maybe a little early) and the ball is tipped up and safety [tag]Marcus Griffin[/tag] has the ball come right to him for the interception.
• I like the fair catch trash talk by the ASU punt returner. “Did you see the way I waved my arm and caught the ball. You can’t handle this!”
• Killebrew, Derry, and [tag]Rashad Bobino[/tag] in there for this series.
• Can Musberger get anyone’s name right? It’s Dick Tomey, not Toomey. Dufus.
• Finally. McCoy scrambles and throws deep on the run and get its to his open receiver Cosby for a huge 55 yard gain. That a boy Colt.
• And Charles runs tough and right through the Sun Devils’ defense for the 15-yard TD run. Heck of a run and refusal to get tackled by one guy. The Horns are now up 3 scores and it’s still the first quarter. Come on guys keep this up, don’t let an ASU score or anything swing this momentum.

Arizona State 0, Texas 21

• Veteran linebackers in for second series in a row. [tag]Henry Melton[/tag] getting some early playing time at defensive end.
• Bobino shaken up. Now both middle linebackers have needed to be helped up by the medical staff but both were able to walk off on their own power.
• We’re bring multiple linebackers on every play and if we don’t start getting to Carpenter a step quicker we could be in trouble.

(more …)

Kirk Bohls of the Austin American-Statesman is reporting that SMU is possibly interested in Texas offensive coordinator [tag]Greg Davis[/tag] for their recently vacated head coaching position. Though Texas Athletic Director DeLoss Dodds said no one from SMU had requested permission to speak to Davis a source did confirm that they had contacted him unofficially.

A surprising amount of coaching rumors today. Before the Davis to SMU rumor this afternoon there was some buzz on the Arkansas message boards that Davis was headed for retirement and former Arky offensive coordinator Guz Malzahn would be Texas’ next OC. When that rumor was brought up on Orangebloods.com, posters claiming to be “in the know” wouldn’t comment on particular coaches coming or going just that there was some smoke that one of the Texas coaches may be headed for retirement.

I’m certainly not going to claim that Davis has no faults (in fact he’s got tons of them), but he’s a solid offensive coordinator and an even better quarterbacks coach. The development of Vince Young and Colt McCoy as quarterbacks has been incredible and Davis deserves a huge amount of the credit. His gameplanning and playcalling often leave a lot to be desired but it won’t be easy to replace him if he leaves.

Texas’ offense might be more exciting with someone like Malzahn calling the shots, but I’m not sure it would be better.

We’ll keep you updated on any other juicy rumors or actual news as we hear it.

Mack Brown and Greg Davis discuss reasoning for inserting backups on 3rd series. As long as it doesn’t hurt momentum, I love it. (via)

Rumors are circulating that if Kirk Ferentz doesn’t take the Houston Texans job it’ll be offered to Denver Bronco offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak. If Kubiak gets the job then he would be interested in adding much maligned (pre-Vince) Texas coordinator Greg Davis to his staff. Davis coached Kubiak when he was the quarterback at Texas A&M in the early 80’s.

I’m actually a [tag]Greg Davis[/tag] supporter when it comes to his teaching and gameplanning, but it would certainly be interesting to see who Mack Brown could bring in to replace him. Greg Robinson and Gene Chizik have infused a lot of excitement into the defense, a hot young offensive coordinator that would stick around for a while could be a good thing. Though breaking in a new QB and offensive coordinator at the same time would be an awful lot of change for one offseason. We can’t however afford to be breaking in a new offensive coordinator/scheme every year, it’s a much bigger transition than on the other side of the ball.

David Carr for Ricky Williams?

In other Texans rumors… Are they trying to set up an opening at quarterback so they can draft Vince Young? Rumors are floating around of a possible David Carr to the Miami Dolphins for [tag]Ricky Williams[/tag] trade in the works. The Texans would get Houstonian Vince Young, Ricky Williams playing for the league minimum, and a third round pick out of the deal while the Dolphins would end up with another average QB.

If the Dolphins are willing to do that deal I pull the trigger in a second.